Disclaimer: All characters from Akame ga Kill that appear in this fanfic rightfully belong to Takahiro and Tashiro Tetsuya. I do not own anything in regards to their creation; I have Takahiro and Tashiro Tetsuya to thank for that.

Summary: With the serial killer's defeat at the hands of Night Raid, a bloodthirsty hunter arrives to claim her hunting ground. The aftermath of the battle draws her attention to a young assassin. Only he warrants for attention, and she would do anything to get closer to him. At the crossroad of an internal struggle about sacrifice and loyalty, will a lost feeling be rekindled?

Author's Notes: This chapter took much longer than anticipated but I have finally finished it. Before we get onto the actual story, let me give a big thank you to the reviewers. I really appreciate the feedback coming from you all.

Anyways, please bear with me if I make any mistakes or errors, especially in terms of the language (spelling, grammar, etc.).

Part 3: Temptations

"I no longer fear killing

My wish would no longer come true

I live merely in order to protect

So that I can stay true to myself"

-Filament (Mirai Nikki ED2)

Awkward silence draped over them like a heavy blanket as the two stared at each other. Akame was left speechless while Masumi gawked. Both were completely stunned by the turn of events.

'How did this happen?' Their minds shared a single inquiry that couldn't be assorted in their jumbled state. Only one thing was certain: this was no dream. Reality smashed into their skulls as hard as Masumi's heart could be heard hammering inside his chest.

Masumi moved first, unexpectedly fast. His hand shot forth and grabbed Akame by the wrist, pulling her back up to her feet. His Teigu clattered on the ground as he pinned her arms to the side. His mannerism was anything but gentle as his eyes widened. It fleetingly crossed his mind that he was being too rough, though the idea of Akame slipping away from him was so unbearable that his grip reflected his feeling.

Akame flinched, startled by the way that Masumi was acting. While the knowledge that she could wrestle free was there, she did nothing and allowed Masumi to search her features. He needed the time for clarifications. His emotions were on raw display as he tried to compare her face with the memory of the girl in his childhood.

Eventually, satisfaction crept on his features and he nodded before allowing a smile to slip through. He marveled the girl standing before him like she was a lost treasure. In the years they were separated, Akame had matured into a striking young woman who stole his breath away. Her hair was still long, trailing down towards her knees in an attempt to provide a veil for the back of her legs, the part where her long black socks failed to cover. What little moonlight that filtered past the curtained windows supplemented to the glossiness of the flowing tresses that were as dark and delicate as a raven's feather.

But what caught Masumi's attention the most was the way that her crimson eyes glinted in the night. Years ago, he would have missed the hidden implication. But now that he was in the assassin trade, he could no longer overlook the apparent sharpness that defined her pair of rubies. Cold and acute. A reflection of the life she had been living.

To pique Masumi's interest further, there was something mystical in those orbs. They were to the point of surrealism, with hints of shimmering red seeping out. Bloody red. That was Masumi's first impression when he saw them. A disturbing color normally associated with bloodlust. Not exactly the most bolstering observation but he forced his discomfort down in favor of marveling the girl he had before him.

"W-wow! Akame. It really is you! You've grown…"

"Same with you," Akame said softly, her voice so quiet that one would have interpreted as shyness if not for the composed manner that she conducted herself. Being a master of her emotions, it still took both time and effort for her to swallow the overwhelming joy that coursed through her body.

To finally reunite with Masumi and to see how much he had developed was a dream come true. Years had molded the frail yet cheerful boy into a well-toned teenager who survived the intense training. His body displayed the results and there was a purpose in his actions. When he reached out to grab her, there was no excessive movement that would've been averse to a stealth mission.

Even his emerald orbs illustrated his drive. Intensity emitted from them as he measured her. It was probably an unconscious behavior, though the way that he studied her was akin to dissection. It was as if he was trying to discover and expose her weak points. Indeed, he was truly becoming more like a seasonal assassin and the recognition drilled mixed emotions into Akame.

Shaking off both content and sadness, she directed her sight at the cowlick that rested on top of his brown tuft. At that moment, it drew upon her that her head was tilted up slightly. Her eyebrows dropped and her obsidian orbs replicated the glossiness of a doll's pupils as she deadpanned, "You… you're supposed to be around Kurome's height."

"Huh?" Masumi's face was etched with bemusement as he tried to fathom what caused Akame to suddenly change her demeanor. He tried following her gaze and it wasn't long until he realized what had caught her attention. "Oh! You know, men are generally taller. Hmm, what's with that look? Something tells me you're not happy… Is it because I'm taller now?"

Gathering what he knew about Akame, Masumi deduced the exact reason for her dissatisfaction. Despite her anti-socialness, the raven-haired assassin was actually an affectionate sisterly figure towards him. Since he had no elder sister, he was initially envious whenever he saw Akame showering Kurome with affection. Longing for the same treatment, he requested Akame to indulge him in a similar manner, which she obliged. While he eventually grew out of that desire and wanted Akame more as a friend than a sibling, he still fancied the way she would pat his head. It was a soothing gesture and one that Akame herself found easy due to being half a head taller.

Now that Masumi pondered about it, he felt grateful that his childhood friend would try to accommodate his every whim. It was no wonder why Kurume loved calling him a spoiled brat back then.

A chuckle escaped with the thought. While there was the urge to loosen the awkward atmosphere, a larger portion of his mind spurred him to tease Akame. Deciding to humor himself, he placed a hand on top of her head and said, "What's the matter? Do you want to pat me that badly? You can just ask and I'll bend down for you. Otherwise, you'll have to get used to this treatment, since I kinda like this. Ah, I've always wondered why you enjoy doing this."

"You are acting like a child." With her lips pressed together, Akame gave a look that bordered on a pout. The rare expression lasted no more than a few seconds before her eyes suddenly regained vigilance, with the crimson shimmering with killing intent.

Instincts pulled Akame away from Masumi's touch and her hand shot to Murasame. But before she had the chance to move, Masumi reacted and grabbed her again.

Masumi didn't share Akame's astounding senses, but he caught on the moment she flipped the switch and returned to her killer mode. His ears caught a sequence of footsteps, with the pacing of someone who was hurrying down the corridor. Without needing to be told, he knew that being seen with Akame would bring nothing but trouble.

With his teeth gritted, he pushed Akame into his room while simultaneously kicking his weapon in the same direction. Leaving the Teigu behind was no good; it would only draw unneeded suspicion. He didn't care where the momentum sent the blade skidding, just so long as it was hidden from view.

He slammed the door behind them. The noise was a mere thud to the human ear but was so deafening to Akame that it nearly raptured her eardrums. There was no chance for protest as Masumi looped an arm around her from behind, securing her in place as he clamped his free hand over her mouth. Akame's eyes widened but fought against the instinctive urge to resist.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The person responsible for the sound stopped right before them, their appearance being barricaded from Akame's sight by the wooden door. The red-eyed assassin couldn't help but briefly contemplate whether or not she should barge down the door and attack. But Masumi must have read her thought, for he tightened his grip on her.

"Shh. It's fine. Just don't move." His whisper was a soft caress that drove an uncontrollable shiver down her body. The warm breath against her collarbone drained her strength, sending a sensation that made her legs melt like butter. A stumble and she would've crashed to her knees, if not for the snugged embrace that supported her.

'How is he doing this!?' Astonishment coated her shrinking pupils. Never had she felt so defenseless, not even when Esdeath had her hand around her throat. The intimacy was responsible, she realized, though the fact didn't trouble her as much as it should. She despised vulnerability; it made her lose everything precious to her. Yet, she could find no fault in Masumi, the one who was making her weak.

So focused on her reflections did she nearly missed the conversation going back and forth between the closed door.

"Hey, Tatsumi! Wake up and get your ass over here! We've got an intruder!" The speaker on the other end had no problem getting her high feminine voice past the wooden barrier.

As soon as the word intruder was heard, Masumi gave Akame's waist a squeeze, no doubt having fathomed who was accountable for the commotion that had stirred him from his sleep.

"Yeah, coming!" Masumi called back, then muttered a curse as he pretended he had hit his toe on the corner of his wardrobe. "Ack! Stupid thing! Hang on just a moment, Mine! I'll be done soon."

"Hurry up, slowpoke! I'll be leaving this floor to you. I'm gonna get Sheele to search the floor above with me." The girl called Mine gave a snort that plainly indicated her impatience. Even without seeing her expression, Masumi knew that she was wearing a disapproving scowl.

"Alright, alright! I get it."

"Hmph… Just make sure you close your fly this time before coming out."

"Wha-! That was just the one time. No need to remind me." Embarrassed, Masumi's cheeks burned and he cast his gaze down towards Akame. He couldn't really see her expression from this angle, which prompted him to wonder if she was silently laughing at him. He inwardly heaved a sigh. He should've known that Mine was merciless when it came to insults. It was just unfortunate that his childhood friend was right beside him at the exact moment.

Contrary to Masumi's concern, Akame was listening to the interaction absentmindedly. She licked her dried lips. Masumi was close. Way too close in fact that it was becoming impossible to ignore his presence, particularly how his warm body was pressed against hers. To make the matter worse, his scent assailed her nostrils like waves in a storm, making her eyebrows furrow surreptitiously. She could feel the savage beast within her thrashing about, demanding her to feed it.

'Go on!' The hunger returned to trample over the heartwarming reunion and beckoned her to act. 'It's utterly pointless to resist like this. Why deny your own desire? Why torment yourself? Go for it! Resisting it any longer is simply pointless. Go for it! Bare your fangs and sink them into his flesh.'

'No. Never. He's Masumi… my only childhood friend. I can't and I won't!' Akame refused bluntly, mustering every ounce of the humane rationale she had left in her cold body.

'Haha, don't make me laugh. A friend, you say? You mean the friend who abandoned you to the sadist general. The friend who didn't even try to rescue you when you were treated as a lab rat, tortured and left devastated. The friend who is so obsessed with reclaiming the throne that he has neglected you. How can you not see it? He does not care for you at all. So why care for him?'

'He does care!' Akame shot back with a wild fury, though momentarily shocked at the vigor she placed on the emphasis. In any case, she had never been imperturbable when it came to matters concerning Masumi. If she was a little more restrained with her feelings regarding the brown-haired teen, then perhaps she would never have been captured by Esdeath. Still, regret never came in that regard. Her heart chose what she deemed was right and she would follow through. After all, that was what defined her as an individual. Without it, she doubted her ability to stay sane.

'He does? Well, color me surprised. I didn't know… But if so, then he should be more than willing to give you some of his blood. He cares for you, right? So he should be able to grant you this small request... Or is your human heart faltering because you fear rejection once he realized that you're no longer human?' Being a part of her meant that the voice was almost always accurate with its observations about her. It made her loathe it more, though the intense emotion couldn't erase its existence.

'Your sarcasm doesn't amuse me in the slightest. Just leave me be.' She tried stifling the hunger with willpower alone, yet that ended in futility. Fighting back an irritated scoff, she ran the edge of her fang across her tongue and temporarily calmed the beast by ingesting her own blood. In retrospect, satisfying the hunger with droplets was impossible, especially when a more favorable food source was practically within reach. 'It'll have to do for now… It has to!'

The instance Mine's footsteps faded, Akame spared not an extra second and pulled her arm free from Masumi's hold. Something akin to desperation stirred, which she responded by pushing her friend away with so much force that he staggered back. While she noticed the pained expression on his face, she pretended she didn't see it and averted her gaze, feigning interest in anything in the room but him.

It was at that point that Akame noticed how bland the room was. By standard, it was cozy, though how he of all people could cope with living here was an unsolved mystery. Masumi, by birthright and heritage, deserved only things of the highest class. Instead of living in a royal palace surrounded by hundreds of servants and maids, he was cramped in here, with his things littering the ground and his bed unmade.

It wasn't hard to imagine his new life. She wasn't the one with problems.

"A-Akame… Why? What's wrong?" asked Masumi. Confused, he took a step forward and was discouraged when she retreated. The female assassin backed herself into the nearest wall, with her arms wrapping around her body in a protective manner. Try as he might, Masumi couldn't deduce the sudden change in Akame's behavior. She seemed so repulsive to his touch now, and he wondered what he did to elicit her aversion.

Akame felt a pang in her chest. It didn't take a genius to figure out that she must have hurt Masumi's feelings. He was looking more like a rejected child than the handsome teenager she had laid her eyes on. Although she couldn't pinpoint the exact reason, she definitely found a preference in seeing Masumi robust and jubilant. The bleak face didn't match him at all and she supposed she ought to rectify that.

"That girl… why did she call you… Tat… Tatsumi?" she tested the name with her tongue. The syllables rolled off in an awkward manner, with her being too accustomed to Masumi. "It means sleeping dragon, correct? Why change your name?"

It was an adequate distraction. Whether or not Masumi knew about Akame's true motive behind her inquiry was questionable, but he seemed to relent and didn't pursue her for an explanation about her sudden aloofness.

"Yeah. Well, I can't exactly go around using my real name when everyone else thinks that I'm dead. Besides, my name goes poorly with my job. Father called me Masumi because it means true purity. But there's nothing pure about being an assassin," Masumi—no Tatsumi—said, his tone growing sober at the mention of killing. Committing crimes for the greater good; while he didn't fancy the idiom an eye for an eye, he knew that Night Raid was doing what was necessary in order to rebuild the corrupted Empire from scratch. 'I know... There are filthy scrum bags that littered the Capital streets. Whereas heaven has failed to pass down the appropriate judgment, I won't let them go easily.'

"Assassin…" Akame murmured, almost too quiet for Tatsumi to catch the word that quickly left her lips. Then speaking in a volume that could be heard but simultaneously keeping everything confidential inside the room, she said curiously, "An assassin killed Zank the Executioner. Am I right that you're the one responsible?"

"Why ask?" Tatsumi's eyebrows furrowed for a moment before they returned to their resting position.

"I checked his body. The cause of death is a diagonal cut that hacked through the collarbone, running down to the bottom of his heart. It's anything but a clean cut. The jagged lines… they're from your Teigu." The analysis was spoken in a monotone, though there was undeniable certainty latched onto the tone. Akame was convinced it was Tatsumi's handiwork, though not by investigating the corpse alone. The primary evidence came from the blood that was infused with the air, heavy and intoxicating. There were Zank's and Tatsumi's.

"…Ever thought of quitting the assassin trade to become a detective? You'll probably make a good career out of it." A touch of sarcasm dripped from Tatsumi's remark as he sauntered to his bedside to pick up the blade that he had kicked away.

"I would've quit a long time ago if I could." Her response was cold, devoid of any sentiment as her fingers briskly brushed the metal surface concealed beneath her scarf.

The gesture was not lost to Tatsumi, though he wisely ignored it in favor of getting Akame to stay. He had diverted from the original topic with sarcasm and reached a subject that the raven-haired assassin was reluctant to delve into. He respected that, just as she respected him when she went along with his distraction. Besides, there was also the chance that if he persisted, then she would depart into the night, leaving him with no means of contact. That was definitely the last thing he wanted.

Time to change the subject, he realized.

Ripping away the piece of cloth that covered his Imperial Arms, he hoisted it so that Akame could see the seven jagged branches in their full glory. He inspected the surface of the steel and noted with contentment that it was physically free of blood. Without diverting his attention away from his task, he asked gingerly, "Akame. You remember… that night, don't you?"

"How can I forget?" A jolt of agony flashed in Akame's eyes. That night was painful for them both.

"I was unconscious back then but the Boss—by that I mean General Najenda—told me that General Budo caught up to us. Apparently, he was completely out of the loop as well. Honest acted without his knowledge, so he was also caught off guard by the assassination attempt. Long story short, he refused to join the rebels bluntly but gave me this," Tatsumi paused and gestured towards the weapon in his hand. "Force Shifter: Juryoku, an Imperial Arms that can manipulate gravity."

"I see. I suspected that was what you used to immobilize me earlier. You forced me down by increasing gravity." Being Akame, she was quick to analyze the information given.

"Forced you down? It sounds really bad when you put it that way. But other than that, you're right. And…" A halt was necessary for Tatsumi to gather his thoughts and contemplate on his next sentence. He cast their attention to Juryoku because he wanted to avoid conversing about the incident with Zank. But try as he might, he found his reflections loiter. Guilt formed hesitation that prevented him from disclosing the events that Akame wished to know about. However, there was a small stubborn part of him—perhaps his morale—that prevented him from forgetting the entire matter. Instead, he found himself deliberating whether he should tell Akame and trust her to console and counsel him if needed.

"…And it's with Juryoku that I ended Zank's life. Your assumption is correct, Akame. Typical," muttered Tatsumi darkly, having decided to place faith on his childhood friend. As an elite assassin, she should have insight that could help him rid his guilt. "I manipulated gravity and made the beheader go down on his knees. Then I crushed his arm, the same one that he used to loop off heads."

"You didn't finish him off immediately?" No consolation came from Akame. As an alternative to the comfort that Tatsumi sought, mild curiosity could be heard.

"No," Tatsumi replied, his emeralds glistening with unreadable intensity. "Why do that? He needs to be taught a lesson; that… pain is a sorrowful and terrible thing. I had to make him understand and feel the pain of those innocent people, whose lives were ended for no reason other than them being in the wrong place at the wrong time!"

"It was not a clean cut," stated Akame coolly, unperturbed by the odium seeping out of Tatsumi's distressed voice. While she didn't approve the seemingly sadistic manner that Tatsumi talked about killing Zank, she supposed she ought to have expected repugnance. It was Honest's fault, she believed, that the kind-natured boy turned out like this. The physical and mental suffering Tatsumi went through due to the prime minister's evil schemes went beyond what an average human being could tolerate and that ultimately changed him. Whether or not the change was for the best was something Akame couldn't evaluate, though she found no appeal whatsoever. Only melancholy struck her core. In a way, she felt responsible for not being present during the critical stages of his transformation from a child to a killer.

"…Yeah. You're right. It was messy. Blood splattered everywhere." As if he was sapped of his will to stand, Tatsumi lowered himself onto the edge of his bed. Presumably disgusted by his own Imperial Arms, he unceremoniously flung it onto the carpeted floor before running a hand through his brown hair. His eyes, while fixed on Juryoku, was distant. It was obvious that he was replaying Zank's death in his mind, of the horrendous way that he murdered the executioner. "He was screaming, clutching onto his useless arm and begging me to end his pain. I tried to prolong his suffering… but in the end, I was a coward. I ended up giving him death afterward, just like he asked for. I did what was right… No, that's not it, isn't it? That's the wrong word to use. No matter what reason I have, the desire to torture and kill someone is just…"

"Don't let the fear of striking out hold you back," Akame advised like a teacher would to her student. His distaste was justified, though the path he chose was not something he could back away scot free. There were consequences, both mentally and physically, that he must learn to deal with before the final retribution. "There are some things in the world which you must to do survive."

"…I know. Zank isn't my first kill. I've done this numerous time already. It's just that he's the first to linger behind my conscience… all because of the things he showed me!" With his fingers interlocked with each other and his elbows rested on his knees, Tatsumi turned to Akame with distraught creeping on his countenance. His emerald orbs bore into her red ones, frantically searching for hopeful comfort. "…I know I'm losing it. My human heart."

"Your human heart," Akame parroted back with furrowing eyebrows. Something told her that she was not going to like what came next. Was Tatsumi already swimming in the deep end?

"Zank showed me an illusion tonight. It's the person who I cherish the most, the one who I deem most precious. And do you know what I did when she lunged at me? I instinctively strike her down. I could've just parried the sword, but I didn't. You see? I'm tottering over the edge of my sanity. I won't be surprised if I try to cut you down the next time we meet on the battlefields!"

The implication behind his words was not mistaken. It was Tatsumi's silent plead, begging her to join forces with him and become the lock and key to his insanity. As much as Akame longed to abandon the Empire and pledge her loyalty to him again, it was impossible under her current state of affairs. Perhaps Tatsumi was aware of that intuitively, as he didn't outright invite her.

"I won't die that easily." A humorless smile graced her lips. It was probably meaningless reassurance.

"That's beside the point," Tatsumi heaved a tired sigh, "Why can't you u—"

"Understand? Trust me Tatsumi, I do. This is about your guilt and sanity."

"Then what is your solution, sensei?" Annoyance poured from Tatsumi as his face replicated the sneer that he would commonly see on Mine whenever she was irritated.

"Live with it. All the resentment, sorrow, and grief will horde around you. Rather than be haunted by the negativity and let your rationality spiral out of control, carry these intense feelings on your shoulders. Take responsibility for all the lives you took… even if it means including my life eventually." Her advice, spoken like a moral conduct, was like an acid to her own ears. The way that she was now, the hypocrisy was as apparent as the lack of heartbeat coming from her chest. The human Akame would've been able to proclaim her belief without a second thought. However, the Akame now was nothing more than a mere shell of her former self, tied to the corrupted world by the blood that oozed out from human flesh. Similar to Tatsumi, she too was balancing on the edge of her humanity, and the awareness that she was feasting on human felt like sinking lead, a dead weight. Eventually, she abandoned the notion of continuing to fight while accepting the responsibility. Learning how to become more apathetic to the death moans of her prey, she ultimately self-taught herself to not care at all, to feast and drink when needed without any remorse.

Yet here she was, with the nerve to tell Tatsumi to move on while carrying her ideal fantasy.

"Forget what I just said. It was foolish," said Akame, her words losing the certain edge of certainty.

"No," Tatsumi shook his head, "It isn't fool—"

"I won't repeat myself again, Tatsumi. Just forget about it," she hissed dangerously, leaving no room for rebuttal.

"Why… why are you so cold? You were never like this before." The accusation sounded harsher than Tatsumi intended, though Akame seemed unfazed as she walked over to his bedside. His eyebrows puckered, the frosty aura that she emitted suddenly becoming all the more apparent. Try as he might, he couldn't become accustomed to the coldness she exhibited.

Come to think of it, Tatsumi noted that Akame's coldness was not simply on a mental level. It manifested physically through her body temperature. Back when Tatsumi was holding onto her, he couldn't help but inwardly compare her to an iceberg. The excitement delivered by the reunion had cast aside this abnormality. But now that he mulled over it, he found the Akame before him was like a stranger. Was this stoic, detached, and remorseless killer the same Akame he befriended?

"I have been cold for many years." There was a spine-tingling chilliness that accompanied the truth, but there was no denial. Akame continued to inspire false hope into herself, telling herself that she was still a human despite the way that her body clearly showed contradictions. No human in the right frame of mind would want to see a friend bleed, though Akame couldn't refute the persevering desire to pounce and feast on Tatsumi. At this rate, she feared that Tatsumi would discern her unusual behavior and realize that something was misplaced. In fact, she had a hunch that it wouldn't be long until his doubt sprout and he forced her to leave. But until then, she would resist her hunger in order to prolong what little time she had left to spare with Tatsumi.

'A fool you are, that you would risk your own life for an intangible moment of sweetness.' The voice's mockery was heard but she dismissed it.

"You've changed," Tatsumi stated cautiously, as though just coming to terms with the fact. Although there was a part of him that screamed danger, telling him that the girl before him could become a threat, a greater part of him ignored the warning in favor of Akame's presence. He wanted her around and he was certain that she felt the same. Against what could be his better judgment, he shuffled a bit to make room before plopping a hand on his bed in an inviting gesture.

"I could say the same thing to you." Slowly as to not startle him, Akame took the cue and found herself a seat beside Tatsumi. Twisting her upper body sideways in his direction, she brought her right hand to his left shoulder and ran her index finger down until she reached his chest.

"A-Akame?" Tatsumi's body stiffened but he made no further movement. His eyes followed her finger like a hawk, while only his quickened heartbeats betraying the nervousness hidden underneath his calm façade.

Akame traced the rim of the dressings beneath his attire, moving so delicately that it seemed she was handling a fragile vase. "Your pain threshold has increased tremendously. The old you would've been brawling given the injuries you have sustained."

'She knew? …!' At that moment, Tatsumi caught a glimpse of unmistakable distress in Akame's crimson pools. Although her facial features stayed emotionless, the way that her pupils quivered bore out concern for his wellbeing. The change was subtle but it was definitively there, along with what Tatsumi believed was the remnant of the younger Akame. The realization sent him a spike of delight. Was the real Akame just sealed within a layer of inflexible stoicism? Perhaps he could try to bring the real her out. He decided to give his notion a try, if only just to resurrect the girl in his memories.

Now armed with a theory, Tatsumi took a deep breath and began removing his cardigan and sweater. He supposed he ought to initiate the inevitable before Akame decides to go with the more embarrassing alternative, namely to strip him herself. Tatsumi vividly remembered that bad habit of hers. Back when they were just children, he attended combat lessons with Budo and would often return injured. As a result, Akame would forcefully remove his clothes to examine his bruises. For Tatsumi, the experience was so mortifying that he could never get use it regardless of the repetition. And much to his chagrin, Akame seemed oblivious as to how uncomfortable it was for him.

'Maybe it's just an Imperial assassins' thing. Come to think of it, were they ever taught common scene?' The question inside his head was self-answered when he recalled a certain incident with his childhood friends. The younger Kurome proved his notion wrong when Tatsumi, on a hunt for Danger Beasts, stumbled upon her and Akame bathing in a secluded pond in a forest. Contrary to Akame's nonchalance, Kurome's cries of pervert made the scene all the more bizarre. The outcome still occasionally manifested in his nightmares, with Kurome whipping out her blade and trying to cut off the essence that made Tatsumi a male. 'Kurome definitively possesses a sense of shame that Akame lacks. With how much the two share in common, it's a miracle that Akame is denser than Kurome in this regard. But then again, Akame has always been sitting on the extreme end of the spectrum.'

Ending his musings, Tatsumi peeled off the clothing that covered his upper torso and casually dumped them onto the ground. Now only half-dressed, he was aware of how glaringly obvious the large scar across his diaphragm was to Akame. Perchance it was more noticeable than the Empire's tattoo that was imprinted on his right arm, the symbol that he was the next rightful heir. Compared to the fresh injuries he sustained, the old ugly scar that stretched across his diaphragm to his stomach was a constant reminder of his failure. If only he had been more vigilant, then maybe he wouldn't have fallen for Honest's trap.

Tatsumi blinked when nothing happened. Akame's lack of action surprised him. Instead of examining the bandages wrapped around him, she spun on her heels and looked away. Bemused, he deliberated if common sense was finally setting in and she was embarrassed.

Unbeknownst to Tatsumi, Akame averted her gaze for a reason beyond his comprehension. His scent and his freshly bandaged wound were so intoxicating that she was completely ensnarled. The hunger was skyrocketing. Holding back was getting extremely difficult. Although telling him to dress was of the utmost importance, only low growls articulated from her parched throat. Little by little, she was becoming more like a beast than a human.

Left with no choice, she clamped her fangs on her tongue. The small wound on the surface instantly enlarged, with a metallic taste seeping into her mouth. Pain exploded, though she held back a grunt by concentrating on the liquid dripping down into her throat. She must have been ravenous, if she was finding her own blood taste pleasant.

"…P-put on your c-clothes! Hurry!" While she hid her bloodthirsty expression with an arm, her tone conveyed the urgency she wanted. It took some effort but comprehensible words finally left her lips, unlike the previous animal-like growls. There was enough blood pouring out to fleetingly sedate the hungry, so she took the opportunity to eradicate the primary temptation, namely Tatsumi's bare and wounded torso.

Although he was perplexed, Tatsumi caught on and grabbed his clothing. Before he could put it on, something else caught his immediate attention. "A-Akame! Your mouth is bleeding! What happened? Show me."

Hearing that, Akame silently cursed and clicked her tongue. The latter movement was badly timed, for it prompted her to flinch and made Tatsumi all the more paranoid.

"It's not as bad as it looks. I'll be fine," she tried reassuring.

"But blood is seeping through! Open up and show me. I need to see how bad it is." The command was authoritative, fitting for the one who was originally the crowned prince. To the raven-haired assassin, it sounded as if he planned to force her mouth open with his hand at any moment.

'One of the many things a vampire is supposedly granted in myths doesn't apply to me at all. How pathetically sad.' Vampires in the stories were often exaggeratedly powerful. They were immortal beings capable of flight and possessed extraordinary healing factor. Some fables even rambled on about how the blood-suckers could resurrect after their body was reduced to just a pile of ashes. It could be compared to a phoenix being reborn. Unfortunately for Akame, reality didn't work that way and she found herself with no regeneration abilities. She was just like a normal human in that aspect; her wounds healed at the same rate as a human's. Therefore, as much as she wanted the gashing wound on her tongue to disappear, it wasn't going to happen anytime soon.

Given that, it was no surprise that Tatsumi would fuss over the wound when she finally relented and opened her mouth. Averse to letting Tatsumi discover her fangs, she made sure to retract them beforehand, then opting to glue her sight on Tatsumi's cowlick instead of his person. It didn't help control the hunger though, for his scent was substantially captivating. Of all the people in the world, Akame bitterly wondered why Tatsumi's scent was the one that could effortlessly arouse her appetite.

"Whoa! Just how on earth did you injure yourself like that? Argh, dammit! What kind of ointment can I use for something like this?" As morbid as Tatsumi was, he was left uncoordinated. With one hand lifting Akame's chin, the other hand clumsily delved into his pants pocket, searching for something that could help. He naturally found nothing useful, as it was not his habit to put medical supplies into his pockets.

"I'll be fine. J-just put on some clothes, now." Akame briskly pulled back from Tatsumi's touch and wiped her lips with the back of her gloved hand. While the damage from self-harm should be considered a matter of priority for anyone else, Akame was more concerned with the fact that Tatsumi was still unclothed. To her, seeing him like this was more torturous than tempting three-year-olds with candy yet forbidding them to eat.

It dully registered in Tatsumi's preoccupied mind that Akame was tirelessly telling him to put on his top, but modesty was cast aside the moment he noticed that she was hurt. However, his concern was soon replaced by a sense of inferiority. Rejection soaked his flesh. The hand that had held Akame's chin fell limply to the side, leaving him to once again contemplate on how the invisible rift between them was getting bigger. Compared to before, Tatsumi shared more things in common with Akame, with examples like being an assassin himself and having suffered casualties. He should've filled in the gaps during his years of training. So it didn't seem right to him that while Akame was but a mere step away, it felt as though a fissure had opened up and torn them apart, keeping them stranded on different sides.

A new reflection clicked, persistently looming above him like a gloomy cloud. Trust was the primary issue between him and Akame. It was supposed to be a mutual thing yet Akame refused to tell him anything personal, including why and how she bit herself in the first place. Speculations were tossed around inside his head, yet none of them could appropriately explain her odd mannerism and her ever-shifting mood. What he needed was Akame to clarify. A wave of frustration torn through his body and rage lit his veins. Why should he bother with her when she wasn't completely being honest with him? 'I don't care anymore! I told her my anguish and she can't even tell me what's bothering her! I've had just about enough of her.'

Unaware of Tatsumi's growing doubt, Akame was tittering on the edge of defeat. A mental battle against the hunger couldn't be won and having resisted for as long as she had was something no less than a miracle. With the last part of her sane humanity, she urged her feet to move. She spun on her heels and made a move for the window, eyes locked onto the moonlit night. The curtains that fluttered about were supposed to be white, but only crimson appeared in her vision. Everything was red and black. As a feeble means of distraction, she inwardly berated herself over and over again with each growing stagger. Their reunion was nothing more than a laughable spectacle. Now that she located her childhood friend, she found herself unable to trade heartfelt conversations with him and was succumbing to her inhumane craving. No longer could her willpower, which was supposed to be a reinforced fortress, stash away the hunger that intends to drive her mind into havoc.

Another step and she would've been able to swing her leg over the window's edge. Before she could, she was stopped by a hand on her arm. Her head swiveling around, she instantly met the heated gaze of Tatsumi's.

"We're not done yet! Don't think you can just walk out on me." Anger resonated in Tatsumi's voice with the force of a roaring waterfall. He bit the inside of his cheek. How erroneous was he to think that he wanted nothing more to do with Akame. The accumulated frustration might have overpowered his rationale momentarily, but even the intense negative emotion was trivial compared to the unsettling premonition that was pulsating. Something ominous was telling him that he was going to lose Akame forever if he stood by idly. Although not one to believe and accept fate indubitably, he instinctively threw away his better judgment and allowed impulse to dedicate his next action. So the next thing he knew, he had already scrambled over to Akame and grabbed her. Strangely enough, he didn't regret what he did.

"T-Tatsumi. Unhand me! I need to…ack, go!" Akame tried wrenching herself free, but there was underlying strength in Tatsumi's vice-like grip. His fingers clawed into her skin, leaving red marks behind. She hadn't expected him to be this strong, now that he had abandoned all forms of subtlety and gentleness.

"No! Not until you tell me what's wrong," Tatsumi growled, all traces of his usual tenderness thrown out of the window.

"You don't understand. I need to go, now." Using her other hand, Akame made an effort to pry his fingers off. Her attempt was cut short when he interlocked fingers with hers, effectively preventing her from attempting anything else.

"That's because you never gave me the chance to understand! You haven't told me anything yet!" Blinded by rage, Tatsumi dragged Akame with surreal strength equivalent to that of ten men. Anyone witnessing how he effortlessly yanked Akame off her feet would've proclaimed that the raven-haired girl was as light as a feather. But in reality, Tatsumi had his foot on Juryoku and was operating gravity to reduce Akame's weight force. Unceremoniously, he dumped her onto his bed, eliciting a surprised gasp from her. Without letting her recuperate from the shock, he crashed his body down onto hers.

The bed creaked from the impact. The bedsheet fluttered slightly before setting back down. It was a blanket of white snow that made a stunning contrast to the strands of midnight black streaming in the center.

When astonishment finally faded away, Akame registered that she was lying on her back, with both arms shackled to the side by Tatsumi's hands. Her eyes widened as the lightheadedness reeled in, amplified by the inebriating scent that plagued her senses like a disease. Even without a mirror, she knew that her crimson eyes were shimmering with anticipation. Like cat's eyes glowing in the dark, only more frightening and filled with lust.

"Ugh. Leave me! I'll hurt you." Under duress, her mask of indifference melted away as she matched his furious glare with one of her own, her glowing eyes narrowing into slits. Any other woman would presumably be mortified to be forced into such compromising arrangement, but Akame merely felt rage stir in the pit of her rumbling stomach. She lashed out with her legs. Because of her position, she had no idea where she hit, though Tatsumi's grunt implied that her attacks had at least collided. But much to her chagrin, he didn't recoil away. If anything, her aggressiveness only provoked him, like a fan would to raging flames.

"I don't understand. Why? W…why don't you trust me?" His voice cracked with sadness that betrayed the passive emeralds gazing at Akame reproachfully. Not a single tear was shed despite his emotions running turmoil; all that was reflected in the surface of his expression was the façade of a cold assassin. "It's agonizing, you know. The way that you try to hurt me because of some secrets."

Akame didn't reply, though she ceased her futile struggle. His warm breath against her collarbone was a drug. She felt herself sink deeper than ever before into the foggy potion of her mind, a red misty backdrop where the hunger lurked like a vicious tiger. She soundlessly cursed Tatsumi's ignorance. He had no idea what he was doing to her, how he was simulating her carving for his blood. Swallowing down the last droplets of her own blood, she pulled her chin closer to her neck. Shadows created a veil for half of her face, an endeavor to shield her from the delusional vision of Tatsumi that looked bloody enchanting. But try as she might, her eyes traitorously lowered towards Tatsumi's neckline and his bare skin came into her view.

'He looks… appetizing. I want… no, I need a t-taste.' She refused to believe that she was a cannibal, but her desires screamed otherwise.

'Go on. Dig in!'

Unaware of the conflicting war waging inside Akame's head, Tatsumi mistook her lack of resistance as a sign of giving up. It crossed his mind that his position was very misleading. If anyone from Night Raid was to stumble into the room at the very moment, then the sight of Tatsumi saddling a raven-haired girl would guarantee uproar. Tatsumi was certain that he would never hear the end of it. Despite that, he would rather attain unpleasant nicknames and become the target of life-long detestation so long as he could prolong the time he had with Akame. Until now, he had no idea how much he missed her.

Swallowing down a gulp of saliva, he said, "I know that everyone keeps a secret or two stashed away in a personal locker. I don't expect you to tell me everything… but can't you at least give me some damn credit? I'm your childhood friend, your best friend. So can't you just tell me what's happening to you? You're hurting… I can tell."

Akame focused every fiber of her enhancement to boost her ears. But the sounds waned in and out, distorted. Only one thing remained clear, just out of reach; his smooth firm skin seemed to be imploring her.

"N-ngg. Grrr!" A groan came from Akame, followed by a growl that gave the impression of a beast locked inside a cage. The sound caught Tatsumi off guard and gave the hunger-driven Akame the opening she needed. Gravity returned to normal when he was distracted. While the hunger drained most of her strength, it simulated desperation and survival instincts that drove her past human's limits. With sufficient power to amaze even Esdeath herself, she seized Tatsumi by the hair.

The teen's hair was caught in one hand while the flesh on his right shoulder was being dug into by the fingernails of her other hand simultaneously. She gripped onto him with the strength equivalent to a bear's. At the rate she was going, Tatsumi would end up with dressings on his right shoulder as well. Too bad that wasn't what Akame cared about right now.

Another growl came from the base of her throat and her facial appearance morphed into a terrible snarl.

Terror wove into Tatsumi's heart. Fangs. He saw sharpened canine teeth that showcased peril the moment Akame opened her mouth. One look and he knew instantly that the fangs were not fashionable accessories; they were designed to punctuate flesh like a knife would cut through butter.

The fear she smelt on him intensified her appetite. Her eyes sharpened with malicious intensity. Her head eagerly leaned forward and she bared her fangs at the exposed neck.

"A-Akame."

A soft whisper filtered through and clashed with the haze that was the hunger. A small light of humanity returned to her crimson orbs and she flinched. Against the overwhelming desire, she tore her grip away from Tatsumi.

"…Run." A barely coherent grunt, but the message had gotten across.

Contrary to the action that should've been subsequent to her plead, Tatsumi didn't budge from his seated position. Instead, he wrapped his arms around her and tilted his neck to the side, a gesture that bewildered her.

Confusion didn't set in for long before she yielded to the hunger again. Accepting his invitation, she arched her head back before pushing her fangs straight in. Tatsumi's pained gasp was now music to her ears; it was the sound that initiated the feeding sequence. Under normal circumstances, shame would fill to the brim as the victim was bitten, but she had restrained herself for far too long. Too famished and deprived to even allow care to linger for a millisecond.

She drank gluttonously, embracing Tatsumi back as if afraid he would flee. Her tongue relished every drop that filled her mouth with a rich metallic taste. It was piquant, a divined form of lavish beverage.

Unbeknownst to Akame, Tatsumi had no intention of changing his mind and escaping the source of the stinging pain that jabbed his neck. Instead, he rubbed Akame's back gently, a gesture resembling a mother soothing her child.

Tatsumi was no detective material, but even he knew the basics of gathering observations and pieces of evidence to piece together a plausible conclusion. Akame's aloofness and her appearance—everything was beginning to make sense, like something had suddenly clicked inside his brain. In all honesty, he wanted to scowl at himself for his delayed deductions. He didn't need Akame to tell him; he should've been able to decipher everything given the clues.

"Sorry," Tatsumi apologized as he continued to massage her back, "I should have come back for you. I should have saved you from the Empire. You became their lab rat because of me. I'm sorry… for abandoning you. It's my fault."

No reply from Akame. In fact, the raven-haired assassin didn't seem to have heeded his words. Her attention was solely on extracting more blood from him. However, Tatsumi willed that she heard his apology. Whether or not she accepted it was contemptible, though he could've sworn he perceived her glancing at him from her peripheral vision for a second before returning to his neck.

Tatsumi wasn't sure how long they stayed in the same position, seated on the bed and embracing each other. Time seemed to flee as rapidly as the amount of blood he was losing. While he couldn't gauge how much he'd actually lost, the growing numbness in his entire body alerted that he was breaching his limits. The only relief was that Akame seemed to be slowing down, and the fangs that pierced his skin were no longer trying to force their way deeper into his flesh. He wondered if she had had enough to sate her thirst.

"Akame." He decided to try again and called out for her name, praying that she would at least give an audible response.

"Mmm," Akame hummed in reply as her tongue danced around, licking away any excess blood that was around the punctuated wounds and savoring every drop there was. Sanity came reeling back at full force after a while and the things she did while being blood-crazed registered, generating several human emotions that weren't associated with lust. Shame and sorrow were the most predominant amongst the tidal wave of sentiments she concealed behind her stoic features. But apart from those, apprehension was also strong. While the voice was still greedily calling out for more, Akame denied its wants and prioritized Tatsumi's safety. His face was ghostly pale. She feared that anymore and his life would become endangered.

Tatsumi visibly relaxed when Akame finally pulled away from him and his immediate action was to apply pressure to his new wound to stop the bleeding. Although lightheaded, he was more bothered by the rueful look directed at him. There was no joy in watching a disheartened Akame; that wasn't why he voluntarily donated his blood. With a smirk that successfully concealed the pain he was in, he placed a finger to her lips and halted the apology before it could be articulated. "Don't say you're sorry. Don't you dare say it! I'm the one who freely offered my blood. You just took my offer. You didn't do anything wrong, okay?"

While bloodlust no longer reigned supreme, Akame still felt queasy when Tatsumi's finger touched her lips. With an inaudible gulp, she shuffled back a little and shifted to fold her legs underneath. Out of all the position she could've arranged herself in, she found kneeling down the most appropriate, where she could easily switch to a combat stance should the situation arise. While it was currently unnecessary, the habit came to her as natural as sleeping.

Having an idea of the questions to come, she then prepared herself mentally and waited. It hardly seemed fair to Tatsumi if she didn't entertain his growing curiosity after feasting on his blood.

Awkwardness found home inside Akame when Tatsumi didn't bombard her with inquiries like she initially expected. Instead, the brown-haired teenager simply gazed at her, his emeralds softly beholding her. There was a dreamily look on his face and Akame could only hope that she hadn't drained him to the point that he was becoming delusional. Her fingers drummed against her lap in an edgy fashion. Patience had always been her forte, yet her self-control seemed to be crumbling amidst restlessness.

"Are you alright? Do you need to lie down?" Akame asked, deciding to be initiative. She prioritized Tatsumi's health, not trusting her own restraint. Usually, starvation would've prompted her to drink until her victims were all shriveled up. While it was excruciatingly difficult to surrender to the shameful truth, she knew deep inside that Tatsumi would've met the same fate as her countless prey had he not called out to her. By some miracle, his voice reached her and chased away the hunger. It baffled her as to how that was done but for the time being, she would clench onto the fortune that he was alive.

Her question proved to be the remedy to Tatsumi's stupor. He blinked twice and snapped out of his trance. "Yeah, I'm fine. No need to lie down. Was just… um, daydreaming."

The interest to probe into what he meant by daydreaming was tempting, but Akame decided to let the thought go. For some inexplicable reason, a feminine side of her had an irking feeling that she wouldn't like to know what preoccupied his mind, judging by how flushed his face was at present.

'How strange. The last time Masume's face was dyed red like this was the time when he saw Kurome and I bathing… Kurome isn't here right now and I'm fully clothed. So why? I don't understand.' Had the thought been made known to Kurome, then it was guaranteed the younger sibling would've face-palmed at her sibling's cluelessness while teasing Tatsumi for being lewd.

"Tatsumi, I believe you now know why I was being elusive. I didn't want to… do it," said Akame, feeling distasteful at the mention of her exquisite needs. "However, I'm assuming that you've interpreted my reasons."

Tatsumi gave a nod and licked his lips. Years ago, the notion of creating a superhuman army was devised and became a controversial topic amongst the conferences he attended with his late father. There had been plans to merge Imperial Arms with individuals, experiments that would've granted the Empire an edge in the war against other countries. Nonetheless, the idea was put off when the side effects were acknowledged; most of the test subjects would not survive the initial phase, let alone grow and mature into seasonal warriors who could tap into the true potential of the Imperial Arms. To compromise for the unsettled dispute between ambitious scientists, the previous Emperor reluctantly permitted the program involving orphan assassins, the very same program that snatched Akame and Kurome from the streets and brought them under Masumi's wing.

"Not Murasame though, huh?" said Tatsumi, jabbing a chin at the katana resting in Akame's belt.

"No. Apparently, they believe that granting one the ability to kill something with a single touch is far too dangerous. They needed ways to…" Akame paused and searched for the right word. Finding no appropriate synonym, she furrowed her brows inauspiciously before settling with what she had. "…tame me, as they put it. So they chose Blood Collection: Absordex while knowing fully the repercussions."

"Blood. You crave for it, don't you? I suspected as much from those bastards," Tatsumi spat with venom dripping down his tongue. Sharing his father's ideology, he too loathed human experimentation.

In response, Akame offered him a semblance of a humorless smile, her fang just protruding out from her mouth, a clear evidence of the undeniable fact. The experiment that Tatsumi despised so much gained prevalence after his supposed disappearance. Akame herself was the proof that all the effort his father put into were for naught.

"According to Master Esdea…" Akame inwardly scowled, hating herself for letting that title slip without a conscious thought. Years of submissiveness towards the sadist had drilled unwanted habits into her. She should've bitten off her tongue when she had the chance. However, Tatsumi made no indication that he noticed her pause, so she corrected herself. "According to General Esdeath, I'm one of the few successful and valuable lab rats. Something that'll—"

Akame was cut off when Tatsumi slammed a fist into his bedsheet. There was no sound transmitted from the impact of his hand on the soft surface, though it served as a decent means to vent his frustration. Harshly, he fixed a piercing look at Akame.

"Don't," he muttered, prompting the raven-haired assassin to tilt her head in confusion. "Don't deny your humanity, Akame. Not even subconsciously. I won't have it. You're a human being, not a lab rat."

The last part of his declaration was akin to receiving a 'not guilty' verdict from a judge in court. Akame's pupils diluted with shock. It dully registered that to lose faith in her own humanity would be erasing a part of her existence, the essences that made up the person she was. It was the reason why she was constantly resisting the hunger that wanted her to reject her own conscience. However, it never crossed her mind that hearing acceptance from someone else could be this reassuring. To have someone important and precious to her clarifying her worth; the sensation was truly soothing.

"Thank you, Tatsumi. I'm grateful… It's challenging to keep faith when even my heart contradicts my belief." Her once humorless expression melted into a genuine smile as she gratefully cupped the hand that Tatsumi used to punch his bed with. She slowly and cautiously guided his hand until they rested on her chest. As expected, the heart that should've announced its liveliness with irregular movements that highlighted her racing emotions was motionless even when Tatsumi's hand was directly on it.

From the moment that Tatsumi fathomed what happened to Akame, he acknowledged the possible repercussions. So the unusual phenomenon didn't surprise him. However, simply being aware of the fact didn't account for being mentally prepared when the truth was shoved into his face. A stray tear trailed down from the corner of his eye, soundless and unaccompanied by any sniveling. He didn't wipe it away and instead allowed it to drip down the side of his face as he took Akame's hand. Copying Akame's motion, he brought her hand to his heart, letting her feel the steady beats that resonated from his chest.

For Akame's sake, he cast aside his embarrassment and allowed his true feelings to seep into his next words. "Even if your heart won't beat anymore… just know that mine is still beating. For the both of us. Together as one."

A cliché line that sounded like it was ripped off from one of the Manga that Lubbock read. But did its origin really matter, especially for the dethroned prince who took an interest in an orphan girl? The meaning he wanted to convey was apparent and no amount of platitude could refute his sincerity. He meant what he said; he wouldn't mind repeating it, again and again, to get that message across.

The unmistakable blush tinging his cheeks was contagious and Akame felt her face burn with his. For a moment, she was left gawking like fish on land, having forgotten to breathe. How could he say something like that without any hint of hesitation? As dense as Akame was regarding romance, she was not ignorant of something that sounded like a confession. The rapid pulsing of Tatsumi's heart indicated his genuine feeling, though how he could declare it out loud was beyond her understanding.

Mistaking her bewilderment as a form of confusion, Tatsumi reflected on his own words. His declaration should be obvious enough but Akame's deficiency in anything related to romance made him worry. Intending to remove all ambiguity, he swallowed the lingering nervousness and calmed his heart. "Akame, I want you to s—"

"You can stop there. It's good enough, Tatsumi. I know…"

"You always did know, didn't you? Astute as always… or am I too easy to read?" A depressed sigh, one that terminated his high hopes. He let go of her hand, his own arm falling limply to the side. "Yet your answer stays the same."

Early on, he did remotely hinted his desire for her to stay with Night Raid but was refused. But now that he cleared up his blotted feelings, he was spurred forward, to try again. Human or vampire—it didn't matter to him so long as she was by his side. Nonetheless, while it was clear that Akame's desire was lined on the same vector as his, she was also obstinate in terms of returning to work for the Empire. He mulled over the possible reasons.

As if his musings were transmitted to Akame, she liberated him from the cycle of contemplations and provided a straight answer. There was no reason to keep him in the dark now, especially since he shared one of her biggest secrets. Tugging at the edge of her scarf, she exposed the choker around her neck. The metallic chain that usually degraded her dignity as a human and left her being dragged like a dog was currently in Esdeath's possession, though that didn't make it any more comfortable for her tender skin. She watched as Tatsumi's eyes locked onto the Empire's insignia engraved on the metal surface, one hand instinctively tracing an identical symbol tattooed on his arm. There was underlying sorrow present on his countenance and Akame mused if he was thinking along the lines of how similar they were in some aspect. While they both wore the Empire's crest for different reasons, they felt no more a part of it than daytime belonging to the moon.

"The… drugs to extend my lifespan aside, this rigged collar is the reason why I cannot leave the Empire," Akame paused and licked her lips, feeling her mouth go dry. "Mas—I mean, General Esdeath, she has utter control. I cannot disobey."

"Explosives? The darn Empire never fails to disgusts me.' Tatsumi clicked his tongue, mimicking what Mine would do whenever she found herself annoyed at something or someone. "We'll have to get that off you soon then. I'm going to assume that Esdeath is the problem to tackle here. If so, it's going to be really hard; that woman is super strong. But if we time it right and come up with something plausible, then maybe we can get that accursed thing off you for good… without it blowing us sky high in the process of course."

Bewilderment once again filtered through Akame's passive façade and presented itself in the form of a soundless gasp. The mannerism that Tatsumi expressed demonstrated growth in his character. Akame couldn't but marvel how quickly his mind processed the information he was given. He was trying to seek for a solution rather than dwell on what couldn't be changed. What fascinated Akame more though was that he was able to remain optimistic despite everything; how rapidly was he able to believe that there was a solution to the problem to begin with. Unlike Tatsumi, Akame had partially resigned to the fact that she was going to wear this choker for as long as the current Empire reigned. 'He made it sound like a casual joke, but the determination in his eyes is no buff. He actually does believe that he'll find a way to eliminate Esdeath.'

"Why do you look so surprised, Akame?" Tatsumi asked rhetorically, having a general idea of what the raven-haired girl was thinking. "You know, it's nice to look at the brighter side of things once in a while. I learned to do that when I had my title and family ripped away from me. Besides, there are somethings in the world that you have to try, even if it sounds ridiculously impossible."

Akame had to agree with the last part, especially when she considered the impulsive choices she made on the night of that incident. Nonetheless, it was difficult for her to be hopeful when all she was constantly surrounded by death. To survive and avoid sharing the same fate as her many comrades, Akame learned to be observant and analyzed situations from all viewpoints. It kept her alive but simultaneously eradicated her capacity to regard things from one angle only. So try as she might, she couldn't be all optimistic like Tatsumi.

Now that Akame's deliberations were focused on the issue, she contemplated the possibility that Tatsumi was selectively sieving through information that he wanted while temporarily neglecting undesirable ones. While it sounded ludicrous, it did explain his mindset and how he was able to cope after having everything stolen from him by Honest.

Feeling accomplished with her conclusion, Akame let a smile grace her lips. "Don't ever let that hope of yours die out, Tatsumi. I shall be counting on you."

Akame's voice held a softer tone that reminded Tatsumi so much of her younger version. For a fleeting moment, he felt his heart melt like butter. The frosty layer that covered her eyes had liquefied and there was genuine happiness present on her fair features. Captivated, Tatsumi's breath caught in his throat and he could only return a grin of his own.

"…But for now, I'll have to return." Saying that Akame cast her gaze over to the window and noted that much of the night had passed away without her awareness. It would not be long until dawn claimed the world from the darkness with its illumination. "Tatsumi. I shall hold onto your promise while continuing to hope that you'll find us an exit in this hell."

"Gladly." With that word came the resolve to retain his promise. While the both of them knew how valueless words alone could be, the pair decided to indulge themselves in the belief that there could be an ideal resolution.

Following Akame to the window, Tatsumi sneaked another scrutiny of the woman he had grown so fond of. The years of separation only strengthen the feelings he had for her felt back when he was a child, morphing simple admiration to what he believed was pure affection. Bathed in the moonlight, Akame was an empyrean sight, with fair facial features that needed no artificial adornment. 'Beautiful…'

"Are you hungry still?" He gestured towards the bite mark on his shoulder. It had clotted already, but he wouldn't mind letting it bleed some more. As unreasonable as it was, it was a last-ditch effort to prolong her stay. The longer he marveled at her, the more he yearned for her presence. He didn't want to tear his sight away from her. Was it because of greed or something much deeper? He was willing to bet his life on the latter.

"You won't survive." The answer came out flat, though the drifting crimson orbs betrayed her feigned disinterest.

"You didn't answer my question," he persisted, catching her surreptitious glances.

"I'm always hungry, Tatsumi," she relented and deadpanned, her eyes narrowing and the rubies morphing into obsidian. Then before Tatsumi could reply, she pushed back and allowed gravity to catch her. "So until next time."

Tatsumi watched her form slip past the window. He didn't fret nor did he give chase, understanding the futility of attempting to do so. Instead, he turned his gaze upwards to behold the full moon, with a hand fisted over his heart.

Not daring to look up towards where she could sense Tatsumi's presence by the window, Akame melted into the darkness of the forest. Her eyes were once again detached of emotions, coldly glistening with a crimson gleam. She licked her drying lips. It seemed that she would've to take a greater detour for a stray victim out on the streets to satisfy the returning hunger.

The thought of her next action made her eyebrows furrow before they swiftly returned to their original position. Satisfaction? There was none. She knew the hunger well, just as the voice understood her. Never could she be satisfied because…

'For us, there will always be temptations.'

Final Author's Note for this story: And with that, this short spinoff is complete. Whether I am going to write the full story, simply leaving the story as it is or giving passing the ideas to another writer is still being decided upon. Regardless, I hope that you enjoyed this. Feel free to leave reviews. I definitely would appreciate feedback, especially since I can gauge how popular this story is and therefore make a decision about what to do with this story.

For now, I am going to focus more on my other stories. If any reader finds this story to be entertaining and would like to read more of my work, then feel free to check out Akame ga Kill: Fate's Second Chance (ongoing) and Sever the Bond (completed).

Until next time.