Chapter 20// Beach Episode Part 4

The sun mercilessly beamed down upon the three. Sweat glistened from Mirajane's hair to her reddened cheeks to her jaw. It soon dropped down towards the searing hot sand.

The weather was obviously hot yet bone-chilling coldness nestled deep inside of their bone marrow. Mirajane shivered. "This is a new discovery. I have to tell Master!"

"Wait–" Before Mirajane could run off with the newfound information, Gray's voice ran out, "I think we should tell Erza about all of this," Gray widely gestured his surroundings with both of his palms.

Recognizing seeps inside both Natsu and Mirajane's eyes, "You mean..." Natsu trailed off.

Natsu was using his brain cells for the first time in a long, long time but Gray couldn't find in himself to make fun of him.

"You must have remembered by now. Erza said someone....or something was trying to kill Aki relentlessly that day. Just think about it! I mean it's Erza we're talking about! If it was indeed a person, Erza should have plummed that person into the six feet underground already. The problem or the thing is exactly that!"

"She didn't know what she was dealing with." Mirajane quietly added.

"Exactly!", Gray was almost pulling his hair bald, "It's Erza we're talking about. Even if she couldn't deal with the person, at least she should have-would have found out what kind of problem we're dealing with!"

Mirajane decisively nodded, "You're right. You two fill in Erza! I will inform the Master."

Mirajane turned her back and walked away. Her steps made a dent in the blazing hot sun.

But no matter how shallow or deep the pint was, as long as the moon rises and the sun goes down, the holes will be filled in with the incoming tide. Times flow and the morning sun goes up, the coast will be as good as anew. No one will ever remember there used to be abnormality in this place. Because there was never supposed to be one in the first place.

.

.

.

"So, why are you stalking me?" Aki arched his eyebrows irritatedly, "And before you ask, no, I'm not adopting you."

"Why not!?" the kid pouted.

In front of Aki was a bratty kid in all different languages. The kid looks to be no older than 11. He has a mob of dirty blond hair that are standing out in many different directions. A horrible combination of bird nest and bed hair if you will. Decorating his face was a scar slashed across his right eyebrow paired with fiery dark blue eyes that were staring intently at him.

Ugh

The two were currently standing in the dark alleyway, having an eye-contact contest. Surrounding them were all four corners heaping with piles of trash and bile.

Aki pinched his nose, "Look kid," ignoring the background noise of 'I'm not a kid!' he continued his sentence, "Just because I apparently assassinated the evil headmaster of an orphan you previously lived before doesn't automatically make me obligate to take care of you!"

"I didn't ask you to take care of me!" the kid replied with an offended voice, "I just want you to train me and...give me somewhere to belong.." he mumbled the last part. But Aki heard it nonetheless.

The first greatest thing that ever happened to him was meeting his one and only best friend. No matter if the world burned, crashed, or got destroyed for all he cared, as long as he had his friend by his side, he was pretty sure he could keep throwing punches at whatever that came his way.

The second greatest thing was when he saw that headmaster of an evil shit of poo got destroyed. It was when he saw the orphanage master's head roll off on the ground like the trash he is with his executioner stepping on the now lukewarm body, they met eyes for a moment. At this moment, he felt his blood run cold and hot at the same time. Those were the eyes of the killer, he thought.

It was fucking glorious.

He decided he wanted to be just like this person. Be with this person. Want this person to be his home. Is this what his friend called Stockholm syndrome? Pretty weird, but he could roll off with it. Well, if he had to stalk, steal, stab, and take advantage of that person's weak spot for kids, no biggie! He had his friend to help him!

"Same difference! No matter how many times you ask, the answer won't change. And stop following me! "

The now bottomless eyes suddenly turned back to blue. His eyes become more sincere and childlike.

"And no, even if you 'blackmailed' me, I won't change my mind." Aki looked into the corner.

The kid pouted and another kid with a monk haircut came out behind from the heaps of trash. In his hand was a recording crystal ball that was currently active. A scrowl evident on his little face.

"Sting, you said this method would succeed."

"Humph! Shut up, Rogue." Sting kicked the little rock that was near his foot.

Aki raised his eyebrows, "Where did you get the money to buy that?"

"From pedestrian's pocket," Rogue looked at Aki in the eyes.

"You know, you shouldn't steal from other people. People don't like bad children."

"You killed people for a living." Sting pulled out as-a-matter-of-fact tone.

Aki almost let out a scandalous gasp. That was a low blow. "I don't anymore."

"What!?" This time, it was Sting and Rogue's turn to let out a scandalous gasp. And they did indeed.

"Why!? It's such a waste to not kill people I-I mean, not to make use of your talent!" Sting almost shouted with aggravation. Rogue nodded in agreement.

"Well, it's none of your business really." Aki scratched his head, "besides, I don't like surrounding myself with people. So, even if I didn't 'pseudo-retired', I would have never taken in people, let alone children. You know what, word of advice, if you ever become an assassin in the future, never leave witness...even if they are children. They are such a liability after all. You never know if they are going to talk or blackmail you in the future." Aki stated stoically.

Sting tasked, "Such as waste, such a waste...we could have become the best trio."

"So, no more following, okay?" Aki smiled.

"We made no promise." Sting and Rogue answered at the same time and looked at Aki in the eyes.

Aki's skin crawled.

They are such a menace.

"Well, forget about this. How about I treat you two something else?" Aki plastered a perfect fake smile on his face.

The two children eye's shone.

.

.

.

Now they are, each of them had an ice cream cone in their hand while sitting at a bench overlooking the entirety of the ocean's horizon. A sharp contrast against a dark and narrow, smelly alley.

Aki blankly looked at the ocean. Oh, every time he met those two, he almost always lost his famed coolness. He wondered about what should he do with those two. It is somewhat of his responsibility as a responsible and upright adult. Even though, that fucker is a piece of shit, at least they had a roof to live on their head. Now, he wondered were these two sleeping on a nasty alleyway filled with vomit just like the one he stood on a few minutes ago? Now that he thought about it, he kinda felt bad.

...

Oh no

Oh no no no no

These little shits got him.

Aki sighed and looked up. His hand, free from the fully devoured ice cream, shielded his eyes from the penetrating sunlight. Lights peek out from in between his fingers. For a moment, it seemed as if the outline of his hand had grown dim.

He knew it was just one of the ploys his mind played to make his life as miserable as possible. After all, he is technically a zombie. He just can't disappear out of thin air.

Science doesn't work that way.

Aki chuckled at the thought, 'Science, eh?'

Looking at the kids eating ice cream with gusto, or at least in Rogue's case, with sparking eyes, Aki decided.

Sting and Rogue, who were sitting on each side of Aki, even though they were stuffing their face with sweets, were keeping in mind of Aki.

Aki was physically bigger than the two of them.

Yet, why was his breathing so, so faint?

They both can hear each other very well. The drumming of hearts, the pulsing veins, each gasp of air, they can recognize each other from those alone with their eyes closed. But now, when they closed their eyes, it seemed as if Aki, who was being sandwiched between them was not there.

His breathing was so, so faint.

The heartbeat was so, so slow.

Coming out from their contemplation, they heard Aki's voice...It was laced with the smell of dandelion, sweets, and tenderness.

"Hmm, I can't train you guys but I can give two pieces of advice." Aki's lips curved and he raised his two fingers.

Unwillingness swelled up from the bottom of their hearts. Aki saved them so they belong to him now. What can't Aki understand about that? Previously, the headmaster saved them from the dark mages from becoming human sacrifices, so at that time, they belonged to him. Now, Aki killed that man so isn't it a given they belong to Aki? The other kids at that orphanage were transported to different legitimate orphanages. He tried to guide them to the right path saying that their lives now belong to the person who killed the headmaster. Alas, they ignored their responsibilities and deserted the place, patted their backs, and left without looking back. 

Foolish, all of them.

In the end, only his best friend remains alone. Through thick and thin, they remain together.

He wanted to refuse the other's refusal. But Sting didn't open his mouth. He didn't want to cut off Aki's sentence. At least he owned the man that much.

"First," Aki lowered down one finger, "Underestimate no one, even if they happen to be young, old, or someone on the verge of death."

"Second," he lowered another finger, "Always, always look behind your back."

.

.

.

Before the two lost consciousness, they heard the whisper of a dandelion.

'Take care.'

Minutes later, a special delivery was made to a certain guild.

Jiemma Orland looked down. In front of his guild door, there was a cardboard box filled with two smelly, young unconscious children. A note was pasted in front of the box.

[Special delivery service, a present for you! If I ever found out you damage my gifts, I will fucking kill you :) ]

Jiemma slammed the door shut.

After a while, the door reopened and the man carried the box towards his chest making sure not to drop the 'gifts'. And the door was slammed shut again.

'..That devil. He will definitely mince me to pieces while making sure I don't die.' Jiemma shivered from the unseen cold. He cradled the box. He wasn't even that careful with his daughter. But that devil always kept his promise.

Once upon a time, he thought dying was the worst possible outcome. Oh, how wrong he was.

.

.

.

Aki stretched his body while taking a deep gulp of fresh air, "Enn- now that was taken care of, let's go back. They must be waiting for a long time already."

Aki yawned and walked back to the shore. From here, he can already see Natsu and the others.

The already cool sunlight wrapped Aki and curled around his body. The sun was going back to its mother earth. The waves were softly humming in the background. As they waved towards him with smiles adoring their faces, Aki smiled and waved back. Seagulls were going back to their families. So did Aki.

As Aki came near them, Natsu came up, beamed, and put his hand around Aki's shoulder, and gestured towards the rest, "You're slow, Aki. The rest had already gone back."

Lucy spoke, "Seems like Master had something to do and the rest tagged along."

Happy chimed in, "But! but–"

"Before Master went back, he gave us the coupons for the luxury hotel next door. Seems like he won a bet against some old man who's drinking together with him. He was quite disappointed he had to go back before he had the chance to use these." Gray chuckled as he shook the coupons around.

"We've come here to take a vacation after all. It won't be a vacation if one doesn't have fun! There are exactly enough coupons for us to stay two nights free of charge! There's buffets! casinos! pools! massage room! What do you say, Aki?" Erza asked, her eyes shining within the glow of light.

Everyone was bathed in the golden hour while waiting for his response.

Aki laughed.

"Aye aye, sir."