Title: Let me be an answer
Pairing: Akame
Rating: G
Disclaimer: I don't own akame. The fic is inspired by Shelter by Corrinne May.
A/N: first akame fic so i apologize in advance if this is really bad...
I can't do this anymore. Slumping in a chair in the corner of the lounge, Kame let his head drop to his knees as if it weighed a ton. I'm so tired. I want to go home.
On the other side of the room stood one of his bandmates, Jin, whose pensive eyes were fixed upon the lone figure exuding sadness, though the former was surrounded by Koki and Maru and their animated conversation. At that moment, it was as if nobody and nothing existed in Jin's world but Kame.
"Ne, Jin, don't you think the costume Koki was wearing was a little too flashy?"
Jin suddenly set off as if he didn't hear a word Maru just said.
"Eh?" Maru and Koki stared after their friend, confused.
Just as Kame felt he couldn't hold back the tears anymore, he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Ne, are you okay?"
Kame looked up to meet a pair of worried eyes. He said nothing and looked back down at the ground. Jin felt his heart wrench as he saw the tears pooled around Kame's eyes. He stood there next to Kame, not knowing what to do or say, when an idea occurred to him. "Come with me to the combini to get something." Jin grabbed Kame's hand and pulled him along, not allowing the latter a second to hesitate.
"What? Wait..."
Jin's hand took Kame's with a grip so tight it was almost hurting the latter, walking quickly until they were at the jimusho's parking lot. It was getting late and not many cars remained. They were alone.
"I thought you wanted to go to the combini--"
"Tell me." Jin demanded.
"Eh?"
"What's wrong? Why were you tearing up?"
Kame was stumped by the directness of these questions. He hesitated.
"I'm fine." He said, finally, avoiding Jin's inquisitive eyes.
"No, you're not. Why do you always keep things to yourself?" Because I don't want to trouble other people with my problems. "Why won't you tell me what's getting you down?" Because I don't want you to worry about me. Especially you.
Jin's questions were met with silence, followed by subtle drops of tears down Kame's cheek.
"Why do you care so much?" Kame retorted. His watery eyes locked with Jin's that suddenly became downcast.
"I care so much because..." I love you so much that it hurts me to see you like this. He almost said it out loud, but he stopped himself; he was afraid that if said, it would be met with rejection.
"Because what?" Kame paused. "Please don't be concerned about me." he said quietly. "I... I just have to get over it. It's just a phase; I'm probably just getting burned out because of all these Dream Boy rehearsals and the drama shooting all at once. It's starting to take a toll on me. But it's not a big deal. I can deal with this myself." As he said the last sentence, he looked at Jin with a steady gaze as if trying to convince the latter of his words. Then he started to walk away.
"You don't have to deal with it by yourself." Jin shouted at Kame's back, who stopped in his track but did not turn around. "You don't have to be alone. You're not alone." He said as he walked up to Kame. "I know you've been through a lot, being the unofficial leader and trying to keep it altogether when things are falling apart, covering up for someone if they mess up, I know that's stressful. I know you're strong; you always have been. But that doesn't mean you have to face it all by yourself. You're not alone." By this point, Jin was right behind Kame. His arms slowly embraced the latter's waist. He couldn't see Kame's face, but he knew that he was breaking down that wall.
A moment of silence passed by. The late night air was getting chilly and neither of them had anything more than a t-shirt on, but there was an inexplicably sufficient warmth in their embrace.
"I just don't want to hurt you by sharing my burdens..." Kame said slowly, as if he exhaled these words.
"It hurts me even more to watch you in pain and not know why."
"Jin..." he turned around and looked into Jin's tearful eyes.
"I love you, Kame." I finally said it... Jin mentally crossed his fingers.
Kame's eyes widened in surprise, not knowing how to respond.
"You don't have to say anything. I just wanted you to know that... this is why I care so much. Because I love you, so I can't help it. I can't help but caring and worrying about you, to the point where I can't sleep if I see you leave without a smile, to the point where I can't eat if I see you lose your appetite from stress, to the point where I'm sure your needs and wants are more important than my own." A drop of tear rolled down his cheek. "So... help me understand your pain and let me make it hurt less. I may not be able to make it go away, I may not have the solution to all your problems, but let me be an answer."
Kame gazed into those eyes that seemed to see through him; the eyes that could always tell if he was lying or not, ones that stripped him of his pretenses and reached into the most vulnerable part of him.
"You already are an answer." he said with a faint smile and saw Jin lift his eyebrow, perplexed.
"I love you, too." He said in a whisper as he put his arms around Jin's neck. "Arigatou."
--FINIS--
minna-san please let me know what you think, comments are greatly appreciated! arigatou gozaimasu~