Days had went by since Night Raid and the Jaegers defeated 3/6 of Wild Hunt's members, Champ, Enshin and... Cosmina. Night Raid had been getting better over these past few days as it seems the death of Kuraime boosted their courage even further to destroy the current Empire to make a new one. Mine and Tatsumi had somehow managed to strengthen their relationship, and are even keeping Kuraime in their memory as a drive to make the most out of their situation. Mira has been getting better with her motor movement slowly coming back. Chelsea's prosthetic limbs were close to arriving and Saber was slowly regaining her full strength.

Najenda's health seemed to have been improving, despite her life span being cut by quite a lot. Levi and Leone had remained the same and Lieselotte, due to her mainly being in the capital, has kept contact with Night Raid while keeping an eye on the Jaegers. Despite her not being on their side... she seemed to have gotten a fondness for the remaining Jaegers, besides Esdeath. And in her mind, she doesn't believe any of them deserve to die; not Wave, not Lauren... not Kurome especially.

Now this leaves the red-eyed duo of Akame and Dairoku and out of everyone, they... were having the most difficult struggles. Not with their relationship or anything, but with the horrors.

Dairoku already wasn't a very mentally stable person. During his time in the Empire, sometimes he'd get a little crazy, a bit malicious with his opponents, though since joining Night Raid, his mental health had fared slightly better, especially with him and Akame becoming an official couple with an undying love for one another. However, his mental health took a downwards spiral, the moment Kuraime and Akaruime met their demises. His nightmares of the victims he killed during his time with the empire significantly worsened to the point he'd dream about a time where he was the reason for the death of his own teammates... of Akame.

These caused for him to become more.. sensitive and jumpy; a prime example being when he unintentionally pushed Mira out of her wheelchair when she called his name, or when Akame approached him and he didn't recognize her at first. Since that incident, he's been jumpy around the others. Seeing her boyfriend in such a fragile state triggered Akame to help him to the best of her ability. Normally 9/10, she's by his side, just to show him that no matter what, she would be there for him, that she'd always love him dearly. That she'd go to extreme lengths for him.

This is the start of her mission; Vampiric Restoration.

CHAPTER 42: KILL THE INDECISION

Lubbock: "Hey, you goddamn lovebirds! I hate myself for saying this, but I need your help!!"

The green-haired assassin, Lubbock suddenly stormed into the kitchen, interrupting the couple of Tatsumi and Mine, who were both wearing aprons as they were baking.

Tatsumi: "What do you want, Lub?"

Mine: "What are you barging in for all of a sudden?" He suddenly hugged the brown-haired teen's arms. "It's our precious day off and we're baking!"

Tatsumi: "H-Hey! Don't stick so close to me in front of other people!" Though the two's attention was quickly caught by the green-haired pervert who... suddenly got on the floor and bowed to them.

Lubbock: "I wanna be all romantic and mushy like you are! You gotta help me!!"

After that... interaction, the three decided to take this conversation to the Meeting room. Upon entering it, they found the teacher-student duo of Dairoku and Mira. The wheelchair-bound sorceress had a book while Dairoku was just sitting down on a chair. Seeing them, Tatsumi was about to greet them, only to release a yell of shock as a dagger of flames flew right past his head and stuck the wall behind him.

Mine: "Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing!?"

Mira: "Mine, that's enough. You already know he's not doing the best with his mental stature." She narrowed her eyes at the pink haired sniper, who returned the gesture. Seeing this, Dairoku sighed deeply.

Dairoku: "I'm.. sorry... again.." He said with his head lowered.

After all had settled down, Lubbock began to talk to the four Assassins in the room with him.

Tatsumi: "Uh-huh. I see. So you haven't been able to confess to Boss."

Mine: "Pathetic. Just grow a pair and do it!"

Lubbock: "But... If she rejects me and the relationship we have already is ruined, then..."

Mine: "Stop being so lame! And you call yourself a man!? Just get rejected already!!"

Lubbock: "Can you not just assume that I'll get rejected!? This is a love that I've been boiling up inside me for years! How could someone who just hooked up in the spur of the moment like you understand!?" He yelled as he suddenly jumped onto Tatsumi's chair and began shaking him.

Tatsumi: "Why are you saying that to me!?"

Mira: *sigh* "This really is quite... pathetic.." She mumbled as she shook her head. Lubbock snarled at her before immediately pointing at the Vampire in the room.

Lubbock: "You! How in the living cock dwabble did you manage to somehow turn the ice cold and very-hard-to-read Akame into a full on lovey dovey girl!?"

Dairoku: "In case you don't know, Akame and I have known each other for over 3 years. This relationship actually had years of build up." He said, his arms crossed. Suddenly, Lubbock appeared in front of him and grabbed his shoulders.

Lubbock: "Then you're the best one to help me then!" The vampire immediately pushed him away by his face.

Dairoku: "First of all, don't get so close to me. And Second, I can't help you with your issues. All you need to do, is grow a pair and ask her. As simple as that."

Lubbock: "But-"

Dairoku: "If she rejects, so be it. Move on. If she accepts, then congrats, you got yourself one hell of a woman. As simple as that. Rejection hurts Lubbock, but its just apart of life. Heck, I was rejected in a way."

Mine: "Wait, you were?" he nodded.

Dairoku: "By Akame herself. It wasn't direct, but the way she approached everything gave me the filling she didn't want a relationship. And I was right. Back then she didn't have feelings for me... or any of the guys in our group. I however, had feelings for her since meeting her. Now admittedly... I had the same worries that you do, if I told her and she rejects, what would happen to our friendship... So when I told her the moment before I died, I felt... regret... and from her facial expressions, she was regretful as well. I thought, if I had told her sooner, then there would have been a possibility for us to have a chance back then. If it wasn't for Yoake and Barbatos... I would have still been dead.. I would have died with regrets.." He slowly stood up before patting Lubbock on his shoulder and walking towards the door. "If your fully certain about your feelings for her Lubbock, then talk to her when you get the opportunity. Cause if you wait too late for that moment... then you'll be filled with regret."

With that, he walked out of the room, with a smile present on Mira's face as she hummed and nodded her head. When he exited the room, he spotted that Najenda, Levi and Leone were already outside, listening to everything.

Dairoku: "Ah... well this is awkward..." He said in a quiet tone before whispering to Najenda. "Sorry you had to hear that." The silver-haired General just shook her head.

Najenda: "No, it's alright."

Leone: "You're so popular, boss. Whatcha gonna do?"

Najenda: "Heh... I've always been popular... but now is not the right time to fall in love. I'm actually the type to be very committed." She said as Akame and Saber were approaching them.

Leone: "It must be nice to be so young and full of love... Akame, let's-" She turned to the crimson-eyed female, who already had her arms wrapped around Dairoku's as they walked away. "Ah... Right. Welp! C'mon, Saber! Let's go be lonely somewhere else."

She wrapped an arm around the Zodiac-Spirit as she walked away with her. Saber just looked at her confused.

Saber: "What are you talking about?" As they left, Najenda glanced back into the room with a small smile.

Najenda: "Well... Maybe after the revolution succeeds... that might be nice..." She hummed before glancing over to Levi who had remained quiet. *thoughts* "Though it has seemed like Lubbock has gained some popularity of his own... It would be nice, to see him give her a chance as well.."

>>Later<<

Retiring into their bedroom, Dairoku fell backwards onto the bed with a sigh as Akame sat next to him and patted his head.

Akame: "How are you feeling..."

Dairoku: "Better... just because you're next to me." He gave her a slight smile, with her returning the gesture, but she soon frowned before noticing the slight shimmer in his eyes.

Akame: "You haven't had any blood to drink since Kuraime's death..."

Dairoku: "Um... N-No worries, I'm fine-"

Akame: "Liar." Her voice sounded strict and cold, a similar tone she used on Tatsumi when he first joined Night Raid. A drop of sweat slid down the Vampire's head before he sighed in defeat. Akame's frown soon turned into a sweet smile as she leaned down and embraced him. "I know... you're afraid that if you drink my blood while in the state you are, that you'd consume be unintentionally. I have already told you multiple times. No matter what, I'm always by your side."

A gentle and affectionate stroke of his cheek from the ravenette, caused a small blush to appear on the Vampire's cheeks. But soon a small smile appeared on his face as the two locked eyes.

Dairoku: "Still to this day, I wonder what I did to deserve you."

Akame: "You defied reality to come back. That's more than a better reason."

A small laugh escaped both of their lips before Akame lowered her head and pressed her forehead against his, before the two closed their eyes and hummed, just enjoying this little moment between them. Then...

"Aww. How cute."

Startled, their eyes widened as they jumped up, and alarmingly looked around their room for any eavesdroppers.

Akame: "Who was that?"

Dairoku: "Wait... That voice..." Akame looked at him confused, but then she realized. That voice was female... and it sounded a lot like...

Akame: "Barbatos.."

"Yup! That's me."

There it was again. The two looked around before a noticeable red glow was coming from below them. They looked to Dairoku's left hand, and on the back of his hand, was a glowing red orb.

Dairoku: "You... can talk?"

"Mhm! Well you should remember that one time I spoke to you after that Chelsea girl said those things about your teammates but I digress. I'll fully introduce myself. I am the Vengeful Black Dragon Emperor, Barbatos. Or as you can call me... Athena."

END