Akane Owari X Nekomaru Nidai because they are perfect buT THERE'S NOT ENOUGH FICS OR FANART-

Oh, spoilers for Chapter 4.?

When Akane had first saw Nekomaru's body, rage had consumed her. Rage and disbelief. Rage at this person, this killer, who had murdered her coach, and disbelief at the fact that someone actually managed to kill him.

She had sworn she would find his killer, and avenge him, maybe beat them to death, but when she saw the tears running down Sonia's face, Akane had cast a glance at the floor, choosing to ignore Gundam.

Now, Sonia's screams, shrieks of begging and pleading as the murderer of the fourth murder case flew across the field, smacking into the ground with a shattering crunch of his skull rang clearly for everyone to hear.

Would I be the same, if it had been Gundam as the victim, and Nekomaru as the killer?

The stampede circled back around, as if Monokuma was debating running over Gundam's crumpled body. In the end, he decided against it, instead allowing his hamsters to crawl up beside their owner.

Just like that, it was all over, and Gundam was the second person who died that night.

Akane curled up against the sheets of her bed, not even bothering to toss the light fabric over her.

I could have prevented both of their deaths.

A shudder passed through her.

I could've...! If I really paid attention to the damn loud noise, I could've.... I could've...

"I could've prevented it...!"

Her eyes, formerly closed, flashed open, pools of dark brown swirling in the darkness, full of confused feelings and grief. Without another word, Akane straightened up, kicked her legs over the side of the bed, and got up.

"I could've prevented it..." She muttered under her breath, wringing her wrists. "I could have fuckin' prevented it! Dammit, dammit, dammit!"

Her hands slammed down on the small desk in the corner, the sting causing a vibrating feel to her hands, but Akane ignored it. This pain is nothing compared to how it must have felt to smash into a pillar...!

Pissed, that's what she was. Undeniably pissed. Pissed at the world, pissed at Monokuma, pissed at Gundam, pissed at everyone here, pissed atherself.

"What are you doing, Owari?"

Inhaling sharply, Akane whipped around at the gruff voice. The Ultimate Gymnast had always been terrified about ghosts, but he was right there- a flicker of white, blue, and black, sitting on the corner of her bed. Occasionally, Nekomaru's body switched between the body he had possessed before, and his robot body- or "Mechamaru", as Chiaki Nanami called him.

"C-Coach...! I thought you were...!" She cut short, slamming her jaw shut as she stared at him with wide eyes, taking a step backwards. All of her former anger had seeped out of her, eyes going glassy with fear. "A... ghost?"

Nekomaru laughed, the sound cutting clearly through the air, but shook his head. "No, Owari. Not a ghost. A figment of your imagination."

"Th-That's impossible," Akane said, still weak at the knees, despite the fact that Nekomaru had said he wasn't a ghost. "Yer dead!"

"I am!" the loud team manager agreed. "In this form, I can't take a shit, but I'm still here!"

Brown eyes trained on him, she didn't move. "It's my fault... you're dead... I should've...!"

Immediately, as the words 'you're dead' left her mouth, his wide smile pulled down in a frown, brow furrowing as he looked at Akane. "I accepted the fight against Gundam, so, Owari, you shouldn't blame yourself for my death."

"I could have intervened when you were hanging off the damn doorknob!"

"What would have you done, Owari?!"

Pausing in opening her mouth, Akane stared at Nekomaru, frame taunt. It was probably the first time he really rose his voice to knock some sense into her.

"The instant I woke up, that's when my death was final. How would you have caught me, if Gundam broke the button before hand, and you couldn't go up to Strawberry House? You would be stuck in Grape House and Grape Hall, unable to do anything, so it wouldn't have changed!"

"But-"

"Owari."

"But, Coach-"

"Akane!"

At her name, the Ultimate Gymnast stiffened, then silenced. Passing a flickering hand over his eyes, Nekomaru inhaled deeply.

"If it wasn't me, it would be Gundam as the victim, and me as the killer," he reminded her. "Would you have that over what happened in reality?"

Casting her eyes downward, Akane muttered a quick 'no', remembering the sudden burn that came to her eyes at the sight of her coach's broken body, then the screams and cries of Sonia Nevermind.

A ruffle on top of her head caused her to lift her chin, still quiet as Nekomaru offered her a closed-eyed smile, a hand placed on top of her head. His actual touch was almost like wind- it didn't feel like a human hand.

"Stay strong, Akane! You have the guts to do it!"

And just like that, he was gone.

The burn behind her eyes started again.