I honestly hope I didn't make Aki too out-of-character in this chapter. Now, I'm not positively sure if Akihiko has anger issues, but as you read on - I hope it's understandable to the readers why I had him react the way he did.

I'd like to thank Ryurieri, Meow Factory and CrAzY-SiLLy-Me for their reviews. (:

Disclaimer: I don't own. D:

Boredom and despondency had reduced Akihiko into a small lump on the damp, hard floorboard of his room. After yawning for a few moments, he sat up and crashed his head against something hard - the corner of his bed. He rubbed the back of his head with a frown - partly because he still hadn't fully recovered from Shinji's head chop; therefore adding onto the pain. And partly, because he wondered why he had lacked the common sense to lay on his bed instead of the cold floor.

But... he knew all along that it wasn't about comfort. He wanted a distraction just so he wouldn't be left alone with his useless thoughts. He wasn't really in the mood to train, as he had already relinquished much of his energy at practice. This was why he hated it when he had nothing better to do, and when it was too quiet.

Fortunately, a knock on the door had broken that silence.

Though for some reason, he found it just as annoying. Akihiko groaned, ignored it, and curled into a small ball on his floor; hoping that whoever it was would assume that he fell asleep and go away. He didn't really feel like speaking with anyone - his mood was too foul for him to be placed in a conversation with another human being.

"May I come in?"

He raised his head in alarm at recognising the voice. "Mitsuru?"

"Yes, it's me Ahihiko. I would like to speak with you for a moment."

He still stood by his statement before - he was in no mood to talk to another human being. Mitsuru may be a close friend, but she wasn't an exception. Though obviously, he had to take care of what words to say. Executions were not a pleasant experience - especially if you were on the receiving end. Maybe, if he said he was busy studying, it wouldn't offend her and she would surely understand.

"Can it wait? Sorry, I'm kinda busy right now. I've got tests next week."

"My apologies for disturbing you, Akihiko. However, it's urgent that I speak with you right now. It won't be long."

He sighed, it was one of those moments where arguing (effortlessly or not) with Mitsuru Kirijo would be a lost cause. Speculating that the topic at hand might be about the Dark Hour, he decided to open the door and let her in.

"What's this about?" He decided to ask, careful that his tone of voice didn't hold the irritation he felt.

"Your coach came to me earlier - "

"What about? Have I done something?" Akihiko cut her off, and asked impatiently. Did his coach really think he was that incompetent? Why hadn't he come to Akihiko and addressed the issue with him directly? Why did he have to drag Mitsuru into this?

Mitsuru averted her eyes, and held her arm in discomfort. Well, that can't be good news. "Your coach has expressed his concern of your progress in the boxing team - specifically with the way you treat your fellow team members."

"What'd he say? It can't be bad, can it?" He raised an eyebrow, pretty sure that he didn't have a problem with anybody in his team.

"Akihiko, just please let me finish." Mitsuru stated calmly. "He tells me that there have been concerns about your behaviour as the team captain. Your other team members feel that they aren't getting the correct input during practice - partially because they feel as though you put your training at high priority before theirs."

Akihiko's jaw slackened in surprise. He hadn't expected to hear that, especially not from his team mates. Sure, they were a bit different than him, and he didn't really think of them as his 'peer's - but he felt as though he had respected them all the same. Why hadn't they given him the same courtesy? Just what did they want from him? Shouldn't they have just told him about it? Surely, they were aware that he was no mind reader.

"If that's how they felt... then why didn't they just come and talk to me?"

"Anyway," Mitsuru continued calmly, perhaps trying her best to stay as a third-person observer and not get involved with Akihiko's personal problems. "Your coach came to a decision - he spoke with me to tell you that there is a chance you may get removed from the team - "

"What? !" Akihiko asked with indignance, and cut her off once more. Was she honestly telling him this? How can she be so... calm about it? Sure, it wasn't her problem. However, it irked Akihiko to an extent that Mitsuru could just dismiss it and say all of that so easily. Besides Shinji, Mitsuru was the one person he thought he could count on if he needed it. He had complied with everything she asked from him, and had never question her requests, even if he had thought them ridiculous. He was sure that if she had been in the same situation, he would have given more of a reaction as a team mate, friend - or whatever their relationship was.

"Akihiko - please, let just me -"

His face turned pale, his mind went blank that he hadn't heard anything else after that. He just couldn't believe that this was all happening. When Mitsuru had brought up the issue of his relationship with his team mates - the worst scenario he had imagined was that he would be stripped of his position as captain of the boxing team. But to kick him off of the team... Was their coach honestly being serious? Mitsuru was never the type of person to joke about something, so this had to be serious... But he had to know -

"Why, Mitsuru? ! Why am I getting kicked off? !"

"For now, it's only a possibility. Your coach has told me that as long as he sees some change in your next sessions at pratice, then maybe..."

'For now'? 'Maybe'? No, that just wasn't good enough! Boxing, fighting... it was the only thing he had known to do. There was still the Dark Hour, but there was also a distinct difference between fighting to get stronger, and fighting for his life - he wanted a balance between the two. Didn't she understand what this meant for him? ! If they were to take that away from him, it had to be a million times worse than how he was feeling right now - almost as if he had been literally stabbed in the back by Mitsuru. She was just being... unbelievable!

"So, what did you tell him, Mitsuru? You disagreed with him, didn't you?"

Silence, and a glimmer of guilt was reflected in her eyes.

"DIDN'T YOU? !"

The slight hint of fear he sensed from her, and the fact that she wouldn't even speak or look at him had said it all. He had never felt so... betrayed.

"DAMN IT!" He angrily balled his hands into a fist, and slammed it hard onto his bedside table. Now, he understood full well why his coach hadn't come to speak with him directly. He had been too much of a coward.

"Akihiko... I'm sorry." Akihiko was surprised by the way she had sounded genuine. "Is... Is there anything I can do?"

He turned away from her and stated flatly. "Just close the door on your way out."

Mitsuru complied with his request, as he heard the door creaking from behind him.

After a while, Akihiko took a quick glance at his hand. Blood - There was a lot of it. Ironically enough, he didn't even feel any pain - at least nothing physical. He closed his eyes, trying to let his senses loose, hoping that it would at least calm him down.

If you have a problem, then face it like a man. You really think bitching about it is going to change anything?

"Damn it." He silently cursed under his breath once more.