4
She leaned against the dirty wall enclosing the alleyway, cradling her left arm. Blood dripped down the side of her face and off her chin and she futilely tried to wipe at it. Akane looked at the men before her not quite with malice, but with slight warning if not standoffishness. Her mind was cloudy and her entire body was blanketed in pain. Her eyes were half closed, trying to concentrate and ease the ache of her screaming thoughts. She had no idea what to expect for once, the future was blank and unpredictable, and to be honest she was scared out of her mind.
Her eyes turned to the filth covered ground and she took a few deep breaths, trying not to throw up or pass out. "You didn't have to do that..." She coughed slightly after quietly getting the words out.
Only to feel a heat flare up in front of her, she could barely make out the chestnut hair and beanie through her blurry vision. "AND YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO GO RUNNING OFF LIKE AN IDIOT!" She winced at the volume, not so much the words, as it pierced her head, vaguely noting that the voice sounded... familiar. Not just from the hospital but from another time. As ridiculous as it seemed she had to wonder, did she know him?
"Hey, hey don't yell. She's been through a lot recently without you making a big deal like that." Akane jumped as a hand gently rested on her shoulder from behind her. It was the light-haired man who had been with the little girl before. After hearing his words her eyes immediately downcast once again.
"No, he has every right to," she coughed, "This is all my fault, I inconvenienced you even after I repaid my debt. You should have left me." Her voice was raspy after running and yelling as she had.
The man's brow furrowed, "Well, I don't know anything about a debt, but you look like you need a safe place to rest." He looked up to the large man who had been shielding Akane before with a smile, "Let's take her back to the bar."
Her eyes widened in panic and she tried to take a step away, "No no no no, you shouldn't do that. I can't. I really couldn't intrude like that, not me. Not me." She looked away and rubbed her arm nervously, refusing to make eye contact.
The man just waved her off, "You're not intruding on anything." He shot a quick look to the guy who had been yelling before, who immediately shut his mouth. Then a thoughtful, yet nonthreatening look came to his eyes. "And it doesn't seem like you have anywhere to go where those wounds will heal up safely."
Her eyes shot up to his and he could see the slight fear lacing them. She was afraid of them, this girl who had seemed so strong only moments before, she was afraid. But it couldn't have really been of him... so what?
"Could you at least tell us your name?" Her mouth shut and her eyes went blank. It didn't seem like she would be doing any more talking for a while. "Ok, ok that's fine. At least come with us for a little while. We promise not to hurt you, you'll be safe. And you can leave as soon as you're all healed up."
The thought was quite appealing to her. All these people, they seemed so warm. None of them looked related yet they were so obviously a family. Could it hurt? Could it truly hurt her to trust them for a moment? It was something she wasn't used to but maybe for once it was worth the risk. Plus, if they just killed her once she was somewhere convenient than at least she wouldn't be suffering any longer anyway.
She gave a slight nod and immediately his eyes lit up and he clapped his hands together. "Off we go then," he said cheerily.
Akane heard a new voice grumble, "I don't see why you're so ecstatic about this, Tatara-san."
"I just feel like she's going to be a very important person to us, and that we should protect her." She looked at this man, Tatara, in confusion. How could she possibly be worth anything? She was just a street rat. She had no idea why this Tatara guy would think something like that, but she did come to an official conclusion about him... he was actually crazy.
She limped along and realized in a panic that the blurriness in her eyes was getting worse. Words became muffled and the warmth of the blood on her face began to fade to the back of her aching mind. The world began to spin around her and the nausea came back full swing.
She stumbled a bit and had to lean on the man beside her, the large blonde on again. She really had to learn his name already. He looked down with concern in his eyes, "Are you ok, Miss?" She barely had time to shake her head before her eyes rolled back and she completely lost consciousness.
Quiet settled in the room. Glasses sparkled and tables shone from hours of excessive cleaning. Everything was as it should be. Calm, organized, perfect, and rid of any traces of the more lively members of HOMRA. The bar was open, but it was early enough in the day that no costumers would be wandering in.
Kusanagi took a moment to appreciate the stillness around him, something he had enjoyed for the past couple of days to visit that girl Tatara continuously spoke of. The only other person in the room was Mikoto, who hadn't said a word since he arrived about twenty minutes ago. He just sat on the couch quietly smoking a cigarette. The bartender finished polishing the last glass and set it on its shelf, admiring his work and taking a deep breath of satisfaction.
"It's about time we get some peace and quiet in here, huh Mikoto?" His king grunted in acknowledgement from where he sat.
And that was when the front door burst open to let in chaos, blood, and most importantly, noise that could burst a heavy-duty dosimeter.
All of the guys were yelling, crowding around Kamamoto who seemed to be carrying something. Yata seemed the most freaked out, shouting questions and trying to order them around, but no one was listening. Not that they could make out his words over there own anyway. Kusanagi tried to get a look at what disrupted his peaceful afternoon but couldn't see through the group of frenzied bodies. Tatara broke away from them to speak briefly with his king, an unworried smile on his face unlike the others who barged in with him.
Mikoto silently nodded and stood up and moved to the chair across from them to watch the scene unfold, allowing Tatara to wave Kamamoto over. As he started to move towards the couch, the flustered bartender froze as he saw what was in his arms. Or rather, who was being carried, with her right arm dangling and head hanging with blood covering her face. He had gone to see her in the hospital, so he knew who she was even if he didn't have a name for her face.
He stepped around the bar, confused. Shouldn't she still be in the hospital? What were all those new wounds? He automatically found himself irritated with the guys crowding her. What the hell did you all do this time?! He finally decided to voice one of the many questions swimming through his mind, "What is she doing here?!"
Tatara turned towards him, his smile still standing out in the situation. He waved a hand like this was completely normal and there was nothing to worry about. "It's fine, it's fine. She just passed out from blood loss on the way here, that's all."
Kusanagi froze. What the heck was wrong with this guy?! He saw Kamamoto gently lay her on the couch. The couch he had just cleaned. The couch they were probably staining with blood yet again. He twitched in irritation before approaching to get a closer look at the situation. Despite all the blood, it didn't seem like the injuries were too serious. There were several of them, but nothing he couldn't tend to. A cut on her forehead was the messiest, as head wounds usually were, but it appeared that the bleeding had nearly stopped. He couldn't really tell through her sweater, however it seemed like the stitches which had been on her shoulder had torn open and the wound was once again bleeding and susceptible to infection. Aside from that, her skin was beginning to bruise all over her left side and there was no doubt going to be at least a small bit of mental trauma.
After assessing the situation, he immediately turned to find first aid supplies in the bathroom. Heaven knew he knew how to use them properly. The boys came home constantly with scratches and scrapes, broken bones, the lot. He had seen almost anything that could be thought up. Once he even had to remove a pit bull from Dewa's leg.
"How bad is it? Is she ok? Why is she still bleeding? Tatara-san why are you smiling?! She's gonna be ok ri-" Someone slapped a hand over Yata's mouth back in the main room.
"I swear, if you keep yapping on like that she'll never wanna wake up," said Bandou, highly irritated by the boy's incessant worrying. It was strange, he noted, since usually Yata wouldn't even glance in a girl's direction. Right now though, he couldn't take his eyes off her. Did he know her from somewhere? He didn't have time to think much into it since Yata finally stopped shouting, which cut the overall noise in the bar in half, leaving the man in sunglasses to take a breath of relief.
At least Tatara had finally stopped smiling, sobering up from the happiness that she had actually agreed to stay with them. He took charge, usually at least second in command to Kusanagi when it came to tending to injuries. He began to wipe away the blood on her head with a damp cloth that someone had gotten him, and Kusanagi finally returned from the bathroom with a first aid kit in hand.
"Oh good, you got Yata-san to shut up. About time." The aforementioned boy opened his mouth with a retort and irritated look, but thought against it when he reminded himself of the current situation. She was hurt. And bleeding. And vulnerable. It wasn't the time to squabble or fight like children.
He had to watch over her and keep an eye on everyo- "Ok, someone help me cut her sweater open so I can see the wound." And with a blush Yata was out of sight within seconds. Kusanagi could handle it.
The first thing Akane noticed when she woke up again was that the pounding in her head was gone. Her thoughts were clear and her limbs weren't cold. She was laying on something soft and strangely comfortable, and the scent of cigarettes and warmth washed over her. What the fuck? Where am I?
Her eyes hesitantly opened and as they did her memory flooded back to her and she nearly gasped. Was she in... HOMRA? Had she actually agreed to that? I am honestly such an idiot. Couldn't even keep one promise to myself.
Although all these thoughts washed away as she was forced to face the situation immediately at hand. Or rather, the golden eyes that met and locked with hers. She could read a small bit of curiosity from them but mostly it was just indifference and simple acknowledgement.
"Is there a problem?" she said hesitantly to the golden eyes without a name.
"Should there be one?" was all the reply she got back.
She laughed softly and quietly said to herself, "And so it begins as it ends." He raised a questioning brow at her but didn't have the chance to question her on the strange statement as she turned away and someone else directed their attention towards her.
Well, a lot of someone elses.
"You're awake!" Tatara, smiling again, carried a large mug of what smelled like green tea and set it on the table in front of her. "I told everyone not to worry." She heard grumbles from all around her and realized she wasn't alone. In fact, it seemed like the entire gang was surrounding her with expressions that ranged from fascination to annoyance to worry to nonchalance. Akane gulped nervously, not used to being around so many people, let alone being the main focus of them all.
Taking the hint that she felt a little overwhelmed, Tatara waved them back and they watched her from slightly more comfortable positions around the room.
"How are you feeling?" She tried a weak smile, but she was sure it came out as more of a wince judging by various reactions. "I'll be sure to get you something for the pain in a minute or two, ok? Just to make sure you're alright first." She nodded in understanding, pulling her knees up to her chest on the couch and only just realizing they had put a blanket over her. She looked at the object with obvious intrigue and a small smile twitched on her lips once again before she pulled it tighter around her, once again covering the even larger hole in her sweater and now shirt.
"I see you had a field day with my hoodie," she said to him, raising an accusing eyebrow.
He laughed nervously. "I'm very sorry about that, we had to in order to get to your wounds. I'll get you a new one myself, Hane-san." She winced at the name and glance over at the red head sitting across from her. He must've shared that bit of information with them while she was out cold.
"Um, yeah that's actually not-"
"That's not her name." Called a voice from the back.
A voice that she finally recognized now that she was sobered up. A face she hadn't seen in ages. A boy she had missed for years.
"Is it, Akane Himura-san?"
Her eyes widened in slight surprise and a touch of pain at the malice in his words. It was actually him. He was a part of HOMRA. Was he there that day? Did he miss her as much as she had missed him?
It took her what felt like an eternity to finally gather her thoughts and spit some words out. "No. I guess it's not, Misaki-kun." His expression turned to anger and he stood up from the bar with clenched fists and a slight tint of pink painting his cheeks. He pointed an accusing finger at her while the other gang members watched in silence. Yata had never interacted with a female human being like this, as far as they knew. Who the hell was this girl?
"Don't call me that. Don't you EVER call me that!" Her eyes immediately found fascination in the threads of the blanket covering her while Tatara tried to quiet him down in the background. To no one's surprise, this went without the slightest bit of success.
"I'm sorry... I guess I lost that right a while ago, huh?" She smiled sadly, still not looking at him even though everyone else in the room was.
"Yeah, you're damn right you did, dumbass." He said the words more quietly, and she could hear the hurt in them. Then he just made a sort of choking sound and stormed off out of the bar with clenched fists and heat radiating off him that she felt all the way into her heart, where it sat and simmered and burned.
She sat on a stack of plastic crates in the back corner with one leg up, left arm resting on her knee as she lit a cigarette. The boy she had fallen on was still by the door but looked at her disapprovingly, with concern in his eyes. None of the other two in the group seemed to care, one was used to it and the other was the one who got her started.
"I really wish you wouldn't do that, Hane." She shrugged him off even as something uneasy settle in her stomach from his words.
She smirked over at him, "They'll only kill you if you have something to live for in the first place, Hiro-san." His frown slightly deepened but he shook it off as the other boy by the light spoke.
"It's a shame Misaki-kun missed out on this." Akane gave a small laugh, they all knew he hated it when they called him that, which only made them both do it and enjoy it more.
"Are you kidding? He would've gotten us caught within five minutes." They all laughed at that. The group loved him to death, but they had to admit he was really bad at picking his battles, settling for trying to attack everything he saw. He had yet to learn that his strategy of doing things just didn't. Work. At least most of the time. Akane rested her head back against the wall as her airways filled with smoke, "How long do you think we'll have to stay in here?"
The girl spoke up this time with a devilish smile, "Might be the whole night." Her eyes focused on Akane with fiery insinuation that made her blood run cold.
"Oh no, nononono. No. I know what you're thinking and no."
She made a pouting face and whined, "But Haaannnneeee what else are we gonna do to pass the time?"
"NOT THAT!" The whole group shushed her and she sunk back again with a grimace.
"C'mon, everyone else will play with me. Don't be a party pooper." The look of Hiro's expectant eyes on her finally broke her resolve.
"Fine. Let's see what this stupid truth or dare game is about." Her friend squealed in delight and clapped her hands, waving Akane over. She eventually stood and hesitantly joined them.
She had no idea how this was going to go... all she knew was that there were some secrets she would rather keep secret. And with her friend's natural creativity and curiosity there was no way everyone would be surviving the night unscathed.
Is the guilt eating at you yet? Has it burned a hole through your heart and shredded your mind? Have you decided whether you're living or dying as the seconds that have separated us tick away and grow and grow and grow? I know you, I know you will never accept me. You will never accept what you did. And darling that will be your demise and my uprising. So give in to the guilt and let it smolder and burst into the brightest flame the world has seen as it destroys the very last bits of you left.
A/N: Whoo! Longest chapter yet! Although I know it's not my best writing, I've never written in bulk like this before so I should get a hang of it soon and the story will flow much better.
But anyway so how about that? Akane lied about her name and it turns out she knows Yata! Now who are the rest of the people in the room and what does she have to be guilty about? All will be revealed soon!
Hope you liked this chapter, stay tuned for the next one ^^