Joker | aib

に

Act two

alice and the dormouse

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two

consequences 

The streets of Tokyo were silent, and Akari had missed it. She didn't realise how much she loved it. How she could walk alone in the night, unbothered by anything or anyone.

She had quickly left Aguni after making sure he was alright (the cut on his face dripping off immense amounts of blood) and followed the Arisu and Karube into the night. She walked a few meters behind the boys, hands in her pockets and staring at the city in the night. The beach was never silent. It was at first, the calmness something Akari enjoyed. But when people started finding it, everything collapsed. Music every night, halls filled with the scents of alcohol, sweat and drugs. Even after the music was over, something wasn't right about the place. Even in the comfort of her room, Akari never had silence. The two other militant executives seemed to have made their place there, and even when they weren't talking (a moment Akari always thought surprising since Niragi could barely shut his mouth sometimes), the air was still filed with the sound of breathing. Akari knew she wouldn't be mad, it was natural after all, but she just wanted silence.

Akari's head fell back, her eyes staring at the sky. The lights of the city were gone, the stars finally finding the courage to show themselves. She stared at them, trying to recognise the constellations she learned as a child. She had a small smile on her face, almost forgetting about the bloody tantō at her waist, about the blood splattered on her own body.

Arisu turned his head back, staring at the young woman as she followed them in silence, seeming to ignore his and Karube's talks. He started walking slower, ignoring Karube's small whines, until he was walking side by side with her. He was silent, watching his feet, and hers, as they took steps on the cold concrete. He frowned at the way she walked, the small limp more evident once he paid attention.

"Are you alright?" He asked, making Akari look up to him confused. Arisu's gaze switched to her cheek, where blood seemed to start drying, then to her leg.

"Its an old wound," she muttered with a small shake of her head, referring to her three days old stab wound. Her face, on the other hand, had gone numb. She knew she was injured, she just stopped feeling anything. Arisu stared at her face for a few seconds before he nodded, trying to ignore the blood that stained her face. Akari tried to forget about how her blood had mixed with the one of the game's dealer. She followed Karube silently, feeling Arisu's body walking next to her. She peaked at him from time to time with the corner of her eyes, seeing him open his mouth but close it before any words could come out.

They slowly started approaching the mall Akari had taken all her clothes from. She recognised the big building in the centre of the city and followed Karube and Arisu to one of the higher floors. Akari realised they were getting closer to their friend when Karube started glancing back at her. She watched him closely, not failing to see the way his hand pressed against his side, where his shirt was drenched in blood. The morning was already upon them, leaving Akari confused on how so much time passed since the beginning of their game.