EDIT: Thank you to Rewritten Ennui for a very helpful review. I appreciate it and I hope you don't mind that I replaced the mistakes with the corrections from your review.
Tartarus
Walking into Tartarus, Akihiko glanced around with an expression full of thought.
"You ok Aki?" Minako asked noticing his expression.
"Oh- yeah." He responded, snapping out of his thoughts, frowning and looking over to her. "It seems quiet- empty with just the two of us." He then proceeded to smile sweetly. "But I can't say I'm not enjoying it." Minako smiled back at him before speaking.
"Is this the first night you were planning to come alone?" Akihiko looked at her, shocked and a little surprised.
"O-of course!" Minako laughed quietly as he raised an eyebrow.
"And you?" He asked.
Her faced presented a slight show of discomfort,
"Well, I ahh, I've been coming every night over the last two weeks." Akihiko looked away disapprovingly before looking back at her,
"And what if something had happened to you whilst you were here!" As he scolded her she could see the worry in his eyes as he began quickly pacing over to her and before he could say anything else she wrapped her arms around his torso.
"I'm sorry if it worried you-" Resting her chin on his chest she looked up at him and smiled.
"But now you're here, there's nothing to worry about right-" He smiled and laughed slightly. She let go, took a few steps back and clapped her hands together, "Right! Let's go!" She stated as she ran further into the shadows nest with Akihiko following behind.
As Minako turned a corner a group of three shadows caught her off guard, she quickly readied herself and gripped her naginata.
"Akiiii- I've found one" The boxer sharply caught up with her, out of breath from running. He raised his gloved hands ready to fight. Immediately one of the shadows launched at him. He dodged the attack but Minako could see he was tired from running and still sustaining an injury. She blocked an attack from another shadow and struck back, landing a critical. Turning again, she could see that despite how eager he had been to come, Akihiko was holding his ribs with one hand, while defending himself with another. She thought he could handle it, until she saw a larger shadow charging at him ready to swing a sharp strike. It took no thought, as the shadow inched the final distance between itself and Akihiko, Akihiko striking a final blow to the other shadow. She
threw herself in-between, resulting in a heavy knock back against a wall and a
deep laceration on the right side of her waist.
She winced and grasped at her side with her left hand. Akihiko flashed an expression of panic that quickly changed to anger, finally using Ziodyne to finish off the larger shadow.
He hastily ran to Minako who was slowly standing up, still gripping her side.
"Ah, Are you ok?" He quickly asked in a panic, helping her up. She looked up with a furrowed brow.
"Yeah I'm fine.. I'm sorry-" She looked away, feeling idiotic. It hadn't been a strong foe, but yet she felt as though she had failed. Akihiko placed his hand on top of hers to slowly move it from the wound so he could see. His heart sank as he saw the blood, his only thoughts that he couldn't protect her, that again he couldn't protect what was precious to him.
She knew it.
She knew exactly what he was thinking.
The blame.
His weak point.
His need to protect.
That sad look in his eyes was there again.
She placed a hand on his face and smiled,
"You're ok?' He looked up at her. Looked her directly in the eyes and nodded. Her smiled widened, with a slight curl in her lips from the pain. She began to speak,
"Then lets get some more training in before the dark hour ends" Akihiko stepped back and shook his head,
"Hell No!" Her eyes widened in shock.
"Excuse me?"
"There's no way I'm letting you fight on injured!" He growled. Minako's expression had turned slightly irritated,
"Says the injured one who was sneaking out to come here on his own." She frowned.
He let out a deep sigh, realising he could argue, but it would be pointless. He opened his mouth as he began to speak. His eyes widened as he felt her hand cover it. Unsure of what was going on her looked at her turned head waiting for a response until he heard.
"JUNPEI! GET BACK HERE, YOU'RE TOO EXCITABLE AND TOO FAR AHEAD!" Yukari was shouting.
Akihiko's eyes widened into a wave of alarm, before thinking to himself,
'If Yukari finds us here she's bound to tell Mitsuru-' He heard another voice, but this was much closer. Maybe too close for comfort.
"Yuka-tann, pick up the pace, I'm itching to crush some shadows." Junpei responded.
Minako noticed that the only coverage for them was the corner they were around. Worried that they would be seen she grabbed Akihiko and pulled him close. Their bodies were tightly pressed against each other and Akihiko could feel his face heating up. He couldn't tell if it was the danger of being caught, or Minako's small, strong body, her curves, pressed heavily against him. But he could feel his heart racing in not fear, but excitement. The excitement soon dispersed when he felt her body against his feel heavier, unsupported. He gasped as he noticed she had passed out.
"She must've been straining with the pain to stay conscious.." He whispered to himself, he gave a slight smile, "Typical of our strong leader.." Taking a deep breath in and releasing a sigh, he picked her up bridal style.
"Here we go." He walked around the corner to see Junpei and Yukari finishing a shadow.
"I'm da mann!" Junpei exclaimed, confidently, as Yukari dusted herself off. The two turned to see their senpai standing there with Minako in his arms. They responded in unison.
"S-senpai?"
"Mina-tan!"
Yukari was the first to respond after.
"W-what are you d-doing here senpai?" She stuttered in a panic.
He just glared at her sternly,
"Probably the same as you two."
Yukari's face went red with embarrassment. She didn't usually feel comfortable sneaking around unless it was necessary and to get caught-
Akihiko began to speak sternly again.
"We need to go back to the dorm, Minako's been hurt." Junpei and Yukari held worried expressions,
"Senpai-" Akihiko began to walk away, and with a slight zest of bitterness in his voice slightly turned his head,
"If you don't tell Mitsuru we were here, we'll do the same." The junior class men nodded, as Akihiko continued walking.
"You two are coming back too!" he barked,
Akihiko had reached the dormitory, but stood outside, waiting for the juniors who were still quite far behind.
Junpei walked by Yukari's side, grumbling.
"Why's Akihiko-senpai so— moody and tense tonight. Geez, why'd we have to come back too" Yukari scowled at Junpei.
"We had to come back because we weren't supposed to be there in the first place Stupei!" She looked ahead where she could see Akihiko waiting, "And- senpai's probably tense because of Minako" Junpei just continued to mumble,
"Yeah but they weren't meant to be there either." They were nearing the scowling senpai. Junpei sighed.
As they reached him, he seemed more relaxed and his scowl had dissipated.
"I'm taking Minako to her room, I'll sort out her injury and stay by her til morning" He glanced at Yukari who looked uncomfortable.
"Please don't tell Mitsuru I'm with her in the morning, and please neither of you mention tonight.."
Yukari and Junpei smiled with relief, realising they had dodged trouble and a scolding.
"Don't worry senpai, our lips are sealed." Smiled Yukari.
"Yeah man, no worries." Junpei grinned.
Akihiko returned a smile and walked into the dorm. Junpei left on the second floor, grinning that Akihiko would be in Minako's room all night. Yukari continued tip toeing up to the third floor with Akihiko, She felt slightly awkward with him being on the girls floor, but simple smiled and wished him a good night.
Akihiko quietly opened Minako's door and lying her on the bed, lifted her angora sweater with a slight blush, realising he had never done anything with a similar intimacy and began to gently attend to her would.
