New Job Drama? [Natasha/Natsumi]

Natsumi flew through the evening sky with a big smile on her face. She was very excited to get home dressed in her new Vandenreich uniform and displaying her new name-tag. For the first time ever, Natsumi got a job, a real paying one! She could even work with Mo-Natasha! Arriving in her neighborhood, she flew down from the sky and landed at her front door. Cheerfully, she burst through the door, one hand in the air, and called out “I’M HOME!” without knowing who was there.

Natsumi took a moment to kick off her shoes and put her hat on a hook. "Natasha!" she said loud enough to be heard, even if that meant yelling across the house. "Guess what! Come see!" With big, proud smile, Natsumi stood in the middle of the living room, waiting for Mo-Natasha, to come see her. So much excitement!

Even though they shared a house now, work in the Vandenreich made it difficult for Natasha to find hours to sit down with her three amigos. Sometimes, she would find an ideal moment or two to talk with Eiji.

At others, Natsumi. Stella was relatively new, so she didn't particularly factor into it. Besides, she interacted with her a lot during her duty, anyway, effectively allowing them to see one another every day of the week. Truth be told, any ideal moment of peace afforded to her made the time she spent around all three of them that much more sacred as they continued to grow into fine members of society. Overjoyed to hear the voice of her special little rascal, Natsumi, Natasha exited the kitchen with a plate of freshly baked cookies in hand to greet her. Wiping the sweat from her brow, Natasha flashed a warm smile.

"Howdy, Nat! What's got ya lookin' all chipper and excited like today, sweetheart?"

“Lo-…” Natsumi hesitated when she saw the cookies. With sparkles in her eyes, she reached forward and grabbed one off the plate. It was still warm, which she loved most of all. Taking a big bite, she hummed a low “mmmm” and finished her bite.

“Look it!” Natsumi held out both arms and then busted out a few poses. “I got a job with you at the Vandenreich! I got a uniform and a name tag too!” Natsumi pointed proudly to her name tag and then gave Natasha big smile, hoping she approved.

"Hm..."

At first, that was Natasha's honest response. She supposed it was only a matter of time, huh? Part of her would've genuinely wanted a conversation first but figured Natsumi had her reasons for choosing to go at it on her own. Who hired her? Who gave her the seal of approval? Chortling softly, Natasha set the fresh plate of cookies against the table as she canted her head to the side.

"Didn't I tell ya to get my permission first, ya lil' rascal? Why are ya so deadset on workin' alongside your caretaker? There's plenty of other safer jobs in the city, ya know."

Natsumi’s smile faded. Her arms lowered. She thought Natasha would have been happy, but that didn’t seem to be the case. Her face puffed up in a childish pout.

"How am I supposed to learn how to be like you if I ain't in the places you are?" Natsumi crossed her arms, still pouting, and looking away from Natasha. "Besides, the big red Al said I could, and I promised him I would do a good job, so I'm gonna. I don't need no safe job. I can fight and protect people. That's why I was made."

"...Huh."

Natasha was rearing to give Natsumi a piece of her mind until she just tossed that revelation down on her from the top rope. Big Red Al. She was well aware of who inherited the title of Grandmaster. Alastair Eisfluch. Contesting the grandmaster's decision was a no-go. Thus, Natasha could only gaze at Natsumi dumbfounded, unable to form a single word so far. Exhaling softly, she pulled a cookie from the plate, biting into it as she took a moment to express herself properly.

"Give me a minute to let this all sink in, sugar."

Natsumi looked back at Natasha, blinking in confusion at her reaction. She wasn’t sure what part she said caused Natasha to get taken off guard, but she stayed silent anyways, waiting for something. She even pulled out another cookie and mimicked Natasha as she ate it. When it seemed like this might really be bothering Natasha, Natsumi tugged on her sleeve. “You know I ain’t finna do nuthin’ too stupid. I know the rules and I have fought hollow before and I have won, cause I’m here now, ain't I? If I get hurt, I know who to call… I know I can do the job!”

Natasha blinked softly as she noted her Natsumi adorably mimicking her actions as she tugged at her sleeve. As much as she might've intended to contest - and perhaps dissuade - her from her decision, she recognized the hypocrisy inherent in that train of thought after reflecting on it for a moment.

After all, Stella was a member of the Sternritter as well, and she rarely aimed to influence her. Natsumi may have possessed a somewhat childish personality, but she was a young adult, easily capable of making her own decisions, misguided though some of them may have seemed.

Furthermore, she had intended to approach Eiji on a similar subject. She wanted this place to feel more like a home than a cage to him, to be something greater than a city that limited him. It went without saying, but Natasha was a mother figure, not a genuine parent.

She had never welcomed another child into this world. This was foreign territory for her. An exasperated sigh escaped her lips as she shook her head, warmly chuckling as she pulled this stubborn thing into her arms. There wasn't really much she could do now, anyway, was there?

"Alright, alright. You win, sweetheart. Just promise me you'll do yer best to listen to my instruction while we're both on duty, alright? Promise that, and I'll sweeten this night for ya with yer favorite meal."

Natsumi’s somber mood brightened when she was pulled into a hug. She returned the embrace with a big smile. She knew she would do a great job!! As long as no bosses told her to beat up kids or innocent people… Anyways, “I promise!” Natsumi said and nodded, stepping back and giving a silly salute. “I will do as instructed!” Then the stars in Natsumi’s eyes popped up. Her favorite meal was… well, kind of anything that Natasha cooked, but she really liked the pancakes, chicken and steaks… And hamburgers… Either way, Natsumi was eating well tonight!