The Ones That Lived

AS RYUUJI STEPPED INTO THE INFIRMARY, he saw Akari turn to look at him from bed. She had awoken at some point, while the rest were in the other room.

“Hey,” Ryuuji greeted her, walking to her side.

“Hey,” she replied, her voice soft and fragile.

“How are you feeling?” he asked, sitting next to her on her bed.

“It hurts,” she said, much unsurprisingly.

She had taken well over a dozen cursed bullets during the attack. It was a miracle she survived, even with Hotaru’s treatment.

“What happened?” she asked, having little recollection of the events.

“The Hands ambushed us.”

It was a shameful admission, but Ryuuji told her the truth.

“I almost died, didn’t I?”

“… Yeah. You were close to.”

“I couldn’t even do anything…” she said, quietly breaking in tears. “I promised to help you just the other day, but when it came down to it… I couldn’t fight at all…”

To her, it was as frustrating as it was embarrassing. She had talked so big to Ryuuji and Hotaru, only to be unceremoniously gunned down.

“It wasn’t on you,” said Ryuuji, his anger welling inside. “I would’ve also died, if not for Jōnoha-san’s help. Even Hotaru was defenseless.”

“But you did manage to fight back.”

“Barely. I was two seconds away from falling, and that’s with over a decade of military experience. You’ve been in this for only a year. Do not blame yourself.”

Akari fell quiet, eyes downcast. She knew Ryuuji was right, but that didn’t make her feel any better.

“How did that happen? Did Akiko-san… betray us?”

“So it seems. Hotaru thinks he was captured.”

“How could that…? Is she alive?”

“I don’t know.”

And he hoped not, considering the nature of their enemies. When it came to spiritual corruption, death was more often a mercy.

“But we made all of our plans with her. She gave us so much of our intel. How are we supposed to fight them now?”

“Hotaru and Jōnoha-san are working it out with the guys from Amaterasu, and we’ve sent word to Katsuro, too. As for you and me, we are on bed duty. We should rest.”

“Bed duty… Is that even a thing in the army?”

“It is now.”

“Pfft…” Akari chuckled, with some pain darting from her abdomen.

“Sorry. We should take it easy for now,” said Ryuuji, noticing her discomfort.

However, as he was about to head to his own bed, Akari held onto his shirt.

“Say, Ryuuji… Can you sleep with me?”

It was one hell of a bold request, but Ryuuji slowly shook his head.

“This isn’t the time, Akari.”

“No, I don’t mean it like that. I mean, like… sleep next to me. I’m scared.”

Her words tugged at his heart, so much so that he almost cried from them.

“Ren will murder me if he walks in.”

“It’s fine. Just this time, I think he’ll forgive us.”

She did almost die earlier, so when it came to this request… Ryuuji figured it would be alright to indulge her.

“Fine. Scoot a little, but do it slowly. The healing magic is still setting in.”

Akari shifted a bit to the side, and Ryuuji slid under the sheets next to her.

Both of their hearts were beating rapidly; they’d never been that close to each other before. Granted, they did take a bath together recently, but Hotaru had been there with them. This time, on the other hand, it was only the two of them.

“Can you get the lights from here?” she asked.

“I think so. Let me try,” he replied, and he poked the switch with wind magic.

Then, darkness.

It was only him and Akari now, their body heat radiating to each other.

Then, Akari timidly reached for his hand. Ryuuji didn’t resist her, letting her hold it to her heart’s content. After a short while, he even held hers back.

Slowly, but surely, Akari scooted closer to him. She rested her head against his chest, and Ryuuji could clearly feel she was shaking… and crying.

There were so many things they had to say, but silence reigned king that night.

All there was were two fellow souls, taking solace in one another.