` * SHOWTIME .

His arms wrapped around her waist, protecting her, and Ann could feel Akira’s heartbeat against her chest: steady and certain. For as quiet as he often was, his body language spoke volumes and currently it was saying “I love you. I want to be with you, and protect you. You’re important to me.” And she loved him as well, more than anything.

❝Is it strange that I feel like the luckiest man alive?❞ he asked quietly, and Ann shook her head slowly. “No, I feel the same way. I-” her cheeks flushed, and a silly grin creeped onto her face. “I’m really happy you’re my first boyfriend, Akira.” Oh god, Cupid was relentless today wasn’t he?

Akira’s eyes became extremely tender, and he leaned in again, kissing her cheek. Ann giggled, one eye winking shut. GOD, he was so sappy, but she loved it.

❝I’m glad you think I did a good job.❞

I don’t think, Akira. I know.

‎❝I hope you can understand that I see the universe in your eyes.❞

“Alright now, Shakespeare,” Ann teased, trying to hide how flustered she was. A beat, and then she kissed him again. “You better be careful or I’ll love you forever.” A smirk, and then she leaned her head on his shoulder. “Although, I don’t really have a‎‎‎ problem with that.”

 He held her in his arms, protectively. Hands moved to play with her hair as he sighed, happily. The air around her was always somehow lighter than the air anywhere else. His heart always managed to feel right at home with her next to him. Though, she was currently digging him an embarrassment well that he was gonna have a hard time getting out of. His cheeks were a light red as he heard the name ‘ shakespeare ‘ fall from her pink lips.

          ❝ I’m just trying to make you feel like the world, because you are. ❞

He shook his head in order to regain his composure. Ann had her ways of knocking him down a couple notches. He wasn’t used to being this vulnerable or predictable. Usually, he was the one in control, but now Ann had all of it. Though, he wouldn’t have it any other way. His smile returned. Small, but evident. The man was pleased that he had landed himself an angel as a companion. 

There was a beat, and for a moment Ann wished the earth would swallow her up and hide her for all eternity; but then Akira pulled her closer. He was warm, and he smelled like coffee as always. The blonde felt her nerves ease up, and then Akira rubbed her back gently, the rhythm steady. He looked at her, with that soul piercing glance, and she felt herself utterly helpless to those sharp yet tender eyes.

❝You never need to ask, my angel,❞ he assured, and the girl took a shaky breath.

“Okay. I- I’m going to kiss you now.” her delicate hands shakily reached up and cupped Akira’s face, and she took in every detail of it before hesitantly leaning in and closing the gap.

When they’d first met, he’d been absolutely gobsmacked, Ann had noticed. Akira hadn’t been able to take his eyes off her, the attraction in them clear as day and pure as could be. And he kept looking at her: in class, at Leblanc, in the Metaverse. They’d be wistful little glances, but they began to linger and got bolder. Akira would text her on the sly in meetings right under everybody’s nose, and send her good night messages. And he seemed to always come and hang out whenever she asked…and she’d fallen. She wanted him. And only him. And now, he was hers.

When Ann pulled away for air, on an emotional high, she couldn’t stop smiling. Unsure of what to say, she just squeezed Akira’s hand, elated.

  As her lips touched his own, he felt himself rise above all of humanity. Above pain and abandonment, he rose. She made him feel unstoppable and that feeling seemed to continue since the first time he met. Ann had been his saving grace among all the bad things that had happened to her. So, it was only natural for him to love her. She had taken care of his heart as friends and it seemed right for her to take care of it forever. When she pulled away from him, he almost whined. Upset that his goddess had gotten farther from him. Even if it was for a brief moment. His hand returned her squeeze in an attempt to reassure her that he’d always be there for her. Dark eyes wandered over to her own, drinking in how the color blended perfectly against her skin. 

                     ❝ Your beauty has captured a thousand hearts, but it has rendered my soul alive. Everything about you is what fits my desires. ❞

    He spoke, almost in a whisper. Akira had his ways of being intimate, wanting the words to mean more, because she was the only one meant to hear them. His lips met her temple as his arms quickly wrapped around her, squeezing her to him. He couldn’t remember the last time he was this happy. Ann just had her ways with him. She noticed every tiny thing he did to capture her attention. She was a pure enchantress.

          ❝ Now, princess. Would you like to go anywhere to celebrate? ❞

Akira cupped her other cheek, and the dusk met the day as he leaned in closer. Ann couldn’t hear anything other than blood crashing in her ears, and her face felt positively like an inferno. His eyes locked on her lips, and the blonde swallowed hard, pupils dilated.

He wants to kiss me..oh godohgodohgod.

He closed the gap, and Ann’s eyes widened immensely, an electrical shock racing through her entire being. What- how- they were.. oh…ohhhhh..

Time stopped, as did her heart, it seemed, and her arms shakily rose and wrapped themselves around Akira’s neck. It only lasted a few moments, but it seemed an eternity before he pulled back, giving a breath. ❝Sorry. You just looked so good, I couldn’t help it,❞ he apologized, and Ann placed a hand on her lips, still in awe about what had just happened. They just kissed. That was her first…it was amazing, it was magical and she loved every moment of it.

“It’s okay,” she barely managed. “S….so…u- um.. I guess we’re a thing now, yeah?” Ann played with her hair again, at a loss. “..you’re a good kisser.”

   He certainly wasn’t going to deny her. Not now, not ever. It was a strawberry taste that he’d never forget and one he’ll savor every time he is blessed with a chance to feel it against him. His arms wrapped themselves tenderly around her waist. Now he couldn’t handle another moment without her near him. She had always been his weakness, like a flame onto wood. He became ashes in her shadow. His heart was a roadrunner, going a mile a minute as he gazed upon his future. Ann had always been the unthinkable to him - a goddess. 

                      ❝ Is it strange that I feel the luckiest man alive? ❞

  His words were true. He felt on top of the world and her praises certainly made him feel even better. His eyes warped to give a look of hunger, of desire beyond the norm. She was an unbeatable enchantress and he swore he’d love her for the rest of his days. He leaned in close, pressing his lips against her cheek this time. Akira wanted her to know that she was his most important being.

                       ❝ I’m glad you think I did a good job. I’ll make sure to keep up the good work. Ann... I hope you can understand that I see the universe in your eyes. ❞

• novels close to his heart: the book thief & the witcher series.

• love is a strong influence so, his love of the witcher stems from yennefer & geralt.

• he loves the book thief, because he relates to liesel.

• natural meme king.

• shit posts almost daily. he’s a clown, lbr.

• futaba bullies him a lot ( @alibabas ). he learns to cope by bribing her with food & what not.

• he thinks ann is his yennefer ( @fraisecherie ).

• he smells of cigarettes & stress.

• can get big TIPS.

❝Is it not right for me to speak the truth? You’ve always been a pillar of hope to me,❞ was his reply, as if his earlier statement hadn’t been the biggest revelation he’d ever lay upon her.

That word echoes through her mind.

Always….

For somebody who was used to nothing but ridicule and isolation for many years, being able to be the one someone relied on was…surreal, almost. Warmed her heart AND soul.

His soft smile eased, eyes closed, and he hummed as he took her hand gently. Their hands…fit perfectly together, she realized, and she grasped his firmly, her hand shaking a little.

Ann still couldn’t quite speak, being quite overwhelmed by all the praise, but when he dubbed her “perfection embodied”, the blonde came alive again. She opened her mouth, hesitated, closed it, and then opened it again. “Akira…” Ann ventured, and suddenly she’s shaking all over and it’s too warm and too cold but she MUST speak, she must speak. She’s kept this quiet for so long but what with Akira all but saying he loved her, she wouldn’t let this opportunity pass.

“Um.”

Ann squeezed Akira’s hand harder, to ground her. The worst he can say is no, but that’s what she fears more than anything. She wants no one else.

Awww, to hell with it.

“..can I kiss you?” she asked so quietly it was barely audible.

       When she intertwines her hand with his, he feels a thousand times at ease. There was something about her that made him feel like he could take over the world so, long as she remained with him. Though, he did take note of her shaking. Was he being too much? He did have a horrible habit of pushing his luck on fancy words or tricks. Luckily, Ann began to speak and his worries were pushed away in order to give her his full attention. 

  Once he knew what she wanted, his face sang a different tune. There was a feeling of warmth travelling his veins now. That familiar courage surged through him as he closed the space between them, pulling her close in a purposeful hug. His hands began to gently massage her back as he looked into her eyes, taking in the ocean of blue in them.

       ❝ You never have to ask, my angel. ❞

He nodded, on a dime. Like he didn’t even have to think about it, it was just second nature and he was sure, so so sure of his stance.

❝If not for you, I feel like we could’ve failed all our Palaces and never got to where we needed to. You kept us all together.❞

Ann blinked once, twice, three times, in bewilderment. “I- wouldn’t go that far,” she protested mildly. “I mean, I’m not the tactician or leader or the tank or..or anything really important like that, yan-”

Akira stopped, and for a split second she thought he was upset. But he wasn’t, and then he looked at her. Really, really looked at her, and she felt his gaze pierce her very soul. Before she can say anything else, his hand reaches out and cups her face and suddenly, it’s very, VERY hot.

“!! A- kira?” Ann barely managed, chest heaving.

What are you…

Is he gonna kiss her? Oh godohgodohgod-

❝You are the star that shines the most among the wondrous sky,❞ her crush declared, and the blonde choked, unable to reply.

Say something Ann. Anything. Tell him how you feel.

But she can’t. Her mind has completely shut down and all she registers is his gentle touch and tender eyes, and she wants to be forever lost.

   This was when his charm helped him the most. His free hand raised itself to join its twin as he leaned in closer. A smirk appeared on his lips as his eyes scanned the treat he was about to enjoy. His lips connected with hers with no more time wasted. Eyes closed as he began to savor the taste of strawberry lip gloss clashing against his mouth. Suddenly, the world stood still as the two of them finally became connected in a more intimate way. He couldn’t believe that he finally had the girl of his dreams in his arms. In that second, he swore to himself that he’d do everything he could to protect her. He pulled away to breathe, eyes opening slowly.

         ❝ Sorry. You just looked so, good... I couldn’t help it. ❞

He’s smiling.

The bastard is smiling from ear to ear. He’s enjoying flustering her to high heaven while he just sits there cool as a cucumber, and Ann’s not sure how to feel about that. Akira’s always so…..immovable, and it seems almost like Death Himself could look her leader dead in the eye and he wouldn’t even flinch. It was both admirable, and infuriating.

Like right now.

Ann opened her mouth to speak, but Akira’s wistful sigh shut her up in a heartbeat.

Why is he looking at me like that???

And then the clincher: “God sent me his best to be by his side,” and the blonde actually can’t breathe. Squeaking loudly, Ann covers her face as best she can to hide it; utterly speechless.

“You can’t just say things like that,” she barely mumbles, heart thudding. “You can’t just- ..what are you DOING to me, goddammit?!” Ann shakes her head vigorously, sinking to the ground crosslegged.

“What are you doing to me???”

     ❝ Is it not right for me to speak the truth? You’ve always been a pillar of hope to me. ❞ 

       She was right in the fact that he was immovable, he kind of liked being that way. If it wasn’t for that, he’d never have told her how much she’s worth to him. He’d never have the nerve to treat her as she deserved. His soft smile, lessened as his eyes closed. A small hum left his lips while his hand reached for her’s, gripping it. How he loved her. Everything about her was perfect to him. He didn’t even mean her looks, though they captivated him as well. It was her kindness that chained him to her. It was her acceptance, her laughter, her jokes. The small things about her was what brought him to his knees about her. 

    ❝ I have a lot of things to say about you. You are just perfection embodied. ❞

     This wasn’t happening. This wasn’t happening. Oh, but it was. There on the floor was his leader, his mentor, his father. Blood was covering the floor in a gigantic puddle from underneath the man’s corpse. What could he do? His hands instinctively reached for his gun, pulling it out as his feet moved to protect his brothers. They wouldn’t get away with this. He’d find a way to make each and every one of those men sitting in those lounge chairs pay. But for now, his mind had bigger things on its plate. His family. His brothers. By god, what were they going to do now? They were scattered, broken. This is what they really invited them for. He pushed his brothers back with his free hand as he stepped backwards.

      ❝ Get out of here. ❞ It was a whisper, a plea spoken before he turned to the laughing heads of the five families that owned New York.  ❝ If you think this is the end for us, I hope you know that for every drop of his blood that lies on the floor, I will make your deaths ten times as painful. ❞

    That was the last thing he was able to say as he gathered the shocked and pained brothers he loved with all of his heart out of the door. He vowed to himself that he would not rest until they owned New York. They would leave their father’s corpse there for now and return for it when they had more time to be safe. He had to make sure no more casualties would be suffered.

      ❝ I understand that you all feel a certain way. Understand that, I feel the same. I want to blaze this city a flame. I want them in the ground, but be smart. If we go back now, we’ll wind up dead. I need us to gather our strength. We can only strike better as a unit. Do you hear me? ❞

Of all the things Akira had ever said to fluster her, this declaration left her utterly flabbergasted.

They were just hanging out, as always, when he dropped the bombshell, and Ann babbled something unintelligible, barely able to form even a coherent thought. “I- wh- h- huh?!” the blonde finally managed, voice squeaking into a high soprano. Her cheeks exploded in red, and she blinked rapidly in confusion.

“Me??”

           He nodded without even thinking of it. Akira was sure of what he was saying. They had been through a lot together and she had been a source of strength for him. One of the reasons he was able to get as far as he did was, because of her encouragement.

                ❝ If not for you, I feel like we could’ve failed all of our palaces and never got to where we needed to. You kept us all together. ❞

   And boy, did he mean that. Her warmth had kept him sane. Time and time again had she rescued him from those dark thoughts that threatened to put an end to their dreams. He halted and turned to look at her. His hand reached out to her reddened cheek, cupping it as he smiled at her.

        ❝ You are the star that shines most among the wondrous sky. ❞

Usually people commenting on her looks caused Ann to react with annoyance because they were making assumptions on her personality or just looking to look; but this? This was pure and dorky and… very Akira.

Vexed to find herself blushing, Ann twisted a golden lock around her index finger, eyes darting every which way.

“Um..c- come on, quit it,” she mumbled, but there was no bite in the Panther’s tone.

    There’s a smile upon his lips that becomes harder to hide as his eyes witness her face turning a bright shade of red. He was being completely honest with her. She was always the captivating beauty of his life and he felt it was about time that he said something about it. It didn’t help that Ann started twirling her hair in that familiar way when she was shy or just thinking absently. He often found himself lost in thought as well when it came to her. There was a soft sigh he released from his mouth as his eyes gazed upon her. 

                       ❝ How can I? God sent me his best to be by my side. ❞