Credens justitiam (Believing in Justice)

Auribus teneo lupum

Tormented, abandoned and sulking as Alix her laid on Akechi's shoulder, breathing in harmony but with the revelation in his involvement not only mental shut downs but psychotic breaks, her attitude didn't change in the slightest and he thought she was seething in unbridled fury but day after day, she retained her positive attitude.

Why was she torturing him?

Asking her why was out of the question and so he was left again unwanted, unsure and left in the empty space of love. Why was he burning with desire and at the same time lonely?

It only took one minute and one second to get it all out but she wasn't willing to converse with him on the matter and it seemed as if she was willing to be complicit in his deeds and then not.

Akira hadn't made any movements towards his own declaration of love and yet, it was a calm that no doubt would shake the foundation of Akechi's relationship with Alix, but like before, faith and trust had been put in her and the decisions she made. The interactions came from her talking to Yusuke and coming from school with him but avoiding the rest of The Phantom Thieves.

The strategy was clear and Alix was using to her advantage and like he predicted she would but she didn't let up cheerful demeanor and still it caused real concern. Concern from his struggling heart and the riled desire to secure the future together but could it happen? Would his work let him be free or would the trap be set? He was rethinking his plans to give scandal to Shido and the whole killing part but with Alix's silence on the matter, what could Akechi do now? Could he continue or settle down in life with her?

Twisted and broken that he was, there was a belief that he could attain some kind of normalcy without the Metaverse and actually have dreams. Dreams that was invested with kids and marriage but maybe those things didn't suit him but he would try for her sake.

And he wasn't prepared for the standing crowd hovering over a scene that caused a lot of interest and usually he would have stayed out but he heard a familiar voice and tensed.

"You're terrible you know!? What part of NO that you don't understand!?"

Alix's hand quickly flew against Akira's cheek but he took the pattern of abuse, standing defiant.

"That's not what you said either."

"Never mind what I said because what you're doing is obscene and quite unseeingly unwise. That 'action' was totally uncalled for and you know that. What is your problem!?"

"You wanna explain to the crowd what I really mean to you?"

"That is beside the point! You are quite devious and I can't believe you would try to blackmail me on 'this' and I hate you, Akira Kurusu, too."

Another swipe and after he caught that hand midair.

"I can deal with that and besides love and hate go together."

"No, they don't. Let me go, please."

The crowd got unrulier with vicious voices chanting and Akechi squeezed in with had him revealing his presence to the wailing of girls' voices. His ridiculous fans that he couldn't dare listen to instead focusing and reaching for Alix and Akira.

"We need to talk; Alix and you can't avoid that."

"If you would stop texting and calling me. Stop pestering me. There's nothing more to talk about. I don't care what you think-I don't love you and never had romantic feelings for you at any time and I'm tired of you treating me like a treasure to be won. You're quite a terrible human being."

And like clockwork, Akechi's fury was embraced in his hands and the contact it came to Akira's face was satisfying more than the ambitions Akechi had for himself, but it wasn't done with Akira coming back and landing his own punch and soon, they were both embroiled in a rowdy match with fierce hits, jabs and lastly maneuvers Alix didn't recognize.

Hands were pumped in the air and she did try to intervene several times but the severity of the situation sickened her and only made her crazier with hurt and besides the crowd was shoving her more and more away.

Akechi recognized by a glance that Alix was deeply troubled and while blocking with his arms, he shoved Akira back forcefully, knocking several people over.

And without thinking, the crowd swelled and she was pushed to the fore front, lunging herself into the oncoming barrage of punches from Akira but with feet grounded.

"HEY!"

"ALIX!"

Akechi caught himself as Alix slumped to the ground, hitting her head with a small crack resonating elsewhere and blood sliding off her cheeks.

"I can't...I can't..." Welling inside as she clutched her stomach bypassing and ignoring the head injury and instead focusing on her bruised ankle. She wailed as soon as she tried to stand and then crumpled violently.

The concern swept over the crowd and Akira winched but Akechi dragged himself to Alix's side, realizing that her injury, not life threatening was quite intense.

"Make the pain go away...make it go away. I hate pain. I hate it. It hurts. It hurts. OH MY GOD, it hurts!"

She was barely conscious and now more than ever, was entrapped in her own dire situation but hardly noticed Akechi's presence. Maybe he went too far on Akira but Akechi, for his own sake hated that Alix had been bullied in that manner over misguided love.

"Is she alright?"

"She's not. Her ankle looks like it was devastated and it is really our fault."

"Why in the hell did she do that!? Didn't she realize how incredibility foolish that was?"

"She made a point and it was really well spoken through her own sheer disregard for her own safety though I wished she would have thought it all through."

"She really did try to stop me from...I guess I really can't win, can I? Against you..."

"There is no winning with love. You must be in the right time and place for it and not even then it doesn't mean that success can be determined. It's a roulette and a chance that they might not love you back and you should acknowledge that and move on. Now, help me bring her up. She'll need to see a doctor right away."

"Right."

So, her silence was in fact due to Akira and while the situation felt bleak in a lot of ways, Akechi was glad that she was sound in her heart but her body was another thing altogether.