this art is just so nghhhuhh my angst bae i cri ;-;
❖
"An enemy has breached the lines," you spoke into your headpiece, already pursuing the fleeing target through the dark streets, light-footed and barely sucking in enough oxygen to keep dizziness at bay. "He's coming your way, Akutagawa." Only scattered moonlight carved a path to your Mafia comrade as dusk descended on Yokohama, peppering the sky with glistening white jewels.
You received no reply through your communication device; only the soft hum of the headset filled your ears.
Nearing his post, you dipped into the shadows, keeping on the man's pursuit by stealing through gloomy doorways and hidden alcoves, a gun clinking quietly by your waist. You heard him before you saw him - that characteristic, almost innocent, cough, shattering the pin-drop silence of the neighbourhood.
A second later and the man was devoured on the spot by Akutagawa's Rashomon, streaks of blood painting the flagstones as a cry died in his throat.
Lowering your guard, you broke out from the shadows and ran across to where your companion was waiting, scouring his surroundings with cold, emotionless eye.
"Move to the second rendezvous point," he instructed without looking at you, and you dipped your head briefly in confirmation, [h/c] hair tumbling over your shoulder.
"Understood."
Absentmindedly fingering the smooth black cylinder of the gun strapped to your waist, you broke into a slow jog. Your keen eyes slid left to right, picking through the shadows as you drew closer to the storehouse you'd been assigned to.
The air about you trembled with unseen tension, thick with enmity. It made your blood hot with adrenaline; heart spiking with the thrill of impending battle.
Akutagawa was right. You had missed it.
Digging your feet into a wide fissure at the base of the building, you slotted your hand into another small crevice a few metres above and hoisted yourself up, scaling the grey granite wall with practised ease.
Pulling yourself over the last piece of guttering, you crouched low and scurried across the rooftop, tiles shifting beneath your feet, stones breaking loose and skittering over the edge. Your eyes strayed unwillingly to the far-reaching jungle of alleyways below, the pull of vertigo making your stomach clench before you dragged your gaze away. Settling by the satellite dish, you observed your surroundings like a predator searching for its prey.
"I'm on standby," you muttered, adjusting your hair over your shoulder as it brushed against your cheek.
Everything was silent.
Your breaths flurried white mist through the air in front of you, curving into a myriad of strange shapes before dissipating completely. You shuffled restlessly, waiting on a command. Any command.
"Shit," Higuchi suddenly cursed through the headset, her breaths heavy. "One's getting away. He's headed down the North avenue."
Your eyes dropped to the street below, eyes curving over the bold letters signposting it as the North-West avenue. You were already on your feet, peering over the lip of the roof. "I'm nearby."
"No," Akutagawa said sharply. "Do not engage."
Your attention was diverted to the path directly below you, where choppy footfalls broke through the slice. "He's right below me. I'm going after him."
"[L/N], no."
Dismissing his command, you swung down from the roof - landing heavily on your ankle - and dashed blindly after the black-haired stranger.
You quickly ate up the distance between you, skidding to a sudden halt when you were right on his heel and dropping to a crouch. As soon as your fingertips brushed the flagstones, shadows raced forward like snakes breaking out from a camouflage, tearing across the slabs of pavement in thick waves. They quickly surrounded the man's legs, snaking around his ankles and dragging him down. He fell with a strangled cry, and you were upon him in an instant, the heel of your shoe pinning him down. You fixed him with a wicked glare, drawing your gun from its holster.
Neither of you said a word.
Everything was silent.
The air trembled as the moon shed its slanted gaze upon the scene below.
Your finger hovered by the trigger, the metal cold against your skin.
Then you shot him.
The bullet ripped through his skull, killing him instantly.
Akutagawa was there a second later; the gun was ripped from your hand by a black claw, and then Rashomon was around your neck, pinning you up in midair. "I told you not to engage."
You were unable to respond, choking on your own breath. Fingers clawed at your throat, fighting with something completely intangible.
"You were to pursue the man back to his post, not kill him before he reached it."
He let you go then, and you managed to stay on your feet, landing with a slight stumble and rousing the dust by the man's corpse. You cursed loudly, sinking your teeth into your bottom lip. "I didn't know."
His eyes flashed red before he walked away.
This time, he wasn't waiting at the end of the street.
❖
"I don't understand why the president agreed to let her stay."
You slid into the room, unnoticed; bare arms scraping against the roughly hewn walls, feet treading lightly on the stone tiles.
"We don't need to understand," Akutagawa replied stiffly, taking a sip of his tea. "Drop it, Higuchi. You have no business with her."
A sigh parted her lips, eyes swivelling away from the dark-haired male.
"Go make sure we have eyes on the man-tiger."
Higuchi nodded grudgingly before sweeping across the room, sucking in her cheeks. Your lip curled as she passed.
"You can come out now, shadow thief," he said, his voice breaking at the last minute as he coughed against the back of his hand
"Not you too," you mumbled, dispersing the shadows as you made your way over to the second armchair. "I don't need petty nicknames."
He ran his finger around the lip of his cup, watching you with glassy eyes. "You need to learn to follow orders."
You granted him a cynical smile. "Of course - back to being a pawn."
Unfazed by your comment, Akutagawa dropped his eyes to the floor, then back up to you, his voice sinking to a low murmur. "Don't be mistaken; things have changed since you left. The mafia, and the people in it." His eyes lingered on yours for a long second, then he was on his feet, and out of the room.
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