Plans & Apologies

Cassie smiled and nodded, but she would not be diverted from the subject at hand.

"And I'm going back with him," she said. She felt a pang of dread in her stomach and braced herself for the hard part. All things considered, she was doing just fine.

She said it again, just to be clear. "I'm moving back home. I'm... Sorry."

Akashi nodded at Cassie's initial words. Of course she'd go back, help Bucky move and visit her family some. She didn't understand why Cassie was being so skittish until...

"WHAT!?"

Akashi stood up and walked away from Cassie before pacing back towards the smaller red head. "Cassie-chan, I don't understand! You're giving up wrestling?! Your whole life is here! What about Shinobu-kun? What about Taylor-chan? The Dojo, those cute sisters you get along with? What about AFW?"

Akashi turned and looked at her house. Her house hadn't been empty in a long time. As close as She was with Taylor, she saw Cassie every day. In a way, the two were much more familiar with each other than the sisters.

Akashi turned back and slipped back into her chair. She reached out and squeezed Cassie's hand tightly. "Cassie-chan, what brought you to this decision?"

There was the reaction Cassie was waiting for. She lowered her eyes and quietly let Akashi speak.

Leaving wrestling didn't bother her. Leaving Japan was fine. Leaving the friends she loved so dearly would be really hard, but she had her wonderful family waiting back home. The very worst part, for Cassie, was the thought of leaving Akashi to an empty house.

"Wrestling just isn't the life I want," she explained gently. "I tried it, and it just isn't for me. The lack of weight classes pretty much means I'll never be champ, and that does bother me, but its like we're at war all the time here. I love it at the dojo, but we always seem to be preparing to go to war rather that just competition. I miss jiujutsu, the focus and calm and the art... It's what I was made for. And I'm finishing my degree soon, so I need to start thinking about a career and a family... I really like Shinobu, but I don't think he's ready to settle down and raise kids."

She looked Akashi in the eye, and finally faltered. Her eyes welled up with tears and she said "I love you guys so much. I wish you'd come with me."

Akashi lowered her head and let her ringletted hair fall in front of her face. Her hands tightened into fists and tears began to drip from her eyes. "Ok... Cassie... Chan." Akashi said, taking her time to breathe.

"It sounds like you've thought this out. And, everything you say is right, mature and practical."

Akashi threw her hand up and brushed aside her hair. Her eyes were red and tears matted her cheeks and dripped into her pouting lips. "Onegai... Cassie-chan... Please don't leave me!"

Cassie flinched. Akashi's distress hit cut straight through her. But hurting Akashi was the last thing she wanted!

"Akashi..." She said softly. She reached across the table and took Akashi's hands. Cassie's own hands looked like a child's by comparison. "I don't ever want to leave you. But I've wrestled for almost five years now, and I've been away from my family ever since I finished high school. It's just..."

She swallowed hard. This was somehow more difficult than she thought it would be. "I love everything about living here with you, and if it were up to me, I'd take you with me. Do you really need to be in AFW? There are so many things you could do. You could come with me and start a new chapter in your life... Or at least, maybe you could come stay with me sometimes. To get away."

Akashi looked down, staring at Cassie's small hands. Tears still dripped from her eyes. "I'm not finished here yet. besides. This is my life. Fighting is all I know how to do. If that's taken away, I'm just some relic who belongs in a museum..."

Akashi huffed. "Of course you should see your family, but I think this is your home." Akashi paused. "I..." She squeezed Cassie's hand and suddenly stood up. "No!" She said suddenly and tugged Cassie out of the chair. "You can't leave until we do something together and if you can't do it... Then you can't leave, understand?"

Cassie shook her head. That wasn't true. Her home would always be in Canada, with her family, where she belonged.

She nearly jumped out of her chair in fright before Akashi pulled her up. She craned her neck to look up at the big sumo and raised a confused, and curious, eyebrow. She had very versatile eyebrows.

"Okay..." She said cautiously. "Like what?"

"Come on. Just come with me!"

Akashi said as she pulled out her phone. "Who have you told? I want to make sure I have you all to myself tonight." Akashi said as she made her way towards the door.

She let go of Cassie only to start putting her clunky geta sandals on.

"No one." Cassie shook her head. "Of course I talked to you first. Other than Bucky. Taylor's next."

She went with Akashi and slipped her feet into her sparkly silver Ugg boots. She wasn't feeling very sparkly, but the other options were all tucked away in the closet.

"Soooo..." She said as she situated her feet. "I'm just a teensy bit curious, here, Akashi."

"Oh, I'm sure you are." Akashi said with a giggle and pulled Cassie out of their house. As she locked up, she called for a driver to pick them up. It was one of the perks that Akashi's contract afforded her that she didn't often take advantage of.

She preferred to live as austerely as possible but this seemed as good a time as any and in a few short minutes a nice car with tinted windows rolled up to them and the two were on their way.

"So, Cassie-chan... How long have you been thinking about this?" Akashi said with a serious tone as she rested a hand gently on Cassie's leg.