Chapter 12

Can't Get No Satisfaction

How long had she been sitting at this slot machine? How much money had she put into it? What time was it? What song were they playing over the sound system? When did she order this margarita? How long had it been since she checked in? How many times had she pulled the lever at this one machine? Sae had lost track of all of this, including how long she had been wearing this mask so as to cover her now more publicly known identity and give her some privacy to unwind. But the questions yet clawed at the back of her mind as she pulled the lever again.

No dice, no winnings. In frustration, she let her head fall forward, her forehead colliding with the machine with a metallic thud, the metal of the machinery clinking together as she made impact. She closed her eyes, thinking on just what she was doing here in this casino. "Jack-O Slim's", it was called in some off-putting homage to American Las Vegas culture, with the entire casino being modeled after the great casinos of the West. Or at least, an Eastern appropriation and occasional mistranslation of such adult entertainment venues.

The girls, of course, all wore skin-tight playboy bunny outfits as they walked around, trying their best to sashay their hips without spilling the platters of food and drinks they carried. To Sae's right was a girl dutifully and predictably bending over far more than required to bestow a martini upon a wealthy businessman's table as he played pachinko. Or rather, continued to do so, as he had been sitting there since before Sae had arrived. The girl showed off her shapely front and back with a bright smile that nearly made Sae roll her eyes, though she was even too tired to do that as she continued to rest her head on the slot machine.

The unending decadence that was pervasive throughout the establishment was known well to Sae or had been until the past year. Even before moving to Kamurocho, she would make the occasional sojourn to Jack-O Slim's, sometimes with friends, often without. She had always been a competitive person by nature, and the thrill of gambling, be it with cards, dice, or slots, always gave her an instant and powerful hit of dopamine and serotonin when she got a good payout. When the cards were dealt in her favor, and she was about to make all the stuffy businessmen undressing her with their eyes read 'em and weep, when the slots aligned one by one to give her a small jackpot that would pay for another couple drinks, when the roll of the dice slowed to a stop and she was blessed from the heavens with a beautiful set of boxcars to the applause of all around her; it was in these moments that she felt unconstricted, unabated, uninhibited, like she could fucking breathe, like she was alive.

And then, there were all the moments in between. This safe haven that gave her fix of satisfaction and blissful forgetfulness when she needed them most was also home to hours, and hours, and hours, and hours, and hours of feeling like she was ready to bite the skin from her knuckles in frustration as she watched her hand in Black Jack bust again, when the slots come up with two things: jack and shit again, when she rolled snake eyes at the last moment again, goddammit all.

This, when she needed a fix the most since last seeing her little sister, was one of those nights. She could not win, no matter how much money she fed the machine. She had not even made her way to the Blackjack and Texas Hold 'em tables because she was worried about having to be roped into strip poker just to cover her tab for the night. That, and she had not the energy nor confidence to get up and put more money on the line. Sae knew she had been at the casino for at least two hours by now, and that would mean she had been sitting at this slot machine for at least an hour and a half. Without lifting her head, with her eyes closed, she pulled the lever once again, and won a couple tokens back. Good, she had won just enough to give her a couple more pulls, barely enough for an imported water bottle.

There was a dance floor on the next floor above her, she considered. Perhaps she could go and get sloshed, undo a couple of her buttons and least get some attention to give her some facsimile of validation that the fucking slot machine was not giving her. It was stupid, immature, like a college girl reeling after a breakup and desperate to be told she was pretty, and Sae knew that. She also knew she was more than pretty, she was goddamn gorgeous, even when looking and feeling like death warmed over. She did not need to be told she was pretty, but there was some bit of femininity not yet pressed down, crushed and destroyed within her that occasionally appreciated the verbal confirmation of such a fact. At least, if the validator in question was not twice her age, obviously married and smelling of prunes and cheap, bottom shelf swill.

Sae leaned back in her chair and took a long sip of the strawberry margarita at her side. The tequila burned her throat, but she did not care. The hint of coconut rum coated her tongue in soft sweetness, mixing wonderfully with the cocktail of fruit flavors falling down her throat. This was not her first drink that night, and the effects were starting to be felt. Her head felt heavier, her vision slow, her thoughts taking a moment to coalesce, though she was far from drunk. She enjoyed the buzz, the feeling of swimming through her own mind gently, slowly, lazily. Rarely did her mind ever slow, relax, unless she was getting near the bottom of a bottle, and she tried her best not to rely on self-medication like that, hearing enough horror stories from friends and acquaintances about the dangers of drowning one's sorrows in booze.

But fuck it, she thought, as she took another long sip. This was her night; she was off the clock. Hell, she was not even Sae Niijima in the moment, not really. She wore a mask for a reason, so none may recognize her, so her identity may be obfuscated, so the worries of her job may fall not on her shoulders, so she may be alone, so she may have some goddamn peace and quiet for one fucking night.

Sae quickly put the drink down and rubbed her temple, trying to calm herself of her frustrations. Hours of debriefing, creating and filing reports, trying to explain a hit and run by terrorists to her superiors, all had left her on edge and irritable. She had purposely tried to be responsible and order a lighter drink, not wanting to bring poor choices and circumstances down on herself this evening, but the lighter drink was doing little to keep her frustrations at bay, the alcohol content not enough to put her over the edge to truly losing her inhibitions and cares. She did not want to get drunk, she did not like getting drunk, especially in a public space, but it was looking more and more like her desire for professionalism may have been doing her a disservice, if what she was after was blissful, relaxing ignorance of her job and responsibilities.

With a lazy gaze, she stared at the slot machine in front of her, unsure of what to do next. She thought of the different venues the casino had to offer, the different restaurants and lounges she could relax at, but that required walking, initiative, going somewhere where she cannot win at something and get her dopamine fix, feel empowered for just a moment. She clicked her tongue, looking at the low scoring role she had gotten previously, then raised her middle finger to the slot machine. "You win this round, shitbag," she muttered, taking another drink of her margarita.

"Excuse me, Miss," came a very polite male voice from her left.

Sae turned her attention from the machine to a well-dressed young man with long, brown hair and beaked, bird-like mask obscuring his face. He stood over her with perfect posture, hands folded in front of him. The woman raised an eyebrow his way without responding.

"May I have a seat next to you this evening?"

"What the hell are you doing here, Akechi?"

Akechi unfolded his hands, sitting himself down next to Sae. "Well, I suppose the act is not to be kept up then," he joked. "I was simply seeking you out to check up on you, after the day you've had. And I understood that this is your preferred safe harbor."

Se shook her head, folding her arms under her bust. "It's that obvious, huh? That I'm into gambling?"

"Some are into hardcore drugs, Niijima-san. As long as it's not an addiction, there is little wrong with it, I think."

"Gee, thanks. Who told you I'd be here, anyway?"

"Kenjiro told me about your habit of coming here on rare occasion, though not to put a knife in your back or anything. I assure you, I am not here to take you away for doing a disservice to the police's reputation. I'm wearing this mask for a reason, after all."

"You here to drink and gamble too?"

"I'm not much for gambling myself, though the drinks here are very good. I've come myself twice before, and the pina coladas are wonderful."

Sae smiled lightly at his comment. "They sure are. Didn't expect you to be into girly drinks."

"Just because they are not shots of hard liquor does not make them 'girly', Sae-san," he smiled to her. "They taste good, and that's all that matters to me."

"I'll fucking drink to that," she took a swig in his honor. "So what are you here for, anyway if not to haul my ass to court? Are you stalking me?" she said with a joking tone.

"God, not at all." Akechi leaned his elbow on the table, looking up to her with those wide, boyish eyes of his. "You had a hell of a day, Sae-san, and the debriefing likely did not help matters. You scooted out right when the business talk ended, so there was no time to have any… off the books conversation regarding the day's events."

"True, because I didn't want to spend another minute in that precinct, thinking about how I fucked up again."

"You singlehandedly fought a samurai twice your size, and you claim that you 'fucked up'?"

"Akechi," her tone became less patient, "I have done a lot for the precinct, a lot, but these past couple days are the first time I've gotten in real fights. The shit with the Sawamura's? I didn't do anything. I watched you pull some crazy hero stunt and singlehandedly save the day. And for what? For me to be rewarded for it?"

"Did we not discuss this earlier?"

"And I lied about the whole damn thing!" Akechi did not respond, but waited for Sae to continue. She took a breath, took another drink, and sighed once again. Rubbing her forehead, she continued in a lower, but no less frustrated tone. "I lied about all of it to keep face in front of Murakata and Sugiwara, Akechi. And you, for that matter. I lied about being a hero because I am expected to be a hero. I have a reputation now, one that was forced on me by the commissioner and the press. You said it yourself, it's fucking propaganda, Akechi. I am a piece of propaganda, and everyone expects me now to be some great hero to swoop in and save the day from these fucking yakuza that are terrorizing everyone and—" Her voice caught in her throat, her frustration coalescing in an embarrassingly emotional response. She finished off her drink in one long swig, and lowered her head, her face becoming crestfallen.

"Are you scared, Sae?" Akechi asked, with surprising tenderness.

Sae shook her head yes weakly. "Of the yakuza, yeah. Of the position, the reputation, sort of. I'm more frustrated, angry than anything, but… there's something else."

"What is it?"

She paused, her eyes looking upward into the distance through her hair falling in her face. "You," she said. "How did you do all that?" Akechi looked away, then down at his shoes. "How did you even know what was going on?"

It took a long moment for the young man to respond. "This city," he said slowly, "is a shithole. The seediest red-light district in all of Tokyo. I've always had a… vendetta, I guess, against the yakuza, and have devoted much of my investigative and law enforcement career to dealing with them. When I got the chance to come to Kamurocho, the heart of yakuza activity in Kanto, I was excited, and afraid. I trained to better defend myself and others. On top of already having a history in martial arts, I devoted myself to learning new ways to defend the innocent," he glared off into the distance, as if marking a target, "and squash the unjust."

"So, all that with the Venom Flower was from training?"

"And as I said in the midst of that mess, luck."

"I didn't think you'd believe in luck."

"I never try to operate based on luck, but sometimes, you have to take a chance when lives are on the line." Akechi pulled out a cigarette pack and a lighter. He popped a smoke in his mouth and lit it. "You see, Sae-san," he continued. "I was an orphan growing up. My mother passed when I was six to drugs and god knows what else, and I was left in an orphanage far away in Nagoya. Even before she died, she made sure she knew I was… unwanted. My father was some lowlife scum who abandoned her when she found out she was pregnant, as far as I know; mother was always tightlipped about the subject. I know what it's like to grow up unwanted, unheeded, alone. When the girl, Haruka, was rendered a similar fate to myself, I guess I sort of lost it."

"Sounds like righteous indignation."

"Don't assume I'm proud of it though, Sae-san," he added sternly. "I recognize that life must sometimes be spent to safeguard the innocent, but I never relish in the ending of another human life. I admit, I have done it before a few times, but only as a last resort."

Sae leaned on the table, folding her hands. "I feel I should admit, I did have the impression that you enjoyed it."

"How so?"

"You charged headfirst into the thick of it, you didn't even wait for me to give any orders. You just… acted."

"I apologize, Sae-san. It was a charged situation, and we had already lost a target. I couldn't standby as the child was put in danger."

"And you didn't, and it saved her." She sighed, closing her eyes. "While I, your commander, could barely move."

Akechi took another puff of his cigarette. "You really think you did nothing, huh?"

"Did I not?"

"I'd argue that, yes."

"Then what did I do?"

"You kept us alive, for one. Your direction was able to stay off the thugs from shooting us all down."

Sae thought about arguing for the case of the mother's death, but the mental strength to do so was quickly leaving her. "Well, we did all walk out of there."

"Exactly," Akechi nodded. "You were our leader, and you ensured both our survival and success. That counts for more than you think."

Sae looked out into space, focusing on nothing, letting her mind think freely. "That's not why they prop me up as a hero though."

"And what do their reasons matter to you?"

"Because the whole story they're being fed is skewed. They prop me up to make themselves look better."

"As they have since the dawn of civilization." Abruptly, Akechi placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked to him inquisitively at his actions, but did not brush him away. "This conversation is engaging, yes," he smiled to her, "yet exhausting. These are the kinds of subjects that will tire one out when food is not involved."

Sae chuckled to herself, smirking at the younger man. "Are you asking me to dinner?"

"Well, I haven't eaten yet, even though it's so late. And I suspect you have yet to eat as well."

"You got me there." The logical part of her mind screamed at her that what she was about to do was stupid. At least, probably stupid. Yes, her stomach was empty save for the alcohol, and she was dying for a change of scenery, but it just had to be him that came to her aid. It just could not have been Yagami or Kenjiro, it had to be Akechi.

The detective let his hand down from her shoulder, but his eyes did not leave hers until she looked away, her smirk remaining set on her face. "Who's buying?"

"Whomever wishes to when we have the check."

"Smooth, Akechi."

"I have my moments."

She breathed out of her nose audibly, her smirk turning to an apprehensive pursing of her lips. She looked down, then up, then returned her gaze to the middle distance. Well, we are wearing masks… "Where do you want to eat?" she asked slowly.

"Wherever you'd like. I'm too hungry to have a preference," he smiled at her.

"Then it sounds like we're going to that quiet lounge upstairs."

"Steak and wine, Sae-san?"

"I don't know about the steak," she rose to her feet, the hint of a smile appearing on her lips. "I don't want to lose my figure. But the wine, well, they definitely have a good selection."

"On that, I agree," Akechi nodded, standing to his feet as well.

They made their way to the staircase at the other end of the casino floor, then ascended to the lavish hotel area entrance. From this floor, one could access or reserve a room for the night, or dine at the "Wave", a quiet restaurant and bar lounge famous throughout all of Japan. The restaurant was renowned for its grill menu, one of the widest selections of liquor in Kamurocho (and that was saying a lot), and comfy, cozy atmosphere that yet remained distinctly upper-class. The air of the restaurant alone was enough to make the more boisterous guests of the casino reign it in thanks to its dark lighting, soothing jazz that was never played very loud, and low-key but refined decorum.

It took twenty minutes of Sae second guessing herself for them to be seated by a hostess, and the second guessing was abated for a moment when she realized that they had been granted a window seat overlooking the Kamurocho skyline. "Oh my god," she whispered as she took her seat, "how did we get this? I've heard you have to book a month in advance to get this spot."

"I spoke to the receptionist," said Akechi confidently, proudly, "and informed him of who we are, though I also insisted he not do the same to anyone else. Upon doing so, I asked him if this table was open, and it happened to be, so here we are."

"No one had this table reserved for tonight?"

"Maybe they did, though the receptionist apparently found that information irrelevant." They both chuckled to themselves as they began to peruse the menu. "It is beautiful, no?" he asked almost wistfully, looking out the window at the view. "This city is appalling, but from up here, one can almost forget what goes on here every day."

Sae looked up from her menu to the window, taking a moment to absorb the view before responding. "To think that among all the lights and glamour, there's so much awfulness that innocent people have to deal with."

"It's sad, really."

"I agree." Both continued to look out the window, with Sae pretending not to notice Akechi stealing a glance at her image, bathed beautifully in the glamourous light from below and the candle-like glow of the ambient lighting in the restaurant. "But from up here, the city looks almost peaceful."

"How I wish it were so," Akechi looked back to her, his voice melancholy but his gaze observant, intrigued. "Truth be told, Sae-san, I have been closer to the lack of peace in this city than most, even within the precinct."

"How do you mean?" she finally diverted her gaze back to Akechi, who looked… handsome in the mood lighting.

"I have connections, Sae-san, that much has been made known to you and our team members. However, I have cultivated these connections by, well, being undercover."

Sae immediately guessed at what he meant by that, but kept her tone low, casual, yet interested. "You're a stinger, Akechi?"

"Not exactly. I don't intervene in the yakuza's plans unless the situation grows particularly dire, but I do keep a close eye on them and report on them to the precinct. I've been undercover since shortly before officially becoming a Kamuro P.D. officer. At least, one on the force visibly within the precinct. It's why I was inducted in the first place, and why I do not undertake most missions, and try to keep my visibility limited."

"That's why you didn't want to appear on TV today. Then wouldn't the yakuza oust you now that you're publicly known?"

Akechi looked away, not to the window, but to the restaurant. "That is why I will be… leaving soon."

"Your identity's been compromised?"

"The yakuza aren't stupid, they likely already know I'm undercover, Sae. But the police and the yakuza exist in sort of equilibrium, a cold war, something like that. One cannot make a move against the other, and now that I'm in the public eye, it would be disadvantageous for them to put me on ice, for it would only further ruin the reputation they're already losing."

"I assume you're a Sakura man then."

"That's correct."

"And that's how you found out about the Sawamura's?"

"The Venom Flower is infamous among all yakuza in Japan, not a single outfit does business with them, and most just want the whole organization to go up in flames. Their activity is monitored, but sometimes, the men get bold, and slip through the cracks, since Kamurocho still has a wide network of fences not officially aligned with Sakura that will help them network with buyers."

"And now they're out of business."

"Thanks to us, they are. At least in this area. I doubt we will ever cross paths with them again. And if we do, then God be with them."

The waiter came to their table a moment later, taking their drink orders. Akechi recommended they share a bottle of what he described as a "beautifully full-bodied experience for the tongue" called "Sanguinus Virginus". The implication of it being the blood of a virgin piqued Sae's curiosity and left her just as confused, thinking the name sounded rather ridiculous. Akechi promised otherwise, claiming it was his personal favorite vintage.

And lo and behold, the bottle they were brought was arrestingly beautiful when it was given to them only five minutes later, being brought forth in a pale of ice. The waiter bowed as he left, and Akechi began pouring their glasses with grace and refinement,

"Ah, it is rare I get to enjoy such luxuries of the civilized folk," he remarked as he handed Sae her glass. "My work with the yakuza often takes me to cabarets, but most of the utter fools and ruffians I cavort with are completely lacking in taste. Though I promise you, Sae-san, this bottle is not, in any way, shape, or form, lacking in taste."

Sae raised her glass to him, her smirk breaking ever so slightly into a real smile. "To justice," she proclaimed.

Akechi raised his own glass, the same ghost of a smile being returned. "May it ever reign over this land." They clinked their glasses together, and the first drops of the vintage fell on her tongue.

Her body shivered, the flavor profile was divine, even before the aftertaste coated her throat. It was smooth and lush, like drinking silk, a refined and mature pallet of flavor washed over her tongue, the chill of the initial taste giving way to a glowing warmth from her head to her belly. She took a moment to savor the taste before taking another sip, her body seemingly being calmed like it had been administered a spiritual remedy.

"This is heavenly," she said slowly, quietly, letting her mind dwell on the wine she was taking another sip of. "I didn't even know they offered something like this here."

"It's not on the menu," said Akechi casually. "It's a special vintage, very rare and difficult to cultivate. You have to ask for it specifically, and even then, only those of considerable status or influence are allowed to partake in its flavor."

"And that makes us?"

"Those of considerable status and influence," he smiled deviously at her, taking another sip of his wine. "We are heroes after all, Sae-san."

She took another sip, feeling the "swimming" feeling seep into her head once again. "You know we're off the clock, right?" she asked. "You can stop using honorifics with me."

"I apologize. I did not want to come off as presumptuous."

"It would have if you had just started the night without referring to me that way, but I think we're past that point now."

"Well, I can't say I'm not relieved. Thank you, Sae."

"Just don't get cocky, kid," she took a long sip of her wine, letting their eye contact linger.

Akechi then leaned back in his chair, folding his legs in front of him, betraying the prim and proper demeanor he had exhibited the entire night previously. "Pardon me for prattling on about myself so much, Sae. I've hardly given you a chance to speak."

The woman laughed almost awkwardly, diverting her attention back out the window. "You obviously have far more to talk about than I do."

"Why do you say that?"

"You're an orphan who became an undercover cop. You probably have plenty of stories."

"And you're an accomplished adjudicator of justice. Why would you not have plenty to say as well?"

"Because I don't live my life on the 'mean streets'. This last week has been, honestly, the most exciting part of my whole life. At least, in ways that didn't just make me incredibly depressed."

"Now that sounds interesting."

"My depression sounds… interesting?"

"Not all of life is fun and adventure. There is value in the sad times just as much as the glad. And it is always a privilege to learn about that side of another person."

Sae had to put her glass down as she tried to repress a strong laugh. "Is that how you get all the cabaret girls into bed with you? Get them to tell you their sob stories?"

Akechi shook his head with an innocent smile. "I try not to fraternize with them unless absolutely necessary. There is little discreet about going whoring, Sae."

"I can't argue with that. Who knows what you would tell the girls behind closed doors."

"Like there's much else for me to say that I haven't already told you. But there seems to be more for you to say, Sae."

Sae scratched the bridge of her nose, looking down into the deep, enthralling red of the wine. She thought for a long moment, remaining completely silent before sighing. "I've made a lot of mistakes, Akechi," she began. "A lot of mistakes. Even after my father taught me everything he could about life, how to be a responsible adult, a good person. Until he… well, died."

"Ah, yes. Murakata has mentioned that before."

"So, I was rather surprised when you said you have no parents. I don't either."

"Your mother is no longer around either?"

Sae took a sip of her wine, slow and light, just enough to cover her tongue. She whisked the glass around in her hand, looking out the window. "She died when I was fairly young. My little sister was only a few years old at the time. Dad took care of us until someone – a yakuza maybe? – ran the man over with a truck, killed him on contact. Bastard just kept driving, somehow got away. This was ten years ago, technology and tracking wasn't as good back then. After that, I took care of my little sister until after she graduated high school."

"Must have been fairly recent. Is she off at college?"

Sae's expression became dour, and Akechi was about to pull a complete backtrack on his question when she spoke up. "She ran away from home. I… pushed her away, I think."

"You think?"

"It was complicated. I did everything in my mortal fucking power to give her a good life, away from all this dangerous work. I wanted her nowhere near the police, I pushed her to go to a college and go into business, science, real estate, anything that wasn't all this. And then," her voice caught in her throat, but she found it again, "she ran away."

"I see," said Akechi, his gaze finding his shoes.

"Yeah… shit," Sae wiped her eye with her sleeve. "I haven't spoken to her in two years. I don't even know if she's alive. I just hope, every day, that she found something good to do, away from all this." Her scratchy, remorseful voice then broke into weak laughter. "Like Kamurocho, a city where you can be shot at by fucking rocket launchers," she could not help but chuckle again, taking a long and deep drink of her wine. "And then fight a goddamn samurai!"

Akechi smiled, chuckling lightly himself as he watched Sae find some sad humor in the situation. "They did always say that this was the craziest district in Tokyo," he remarked.

"They didn't know the half of it! I mean, organ traffickers, tons of yakuza, samurai, terrorists. Like, what even is Kamurocho anymore?"

"A detestable melting pot of weirdos and psychos?"

"That may be the best way I've ever heard this city described," she raised her glass to him, drinking from it again as she looked out the window with a slow nod. "It's a scummy, awful place," she said, "but from up here, you wouldn't even know it."

"It feels nice to forget what kind of place it really is."

"Indeed." Sae paused again, her wry smile fading. "I don't want to remember," she muttered, almost whispering the words. "I don't want to go back to a world where I can get shot at by rockets. But I have to, my conscience wouldn't let me leave a job like this undone. I have to, like I always have to."

"Have to what?"

"Do the right thing, be the mature one, the responsible one. This city is sick, and I can be part of the cure, so I will be. It's that simple. But… at least for tonight, I want to not have to be all that. I think that's why I came here in the first place. I wanted to forget, to let off some steam." She folded her arms in front of her, letting her eyes peruse the skyline below. "I wanted to feel separate from all that, above them. Like I'm not even in the same world."

Akechi looked to his companion, then to the window, then back to her. "Then let us try to do so," he said.

Akechi expected Sae to at least ask what he meant by that, but instead she only nodded silently, then prepared to order her food. The conversation must have been tiresome to her, for she barely spoke as they ate. Although, Akechi could tell she was more relaxed as the dinner went on. Sae would pour herself some wine, drink from it in between bites, and the stressed, taxed air about her seemed to fade with time. The chocolate mousse she got for dessert seemed to do wonders as well.

Satisfied and leaning back in his seat, Akechi then said, "A wonderful dinner, if I do say so myself."

"I probably ruined my figure, but damn, was it worth it. That mousse was exceptional."

"I strongly doubt that a bit of mousse and wine would do anything to your figure, Sae."

"Then you obviously have a strong metabolism," Sae joked lightly.

"And you don't? I don't believe that."

"Why not?"

"You've always had a wonderful figure," he smiled candidly.

Sae laughed openly once again, though this time was more genuine. "You're flattering me."

"If I was, you would know it," he sat back in his chair with an aura of confidence and boyish swagger. "I'm serious, you're a very beautiful woman, and have been ever since I've known you."

Sae leaned forward on the table, locking their gazes with a knowing expression, as if fishing for more details with her eyes that glinted hypnotizingly in the soft lighting. "The stress of my job does mean I don't exactly put anything on. I think I've actually lost a little bit since starting in this city."

"That's to be expected. We're not sitting around in cubicles pretending to work all day."

"We're out being heroes."

"Precisely." Akechi looked over to the door, diverting his gaze from the woman's eyes for only a moment. "Shall we go do something a bit more fun this evening?"

"Like what?"

"Dancing?"

"You dance?"

"A bit. Do you?"

"Not at all," she chuckled.

"Then I shall lead."

Akechi picked up the tab before they made their way to the dance hall. It was small, intimate, lowly lit much like the restaurant. The dancefloor was in front of a band elevated on the stage, playing some swinging soft jazz. Akechi was already tapping his foot in rhythm as they made their way inside and onto the dancefloor. The song faded out, and the pianist opened another piece which he proceeded to lead. Baka Mitai, it was called. A famous pop-jazz song that the band began in a much more somber, melancholic way than it was originally presented with its big band soundscape.

Tentatively, Sae took up her position in front of Akechi as the intro faded into the first verse. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he placed his hands on her waist. Their eyes met, and they danced in silence for a moment, listening to the flowing notes of the piano and cello. They did not dance as much as they just swayed to the beat, Sae's awkwardness fading into calm as the song continued, and she realized that on account of the masks, no one had any idea who they were. She need not be Sae Niijima in this moment, the hero of the city, the woman who fought a samurai, but just some woman with some man.

And she found some solace in that thought.

The song rose into its first chorus, and she found her eyes wandering down to Akechi's chest, unaware that his own eyes were following the same track down her body. His grip on her waist tightened ever so slightly as his gaze found her bust, pronounced even in her basic pantsuit. She noticed his hands changing their grip, but did nothing against it, instead inching forward closer to him, letting her arms rest on his strong, broad shoulders. He had the body of a strong athlete, but the face of a more innocent, younger man, one who had not seen the terrors and sins of the world as had his stories indicated.

Akechi led her gently in time with the song, and soon their dancing became more of a hug, as they came even closer to each other. She could feel his warm breath on her forehead, growing slightly heavier as they came closer to each other. Her arms wrapped around his neck like when a woman kisses her man passionately in the movies, and their gazes met each other again. Akechi's lips parted by a fraction of an inch, and Sae noticed his eyes looking between her own eyes and her chest. As if confirming to him that nothing was wrong, she moved closer still, her chest then pressing into his.

She felt his breath catch as his chest expanded into hers, then relaxed backward. His hands traveled up her back, pressing her further into him. Sae's hands came around him in a hug, though their eyes never left each other. The music faded into the background for them, and she did not even notice their faces getting closer until their eyes closed, and she felt his lips on hers. She tasted the wine, he tasted the mousse, and they stayed this way for a long moment. Sae moved her arms back around his neck, deepening their kiss. His tongue grazed her lips, causing her to shiver.

Their lips parted, they rested their heads against each other, and Sae felt her chest heating up, her breathing growing heavier. For a brief moment, she recognized that this was inappropriate, wrong. But she did not stop, instead initiating another deep kiss, her tongue grazing his lips this time. The kiss did not last as long, however, when she pulled back with a gasp as she felt his strong yet soft hand grip her rear. She closed her eyes, apprehensive yet letting the sensations travel up her whole body.

"These people don't know who we are," Akechi whispered to her in a breathy, husky voice. "Lots of guys are obviously taken with you, even those that are with other women. I'm making sure they know you're… unavailable this evening."

"And how do you know I'm unavailable?" she asked, her voice becoming laced with lust as well.

"Because my hand is still on your ass."

Sae giggled, resting her head on Akechi's shoulder. "Where'd that 'good boy' act go?"

"I'm a man of many sides. And I have a feeling you are too."

"You want to see them?" she asked, her pitch lowering in a way that made Akechi grip her butt harder on reflex.

"I think I need to."

"Need to?" Her hand slowly traveled from his shoulder to his chest, then lower, passing over his strong, hard abs, before finally landing on his crotch. He breathed in sharply, causing Sae to giggle again as she lightly groped him. "Oh, I think I understand what you mean," she teased him, feeling his manhood stiffen in his pants. She leaned in closer, whispering into his ear, "The girls are watching you too, have been all night. The hostess at the restaurant couldn't keep her eyes off you, and was obviously flirting with you. I think they all need to know that you're unavailable."

Akechi's hand retreated from her butt, returning up her back. Sae felt a slight bit of disappointment at that. "We probably shouldn't get too carried away," he whispered. "Don't want to get kicked out."

"Then what should we do?"

"What everyone does," he smirked mischievously. "Get a room."

Sae smiled up to him, then returned to resting against him. "Just a moment," she said. "Let me enjoy the quiet."

Akechi smiled, hugging her as they swayed to the song. "Of course."

They remained like this as the song came to a close, enjoying the heat of each other's bodies, feeling their arousal manifest in each other's heavy breathing. All was quiet, and they only parted when the final chords rang out. There was applause, the band bowed to the crowd, then began another piece as Akechi and Sae exited arm in arm.

Discreetly and quickly, they booked a room for the night; third floor, one bed, one bath, hot tub included. They came to their room; it was small, cozy, fairly basic as that casino's hotel rooms went, but there was more on their mind than the furnishings. Sae stood in front of the bed, and Akechi found his place behind her. He hugged her from behind, placing his crotch directly against her rear, causing her to sigh at the contact. He rubbed himself against her, Sae bit her lip as she felt herself getting aroused again.

Akechi reached around and started undoing her buttons, feeling her surprisingly endowed breasts against his hands. She wore a black lace bra, and he inferred her panties were of a similar style. He then reached under her skirt, groping her butt as his middle two fingers extended forward to rub her undercarriage. Sae groaned, leaning more against the bed as her legs began to shake. His hands moved deftly across her still clothed skin, rubbing the underside of her panties in a way that teasingly rubbed the garment against her womanhood. He kissed her neck as his other hand started rubbing her breast, and she leaned her head against his to allow him better access, letting him kiss her deeper.

Sae moved her hips back, digging her rear further into Akechi's strong hand, letting his fingers move forward toward her now damp flower. He squeezed her breast harder as he pulled her close to him. She bit her lip, repressing a moan as his fingers brushed against her lower lips over her wet panties. Sae suddenly grabbed his thick brown hair from behind her, pulling on it, digging her fingers in before pushing him away.

"Is-is something wrong?"

"No, no," she caught her breath. "I just want to clean up, is all."

"You mean you want a shower?"

Sae turned around to face him, a lustful, cocky grin appearing on her face. "No, actually. I'd rather take a bath, I think."

Akechi nodded, shamelessly ogling her breasts, his fondling of causing her right nipple to become barely visible above the hem of her bra cup. "I think that sounds lovely."

"I knew you would." She then sashayed over to the bathroom across from them, exaggerating the movements of her hips enticingly. Akechi rubbed himself over his pants for a moment as his eyes followed her, focusing squarely on her slim hips and shapely ass.

Sae turned on the lights in the laminate bathroom, keeping her back to him. She reached around her back and undid her bra, tossing it back into the bedroom without looking back to Akechi, making him watch in anticipation to see her naked form. Slowly, she then took hold of her skirt and bent over, pulling it down her milky, smooth thighs, putting her butt on full display for the man, who barely suppressed a desire to lick his lips in hunger as he glimpsed her flower between her legs.

The woman then climbed into the already filled hot tub, sighing as she felt the heat engulf her naked body just out of sight of Akechi, still standing in the other room fully clothed, though with the tent in his pants on full display.

"I expect a show in return," she called to him from the hot tub. "No girl works for free, you know."

"Oh, I'm aware," Akechi nodded, making his way into the bathroom, and finally getting a look at Sae's full form, lounging in the tub.

Her silvery hair cascaded down her shoulders, the tips barely touching the steaming water. She was flush in the cheeks, both from the heat of the tub and her own arousal. An awkward, friendly yet enticing smile parted her lips under her wide, beautiful maroon eyes. Her breasts were full, round, not large but not petite either. They were high and perky on her torso, yet still had a slight jiggle and bob as they waded in the water. Her nipples were small, pale, standing at attention on top of her mounds.

The rest of her body was slender, toned, from her belly to her thighs. She had the build and figure of a model, and was not shy about showing it as she lifted her legs in the air, letting the water drip off them back into the tub like rivers. She rubbed her right hand along her thigh, then up to her breast, cupping it and giving it a light squeeze. "Well? Aren't you going to join me?"

"Sorry, I guess you distracted me," Akechi continued to scrutinize every inch of her with rising want in his eyes.

"I know, that's why I felt the need to bring you back to reality. I was getting the feeling you would just stand there and stare at me all night."

"I practically could, but you're right." He started unbuttoning his own shirt. "We have far more pressing matters to attend to." Akechi unbuttoned his shirt fully, letting it obscure most of his torso, but revealing just enough for Sae to make out his very muscular, athletic build. Despite not being "ripped", his abs were well defined, his chest was strong, and Sae showed her approval by shamelessly staring down every inch she could, bringing her pinky to the tip of her lips that curled into a salacious grin.

Akechi turned around, and finally took off his shirt entirely, tossing it back into the room. Sae's lust was curtailed for a moment, as she was then overcome with surprise. For on his back, was a tattoo of a black bird with wide wings, flying upward across a colorful, stormy sky above a creek. On the right side were the words "モチベーションは私に翼を与えます – [Motivation gives me wings]", and on the left was inscribed "私は嵐です – [I am the storm]".

"Where did you get that tattoo?"

"From an old man in this city, not long after I arrived," he explained, turning around to her and undoing his trousers. "I have a mission, Sae, something for me to see through." He pulled his pants down, and Sae was immediately distracted by his proudly standing erection. He was well-endowed, smooth, and all together delectable looking to her. She had to do a double take to regain her focus on Akechi's words instead of his cock as he sat himself down in the water beside her. She cuddled up to him, running her hand along his back, feeling the smooth skin not affected by the ink.

"When I entered the yakuza," he continued, wrapping his arm around her and placing his hand on her thigh, "I had to fit in, obviously, so I got this tattoo. It is a representation of my resolve, and of my mission."

"What's that?"

He looked to her, lust disappearing from his eyes for a moment, being replaced with genuine seriousness. "To make sure that justice is served, even to those who consider themselves above such things."

Sae smiled to him, then kissed his cheek, then his jaw. "I feel the same way," she whispered to him. "But it's so rare to find someone who actually holds such resolutions in this city."

"But I know there is at least one other." Their gazes met; Akechi's hand travelled downward, gently rubbing the smoothness of her lower lips. Her lips curled in arousal, her eyes opened wider as she was stimulated by his hand. She looked down, seeing his own manhood standing up in turn. "She's right here with me." He leaned in and kissed her, rubbing her more forcefully. He pulled back to whisper, "And she is beautiful."

They proceeded to make out for a long time, feeling every inch of each other's bodies. They kissed with their tongues, he rubbed and fingered her pussy while she felt and stroked his cock gently. Their reservations about their job, their lives, all were dashed from their minds as they enveloped themselves in each other.

She truly was beautiful, and he made that known to her for hours. And she gave him credit, for never in her life had anyone made her feel more beautiful…

[Reviews are always welcome. Full, uncensored, extended version available on AO3 reallySolidSnake.]