Work Text:
The fourth class trial felt as if it dragged on eternally, torturing Akane. Death wasn’t uncommon or new for Akane prior to arriving at Jabberwock Island, in fact it was apart of her day to day life, but the sight her only genuine male friend lifeless in front of her arose an indescribable feeling of hopelessness within her.
The walk back to her cottage gave her mind the silence it needed to bombard her with the thoughts she had pushed to the very corners of it during the class trial.
She knew why Nekomaru died, she knew he did it for an honorable reason, and she knew why Gundham did what he did, but she still couldn’t fully grasp it. They risked and ended their lives for this mess of a killing game, one where, time and time again, proved that no matter how many people die, it’ll never be enough.
As she approached her cottage, Akane reached into her breast pocket and pulled out her key, unlocking her door and slamming it behind her. She lazily threw her keys onto her dresser and opened one of the drawers, quickly picking out her sleepwear and changing into it.
Akane was never one to worry much, her carefree attitude helped guide her through the many unfortunate circumstances life threw at her, but losing her first ever friend, someone who saw her for her, wasn’t something she was prepared for.
Nekomaru didn’t see Akane in a sexual way, he never did. He only ever wanted her to become stronger, more determined and sharper in her talent, and he too, wanted a friend.
Memories of the bond they shared held Akane in place. She gripped onto her dresser, her fingers shaking and the tips turning white from the pressure. From her hands, to her arms, and to her entire body, Akane was trembling. Trembling with sadness. Pure, unfiltered sadness. She shut her eyelids tight, sensing the burning feeling of tears approaching.
She’d already cried enough, she couldn’t recall the last time she cried that wasn’t during the past few days. She couldn’t let her emotions get the better of her, she had to stay her nonchalant self.
Knock, knock, knock.
Akane picked her head up and took a deep breath in, wiping small tears from her eyelashes before she opened the door.
“Akane… I was going to check on you tomorrow, but I simply cannot wait,” Sonia’s voice cracked towards the end, and she fell into Akane’s arms, immediately releasing choking, desperate sobs.
“Hey, hey, Sonia,” Akane closed the door behind her and brought Sonia to her bed.
Sonia lied down on her side, and urged Akane to join her. Akane lied across from her and slowly ran her fingers through Sonia’s platinum blonde hair.
“I am sorry, it’s just, I do not know how much longer I can tolerate this game. Our friends, people we cared about, are gone. Gundham is…” Sonia was interrupted by Akane’s embrace.
Akane held Sonia closely, stroking her hair.
“Gundham ain’t gone, none of them are. I know how close you two were, I mean, he even left his hamsters to you-“
“They are not ‘hamsters’, they are the Four Dark Devas,” Sonia said quietly, trying to cheer herself up.
“Yeah, sure. What I’m trying to say is that, even though our friends might be gone physically, they’re not gone spiritually. You two talked all about the occult and stuff like that, and you learned a lot from him. Take that wherever you go, whatever knowledge he gave you,” Akane said, comforting herself with her words.
Sonia nodded and sat up, exhaling heavily. “Thank you. May I stay here for tonight?”
“You don’t gotta ask,” Akane snickered, looping an arm around Sonia’s waist. Her fingers brushed up her spine, momentarily shaking every worry out of Sonia’s body and sending a rush of cool throughout her.
Sonia rested her chin on Akane’s shoulder, and her nose led her face to her clavicle. She planted a kiss on her collarbone and neck before lying back down.
“We need rest, beloved. Today was exhausting for us both,” Sonia looked down, her previous sorrow rushing back to her. “Tomorrow you may talk to me about Nekomaru, if you’re ready.”
Akane lied on her back, looking up to the ceiling. “I’ll let you know. Night,” Akane turned to kiss Sonia goodnight and rolled over. She fell asleep almost immediately, she hadn’t noticed how exhausted she truly was.
She was exhausted from this killing game, and even more exhausted from having to put others before herself constantly. With Sonia it was different, of course, but Akane could never help pushing her needs aside until it was too late.