Hello, everyone! I planned on writing a Christmas fanfiction, but I don't think that's happening. But maybe I will post a bonus chapter after this, with an AP Academy version of a Christmas classic. I probably won't post on Christmas, so I wish everyone a happy holiday in advance! Eat food and spend time with your family!
PS: The Sno Balls = sweet dumplings in my take on my favorite scene from the anime/manga. Also, don't forget to leave a vote for "Konna Sekai Shiritakunakatta" or "Rain" to play in the next chapter!
It had been a week since Sheele had been discharged from the hospital. Tatsumi didn't believe he had much to be thankful for this November, other than the fact that Sheele was now recovered and at home with her family. He certainly couldn't be grateful for the tons of psychology homework he was getting!
Mine was obviously affected by not having her best friend around. Instead of greeting Tatsumi with her rude but energetic demeanor, she simply frowned and didn't say a word. Tatsumi wasn't the only one concerned about her; everyone was determined to get the old Mine back. Lubbock, trying to get the pink-haired girl's fight back, planned to "accidentally" walk in on her while she was showering. This plan was foiled by Freddy, whose face turned beet red at the thought of this. Mine didn't ask any questions when she saw Lubbock on the ground in pain with Freddy looking the other way and whistling awkwardly.
On a more sane note, Leone offered to give Mine a massage, which earned her a smack in the face. Akame made her favorite food, strawberry parfait, and Freddy and Tatsumi offered to help with her schoolwork. Lubbock drew her a funny picture to try to make her laugh ("funny", meaning hilariously and horribly drawn) Sam, meanwhile, made her a playlist with music that would help her know she wasn't alone and/or cheer her up; she made one for Akame too.
Tatsumi was concerned for Akame at first, but he hadn't seen her look sad since the first hospital visit, and she hadn't cried at all. Then again, he hadn't expected Mine to cry, but there was a difference between an emotionally reactive tsundere and a cool and collected Kuudere. He assumed Akame was doing okay, despite his dorm members' concern. Well, he was about to see jut how wrong he was.
Thanksgiving was near. During lunch, Night Raid discussed their holiday plans, which mainly consisted of going home to their families and eating food. "Sheele... was supposed to be at her grandparents..." Mine began, her voice breaking. The table grew quiet; this was the first time she talked about Sheele after what happened. Chelsea, whose purpose in life was to torture the pink-haired girl, instead put an arm around her as she composed herself.
Tatsumi looked over at Akame, who was sinking her teeth into a Sno Ball. "I thought you didn't eat anything other than meat," he joked.
"Well, these were Sheele's favorite," Akame replied simply. Tatsumi gulped, really wanting to get off the subject. But he needed to say something to the red-eyed girl. "Akame... you're really amazing," he began, causing Akame to widen her eyes in surprise. "I mean, you've been so composed lately. You've probably known people who have dropped out before, so you're used to it. But I can't even.."
All the while, Tatsumi was missing the cue from Leone to shut the heck up. But it was too late; Akame had already clenched her fists and stormed out of the cafeteria.
Leone simply took a sip of soda while Tatsumi wondered what the heck happened. "Are you going to sit there looking stupid or are you going after her?" the blonde asked, clearly pissed. Still not understanding what was going on, Tatsumi followed Akame out of the cafeteria... and to the across the hall to the girl's bathroom.
Is this Harry Potter, now, where upset girls always run to the girl's bathroom?! he thought angrily. Why can't they just let their friends comfort them like normal people?!
Kurome luckily walked by. Tatsumi wasn't fond of the Jaegers, but he couldn't go into a girl's bathroom! Besides, who better to comfort Akame than her little sister? "Kurome!" he called, but the girl just ignored him. The only thing to say that would make her pay attention was: "It's your sister. She's pretty upset."
Kurome stopped. For a moment, he thought he saw a flicker of concern in the freshman's black eyes. However, she simply shrugged and said "Meh."
"WHAT KIND OF A SISTER ARE YOU?!" Tatsumi shouted as she continued to walk down the hallway and out of view. The teen guessed he would be forced to wait outside the bathroom until Akame came out. Until... "What the Oz is going on?!" Sam demanded, rushing towards Tatsumi.
"I... I guess I upset Akame," Tatsumi managed to reply.
"Yeah, I got that! What's wrong with you?!" The black-haired girl took a minute to calm herself. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I just... I don't want to see her upset. And you just-!"
"Well, I'm sorry! I didn't think she'd be upset!"
"Just because someone doesn't show emotion, that doesn't mean they don't have any!" And with that, Sam brushed past Tatsumi and went into the bathroom after Akame. I... guess she has a point, Tatsumi thought. Maybe I was a little insensitive...
Back in the cafeteria, Akame and Sam returned soon before the bell rang. Sam scarfed down her lunch, having left to check on her friend as soon as she came to the table with her food. Tatsumi noticed Akame's eyes were red... well, no duh, but he meant red as in swollen, as if from crying. But... no, Akame didn't cry... did she?
Tatsumi had sleepless nights before, but it was usually because of homework. Lately, his restlessness at night had to do with Sheele leaving. He got out of bed to get some water... and surprisingly saw Akame as well. "Uh... h-hey," he greeted her awkwardly.
"Hey," she replied softly.
"Water?" He grabbed a bottle from the fridge and held one out to her. She grabbed it and thanked him. The two sat on the couch in the living room to consume their beverage. "So... I'm sorry about earlier," Tatsumi apologized, scratching the back of his head.
"It's alright," Akame responded indifferently.
"So... are you okay?"
"Yes."
"Are you SURE?"
"Yes." Tatsumi sighed. This was totally not proving Sam's point. Maybe she really WAS doing okay. "Anyway," went on Tatsumi, "what I meant to say earlier came out wrong. You're so strong. Nothing phases you. I wish I could be you, so I could-"
"What did you say?" Akame's normally monotonous voice became dark and threatening.
"I... I wish I could be strong, like you," Tatsumi repeated.
All the teen earned was a death grip from his dorm member. Shaking, Akame kept a firm hold on the collar of Tatsumi's shirt. "You..." she began ominously. "You have no idea what it's like..." Akame lifted her head and looked directly at Tatsumi, who saw something he'd have never expected to see in her red eyes: tears.
"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IT'S LIKE TO LOSE SOMEONE THE WAY I HAVE!" Akame screamed, tears streaming down her face. "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THIS PAIN! I act like I'm fine because I have to! I can't let anyone see how weak I am! Sheele helped me a lot, but now that she's gone... I feel so sad and weak again..."
The red-eyed girls body shook with sobs as she gripped Tatsumi's clothing even tighter. Meanwhile, Tatsumi was beside himself. He hadn't expected anyone to react like this, especially Akame. Sheele was alive and well, so why was everyone so upset? Maybe it was like the sadness of a friend moving away? No, it was more...
It had been as if someone threw a brick at Tatsumi's head: he flashed back to Akame's blush and smile when she found that he was capable of staying in the Academy. He also remembered Leone's words: "Even though she seems emotionless, every second of the day, she's worried the same thing will happen with us."
"I'm... an idiot..." Tatsumi said aloud but quietly.
"No Shiz University, Sherlock!" exclaimed Sam, entering the room due to being awoken by Akame's screaming. "What the heck went on here?!"
"I swear, it was an accident..."
"You've been sitting there for over a whole 15 seconds and haven't given her a hug?! What the flipping Oz?!" The freshman sat down on the couch on the other side of Akame and wrapped her arms around her. At first, it seemed the red-eyed girl was too busy crying to notice. But soon, slowly but surely, Sam could feel Akame's breaths becoming slower and less like gasps. "It's okay, Akame," Sam spoke slowly after her friend had calmed. "I... we... are here for you. Okay?"
Although Tatsumi was too guilty and dumbfounded to help calm Akame, he was surprisingly not prevented from putting a hand on the red-eyed girl's shoulder. "Akame..." he whispered, gently but resolved, "I promise I won't ever drop out of AP Academy. I'll endure until the very end, and I won't make you cry like this again either."
Akame looked up at her friend, who was smiling down at her. Her eyes were still brimmed with tears. "Tatsumi..." she managed before he put a finger to her lips. "I promise," repeated Tatsumi. "We're going to graduate together. Look forward to it."
Akame smiled and nodded. "Okay," she whispered back, wiping the last of her tears away. Sam was also smiling. She let the red-eyed girl go back to their room, but before Tatsumi left, she gave him a warning: "It seems like you really care about Akame, and I want to thank you for cheering her up. But I'm going to hold you to that promise... and I'm making a promise of my own. If you ever do make her cry again... intentionally, anyway... the two of us are going to have real problems. Got it?"
Tatsumi winced. While he admired Sam's resolve and care for Akame, she was probably going to kill him if he wasn't careful. "Got it," he replied, gulping.
Back in the girls' room, Sam asked her friend, "So... you get nightmares about this sort of stuff?"
"Sometimes," Akame answered indifferently.
"Oh... well, would you like to sleep with me?" Dead silence engulfed the room. Suddenly, the girls heard giggling. "LEONE?!" Sam exclaimed, recognizing the voice. "YOU WERE UP THE WHOLE TIME?!"
"Pretty much," snorted the blonde. "Geez, I love how wrong that question came out!"
"Did you hear the whole thing downstairs?!"
"Yep."
"And you left it up to a freshman and a guy to comfort your best friend?!"
"Hey, it seems like she's in pretty good hands with you... in apparently more than one way."
"Sh-shut up!" Sam's face was beet red as she leapt to her bed and pulled the covers over her head. Akame, either feeling bad or of her own will, followed the freshman and sat at the foot of the bed. "I'll take you up on that offer..." she said softly. "I... might not be able to get back to sleep."
Sam took the covers away from her face and smiled. "Okay," she whispered, scooting over and patting the space next to her. Akame slid in while Sam tossed the covers onto her, and they quietly wished each other "Good Night."
"G'night!" Leone shouted to them before randomly falling back asleep.
"Great job, Leone!" Mine yelled, now awake. "You ruined the moment! How's the author going to end this chapter now?!"
Uh... everyone eventually went back to bed. THE END.