Akari stood before the ancient stone pillar, its surface scarred and worn from countless years of weathering. Streaks of blood had seeped into the cracks and crevices, a testament to the violence that had transpired here. Akari's fist clenched tightly as she eyed the deep dent in the stone, the result of her own relentless pummeling. Nothing but the pounding of her feet, the clenching of her hands, the burning fury that threatened to consume her very being consumed her mind. With a guttural roar, she reared back and struck the pillar again; the impact sending shockwaves through her arm.
As her knuckles connected, something changed. Flames erupted from her fist, her blood boiled on her skin. She heard the scream coming behind her, the grand mansion in the distance was engulfed in roaring flames, the acrid stench of charred flesh filling the air. And there, at her feet, lay the charred, blistered remains of her parents, their reddened, leathery skin bubbling and peeling away. The lifeless bodies stirred, its limbs twitching as if awakening from a deep slumber. Slowly, it started to ascend Akari's form, each movement deliberate and purposeful. Akari's heart raced, the pounding in her chest nearly drowning out the agonized, wheezing breaths that escaped the smoldering corpses.
The world around her began to crumble, the very foundations shaking as Akari's body trembled uncontrollably. As she felt herself slipping away, a familiar presence materialized, Duri and Omani, their faces etched with concern as they hovered over her prone form. Akari's eyes fluttered open, the visceral nightmare slowly fading, though the lingering anguish and confusion remained etched upon her features.
"Hi, yeah?" Akari sat up in her bed, looking between the two men.
"You were screaming" Duri looked down at Akari with concerned eyes.
"I do that sometimes," Akari dismissed the thought. They stared at her with such pity. "Don't do that," Akari shook her finger at them, climbing out of bed and walking to the kitchen.
Omani followed behind her. "Do what?" he asked. He grabbed her hand, lifting onto the counter in one swift move.
"This" Akari gestured between the two men, Duri gave her a glass of water. "This intimate interaction. It's too domestic" She sipped her water.
"What's wrong with being domestic?" Omani rubbed Akari's thighs, up and down.
Akari pushed his fingers from her hips. "I don't know if you noticed, I am your contract killer, your hitman. You dress me up and I get the job done but right now, the lines are blurring" she waved frantically looking at both of them.
"We are just taking care of our people, and you are one of them," Duri said, sternly, internally hating the idea that Akari was pushing them away.
"I highly doubt that," Akari scoffed, crossing her arms and legs.
"We take care of that is ours" Omani nodded, crossing his arms.
"Do you do the same for others?" Akari jumped off the counter, jumped off the counter, crossing her arms as the two men stood silently." That's what I thought" she turned her back to the men.
Omani's head lowered, and his fist clenched. Duri saw this and turned desperate. "You mesmerize us," the tone of Duri's voice felt like he was reaching out for her. Akari paused. "But your power, your vibrant personality and your rambling, all of it" he inched closer.
"We never felt this way," Omani whispered, looking at his feet. "We only needed each other, but now, we are conflicted"
Akari stood for a moment, quietly, the tension building between her and them. "You shouldn't be" she turned to look at them. "You are wasting your emotions"
"You feel it too," Duri pointed out quickly.
"I am incapable of feeling anything" Akari gave them a death glare. "If you weren't in your position, I would have accepted Atlas' proposal in a heartbeat," she expressed darkly.
"Even after everything" Omani's voice was so brittle
"There wouldn't be anything, let alone everything," Akari swore to them, turning to leave.
Duri saw hurt flash past Omani's eyes and a familiar feeling settled in Duri's chest. His muscles began to twitch "typical" as he sneered, crossing his arms.
Akari whipped her head towards them. "In case you forgot, you two forced me to be here, so quit with the attitude," she pointed it.
out, turning towards the guest bedroom.
Omani walked up to Akari's retreating body, grabbing her hand. "Forgive us." He pleaded, bringing her hand to his lips.
Akari pulled her hand away. "That doesn't work on me," she stepped away from Omani.
Omani looked sincerely into Akari's eyes. "We were out of line" He stepped towards her.
"Then stay behind it" Akari commanded before turning around and walking away.
As Akari stepped into the guest bedroom, she is immediately struck by how much larger the space felt. The vast, empty expanse of the mattress before her seemed to loom, an imposing presence that made her feel small and alone. Tentatively, she crept onto the bed, but the crisp, unfamiliar sheets felt cold and barren against her skin.
Gathering her emotions, Akari wrapped her arms tightly around herself, trying to ward off the chill and find a sense of security. For the first few moments, she clung to the hope that she might be able to drift off to sleep, but then, without warning, a ragged, uncontrollable whimper burst through her lips. Hot tears began to well up, soaking into the pillow beneath her head as deep, heaving sobs wracked her body.
Duri and Omani heard the sorrowful cries coming from the guest bedroom. Duri swiftly moved in that direction, but Omani intervened, stopping him. "She drew a line," He said firmly, even though his heart ached to run in there.
They stood silently, listening to Akari crying, but Duri couldn't take it. "I can't listen to that" he rushed into the room.
Akari sat up at the sound, her eyes puffy and her face red. "I don't know why I am crying," she whimpered, looking up at them.
Duri's strong arms enveloped Akari as he swiftly swept her up, cradling her close to his chest as he carried her with purpose towards the bedroom he shared with his partner, Omani. Omani trailed closely behind, a glass of cool, refreshing water clutched in his hand, ready to provide comfort and care for Akari.
The trio soon reached the bed, where Duri gently lowered Akari down, settling her onto his lap. Omani joined them, perching on the edge of the mattress, and began tenderly rubbing Akari's back in soothing, circular motions. The simple touch seemed to have an instantly calming effect, as Akari's ragged breathing steadied and the tension visibly drained from her body.
Duri murmured reassuring words, his deep voice rumbling soothingly, while Omani continued his ministrations, his nimble fingers working out the knots of stress that had built up in Akari's muscles.
"Just breathe" Omani pulled Akari's legs onto his lap, desperately feeding the need to touch her.
"I'm serious" Akari looked between the two men. "I don't know why I am crying, I know it's not a pms thing or my period and I am definitely not hungry," she began to ramble. "But it just keeps coming out" Akari grabbed a Duri t-shirt. "Make it stop," she pleaded with him.
Omani took her hands and kissed them tenderly. "Just cry, Mami, let it all out," he whispered in that smooth velvety voice. "You don't need a reason here," he nodded.
Akari gazed at him with wide, captivating honey eyes, her emotions overwhelming her until she finally succumbed to a torrent of tears. She wept not only for the weight of expectations pressing down on her, but also for the absence of a carefree childhood she had never known. Her tears flowed from the disconnect she felt with her own body, a vessel that never quite felt like her own. As her sobs wracked her body, Akari continued to cry until she had exhausted every last tear.
Eventually, the embrace of sleep enveloped her, offering a sense of warmth, comfort, and
intimacy that she had longed for, allowing her to surrender to its embrace without fear.
Duri and Omani exchanged a knowing glance, silently coordinating their actions. With a decisive gesture, Duri effortlessly lifted Akari, allowing Omani to prepare the bed for them. However, they soon discovered that she had a firm grip on Omani's hand and clutched onto Duri's shirt with the other. Without hesitation, they shared a nod and carefully maneuvered her onto the bed together. As they settled in, positioning themselves on either side of her, they locked eyes with unwavering discernment.
"We can't let her…" Duri started, breaking the warm silence between them.
"I know," Omani nodded. "But Vinny is still a threat for all of us," he looked down at the pouting Akari.
"Then we take him out" Duri looks at Akari too. "Doesn't need more death in her life"
"And then…" Omani looked at Duri to see if they were on the same page.
"We never let her go," Duri said with determination.