Author's Note: Completely AU! Meaning: no Korosensei :P So ya, most of the events in E class never happened in this fic. Gradually I'm going to include more of those lovable E class characters - and maybe A class characters, into this story. I'm sorry this beginning chapter is so angst T_T I just - I watched RWBY and it's raining outside. Hope you enjoy this torturous tale of love and pain.
Nurture
It's true that the weather can affect our every emotion.
The warm sun rays may warm your heart, creating a feeling of calm, or a feeling of utter joy and excitement.
The rain pouring outside your window can set your mind at ease and give you a feeling of tranquility...
Or it can bring great sorrow and remorse.
In Okuda Manami's case, it brought back terrible memories of the past, and feelings which could not easily be shaken off.
Beyond the hard pelting of rain drops on the pavement, and the splishing and splashing as children jumped into puddles, there was the screeching of tires, the blare of horns, cries of panic, and the sounds of sirens in the distance.
Curled up into a small ball on the cool tiled floor of the kitchen, she lay on her side, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. Tears streaked down her face, as she breathed in shuddering breaths in between choking down sobs, as the memories of June 6th, 2012 flooded into her brain, repeating themselves over, and over again.
It was dark in the kitchen, there was no power, and no heat and she was alone.
"Thanks for staying in late today, Akabane."
"No problem,"
The red-haired boy smiled, changing out of his work uniform and into a pair of jeans and a dark purple shirt. He had stayed overtime at the shop in the mall, as they had got slammed with work and were short-staffed.
"Are you going to be ok, going out into the rain like that?" his manager asked with concern.
"It's raining today?" the boy asked, tensing up visibly.
"Ya, the rain started up just after lunch."
Akabane Karma looked at his wrist-watch, it was 5:55, and that meant it had been six hours since the rain started. That wasn't good.
"I've gotta go!" he said, rushing out the door.
He didn't mind the rain himself, but being away from home when it rained gave him a feeling of unease, as it was on his conscience that in the little apartment, alone, was his girlfriend suffering alone. Without him there, he wasn't sure just how unstable she would be. Given that it was pouring rain now, and probably had been for hours, he would assume that she was not in the least bit fine.
Running as fast as he could, he caught the train home and he sprinted all the way to the apartment complex, and tripped over his feet as he went up the fire escape to their apartment.
Prying open the living room window, he stepped into the living room, noting that all of the lights were off - the circuit breaker was busted and was not yet fixed. He'd have a good talk with the landlord about that.
"Manami?" he called softly, kicking off his wet shoes.
She was more sensitive to sound when it rained, and she had the tendency to curl up in cold, open spaces. Claustrophobic. Only when it rained, and when he wasn't there.
He heard her whimper and sob, and then he was turning on the flashlight on his phone to find her. He went to the kitchen, and there she was, curled up, her hair a dark tussle of tangles, dressed in a light purple nightgown.
"K-K...arma, Karma..." she was hyperventilating, and crying so much.
He felt a wave of guilt flood over him for leaving her alone for so long. He put down his phone and he picked her up, whispering words of comfort to her as she clung to him and continued to cry.
"It's ok, I'm here now. I'm here, you're not alone." he murmured, carrying her to his room and putting her onto the bed. He threw back the blankets, and laid down beside her on his side, wrapping his arms around her middle, bringing her back against his chest.
Gradually, as he whispered to her and kissed the top of her head, she stopped crying, and she began to breathe normally. Her breathing became steady, and completely exhausted, she drifted off to sleep.
He knew he had to get her help. This had been going on for too long, the pain, the nightmares, and rainy days. He thought at first that he was all the help she would need. But no matter how hard he tried, no matter how many kisses, hugs, and talks they had, he could only ease the pain. He could never really heal her on his own.
It was going to be difficult getting her to professional help. It was hard enough keeping his part-time job, and the fact that they were living together, a secret from the school, but getting a psychiatrist, it was going to be even more difficult. They went to Kunugigaoka High, and the principle, no, the student council president Asano Gakushu would have them kicked out, and probably out of their apartment.
