Reapers and Keepers

Chapter 7: Graduation

The others didn't take too lightly to the news.

"What defines home?" Tsukishima narrowed his eyes.

"Sounds embarrassing..." Kenma murmured in the background as Tanaka leaped up, brows furrowed in confusion.

"Yeah, yeah, also, what about Kenma? It still doesn't explain his situation where two humans can see him!"

Akaashi felt his cheeks redden at Kenma's input about embarrassment and coughed roughly. "I'm not sure, but, the definition may be different for each individual."

Tsukishima scowled, palms upright to summon his headphones which appeared with a pop. As if to prove a point, he fit them over his ears and leaned on the back of the couch. "This shitty lounge is my home."

"Yeah," Tanaka added. "I mean, it's not too comfortable, but whenever we're tired, we come back here to rest and chill. Isn't that what home is?"

"I can play games here," Kenma chimed in quietly.

"See?" Tanaka pushed, looking at Akaashi as if he had proven his point. "I don't think it's anything we lack here that's the problem."

"But, doesn't it feel like something's missing?" Akaashi retorted, feeling a bit frustrated. "Like, those comic books you read... isn't it always the same set of books every single time?"

"Yeah, but I mean..."

"And, Tsukishima," Akaashi continued. "I'm more than certain that you haven't had a wide selection of music to listen to."

Tsukishima clicked his tongue, avoiding eye contact. "I have enough."

"How many?"

"...one song."

"See? And Kenma," Akaashi turned to the guardian in question who seemed to tense up at the sudden attention. "Haven't you been playing the same game for who knows how long?"

Quietly, Kenma muttered. "I could always restart it."

Akaashi looked around at all of them. "I honestly don't understand why this is so difficult to accept."

"Because there's still loopholes," Tsukishima nearly spat, his temper running thin. "What about Kenma? Is disappearing actually a good thing or are we all just deceiving ourselves with pretty, little lies? What do we do if we become closer to our humans and nothing happens. What then, Akaashi-san?"

"You can deal with that once it actually happens," Akaashi started a bit falteringly. "I mean, Kenji was obviously spending more time with his human than with us and he got to disappear."

Scoffing, Tsukishima lay a hand on his hip before shooting Akaashi a look that could freeze water instantly. "For some of us 'criminal' types, getting 'close to someone else' is near impossible. It's easier said than done—and I don't want to hear otherwise coming from someone who doesn't even know why he's here."

Akaashi snapped his mouth shut, feeling anger boil inside him, but unsure of what to say in response. After all, it was true he didn't know why he was there to begin with. Was he there for a reason like Oikawa's or one like Tsukishima's? Or was it something else entirely? Since he had no way of knowing, there was nothing he could say. The guardians glared at each other, Tsukishima the more confident of the two. The tension that simmered in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.

"W-well, I mean, it won't hurt to try, right?" Tanaka chimed in hesitantly.

Everyone turned to look at him and they reluctantly agreed together. Despite the questions that continued to plague each of their minds, it was easier to just continue doing what they were doing—even if they had to invest a little more effort into their jobs than they did previously.