InuNaruPokeAlchemist

Akane had finally set her car on autopilot, leaning back to sleep after almost steering the car off the road. Thanks to some cases, they’d had to push visiting her parents back another two weeks, and she’d been perpetually exhausted ever since. At least her morning sickness seemed to have settled down a bit. Shinya gave her a brief smile before turning away, staring blankly out the window at the slowly darkening horizon. Something about those cases was still bothering him, a creeping sensation in his gut that refused to go away. No matter how often he tried to, he just couldn’t figure out why. The first one hadn’t be

“Mind if I join you?” He looked up, seeing Akane. Their latest case had been one bloodstained twist after another, ending in an old-fashioned standoff. The perp had cornered himself in an alley, waving a hunting knife while ranting like a mad man. Kougami wasn’t sure why he’d holstered his Dominator, but the choice had resulted in an all-too-satisfying fistfight. Even better was how Akane had reacted afterward, chastising his recklessness while she doctored his wounds. The one on his arm was the deepest; the result of a second’s distraction when she’d called his name. He scooted over, making room for her.

He’d expected her to shoot him, or at the very least, punch him. What he hadn’t expected was the young woman that had started crying the moment she saw him, dropping her Dominator and running to him. She’d shouted his name and he’d felt his heart racing when she collided with his chest, wrapping her arms around him and sobbing into his shirt. He’d hugged her back, tightly, fighting his own tears as two years of guilt crashed over him at once. “I-I thought you’d never come back,” she sniffled brokenly. She’d willed herself to stop thinking about him, to stop letting her heart control her. B

Akane bit her lip. Several of her female coworkers had started gossiping about her, the story having spread from one person who'd seen them come in together. She was surprised Ginoza hadn't found out, or worse, Chief Kasei. She could just imagine the storm that would ensue if they learned she'd slept with a coworker and a latent criminal, no less. Sure, she'd been drunk, but that didn't change the fact she'd been a willing participant. Still, no matter how much the professional consequences frightened her, she had to admit part of her had loved having sex with Kougami, if her dreams from the past few nights were anything to go by. She'd not

So, she’s finally coming back. He laughed, switching his camera view to Akane’s bedroom. Her parents had kept the same interior-holo on since Akane had left for Tokyo, so she’d feel like nothing had changed when she came home. He’d always known she would. That her stay in the city was a temporary thing. After all, this was where she really belonged, even if she didn’t know it yet. It was only a matter of time. One thing bothered him, though. The man Akane had said she was bringing with her. It wasn’t that it actually mattered, he could easily take care of that obstacle, but it meant Akane would have more