...An eye for an eye, Peter. All I've known is combat, and death. It's only fair that I pay my dues.
[And she'll play that card for as long as she's still standing. Akame fixes Peter with a more severe look in the face of his sardonic posture and remark---which only serves to reinforce her resolve to keep him the hell out of this. It's in one ear and out the other with him at the best of times, she's come to see, after a decade's worth of getting to know him and fostering a close friendship with him, through all the tears, laughter, combat, and silly injokes. It's both his strong suit and his most fatal flaw.
She's seen him develop since. He's certainly hardened considerably. She's proud of him, she really is---and yet, sometimes, seeing him break necks like a politician breaks promises, she can't help but feel awful, as it reminds her of everything Tatsumi had gone through to get to a similar point. He'd lost so much, and gained very little. Just as with Kurome, as well. It's the same with Peter.
All he wanted was to be left alone, to rest in peace, but he's still here, having become the very kind of person he'd once feared, and Akame knows how painful that transition is. She wonders if he still wants to die.
But he's sacrificed himself more than enough times. When he got impaled years ago, seeing him fall helplessly in the midst of what was already a fierce battle---it sparked something in Akame. She'd realized that whenever she focuses too much on others, they die anyway, despite her efforts. But now, if she focuses on herself...
...Or make a good show of it, at any rate---]
Peter, I know you're concerned. I appreciate it. I always have. [There's a mild hint of frustration in her eyes as her mind slowly begins to put together a plan while she strides through the doors right after him, moving briskly down the subsequent corridor; it's empty and silent thus far. She huffs quietly, feigning reluctant acquiescence with a short nod as he continues to insist upon accompanying her. This is going to be as hurtful to her as it will be to him, but she can't. She can't allow him to go down with her. It's true. Her frigid, silent, swift killing sprees were borne from a dogged determination to not lose anymore. All the blood she bathed herself in, all the people she mercilessly cut down were stepping stones to achieve that end.
That all should've scared him off long ago, waving blazing red flags, really, but it didn't.
She's never understood why. Akame's mouth twists into a slight grimace at the thought of that, as she continues:] But this is what I'm good at. You've known this for quite some time now. So...
[Akame finds herself looking off to the side, a ghost pf regret in her eyes.]
...Why didn't you turn on your heel? If...if you hadn't stuck around me, you wouldn't have gotten killed that day...
i am as pure as the driven snow i have no idea what you speak of
[And she'll play that card for as long as she's still standing. Akame fixes Peter with a more severe look in the face of his sardonic posture and remark---which only serves to reinforce her resolve to keep him the hell out of this. It's in one ear and out the other with him at the best of times, she's come to see, after a decade's worth of getting to know him and fostering a close friendship with him, through all the tears, laughter, combat, and silly injokes. It's both his strong suit and his most fatal flaw.
She's seen him develop since. He's certainly hardened considerably. She's proud of him, she really is---and yet, sometimes, seeing him break necks like a politician breaks promises, she can't help but feel awful, as it reminds her of everything Tatsumi had gone through to get to a similar point. He'd lost so much, and gained very little. Just as with Kurome, as well. It's the same with Peter.
All he wanted was to be left alone, to rest in peace, but he's still here, having become the very kind of person he'd once feared, and Akame knows how painful that transition is. She wonders if he still wants to die.
But he's sacrificed himself more than enough times. When he got impaled years ago, seeing him fall helplessly in the midst of what was already a fierce battle---it sparked something in Akame. She'd realized that whenever she focuses too much on others, they die anyway, despite her efforts. But now, if she focuses on herself...
...Or make a good show of it, at any rate---]
Peter, I know you're concerned. I appreciate it. I always have. [There's a mild hint of frustration in her eyes as her mind slowly begins to put together a plan while she strides through the doors right after him, moving briskly down the subsequent corridor; it's empty and silent thus far. She huffs quietly, feigning reluctant acquiescence with a short nod as he continues to insist upon accompanying her. This is going to be as hurtful to her as it will be to him, but she can't. She can't allow him to go down with her. It's true. Her frigid, silent, swift killing sprees were borne from a dogged determination to not lose anymore. All the blood she bathed herself in, all the people she mercilessly cut down were stepping stones to achieve that end.
That all should've scared him off long ago, waving blazing red flags, really, but it didn't.
She's never understood why. Akame's mouth twists into a slight grimace at the thought of that, as she continues:] But this is what I'm good at. You've known this for quite some time now. So...
[Akame finds herself looking off to the side, a ghost pf regret in her eyes.]
...Why didn't you turn on your heel? If...if you hadn't stuck around me, you wouldn't have gotten killed that day...