Long Love The King

EARLY RELEASE FOR MY $30+ PATRONS!

I've been wanting to write outside of the Seishou girls for a while now, and Siegfeld is my second favorite school with my favorite characters, so it's only fair I used them for my first non-Seishou fic.

The three I focused on in this fic are my top 3 favs outside of Seishou, so it was quite lucky they're all in Siegfeld (and tbh, it's probably my fav OT3,).

Though I must warn you, I don't play Starira myself, I only watch subs, so I probably don't have the best grasp on their characters. Yachiyo specifically will probably be out-of-character a lot... which is unfortunate since the story follows her... I tried...

And it's basically a repeat event of one of the game's events (just Yachiyo instead of Shiori), but listen... I live for sick fics...

Disclaimer: I do not own Shoujo Kageki Revue Starlight.

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														Long Love The King

When she wakes this morning, the first thing Yachiyo is aware of is the faint buzzing sensation in her head.

She doesn't open her eyes right away, as her mind is filled with all sorts of distracting thoughts about a dozen different characters. What sort of costume would be best for the knight? What material should be used for the princess' dress? Would the king be better off having a kind or cruel personality?

These - among many, many others - are things she's been considering for a while now. Even subconsciously, it would appear.

She remembers now that she'd stayed up late on her own last night in the common room, scanning over her countless pages of notes. Akira had asked her to write a script, or at least get the characters figured out, as soon as possible.

That had been on Monday, and now it's Friday. Yachiyo hadn't wanted to make her wait this long, so she'd stayed up late last night, probably until 2 or 3AM trying to work things out.

Which would explain why she doesn't exactly feel very comfortable.

When she finally blinks her eyes open, she finds herself lying sideways on the couch with her feet still on the floor. Her sleep clothes consist of a white, short-sleeved top and pink wool shorts, and only now that she's conscious does she begin to register the fact that she'd had no blankets covering herself whatsoever. She can feel goosebumps covering her arms and legs, and a shiver runs through her and makes her flinch. On the small coffee table in front of her, all of her notes and books lie still open and strewn about.

"Damn…"

Even in spite of her late hours, she hadn't accomplished her goal - not completely. She'd written out most of the script and the characters, but she still has the itch to go back and re-read everything, because she knows there are certain changes she already wants to make.

Teeth grit, she pushes herself up, her ponytail swinging down over the front of her shoulder.

But as soon as she's straightened herself up, a sudden throbbing jabs into the back of her head. She almost falls back down, but just barely manages to keep herself from doing so by slouching back against the couch instead. She puts a hand to her face and stares up at the ceiling through half-lidded eyes.

"Great… I've really done it this time…"

She closes her eyes for a moment, hoping that maybe - just maybe - it'll have just been a one-time dizzy spell and nothing more. But even after taking a few deep breaths, the ache in her head doesn't go away, and another shudder runs through her.

"Crap… I'm gonna get scolded…"

Almost as if on cue, she catches the sound of footsteps approaching, and her heart jolts a little. She quickly pushes herself forward and starts to gather up her books and notes when the flurry of footsteps finally comes around the doorway.

"Ah! Yachiyo-senpai!"

Shiori. Thank god.

Yachiyo whistles softly under her breath in relief that it hadn't been Akira. She pulls her notebooks into her lap and gives her best effort at presenting her classmate with a lopsided grin.

"Ah. Good morning, Shiori."

"I'm glad I found you," Shiori smiles, hurrying inside. "Yukishiro-senpai wants to- Ah! Y-Yachiyo-senpai? Wh-What's wrong? You haven't even gotten dressed yet? A-And your face is all red!"

"Is it…?" Yachiyo grimaces and heaves a sigh as Shiori hurries across the room now. She grabs a decorative blanket off another couch and brings it with her as she sits down beside Yachiyo now with panic in her eyes.

"S-Senpai! You're shaking! H-Here!" Shiori fumbles to drape the little blanket around Yachiyo's shoulders, her eyes wide and fretful as her fingers brush Yachiyo's skin. "And you definitely have a fever! Did you fall asleep here last night?"

Yachiyo can't help but shiver again as the blanket is placed over her, and the contrast of the warm fabrics registers on her bare skin.

"Yeah, kinda…" she admits.

Shiori is so panicked she almost looks like she's about to cry.

"I-I'll go tell Yukishiro-senpai-!"

"H-Hold on-" Before Shiori can get up all the way, Yachiyo reaches out to grab her wrist and pull her back down. "There's no need for that," she mutters. "I'll be fine once I've eaten and stuff. It's not that bad."

"B-But you're sick!" Shiori cries. "Wh-When I was ill, you helped to take care of me, and I want to do the same for you, Yachiyo-senpai! We've at least got to inform the nurse-"

"No need." Yachiyo shakes her head again. "Like I said, just gimme a little time to get my bearings. I'll be fine, Shiori." She clasps Shiori's hand with both of hers in earnest, trying to give her best reassuring smile.

She knows Shiori - who had always suffered from a frail constitution and poor health as a child - would worry more strongly than anyone else to see one of her friends get sick. The last thing Yachiyo wants to do is upset her. She'd even rather disappoint Akira before she upset Shiori.

Shiori seems to consider things for a moment. Yachiyo does her best not to flinch at the stinging in her head, and instead puts on an expert mask. She doesn't like deceiving her, but she'd rather do that than make her worry.

At last, Shiori lets out a long breath that trembles with worry.

"A-All right… If you say it isn't that bad, then I trust you, Yachiyo-senpai."

Yachiyo flinches this time, but quickly covers it up by wiping her arm across her forehead.

"Yeah. I'll be fine by lunchtime, I'm sure."

Shiori exhales again, clearly relieved. She smiles back at her, and Yachiyo feels a pang in her chest. She feels like the wolf tricking the sweet little girl - except the wolf never felt guilty about it. But she's come this far now, so she might as well continue with the lie if it means Shiori won't be worrying about her all day.

"All right," Shiori says. "But please let me at least help you up, then."

Shiori slips herself in to Yachiyo's side and hugs her around her waist. Yachiyo slings an arm across her shoulders, and together they slowly get to their feet. Yachiyo winces at another small dizzy spell as she stands, and she ends up staggering a little. Shiori yelps and holds onto her more tightly.

"S-Senpai?"

"Sorry. I'm fine."

"You should drink some water…"

"I will… But what was it you were saying earlier? Does Akira-senpai need me for something?"

"Oh! Th-That's right! She wanted to have a meeting this morning with the Edels-"

But before Shiori can finish, and before the two of them can even take so much as a step away from the couch, a very firm, very familiar stride of footsteps reaches their ears.

Both girls freeze, as if they're children about to be caught doing something bad. Yachiyo bites her lip as none other than Akira herself appears in the doorway, already dressed and ready for the day with the usual scowl on her face.

"Ah. Shiori, Yachiyo, there you are-" She stops when she gets a better look at them though, and her eyes narrow. "Oy, Yachiyo, what is the meaning of this? Why are you still dressed like that? Classes will be starting soon."

"Yukishiro-senpai!" Shiori pipes up. "A-Actually, Yachiyo-senpai is-"

But before she can say any more, Yachiyo quickly stops her by giving her a gentle squeeze. Shiori stops and flashes a nervous glance up at her. Yachiyo meets her eyes calmly, with a look that begs her not to tell. Shiori seems to understand, because she falls quiet now.

But Akira is still waiting for an explanation, arms crossed.

"Well?"

"Sorry, Akira-senpai," Yachiyo drawls. "I'd left my notes in here last night and Shiori just came in to help me gather them, that's all."

"Oh? And can't you stand by yourself?"

Yachiyo quickly takes her arm off of Shiori's shoulders.

"That is-"

"Whatever. Stop fooling around and get dressed. We're having a meeting in fifteen minutes." With this, Akira turns and disappears from sight.

The second she's gone, Yachiyo sways again. Shiroi yelps and quickly hugs her again.

"S-Senpai!" Shiori scrambles to lean into her and provide her support. Yachiyo huffs, hating how much she really needs to cling onto her.

"Sorry… I'm fine…"

"Yachiyo-senpai…" Shiori sounds tearful now, and it sends another pang through Yachiyo's heart.

"Shiori," she grunts. "Sorry for all the trouble… but I'd rather not bother Akira-senpai with this. She doesn't need to know."

"B-But-!"

"Please…" She can't remember the last time she begged for anything, but she really thinks this is the time to do it. Shiori really looks like she's about to cry out of sheer worry for her, so Yachiyo tries to compensate just a little by pulling her into a side-hug. "Sorry. If it gets bad, I'll speak up. But if I can avoid it, I'd rather not cause a commotion."

Shiori tucks herself into her collar and hugs her back.

"Okay…"

Yachiyo smiles, resting her chin softly on Shiori's head.

"Thanks, Shiori."

She still feels bad about making her keep this a secret, but she'll make it up to her somehow. For now, she just wants to make it through the morning without keeling over.

So after a moment of reassuring Shiori some more, Yachiyo gathers up her things and slowly makes her way back to her room to get ready for the day.

After she gets used to being on her feet and moving around as per usual, she finds the headaches aren't so bad. And a bit of makeup conceals most of the flush the fever has brought to her cheeks.

She ties her blazer around her skirt and pulls a brush through her hair a few times, then makes quick work of brushing her teeth in her bathroom. With Akira's meeting in just over five minutes now, Yachiyo has to settle for a wrapped muffin and a granola bar she'd already had lying on her desk for breakfast before she grabs her bag and hurries off to the school building.

She somehow manages to arrive outside the Student Council room with a minute to spare.

She greets Mei Fan and Michiru with her normal, casual tone, and neither of them seem to suspect anything. But Shiori flashes her a worried glance, to which Yachiyo responds with a wink. A minute later, right on time, the doors open and Akira calls them in.

"Good, you're all here." She looks pointedly at Yachiyo when she says this, and Yachiyo just gives an easygoing wave back. Akira nods sharply. "Come in and have a seat. We have a few things to discuss before classes begin today."

Yachiyo is glad to take her usual seat at the table - she feels a lot safer sitting down than she does standing right now.

She listens to everyone discuss the usual topics: budgets, performance dates, supplies for the costume and lighting departments…

She makes sure to jot down the most important things in her notebook, but a lot of the words being said don't end up registering in her mind. Not until Akira addresses her directly.

"Yachiyo."

Yachiyo's pen slips from her fingers, and she tries not to look too shocked as she lifts her head.

"Yes~?"

Akira is giving her the usual stern, no-nonsense Akira kind of glare.

"How is that script coming?"

Yachiyo feels her stomach twist a bit.

"Sorry. I'm not finished yet. I'm still working out a few details…"

"Still?" Akira puts a hand to her chin in contemplation. "Perhaps if it's too much for you, I could ask someone else."

And she isn't saying it in a mean way, or in a way that seeks to ridicule her. Yachiyo knows she only means to try and think of the most efficient way to get the task done. But it still delivers a painful blow to her pride.

"No," she says. "I'll be finished soon." She can feel Shiori looking worriedly at her from the side, but Yachiyo keeps her eyes focused on Akira. Eventually, the King nods approvingly.

"Very well. I'm counting on you."

"Right..." She knows full-well it's her own fault she caught this cold in the first place, and it's because of her own selfish desire not to let Akira down. So when she's offered to be relieved of the task or get assistance on it, Yachiyo stubbornly refuses.

She makes it through the rest of the meeting until Akira dismisses them, and none of the others seem to notice anything out of place. Only Shiori lingers with Yachiyo after the others have gone.

"Yachiyo-senpai, are you sure you're feeling all right to go to class today?"

Yachiyo slings her bag over her shoulder and gives Shiori a thumbs-up.

"Yeah. No problem."

"All right..."

The two of them head off down the hallway together, staying close even when they join back up with the rest of the Edels. The walk to class makes Yachiyo's head start to spin a little, but once she's taken her seat in homeroom, she feels much better.

Throughout the morning, the worst she gets are a few throbbing headaches here or there, but other than that she's able to pay attention and take notes as per usual, for the most part.

She does find it extremely difficult to make eye contact with Akira whenever the opportunity arises, however. But whether Akira thinks nothing of it, or if she really just doesn't understand the hidden meaning behind the social cue, Yachiyo can't be certain.

After all, Akira can be kind of oblivious when it comes to things like that. Yachiyo can't decide if she's worse with technology or socialization.

By lunchtime, Yachiyo starts to feel much better after eating a proper meal and drinking an entire bottle of water. Now, when she gives Shiori those reassuring little winks, she really means them. The headaches don't bother her for the rest of the afternoon either.

That is, until dance lessons.

After all, sitting at a desk through lecture classes when you have a fever and headache is one thing.

But being made to go through vigorous physical activity is entirely another.

Yachiyo makes absolutely certain not to get near Akira. She tries taking Shiori as her stretching and dance partner, just because she's aware of Yachiyo's situation, but Michiru enthusiastically snags her first. Yachiyo retreats to Mei Fan, who thankfully accepts with a smile.

She does a pretty good job of keeping up the act, or maybe Mei Fan just doesn't notice because she's so focused on watching Akira in whatever she's doing. Whatever the reason though, Yachiyo makes it through the class with only a few minor stumbles here and there.

But the worst one by far is when she's supposed to be following the motions with the class and accidentally ends up bumping into the girl next to her, which consequently causes several more people to mess up. Their instructor stops the lesson to scold her, then restarts.

Yachiyo knows all of the Edels in particular are staring at her, some with concern, some with confusion, and one in particular with mild outrage.

Crap… She's gonna eat me alive…

And sure enough, once class has been dismissed and the instructor and most other students have filed out, Akira sets her sights on Yachiyo like a hawk on a fledging.

"Yachiyo." Her tone is low and seething, and the other three Edels keep their distance. With a sigh, Yachiyo turns to face her king - or maybe executioner. She's clearly pissed.

Akira glares expectantly at her, arms crossed and eyes hard, waiting for an explanation.

"Explain yourself. What was that disgraceful performance today? As Edels, we are supposed to set a prime example for the other students."

Yachiyo feels another little pang in her chest. She reaches across her stomach with one hand to hold onto her opposite wrist, trying to still sound casual.

"I know. My bad."

"That's not good enough," Akira snaps. "You were an embarrassment."

"H-Hey, Akira…" Michiru cuts in. "Don't you think that's a bit harsh?"

"Not at all." Her tone is matter-of-fact as ever. "When Yachiyo joined the ranks of the Edels, she accepted the responsibility we have to uphold the student body and the reputation of Siegfeld itself. Scolding her for being careless isn't unreasonable of me."

"A-Actually-!" Shiroi blurts out, flashing Yachiyo an apologetic glance for being about to tell her secret. "Y-Yukishiro-senpai… Yachiyo-senpai is actually-"

"Not now." Akira holds up her hand for silence, then turns back to Yachiyo. "Being distracted enough to mess up your own individual performance is one thing. But letting it get so bad that you interfere with others, and the entire class? What's your explanation for that, Yachiyo?"

Yachiyo just shrugs.

"Dunno. I guess I just wasn't focused today…"

"Really, now?" Akira scoffs. "Well then, allow me to help you regain your focus. You're staying here with me and going through that routine again until I'm satisfied. Understood?"

Yachiyo bites her lip as she sends Shiori one last imploring look, then replies.

"Got it."

"Good. The rest of you may leave." Akira sends them off, but the other three seem reluctant to go. Yachiyo admittedly doesn't want them to go, either. Akira seems to be in a much worse mood than usual today, but she assumes that's her own fault for not having the script finished yet, and now she's just made it even worse.

So Yachiyo accepts her punishment, determined to clear it as quickly as possible and satisfy her disgruntled king.

"All right," Akira says firmly. "We'll start with the partner's number we did at the beginning of class. Do you remember it?"

"Sure."

"Good. Then you lead."

Yachiyo swallows, but accepts the command without protest. The only time Akira would ever let the other person lead was if she were testing their technique and skill.

As Yachiyo places her hands on her upperclassman's waist and shoulder, she does her best not to give anything away. She starts to move, following the motions they'd gone over at the beginning of class, doing her best to keep her cool.

Akira says nothing for the first few minutes as she follows. But just from this brief number alone, Yachiyo is really starting to feel her own shortcomings when she's paired up with the King. Akira moves with sharp, confident motions in contrast to Yachiyo's own smoother, more laid-back style. Coupled with the pain in her temples, Yachiyo's finding it a bit difficult to finish the number. But before she's no more than halfway through, Akira plants her shoes firmly and prevents her from taking another step.

"Stop."

Yachiyo obeys the order with a stifled grunt, hoping this is over-

Of course not.

Akira eyes her almost suspiciously.

"What's this? Why are you so out-of-breath already, Yachiyo?"

"Who knows…"

"That won't do." Akira shakes her head and breaks their hold from the dance. "Let's do some breathing exercises."

"That's the last thing I wanna do right now…"

"What was that?"

"I said yes ma'am."

"Good. Now straighten up." Akira steps beside her now and firmly presses one hand to the small of Yachiyo's back to improve her posture. But that doesn't surprise Yachiyo as much as when Akira places her other hand directly on her stomach.

"Um, Akira-senpai?"

"Use your diaphragm," Akira commands. "Go ahead."

Yachiyo does the exact opposite of what Akira wants her to do right now, and instead stops breathing altogether for a good ten seconds.

"Uh, senpai...? Is it really necessary for you to-"

"Yes, because with how sorry your dancing has been today, I've got to make sure you can at least do this much properly. Now breathe in."

Yachiyo attests the heat coursing through her veins to the fever and nothing more. She follows her orders and draws in a deep breath, but gets interrupted when Akira shakes her head.

"No good, try again. You've got to inhale for at least three seconds and exhale for five."

"Akira-senpai-"

"Again."

"Right, right..."

So Yachiyo inhales again, closing her eyes so she doesn't have to look at Akira, but still painfully aware of her proximity and the feeling of her hands on her body.

"That's better," Akira says a bit more levelly. "Now exhale. One, two, three, four, five… and in again."

Having Akira coach her and touch her like this really makes Yachiyo feel like she might just pass out, even without the fever taken into consideration. It isn't like she has a crush on Akira or anything like that - not as much as anyone else in the school does, anyway - but-

"All right, that's enough." After nearly two whole minutes of breathing exercises, Akira finally steps back and withdraws her hands. Yachiyo wheezes out the last breath she'd been holding in.

"Did I pass…?"

"Barely," Akira grunts. "I'm not sure what's gotten into you, Yachiyo. We're doing that dance again. I'll lead, so take notes."

"Right…"

She knows Akira won't let her go until she's satisfied, or until someone comes along asking her to take care of some other important matter. But until then, her task is to ensure her fellow Edels are in tip-top shape and won't do anything as embarrassing as Yachiyo had in class today.

So she takes Akira's hand and gets pulled in sharply by her waist as her leader sweeps her right along into the dance.

Yachiyo focuses as hard as she can on her movements, pushing herself to try and match Akira's steps and flare. If she can just give her one good run-through, Akira will leave her be and she can try to finish that script. She must be doing something right, because after a few more steps and spins, Akira smirks at her.

"Not bad. But you should be faster on this part."

"Got it."

Yachiyo works past the dizziness that's started buzzing in her head again. She knows the end of the dance is coming soon, so she just has to hold out a little longer.

But right at the final twirl, she misses a step and trips over herself. Only Akira's impeccable reflexes prevent her from falling. She pulls Yachiyo flush-up against her chest and locks an arm around her back to keep her steady. Yachiyo swallows.

"Sorry…"

Akira doesn't say anything yet. She just looks her over with another glare.

And she doesn't let her go, either. She just keeps holding Yachiyo like that, pressed up against her rather intimately and preventing her from pulling away.

Yachiyo can feel her face heating up more and more by the second. But just when she can't maintain eye contact any longer, Akira scoffs.

"Hmph. For your heart to be beating this hard after such a simple number. You're out-of-shape, Yachiyo."

Yachiyo exhales meekly.

"Yeah… that's gotta be it…"

"Then we're doing it again."

"Huh?"

In response, Akira crushes her even closer, leaning down until Yachiyo can feel her breath on her lips.

"I said, we're doing it again. Understood?"

"Mm…"

"Where's your answer?"

"Y-Yes, ma'am!"

Yachiyo can feel her heart really hammering now, and what's worse is she knows Akira can feel it too. Her king continues giving her that dissatisfied stare for a few seconds longer before finally letting Yachiyo go, and barks the same one-word command.

"Again."

And so Yachiyo obeys, going through the entire dance routine again.

And again.

And another time.

As an Edel and one of Siegfeld's elites, this much practice shouldn't be a problem for her. She's endured much worse and much more difficult training, both in class and from Akira on the sidelines. This is nothing.

She keeps a tight grip on Akira's hand as she steps out and twirls, closing her eyes in the process because she knows she'll either throw up or fall down if she looks. She tries not to breathe through her mouth or show how winded she's become, lest Akira want to do more breathing exercises. That'd probably do her in faster than the dancing.

Yachiyo follows her through the rest of the number again, but just before the end, Akira stops, shaking her head.

"Stop. Yachiyo, you remember the movements well enough, but I can tell your heart isn't in it. Is such a simple dance really giving you problems?"

"Not really..."

"Good. Then we're doing it again."

And again, Yachiyo obeys.

And she knows.

She knows it's her own fault for not speaking up sooner, for being stubborn and wanting to prove to Akira that she could handle this much, even in her condition. Had she been in perfect health, she would've barely broken a sweat by now.

She can't blame Akira for not noticing - after all, her King really is terrible at picking up on things and reading other peoples' emotions.

So in the end, Yachiyo knows she has no one to blame but herself.

It's about halfway through their next run-through when her head really starts to hurt. Her heart feels like it's pounding through her whole body, and her chest feels like it's getting slowly squashed by a boulder.

Akira is more or less pulling her along now, and Yachiyo can barely keep up. She has to admit defeat.

"A…Akira-senpai-"

"Come, Yachiyo. I know you can handle this."

Another stab to the heart. She just feels even worse about letting Akira down, both with the script and with her expectations of doing this practice. One more step, and Yachiyo feels her knees buckle.

"S-Sorry…"

Her vision blurs into blackness, and her weight sags. She feels herself plummeting, and can only brace herself for the hard impact and how much it's going to split her skull. She'll probably get a concussion-

"Yachiyo-!"

But instead of hitting the floor, she can feel herself being caught by two strong, steady arms…

. . .

Akira watches in shock as Yachiyo suddenly collapses, seemingly without warning. Only her keen reflexes and the fact that she'd been moving forward in the dance anyway allow her to react quickly enough to catch her and prevent her from injury.

Akira drops to one knee and props Yachiyo up against the other in her lap, and she can tell right away she isn't just fooling around. Her face is bright red and coated in sweat - much more so than Akira knows is normal for just a few dances. She can feel Yachiyo's pulse pounding through her back, and bracing a palm on her torso finds it even more strained. And she can already feel an awful heat wafting up from her, even before she places the back of her hand against her forehead.

"O-Oy, Yachiyo!" She lifts Yachiyo up a bit more, but her underclassman doesn't open her eyes as she lets out a feeble moan.

"Sorry…"

Akira grimaces.

"So you knew… you knew you were sick and you kept quiet about it… You're a fool, Yachiyo."

"Sorry…" Yachiyo flinches as she tries to open her eyes, but fails. "I know... it's my own fault for letting this happen... Like you said when it was Shiori... as a stage girl, I shouldn't have let it happen in the first place..."

"No." Akira pulls her close against her chest to support her properly. She heaves a sigh. "I'm the one who needs to apologize, Yachiyo. If you're a fool, then I'm an idiot. I should have realized…"

Yachiyo's only response now is a withered little breath. Akira grits her teeth, keeping a secure grip across her back before sliding her other arm beneath her knees. Everywhere she makes contact with her, Yachiyo is burning up.

"Damn it…"

She tucks Yachiyo beneath her chin and gets to her feet before quickly heading out of the studio and toward the infirmary.

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The first thing Yachiyo is aware of, even before she opens her eyes, is that the pain in her head isn't nearly as bad as it'd been the last time she remembers feeling it.

She can feel that she's lying on her back, which means she can't be back in her room, because if she'd gone there and lain down voluntarily, she'd be on her side. Which means she's somewhere else.

And then it all comes back to her.

Oh yeah, that's right… I collapsed…

She feels a fresh wave of heat crawl over her skin, less from the fever and more from embarrassment again.

Crap… Akira-senpai's gonna give me an ear-full even worse than before… I've been found out…

She sighs, now registering the feeling of a cool wet cloth that had been placed across her forehead. It's doing well to absorb some of the stifling heat from her skin, at the very least. She can only assume she's in the nurse's office now. But how had she gotten here…?

There's no way Senpai carried me here, right? That's too cliche... Heh. Imagine if she was sitting at my bedside waiting for me to wake up. Now that would be something…

Eventually, she manages to open her eyes to stare up at the white ceiling, heaving another sigh.

"Geez… I'd better wash my neck…" Not just from the sweat, but also so it'll make a nice clean cut when Akira-senpai bites my head off-

"Ah, Yachiyo. You're awake."

Yachiyo nearly chokes at the sound of the deep, familiar voice coming from right beside her. With a jolt, she turns her face, eyes going wider than they almost ever do as she finds Akira sitting there beside the bed with her arms crossed, as though she's been keeping vigil all this time.

"A-Akira-senpai-?" Yachiyo's jaw drops. "Were you here this whole time?"

"What are you talking about? Of course I was." Akira must realize that having her arms crossed like this could be seen as aggressive or angry body language, so she unfurls them now and puts her hands in her lap. "Did you really think I could leave you alone after all that, Yachiyo?"

"Senpai… that's kinda swee-"

"I need to give you a lecture, after all."

"Y-Yeah, of course…" Yachiyo half-sighs, half-chuckles. To her surprise, Akira even cracks the tiniest smirk.

"But that can wait. For now, how are you feeling?" The look in her eyes is stern yet concerned somehow, and it makes Yachiyo want to chuckle and blush at the the same time.

"Better than before," she replies. "Sorry I didn't tell you. Guess I brought this upon myself."

"No." Akira holds up a hand for silence. "I should have learned from when Shiori fell ill. I should have been more preceptive. Had I paid more attention, I would have noticed you weren't yourself. I'm sorry for saying you were out-of-shape, and of accusing you of not trying hard enough, Yachiyo. I was an idiot. Of course you were giving it your all."

The more Akira talks, the quicker Yachiyo's pulse becomes. She's never spoken to her like this before. It might be the most sincere she's ever been. She listens quietly for a moment, actually sort of enjoying this.

And then the scolding starts.

"But you were a fool, Yachiyo." Akira crosses her arms again and starts glaring. "You shouldn't have kept it a secret from me. Look at all the fuss you've caused. Had I known, I wouldn't have been so harsh on you in class. If you were sick, you should have sat out and simply observed instead of falling into everyone. Now I understand what Shiori was trying to tell me back there. She knew about this, didn't she? And you asked her to keep quiet, I presume? You owe her an apology, Yachiyo."

"Yeah, I know," she sighs. "Shiori's a good girl… I shouldn't have made her bear that burden."

"And not just Shiori," Akira continues. "You yourself as well. Why did you feel the need to keep this from me? Do you think I'm so unreasonable that I wouldn't allow you a day to recuperate when you're sick enough to collapse?"

Yachiyo looks away. Her throat's starting to feel tight again and she doesn't like it.

"No… But I just-"

"I know I might've been unreasonable last time," Akira sighs. "When Shiori was sick, I said some pretty tyrannical things. But you all made me see how counter-productive that was. And I'll tell you the same thing I told her - your job now is to return to us as soon as possible, Yachiyo."

Yachiyo is finding she can't look at her directly again. Her heart's pounding again.

"Akira-senpai-"

"Hold on." This time when Akira stops her, her voice has suddenly become much lower. Softer, even. But what surprises Yachiyo the most is when she feels a hand being laid over hers. She lifts her gaze back up to her king in silent shock. Akira shakes her head and heaves a sigh.

"No… this isn't right. I shouldn't have been yelling at a sick person to begin with." When she looks up to meet Yachiyo's gaze this time, there's regret in her eyes. "I know why you didn't tell me, Yachiyo. It's because you didn't want to disappoint me, isn't it? I suppose it's my own fault for always having such high expectations for you and the others. It's only natural you wouldn't want to let me down. The fault lies with me for being such an oblivious king. You're only human, after all."

"Senpai-"

"Let me finish," she says, still keeping her hand on hers. "Yachiyo, I only push you so hard because I know you can handle it normally. If I'd known you were sick, I never would have made you do so much. I never would have made you do anything that would make you risk your health like this. Maybe I am unreasonable sometimes, but if it's so bad that it made you think I wouldn't care about your wellbeing, then I've got some reflecting to do on how I conduct myself."

"Akira-senpai…" Yachiyo actually feels a little wetness behind her eyes, but she doesn't dare let it overflow. Her lips curve into the usual lopsided smirk. "Heh. Guess we were both being stubborn, huh?"

"Unfortunately, yes." Akira returns the smile and gives her hand a firm squeeze. Yachiyo nods.

"Sorry. I won't hide things like this from you from now on. You're kind of socially inept as it is, Senpai. I should just make things easy for you and tell it like it is."

Akira looks like she wants to snap back a comment, but thinks better of it.

"You're not wrong. And I'm sorry as well. It's partially my fault for not making myself seem more approachable. In the future, I hope not you nor any of the others will be afraid to speak up if something like this happens again."

"Mm. I'm sure we won't be."

"However…" Akira finally withdraws her hand, and Yachiyo tries not to show it on her face that she misses it. "With all of this now, I really don't think you should concern yourself with finishing that script, Yachiyo. You've already undergone enough stress. You need to rest now."

Yachiyo can't help another soft smile. Bracing her weight on her elbows, she removes the cloth from her forehead and starts pushing herself up. Akira stiffens.

"Oy, I don't think you should be sitting up just yet."

"It's fine." But even though she says as much, Yachiyo still flinches a little at a slight throbbing in her head. Nothing nearly as bad as before, but still enough for even Akira to notice this time. She leans forward to lend her support, putting an arm around Yachiyo's back. Yachiyo sighs and willingly leans against her a little.

"Akira-senpai," she says at last. "Please let me finish the script. I think I know what I want to write now."

"Is that so?" Akira smirks. "Well then, if you're sure."

"Yeah. The part that stumped me the most was whether or not the king should be the type people feared or loved."

"That part, huh?" Akira puts her free hand to her chin in contemplation. "Historically, it's proven that a ruler does better to be feared than loved. Instilling fear in the hearts of the people will prevent them from feeling confident enough to make attempts to kill or overthrow you."

"Right…" Yachiyo hums. "But I'd rather just be feared by my enemies. Don't you think it'd be kinda sad to be feared by your own people as well? Then nobody would like you."

"People don't need to like a king," Akira proclaims. "All they need to do is follow orders and allow their ruler to look out for them."

"But if I were scared of my king, I'm not sure I'd trust him. Why would I wanna live in a place where I'm just scared all the time?"

"I suppose you have a point. Then what is your solution in writing the King?"

Yachiyo smirks.

"Balance," she replies. "He must be equally feared and loved."

To her surprise, Akira actually laughs.

"Hah! As expected, you've come up with something I wouldn't even have considered. When I only see black or white, you always seem to find the gray area, Yachiyo."

"Thanks."

"But…" There's a beat of silence as Akira looks down. Yachiyo can feel her tense up a little bit, though she doesn't falter in supporting her back. Yachiyo tilts her head.

"Senpai?"

Akira gives a little huff of an exhale.

"All this talk… it's only for the script, right?" Now, when she turns to look at her again, Yachiyo thinks she can actually see a hint of nervousness in her eyes. "Yachiyo… you aren't afraid of me, are you…?"

Yachiyo feels her heart do something weird, but it isn't in a bad way. Just the opposite, actually. She smirks.

"Of coooourse not," she drawls. "Well, maybe a little bit. But you've got a good balance going for you, Akira-senpai."

"...Do you think so?"

"I know so," Yachiyo says confidently. "You're plenty loved and feared."

"But if you had to choose," Akira says. "Which would you say, Yachiyo? Personally, do you love me or fear me more?"

Yachiyo's breath catches in her throat. She thought she'd had herself under control. But now, Akira is staring into her eyes, begging for an honest answer, clearly worried about Yachiyo choosing 'fear' and clearly being totally oblivious about what it could imply if she choose the other option. She really is hopeless.

Yachiyo gulps.

"I… I mean, I guess if I had to choose… I would say-"

"Ah, what am I doing?" Akira sighs and shakes her head. "Talking your ear off like this. You should be resting. We can discuss the script later."

Yachiyo's actually kind of glad for the interruption. Her heart rate has gone up a lot in just the past 30 seconds. She makes a strangled little sound when Akira narrows her eyes, though.

"Yachiyo, what's the matter? Your pulse has gotten awfully quick all of a sudden."

"It's nothing-"

"Nonsense. Has your fever gone up again?"

"I don't think-"

"Quiet. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing for a moment."

"I… right…" Yachiyo obeys her orders and closes her eyes, drawing in several deep breaths and trying to calm down as much as possible-

Until she feels a soft pressure against her forehead.

And it isn't the back of Akira's hand feeling for her temperature like before.

Her eyes fly open, and she finds herself looking at Akira's collar at the top of her leotard as Akira holds her lips to her forehead. Yachiyo straight-up stops breathing now.

"S…Senpai… You really don't have to-"

"This is the most efficient way to gauge a person's temperature," Akira mutters against her bangs. "I've seen it done in countless programs. I know what I'm doing."

"You're killing me, is what you're doing…" Yachiyo wheezes under her breath.

After a moment, Akira finally eases back, though she still keeps her arm around Yachiyo.

"Hm… You've still got a fever, that's for certain."

"Gee… I wonder why…."

"What do you mean? It's because you stayed up all night writing that script for me and you fell asleep in the lounge. I figured out that much, Yachiyo."

"Right… that's the only reason…"

"Yes. So you'll stay here and rest for an hour or so, and then join us for supper. Right now, you're only task is to get better, Yachiyo."

"Right. Got it…"

Akira nods approvingly, then finally lays her back down. She pulls the blankets up to Yachiyo's stomach and turns the cloth over to its cooler side before replacing it on Yachiyo's forehead. Yachiyo sighs.

"Thanks, Akira-senpai."

"That's my line. I should be thanking you for trying so hard to satisfy my demands, Yachiyo. But I promise I'll try to work on becoming more perceptive from now on." She looks down into her lap again, the way she does when she's feeling awkward about something. "You can lean on me, you know. I don't want to be an unreliable king."

Yachiyo feels a comfortable warmth in her chest, like a single flower blossoming.

"You're not an unreliable king, Akira-senpai. You're the best king I could've asked for."

"Flattery," Akira scoffs. "I know I still have a lot I need to improve on. I'll be relying on you as well to help me with that, Yachiyo. After all, I've already set my sights on you to be my successor. So as much as I push you and challenge you, I should also be assisting you and listening to what you have to say."

Then, Akira does something Yachiyo has never seen her do before. She dips herself forward into a bow.

"I promise I'll do my best to be a king worthy of your succession, Yachiyo."

"A-Akira-senpai…" Yachiyo waves her hand a bit frantically. "Please raise your head. As king, you shouldn't be doing things like that to just anyone."

"But I'm not doing it for just anyone," Akira corrects. "I'm doing it for you, Yachiyo."

"Even so…" Yachiyo feels her face heating up all over again. By the time Akira finally does sit up once more, Yachiyo is sure her fever's come back full-force, but for entirely different reasons.

"Well then," Akira says, getting to her feet. "I'll leave you to rest, Yachiyo. As I mentioned, I'll come get you later and bring you to supper, and you can apologize to Shiori. Then if you're feeling up for it afterward, I'll help you finish that script."

Yachiyo exhales and smiles up at her again.

"Sounds like a plan."

Akira gives a nod, and then takes her leave.

Yachiyo watches her back and the long flow of silver hair until she's out of sight, then closes her eyes.

She falls asleep easily now, her mind swirling with thoughts of her king - her awkward, idiotic, terrifying… and deeply beloved king.

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A/N: Ahh, so? How did I do with them...? I feel at some points they might've been off in their interactions and dialogue... I know Yachiyo would probably be a lot smoother and more collected, even if she were sick, but listen... if it's Akira Yukishiro we're dealing with, would anyone be able to prevent themselves from losing their cool a bit?

Also, I wanted to relate back to when Shiori got sick in the game, and show how Akira has (hopefully) changed her attitude since then.

Hopefully I'll find the guts to write them again some day!