HEY EVERYONE I PROMISE NEXT CHAPTER FOR MAIN STORY WILL COME GIVE ME A BIT MORE TIME! So anyways this was originally destined to be a dead project, but I revived it into a beautiful, possibly blossoming fanfic for your enjoyment. There will be no smut... in this chapter, but i don't know as the rating stands at a strong t- for teen. So now onto the description: What if Tatsumi never died, and Akame returned a year later, with no clue about his existence and still feeling very depressed? Now that shit would be awkward and saddening as fuck at the same time...wouldn't y'all agree? good. Just like usual pm's, death threats, pizza orders and reviews appreciated, oh and don't forget to check out my other shit cause self-advertisement equals win. Now I'm rabbling... but yeah enjoy everyone! Ps: I wanna focus more on emotional drama rather than violence, but of course it wouldn't be an Akame fan fiction if there wasn't so yeah.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Set approximately one year after the events of the revolutionary war.

It had been days, no weeks, or was it months? Many gruelling, agonising hours of tedious hiking and climbing to reach her destination, Yet the beautiful, raven-haired assassin felt that she was no closer to place. All around her various vibrant flowers blossomed and bloomed, flaunting their selection of dull to fluorescent colours into crisp spring chill. That whispering breeze billowed through her hair, sending stray strands of black lines to madly wave. High above a gentle sun bore down it's warn rays, illuminating the canopy floor with tiny splotches of seeping in light that dared rebel against the naturally thick umbrella of luscious leaves. Following the winding path, Akame continued to pace, her black trench coat swiftly following her every silent step, along with a loosely hung Murasame, the blade strung up against her slender back.

Just coming home elicited sick feelings of despair and grief, and awakening the grudging memory of his dying face. Every thought that included the brown-haired hero simultaneously ached at her fragile heart and filled her body with nostalgia and love. There were still some nights where she would force herself to sleep through salty tears or scream into the night and sob for hours on end, non-stop. It killed that fragment of her happiness each turn after turn. Now she was back in this wretched state, the environment looking slightly healthier, obviously not reflecting her own body. Mourning radiated in her presence, and it travelled with her everywhere.

Spiralling into such miserable emotions, the assassin had lost a small amount of weight, not as if her carnivorous meat consumption was lacking, but there were times when she would just not devour anything, even when presented with the opportunity. She wouldn't, no couldn't bring herself to do it. Her flowing hair had grown even longer, now just above the floor, and her red eyes had stayed the same crimson-blood tone that all thugs and villains feared. The marks she considered reasonably 'ugly' had remained imprinted into her skin like permanent tattoos, climbing up her legs, face, torso and arms and poisoning her skin with red ink pollution.

It wasn't just Tatsumi either, although she cared for him, or seemed to develop a care for him that out-classed most, but all the members of Night Raid who had died in their desperate struggle against Esdeath and the Empire. Leone, Mine, Bulat, Sheele, Chelsea and even Susanoo. They all possessed unique traits, characteristics, personalities. Things that she missed and cherished at the time. That feeling made her hate the line of work she was forced into every second she was living it.

Dozens of bandits and villians had fallen to her blows, stacking up after one another as if they lined up to be granted the sweet reward of death they so wished for. Akame was as responsible and quick as the handler of each deed, aiming for efficiency and effectiveness generally when fighting against large groups. She terribly missed having her deceased friends alongside her as she assaulted the opposition, but still every enemy failed to land any form of hit.

So now, she had arrived. Standing over the memorable hill that she, Leone, and Tatsumi had stood on only a year ago, she watched the new bustling, recovering Capital before her. Those two globes scanned the area, trying to differentiate between the common areas in town and the castle, where the Boss would most likely be. It surprised her when she received an urgent message to return from her back then, but now she regretted coming back. It only made her feel like hell.

Akame wasn't conspicuous at all. Not suspicious in any way apart from the wickedly razor sharp sword latched to her back. Three children had pointed it out along the way, but she shrugged it off. The guards all eyed er, but were focused on other areas rather than the weapon.

"Stupid Idiots."

Walking past civilians was so much stranger than sneaking past and hiding from them. Was it strange that Akame felt oddly uncomfortable shuffling around these people, some stopping to stare at her. That didn't bother her, but what did was that constantly she would have to amble along a path and find a suffering homeless person, something that she would have though the new rebellion would have fixed in her absence. Evidently not. She passed popular, refurbished shops, buildings and even new infrastructure. They had re-built fast in the time she was gone, and considering the single hobo she had seen, They were doing alright.

"Honour service Akame! Guns at the ready!"

Walking into the palace gate was like unfitting royalty that the assassin did not deserve, or though she felt that way. Trumpets and a squadron of rifle shooters to give a military styled welcome, not appreciated in the slightest. Akame just walked in with her usual blank, emotionless expression plastered across her pale face while the fire-arms went off, smoke threads clogging the air. All the soldiers looked puzzled, more or less confused and maybe a tad angry, but remained in their place, just observing her until she entered. Noticing there was no king nor emperor in the throne, she changed direction, moving towards the barracks instead.

It took awhile to travel the many labyrinth-like corridors, and admittedly she got lost, twice. Navigational skills were of highest regard, so instead the assassin vaulted the window and scaled downwards the walls, sliding to the ground easily. No effort was put into her actions, and no thought was expended. Above she could spy birds flying away into the distance, a horizon of blue wallpaper and littered with plush white clouds cluttering over each other messily, overlapping shapes.

Entering the stone tower, what striked her vision first was the amount of weaponry holstered there. A wide picking of brimmed Guns, sharpened blades and incendiary grenades. The military really was stepping up and advancing in their technology. The arsenal was enough alone to lay waste to a small country. Traversing the spiral deck of stairs, Akame climbed up each floor, attracting glances from officers and grunts all through the building till she reached the top.

Even while glancing over each step she thought of it as a bore, waste of time. She really wasn't in the mood to see her old friend, even if she was going to be reunited with a close one. Akame was never one for social callings. The bricks lined walls, decorating the tower in shrouding darkness with a hint of seeping light that dared intrude on it's influence.

"It would be so easy to kill someone here..." Akame murmured, passing the tiny alcove of neatly lined beds, most likely belonging to city guard.

Finally reaching the timbered floor, she noticed her first. How could anyone not. The boss's grey hair had grown out, longer now but still in a braided ponytail with the bangs still cut short and swept to the side. She still wore the same black suit, neck net and eyepatch, along with the not only fashionable, but devastatingly dangerous mechanical arms, with a few minor adjustments and modifications. Her smirk pierced right through her cold stare, igniting a very dormant sensation of kindness and friendly bond. Sealing the space between the two bodies, without a word Najenda rushed forward and embraced her friend, holding her close. The hug was returned with as much care and love form the latter, squeezing what seemed like her only existing friend tightly to herself. She smelt of cherry blossom and weak perfume.

"Akame! How have you been!" she questioned, her arm hung upon Akame's shoulders and still pulling her against herself.

"Still the same. neutral." She replied in her signature monotonous tone, but with a tiny smile.

"Oh...um good. How did it go venturing around in the north?"

"Terribly boring. Many people died."

"Still as fun as ever my darling. I have something very urgent to tell you right now, as I mentioned in my letter. I'm really not sure how you would respond, and It's not something I could say over a letter. It would be better in person I think..."

"What is it? Am I missing something here? I didn't murder anyone important did I"

"I don't really know how to explain it...I mean the fact that this is even possible...and that we were lucky enough to... but since-"

"Wait boss was I supposed to come in now or after I finish the assassination cause I forgot to get the map and-" He stopped abruptly in his place, His step halting steadily, realising who as staring at him straight in front. When she turned around, all thoughts were washed away, leaving an empty awe-struck shell. Both assassins gazed at each other in utter surprise and confusion, with widened eyes and a mouth agape. Tatsumi's jaw had fallen right to the floor, while Akame's was just in shock.

"It could be any other time but this..." Najenda mumbled through gritted teeth. Her being pisssed off made Tatsumi gulp and tense up even more.

Akame turned her head around frantically to give Najenda a distressed, weak look, then whirled back to face the man. All the pain, suffering, it seemed like a waste of time now. The feelings she originally bore shrivelled and died like plaguing parasites cured of corruption. A pin could drop in the room and the quietness wouldn't stifle.

Meanwhile, what ran through the dense head of Tatsumi's was how taken ack e was about the woman's sheer beauty. That and 'oh god what do I say shit! shit!'. He drank in every detail of her almost perfect figure, almost observing for too long around her slim waste line, to ample chest and flawless facial features, both capable of looking furiously aggressive and innocent. Flowing hair cascaded down her straightened back like a silky black waterfall.

"T-T-T-Tats-Tatsumi...Tatsumi..." She managed with teary eyes. She could feel the droplets bead at her eye curve and then trickled down her cheek."

"A-Akame..." Tatsumi was never one for conversation. No one else in the room dared to even mumble a word. All the built up sorrow and grief clawed at her heart, threatening to just explode right there in a volcanic floury of aggression and held-back passion. She couldn't believe it, for it was just impossible in this world, or the next, and the one that came after that. She had watched his death unfold before her eyes, replaying the scene over for the thousandth time again.

It was really him. Or was it. There was no way he could be alive. Doubting herself around a million times gave the poised silence a chance to slowly rise into the atmosphere, creating the most awkward feeling. The brown mane, sea green orbs, that worn yellow jumper, that puzzled, incredibly adorable demeanour that he donned. No, it was him, but different...and same? He looked slightly taller, but kept the same toned physique and hair length.

She couldn't breathe, let alone speak, so only segments of a sentence escaped her lips. It was honestly, pathetic, but it was the best she could do considering her partner had somehow risen from the dead and stood in front of her very unbelieving eyes. Tatsumi had made the most un-dramatic, heroic entrance she had ever seen. Her mind was trying to choose between exasperated, bewildered, and excited.

Another part of her head was just erratically spinning, trying to decide on running to tackle him into a hug with lot's of emotion and love behind it, or straight punch him in the jaw and yell at his idiotic face for foretokening her. All that time being alone made her feel queasy inside, like her stomach, though empty, was stirring intensely.

"You...Y-You...A-Ar-How? You-You..."

"Ahhhh...N-Nice to see you again Akame. Sorry I kept you...ummm...waiting?"

"Dumbass." Najenda added, clearly not impressed. She tilted her head over to see Akame, her own face positioned so that it didn't show, her long hair covering her expression. She was clearly shaking, and the look she wore was not only troubled, but mad, angry, looking like she was going to brutally kill someone. A single tear fell form her left eye, emphasising her blood-shot red colour.

"Tatsumi..."

"A-Akame..."

"you idiot." She finally whispered.

PART ONE DONE!

So we have started the reunion! This story will have shorter chapters than my others, and trust me this is just the start of this awkward reunion which will either end in...actually don't worry about it...hahah thanks for reading everyone and have a nice day!