Chapter 9

Akaze pov

It was later the day and everyone was settling in to relax and head to bed. During the afternoon, Akaze saw how little Andrew was playing with the other kids with a huge smile on his face and he knew the boy was fitting in just right. Although he just met Andrew, he had never seen the little boy smile like that with his family. Akaze was sitting with the group of people he just met today next to Amy on one side and Andrew on the other. Rick was talking about how he woke up from a coma to be in the world of the dead and how he went to adapt to this world to just look for his family. Normally Akaze wouldn't care for such a sob story but he indeed felt happy for Rick in finding his loved ones. The Japanese man was holding his knees to his chest listening to their conversation, until he felt a jacket covering his back. When he looked up he saw piercing blue eyes glued to his dark orbs.

" Are you cold?" her voice had a worrying tone as her eyes studied his expression.

" I was but a blonde woman who made me feel warm," he said with a smug grin on his face as he faced her direction of the fire. She closed in the distance between them and sat closer to him as their hands touched each other.

" Your welcome, smart ass," She chuckled at him but her eyes never left his side profile "What's your story?"

Akaze was taken aback but her subtle question," You have to be more specific."

Another chuckle escape her lips, " Well, I mean what did you do before all this shit happen?"

Akaze folded his legs into a pretzel as he looked up in the dark skies to see the stars shine, "Nothing exciting, just doing what I have to do to get by."

Amy nodded her head, " Mhm, you're one of those. Someone who didn't have any dreams and did whatever."

" I suppose. My father was a jackass, so I did whatever he asked so I won't hear his mouth. However, I did have my best friend by my side so I didn't care, as long as I was with her."

Amy slowly turned her head away, " You sound like you love her, did you?"

Akaze hummed at her answer and didn't say much after that. " I figure a handsome man like you would be involved with someone. Where is she? If you don't mind me asking."

" I don't know. I tried to find her for four weeks. . . but I didn't" he mumbled."

She slowly nodded her head, " I'm sorry . . ."

" Are you sorry or are you just saying that?" He let out a bitter chuckle.

" I mean it, I'm sorry." she wrapped him in her arms, "And don't try to escape this hug, I feel like you are the type who doesn't like skinship."

" I don't . . ." his voice muffled in her grasp.

" Too bad, deal with it, Akaze." she jokingly smuggled him.

Andrew stopped talking to Sophia as he caught sight of the two with a smug face, " I see he forgot about that woman." Andrew spoke to himself.

***

It was starting a new day and Akaze would have thought he would finally have a good sleep but he was wrong when he heard fighting outside of his tent.

( Tsk, can I please catch a break?!)

Akaze roughly threw the covers off him as he rushed out of his tent to curse at whoever was the cause of the noise. When he got to the scene he saw the culprits and it was none other than Shane, Rick, and a person he didn't know. Akaze narrowed his eyes at the three of them "What's the point in all of this noise?" he clenched his teeth as his hair fell on his face to somewhat cover his dark eyes. The man who was new to Akaze sneered at him.

"Who the hell are you chink?!" the white man shouted as he angrily pointed his finger at Akaze.

( What . . . what did this redneck say?)

" I dare you," Akaze tested the man as he clenched his fist.

Rick came in between the two and Shane followed him, " Hey, Akaze, Daryl, you two relax" Rick tried to be the peacemaker but it was too late for that since Akaze wanted to make Daryl's other eye puffy to match the other.

" I don't know if I want to calm down. You left my GOD DAMMED BROTHER BUT PICKED UP A CHINK?" He roared out his anger and Akaze pushed Rick and Shane out of his way as he grabbed Daryl's shirt and punched him square in the face. Shane grabbed Akaze from behind and pulled him back but Akaze kicked him in the balls by swinging his leg back and lunged at Daryl again and was giving him blow after blow until Rick charged and pushed Akaze off him and held him down.

" Akaze, relax!" the sheriff yelled to get inside the madman's head but it didn't work.

Suddenly Andrew came to the scene and saw Akaze being held down and ran to him. "Let go of him, now " the little boy demanded Rick but when he saw the whole picture he saw how Akaze was enraged and decided to calm him down " Akaze, calm down please!" The boy screamed at Akaze and the Japanese man heard the boy's voice echoing in his head making him calm down slowly. Rick let go once Akaze started to stop fighting him off and the two adults took their time to get up, Akaze dusted his pants as he brushed the dirt off his naked torso.

( He's lucky, that son of a bitch,)

Akaze glare did not leave his face as he was watching Daryl gaining his balance again, his glare was wiping off his face when a shirt was thrown at his face. When he grabbed the shirt he saw Amy with a frown on her face as she walked away from the man. Andrew nudged his leg with his foot, " You should talk to her" the boy whispered as he walked away to be with the kids.

( Why the fuck do I need to talk to her? and why is she upset anyway?)

Akaze walked away from the people to get away from the crowd or to be more precise he might finish what he started with Daryl. He went to the river to wash his face and most of the dirt off his upper body.

" That was an asshole move and you know it," a sterned voice talked to him from behind and he turned to the owner and it was no other than Amy.

Akaze rolled his eyes, " You expect me to let him disrespect me like that ?"

" I don't mind you beating up a jerk but not in front of the kids! This world is already fucked up and we are trying to protect them from it. If you have a problem, handle it away from them." She pushed her blonde strands away from her eyes but the wind refused her to do so.

Akaze let out a small sigh, he knew she was right but he would never admit it so he decided to be stubborn. " I grew up around it and I turned out just fine," he went back to dust off the dirt but Amy wasn't done with him.

" Just because you grew up with dickheads doesn't mean you should turn out like them. I'm sorry you didn't have anyone with you during those tough times but lead the kids with a better example instead of turning them into mini assholes." She came near him and wiped the dirt off the back of his neck. " the Dixon brothers are rude people, but don't stoop to their level. You don't want Andrew to become like them, don't you?"

Akaze cringes at the sight of seeing Andrew talk like a redneck although his older siblings were one. He knew Amy had the upper hand in this conversation so he just had to accept the fact he lost in this. " I suppose . . ." he muttered

" Thank you . . . for understanding. Come on back for breakfast, " She didn't give him a chance to answer when she grabbed his arm and dragged him along.

"Oi, I'm not a damned dog," he argued back but she ignored him and continued walking him like he was one.