Remnants in smouldered ashes

Chapter 19

Ginoza was woken up by the sound of sobbing. The very moment he opened his eyes he saw Akane next to him, sleeping on her side facing towards him; her breathing shallow as the tears streamed down her face. He cupped her cheeks with his hands, wiping her tears on her cheeks.

"Akane," he shook her by the shoulder. "Akane."

Her hazel brown eyes fluttered open, gasping lightly as she did so.

"...Gino...za?"

Her eyes met his for a brief moment and then turned to lay on her back.

"Akane," Ginoza shifted closer to her small figure, propping his elbow onto the bed for him to lean against it as he faced the woman before him. With his flesh hand he reached out to caress her cheek to let her face him.

"Is it that dream again?" he asked.

He then brushed the fringes of her hair away from her forehead, then drew small circles on it with his thumb. Akane said nothing at first, but then she sniffled as the tears began to well up on her eyes.

"Sorry," she whimpered, covering her eyes with the back of her arm, pushing his hand away. "It's nothing."

"Akane..."

"I'm sorry."

She clenched her hand as the tears continued to fall.

"It's okay, I understand."

"No..."

More streams glistened on her cheeks under the little light that glowed from the wrist-link.

"It's okay to cry, you know."

Despite her pushing his hand away, he managed to comb her hair with his fingers as he continued;

"It's alright. I'm not bothered at all."

With his strong arm, he gently held her wrist and slowly drew the arm away from her face, despite her silent protest.

"No." she shut her eyes.

The man before her then dipped his head down to kiss her by the closed eyelids, then drew her close against his chest with his right hand cupping the back of her head and his left hand on her back.

"Shhh," he hushed, as he kept combing her hair with his fingers. "I'm here, it's alright."

"Nobuchika..."

"It's okay," he assured her. "Just let it all out."

At his words came out a whimper from the woman in his arms as she tried to string the words.

"Shh," he held her closer to him, "It's okay. I don't mind at all."

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Don't be."

"Nobu–"

"I know," he said softly close to her ear. "I know."

She buried her head to his chest, wiping her tears on his shirt as she whimpered her cries against him. Ginoza closed his eyes, feeling slightly guilty thinking that she looked beautiful despite the fact the clear pain that she has in her heart. It brought him to hold her tighter against him as he ran his fingers through her scalp.

In moments like these he was glad, at the very least, that he wasn't the reason for her tears. At the same time, he was pained, knowing the reason behind the tears. One of them was her friend. Another was her Grandmother. He assumed to an extent, Kagari had played some part of it. And then there was Kougami.

Whenever she apologized, he knew it was the latter. He breathed in the scent of the feint smell of burnt tobacco and shampoo she uses as he kissed the top of her head. Her arms snaked around his waist as she shifted slightly in his embrace.