Fluffy Tail Autism Time: Pt 1. The out Jewed Mamamo

  It had been another day at work, I had just come home to my apartment in the city. The small 5 room 1 Bedroom 1 bath place was all I could afford on my limited budget. Entering the apartment complex, I made my way to the third floor landing where my room was. Digging through my pockets, I fumbled a bit for my keys, finding it hiding behind what I assumed was my ID. A few seconds later I managed to unlock the door and step inside. A voice that had become common place in the last two weeks greeting me.

"Welcome home Anon" it said in a warm manner.

   Seeming to have awaited for my return, a woman stood on inside my home. Her height I guessed to be five foot eight, with a slender figure hidden by her baggy clothing. The only real indicator of her gender being the two large marshmallowy breasts. Her tea coloured hair flowed smooth down to her shoulders, a soft sheen emanating from it. She looked like a normal person, until you saw the small pointed animal ears that sat on top her head. Their colour the same tea brown as her hair. as well as a large bushy tail of similar colour that poked out from behind her.

 "It's kinda weird that you do that Tsubaki," I replied as I entered the apartment. Closing the door behind me.

"I just thought you'd like someone to welcome you home as you got through the door." Tsubaki said, looking at me, rather plain. Her words made me smile, it was true I did enjoy it a bit.

"It is, but you don't have to wait for me by the door like that" I told her, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"I was just trying to be nice, Anon." I watched as Tsubaki puffed her cheeks in annoyance at my comment.

"And I thank you for that Tsu, it's just a bit weird ya know?" My reply as polite as I could manage.

  I smiled a bit to myself, conversations like this had become almost common place now. Remembering back, it had been three whole weeks since I had my meeting. Scratch that, my ENCOUNTER with Tsubaki. Our original exchange I still remember, the dialogue far less pleasant . The day had been rather normal, aside from the forecast calling for rain, it looked to be just a plain day. On my way home though, I passed by an alleyway and saw her for the first time. her clothes were grungy, dirty, and baggy. Looking street clothes that had worn down and unchanged for some time. her hair matted with dirt and grease, hiding the truth of her soft hair. Her face smudged with dirt as well. At the time part of me had wanted to just ignore the poor sod and move on, but my more compassionate side won that day.

"You look like dogshit, hows about coming back to my place and getting to shower and a bed for the night?" I had asked, extending a hand.

"I'm not some stupid homeless woman you can fuck if you promise her a hot meal". The woman said,  slapping my hand away, with a rather indignant look in her eyes.

"Christ almighty, I'm doing you a favor and I never asked for you sex in exchange, I'm just trying to be nice." I retorted, taken a back by her sudden prediction of what might happen.

"I bet you were thinking it." she said, her eyes narrowed in a suspecting and doubtful manner.

"What the hell is a Danuki doing in the gutter anyways? I thought your kind was good with money?" I said raising an eyebrow.

"I came here from Japan to start a business out here with my own money, but a rival company used some dirty tricks and forced me into bankruptcy." The woman said, her expression changing to a look of defeat.

"That's a load if I ever heard one lady." I said crossing my arms with a doubtful look.

"I-it's true, my company going under even made it to the news when it happened."

  I wracked my brain, the gears finally clicking. She was right, there had been a recent rather prosperous company that had gone under not that long ago.

"So wait, DanDan Trading Co. was YOUR company?" I said looking at her with surprise. The woman nodded, she seemed to be holding back tears.

"This is all I have left now." she admitted in a despairing voice.

"Why not just go home then?" I asked.

"I didn't want to be an embarrassment to my family...I-I felt like it would be better if I disappeared."

I looked at her with a bit of pity, at that moment I came to a decision on what should be done.

"Well listen...Ummm, I never quite caught your name, what is it?." I said, admitting to the fact.

"It's none of your business," she said. that haughty expression once again creeping across her face.

"Nice to meet you nunya, I'm Anon. Now if you want to stop rolling in the gutter, I'd be more than happy to offer you something."

"I-I don't want to."

"Listen, I have more to lose than you, you could empty part of my house while I'm asleep or worse. I'm willing to trust you, so trust me."

  The woman and I, for what I had thought the first time in the entirety of the conversation looked on another in the eyes. Even now I can recall those soft emerald green eyes staring back at me, contemplating my offer. After a brief silence between the two of us the woman finally spoke.

"Ok..." she said.

"Don't look so down cast Nunya, it beats being outside tonight, it's supposed to rain." I teased.

"Could you please stop calling me Nunya..I-I have a name you know."

"Of course you do, it's Nunya, right?"

"No…M-My name is Tsubaki."

"Well Tsubaki, I'm hungry so let's get back to my place and I'll see what I can whip up."

  Looking back at our first meeting, it was a mere shadow of what our relationship had become. One night had turned into two, which turned into three. Less at Tsubaki's request and more at my own volition. Eventually Tsubaki had made my home hers, a mutual trust built over the days that came. Coming back to the present I listened as a sound echoed from the kitchen.

"You started dinner Tsuba?" I asked.

"I thought we'd try something from my homeland tonight, you don't mind miso soup do you?" she said.

"I'm more of a kale soup man myself, but I'm willing to try anything," I replied.

My...OUR apartment wasn't that large. Five rooms, a Kitchen, a bathroom, a bedroom, and a living room. All connected through a large main fifth room that served as our dining room and general traffic area. For the most part, with the exception of the kitchen, and bathroom which were tiled. Every room in the house has a earthy brown carpeting that stretched from room to room. The walls were a light cream colour as was the ceiling. giving the entire apartment a rather calming feeling. During Tsubaki's stay, my bedroom had become hers. The living room more or less becoming my makeshift bedroom. a small makeshift clothes rack that sat next to the small flat screen TV, with my alarm clock now taking up space on the already crowded end table. It wasn't the most ideal place to sleep, but my makeshift bedroom was at least cozy. Kicking off my shoes a thought crossed my mind wondering what Tsubaki was preparing.

"Where did you get the ingredients Tsuba? I thought you needed special stuff to make miso," I asked.

"We don't, but I went to a market today to pick up what we needed," Tsubaki replied.

"We're on a tight budget Tsu, you can't be frivolously spending money."

"It wasn't expensive Anon, I found it cheap at a local market."

Stretching my body I yawned out, "listen, we don't have much money to work with Tsuba, promise me you won't go crazy and spend a lot?"

"I promise Anon," Tsubaki said.

Feeling a bit guilty I tried changing the subject by asking her, "do you need any help with dinner prep Tsuba?"

"You had a hard day at work Anon, let me handle this please," Tsubaki said.

"Thanks Tsubaki."

  With our brief exchange concluded, I went back to the living room. While Tsubaki returned to the kitchen to finish making supper. Sinking into the dark green couch that had become my bed, I turned on the TV in hopes of finding something to watch. After a fruitless search I pulled my laptop out from under the alarm clock, flipping the cover open and powering it on. Eventually, after some time killed, Tsubaki called out from her station in the kitchen that dinner was ready.