haya guys, I'm back again with another chapter! Sorry for the delay but I'm really tied down right now. I might have to cut updates down to once a month instead of once a fortnight, but that'll only happen if I really need too. I really do appreciate the support I've received for this story, and we are approaching a third to a half of the way through it. To be honest I have about 10 different endings and I'm struggling to pick one. Anyhow...
disclaimer: I don't own akame ga kill, its characters or any respective content. This story is a non profit work.
"Nng... Tatsumi why do you have to wriggle about so much? Can't you just lay here?" Esdeath yawned sleepily as Tatsumi fought in vain to try and escape her grip. He grunted and tried to pry her hands away, only for a sharp pain to lance through his core muscles, making him falter and give way, falling back into her soft pillows. Immediately she held him there, listening with delight to the muffled wails of distress. They grew weaker every time she did this, almost as if he was giving in.
A thought that sent shivers of pleasure down her spine. Finally, she released him with a giggle. The poor assassin's face was bright red, and he was panting. "I can't breathe when you do that!" he wailed.
"Ah, you love it really. Now, then, we should really be getting up." She leaned upwards, stretching. Tatsumi recoiled and with a deft slide of the hand Esdeath undid the sleeping bag and Tatsumi fell out onto the cold snow. The fire was obviously out, but the thing that disturbed him most was still the bear carcass.
"Esdeath what happened last night? How the hell did you do this without waking me?" She smiled as he gestured to the bear.
"Hmm? Oh, it tried to sneak up on you. I killed it and decided that it would be better if you and I were closer, for protection." She got up, and began poking around at the embers of the fire with a long stick, trying to find some heat.
"Right. Protection. I can protect myself, thanks." He rolled his eyes at her terrible excuse.
"I'm sure you can..." She shrugged, indifferent. The assassin looked at her. Did she just agree with him? His hands covered his eyes, rubbing them. Was he awake? All of a sudden, something crashed into him, almost instantly knocking the unaware boy down. His hands flew from his eyes and a small "eep!" escaped his lips as the cold snow pressed onto the back of his neck. Esdeath had playfully pinned him in the snow, eyes wide and grinning.
Not maliciously, but instead playful. Tatsumi squirmed as the cold seeped down his back. "W-what are you doing? Get off of me!" She chuckled and let go. He was once again astounded. It was a fairly comical sight, Tatsumi with his jaw dropped, spread out across the cold floor.
"Are you awake now?" She smiled again. "You looked sleepy, so I decided to help wake you up!" Tilting her head, she sat there, as if expecting praise. Neither of them moved for an instant. Esdeath rapidly grew bored of the silence, and decided to bring him back to the real world. frowning, she closed his mouth. It immediately dropped open again.
Tatsumi's mind was blank. His thoughts couldn't comprehend the changes in Esdeath's actions. It was scarier than her normal self. She scowled, and gave him a push. The boy hit white powder again, beginning to stutter "You- but- but - you-". Sighing, Esdeath reached for his shirt. A little ice to the belly would wake him up. Suddenly a thought entered her mind, and she grinned.
Tatsumi felt freezing cold hands touch against his bare skin on the stomach, and he immediately lurched up, crashing right into Esdeath, and unintentionally headbutting her in the nose. The woman fell back, annoyed. Her plan had been to kiss him as he sat up. Damn the awkward height difference. However, Esdeath was as strategic off the field of battle as she was on it. This would work for her too.
"Oww... Tatsumi, that hurt!" She wailed, acting. Really, she hadn't felt anything.
He Looked upset. "Well its your fault for getting in the way! In fact, its your fault for shocking me in the first place!" He looked a little sheepish as he spoke, and guilt was very much present in his eyes. Always the way with him. Guilty for everything he did.
"But I wanted to get you up so we could get going! The sooner we arrive, the sooner we can make a plan of where we go from there!"
Tatsumi opened his mouth to speak, and a glimmer of uncertainty and discomfort briefed his face. Esdeath didn't miss it. She would confront him later, but right now, she had her mind set on other things. "O-Okay. Sorry. Are you alright?" He mumbled, blushing a little. Her heart fluttered before beating a little faster.
"I can't check, it my nose, can you see for me?" She lay back, inviting Tatsumi to climb over her. It made it easier to pin him. However, the boy was far to respectable. He went around, somewhat reluctantly, to inspect her supposedly damaged nose. Her hand still covered it. At the last second he pulled away, putting on a strained chuckle.
"It's not bleeding, I'm sure your fine. Come on, lets go!" Esdeath internally began to boil over in annoyance. But she kept up the façade. Attempting to sit up, she winced, clutching at her nose, hoping to be convincing.
"Ah! Ahh... My nose suddenly flared up! I cant sit up without it hurting!" She looked panicked. Tatsumi was genuinely worried now. Had he actually hurt her? If so, something was very wrong. Suddenly, he got back onto his knees, and crawled back over to her. Without hesitation, he leaned towards her face, gently nudging aside her hand. Esdeath was ecstatic, as she finally lured him close enough. At the last second, she tilted her head and slipped her limbs around his. The brown haired boy looked stunned for yet another time that day as his lips met hers.
Almost by instinct he tried to pull away, but found himself caught in place. Fireworks were going off in Esdeath's mind. His warmth, after so long, was astonishing. Those soft lips pressed firmly to hers made her see stars, and his crisp scent made her mouth water in its delectability. Esdeath was enjoying herself too much to notice his resistance. Hands roughly pressing into her shoulders, straining to escape, were simple gestures of affection in her mind. A knot of hunger welled up in her stomach.
Without even noticing, she began to deepen her kiss, trying to force her way into her 'lovers' mouth. Tatsumi thrashed, feeling her tongue trying to pry its way in. Finally his foot gained a hold in the ground, and he thrusted up and away from her, making the woman lose her grip. A wide, serene grin formed on her lips.
Instead of blushing with embarrassment and annoyance, Tatsumi simply glared and stalked away from her, much to Esdeath's obliviousness. He slung his backpack onto his shoulders, ignoring her dreamy expression, eyes closed. He glowered for a second, before turning to stalk away. His crunching footsteps as he noisily stormed off roused her from the memory of the 'kiss'.
Tatsumi was... Walking away? "hang on a minute, wait for me." He paid no attention.
"Tatsumi! Listen to me!" She rolled efficiently to her feet.
"...No."
Esdeath was in disbelief. Had he just denied her? Annoyance twinged in her thoughts. He didn't have the right to ignore her. "listen hear! I don't care if your suddenly in a bad mood, it gives you no right to talk to me like that! I want you to-" he whirled, face curled into a snarl that managed to actually halt her speech.
"And what about what I want? You don't seem to give a damn about that! Its always about you! Getting what you want is the only thing that matters! I don't know what possessed me to reconsider who I thought you were! I was only lying to myself!" He began to rant, spitting his words with a temper he rarely displayed.
"What are you talking about? I haven't done anything like that, so don't you dare shout at me! All I did was initiate a kiss!" She hissed, growing angry at these false accusations!
"Kiss? That wasn't a kiss! You tricked me, pinned me down and violated me! Open your eyes, this isn't love, its an obsession!"
Esdeaths expression grew dark. Tatsumi continued. "You don't understand and you never will! You can't be with me because you aren't even human! You have no right to do the things that you do and its time I drew the line! Stop whatever game you are playing right now!"
A demonic grin flickered across her face, escaping tatsumi's notice. "No, you don't understand Tatsumi. You are MINE. I have every right to every little bit of you, and not even you can stop me! I own you. Everything that is you is mine!" he stared in fear as she rose, crouched like a hunter, teeth bared.
It was at this moment he knew he was wrong to assume she was better. She was in fact, much worse. As he backed up, it was too late. She lunged, and tatsumi was downed within an instant. Pinning him painfully into the floor, she pressed her face into his hair. "see? See how natural this is my love? We are perfect together, we are meant to be! Its far overdue that I teach you what you are..." Her nail sinks into the skin of his neck and chokes the struggling boy viciously.
His eyes lock with hers, desperation sparring with irrational wildness. As if by luck, this fear in his eyes sparks the side of Esdeath that is still mildly normal. That still wishes and hopes that tatsumi will come willingly. With a gasp, she pulls away.
Tatsumi scrambles back, panting and clutching his throat, terrified. "What was that!" He near screams at her, fearful. Esdeath curses to herself. Weak, pathetic side. Tatsumi was never going to come willingly, why still try? She was delayed for now. But maybe she could repair a little bit of the damage.
She burst into tears, knowing it would soften him up. "I- I don't know! All of a sudden, I felt you were going to leave! I can't stand it, it drives me crazy! Please don't go... Please don't... I don't know what I will do..." Tatsumi shifts uncomfortably. As much as that scared the living Shit out of him, he can't help it.
With a sigh, he sits. Why does he do this to himself? God knows. "Hey, its fine. I've been like that too." The thought of losing a friend for the first time was too much. He knew the feeling and yet all he had done was dismissed her. It was fully his fault.
Esdeath finally began to think with her normal, rational (for her) mindset. There, tatsumi wasnt leaving, everything was fine. "im sorry..." She sniffed. He smiled gently, believing that he understood her.
take him now, his guard is back down...
Stupid weakness got in the way again...
Take him!
"Esdeath?" She looked up, smiling. Soon. Soon he would be hers, one way or another.
"I'm fine. Still tired I guess. Lets move. I want to get there soon." Tatsumi rolled his eyes.
"its all well and good saying you want to be there soon, but where in the north is there? And how long will it take to get 'there'?" She chuckled.
Tatsumi didn't know. Their destination... Her pride and joy, her masterpiece. He would be in such awe with her creation that he would have no choice but to bow to her wishes and her love. Then she could finally grasp her desires, her ambitions would come true. The crushed north. Her victory, yet again.
"you'll see. Its someplace safe, I promise. Now lets go."
The two got up, and esdeath was pleased to see tatsumi obeying her again, like a good lover. He was learning, after all this time. They slung their backpacks up, and Esdeath clung to tatsumi lovingly, refusing to let go. To be honest, she wanted this physical closeness anyway. The only thing she had to fake was the apologetic ruse that kept him from pushing her off. From now on she had to keep in check.
It was no good scaring him off, not until he had nowhere left to run. That's why a frozen over fortress is so handy.
After several hours of smalltalk, hunting and treking, Tatsumi seemed to grow visibly more confused and anticipating. It was when they came to a legitimate path that he gasped.
"No... It can't be true!" He began to tremble. His body pulled away from esdeaths, only for her to follow as he span round. Small droplets fell from his eyes and a huge smile beamed across his frozen lips. Esdeath was alarmed.
"what, what is it? What's the matter?" He turned to her, and the breath in her throat hitched. The ice wielders brain saved the image it saw forever. Tatsumi, face full of joy and eyed wide with excitement. For the first time since they met, all the doubt in his eyes had dissipated, and he spun the woman round happily, laughing.
"what is it?" She giggled happily, euphoric at his joy. It was part of what she loved about him. His joy was so contagious, it made even her cruel side giggle. Sweeping her up into his arms, the boy set off down the path at high speeds, the wind whipping through his hair as his joyful smile beamed ahead.
After a few minutes, he stopped and flung her from his arms, forgetting the tension between them in his excitement. His arms wrapped round her as he tried to drink in the sight of something he had missed so sorely. "Esdeath..." His voice was thick with emotion as she tried to savour the feeling of his body pressing into hers.
Finally she looked up. Her eyes widened. No way... Was this...?
"Welcome to my village."
As sanity begins to slip from reach, yet again it seems as though the end is clear. If we lose our minds, we must never lose faith, for... There was always another way.
I'm finally posting a new chapter! Stuff gets kinda hard with school and a job, I struggle. Its taken me forever to write this much, but I didn't want to let you guys down.
I want to address a few matters. 1) chapters from now on will be horrendously out of schedule, and don't expect that to get fixed anytime soon. I can't help it.
2) this chapter may have looked disjointed and bipolar. That's the point. Esdeath is sinking into a cycle of war with herself, and is trying to hide it from tatsumi, who is still the most gullible, lovable idiot there is. It will improve.
3) I have a question. Do you guys want short, but more regular chapters that will be between 2k to 3k words, or longer chapters that will be 5 to 10k words, but take me a lot longer. Please do let me know, I want to do what you guys want me to do!
A sidenote: shout out to lavaflow222 with their story unhealthy obsession. Awesome person, willing to interact with their readers and have a laugh. If you havent read that story, I urge that you check it out (much better than mine).
As always, please let me know what you think. I will try answering reviews from now on, as long as they give constructive feedback. And yes, all constructive feedback is welcome. Seriously, bring it on. The more you tell me what's good and how I can improve, the faster these are going to come! I mean, the more confident in this that I am, the more encouraged I am to write! Logic!
Well, that'll be all from me. Thanks to everyone who has supported me, we are at 10+k views now! And thanks for taking the time to read this! Bye!