With Me pt. 2 (Natsuki Fic, WIP)

=======================================
12-26-17 Merry Christmas! Still workin' on it... even if it is at a snail's pace... _ _ _(@);o;)
=======================================

"It really doesn't bother you?" I ask Sayori as we take the usual route to school, hands filled with bagged cupcake trays. "Honestly?"
She nods and pouts at me, growing weary of my repeated question.

"Honestly! I already told you, I approve one hundred percent! Geeze, Anon... you really worry about me too much!" Her pout turns into a smile as she nudges my shoulder with hers. I take care not to drop the goods, despite the lack of force behind the gesture. "Besides, I'm one the who asked you if you'd walk with her or Yuri if they wanted to. Though, I can't say I expected you to change your mind."

"Neither did I, to be honest..." Somewhere between my first session with the Literature Club and yesterday evening, I found myself wanting to become closer with Natsuki. Much closer. It was strange, that the somewhat hostile and irritable attitude she outwardly displayed was something I became attached to. But as we spent more club sessions reading Parfait Girls and sharing poems, it became clear that there was a softer, more direct Natsuki underneath, one that she hesitantly showed more of to me as the weeks went by. It was that Natsuki that I almost connected with last night, as we baked cupcakes for today. Almost, if not for my own stupid mistake.

"Damnit." It slips out of my mouth without thinking, prompting Sayori to giggle.
"She's really grown on you, hasn't she?" I can't help but blush, so I figure I might as well answer truthfully, nodding slowly.
"Yeah, I guess she has..."

As we get closer to the school, the conversation shifts between several different topics - if she's feeling better than she did yesterday, what everyone's poems might be like, the other clubs events, etc.  We stop every now and then to make sure our arms don't get too stiff beneath the awkward trays, Sayori resisting the urge to taste one before everyone else, and I jokingly praising her for her iron will. With the building now in sight, I admit to myself that I'm glad Sayori's been able to show some self-restraint this time around, if only to see Natsuki's reaction to everyone enjoying the cupcakes she worked so hard on.

"Anon! Sayori!"

The two of us turn away from the entrance to the voice behind us, and are greeted by two familiar faces - Yuri and Monika. In Yuri's hands are several wide containers, presumably holding the candles and lights she'd be using to set the atmosphere of the room we were using today. Monika is carrying the posters she and Sayori worked on together, though Monika did most of the actual work due to Sayori's sudden illness. Yuri looks at us, then down to our hands. "Ah, are those the cupcakes you and Natsuki made?"

"Yeah. I'm not sure I was too big a help, but they came out pretty nicely!" I motion to Sayori to hand me her trays, as she's clearly anxious to see if Monika was able to accurately recreate her ideas.

"Ahaha," Monika chuckles, "Anon, I'm sure you were more help than you give yourself credit for! Baking's really long and tedious, so I bet Natsuki even appreciated you just being there." She smiles at me, then goes about showing Sayori the posters.

"I... thanks, Pres." The memories of last night come back to me for a moment, and I'm all the more ready for the day to end so that I can tell Natsuki how I feel. "By the way, doesn't she normally come to school with you two?"

"Ah, the station attendant mentioned that as well," Yuri replies. "It seems she took an early train, today."

"Oh, I see."

"Can't wait to see her, Anon?" Monika teases me, but I brush it off with a slight laugh, despite the truth of it. More students begin to stream into the premises, so she puts the posters away, having Sayori's approval. I hand back some of the trays, and we all make our way to the classroom, maintaining my silence and pulling ahead of the others as they discuss some last minute details and check out the other rooms setting up. Carefully cradling the cupcakes in one arm, I open the door to a darkened room. The curtains have yet to be pulled back, and what little sunlight usually shines through at this time of day is heavily shut out. My eyes adjusting, I see Natsuki just ahead in the seat nearest the closet, face buried in her arms. She doesn't stir as the door opens, so I call out to her.

"Natsuki?" There's no response, as I set the trays down on the closest desk. Slightly worried, I go over to her, and shake her gently. "Natsuki, it's me, Anon." I can feel my worry start to grow even more, as she yet again fails to respond... And then she does, audibly inhaling and exhaling as she rouses from her sleep. She raises her head and yawns. Her eyes begin to open, staring at me as she becomes more alert.

"Ah!" Her cheeks redden, as she quickly rubs her eyes and wipes her face with her forearm. "A-Anon, why are you here so early?"

"I should be the one asking you that. Besides, everyone's starting to arrive and prepare."

"R-right..." She looks down at the desk for a moment, silent, then turns back to me. "Where are the others? No way you carried all of them here and up the stairs yourself."

"They should be here shortly," I tell her, moving to let the morning sunlight show through. "They were checking out some of the other clubs in this hall."

"Oh, okay. Well... I guess I better make sure you didn't mess up our hard work or anything..." Moving out of the desk, she starts to make her way to inspect the cupcakes, but her first step is followed by a sharp inhale and a drop to her knee. "Ow..."

Concerned, I drop to mine and offer her my hand. "Are you okay? Is something wrong with your leg?"

Her eyes turn to me, glance into mine and, for a moment, dart around as if looking for something. She takes my hand, but looks away. "It's nothing, I just... bumped into something this morning. I'll be fine if I sit and rest a bit more, so don't worry about me. And don't tell the others, either, okay?"

I pull her to her feet, nodding and pledging to keep my silence, but my concern doesn't diminish. As she gives the treats a once-over, the other club members enter the room.

"Well? Did they come out like you wanted?" Monika asked, a soft smile on her face. She set her posters down, and begins to put each one a different desk. "Oh, Sayori, put yours down and come give these one last look with me."

Sayori places them on the desk next to the first stack of trays, her eyes lingering a moment longer before she makes a face, still managing to keep herself from tasting one too soon. Natsuki gives these a somewhat more careful inspection, ensuring there's no icing scooped off by the vice president's curious finger. Confident that each cupcake is as she left them last night, she smiles as well and replies with a "yep!" Turning to me, she gives a small nod, presumably approving of the minimum and -almost- needless efforts I put into keeping Sayori's appetite in check.