Day 9: Past Burdens and New Beginnings

Summary: The prequel to Rebirths and Majestic Tattoos showcases Akashi's journey from his responsibilities of being a member of the Akashi family to his life outside of the pressures and duties of his family.

Beginning Notes: I don't usually do this but for this particular Day, I felt the need to do so. The chapter is meant to be a prequel to yesterday's one-shot, Rebirths and Majestic Tattoos. Due to this, there is Akakuro in this fic, but it's only mentioned and not the main focus of this particular fanfic. However you don't necessarily have to read yesterday's fic in order to enjoy this one. You'll just be a tad spoiled regarding the "surprise" mentioned in that fic and that's all.

So with that out of the way I hope you enjoy! :)

From the day he was born, Akashi Seijūrō lived a life of duty, responsibility and pressure.

Bearing the name of "Akashi" meant that he was to live with fulfilling the burden of the Akashi family. That burden being to master anything that he attempts; to learn at a young age and excel at everything. To succeed means to fulfill that duty. To fail means to be stripped of his name and cast down, no longer worthy of being an Akashi, no longer of worth period. These are the chains that Akashi's father placed upon his son since birth.

In his adolescence, he began to lose himself, his freedom taken away, the burdens becoming overbearing and overwhelming for the teen to handle, and with his one solace, basketball, no longer being seen as a luxury freedom but as something else he needed to master, something that he needed to excel at in order to keep his name and self-worth; it was more than enough for Akashi to snap. His personality split, the shadow of himself that retained that love for basketball, that side of him that still reveled in the few freedoms that he received, that part of him hid into the very depths of his mind. The defense mechanism kicked in, seeing victory as the equivalent to breathing, took basketball as such, taking no pleasure but rather took the responsibility of carrying the Akashi name into his own hands.

To keep it swift, the defense mechanism, the supposed undefeatable, victory-breathing monster was eventually extinguished, by Akashi's former teammate and later lover, Kuroko Tetsuya. He was saved, realizing his desire to win, the concept that victory wasn't something that was a given, it was something earned and something he could enjoy attaining. That Akashi that hid in the shadows of his mind was eventually released and Akashi had Kuroko to thank for it.

However, just because his resolve changed doesn't mean his father changed. His father remained relentless regarding his studies. Extending his duties, assignments and expectations, his father had no remorse when it came to Akashi's own will and newfound resolve. The fulfillment of perfect scores at Rakuzan and the duties his father gave him to master did not make his job easier and it was taking its toll on the teen.

He only had so little freedom and a smaller amount of patience left. Akashi couldn't take it anymore. He started questioning his purpose of fulfilling his father's desires. The claim exists that it's to fulfill the expectations of a member of the Akashi Household. To meet the goal…no the standard that an Akashi excels at everything that they attempt. Not only that, but also to be a worthy heir to the prized Akashi Corporation his father takes much pride in. But the more he thinks of it, the more Akashi can't see himself in that position. He's been training to be a worthy heir, but that's not where his heart is.
A forced destiny that Akashi wants no part in. He wants to break free from the chains his father placed on him since birth; to create his fate in his own choosing, to live his own life the way that he desires. Something that his father wouldn't be able to even comprehend but Akashi has already made up his mind.

Akashi Seijūrō was 18, just graduated from Rakuzan High School when he left his family. Joined by Kuroko Tetsuya, now his significant other as well as all of the inheritance money that Akashi had stored since birth, the two of them left. Kuroko leaving to live his life with his lover. Akashi, he was leaving his life as a member of the Akashi Household, the burden, the chains that he was bound too since the day he was born, now they were being released off of his own free will. In order to live a life that he desires, Akashi leaves everything behind to start anew.

This begins with the two of them leaving Japan altogether. The Akashi Corporation was a strong business in not only Japan; its influence stretched across all of Asia. Staying in Asia would only remind Akashi too much of his father and of his past, so the couple decided to move to the United States of America. Called the Land of Opportunity, it was the perfect place to start fresh, anew and begin a new chapter of their lives.

Due to Akashi's intelligence, he easily passed the United States Citizenship test and with exceptional tutoring from said redhead, Kuroko passed with flying colors as well, the two officially becoming US citizens within a year of their time there. The two were accepted into prestige universities to get the best education to earn the job of their dreams. For Akashi, it was the first time in his life where he was given the opportunity to choose what he wished to be in his live. Not be forced a career by his father but decide one for himself and that alone gave Akashi a euphoria that he never knew possible.

3 years after moving to the United States, Akashi was given the option to study abroad to the United Kingdom. Said opportunity to study abroad in his chosen career gave Akashi a sense of freedom that he could only have dreamed of back in his adolescence. True it would mean being separated by his rock, his true love for a year however he knew that the advances of modern technology would be able to help ease his loneliness in that. Kuroko was very supporting, guiding Akashi on the path to finally taking advantage of that opportunity. In order to explore the world while learning more about the path that he himself had chosen to do.

It was during said time in the United Kingdom where Akashi finally decided to seal this pact of becoming a new individual, free from the responsibilities of the Akashi name and its burdens; and Akashi sought that by marking his skin in the eternal artwork of a tattoo.

Tattoos in Japan were viewed in the same light as criminals and the Yakuza. Marking his body in such an act would forever hold shame to his father and to the family name if he were to do that in his birth country. And that was exactly why Akashi chose to get one. It truly meant that he was free to do as he pleased. To live his life in his choosing and that he was his own person, not one that was controlled like how his father treated him.

The choice of what tattoo he was going to receive was an easy one, a phoenix. The immortal bird that is reborn by rising from the ashes of its previous form. It fit Akashi perfectly. Akashi Seijūrō was being reborn from the ashes of his past and he wished to reflect that by having a tattoo of the eternal bird of flames onto his back. He knew that with this tattoo that there was no going back to his past self, but that was exactly what Akashi wanted. He knew it was the right decision for him so he followed through and got the tattoo during his stay in the United Kingdom.

The only thing left to do, the one thing that still tied him to the Akashi Corporation, his father and the Akashi name, was his surname. Though he had yet to propose Akashi knew that one day, Kuroko Tetsuya would be his husband, and his gut feeling told him that Kuroko also knew they would be married one day as well. So when that day comes, Akashi would take Kuroko's surname, removing all traces of the Akashi name from his life. One day, he would be named Kuroko Seijūrō, a new man reborn from the ashes of his predecessor, Akashi Seijūrō. That day will soon come, but until then, Akashi will continue his path of rebirth, with the alliance of his precious love, Kuroko to be there as he continues this transition.

In the present day, Akashi will soon end his time studying abroad and reunite with his beloved Kuroko. The new phoenix tattoo covered the entirety of his back and Akashi wore that eternal work of art with pride. He had yet to tell Kuroko of this decision but he knew Kuroko would be pleased by the artwork and supportive of this decision. It is one of the many steps that he has taken and will take in his path of rebirth, and Akashi can only await the next day of his new, reborn life.

Notes: Comments, Reviews, etc are encouraged and appreciated! :)