Chapter 204 – Two

“And one and two and one and two and one and two,” Yuki grunted. His voice was low as his fists flashed forward in a jab and a punch. “And one and two and one and two.”

With every repetition, the fist that would jab would alternate, striking out like a snake, before the other fist followed it and smashed into the sandbag. It was a new one. Yuki found one that was reinforced. 

As his fist flashed out, he bounced on his feet, switching them every other repetition. Music blared around him, filling him with energy. His body followed the rhythm of the beat, his every strike in time. His mind was blank as he dedicated everything to his current task. 

Sometime later he felt the gaze of someone on him. He stopped and shook his hands as he faced them.

“Is it lunch already?” he asked Akira who was off to the side of the training floor. He tapped his earbuds, pausing the music.

“No,” Akira replied with a smile. “Almost though. I just wanted to watch you, that’s all. Doing basics still?”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “I need to start from the beginning. My foundation isn’t stable right now, so I need to fix that.”

“Mmm, I see. I can help today again if you would like?” Akira offered. “We still have some time before we need to go.”

“Sure. Just spot me and tell me when I make a mistake,” he said. “I’m going to be doing some leg work now.”

Akira stepped onto the mat, taking her shoes off before she did so. Then she walked up to where the body bag was hovering in front of Yuki. Walking around a bit, she inspected it before giving it a satisfied nod.

“That thing looks expensive,” she commented.

“Really? I would hope so, because it is,” Yuki replied. He took up his stance again, the image of it flashing in his mind. “Here we go.”

He did a kick, carefully controlling his every movement. Then he did another. Then another. Slowly, he began raising the speed at which he striked. Akira speak up at times when a kick was up to form. He would correct it immediately. After he finished one rep, he switched legs. Then again. And again. 

After that, he changed the kick, switching to a side kick. He multiple repetitions of those as well with the attack aimed at various points of the sandbag that represented various parts of the body. Then he switched to a different kick after that.

The entire time, Akira kept a careful eye out, making sure that Yuki did every attack perfectly. If she caught a problem of any sort, she made a comment and Yuki would repeat the rep. When he was finished, the time for lunch had come. 

“Thanks,” Yuki said to Akira as she put the sandbag away. She smiled and waved his thanks off.

“No need,” she replied. “It’s time to go. Do you need to shower before we leave?”

“A quick one for now,” he nodded. He grabbed a towel that he had nearby and wiped the sweat that poured out from him dripping onto the floor. He glanced down. “I need to clean this place up later.”

“I can do that if you want me to,” Akira said.

“It’s fine. It’s my mess so I’ll clean it. No worries.”

“Mmm.” 

Yuki put the towel around his neck and went to a sideroom where he had showers put in. Akira followed him.

“You’ve been training a lot lately,” Akira said lightly. “How has it been going?”

“I’m not sure,” Yuki shrugged with a small chuckle. “I don’t know if there will be a day where everything snaps into place, but until then, I’ll keep training until I’ve felt like I’ve mastered the basics.”

“You don’t think you did?” 

“No. The images I see and the motions I actually do are too different,” he explained. “And while before I was okay with good enough, I’ve realised that I can’t do that anymore.”

“I see.” Akira quieted for a moment as Yuki stepped into a shower and closed the curtain. He took his clothes off before turning on the water as she spoke again. “You know, you have me.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, turning his face to the showerhead and closing his eyes as the warm water washed over him.

“I know that the fight was a shock,” she said carefully. “But we’re a team aren’t we?”

Yuki sighed and pressed his forehead on the wall.

“I just, you know. I just want you to know that you’re not alone,” Akira continued. Her words were harder to hear now over the sound of the water. “You working so hard makes me worried…”

He pressed his eyes tighter. He knew what Akira meant. He had thought of the exact same thing. But he just couldn’t think of another way that he could improve his skills. Unless.

“Akira,” he said quietly with both his mouth and mind. “I understand.”

She quieted. She didn’t need to say anything. Yuki could feel what she wanted to say. The shower curtain slid open and Yuki grabbed Akira, pulling her to him gently. She didn’t resist and instead wrapped her arms around him as she rested her head on his chest.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’ve been distracted lately.”

“I know,” Akira whispered back, her head still buried in his chest. 

“We are a team,” he said. He blinked as he felt Akira’s warmth fill him. “And you’re right.”

She looked up. Yuki pressed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes as she shut her own. A flood of emotions rushed through his mind. Fear. Loneliness. Worry. Warmth. Everything Akira felt. 

“I didn’t mean to make you feel lonely,” he whispered. He swallowed slowly. “I won’t ever abandon you. Don’t be afraid.”

“I can’t help it,” Akira replied, her voice barely audible. 

“Aki.” He lifted up her chin and stared right into her eyes. “Look.”

He tilted his head toward his right arm where a black tattoo wrapped around it. The circular seal was still there, but the beast inside it had spread out. The chimaera in it curled gracefully around. 

“It got bigger too,” Akira commented mindlessly.

“Hopefully there’s a maximum size, or else I won’t be able to cover it that well,” he said with a small smile. “But that’s not important. This represents something that no one else has except us. It links us together.”

Akira’s hand went to her own shoulder. The illusion over it melted off to reveal the tattoo underneath it. The exact same one Yuki had on his own arm.

“It’s a part of me. And a part of you,” he said. “Abandoning you would be the same as ripping apart myself.”

“The same for me,” Akira whispered.

“You want to know what I think about this mark?” Yuki asked. Akira nodded. “It’s a representation of our bond, not just a mark that symbolises it. The stronger our bond grows, the larger it grows.”

Akira said nothing but leaned her head back into his chest.

“We are a team,” he repeated. “But our individual strength is important as well. What if one day, we can’t be by each other’s side? What if we have to defend ourselves by ourselves?”

“I’ll make sure that never happens,” Akira replied, a growl in her voice. 

“I will too. But we can’t stop everything,” he said gently. “We have train ourselves as well.”

“But—” 

“I don’t mean that you need to leave me alone,” he said. Akira quieted. “You’re right. I shouldn’t be doing this by myself.”

Akira looked up.

“I have you here,” he continued, looking her right in the eyes. She stared back. “There’s no reason why I should be doing this all alone.”

“That’s what I was saying,” Akira smiled.

“So how about it?” he asked.

“I would gladly help you,” she beamed. “And you’ll help me, right?”

“Do you really need to ask me that?”

“I look forward to it then.”

They stared at each other, small smiles on their lips, the water still running in the background, splashing against Yuki. 

“You know. It’s kind of like we’re planning a date,” Akira remarked, looking away as her cheeks pinkened. 

“But this date is us trying to beat each other up,” Yuki replied with a smirk.

“What else is more romantic?” Akira laughed.

They quieted again, their arms still around each other. Then Yuki remembered the time. They needed to meet up with the others for lunch to have a little meeting. 

“Akira. We need to go soon,” he said quietly, but not pushing her away. 

“Oh. Yes.”

She slowly pulled her arms back and stepped a little away. She looked at him, before nodding.

“I’ll be going then,” she said.

“Make sure to remember to change,” Yuki said. “Your clothes are a little wet. I’ll be out soon.”

“I’ll be waiting then,” Akira nodded. She gave him another smile before leaving the restroom. Yuki stared at where she was for a bit before shutting the shower curtain again.