─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO:
Bye-bye, Chuuya.
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

                The pair lunged by each other. They ran for each others guns, crossing the foyer quickly. Chuuya reached Aki's gun first, hastily grabbing it, sitting in a crouch. His finger found the trigger just as she grabbed his gun on the opposite side of the foyer, her fingers curling around the metal. She turned just as Chuuya pulled the trigger—but nothing happened. He pulled again. And then again. Still nothing.

                   Aki smirked, "You think I'd willingly drop a loaded weapon?" She chastised, seconds before pulling the trigger, firing shots at the man who tucked and rolled out of the way, the bullets smacking into the ground where he had been. He dipped behind a pillar, pushing his back to it as Aki walked backwards, approaching the spiral staircase on the left, adjacent to the one on the right. She aimed the gun over the banister, squinting one of her eyes just as Chuuya poked his head out from behind the pillar, launching a knife straight for her head.

                   She dropped to her knees, the knife lodging in the wall behind her, smashing into the glass of a framed painting. She stuck the gun through the gap in the barrier and let off a shot. He tucked and rolled to the next pillar, avoiding the bullet completely. Aki gritted her teeth together before backing up the staircase, keeping her gun aimed at where he had been just in case he had anymore tricks up his sleeve. She dipped into the long hallway, heading straight for one of the bedrooms she knew Katsu had hidden assault rifles inside of. If she was going to take out the Gravity Manipulator, she would need more firepower.

                 Just as she ducked into the bedroom, Chuuya came after her up the stairs on the right hand side staircase, following her like she were prey. She closed the door behind her, heading straight for the bed and dropping to her knees. She tucked the handgun into the back of her leather trousers before pulling out the large box beneath the bed. Opening it, she pulled out the assault rifle, loading it expertly within a few seconds, just as the door was kicked open.

                   She spun immediately, open firing at the door, spraying bullets into the walls. But no one had come in. She paused, narrowing her eyes at the door, seconds before Chuuya came lunging inside, heading straight for her. She jumped to her feet, ready to pull the trigger once again but he threw a punch at her, only giving her enough time to duck. The moment she did, his hands curled around the back of her head, tangling in her hair. A shriek left her lips when he launched her across the bed, making the handgun fall from the spot behind her trousers. Her back hit the wall, her finger pulling the trigger on accident, sending a spray of bullets into the ceiling.

                  When she looked to where Chuuya had been, he was gone—along with the handgun. She tutted herself, a grin playing on the corner of her lips as she got to her feet, leaving the bedroom and entering the hallway—but he was nowhere to be seen, "You know you can't run from me right?" She called out, walking down the hallway, the assault rifle propped between her hands. "I can feel you, remember?" She chastised, stopping directly in front of the door she could feel his presence behind, the smirk fully taking over her lips.

                    She lifted the gun upwards before pressing down on the trigger, allowing bullets to smack straight through the door and walls, creating large holes through the papered walls. She stopped firing after a moment, staring through the gap in the wall, "You still alive, baby?" She called out to him, squinting her eyes, seconds before a gloved hand poked through the hole, holding tightly to her handgun before firing.

                    She quickly rolled backwards out of the way, having no choice but to go back the way she had came—further away from the other guns that were scattered throughout the to floor. Chuuya kicked through the broken door, snapping wood before appearing like a murderer in a horror movie, the gun raised to eye level as he let off shots. Aki backed up down the hallway, her fingers reaching to where one of the knives were still attached to her thigh. She grabbed it before launching it at him—but he caught it between his fingers with ease. Just as he threw it back, aiming upwards, she slid herself to the ground. The knife cut straight through the chandiler above her, making it come crashing down right where she had been—but she had managed to avoid it. She grabbed the knife in passing before vaulting over the banister of the staircase, landing on one knee. Superhero landing.

                She walked by where the chair was toppled over, heading into the downstairs hallway, "Come on, Kitagawa. Are you really running from me?" Chuuya's voice called out as he also vaulted over the banister, landing in a crouch before sliding his jacket off his arms, tossing it over the toppled over chair, giving himself more access to move freely.

                     Aki smirked.

                     She wasn't running. She knew exactly where she was going, "Maybe I just like you chasing after me!" She yelled teasingly back at him, launching the knife in her hand. It missed—but only barely.

                She passed by the lounge area, heading straight for the kitchen. There was more guns, ammo and grenades hiding in that kitchen—which was exactly what she was searching for. She was going to hit him with everything she had. Aki wasn't only good at murder, she was also extremely skilled in strategy and she had planned everything long before Chuuya had already arrived. So far, everything was going perfectly to plan—she had him in the palms of her hands.

                    Before she stepped into the kitchen, Chuuya appeared from the corner of the hallway, letting off a few shots at her. She hid behind the doorway, her hand reaching out to grab a metal tray that was resting on the countertop beside her. She held it up at an angle, her surroundings reflecting against the metal. She smirked the moment she caught sight of him stalking down the hallway towards her before sticking the assault riffle out the door, firing blindly. He jumped out of the way, hiding behind a large life-sized vase which shattered upon impact from the spray of bullets, making him tuck and roll into the lounge room next door, having no choice but to take cover.

                 This is going to be harder than I thought, he thought to himself. He had been so confident he could take her out within the first few seconds, but she was incredibly crafty—gifted in many other ways than just an ability. She was playing a very dangerous game of cat and mouse with him—a game only she could win. He was more than aware of that, but he wasn't about to allow her to come out victorious.

                  With a please smiled on her lips, she dropped the metal tray and went straight for the gas cooker, opening up the insides before cutting the wires with a wicked grin. Without his ability, Chuuya wasn't invisible—he couldn't withstand an explosion. She turned on all of the dials before stepping forwards, straight to the cabinet that held everything she needed.

                She pulled it open and then yanked out a box. Her fingers grasped around a hand-grenade which she clipped onto her belt with ease. She then reloaded her assault rifle, sticking extra ammo into her back pockets. Lastly, she grabbed a handgun and loaded it quickly, glancing over her shoulder every now and again. Just as the ammo clicked into place, Chuuya came crashing through the wall opposite her—as if it were easy: paper, bricks and insulation flying through the air. Okay now that, she hadn't expected.

                    She sprung to her feet, grabbing the fridge door to block as bullets flew from his gun, each of them slamming into the metal, making the whole fridge shake, the contents spilling everywhere. She tucked and rolled out of the way, coming up behind the island in the middle of the large kitchen. The moment she popped her head up, ready to shoot, Chuuya's fingers latched around a kitchen knife on the worktop before he rose it over his head and threw it. 

                The knife grazed her cheek.

                She sat there for a moment, blinking in surprise, both of them staring at each other, almost surprised he had managed to cut her before her face hardened with annoyance, "Bitch!" She exclaimed as she sprung up, firing both guns at him at once but he grabbed ahold of the metal tray she had previously discarded, using it to block the bullets as he crouched to his feet behind the island, grabbing the leftover ammo that was tucked into the box she'd left open on the floor. It was his for the taking.

                    Aki ducked back down, blood trickling down her cheek. They both had their backs pressed to opposite sides of the island, anticipating each others next move, "You know," Chuuya drawled out, discarding of the empty ammo and reloading it, his head tilted to the side. "For an assassin, you're aims pretty shit, sweetheart." Aki gritted her teeth together before jumping up, sliding the handgun along the counter before sliding herself over it on her side, grabbing the gun as she went. She landed directly where he had been, both guns aimed downwards. But he was nowhere in sight.

                   And then she felt him to her left.

                  She spun around, open firing both guns, spraying bullets everywhere, smashing the entire room into pieces, the sound of gunfire ringing in both of their ears. When she paused, still feeling his presence, he jumped up from the other side of the island and began firing at her whilst advancing straight to her, eyes narrowed, finger rapidly pulling the trigger.

                   She stumbled backwards, managing to dodge the bullets as her feet took her through the archway leading to the dining room. Just as her feet crossed the threshold, bullets hitting the wall beside her, smashing ornaments and cookbooks, she reached for the hand-grenade on her waist. She unclipped and rose it to her mouth, ripping out the safety pin with her teeth.

                     "Heads up!" She called out, tossing the grenade into the kitchen, pressing her back to a massive wooden cabinet beside the doorway of the dining room.

                   Chuuya's eyes widened when he caught sight of the grenade flying towards him—and then he smelled the gas. That crazy fucking bitch. The initial explosion from the grenade sent him flying backwards towards the kitchen door, his hands gripping his head, keeping his hat in place. The second explosion, ignited by the gas blew the entire kitchen to pieces. Fire and smoke engulfed the room, making the entire building shake as parts of the exterior crumbled beneath the explosion. There was nothing left standing—everything was on fire, burning the entire kitchen to the ground.

                 Aki smirked, "Bye-bye, Chuuya."

AUTHORS NOTE.

             okay, so these two have entered the most unhinged mode they have... and i love it🥹

              — taylor xx