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“…Where have you been?”
It was the question Akihiko would ask Kotone during the evenings he was in charge of looking after the dorm and Tartarus duty. It became somewhat of a habit, and was worried whether it sounded more and more condescending every time he asked her. When he first met Kotone and those words came out of his mouth, he almost cringed inside his head and feared he had offended her. She did look at him oddly but simply smiled and apologised if she seemed late (which caused Akihiko slight embarrassment at the intrusiveness.)
He eventually realised Kotone would become more comfortable with him (and vice versa) every time she walked through that door as the year went on, notably when he finally confessed his feelings to her on the Gekkoukan rooftop. The question then became more of an inside joke after October, especially when Akihiko asked her if she wanted to hang out with him after school more often. When she wasn’t hanging out with him, he knew she was either running errands, hanging out with her friends or attending after school clubs too.
He knew she would have to put up with his antics and protectiveness. Even if it felt like a joke, going from Senpai to boyfriend…made him feel he needed to ask that question even more.
So when she arrived back at the dorm one cold and dark winter's evening, she couldn’t see a thing. Kotone admitted in her head, she was a lot later than she thought she would be. First she stopped off at the shrine to see Maiko and took her to Octopia for some takoyaki. Then she headed to the police station where Officer Kurosawa gave her a discount on a number of weapons perfect for fighting shadows in the current Tartarus block. Then she realised she hadn’t visited Mutastu in Club Escapade for a week, so decided to pay him a visit. When she thought she could finally escape, Tanaka stopped her on her way home trying to sell her five medicine powders. Although she enjoyed spending time with everyone, there was no doubt it made her even later than usual.
When she turned on the light, she found the boxer half-asleep on the Iwatodai sofa with a book resting on his face and silver hair peaking out from behind it. Probably from late-night studying, although it was unusual for him to be studying in the living room rather than his bedroom. None of the other S.E.E.S members were around, but she had made it home before midnight.
Akihiko groaned slightly at the light and moved the book off his head. He glanced at the time in a daze and his eyes widened when he saw Kotone standing on the doormat. In slight anger, he opened his mouth and asked the very same question he always asked her.
"...Where have you been?"
He knew she was normally early, but this time the tardiness felt irritation rise within him and caused his words to come out bitter. He almost wanted to punch himself when it came out his mouth, particularly as he didn‘t know why he was feeling this infuriated. Though instead of her smiling and apologising like usual, she sighed in annoyance.
“Aki, what are you doing up so late?” She approached him, taking out the new weapons she obtained from her bag, including the Titanic knuckle gloves he was after for so long. “I thought we planned that we weren’t going to Tartarus tonight? You know I said I was preparing for us all to be best we can for the next full moon.”
“Shiomi — I mean...Kotone. I appreciate you helping out the team but…aren’t you the one a bit late?” He said as he pushed himself off the sofa and crossed his arms at her, finally becoming conscious of the actual time. “You’re the only one out at this time of night. Everyone else is in bed, even Koromaru! Do you do even know what time it is?!”
Kotone scowled. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t realise I was being timed. You don’t have to lock up after me, I’m more than capable of using my own key,” she responded in a sarcastic tone she held her key up and shook it. All of her brightly coloured key rings rattled together, including the pink cherry blossom charm he had bought her from the last festival they attended. “I’m not a kid, you know. I can look after myself!”
Akihiko exhaled sharply. “Look, I know you’re the leader and I respect the decisions you make. But you know that even Mitsuru wouldn’t accept you home at this time!” He could feel his voice getting louder the more infuriated he became.
“But Kirijo-senpai isn’t always on my case telling me what my curfew is! At least she trusts me!” She retorted in frustration, making sure not to wake up the rest of the dorm. She huffed and turned away, ready to storm back to her bedroom in the few minutes to midnight. “Goodnight, Akihiko.”
Before Kotone could walk past him, something snapped quickly in Akihiko’s head. He impulsively grabbed her wrist and pulled her into him. She gasped at the contact and almost protested, but when she saw the look on his face, she stopped. He had closed his eyes tightly; apprehension in his features as he held her to his chest.
It was then that the light bulb flickered off and an unwanted, murky green glow emitted through the windows of the dorm.
Akihiko grasped Kotone tighter at the sound of the eerie noises outside and the dorm’s clock failing to tick once more.
“I’m sorry…I shouted at you,” he said as he pressed his face into her hair. “If I were to lose you to this hour, I don’t know what I would do. If you didn’t come home, you know I would be here all night waiting for you. Hell, I would fight the Dark Hour to find you. Why do you think I was downstairs studying until late? I’m sorry…I’m being an over-protective boyfriend. That question I asked — I didn’t mean for it to come out that way. But Kotone, please understand that I’m only…worried about you.”
Kotone finally exhaled as she saw the unnatural green light once more. She wrapped one of her arms around him and cupped his cheek with her other hand. “No, it’s OK...I’m sorry too. I know I was too late tonight, and I was too stubborn to admit it. The last time I was this late…was when I first came to this dorm. I know you always ask me that question, but it’s just — I had a lot to do. I’m sorry I made you worry so much. I didn’t realise you would stay up waiting for me.”
Akihiko smiled slightly as he shook his head. “Heh, you just don’t understand sometimes. When I fight, I fight for Shinji, I fight for Miki, I fight for S.E.E.S. And of course, I fight for you. Not just because you’re my team-mate, but because…you’re my girl,” he murmured, timidly averting his eyes away from her own. “So please…don‘t come back this late again. You know how I feel when you’re not here.”
Kotone laughed gently. “Officer Kurosawa will laugh at how protective my boyfriend is,” she saw his cheeks burn a little as she moved her hand down to his chest. “Aki, I appreciate you looking out for me. But sometimes you need to trust me too.”
“…I know. You’re right,” he agreed, thinking she was just as strong wielding a naginata or any weapon from her bag without her wild card power due to their training. “Just…promise me if you need help with anything after school, or if you are in danger, tell me. Or any of us. Yamagishi will find you, and I’ll be there. We’ll all be there for you. Your responsibilities shouldn’t be a burden. You don’t have to hide it behind your smile.” He tilted her chin up and pressed a gloved thumb to her bottom lip.
She nodded back. “Of course. I just…I want to be the leader you can all depend on. I won’t get myself into danger, but if I can do what I can to help with this fight, then I may come home late. Just maybe not this late again,” she said quickly. Before he could protest, she wrapped her arms around his neck to pull him down to her level and pressed her lips against his. From the taste of his lips, she guessed he had been eating cup ramen in the lounge while studying until late. That was something he didn‘t do often anymore unless he was nervous, or in a hurry — especially now Shinjiro was no longer there to tell him off for his bad habits.
As they both pulled away, they stayed in each others arms for a while until Kotone felt herself yawn. “But I’m feeling tired, and I accidentally made you stay up late. Do you mind helping me try to sleep through this hour of darkness? You need some sleep too,” she smirked as she grabbed his arm and tugged him towards the stairs.
“Well, I guess I can’t turn down a leader’s need for help,” he smiled back as he followed her upstairs for some much needed rest. He contemplated for a moment before he pushed her towards his room, helping her get settled on his bed while she told him all about her day. As her speech became slower and softer, he embraced her tightly. He told her they would get through all of this together.
When Kotone cuddled into his chest and eventually fell into a slumber, Akihiko stared up at the approaching full moon before closing his eyes. They would leave the Dark Hour behind just for tonight.