Well well well, I know I said the next chapter would be out by Wednesday, but we are ahead of schedule! Anyways, let's get to some of the reviews. The pairing is Aqua X Akane, its set-in stone for this fix. Mem-Cho is a good idea but the age gape between him and her is like almost a decade. I'm pushing it with Minato and Kana with their gap being five years. Also, I think Akane makes a good fit for Aqua.
For the next question, I do not see how you can think this is even close to canon when Ai is alive, she has two more kids, Aqua isn't nearly as traumatized as he was, along with Ruby. However, Aqua still wants to protect his family, albeit not through the same methods he went about before where he used people, like Akane, to get what he wants. You'll see in this chapter.
Yes, he still wants to find his biological father, if only to get justice for attempting to get Ai killed. But there is a major factor you are missing; Naruto. Do you honestly think that Naruto DOESN'T know who the man is? I even mentioned it in one of the chapters. Who's to say that Aqua will even get to his biological father before Naruto decides to finish him?
This story will have canon events, but the way they will unfold is different. Just read along if you want to find out. But yh, beyond that no more questions. Enjoy the chapter.
The rain poured down on the two as Akane cried for what seemed like eternity. Aqua simply held her close, comforting her as she sobbed.
"Why… Aqua…" She choked through the sobs, not daring to look up at him. He gently looked down at her and whined. She seemed too fragile, as if she would shatter, fall apart at a moment's notice.
"Why what?" He asked her softly, letting his own walls down. She sniffled as she looked up at him, the rain mixing in with her tears, but he could see just how red her eyes were, along with the dark bags under her eyes.
"Why… why are people saying all those things about me… Aqua… am I a bad person?" She asked him, her voice grew rough as her throat became dry, despite all the rain. She had spent all her energy, crying. Aqua shook his head.
"No, you're not a bad person, Akane. If anything, you are sweet, kind, considerate, and caring." Aqua reassured her causing her to blush lightly at those words. Coming from him those words meant more to her then anything. He slowly began to stand up, with her still in his arm as he brought her up to her feet.
"Come on." He whispered to her as he took off his jacket and warped it around her and then placing his cap onto her head.
"Aqua…" She trailed off, but didn't say anything as he took her hand and began to walk. The world around her became a blur, the rain, the wind, the people, everything seemed to just vanish and the only thing she could focus on was Aqua's hand in hers. She felt her heart beat, faster, with each step she took as she looked at his back.
"You are sweet, kind, considerate, and caring." His words rang through her mind, as if on repeat, causing her to blush, unknowingly tightening her grip with him, like he was a lifeline. No, he WAS a lifeline for her. He'd just saved her…like a knight in shining armor.
She didn't know how long they walked or the path they took, but when he let her hand go her eyes widened, panic settling in. As if the only thing holding her to this world had vanished.
"Hey, it's ok." He once again wrapped his arms around her, hugging her. Her worries instantly melted as she relaxed and slowly nodded. Seeing that she had averted a panic attack, Aqua pulled back, but this time he made sure not to let go of her hand.
"Let's go inside." He spoke as she finally realized where he had brought her; his house. As he opened the door and let her in, she realized that the house felt slightly empty.
"Kaa-san and Sapphire are with Ruby at Strawberry Productions. Minato is out with Oto-san running an errand." He answered her unasked questioned.
"Well, I can't say that Oto-san is training Minato on how to use his Chakra. She would think I'm crazy." He thought to himself. Apparently, his father didn't care if a typhoon was sweeping through the city, training was training. However, what he didn't realize was that Akane had completely different thoughts going through her head.
"Alone… with Aqua… at his house…" She thought as she blushed while taking a glance at Aqua. His shirt was completely soaked, reveling his lean figure and muscles. His hair was dampened by the rain and it shone in the dark entry way.
"I'll draw a hot bath for you. You can wear some of Ruby's clothes in the meantime while yours dry out." He instructed as he led her to a room and judging by the name on the door, it was his room. Her blush returned a thousand folds.
"Alone… with Aqua… in his room… No! Aqua is not that type of person!" She shook her head and banished such thoughts. Aqua wasn't one to take advantage of others! Upon entering his room however, she took all of it in with great detail. A simple bed, a desk with some books and a computer, and a bookshelf with all sorts of books. It was a simple room, nothing too fancy.
"Akane." His voice forced her to look at him. His face was stern, but gentle. His eyes showing nothing but concern, for her.
"I'm going to let go of your hand now. Ok?" He slowly started with a voice so soft and gentle that she didn't think he'd be capable of it. This…This was the real Aqua. She looked down. She didn't deserve this. Not after what she had attempted to do. She felt like a scum for trying to end her life and now all she wanted to do was go crawl in some deep dark hole and die. Before she could delve deeper in her pit of darkness, she felt a finger rest on her chin and forcing her to look back up.
"Promise me… that you won't do anything reckless." It wasn't a demand, it wasn't even a request. It was a plea. He wasn't asking or demand, he was begging to her. She slowly nodded as she opened her mouth to speak.
"I promise… Aqua…" She answered as the two looked at each other for what seemed like forever before Aqua stepped back.
"I'll let you know when the bath is ready. I'll have some of Ruby's clothes set out for you." He said before he walked away, leaving her standing in his room, alone. She turned around and slowly made her way over to his bed before she sat herself down on it and brought her knees up to her chest as she leaped onto the wall.
"I'm so pathetic…" She thought as she rested her forehead onto her knees, the events of the last few hours coming back to her with full force. She felt tired, spent, finished. But….
"Aqua…" He was there. He pulled her back from the sea of despair that she was going to drown in. He had saved her…At the thought of that her heart fluttered, her stomach did twists and turns, but in a warm and fuzzy way. At that moment she couldn't help but giggle. At that moment, a sense of clarity a washed over her.
"I like him…" She whispered as she looked up from her knees. Yes, she liked Aqua Uzumaki and she wanted to me more than just a friend to him. She blushed at that thought. She had felt something for him, before her attempt at…taking her own life. But now? Now she was certain.
"Akane, the baths ready." His voice broke her out of her thoughts as she hurriedly got off of his bed as she left his room. She had been here before, she knew where the bath was. Upon entering the bathroom, the hot steam made contact with her cold body and she shuddered before relaxing as she closed the door behind her and sighed. She quickly discarded her wet cloths and entered the hot tub and submerged herself in it. She didn't realize how much she loved hot baths until now.
With Aqua:
Aqua looked down at the food he was preparing, ramen. He had taken many cooking classes at the school thanks to the cooking club, even having been shouted at by an angry chef, but it paid off. He had learned how to cook, better than ever. Now he was putting those skills to good work by making ramen.
"I hope she likes the Uzumaki special." Aqua said to himself before he sweat dropped at the name of the ramen. Apparently the Uzumaki special was a type of ramen his father loved the most, and his mother had loved it as well. Ironically, Sapphire loved the same type as well. What type that you may ask? Miso ramen.
"Though I suppose Ramen isn't the worst food to eat after being caught in a typhoon." He thought of himself as he set the noodles and the broth on a nice temperature and let it cook before he took a seat. He sighed to himself at the situation. If he hadn't decided to go see Akane today, he might not have seen her ever again. That thought caused him to frown. He hated the feeling he felt should Akane had died.
"Is this how you feel… Oto-san?" He thought to himself. Akane had been going through her personal hell on her own and it broke her down to the point of her taking her own life. He grimaced at that. Akane was the type of person who took everything to heart. She didn't have the thick skin to endure the heavy unwarranted criticism.
"And that damn crew doesn't help." He balled his fist in anger. When he first started to work on the show, he didn't think much of it, but the more he worked, the more the watched. And watch he did. He began to realize that despite all their moments on set being recorded; much of the footage was spliced and cut as desired by the director and the team. In a sense, they were calling the shots.
"They cut the footage, rearrange it in manner they want, the audience reacts to it, and the actors, in this case Akane, take the feedback and try to self-correct only to do exactly like the director and the team wants her to behave." Aqua thought darkly. He knew that the entertainment world was shady, but this was downright manipulative.
*Ring* He turned his head to the ramen as the timer went off. He stood back up and walked over as he began to pour the ramen into a bowl. Once it was prepared, he nodded to himself as he looked at his master piece.
"Finally, some good fucking food." He shuddered as he recalled how that angry chef had finally accepted the quality of his ramen.
"Aqua?" He slightly jumped as he heard Akane's voice before he turned around. The moment he did, he felt like he could die a happy man. Akane stood at the entry way to the kitchen, her hair was still wet, but no longer from the cold water, but rather the hot bath she had taken. However, what really got to him was that the cloths she was wearing were….
"Oh crap! Those are Sapphire's!" He mentally face palmed as he forgot to distinguish whose cloths were whose, and Akane was now wearing Sapphire's clothes, which were clearly on the smaller size. Heck, the shirt was barely containing her breasts! As he tried to avert his gaze from her chest, he looked down. Which was an even bigger mistake! Sapphire's shorts were far too small for the bigger girl, leaving her long legs exposed for the most part and they barely did anything to hide her wide hips.
"Gah! Focus Aqua! She's your friend! She just tried to kill herself and you're ogling her!" He mentally shouted at himself as he composed himself before he gestured to the ramen, a blush on his face.
"G-Go ahead. I made some ramen for you." He offered as he looked away, looking at anything BUT Akane. Akane's eyes widened as she saw the bowl of ramen before she walked over and took a seat and brought the bowl close to her and looked at it.
"He cooked…for me?" She thought as she stared at it. Her heart race increased as she slowly grabbed a spoon and took in some of the broth and gently took it in. The flavor exploded in her mouth as she quickly dug into the ramen. Aqua was caught off guard, both amazed and slightly horrified by how fast she was eating.
"Is it because she hasn't eating for a while or because she likes ramen? Oh god…" Aqua's eyes twitch at that through. He prayed to all the gods that she wasn't a ramen addict. As he mused at his thoughts, Akane was enjoying possibly the best ramen she had ever had.
"Is it because he made it for me?" She thought to herself as she savored every taste of it before she set the bowl down and sighed in contentment. She turned to Aqua, who looked at her like he had seen a ghost causing her to blush.
"Ah… I was… hungry?" She sheepishly responded, a light blush of embarrassment on her face after she realized that she had downed a whole bowl of ramen within seconds. Aqua shook his head as he took a seat next to her.
"Akane… are you ok?" He asked her, causing her to stiffen, events of the past few hours rushing back.
"I… I… no, I'm not ok." She answered as she looked down. How could she say she was? After all, she had just tried to end her own life. Her hands balled fists before Aqua brought his hand over hers.
"It's ok. You know that I'm here for you, you know? You don't need to shoulder all of this on your own. Lean on me." Aqua said softly as Akane looked at him before she smiled slightly, though he could tell that she was tired. She mustn't have slept at all.
"Listen, you know we'll have to tell this to your mother." He started causing her eyes to widen.
"No! We can't!" Akane responded in panic. The last person she'd want to tell that she had attempted suicide was her mother.
"Akane, you need to tell her. You can't bottle up your feelings and emotions; otherwise they'll just come out at once and overwhelm you, like today." Aqua reasoned. He understood why she wouldn't want to tell her mother. She didn't want her mother to worry.
"B-But I don't want her worry. She has always been there for me, provided for me. I…I can't do something as selfish as putting my burdens on her." She cried out, but Aqua shook his head.
"You fool, if you can't lean on your family, then who can you? You're always trying to be the anchor, Akane, you know, do it on your own. Well, maybe you should embrace the fact that you have your mother by your side." Aqua pointed out. He recalled how in his past life he had neither, and in this life, he had both, even if Naruto wasn't his biological father, he was still more of a father than his biological one could ever be. And he was grateful for that, truly he was.
"You need to call her, Akane. Let her know you're safe. I'm sure she is worried sick about you." Aqua reasoned as he pointed down the hall where the phone was located by the entrance. Akane wiped the tears from her eyes as she slowly nodded and got up to call. He nodded to himself as he gave her some privacy to talk to her mother. In the meantime, he had other plans to teach the director and his crew a lesson in humiliation.
"I swear I'll make you pay." He growled out as the dark star in his right eye shone brightly. A plan formulating in his head, but he'd need his little brother for it.
The next day:
The sun rose on another day as its rays crept past the blinds and into his room. Aqua groaned as he closed his eyes tighter, trying to drown out the sun rays as he pulled his body pillow closer. He enjoyed the warmth it gave off.
"Wait a minute…I don't have body pillow…" He thought with a frown.
"Oh ho… what do have we here?" That voice. That was the voice of his mother. Before he could question what, his mother was doing in his room, he heard the distinctive sound of a camera shutter. That finally caused him to open his eyes and the first thing he saw was Akane's sleeping face. He blinked as he realized the body pillow he had been pulling closer to him was in reality Akane. Turning his head to the left his face paled as he saw his mother standing there with a shit eating grin with a camera in hand, her eyes as mischievous as his fathers.
"Aqua…" Akane mumbled in her sleep causing Aqua to freeze while his mother brought a hand up to her mouth and held back her giggle.
"Hmm, yes, Aqua, what indeed have you been doing all night with such a fair maiden?" Ai questioned her son playfully before he shot her a glare to which she chuckled and let the room.
"They grow up so fast!" He heard his mother before he face palmed, but once again he froze as he felt Akane press her chest up to his side, still asleep. How did this exactly happen?
Flashback:
"Her, you can take my room for the night. The guestroom is a mess right now, so I'll just go sleep in my brothers' room." He offered as she blushed at the thought of sleeping in his bed.
"O-Ok…" She let out as Aqua was about to turn and leave, but was caught of guard when she engulfed him in a hug.
"Thank you… Aqua-kun." She whispered into his ear, sending shivers down his spin before he froze as he felt her lips grace his cheek. It was a kiss. A small innocent kiss. However, before he had the chance to respond he heard her snores and before he knew it he was dragged down by her limp body onto his bed.
"Oi oi, Akane…" He started but stopped as he noticed that she was out cold. He sighed at that, she must have not slept for a while. He tried to break free from her hold, but the more he tried the tighter she held on. He grumbled before accepting defeat, not having it in him to wave her up. With one final sigh he pulled the sheets over the two of them.
"This is… nice…" He thought as he himself drifted off into sleep, the events finally catching up to him as his eyes closed.
Flashback end:
He sighed as he carefully slipped out of his bed and headed to the kitchen. He noticed that the storm had for the most part passed, but there were still some dark clouds.
"Now what was my son doing in his bed with the same girl he brought over a couple of days ago?" His mother voice causes him to freeze as he slowly turned to find her smiling sweetly at him, too sweetly for his liking.
"I… uh… she's a friend." He dumbly answered as Ai looked at him with that sweet smile of her. She brought a hand up in-front of her mouth and giggled a bit.
"My baby boy all grown up! Oh, what would your father say? Are we going to be grandparents already?" Ai said dramatically causing Aqua to almost trip at that.
"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" Aqua shouted as he lost in composer, blushing madly at what his mother was insinuating.
"Did you at least use protection?" She questioned him. This time he did trip at that.
"Kaa-san… it's… not like that…" Aqua grumbled as he looked away. Ai raised an eyebrow at her son's behavior.
"I come into my son's room to wake him up only to find him sleeping in his bed with a girl he brought over a few days ago. So, what is it like?" She questioned him, eager to hear his answer.
"Kaa-san, Akane is just a friend. Last night she… she tried to take her own life." Aqua tried to explain, the subject being heavy for him as well as just saying that brought an unsettling feeling to him. Ai gasped at hearing that, but more importantly, she saw how her son was so torn up about it. She walked up to him and pulled him into a hug.
"Kaa-san?" He let out in slight surprise.
"It's ok, Aqua. I can see it on your face." She spoke. After having lived for so long behind lies, masks, and with Naruto, she knew when someone was lying or in pain and Aqua was clearly upset about the whole ordeal. She pulled back and smiled at him.
"You saved her, didn't you?" She questioned him, to which he simply nodded, not wanting to talk about it. Ai giggled at him for that before she sighed and patted his head.
"Like father, like son." Ai said causing Aqua to blink at that before he realized what she had meant. Naruto had saved her from being stabbed to death, and he had saved Akane from ending her own life. He smiled slightly, he didn't want to admit it, but he looked up to the man and wanted to be like him. So, it made him happy to be compared to him.
"So, when can I expect the wedding?" And his mother ruined the moment causing him to sigh and pull away and get something to eat.
"Where's everyone else?" Aqua questioned her as she hummed and took a seat.
"Well, everyone else is still asleep, aside from Sapphire who is already on her morning run." Ai answered causing Aqua to sweat drop. Sapphire was a workout nut. Didn't matter if there was a storm going on outside, she'd still be doing her morning runs. He couldn't recall the last time she missed a single one of her morning runs.
"She needs to slow down." He commented much to Ai's amusement.
"Well, anyways, I'm sure you'll be taking your not-girlfriend home. Best you do it before everyone's up." Ai finished with a chuckle seeing his reaction before she stood up and left, leaving Aqua to grumble at her teasing nature.
An hour later:
The last twenty-four hours for Akane had been a whirlwind. Her day had started out as the worst day in her life, according to her. She had been mocked, ridiculed, hated, and so many other vile things said about her. She wasn't proud of it now looking back on it, but she was at the lowest point in her life, enough to wanting to end it.
Yet, by the end of it her day got better, actually, better then better. Not only had Aqua saved her from herself, but he had brought her to his house once more and had looked after her for the night. And when the sun had rising the next day, she had found herself, sleeping in his bed. She blushed at that thought. However, a single memory from last night replayed over and over again in her head.
"I kissed him." She thought as she stole a quick glance at him as the two walked to her house.
"Are you sure you don't want to quit?" He spoke up, to which she looked down. They had disused this earlier when she had awoken. By all rights she should have decided to quit the show by now, but she didn't want that.
"I…I'm not going to give up. Not now. I know that I'm scared… all the horrible things people have been saying about me. But I can't give up. Because… because of all the people that believe in me, that have helped me. So, I'm not going to give up!" She answered firmly, to which Aqua smirked.
"Good." He responded as the two came to a stop as Akane gulped, realizing that she was now home. Her mother had been very distraught at what she had told her last night, but had agreed to have her stay over at her friends for the night on the account of the storm.
"Well, I guess I sh-"
"Akane!" Akane started but was cut off as her mother came storm out of the house as she pulled her daughter into a hug.
"Kaa-san…" Akane started but stopped as she heard her mother's sobs.
"Your foolish girl, Akane! How could you even try to do something like that?!" Her mother wailed causing Akane to close her eyes shut tight. She hadn't realized how much pain she would have, had, put her mother through.
"Why didn't you tell me? I'm your mother!" She questioned her. Akane trembled as tears began to well up in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, Kaa-san. I never wanted to hurt you. I didn't want to drag you into the mess I made." Akane responded, no longer able to hold in the tears.
"Silly girl, that's what I am for! I'm supposed to look out for you! What kind of mother would I be if I left my only daughter to shoulder her burdens on her own?" Her mother questioned as Akane raised her arms and finally returned her mother's embrace.
"I'm sorry, Kaa-san. I'm so sorry." Akane cried, begging for forgiveness at what she had done, what she would have done. Aqua meanwhile stood on the sidelines, allowing the mother and daughter due to comfort the other. He smiled at the scene.
"Family is everything, right, Oto-san?" He questioned himself. Blood or not, in this world all you had was your family. His father told him that long ago and over the years he had slowly began to understand what he meant.
"Uzumaki-san, thank you for looking after my foolish daughter. I'm in your debt." He was brought out of his thoughts by Akane's mother, who gave him a deep bow, showing her gratitude. Now he felt awkward at the situation.
"Oh, ah, no it's fine really. Akane is my friend. I only did what a friend would do for a friend in need." He stated as he waved his hands. Truly, they didn't owe him anything. Akane's mother smiled as she bowed once more.
"Thank you, Uzumaki-san, you are a kind boy. Thank you once again." She thanked him one last time as Aqua now felt totally flustered. She had no need to call him with such formalities.
"It's ok. And please, just call me Aqua." He insisted as he shifted his gaze to Akane.
"Akane, I'll see you tomorrow, ok?" He asked, though she knew what he meant and nodded. He nodded before he turned and began to head home. As he did, he began to formulate a plan.
"It'd be easier to have the rest of our co-stars on board with me on this. I'd approach the director for the unaired footage, but he'll never let go of that. The director and his little crew have worked so hard to stage Akane as the villain. To release unaired footage would ruin that image they have created. I guess outrage sells, doesn't it? I'll give your outrage." Aqua thought darkly as he pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
"Minato, how good are you at hacking?" He questioned his little brother.
"Hacking? I'm pretty good at it. Nii-sama, I hope you're not in any trouble or anything." Minato spoke through the phone.
"No, I'm not in some trouble. Just want to help a friend out." Aqua answered truthfully.
"…" Minato didn't say anything, but Aqua could practically feel the smile growing on his brother's face.
"Well, if it's to help a friend out, I'll help." Minato answered as Aqua thanked him and hung up the call. If he couldn't get that footage by asking, he'll get it by hacking. But first he needed to get everyone else on board and telling them about Akane's… suicide attempt.
"I hope she's doing better now." He muttered to himself.
And cut. So, now Aqua will teach the director and the crew a lesson, and he's gonna get Minato to help him out. The relationship between Akane and Aqua is going to emerge well before their kiss on the show, on the account of Aqua not being so fucking mentally unstable and one track minded on his revenge.
He legitimately cares for Akane, not so he can use her, but because he considers her as a real friend. Any ways, leave a like, a fav, or even a review on your thoughts. See you next chapter. Oh and don't worry if you see some mistakes, I'll be updating the chapter with the mistakes fixed with my beta's help.
