second try [sxf x child! reader]

⋆ ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ɢɪꜰᴛ ⋆

Akira jolted awake and quickly scrambled out of bed, his heart thudding loudly against his chest. Were they gone? He threw open the door, half expecting it to detach from the hinges but it stayed firm as he bolted down the hallway and skidded to a stop in the kitchen.

He breathed a sigh of relief, almost collapsing onto his knees. They were still here. They hadn't left him... yet.

"Akira?" Loid raised an eyebrow, his fork that was holding parts of a fried egg was halfway to his mouth. "You look quite rattled..."

Akira blinked, startled, before shaking his head quickly. "N-nothing. Nothing."

Anya squinted, no doubt reading his thoughts but didn't say anything. Akira was relieved. He moved around the table to sit next to her sister, fighting back the urge to poke her and see if she was real. Well, Anya was taking in quite a big amount of food... still, was she really here?

"I think I had a nightmare last night," Akira blurted out suddenly. He paused, wincing and pondering why he'd said that but he continued on. "I woke up like I just did and when I came out of the room for breakfast, you guys were gone."

Loid looked surprised but didn't interrupt him.

"I thought Anya was just playing a prank on me," Akira admitted slowly, his voice growing quiet. "So I looked around for a bit but it became clear that... that I was alone. I was... I was scared that you guys left me because," he swallowed. "Because everyone does that once they get to know me."

"I didn't!" Anya pointed out loudly. 

Akira sighed, "You're different."

Loid managed a smile, "We'd never leave you, Akira."

Akira squinted, trying to tell if he was lying or not. It didn't seem like it. 

"Don't worry," Yor agreed.

Loid cleared his throat, as if wanting to change the conversation. He turned his head to smile at Akira. "We had a little adventure with Anya a few days ago... so, I was wondering, if you wanted to get anything for yourself."

Akira blinked, "My...self?"

"Peanuts!" Anya chimed in excitedly. "Get peanuts!"

"Anya," Loid said, "this is Akira's decision."

Akira shrugged, "It's fine, we could get peanuts. I don't hate them either."

"Is there anything you really want though?" Loid said slowly. "Because if there is, then we'd get it for you."

Akira stared down at his half-eaten plate of eggs and offered one to Anya who accepted it with delight. "I don't know..."

Loid raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe," Akira hurried on, "maybe another book."

"Really?" Anya said with an exaggerated groan. "Another one of those things? Peanuts are better."

"I never said they weren't," Akira mumbled. "Could I get both?" He asked sheepishly. "A pack of peanuts and a book?"

Loid smiled, "Sure."

When they stepped into the bookstore, just Akira and Loid, Akira's jaw fell open. He'd never been to anywhere with so much books before. It was amazing and also slightly overwhelming. How was he supposed to choose a single book from this maze of them?

"What types of books do you like?" Loid asked. "They're split into sections so it's easier to find things."

"Oh," Akira breathed out a sigh of relief. "I guess I like mythology or non fiction."

"Then we'll start there," Loid said.

Akira found himself crouched next to a pile of books, sorting them out and reading the back of them, trying to decide which one he liked the most while Loid sat in a bean bag chair to his side, reading intently over a newspaper.

"Talon's Crypt?" Akira blinked down at a cover with a flying eagle on fire. "Nah." He continued going through the books, stopping once when a lady came over to ask if he needed him to which he replied no. "Toys of the Forgotten Children?" A shudder went through him when he read the horrendous script written on the back of the story. He wasn't made out for books that would keep him awake. They often triggered memories of his own experience in Ketsueki. He sighed and tucked the book back into the shelf. It'd be nice if he never saw that one again. He sat down heavily, wondering how long it would take him to find one that he liked when he spotted a small part of a book cover sticking out from under the pile. After some tug a war with the stack, he managed to yank it out and revealed a book with a neon colored design labeled: Cyber Tomorrow. Interesting, Akira thought. He opened the book and read the first page, feeling his fingers run lightly over the new and unused paper. He closed it and started putting all the books away, one by one, carefully. When he was done, Akira made his way over to Loid, staggering side to side because his legs were both asleep.

"I think I found one," he said.

Loid looked up and smiled, "Alright."

One the way back home, they stopped for peanuts.