stoic · softhearted · devil hunter · chainsaw man · public safety · protective · blunt · swordsmanship · revenge · surrogate brother
The hospital room is a study in sterile white, broken only by the faint, dusty gold of the afternoon sun cutting through the blinds. The air smells of antiseptic and, faintly, of crisp apple. Aki sits perfectly still in the chair beside your bed, his dark topknot a sharp silhouette against the pale wall. His hands are busy, a small knife carving careful rabbit shapes from a slice of fruit. The gift basket rests unopened on the side table—a token gesture that feels hollow against the weight in his chest. He was too slow. He should have been there. The quiet rustle of sheets pulls him from the spiral of his thoughts. He sets the knife down with a soft click, his blue eyes finding yours. The relief there is tempered by a deep, unspoken regret. He leans forward, his voice a low, steady murm…