Karma stared at his ceiling, unsure of what else to do. Nagisa had been healing well, but he hadn't been able to hold consciousness for days. Karma didn't know that, though. His father had to let him see Nagisa since he'd come in crashing. Karma had yet to say anything to any of their friends since the day they met the emperor, and no one knew where his house was. 

Mr. Akabane, Karma's father had been nothing but supportive, but Karma wasn't naive. The only thing keeping the man from exploding was shock and concern. It wasn't every day your son crashed through the doors holding his friend, who, by all means, should be dead. Sure, ghouls had amazing healing abilities, but even they had their limits.

They had yet to discuss what happened. Karma hated to admit that the lack of communication was going to make this worse. He'd have to tell his father that he'd done business with the kakuja who disposed of his mother, then, he'd have to tell his father what he paid to get away. 

More than anything, Karma wasn't sure he was ready to admit everything that had happened. Surely, he'd have to explain who Nagisa was with, how they got involved with him, which would mean he'd have to talk about how Monoma was talking about Yamaguchi, and who that was...Karma's head throbbed at the thought.

He turned and slid out of bed, swinging upward. It was too late to have this talk, but Karma was too much of a coward to wait. If he gave it any more thought, he'd never get to it. Karma tried not to focus on the surreal feeling of being awake at three in the morning. It would distract him long enough to get back in bed. 

Karma crept through the halls, glancing over the railing. On the first floor, Mr. Akabane was still awake, staring at an open book he wasn't reading. Karma sighed. He padded down the stairs, practicing the words in his head and trying to gauge what his reaction would be and plan from there. Karma had always been applauded for being smart, but in reality, he just over thought everything. You can't be surprised by a scenario if you've already gone over it in your head.

"Dad," Karma called, sinking into one of the chairs in their living room.

"Karma?" he looked up, partially unimpressed. "What are you doing up this late?"

"I could ask you the same thing," Karma replied cheekily. The look he got sunk his mood.

"Kid, I'm up because you walked in here with a half-dead kid, and Hiromi won't stop fucking calling me. I can't tell her the kid is here, God knows what she'll do to him, but I can't just block her, either, 'cause then she'll just come here."

"Dad...is Nagisa okay? Like, is he getting better?"

"Yeah, he's woken a few times. It's the only way I've been able to feed the guy, other than that he's been healing on empty."

"That's why it's so slow. Huh."

"I wish there was more I could do, but he can't heal if he doesn't eat."

"I know. I was just curious."

Karma stared at the book on his father's knees. Nagisa's going to be okay...it's just taking a while. Yeah. That's fine. It's fine. He's fine. 

"What'd you come down here for, Karma? You haven't been drinking as much coffee as I have, I hope."

Stress and panic and so many other things flooded Karma's system. He hadn't realized how much everything was weighing on him, and Nagisa had been the tipping point. His voice cracked slightly as he spoke, head buried in his hands as they dragged down over his face. "Dad, everything is so fucked up. I don't know what to do, Dad. I have no idea what the hell I'm supposed to do!"

"Karma..."

"Nagisa almost died!" Karma sobbed. "Dad, so many people have died! I had to trade one of the only good ghouls I've ever met because I got involved in shit that doesn't concern me and they could've killed Nagisa! What do I do, dad? What can I do?"

"Karma, son, what happened last week?"

The few tears that managed to escape stopped. He wiped his eyes. Karma's voice was quick and shaky. He started with Nagisa getting captured, then bounced back to meeting (Y/n) and Todoroki. He continued to jump around, telling the events of the last several weeks in a jumbled mess. Mr. Akabane gathered all he could without asking questions. That is, fortunately, or unfortunately, until Karma brought up the Emperor. 

The man stopped him where he was, angry, shocked, and grief-stricken. He couldn't believe that his son had done business with the man who had taken his mother. Worse, had ultimately ended the life of someone innocent. Mr. Akabane ignored the regret and sadness in his son's eyes and tone as he paced and screamed, hands pulling painfully at his roots. 

Karma stood with him, yelling back desperately. He hadn't given up on sleeping to fight with his father, even if he knew that was what was coming. 

Mr. Akabane was angrier than Karma had ever seen him, and the redhead didn't want to admit that it scared him. When his mother had disappeared and Knight had left a polite note slipped under their door, Karma's father wasn't angry. He was depressed, sad, so upset that he hadn't eaten for months after that...but he didn't have the room to be angry. 

When his eyes turned, Karma paused. Of course, he had seen his father's eyes that way millions of times. Sometimes, they walked around the house that way. Never had they been directed at him, though. Karma's eyes flooded ebony, irises flushing with blood. Dark red veins pulsed under his skin, climbing across his face. Now both of them were still.

Their kagune flared, hostile. Karma's stomach turned and twisted, cold with anguish. His heart jumped into his throat, then used all the air in his lungs to push it into his gut. He felt light-headed. He knew he wasn't one of the only good ghouls he'd ever met, but Karma never thought he was this bad. Then again, no one ever thought they were as bad as they truly were.

Karma retracted his ukaku, shivering at the feeling of them slipping black into his should blades. Even if he'd known the feeling his entire life, it never felt right. The hostility in his eyes drained, and so did the ebony in them. 

Mr. Akabane grieved at the sight. His son was fifteen. Karma Akabane lived through years of his parents being absent. Karma lived through his mother dying, and he'd managed to find it in himself to let his father back into his life. Karma pulled his kagune on his father. Karma took it back, though, because Karma was scared. 

"I went to Yamaguchi's apartment, and only his arm was there. Nagisa and Itona were with me, and...and there was a Crow. Yamaguchi was a Crow, and that guy was wandering around his apartment. We think they came for Yamaguchi, but...but part of still wonders if even they know where his body is."

Mr. Akabane's kagune had seemed to have up and vanished. He was caught in those mercury eyes just like his own. Other than that, it was as if he was looking at his wife. Guilt washed over him. "Is that why you've been losing sleep?"

"It haunts me. I didn't know Yamaguchi well, but...it was obvious he meant well. He saved Isogai's life, and now he's just gone. No one's willing to buy the apartment covered in the blood of a dead kid, ghoul or not."

"I'm sorry, but–" Mr. Akabane winced. He knew this was harsh. "where are you going with this?"

"I'm not as bad I seem, dad, I'm not. But, I'm also not one of those 'good ghouls.' Yamaguchi was good, dad." Tears hot tears burst from his eyes, body shaking as much as his quivering voice. "Yamaguchi didn't deserve to die! Yamaguchi was good...and so Uraraka– I– I traded her for information I didn't know I'd have to pay for! I knew I'd have to give her up for something, but I thought it would Nagisa! If I had known...if I wasn't a terrible person, Uraraka might be okay! And now Grin is dead and King goes to Rakuyama and I'm involved with fucking Kira Koneko and the General's involved—Kantekku's probably sold us all out to the highest bidder–"

"Breathe, Karma."

"I'm not one of those good ghouls, dad. Nagisa isn't, Itona isn't, Monoma sure as wasn't, but Yamaguchi was! Yamaguchi's dead, and now Uraraka—Bunny might as well be, and she is one of the good ones. Rose is a good ghoul, dad. What if Rose dies? Rose won't admit it, but she's probably extremely involved, and I don't want anyone else to die! I...what if Nagisa had died, dad? I hate Kira Koneko, but one of them almost died the night Nagisa was captured, and...and..."

"Nagisa is okay, Karma. I've been debating this for a while, but I've come to my decision. See those papers over there?" Mr. Akabane gestured to the coffee table. "That's the paperwork I'm going to need after Hiromi and her ex-husband lose custody of Nagisa. I was up late trying to figure out how to tell you guys. Maybe...maybe if I keep you guys together and on a tighter leash, you'll both start to get better."

"Dad..." Karma's tears shed faster, cheeks wet with tears gathering and dripping from his chin. "Dad..!"

"I can't tell you what happened to this...Yamaguchi kid, and I'm still angry about you doing business with the Emperor, especially with that girl. Still, though, I'm going to help you. When he gets better, we're going to get you and Nagisa through this. I swear on my life, you two will be okay one day, one day you will be okay."

Karma continued to shake. "You hate promises...so..."

"Exactly. I'm promising you, Karma, and I am going to keep it."

Karma sobbed, ugly-crying. Snot dribbled over his lips and he drooled, tears still streaming down his puffy face. His skin was flushed red, yet, he didn't feel warm until his dad pulled him into his chest. 

Karma Akabane was fifteen. Karma Akabane lived through years of his parents being absent. He lived through his mother dying, and he'd managed to find it in himself to let his father back into his life. Karma pulled his kagune on his father, and Karma took it back because Karma was scared. Karma Akabane was terrified, and so was his father for him—but Karma Akabane was going to be okay.

┈

The sky was just clear enough to see the brightest stars. Clouds covered the moon, its place barely visible through them. He'd seen a couple of ghouls go by him in the distance, but for once, he could care less about what they were up to. Karma had been on his roof for over an hour, thinking. Being out that late was surreal in ways he couldn't explain. He made a mental note to bring Nagisa up there one day.

Someone stopped right beside him, looking down at Karma as he laid on his back. Karma didn't bother paying her much attention.

"You live around here?" she asked.

"Nope," he lied.

She sat next to him, gazing in the same direction he was. "Itona got in contact with me."

"Really? How the hell d'you manage that?"

Her expression softened when he chuckled. She'd never heard it before—it was good to know he could be happy enough to laugh (without getting into mischief to achieve it). "Funny thing, he was looking for you."

"Ah, I see."

"I get that it isn't my business, but I heard about Nagisa. Poor Isogai's afraid he's...y' know."

"Nagisa's going to be okay. My dad won't let me see him, but things are getting better."

"That's good to hear."

"Yeah..." he agreed, tone dreamy. "by the way, what are you doing out here this late? Don't you live near Kunugigaoka?"

"It's...quiet up here, y' know?"

"I guess it is."

She stood and stretched. There were other questions he knew he should ask her, but if he truly needed to find her, he'd find a way. 

"I won't tell those guys you live here, 'kay?"

"Thanks."

"It's whatever. See you around?"

"Yeah, see ya Hayami." Karma's lips tilted upward when she told him to call her 'Rinka.' Maybe things are going to be okay.

┈

(2118 Words)