Log Horizon and all it's characters belong to Touno Mamare, who is clearly not me.
R+R please!
*Perhaps OOC warning...?*
Chapter 2: The torturing of the Adventurer Akatsuki
"My lord, you'll pay for this!"
*1 hour before*
Akatsuki had just poured herself her first cup of steaming hot green tea for the day when a telepathic call came through.
"My lord..?"
"Ah, good morning Akatsuki- Whoa!" Loud crashing noises could be heard, then came Nyanta's unmistakable voice;
"Let me help you up-nya."
This was then followed by a high-pitched apologetic cry which must belong to Serara.
"It sounds quite lively over there." Akatsuki observed.
"Ah, ahh… yes.." Shiroe cleared his throat.
"Do you require my assistance?"
"…If you wouldn't mind-!" A shrieking 'but whyyyy?!' cut off Shiroe's voice.
"… My lord? Hello…?" The line was dead.
The ensuing commotion that Akatsuki had heard must mean that Shiroe was back in the room of the Alliance. It made her feel oddly uneasy; as if a sense of foreboding was telling her it was better if she not go. But Shiroe had called her, and quite clearly needed her help. Though, of what help she could be in that kind of situation she couldn't be sure.
Akatsuki glanced at her teapot and sighed; her tea would have to wait.
She walked slowly towards the guild hall; her thoughts wandering.
She recalled Shiroe telling his friends and her of his plans to go on a raid to a distant place few knew of. She remembered putting up her hand to accompany him on this expedition, but being told to stay behind and protect Princess Laynessia.
His words had stung. She had felt useless, powerless and weak.
During the time Shiroe was away, she had felt worse.
She even lost to an enemy; she'd died once.
Akatsuki smiled to herself as she entered the hall.
Shiroe had been there; in the Mare Tranquillitatis. She had been hoping to see him since he left, and somehow, through some beautiful twist of fate; he'd died at the same time she did.
They'd strolled along the coastline, talked, and enjoyed each other's company. She had promised to do better; that she would become stronger. He had encouraged her.
A wistful smile played on her lips as she stretched out a hand to grasp his jacket sleeve. He looked down at her.
Her feet were bare and the clothes she wore were simple; and reminded her greatly of what she would have worn in the real world.
Shiroe had smiled back at her, as the pair began to glow and dissolve into the light, returning them to those who waited for them…
Whump.
Akatsuki, in her dreamlike state, had walked into something soft without realizing it.
She had been so caught up in her daydream that she failed to notice Shiroe himself waiting for her in the hallway, just outside the Alliance's door.
Shiroe had turned away to wave goodbye to a couple of Adventurers who had come up to the Alliance's door, worried by all the noise and yelling going on inside.
Shiroe assured them that everything was fine and had waved them on, when he felt Akatsuki come into contact with his back.
"Hm? Akatsuki..?" he asked, turning his head to peer down at the girl still leaning into his back.
Akatsuki suddenly realized where she was.
"M-my lord!" she stammered, taking several steps back, "I apologise most fervently!"
"Ah, no…" Shiroe fidgeted with his glasses to hide his embarrassment, "No, it's my fault- Are you ok?"
Shiroe had noticed that the petite girl's face was unusually red and she had been seemingly out of it when she, quite literally, bumped into him.
"I am perfectly fine." Came the whispered answer; barely audible over the racket ensuing from under the nearest door.
Shiroe was about to continue his questioning of Akatsuki's health, when the aforementioned door burst open with a resultant bang.
The pair jumped.
Leaning heavily on the doorframe, panting hard and eyes aglow with a frightful stare was Henrietta.
"I thought I could hear my darling Akatsuki-chan!" she said through an almost demonic grin.
"Ah… my lord requested my assistance…" Akatsuki began, looking to Shiroe for support, to find that he had snuck away without her noticing.
It very quickly dawned on her; this had probably been his plan all along.
My lord, you… you betrayed me didn't you?
A vice-like hand seized Akastuki's upper arm.
"Come in Akatsuki-chan" sang Henrietta in a voice that did not match her expression, "We have many, many things for you to try on.."
"What?! I-!" Akatsuki clung desperately to the doorframe.
But it was pointless. Henrietta had a death grip on her.
As Akatsuki was dragged into the guild room she was accosted by several of the Alliance's younger members carrying armfuls of brightly coloured robes.
My lord… you will pay for this, she thought bitterly as the guild's door closed.
Shiroe, having just escaped from the guild hall, turned to face it; a sheepish grin across his face.
"Sorry, Akatsuki. I'll make it up to you somehow." He apologised to the wind. He then turned and made his way back to Log Horizon.
Akatsuki was in hell. A brightly coloured, silken, giggling hell.
"Hmm… no." pondered Henrietta aloud for what felt like the fortieth time, "Not cute enough."
Akatsuki felt the heavily embroidered silk kimono being slipped from her shoulders.
"No green then, Henrietta-san," squeaked Serara, "What about pink?"
"I draw the line at pink…" Akatsuki grumbled under her breath, "And I already wore one of these for the Libra festival…"
She was cut short by Henrietta, holding up yet another kimono; this time in a light yellow.
"That wasn't a furisode kimono and you wore a hakama with it," she sighed in remembrance, "You did look cute; but this time you shall be adorable! Now turn around!"
Akatsuki was forced to oblige.
"Absolutely no!" Henrietta cried and tore the expensive kimono from Akastuki's shoulders.
Akatsuki sighed. This was going to be a very long day.
From behind a precariously restacked pile of scrolls, Shiroe perceived dragged footsteps coming down the hall.
He got up and opened his door to find a clearly exhausted Akatsuki carrying a large parcel wrapped in brown paper.
It was past nightfall, Akatsuki had endured hours upon hours of colour matching, picking of ornaments and the collective giggling of her captives; to finally have an outfit that Henrietta was satisfied with.
"Come in, sit down." Shiroe offered.
Akatsuki simply nodded and passed by Shiroe, collapsing onto his couch with the parcel on her lap.
"Do you want tea?" Shiroe asked tentatively.
Akatsuki shook her head. She could barely keep her eyes open and handling a hot beverage in her current state wasn't the best idea.
Akatsuki's intention in coming was to give Shiroe a piece of her mind however; all she could get out was;
"…my lord… that wasn't very nice…" She could only manage a whisper.
"Ah," said Shiroe quietly, turning to face the window "about that; I'm sorry. I basically sacrificed you for my own 'freedom' I guess. And it wasn't very fair…
Akatsuki could barely hear him; her eyelids were so heavy…
"…so, I should make it up to you. I owe you one after all," Shiroe continued, scratching his cheek with his index finger in embarrassment. He turned back to the couch.
".. huh…?"
It was only then that he realised that Akatsuki had fallen asleep. Her head was cocked to one side; expression light and peaceful.
Shiroe smiled and gently lifted the package from her relaxed grip.
She began to slide sideways along the back of the couch, until Shiroe caught her.
She felt slight and warm in his arms.
He felt something stir in his chest; a warmth that spread across his body. He glanced at her sleeping face. His heart suddenly skipped a beat; the heat began to rise to his face.
He lay her sleeping body down onto the couch so that she may rest properly.
He sat down on the rug; back against the armrest, near where Akatsuki's head now lay.
His thoughts ran wild.
What an earth had that been about? He shifted his glasses higher up his nose. He could still feel the heat from the blush that had tinted his cheeks. He couldn't understand it. What's going on?
He heard Akatsuki shift in her sleep. He turned toward her, only to find her face mere inches away from his. His heart began to pound and again, that warm feeling washed over him. He began to notice the smallest things; the way her hair seemingly glistened in the low light of the lamps, how smooth her pale skin was… the shape of her small, pink lips…
Akatsuki suddenly moaned quietly and pulled her legs up to her chest as if she were cold.
This brought Shiroe to his senses.
He sourced his cloak from the back of his desk chair and gently draped it over her.
He couldn't help but steal another quick glance at Akatsuki's sleeping form.
As if a bolt of lightning had hit him, Shiroe fled the room as quickly and quietly as he could.
Once in the hall, he leaned heavily against the doorframe; mentally beating himself up.
Seriously, what had come over him? This is ridiculous.
As Shiroe dug deeper and deeper into his thoughts, Naotsugu came up to him.
'I thought you'd still be awake," Naotsugu said loudly, patting his friend on his shoulder.
Shiroe started.
"Shh!" he whispered desperately, "You'll wake her up!"
"'Wake her up'?" Naotsugu repeated, thankfully in a much quieter tone, "Wake who up?"
Shiroe hesitated.
"Akatsuki…"
"Where is the midget? I don't see her." Naotsugu then noticed Shiroe's office door still ajar.
Naotsugu pointed.
"She's in there? In your office?"
"… yes. She was with Henrietta-san all afternoon and fell asleep from exhaustion," he paused, "Which is my fault."
"Well which is it?" asked Naotsugu, "Is it your fault that she was with Henrietta all afternoon, or…" Naotsugu's voice dropped low and a strange smile came over his face, "it is your fault she's exhausted?"
"Well both are. I may have used her as a kind of scapegoat to avoid Hen-" Shiroe began, then stopped; his face growing hot again as he realised his friend was insinuating something.
"Naotsugu, it's not like that…"
Naotsugu laughed and patted his friend encouragingly on his shoulder.
"It never is, Strategist, until we accept it." He said cryptically and walked towards his own room.
It was a glorious spring morning and Minori was merrily making her way to Shiroe's office with a tea tray. She always made his first cup of the morning as it made her happy that she was being of use to him. She'd lend an hour or two for helping out before making her way to Karashin's place to continue her work there.
This way she was able to be useful and have an hour or so where it was just the two of them; which was more her goal.
She giggled quietly to herself as she reached the door.
"Shiroe-san?" she called, "I've brought your tea…?"
There was no reply; but that was normal. Shiroe could sometimes be found asleep at his desk having tried to complete this or that task until early morning.
It was those mornings that Minori liked the best.
She quietly turned the doorknob and opened the door.
The room was bathed in the golden light of morning.
He's forgotten to close the curtains again, she mused.
But when she looked to Shiroe's desk, he wasn't there. Minori walked up to it and placed the tea tray down gently.
An open scroll and a quill lying precariously across the neck of an ink jar told Minori that Shiroe had been in the middle of work as he'd always been.
As Minori peered at the parchment to discern its contents, a quiet rustling noise startled her.
She turned to see Shiroe's white cloak bundled up on the couch.
She walked over to it to investigate.
At first she had thought that it could be Shiroe himself, but upon closer inspection, the lump hidden underneath the cloak was far too small to be him.
She then noticed a stream of long purple-black hair flowing out from underneath.
Minori knew who this hair belonged to.
"Akatsuki…san?" Minori asked, tentatively.
A sleepy moan issued from under the cloak, "I told you… not to… use… 'san'… my lord…" the voice was barely audible and trailed off.
It is Akatsuki-san! Exclaimed Minori in her head. She took a step back; her thoughts returning to a few days before, when she had found Shiroe flustered, his office in disarray and attempting to apologise to Akatsuki. It was all too much. She knew Akatsuki's feelings for Shiroe, and now-!
Leaving the tea behind, Minori ran from the room, close to tears; closing the door a little louder than she intended.
Akatsuki woke to the sound of a door closing.
She could see nothing but white and could only perceive that she was covered in some kind of blanket.
She pulled it off her face, then froze.
For an instant she couldn't figure out where she was; wherever this is, it wasn't her room.
She sat bolt upright; memories of yesterday came flooding into her mind.
"This is my lord's private study." She whispered in realization.
She then noticed the package wrapped in coarse brown paper. This was the furisode kimono she had been forced to choose by Henrietta.
Akatsuki inwardly shuddered as she recalled those long, painful hours spent being fawned over and being dressed up like a doll.
She remembered heading here, to Shiroe's study to confront him about using her as a getaway.
She had been so tired… Shiroe had been saying something… then
"I must have fallen asleep." Akatsuki murmured, taking her blanket and spreading it out before her.
She recognized it immediately; it certainly was no blanket.
"This is-!" Akatsuki quickly turned to see if he was still in the room.
She was alone.
Akatsuki sought the collar and brought it to her face in a kind of hug.
She closed her eyes and smiled; she caught a scent coming from the cloak. It was so nostalgic and reassuring. It made her heart flutter and pleasant memories filled her head.
She particularly recalled a day not long ago, when Shiroe finally returned to Akiba; welcoming him home and him making an observation that perhaps she'd grown. Which was impossible and his gaze had made her feel embarrassed.
Akatsuki opened her eyes and stared at the white fabric entangled in her fingers.
"If only you knew, my lord…" she mused to herself.
Suddenly she heard the door open with a creek.
Shiroe entered, but seeing Akatsuki staring at him, stopped; door handle still in hand.
"G-good morning." He said
"Ah! Good morning, my lord." Akatsuki replied, becoming flustered.
Akatsuki turned away to stare at her hands, while Shiroe took his usual seat behind his desk.
He then noticed the abandoned tea tray.
"Where's Minori I wonder?"
"Minori?" Akatsuki turned round to face the great desk. Part of her hair was sitting in an awkward position, which together with her bleary-eyed expression, made Shiroe smile in spite of himself.
"What is it, my lord?" Akatsuki asked.
"Ah… your hair," he reached up and indicated to his own hair, "It's kind of… sticking up"
Akatsuki reacted to pat the offending strands down a couple of times in embarrassment.
"W-what about Minori?" she asked, deciding to change the subject.
"Ah, well," Shiroe gestured to the cooling tea, "She usually brings me tea in the morning, and helps out with this or that…"
Akatsuki suddenly stood up, bundling the cloak up in her arms. She had been seen! It probably was Minori leaving that had woken her up! Akatsuki thought with distress. Crossing the room, she shoved the cloak into Shiroe's bewildered hands, mumbled something about a 'thank you' and promptly left the study.
Shiroe looked from the door where Akatsuki had just left to the cloak haphazardly folded in his arms.
… it was still warm…
Shiroe untangled his right hand and placed his forehead in it.
What is going on? I'm worse than Naotsugu.
He lifted his head so that his chin rested on his palm.
And that's when he saw it.
Ah, Akatsuki left her package behind, he thought.
At the same time, Akatsuki had almost made it to her private room when;
"Ah! I left the kimono back in my lord's study!"
She turned away from her door, but couldn't bring herself to make her way back there to fetch it.