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“Leandro”

Akira said tartly, letting my name roll off his tongue, his eyes flashed teasingly underneath the soft green light.

Akira was a totally different person among other fugitives. I could only stare throat dry at our interlaced fingers atop the table. My heart pounding violently in my chest, I looked up, Adam's apple bobbing anxiously as I took in the scene around me.

We were at the head of a roulette table, the one with the old lady. Along each side, a variety of ten people mostly men, peered at us curiously. one with a terrible underbite and a twisted scowl regarded us quietly and his name came to mind.

Marty Krugman, big time mob boss.

I was sweating through my clothes.

“I don't believe you”

He finally announced with the cheap New York accent of his as he shuffled his chips. Taking a huge drag of his ciggy, he shook his large head, jaws working. Cleary was not convinced that I, the man Akira had supposedly kidnapped was nothing more than a love interest.

Akira wasn't that type of person.

I stiffened but Akira didn't flinch. a coy grin spread across the boys face, a smile that made me shudder. It only made it worse when he reached around, placing his fingers along the side of my neck and stroking my collar bone gently as he spoke.

“You're not the only one who can have toys Marty”

This earned a hearty bout of laughter from around the table as my face reddened, however, a gentle squeeze from Akiras hand helped settle my nerves some.

So this was the role I was playing.
Leandro, The fugitives plaything.

Realizing the table had gone quiet I straightened, suddenly knowing what to do.

I glanced over at Akira, letting my hand reach up to his collar and finger one of the buttons of his jacket.

Parting my lips and fanning my lashes in a show of pure innocence I pouted. My eyes were only for him, the rest of the table was nothing to me.

“Kira...don't say that, it's embarrassing”

My ears burned with humiliation as the crowd of gamblers ate up my degrading behavior. I felt sick to the stomach, and it took all my willpower not to stand up, turn the tables over and stomp out of there.

I hated this, I hated it all. but I had agreed.

I couldn't read Akira's expression beyond his mask of pure contempt. He had proved to the entire table I was nothing more than a source of favors and I faded into the background, as worrisome as the glass of water near Marty's hand.

But secretly I was listening, watching Akira deal his rounds, chatting up the mafia boss and all the other fugitives.

“Candy dear?”

I gazed at the old lady as she offered me another hard candy without saying a word I accepted tipping my head in thanks. As I popped the peppermint into my mouth I listened, one hand on Akiras knee.

As he felt his cards, I saw him going shifty-eyed.

“About the galra, anything new”

Marty grunted thoughtfully, and I winced as a cloud of smoke blew into my face. Making my eyes water and my throat itch, but I didn't dare cough, letting my airway burn in silence.

“They've been awfully quiet lately, no activity from them for weeks, something's up, but I've heard some talk about some big plan”

Akira's eyebrows rose thoughtfully but he didn't comment. Taking a few seconds before replying.

“Anything to tell about this big plan”

Marty frowned

“You seem mighty interested for someone who wants to stay below the radar...with their playthings”

His eyes shifted to me at the last part, I could feel a bead of sweat roll down the back of my neck and I swallowed casting my gaze down to my lap.

“Hey, hey lighten up”

I could hear the strain in Akiras voice, so could Marty I supposed.

The soft click of a revolver made me look up, panicked.

Marty had risen to his feet, but it wasn't him holding the gun.

“Leandro, don't move”

Akira said out of the corner of his mouth eyes staring straight ahead. I could sense the presence of a muzzle at the back of my head.

I didn't need to be told twice.

“Who are you really? Some sort of spy? I don't believe jack about your sex toy act”

My eyes narrowed, and I spoke

“you're right, I'm not, I don't belong to anyone”

Marty crossed his burly arms, his eyes judgmental before lighting up.

“But yes, there's a ransom on your head I could take you back myself, dead or alive”

I could see the dollar signs in his eyes.

That's all I needed.

Diving to the side, I grabbed my chair hurling it at my potential shooter. The gunman clearly wasn't expecting this, going down easily his bullets firing off with multiple rounds, plaster raining down on us.

Kira was right behind me,

Someone screamed, and it was utter complete chaos, but we were already racing towards the door

And then I remembered, the old lady.

Screeching to a stop, I contemplated. Run and escape, or go back and rescue an elderly figure.

My heart stepped in, shoving the critical thinking part of my brain, and I felt myself turn on my heels and dash back, through the chaos of fighting. Akira calling out after me.

“Leandro! What are you doing!?”

“Hopefully the right thing!”

But right as I was jumping back into the fray, I saw that I was wrong. The little old lady didn't seem to be in much trouble, calmly sitting there, collecting casino chips, sweeping them into her bag calmly, stepping over sprawled bodies, ducking underneath swinging fists.

“You!”

I staggered forward as something heavy slammed against my back, my breath left my body in a gush of air, coughing I turned around, hand reaching for the gun in my waistband. Keeping the shaky muzzle pointed in front of me, I gazed at the leering face of a knocked up mob boss.

Marty's lip was busted, one eye swollen shut as he advanced, Completely ignoring my weapon.

We both knew I wouldn't' shoot.

“Come ‘ere”

He grunted swiping at me and I ducked, nearly dropping the Blast-Away. But he was anticipating that, and he slammed a heavy knee against my nose, sending me sprawling backward. The gun flying out of my grip as I landed on my side. My nose throbbed hotly and I could taste the blood, head spinning.

“Not so tough now, whore”

He crowed and I scrambled away, narrowly missing a blow to the head from his booted foot.

He lurched forward again, clearly angered to have missed,

“Hold still”

But he stopped suddenly, eyes bulging, meaty fingers hovering in the air, leg poised before crashing down to the ground as a loud crack resounded behind him.

Akira stood there, a chair poised over his head. His eyes were wide, chest heaving as he stared at me before letting it clatter to the ground.

Before he could help me up a pair of hands pushed me off the ground,

“Get up dear, I think it's time to go”

The old lady from before was right beside me, arm linked in mine as she tugged me along with surprising force, Akira hands catching mine and I couldn't help but notice the whiteness of his knuckles.

“don't ever, do something as reckless as that again”

He said.

“Aw, you care”

I crooned and he flinched in response, immediately my smile dropped. Holding my hand, we tore out of there, questions littering my mind, and his face chalked with anxiety.

Did Akira really care about my wellbeing?