Yuri sat quietly in her room with the same book she was reading earlier open on her lap, the Portrait of Markov. She really shouldn't be reading right now, she should be making dinner for herself but Yuri just couldn't resist the horrific terror and sorrow that her favorite book had to offer. It was nicer as well to read when she wasn't being burdened by her school clothes as she had changed to her comfy gray sweater and some soft black pants.

It certainly helps set the mood for a good book as she was already halfway through the story after just an hour of reading it! Then again it was getting late and she hadn't eaten anything just yet, perhaps just one more page wouldn't hurt-

*Knock, knock, knock*

She stopped, already turning the page when she heard a knock at the door followed by the ring of her door bell. Yuri looked up and felt curiosity peak in her, who could be here at her house so late? It couldn't be her parents, they won't be back home for another few months.

Yuri hummed and marked her page, getting up from the bed still holding her book before walking out from her room and into the living room. Another knock coming to her door with this one being a bit louder and almost urgent.

"I'm coming!" she says, almost shouting.

Putting her book down on the couch before she reaches out and opens the door a little, peeking through the crack. Surprised to see that the person standing at the door is that tsundere pinkette she saw just an hour or so ago!

"Hey..." Natsuki mutters, rubbing an arm and trying not to look at Yuri directly.

She looks ashamed or nervous as she stands there, "Natsuki!" Yuri exclaims, glad that it's just her, "Why are you out so late?" she asks, opening the door more for her.

Natsuki is quiet for a time, does she tell Yuri the truth about why she's here? Would she even care? Yuri's a shy person but even she can put her foot down.

"Oh, y'know just kinda going for a walk!" she says with an obviously fake assurance before she becomes meek once more, "And um... my dad he..." she stops and almost starts to shake just at the mention of him.

She can't tell her, who would believe her anyways? It's not like anyone would care either...

"Um... Natsuki?" Yuri calls, bending down to be closer to the pinkette snapping her out from her thoughts.

"Sorry, I spaced out there," she lies, leaning a bit away from Yuri who is suddenly really close to her now, clearly worried, "A-anyways, my dad works late all the time so he locks the door when I leave for school... and I forgot my key today so... can I maybe stay here tonight?"

'She forgot her key? I'm not sure how much I believe her but regardless I can't let her stay out there, she'll freeze her ass off otherwise,' Yuri thinks to herself, stepping aside.

"Of course, please come inside, Natsuki," Yuri says insistently welcoming the pinkette inside.

Natsuki is nothing short of surprised but thankful for this, gladly walking inside while Yuri closes the door behind her, locking it.

"Thanks, still I'm sorry for bothering you..." she mutters, walking inside and looking around.

It's a pretty cozy looking home for the most part with a TV hanging on the living room wall and a couch in front of it. Yuri's kitchen is right behind the living room too with an island full of ingredients and spices greatly enticing Natsuki.

"You aren't, don't apologize Natsuki please, I'm happy to let you stay tonight. Where does your father work if he isn't home to see you at an earlier time?"

Natsuki sighs, putting her bag down near the door, "He's a cop and works night shifts mostly. It's annoying but it's his job," she mutters, wanting to say more but staying silent.

"Hm, he must work hard. My parents have business over a few different parts of Japan so they won't be back for sometime," Yuri explains.

"Wow, that sounds... actually kind of lonely," Natsuki replies, watching as Yuri goes into the kitchen, going through the fridge for ingredients for dinner.

She shrugs as she comes back with some leftover curry then over to her pantry for a good portion of rice and some vinegar, turning the stove on and grabbing a pot for the rice and water.

"I manage, besides they work hard and I enjoy the silence." admittedly this is a bit of a lie, she would like someone here with her but that's a topic for another time, "I-I hope you don't mind reheated food, Natsuki. I lost track of time and forgot to make dinner tonight."

Natsuki melts at this, the word food being enough to make her relax instantly as she sits on the living room couch.

"I'll eat anything at this point..." she whispers, Yuri looking over her shoulder.

"What was that?" she asks not having heard her right.

"Nothing! Nothing just... anything sounds good right now," Natsuki reaches down and holds her stomach, at this point she could eat anything regardless of taste if it meant the emptiness of her stomach would go away.

Yuri smiled glad and continued to steam the rice, finishing it quickly and pouring the leftover curry into some bowls and microwaving them. Satisfied and returning with four bowls, she sets them down on the coffee table in front of them both.

"I'm not the best at cooking, b-but I hope you like it..." her hands go straight for her hair, starting to fidget with it as Natsuki takes the bowl and spoon.

Her mouth is literally watering, she's never smelled something this good in years and this is just microwaved curry! Yuri however just eats quietly, moving her book onto the table so it won't get stained while Natsuki completely devours the entire bowl.

Yuri tries not to notice but with the speed she ate Natsuki might've broken a record or two! Doing the same with her rice, not leaving a single grain behind before slumping down into the couch as a random show played on the TV. She was far from full, she wanted more but didn't want to ask, instead just breathing out as if she were satisfied which made Yuri laugh softly!

"Hmhm, I'm guessing it was good then?" she asked, Natsuki looking over at Yuri happier than she's ever seemed?

"You have no idea..." she says, holding her stomach which is still heavily starved but feels a lot better after getting something in there, "I-I... uh, I mean it was alright yeah..."

Yuri laughs again and sits back, eating the rest of her food while Natsuki watches TV which she has to admit while entertaining, wasn't really an anime she would watch. From what she could see it was nothing but violence and horror as this fully armored knight slaughtered what Natsuki assumed was goblins.

Yuri watches the show pretty interested as a goblin takes a lit torch straight to the face, screaming out in an agonized shrill voice before being left to die. While this was something Yuri would probably watch, Natsuki on the other hand was far from into it at all.

"U-uh, Yuri, do we have to watch something so... graphic?" she asks, Yuri looking at the pinkette getting a little flustered suddenly.

"Ah, s-sorry, I forgot you aren't into this sort of thing um... do you have anything you'd like to watch?" she asks and honestly Natsuki really wasn't sure, she's not watched TV for a very long time now for obvious reasons.

"Just... anything less... bloody?" she asks not wanting to be thinking about this anime for the rest of the night.

Yuri hums and thinks to herself, deciding there is an anime she's wanted to watch for some time now and going straight to Netflix. Humming as she does so and selecting a show with a boy that has a big yellow jacket and punkish hair style.

Natsuki crosses her arms and tilts her head a little, "Cyberpunk? What's that?"

Yuri shrugs as the first episode starts to play, "I've seen a few clips here and there, I believe it takes place in a much more advanced future with people who are mostly robotic? It seems like it's a good show but I've never watched it before," she explains, Natsuki deciding to just go along with it since it doesn't seem like a horror show at least.

It actually was pretty good though! A bit inappropriate and there was a lot of cursing and guns but Natsuki and Yuri were both wanting to know more after just the first episode. It was a very colorful show as well, with lots of lights and scenery that Natsuki became easily captured in. She and Yuri had made it through 3 episodes already, she was starting to feel tired but she didn't want this to end yet!

"I don't really get it," Natsuki says, Yuri turning to her as she leans closer towards the violet haired girl, her eyes a little droopy, "Why is that dummy going for that one girl..? She's... *yawn* almost killed David like four times now!" she exclaims, Yuri giggling at the tired tsundere and her buzzed state.

"I suppose I agree, although she does bring excitement to his life at least," she points out, Natsuki nodding despite not having heard her completely from being so sleepy.

"I guess but I would not be hanging around someone who... Mmf... w-who took me on a crazy hospital bed joyride towards oncoming traffic," she exclaims, Natsuki's head starting to lower as her eyes close for a moment.

Yuri sees that as fair although it was something captivating to witness, "Yes well... I wouldn't either but, she does something that you do for me Natsuki. Bringing more excitement to my life I mean," Yuri says before instantly covering her mouth the moment those words left her lips.

She's blushing deeply, looking at Natsuki who is actually dozing off so much that she most likely didn't even hear Yuri at all. She takes a deep breath and sighs relieved that Natsuki didn't hear any of that or at least doesn't seem like she did that is.

'Thank god... Why did I say that?! It is true to an extent but...' she doesn't bother trying to finish that thought, maybe she's also pretty tired too, it is a little late.

Natsuki softly groans and falls towards Yuri, the pinkette's head laying against Yuri's shoulder startling her a little bit. Yuri looks at her and sees she's actually completely passed out, breathing softly through slightly parted lips as she uses Yuri's arm as a pillow, her hand resting on Yuri's thigh as she snuggles next to her.

Yuri can't help but just stare at her flustered, 'She's asleep? I guess she did walk a lot all day and she already seemed tired,' Natsuki suddenly moves a little and wraps her arms around Yuri's waist! Hugging her closer and snoring a little only making Yuri's heart flutter, 'She's hugging me?!'

Yuri stays extremely still, letting Natsuki just do as she pleased while trying not to disturb her, Yuri freaking out so much that she can hear her heart beating in her ears. Natsuki eventually slid down from Yuri's shoulder to her lap, the pinkette resting herself on her thighs while Yuri sits there unable to do anything else.

"Natsuki..." she mutters, resting her hand on the tired girl's shoulder and her other hand on her head, running her fingers through her soft pink locks, "This feeling, why am I s-so nervous around her now? And blushing so much I-I," she reaches up and pulls at her sweater's collar a bit, "I feel so hot now, but she's just so c-cute a-and I..." she stops and looks down at the tsundere as she curls up more.

Wincing as she moves her legs up, nuzzling Yuri's thighs with her face and getting comfortable once more. Yuri feels a lump in her throat, trying to force it down and not look at the girl on her lap too much but failing badly. Noticing that Natsuki's breathing is so soft and shallow, her face is rather pale too, now that she thinks about it that's not normal for anyone.

'She seems so weak and frail... Why?' Yuri wonders, continuing to rub Natsuki's face for some time before awkwardly cupping her cheek.

Brushing down her face with her thumb, enjoying the way she felt in her lap and arms as she slumbered quietly. Yuri couldn't take her eyes off of Natsuki, despite the anime playing, she was completely transfixed with the girl asleep on her. Though now that she looked closer, she saw something on Natsuki's cheek, it was sorta... purple?

Yuri leaned closer and rubbed at Natsuki's face a bit harder now, brushing it with her thumb. Smearing away what appeared to be makeup on Natsuki's cheek that was covering a large purple bruise on her face?!

"A mark..? Why does Natsuki have a bruise on her face?" Yuri mutters, asking herself.

She didn't jump to conclusions just yet, it could just be that she maybe fell on something or it was just an accident but now she couldn't help but grow at least a little curious. Looking down at Natsuki's body, she realized how much smaller she looked now being this close. Taking a glance at Natsuki's bruised face before reaching down and taking the helm of her shirt.

She didn't know why she was doing this but... she had to know. No matter how wrong this was, she wanted to make sure Natsuki was okay. Lifting up her school shirt just enough to see her stomach and a bit of her chest, horrified at the sight before her.

Instantly, Yuri's eyes focused on the massive dark purple hue on Natsuki's chest. Her hand started to shake and grip Natsuki's shirt tighter when she realized something else... her ribs were visible. You could see Natsuki's ribs clear as day on top of the massive almost black colored bruise.

'W-w-what is this?! Why is Natsuki so skinny?! A-and that bruise...' Yuri was horrified, no amount of horror novels could ever prepare her for seeing someone like Natsuki so abused like this.

Letting her shirt go, she brushes the tip of her fingers across the massive bruise on her chest. The slumbering girl instantly flinches and hisses through her teeth as soon as Yuri grazes her skin. She takes her hand away quickly, her heart plummeting and feeling ill seeing just how badly Natsuki was hurting.

'I can't even touch her without her feeling it? What happened?!' Yuri demands in her head, feeling an entire mix of emotions ranging from sadness and hurt but the most prevalent one being anger...

Yuri carefully slid out from under Natsuki's head, having to make her let go of Yuri's waist. The abused pinkette huffed out in annoyance, starting to look for Yuri by weakly patting the couch with her hands. She just watched for a moment, her hands were shaking and she was too scared to even touch Natsuki now.

Things were fine just a few minutes ago and suddenly Yuri finds out Natsuki is horrifically skinny and might have something else going on with how bad those bruises were. Why was this happening all of a sudden?!

Yuri took a breath and tried to recompose herself, turning the TV off and moving her book out of the way, tossing it aside not caring where she threw it as she gently slides her arms under the sleeping tsundere.

"She's so light..." Yuri muttered as she lifted her up with no difficulty, hugging Natsuki against her chest and looking down at her all the while being sure to only hold Natsuki's shoulder and not her bruised side.

She rested her head against Yuri's shoulder, not at all disturbed by being picked up. Yuri just felt drained, genuinely she was heartbroken seeing Natsuki so mangled like this. Walking out from the living room and into her own room, Yuri turned the light off the moment she walked in and made her way to the bed. Carefully laying Natsuki down onto it, she didn't want to leave her here but Yuri knew she needed time to process all of this.

Slipping her hands out from her and about to leave before suddenly being grabbed by Natsuki, Yuri jumps and almost screams as she looks down at the pinkette who's just barely awake.

Natsuki groans as her eyes are cracked open looking for her, "Y-Yuri..? Yuri, where are you going..?" she asks, holding her sleeve with her thumb and index finger.

Yuri swallows her grief, refusing to wake Natsuki up any further when she's so tired and comfortable.

She clears her throat and tries to sound as casual as possible, "I'm just going to shower, Natsuki. I moved you to my room to sleep okay?"

Natsuki's smiles softly and lets Yuri go, satisfied, "O-okay... Sorry, I just got scared you left me alone..."

Yuri almost loses it, this would've sounded endearing to her normally but now all Yuri can focus on is the more sinister meaning of her saying that.

"No Natsuki, I-I'll be right back, go back to sleep okay?" Yuri assures, however, doesn't sound too convincing.

Yuri watches as Natsuki closes her eyes again and relaxes into the bed, forgetting what it felt like to feel so safe like this. The bed even smelled like Yuri to...

She left quick, grabbing a change of clothes and hurrying to the bathroom to be alone. Slamming and locking the door as she felt her breathing get faster, holding her chest, it felt like she had just been chased by someone. Why?! Why did she just see that, out of everyone why Natsuki?!

Yuri's mind flooded with these thoughts as she turned the shower on, letting the noise drown her out as she stood in front of the sink and mirror waiting for the water to warm up. It was no use though, no matter what Yuri did to get the image out of her mind she couldn't stop seeing Natsuki laying there curled up and her stomach exposed with that gruesome bruise and her ribs showing.

Why could Yuri see her ribs? Was that why she was so tired all the time? And why did she have that bruise? There's no way she did that to herself surely, no person could handle doing that to themselves.

Yuri struggled to undress, throwing her sweater off forcibly and doing the same with her pants and underwear. Not bothering to be careful with her bandaged arms and ripping those off as well before stepping into the shower.

She stood under the water as it trickled down her body, holding her stomach tight and looking down at her feet just trying to focus. Her vision became blurry as she started to cry, a few sobs escaping Yuri's lips as she broke down hard, clenching her eyes shut and starting to curl up just like Natsuki had on her lap earlier.

Her thick purple hair draped down her back, sticking to her as she cried, "Natsuki... W-why?! Why Natsuki?! She doesn't deserve that, no one deserves that!" she exclaims, feeling nothing but pain and sorrow after seeing her friend like that, "She's so small and... a-and even if we don't get along all the time I don't want to see her like that! A-and when I touched her side... the way she flinched and curled up, I-I've never seen Natsuki so vulnerable like that."

She wanted to do nothing but cry and let her sadness take over but there was something in her worse than sadness and grief, a lingering flame of anger and rage. She didn't know who did this, but she despised them for it, whoever had harmed Natsuki to that extent would pay. Yuri promised that to herself as she stayed curled up in the shower crying harder and louder, no longer caring who heard her.

...

Yuri cried for a while in the shower, eventually forcing herself to pull it together after she could focus more. Cleaning herself quickly, not even caring about her cut up arms as she washed herself, getting back to Natsuki being her only concern before turning the shower off and stepping out.

She looked at herself in the mirror as she wrung out her hair in the sink, her eyes were red and puffy from all the crying but that was to be expected. She still wanted to cry honestly, she still felt the pain in her chest after seeing Natsuki earlier but she didn't let herself be over taken by her emotions again.

Drying herself off and putting on her pajamas next, a thin white nightshirt with long sleeves and some purple sweat shorts. Standing at the front of the door and taking a breath to recompose herself as best she can before turning the light in the bathroom off and leaving.

Walking quietly back to her room, the entire house is dark now and the only sound you can hear are Yuri's footsteps as she walks back into her bedroom. It was a lot later now, not having realized how long Yuri was in the shower for, she silently closed her door and went to Natsuki immediately.

Looking down at her with sympathy, she carefully slipped into the bed behind the fast asleep pinkette. Wrapping her arms around her very carefully and hugging Natsuki against her so Yuri's chest was touching her back. Burying her face into Natsuki's hair and closing her eyes, she could feel every soft breath Natsuki was making when she was this close.

It was bittersweet for Yuri being this close to the pinkette, she was at peace from holding Natsuki like this but still, that anger and want to protect this girl hadn't left her at all. She didn't care how her and the tsundere had been enemies in the past, she was going to find out who did this to her, and she would protect her from them when she did.

Until then however, she needed to relax and sleep, her eyes heavy and tired from crying so much just now. She took a deep breath through her nose and sank when Natsuki's scent hit her, snuggling as close to the pinkette as she could and only holding Natsuki's stomach so as to not touch her bruises. Closing her eyes and letting sleep envelope both of them. Her internal rage subside for now, never wanting to let Natsuki go ever again...