The Oracle

Chapter 3: An Interest in Aisawa

AKARI

"So, Akari," Merrick grins in a feral manner at the dinner table in the dining hall as he rests his chin in his hand, his red hair nearly falling into his alluring brown eyes. "Who's the hottie you brought with you earlier?"

"Really, Merrick?" I sigh.

"Cut it out, Merrick," Kit scoffs and rolls her brown eyes as she shakes her head back and forth, her red-pink ponytail swishing back and forth. "Why is everything you think about so immature?"

"I don't think he can help it," Darius sighs and gives Kit a somewhat sheepish expression as he rubs the back of his neck. "I mean, he is Lust after all. If it has legs, he'll find it attractive."

"Yeah," Merrick continues to grin as his eyes flicker over to Kit, "so you cut it out, prude. I thought you were Diligence, not Chastity."

"This has nothing to do with what I am," Kit's eyebrows twitch in agitation before she sighs and goes back to eating her mashed potatoes. "Whatever, it's pointless to argue with you."

"Glad you finally see it my way," Raciel mutters from his spot on the other side of Kit while he lazily pokes at his dinner with his spoon, his red eyes bored and his blue, black, and white multi-colored wavy hair falling over his eyes as he leans his head down.

"You don't get a say in this either, Sloth," Kit mutters through a spoonful of potatoes. "You're the laziest of everyone here."

"Again," Darius starts with a sigh, "I don't think he can help it either."

"How about we get back on topic of the kid?" Kaito scowls. "I don't trust him."

"Are you sure you just aren't jealous?" Merrick snorts.

"What?" Kaito glares at Merrick. "Why the hell would I be jealous of a nobody? Say that again, why don't you!"

"And there he goes again," Kit sighs.

"Seriously, I don't know how you all manage to get along in battle," I sigh and sink down into my chair.

"I'm going to go bring Evory her dinner," Darius starts with a small smile as he stands up from the table and meets my eyes. "I hope you don't mind if I leave early. It's just that I know she won't take the time to stop working to come down."

"No, go ahead," I smile in return and Darius nods before he goes to bring her something to eat.

Every day, it's usually like this. Darius brings Evory her dinner halfway through dinner time because Evory likes to work until she drops so he takes care of her while Kit, Merrick, and Raciel refuse to see eye to eye and Merrick tries pressing Kaito's buttons while I sit there and usually talk to Darius while he's there. The other sins and virtues like to hang out with us too, but they usually eat dinner at a different table with some of the other academy members, and Carmin always eats by himself, aside from whenever Gambit actually manages to drag him from his office with her persuasiveness and abrasiveness.

"Ooh, there he is now," Merrick perks up from his seat and I turn my head to the entrance to the dining hall to see a familiar mint head of hair making its way through the dining hall.

I watch as he glances around in search of any sense of familiarity before his eyes land on me and he seems somewhat relieved as he makes his way over.

"And here he comes," Merrick grins and Kit smacks him over the head.

"Don't eat him alive, Merrick," Kit chides and Merrick scowls as he rubs the side of his head.

"Prude," Merrick mutters and Kit raises her hand to smack him again just as Sora arrives.