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Cleaning. Any time Natsuki was stressed out, she took to cleaning her apartment. After collapsing in the kitchen and awaking to find Roux missing, the cafe manager was thoroughly prepared to throw in the proverbial towel. Until, she was given an assignment by Dr. Kyou. Luka, like Sevilin before him, had become an orphan, and the staffed needed to rehome him. Chuckling at her new station, as the halfway home for abandoned raevans, Natsuki polished ever surface in her house until it gleamed in a high class, hospital grade of sanitary.

"What on earth am I going to do with this guy, Shoopie?" Natsuki asked, wiping glass cleaner on a picture collage of her favorite cousin. Unlike their cookie-cutter, socialite clones whom they regarded as relations, Shuhei had an inexplicable edge which the redhead adored, and since they were children, she protected him as if he were her younger brother. She smiled, stroking the glass affectionately, when the sly mischievious grin of her younger cousin struck her brain like a bolt of lightning. "It would be quite an unusual match up, but knowing you, you'd take to him in no time, Shu..."

Picking up the phone, she rang up Shuhei. Lounging on the couch in her pajamas, she listened to the dial tone with one ear, and Luka's brave attempt at playing the panpipes with the other. Closing her eyes, she focused all her strength into the phone, begging him to answer his damn phone. Good thing she had Shuhei's favorite dessert in the refridgerator. Their conversation would most likely turn into a rather, bizarre one quite quickly. "Hey Shoopie, its me," she said into the receiver. "Feel like coming over for a bit. Gotta a favor to ask you."

It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out when Shuhei Gennai made an appearance. The beach bums drove jeeps and woodies, so a sports car was a rarity, and the older of the cousins knew the younger's engine like the back of her own hand. She envied the rebellious nature of her cousin because she couldn't bring herself to do certain things in public, especially due to her branch of the family being far more conservative than his. She parted the curtains, to find him leaning against the wall. "You never change, do you?" she asked aloud to herself before moving to the door. Flinging it open, she crossed her arms and gave her favorite cousin a wry smile.

"Is it possible that you're hair has become bigger and more fabulous since I last saw you, Shoopie?" Natsuki said, fighting the urge to ruffle her fingers through his hair like she did before Shu discovered styling products and meticulous haircare.

Without hesitation, the comforting scents of fresh baked goodness wafted down the hall greeting Shuhei, and beckoning him to enter. Vibrant red hair stuck out in every direction from a messy, up swept twist, a stark contrast from her pristine presentation at the family functions. Her fashionable clothes were no where to be seen as she stood in the doorway in slashed up jeans and a loose kit sweater. The brilliant smile familiar to her cousin was nothing more than a tried, forced grin. Natsuki simply looked tired.

"I know you're busy, so I'll cut to the chase, Shoop," Natsuki said, turning on her heel and motioning for him to follow her down the hall. "I've got an offer to make ya. Complete with dessert to sweeten the deal."

"Is uncle still dating girls that are in their twenties?" Natsuki asked, shaking her head as they walked down the hallway. She walked over to the sink and filled up the kettle, and gingerly set it on the stove top. Turning on the gas, she reached over and plucked two coffee cups from the cupboard. "Do you want tea or coffee, Shoopster?" The dessert du jour is a chestnut and praline trifle, but I can also whip up one of my infamous Wa-fuu parfaits. Pick your poison. the redhead giggled, unveiling her latest baking creation by lifting a ceramic lid. Steam faintly danced up from the trifle, indicating this bad boy was fresh out of the oven and demanding some attention.

"You know, if you ever feel the inclination to move out of there, you can always come and stay here. There's plenty of room in this place."