"Whe-eh, where am I?"
"Belly of the giant where your demons dance with mine."
"Akagi? Why you here? And what happened?"
"Let's not talk about it now."
When Misaki's eyes got focus, she saw Akagi's silky-smooth dark hair, long narrow fringes dangling over his impassive face while she been carried by him, climbing up the stairs, with one arm under her legs and the other supporting her back.
"Sorry for causing you to carry me like this, I know I'm heavy."
"Nah... You have quite a lot of soft features besides, we are close."
"Where?"
"Home sweet home."
While carrying Misaki, Akagi unlock the door went in, flashing the lights. Then closed it with his leg.
"Wa-wait... Isn't that your house?!"
"Technically yes it was, now it's nobodies."
According to Akagi it's the safest, he brought Misaki into old home where he, his mother and young brother used to live, Misaki once visited his home many years ago, but after a glance she recognised it straight away, somehow surprised to look at the room.
"Strange. I thought it would became old, dump, dreary place?"
"Why wouldn't it be? I cleaned the entire house two days ago got rid of every dust from the molecular level."
"Huh? Two days ago!?"
"You look surprise? Don't you know me I hate being disorganised."
"Yeah...I know..."
"Hey, let's go treat your leg first. The blood stained my entire trouser."
After getting inside, Akagi directly takes Misaki into his bathroom, slowly sitting her down into commode's guard,
"Ahh...A-Aragh fuck, it's hurts...!"
"Yes I know, it will gonna hurt a little, as long as the bolt stuck into your leg muscle greater the chances of become septic."
Akagi informed her, glance at Misaki's bloody messed up leg, A large cross bolt stuck into her fleshly muscles, ooze out blood every time she moves.
"Why-ah... Why hurting so much... It's not any ordinary Imperium weapon is it?"
"Because it's not! The imperial military has special kind of weapons, designed to hunt down Mutants, counter every of their abilities mainly their regenerative healing factor. I doubt that Bolt struck inside, is coated with Parasitic Serum, (Anti-Fallen). Not only its severely hurting one's body, it's unable to regenerate on its own and every time your Mutagen healing factor tries to heal it becomes more damage, making it more pain than usual."
"R-right, basically I'm fucked."
"Heh, don't worry I will protect your virginity, unless you already lose it by a man, or a woman."
"Would you shut up and do whatever you're doing!"
Misaki rebuked, firmly irritated by Akagi who makes snarky remarks about not knowing her sexual orientation and chastity, though he quite enjoying teasing her, hasn't see her for three years and he will use every opportunity to be a smartass.
"My, my body feels so heavy, feel dizzy...."
She swooned, again begun to lose consciousness.
"Because there still multiple shrapnel plunge in your leg, it must've the bolt exploded once stuck, stay awake."
"Huh!?"
Akagi roughly twitched off her cheek firmly observed Misaki's condition, knew she needs medical attention, fortunately he got it all arranged,
"Stay still, I learned every medicine and medical instruction to heal you up, I left a kit on the other room. Be right back."
Along with whole first aid kit with bunch of other medical equipment first he stopped the bleeding, taking out arrow stick. Keep the pressure, applied firmly and directly, is the best control of serious bleeding anywhere on the body. Pressure closes blood vessels and forms a barrier, allowing blood to clot around the wound.
Then Akagi surrounded the bathroom with plastic sheets, wearing medical gloves grabbed a scissor then said nonchalantly,
"Hey, take off your clothes!"
"What!?"
"Relax... I will only going to take the bolt out, it's a foreign object filled with bacterial pathogen, no need to go 'lewdness' thought, and it's not possible if you still wearing those bloodstained attire."
"Fine..."
Misaki was baffled at first upon hearing, thinking what's he saying then she realised Akagi intend to take out the arrow bolt, without any more complaints she removed out her outer clothes, donned only her lace light pink bra and panty as undergarment, she pretty embarrassed herself, heavily blushed while Akagi slowly cutting her blood-soaked black tights, showed no perverse signs or any emotions at all, professionally stripped of her clothes.
"You know Misa, Live scenes of Paris and a continuity Narrator link together four dramatic re-enactments of original ballet creations by Holand Pit, a French ballet company director, and his ensemble, Ballets de Paris: Carmen (2039), La croqueuse de… a majority of French audience just swooned, just to see the divine beauty of female performer of the ballet, wearing the same pair of black tights as you."
"You know French? That won't be a surprise if you do, not enough to impress me—ah!?"
Misaki sharply retorted faintly, however restore the consciousness right back, when Akagi caressed her forehead.
"Wasn't trying to. Your temperature is high. And you're septic. Mutant have lot stronger immunity system than regular humans."
"Is that good?"
Misaki asked anxiously while Akagi gazing her wounded leg in more concern, properly wash off her leg with some water,
"Thing is giving you fluids and antibiotics is reasonable, but none of that's gonna do any good until I get that bolt out of you, as long the bolt struck into your body, it will continue releasing that toxic pathogen, keep on interfering your regenerative Mutagens, first I will take out the bolt and the shrapnel."
Akagi took out dozens of cotton bandages, and a tweezer, leaning the bandages near the entry hole, and methodically grabbed the bolt inside the flesh,
"Look away Misa, you need remain calm, your body's trying to fight it but can't, so... It might cause high white blood cells count, fever, systemic inflammation..."
"Fine, I am not looking,"
Without much insistence, Misaki look at the ceiling, try to remain calm, the little bit pain she must endure.
With much persistence, Akagi cautiously pulled out big metal Bolt out from her flesh, and dropped the long heavy Bolt on the other side,
"Oh shit!"
"Hang on, the hard part is almost over."
As her fluid-like blood squirt out from the hole, immediately Akagi buried the wounds with bandages and cotton cloth put another layer over the top rather than peeling off the existing layer.
"Well... I am surprised..."
"Huh!? What about!?"
"Well... somehow I knew you're a good person. No matter how cold-hearted you've become you couldn't let me die. Hehe."
She chuckled, finally show her some vulnerability, content expression.
"Maybe, you're not that deviant person I thought you are..."
"Yes.. Except the large breasts, broad-shoulder, toned muscles, toned midriffs, sculpted abs, and strong well-developed legs. And...nice tattoo I guess, haven't seen it before, certainly not on the criminal database where you have a nasty 'bad' reputation, which I peeked but did not mentioned."
*Smack*
"Ow!"
"I have enough with your deadpan trash-talk. Are you trying to make me hate you!"
"It's was a compliment..."
Misaki lightly smacked Akagi, at the top of the skull in annoyance with the other non-injured heel, regardless him, stating her legs' muscularity as attractive, while he dressing up her wounds, observed there is a large crimson-colour rose tattoo adorned with tendrils, quite distinct compared to her pale-skin, graceful nonetheless. Which covers her left upper shoulder.
Despite Misaki having an utterly callous, distant and ruthless persona around her Athenaeum criminals, she showed warmth around Akagi, genuinely don't mind be with him, relatively calm, funny even flirtatious. Will occasionally spare people's lives on the grounds that they amuse her, is usually willing to negotiate before resorting to violence, and has only lost her temper once in her entire career. However, if negotiations don't go her way, she won't even blink before casually gunning down everyone in the room or the entire city's police force.
"All done.. Let's go..."
After patching her up, Akagi again picked Misaki up, and walked towards bedroom cradle her on the bed.
"There are multiple medicines before you sleep."
Akagi said, after cuddled Misaki down, put on the blanket, "You want me to sleep on your bed? What about you?"
She asked Akagi with the unusual worry look on her face, slowly managed her body get into the bed, let her feet to rest.
"It's already night, I sleep on the couch. I will inform your gangster buddies tomorrow. There is a big meeting I don't want to miss."
After she settled down in his bed Akagi sit beside her, extracting the one medicine from the bottle, using a syringe, then pushed the shot at Misaki's arm, reminding her clothes were bloodstain moss,
"You can wear my clothes for now, I'll buy some later."
"Heh, I don't need those at these moments."
"2 hours later, eat two pills beside the desk, I be off then."
"W...wait!"
"Huh? What?"
"Where you're going?"
"Out, leave you to get some rest, it been a long day."
"No stay! Stay with me, sit beside, please..."
When everything settles, Akagi just about to leave, let Misaki to her sleep however she didn't agree, grabbed his hand, with a cute plea, insisting him to stay with her.
"Huff, fine but only for an hour, you need to rest, those were some strong medicines I just gave you."
"Sure. I will get some sleep later on."
With little resent, Akagi agree to stay, sat right beside Misaki on the bed, bow down gazing sullenly at the ground, fingers interlocked, stayed still without saying a word.
"When I first joined Friendo's, The Owner Yamamoto told me Commercial Individual Cells were very abridged, they always need someone to become a scapegoat for the Imperium."
While Akagi didn't willing to speak, Misaki revealed some of its secrets about Friendo's Bar, the place where they first met, her eyes became tearful muttered the story in a depressing tone, lying on the pillow, with Akagi facing backwards.
"You don't have to discussed the past with me."
"No, it's better for you to know."
Akagi didn't want Misaki bring up their trouble past, relived their complex relationship, nevertheless she wanted to discuss it anyway,
"I already knew what Yamamoto intend to do when his cell is on suspicion, hand over useless 'sheep' to save their skin. When I first saw you, I thought of you as one of the lambs we need to sacrifice even encourage Yamamoto to use your when you join the Friendo's, always knew what will happen to you if Friendo's safety is compromise."
"Then why showing the courtesy saving me when I trapped in the Detention Centre?"
Akagi asked nonchalantly, don't bothered to look in the eyes, just gazing at the window thoughtfully.
"I, I don't know,"
She stammered, unable to answer properly,
"Maybe, I, I understood that I don't have to do everything what Yamamoto said."
"That wasn't my question,"
Akagi coldly interrupted,
"Why did you want to save me If you already decided to throw me away from the beginning? Why did you rebel against Yamamoto and his crew, going on to rescue me with your trusted companion?"
"Because I... In that time, I thought I was in love — still am. And I didn't want to lose you because... I have feelings... for you."
It's wasn't hard for Misaki to express what's inside, after saying this she went quiet, too anxious and embarrassed to say anything else.
"Ohh, I said something really strange didn't I?"
She snarled herself as a self-mocking, dropped her red-faced into the pillow, blushing relentlessly.
Her transformation within the years, spending time with her organisation Athenaeum certainly took part to shape her strong, fearless personality, But she is the one best equipped to see her through the current situation or other disaster, and she sure as hell isn't going to turn the organisation over to the treacherous men who would be next in line if she stepped down. So she takes the reins with silken force and makes them follow her command through brute cunning and charisma, overawing her detractors through her impeccable style, no-nonsense speech, wit, imperturbability, wisdom, indomitable will, disdain for frivolity and — where necessary — sheer brutality and ruthlessness, although she is the same old Misaki Mayumi inside whose her personal happiness is a small price to pay...
"Heh! I see..."
Akagi chuckled comically, ridicule about how to say, when to say, nevertheless he replied to Misaki in a soft, affable manner,
"Well, since you confess what's inside, there is something that you need to know."
"What?"
"Yamamoto was a prisoner of Raizen Supermaxim, him and his family were convicted for Treason, for some Controversy he took part in during the Second MH War. He was only released by Ichiro Kyousuke's supervision as a bargain for his family, became an Imperial Confidential Informant to rat out any radical threats in the Commercial districts. Without anyone knowing he blended into society creating a business later a Mutant Cell, recruiting Mutants for the cause, at the same time deliver information on the radicals. When I threatened Yamamoto keep you alive since he wanted to kill you ever since you disobeyed him, he began to panic and spilled everything about me to Ichiro Brittonia's current Supreme One."
Akagi continued the story,
"Kyousuke Ichiro already annoyed by Yamamoto didn't provided significant information, when I brought MRC's Headquarter down, killing thousands, Ichiro held no obligation to keep Yamamoto and Friendo's pals alive anymore, so he commenced a little assault on The Friendo's Bar, burning the Restaurant to the ground. Possibly Ichiro also persuaded Masamune to capture me and he killed your friend, later captured me."
Misaki just utterly speechless unable, unwilling to answer anything, finally knowing the fact that exasperated her for almost three and half years.
"I don't know what to say to you,"
Misaki muttered depressingly, soon after finding the truth, she was deeply ashamed for holding such murderous, disdainful grudge against Akagi unnecessarily,
"No matter I think I reformed myself, I am still a reckless idiot, made lots of mistakes and miscalculation."
"Yeah sure, you're young silver haired woman, who haven't reached her mid-twenties. Aren't you a bit young to be the leader of largest organised-crime syndicate in Imperium States?"
Akagi joked impassively, then little smile of comfort glossed over his always moody, depressed face, thinking wouldn't be nice to make her laugh, and keep her company during her loneliness? And she laughed undeniably,
"Heheh.. Yeah true... Your snarky remarks certainly help me to improve the cautiousness."
Misaki also smiled, hand slowly reaching through Akagi's thighs, holding it above as she sincerely delighted with Akagi beside, slowly fall asleep holding hands together, she's already in her safe place.