#love being normal about matonato in the tags

[kazayu]

When Natsume asks Matoba why his sister hates him, his reply is "It's because I was the one who kept being chosen" which is an interesting phrasing.

Family favouritism aside, what if the Matoba clan eye yokai is actually the one picking the clan leader... What if it attacks the one it deems most worthy... It would explain the weird obsession the clan has with keeping it around. That way, they make sure their leader is always the most powerful in the clan. To bear the yokai's target is a badge of honour...

What if that's how Matoba Seiji got his eye injury. Picturing him at 21 or 22 years old expecting the yokai to attack the previous leader as it normally does only for the yokai to attack him instead. Imagining how that felt, knowing that meant he was currently the most powerful in his clan, that he had surpassed his predecessor, and that all of their burdens were now his to bear.

What if that's why he was so weirdly insistent about Natsume joining the clan.Pretty messed up but he probably saw an out for the first time in forever. Someone out there with the potential to be more powerful than he is. Someone who could both save the clan and free him.

Also...what about his non-reply to Natori asking him if he ever considered quitting? His question came right after Matoba said something about Natsume taking care of the whole situation by himself. What if that was Natori's way of saying he knows what Matoba was up to? He did (assumedly) read the letter Matoba wrote to Natsume after all. And now Matoba knows that he knows, though he probably had his doubts after the paper doll situation. And he doesn't reply, because what do you even say to that?