A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to another chapter!
This is kinda an angst/fluff chapter. It's mostly about Akame and Dusk, and I kinda imagined Akame as a character who creates a lot of angst. Some of his backstory will be revealed here too.
Also, this has a bit of foreshadowing for the GMG/Eclipse arc. I don't want to give too much away so I'll let you figure it out.
Enjoy!
CHAPTER SEVEN: THE DATE
Weeks have passed since the war with Horned Serpent. Everything was going back to normal. "Everyone! Can I have your attention?" Harumi shouted from the second floor. "We have two new members who are joining us!"
"Huh? New members?" Julian questioned.
A man with silver hair and gray eyes appeared followed by a woman with long, wavy, light purple hair. "This is Riku Hinata and Dawn Fortundras, please take good care of them and treat them like family!" Harumi said. Riku had a gray Twilight Phoenix guild mark on his left pectoral while Dawn had a pink Twilight Phoenix guild mark located on her right thigh.
Meanwhile, Akame looked up at Dusk with a bored expression. "No." He responded.
Dusk slammed his hands on the table, making everyone in the guild look towards the commotion. Akame however, didn't flinch. "It's just one date, Akame! Why won't you go with me?" He asked.
Akame closed the spellbook that he was reading with a loud thud. "Because one date will lead to more dates, which will lead to dating, and I don't do that dating crap." He replied. "I know how you feel about me, Dusk. Everyone in the guild may think I'm oblivious to romance. But only when the said person hides it very well, and you don't hide it."
"He's known how Dusk felt about him all this time..." Everyone thinks to themselves.
"So no, I won't go on a date with you." Akame finished, getting up from the table.
"What the hell are you so afraid of, Akame?!" Dusk yelled, stopping the black haired male in his tracks.
Akame could feel his blood boiling. He took deep breaths trying to calm himself down. "I'm not afraid of anything..." He answered.
"Then why won't you let me in? Stop shutting me out, Akame!" Dusk shouted.
Akame had enough as he turned around and swiped his right arm. A dark red Magic Circle appeared as red mist attacked Dusk, throwing him harshly onto the ground.
"Dusk!" Julian and Bruno both shouted in unison.
In a flash, Akame rushed out of the guild. "I'll go after him." Chii informed as she followed her partner out of the guild. Julian helped Dusk up.
"Are you okay?" Julian asked.
"Yeah... Yeah I'm fine." Dusk replied. "Akame..."
Akame ran as far as he could from the guild hall as he leaned on a brick wall and cried. Chii had finally caught up to him and was shocked. She's never seen her partner show so much emotion before. Mostly because he didn't allow anyone to break down his walls that he built around himself.
"Akame..." Chii muttered, catching his attention.
"Oh, Chii... It's only you." He said.
"What's up with you?" Chii asked, flying down next to him. "You told me you loved Dusk. Why did you say no to him?"
"I'm afraid, Chii... Everyone who was around me left. My parents, my little sister, Ketsu... They all left me." Akame replied. "Not to mention Dusk is my weakness. He's the only person who I would gladly use my Blood Transfusion spell if I had too. Just one look into his eyes and all my anger is gone. God, I love him so much it's driving me crazy."
"So be with him. Don't shove aside your happiness just because you're afraid. He seems to be the only person besides me who can calm you down when your angry without you realizing it, and I'm pretty sure Master is grateful for it." At this, Akame chuckled a little.
"Yeah, you're right." Akame agreed.
Chii sighed. "I'll be back." She promised as she opened up her wings and flew away.
A few minutes later, Chii came back with Dusk and Bruno following right behind her. "Akame... I'm glad you're okay." Dusk sighed in relief.
Akame wrapped his arms around Dusk, shocking the male. But Dusk wrapped his arms around Akame's torso. "Idiot... I'm the one who attacked you. I'm sorry." He said, hugging him tighter.
Dusk chuckled. "It's mostly my fault. I was the one who provoked you. I know how you are when you let your anger issues take over." He stated. Dusk then sighed. "You don't have to go on the date with me if you don't want too, Akame. I shouldn't-"
"I'm gonna stop you right there." Akame interrupted his rant. He lifted Dusk's chin up. "I would love to go on a date with you, Dusk. Honestly."
"S-Seriously?" Dusk stuttered.
"Yeah. Pick you up around 5? And cover your guild emblem too." Akame said as Dusk raised an eyebrow but smiled and nodded anyway.
At Akame's apartment, the Blood Dragon Slayer put on a red and black plaid flannel over his usual outfit, covering up his red Twilight Phoenix guild mark. "Looking handsome." Chii commented, smiling.
"Thanks, Chii. You sure you'll be alright staying behind with Bruno?" Akame asked his partner.
"I already told you I'll be fine. Bruno and I have something planned to do together." Chii replied. Akame smirked. His Exceed partner always claimed that she didn't need a male to complete her life. But Akame knew that she's taken interest in Bruno. Aly used to flirt with her, getting rejected in process, and Jim was always too focused on making Zack the best wizard he could be. The only Exceed she was the closest too was Bruno.
Akame had finally arrived at Dusk's apartment as he knocked on the door. Dusk answered as Akame saw he was in his usual attire with a white jacket over him to cover his white Twilight Phoenix guild mark.
"Have fun and don't cause trouble you two." Bruno said.
"We won't." Dusk promised as the two Dragon Slayers and the two Exceeds parted ways.
"Why did you ask me to cover my emblem? We're not doing anything that will make the Master mad at us, right?" Dusk questioned.
Akame chuckled. "Of course not. It's to hide our identities. Don't want anything to ruin my date with my potential boyfriend, and the fact that there might be Horned Serpent guild members wanting revenge."
Dusk blushed. "I highly doubt it. Dawn said that most of them scattered to either travel or join different guilds. Only her and Riku joined Twilight Phoenix." He stated.
They had finally arrived at a local wizard bar. "A wizard bar, really?" Dusk asked.
Akame shrugged. "Leave me alone. This is my first time trying this dating crap." He replied. "And I'm sure you didn't want to travel. Considering that you have motion sickness."
"Good point..." Dusk agreed.
They both entered the wizard bar as they sat down. They ordered something to drink. "Dusk... I haven't told you much about my backstory, have I?" Akame asked, playing with his straw from his sweet tea.
"You haven't. But you don't have to tell me if you don't want too." Dusk responded.
"No, it's fine. You have to know why I'm so closed off around everyone." Akame stated. "I grew up in a very poor village called Brago with my parents and my little sister, Ally. We didn't have much but we had each other."
Dusk saw Akame clench his fist. "That is until Deliora attacked our village. Killing everyone, including my parents. Ally and I were able to escape until we got separated. I constantly wandered looking for her until I found the Blood Dragon, Ketsu. He taught me Blood Dragon Slayer Magic. I treated him like a father until he mysteriously disappeared on July 7th, X777."
Dusk could only feel sympathy for that. As it was the same time the Star Dragon, Lunioseith, disappeared as well. "I actually met Chii after she hatched. I saved her from freezing to death on a snowy mountain. I lived with her until Master Harumi found me and asked me to join Twilight Phoenix." Akame finished.
"Do you know where your sister is now?" Dusk questioned.
"No clue. I don't even know if she's alive." Akame responded. "She must be around Jude's age if she is."
They finally left the wizard bar. Akame intertwined his hand with Dusk's. "You can do it, Akame. Just ask him the question. Don't back out now." Akame gave himself a pep talk in his head.
"Dusk Fortundras..." Akame started to say, getting the males attention from using his full name. "Will you be my boyfriend?"
Dusk blinked, not really sure if he heard him right. "I'm sorry..." He replied, smiling. "Could you repeat that?"
"Don't make me repeat myself." Akame responded.
Dusk chuckled. "I'm kidding. I would love to, Akame Ketsu." He said.
After Akame removed his flannel and Dusk removed his jacket, they headed back to the guild, where they met up with Chii and Bruno. Julian and Aly were with them. "So I see we finally got the first ever couple in this guild. About time you two got together." Julian said.
"Zeke, I'm gonna need that 100 jewel you promised me." Julian said to the scarlet haired boy. Ezekiel sighed as he handed him the money.
"You seriously placed a bet on when Dusk and I would get together?!" Akame shouted.
"Hehe... No, why would you ever think that?" Julian questioned.
"Oh, you're so gonna get it, Nightingale!" Akame exclaimed as he began chasing Julian around the guild as their guildmates laughed as Julian tried to dodge every one of Akame's attacks.
Elsewhere...
A sixteen year old woman with long black hair and red eyes was looking down at the town of Roseview. She wore a black cloak with a black tank top underneath, black pants, and gray combat boots. Her hood was up, completely covering her face.
"My Lady, are you about ready to go?" A nineteen year old woman with long dark brown hair and green eyes asked. She wore a pale yellow cloak with a white tank top underneath, black jeans, and brown combat boots. On her belt was a bunch of silver keys. A pink Horned Serpent guild mark was located on the back of her right hand.
"Yes, Hana." The sixteen year old replied, turning away from the town.
"I can't wait to get revenge on those pesky Phoenixes. They'll pay for destroying Horned Serpent." Quartz growled, his Exceed, Peridot, sighed as he shook his head.
"Don't forget those two traitors, Quartz." His partner, Daisuke, reminded him.
"Oh, yeah. Them too. Dusk and Riku will pay for betraying Horned Serpent." Quartz added.
"You will get your revenge soon. As will I." The black haired woman informed.
"You two made a good decision following Ally. That guild will regret ever messing with us." Hana stated.
The black haired woman smirked as she walked with her three new comrades. "Akame Ketsu... You'll soon regret ever leaving me behind, brother..."
A/N: And there's the introduction of the next arc! You'll see more of Daisuke and Hana since I know they weren't in the Horned Serpent arc as much.
But at least Dusk and Akame are dating now?
Hope you enjoyed!
~Kyle