F̶o̶l̶l̶o̶w̶ Fuck the Rulebook - Kenma Kozume

Extra hands - C25

"you ready to talk about it?"

There was no better time than the present. Akasuki nodded slowly,

"Tadashi and I decided," she glanced up at her, "that it was best for us to see other people."

Her mother softly nodded reaching out to brush Akasuki's hair from her face,

"you okay?"

Akasuki shrugged taking another bite,

"I know we didn't like each other in that way, but," she frowned staring into her bowl, "he was a really good friend, I don't want to lose that."

"You won't lose that," her mother whispered, "a friendship like that, doesn't break easily."

But that wasn't the whole truth to this thing, she took a short breath as she grumbled under her breath,

"And I think my stupid crush has continued to develop into real feelings."

Her mother chuckled, Akasuki lifting her head at her, this wasn't funny, she's serious. Her mother stifled her chuckles at Akasuki's glare,

"you always get so deeply involved in everything," she smiled at her, "a lot like your father."

"Yeah but you and dad are actually married," Akasuki argued, "Kenma and I," she passed furrowing her brows, "barely speak except in small short bursts."

"And," her mother leaned in smirking, "you don't think we had those small short bursts of conversations?"

She guessed not but maybe they did, the thought of her parents barely knowing each other felt, impossible.

"I know I told you not to get involved with someone who doesn't have any interest in you," it never worked out well last time, "but," she sighed, "maybe he is interested in you and you just don't know."

What? Akasuki's head shot up to stare at her mother,

"Really? How would you be able to tell?"

She shrugged,

"it depends on the boy, your father used to ask for help with his maths homework,"

"But friends ask for help," Akasuki frowned.

"Even though he was at the top of his class?" her mother grinned, "he did the stupidest things just so he could spend more time with me."

Has Kenma ever done that for her? Her eyes widened, the games, the fall, the trolley,

"and you're not messing with me?"

Her mother laughed,

"what? You think I've run out of things to do, that I've decided to mess with my teenage daughter?"

Akasuki squinted at her, her mother may look like an angel but she was sneaky and sly sometimes,

"yes, I do."

She hummed in agreement before shaking her head and ruffling Akasuki's hair,

"come on, I know boys are a sensitive subject but I'm always here to talk and," she paused glancing at Akasuki, "chat shit."

Wow, that's among one of the first times she's had her mother swear but it kinda made her happy. She grinned stupidly,

"thank you, I just wanna," she picked up the book waving it, "live in a world that isn't mine."

Her mother nodded slowly seemingly understanding her, slowly rising from her seat towards the large oak bookcase at opposite her door, brushing her fingers over the detailed spines of the books suddenly sliding one out,

"I like this one."

Akasuki curiously glanced at the empty space on the case, she took it from her unread shelf, holding her hand out she spoke,

"what is it?"

Her mother took a step handing it over, Akasuki staring at the matte black cover, the only details were words, 'the devil is in my heart', huh.

"I think it's exactly what you need right now," her mother suggested heading towards the door, glancing back at her, "but don't say up too late, okay?"

"Okay," Akasuki murmured opening the book slowing, wait, she glanced up quickly to catch her mother leaving, "thanks mum, I know I can overreact with things but, thank you."

She smiled with a nod, quietly closing the door. Akasuki appreciated her mother coming to talk to her, it's strange to think of her father and mother younger embarrassing themselves to one another, it was strange, but it worked out for them, that brought a small hope to her. She moved the bowl onto the bedside table, nestling down into her bed as she pulled the book up to her. Let's get this started then, as she started to read the prologue, her phone beginning to buzz, huh? Who was it this late? She glanced at her phone by the bowl, a name blaring in large white letters, Kenma. Her eyes widened as she reached over, her fingers scrapping the edge as the call suddenly stopped, oh. A second later she got a message again from Kenma,

"Wrong person."

Right, that kinda hurt, she pulled back frowning, it's not like he's intentionally called her before. She sighed moving her eyes back to the book, she better find answers in here, otherwise she's suing someone.