AKARI

"So, Akari," Merrick grins in a feral manner at the dinner table in the dining hall as he rests his chin in his hand, his red hair nearly falling into his alluring brown eyes. "Who's the hottie you brought with you earlier?"

"Really, Merrick?" I sigh.

"Cut it out, Merrick," Kit scoffs and rolls her brown eyes as she shakes her head back and forth, her red-pink ponytail swishing back and forth. "Why is everything you think about so immature?"

"I don't think he can help it," Darius sighs and gives Kit a somewhat sheepish expression as he rubs the back of his neck. "I mean, he is Lust after all. If it has legs, he'll find it attractive."

"Yeah," Merrick continues to grin as his eyes flicker over to Kit, "so you cut it out, prude. I thought you were Diligence, not Chastity."

"This has nothing to do with what I am," Kit's eyebrows twitch in agitation before she sighs and goes back to eating her mashed potatoes. "Whatever, it's pointless to argue with you."

"Glad you finally see it my way," Raciel mutters from his spot on the other side of Kit while he lazily pokes at his dinner with his spoon, his red eyes bored and his blue, black, and white multi-colored wavy hair falling over his eyes as he leans his head down.

"You don't get a say in this either, Sloth," Kit mutters through a spoonful of potatoes. "You're the laziest of everyone here."

"Again," Darius starts with a sigh, "I don't think he can help it either."

"How about we get back on topic of the kid?" Kaito scowls. "I don't trust him."

"Are you sure you just aren't jealous?" Merrick snorts.

"What?" Kaito glares at Merrick. "Why the hell would I be jealous of a nobody? Say that again, why don't you!"

"And there he goes again," Kit sighs.

"Seriously, I don't know how you all manage to get along in battle," I sigh and sink down into my chair.

"I'm going to go bring Evory her dinner," Darius starts with a small smile as he stands up from the table and meets my eyes. "I hope you don't mind if I leave early. It's just that I know she won't take the time to stop working to come down."

"No, go ahead," I smile in return and Darius nods before he goes to bring her something to eat.

Every day, it's usually like this. Darius brings Evory her dinner halfway through dinner time because Evory likes to work until she drops so he takes care of her while Kit, Merrick, and Raciel refuse to see eye to eye and Merrick tries pressing Kaito's buttons while I sit there and usually talk to Darius while he's there. The other sins and virtues like to hang out with us too, but they usually eat dinner at a different table with some of the other academy members, and Carmin always eats by himself, aside from whenever Gambit actually manages to drag him from his office with her persuasiveness and abrasiveness.

"Ooh, there he is now," Merrick perks up from his seat and I turn my head to the entrance to the dining hall to see a familiar mint head of hair making its way through the dining hall.

I watch as he glances around in search of any sense of familiarity before his eyes land on me and he seems somewhat relieved as he makes his way over.

"And here he comes," Merrick grins and Kit smacks him over the head.

"Don't eat him alive, Merrick," Kit chides and Merrick scowls as he rubs the side of his head.

"Prude," Merrick mutters and Kit raises her hand to smack him again just as Sora arrives.

"Hello, Sora," I sigh.

"How do--" Sora starts.

"I found your wallet in your old pants," I wave him off. "I turned it in to the headmaster's office after I found it, by the way. It should still be in there if you want it back."

"Wish I would have known that earlier," Sora sighs as he sits down next to me. "You're Akari, then. Right? Evory told me you..."

"Yeah," I nod.

"My," Merrick sighs. "Already in his pants, Akari? You make quick work. I'm jealous."

"Don't mind him," Kit rolls her eyes. "That's Merrick, also known as Lust. I'm Kit, also known as Diligence. On the other side of me is Raciel, also known as Sloth. You just missed Darius, he's Humility. And down there is Kaito, he's Envy."

"There's a lot of you in once place, then, but I can't say I'm surprised," Sora starts. "What does surprise me is that Diligence and Sloth are sitting at the same table."

"Yeah," Kit shrugs. "We don't always get along but we're a family here. Isn't that right, Kaito?"

Kit shoots Kaito a pointed glance as if to tell him to back off of Sora and Kaito sighs.

"Right..." Kaito mutters and places his face in one of his hands.

"So, you're all sins and virtues then? But what about Akari?" Sora asks, his eyes flickering over to me.

"I'm just a regular human," I shrug and cut into my steak. "Nothing special."

"I wouldn't say being a human is anything to sneeze at," Kit frowns. "You're amazing, Akari, whether you have powers or not."

"I guess," I sigh and take a piece of steak into my mouth before I raise a brow at Sora. "By the way, are you just going to sit here and talk or are you going to actually go get dinner?"

"Right," Sora laughs sheepishly and he goes to stand up before Merrick stops him.

"Don't worry about it," Merrick waves him off. "You can have mine."

"Uh, thanks..." Sora trails off and sits back down as Merrick slides his tray over to Sora. "Are you sure?"

"I wouldn't offer if I didn't mean it," Merrick muses.

"Might wanna ask if he has any diseases first..." Kit mumbles and Merrick elbows her in the ribs as he laughs awkwardly and Sora's eyes flicker wearily between the two of them.

"Please don't scare him off before his first day even starts," I sigh and both Kit and Merrick pause their fighting to smile sheepishly at me.

Yeah, this ought to go well.

***

After dinner, I walk Sora back to his room and explain some of the rules of the academy, such as when breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served and when classes start and stop. I also explain that he'll need to wear a uniform in most classes but that he can personalize it to fit his personality and he can pick one up tomorrow morning from the headmaster's office before his lessons start and that he can also pick up his wallet and schedule there at the same time.

"I won't be there with you all day, so you'll have to make sure to fend for yourself some of the time, got it?" I say as we walk up the stairs and passed the headmaster's office.

"I get it," Sora says and pulls his key out of his pocket. "And, Akari?"

"Yeah?" I raise a brow and glance over at him.

"Thanks for everything," he says and I nod.

"Sure thing," I say. "One more thing though."

"Hmm?" He hums as he walks up to his door and puts the key in before he glances over his shoulder at me.

"Don't go flaming up everywhere," I say and he frowns. "Do that and you're done for."

"I think I can--" Sora starts before I point at his hand and he looks down to see flames burning around it before his eyes widen and he shakes his hand a few times until the flames die down and he laughs and rubs the back of his neck. "Sorry..."

"Goodnight, Sora," I sigh and roll my eyes as I chuckle.

"Goodnight," Sora replies as I turn on my heel and go to walk away.

As I'm halfway down the hallway, I hear a loud yell coming from Sora's room and I immediately turn back around and run to his room. I throw his unlocked door open and frantically scan his room for signs of danger before my eyes land on him to find him standing in front of a mirror that's hanging above his dresser, his eyes wide and his hands in his hair.

"Sora?" I exclaim. "What's wrong?"

"What the hell happened to my hair?!" Sora shouts and I sigh. "My hair is literally mint green."

"You're impossible..." I mutter and turn to leave the room, glad there's no actual danger, and I hope that he didn't manage to disturb anybody with his shouting.

Yeah, this is going to be a challenge.