The barrel of Kougami's pistol drops slightly, brushing against the corner of her mouth. She knows that it's been placed there reluctantly but she can't find it in herself to care. They've been doing this for a long time now, playing hide-and-go-seek under false pretences, participating in a game without end. As much as she likes finding him, the novelty has begun to wear off.
"This isn't very professional, Inspector," Kougami says, allowing the sound of his heartbeat to surround her like a living thing.
"I know," she replies, staring into his eyes. "It isn't."
"Are you insane?" Ginoza demands, squeezing her shoulder so hard that it hurts.
Sybil has incorporated Akane into their scheme so intricately that she's become an integral part of their system. They've cultivated an interest in Kougami, pursuing obscure leads in an effort to find him. All of the nightmares she's had over the past eight years are coming true, seeping into her waking moments as though they've been real all this time. Ginoza's eyes mirror her thoughts and she feels more tired than she's been in years.
"If you do this you'll be putting your life at stake."
"I know," she mutters, staring at the ground.
"Then why do you insist on doing it?"
He's become a man in the time that they've spent together, embodying his father's outlook on life. Like a hen, he's doted over her, filling her personal space. She wonders whether he'll find it in himself to let her go.
"Because he's my responsibility," she says, avoiding his stare, but she can feel his eyes on her face, committing it into memory.
"Is he really?" he asks, but her answer is obvious.
Kougami reaches out and tucks a piece of Akane's hair behind her ear. The tips of her fingertips brush against the base of his spine. With her legs wrapped around his waist, he slips into her embrace, sliding his hands into her hair. He knows very well that they've gone too far this time, testing each other's boundaries for the sake of equanimity. When she breathes into the shell of his ear, whispering his name, he throws all caution to the wind. He slips his hands beneath her thighs, savoring the feel of her pulse against his lips. She's very much alive.
A cry of pleasure forces itself from his throat as she rolls her hips sharply against his own. When he looks into her eyes, they're on fire, burning steadily in the darkness as though they're flames. He's lit a fuse and the light won't go out. He tries to read the expression on her face, flitting between her brows in an attempt the divine her thoughts, but to no avail. She's glittering like a dying amber and he can't stop kindling the flame. Driving her harder against the wall, he grips her thighs until they've turned as red as her lips. She's calling his name, winding her fingers tightly into his hair, holding on for dear life. The sound of her climax is as loud as a gunshot.
Akane tries not to imagine the look on Kougami's face, the colour of his eyes, or the shape of his mouth. When he wraps his tongue around her name, she can't help but look at him, staring into the depths of his eyes as though they're her own. It's not her intention to make him a murderer, but they can't play hide-and-go-seek forever. She knows that he'll discover what she's been trying so desperately to hide. When that day comes, she'll be forced to face the rear end of his pistol.
"Are you going to arrest me, Inspector, or would you like to tag along?" he asks, tapping the barrel of his gun against her temple.
If it comes down to bullets, she'd like one in the brain. She's fairly certain that he'll respect that decision.