Stillness Between Storms

"Then let's go." He said as he gently grabbed her hand, leading her towards the exit.

They pushed past the swarm of bodies, the pulse of the bass heavy in their chests. Jun kept a hand on Akari's back, gently guiding her toward the nearest exit, his eyes sweeping the crowd for any sign they had been noticed.

Halfway there, Jun noticed a man examining the crowd from the upper balcony.

The security guards by the exit received orders through their earpieces, their senses sharpening. Another two security guards began to make their way towards the exit, following Jun and Akari's path.

Jun's hand tightened slightly around Akari. "Change of plans." He said quietly, steering her towards another corridor.

Akari risked a glance over her shoulder. The man from the private room seemed to be desperately searching for something, and she knew what that something was.

"Trust me and don't look back." Jun said under his breath.

They slipped through a cluster of dancers, moving swiftly. They entered a dim narrow corridor, the thump of music muffled by the thick walls. A metal door stood at the end, marked for the staff only. Jun shoved it open, pulling Akari through just as voices echoed behind them. The door slammed shut, the party of the club cutting off like a switch.

They emerged into the cool night air of a back alley. For a moment, neither spoke - only the sound of their breathing filled the quiet.

Akari leaned against the wall. "That was close..."

"We're not safe yet. Come on." Jun took her hand and led her back to his car.

-

It wasn't until they returned to Jun's small apartment that the silence was finally broken. "Where did you go?" Jun quietly asked, his voice low but edged.

"To get this." Akari pulled the lighter and candy out of her pocket, sliding it on to the coffee table. 

Jun stared at it for a long moment before picking up the lighter, examining it. "You put yourself in danger for this?" His tone sharper than usual - not angry, but tight with concern.

"I wasn't just going to go there and do nothing."

Jun looked up from the lighter, meeting her eyes. "You could've been caught. What did I say about no risks?"

Her expression hardened. "And what about you? You disappeared too. I wasn't the only one taking risks."

The air between them thickened - frustration, fear, and something unspoken lingering underneath.

Jun rubbed his temples, steadying his voice. "I am used to this sort of thing, and I know how to defend myself if things go wrong. I cannot say the same about you."

Akari's arms tightened across her chest. "You think I don't know that?" Her voice came out sharper than she intended. "I didn't do it because I thought it was safe. I did it because it mattered."

He looked at her, the frustration giving way to something closer to fear. "I'll handle the risky parts myself from now on."

"No." She quickly shot back. "Please." Her voice grew softer and quieter as she sank into the couch. "Please let me have some control over my life."

The silence that followed felt heavy - not from anger, but from understanding. Jun's jaw tightened, his gaze lowering to the floor. He knew what she meant. After everything she'd lost, all the guilt and regret she carried, everything that was on the line for her, even his protection must feel suffocating to her.

He sighed, gently sitting down beside her. "Alright." He said quietly. "But stay within reach. We'll do this together."

Akari's eyes lingered in the gaze of Jun's genuineness. "Deal." She said softly.

Jun nodded, slowly getting up towards his desk. "It's late. Go rest. We'll talk in the morning."

Akari hesitated for a moment before heading down to the bedroom. As she settled within the blankets, her thoughts replayed the sound of his voice - Together. The word carried a warmth she hadn't felt in a long time.

-

Akari stirred awake early in the morning. When she stepped into the living room, she found Jun asleep on the couch - still in yesterday's clothes, his arm draped over his eyes.

For a moment, she just looked at him. This was the first time she saw him like this. Without his usual guarded expression, he looked exhausted. The sight pulled a pang of guilt within her chest. Jun was always up when Akari was awake and even awake during the times she slept, had he been resting enough? You've been helping me for nothing in return... Surely there's something I can do for you...

Quietly, she moved into the small kitchen. Maybe she wasn't as smart to solve a case or strong to fight someone, but she could do something. She rummaged through the cabinets, determined to make breakfast at the very least.

It didn't go well.

The first egg hit the pan too hard and splattered. The second one had eggshells in it. The third burned. The pieces of toast came out nearly black. The coffee machine would not turn on. Akari frowned at the chaos, trying to salvage what she could when a voice came from behind her.

"That's one way to start a fire." Jun murmured, voice low and groggy.

She turned, startled. He leaned against the doorway, hair a mess, sleep still on his face, but a faint trace of amusement on his lips.

"I wanted to say thank you..." She said embarrassed.

Jun stepped closer, rolling his sleeves up. "Then let me help before you burn my house down."

Jun guided her hands, showing her how to flip an egg properly. A small laugh escaped his lips when Akari flipped the egg onto the floor. He showed her the right settings for the toaster and how to use the coffee machine, she managed but somehow it didn't look quite right.

By the time they sat down to eat, the tension of the night before had eased into something gentler, unspoken but shared.

"Sorry for the mess I made." Akari shyly admitted.

"Don't worry. I'll clean it up."

"No." Akari quickly replied. "I'll do it. Please. It's the least I can do."

Jun stared at her, an eyebrow raising as if to question her.

"I can clean. I promise." Akari said gathering the dishes before he could argue. "Go ahead and wash up. Let me do something for you for a change."

He watched her disappear into the kitchen before he silently disappeared down the hall himself.

The sound of running water and clinking dishes filled the apartment, the simple rhythm grounded her more than she expected. For the first time in days, she wasn't scared, or hiding, or pretending  - she was just cleaning a kitchen. 

When she finished, she brewed a fresh pot of coffee the way Jun had taught her. She carried the two mugs into the living room. The air smelled faintly of soap and roasted coffee beans.

The sound of footsteps made her turn - Jun emerged from the hallway, hair still damp, shirt slightly unbuttoned. The exhaustion in his face still there, but he seemed more at ease.

"You didn't have to do all that." He said, running a towel through his hair.

"I know." She sat his mug on the table and then took a seat with hers. "But I wanted to."