Always a Step Ahead [Akashi Seijūrō x OC]

[ 07: shattered ]

A/N: hah angst. Title suggests it all. May or may not turn out to be complete shit cuz sometimes my angst is shit but let's all pray this isn't bad. Also this is gonna be a long one so prepare yourself. By long I mean this like 5000 words since I refuse to split this into two chapters. Also if this feels rushed it probably is cuz I kinda smushed everything into one chapter so I could carry on with the main plot lol.

ㅇㅇㅇ

"Tsukiko."

The girl looked up, smiling at the pair of red eyes that looked at her with such worry. "Sei-chan," she beamed at him, "you came!"

Akashi took his seat beside her, setting down the bouquet of red and white roses on her bedside table and gave her a gentle grin. "Of course I came. If I didn't I'd never hear the end of it from you."

She puffed her cheeks and pushed her bottom lip out in a pout. "Rude."

He chuckled, easily prying one of her hands open and slipping his own into hers. "How are you feeling?"

"For the most part, pretty okay," she answered honestly. "They're still sorting out some details with regards to surgery."

Akashi tensed at the word. Everything sort of blocked out at that moment, and he could no longer focus on her little update. Surgery. She would need surgery. Of course. In order for her to be healthy again, she would need it. So why was he feeling so uneasy and powerless? He clenched his free hand into a fist. It's obvious, he reminded himself. She needs surgery.

"...-chan? Sei-chan?"

"Hm? Oh, um, yes. I agree, Tsukiko."

She tilted her head, blinking her blue orbs a few times before bursting out in a fit of hearty giggles. The sound that should comfort him only further made his heart clench and his jaw tightened. "You agree that the hospital food here sucks? Yet you've never tried it before."

He forced a smile, anything to make her happy. "My apologies," he whispered. "I zoned out for a bit."

"I can tell." She squeezed his hand, taking it with both her hands and lifting it up. Akashi tilted his head, watching her with an amused expression. How childish, he thought. The soft smile on her pink lips made his expression drop. He had to protect it, he thought. He would never let that smile disappear.

And yet, you didn't do anything to save her from this.

He flinched at the menacing voice in his head, eyes widening as if he had seen a ghost. He shook his head. No, Tsukiko said it herself. There was no way to avoid it.

You're just saying that to protect your pride.

That's not true--

"Sei-chan?"

He jolted, head shooting up to look at her. Tsukiko still held his hand tenderly with her own two small ones, and she gazed at him with a look full of a concern. He felt so disoriented, something he wasn't used to. He was confused, troubled and genuinely had no idea what to do. All we wanted to do was help her, protect her.

"Sei-chan, you've been acting weird. Since you walked in, I could tell something's been bothering you." She absentmindedly played with his fingers, twirling her own with his index finger and tugging his ring finger and thumb side to side. He found it endearing, almost adorable if it weren't for the fact the setting was in a hospital room rather than his own bedroom. "It's because of me, isn't it?"