She watched him through sleepy eyes. He was proceeding slowly from the living room to the kitchen to prepare coffee and something for breakfast. It was late – she knew – but still she sat on the couch motionless, just watching him move around in his light green oversized pyjamas.
Moments like these were not usual, but not so rare anymore either.
There were detailed reports to be written and tons of paperwork to be done and sometimes they just ended up in his quarters finishing them after working hour and, as night grew near, she'd accept his offer for some home-made dinner and then, before realizing it was high time for her to drive home, fell asleep there.
And then mornings like this came and with them came this mixed sensation of both peace and resentment: waking up to him felt so perfectly right and appeasing, but at the same time she couldn't help cursing that system that was taking away from under her nose the possibility of turning this into her real life, not just some random occasion that only looked like that "normality" all the others were allowed to enjoy without difficulties, obstacles or risks…
She was still lost in this track of thoughts, when he placed in front of her a cup of steaming black coffee, his cyborg hand holding it despite the heat. She stared at it blankly, eyes lost, almost fogged.
«Hey, stop that» he said, giving her a nudge to gain her attention «I know what you're thinking. It won't make things better so give it up».
She frowned. «It's just so… unfair» she replied with a sigh.
«Wait… was it fair for Kagari to be eliminated just because he saw something he shouldn't have while doing his job? Was it fair for Risa to be blown up by Sugo's assault dominator? Was it fair for my father to be compelled to leave his family and end up killed by a madman just to save his forever ungrateful son? Was it fair?».
Something inside him had exploded, like a dam had been pulled down somewhere and his thoughts were just spilling out uncontrolled.
He could hear her gulping and he could feel her eyes grow wide with each and every word he said.
«Was it fair for Ko to be labeled like a beast, when all he wanted to do was to hunt down the criminal who had killed Sasayama? Was it fair for Yuki to die like that? Was it fair for your grandma to be beaten to death?».
«No, it wasn't» she answered in a whisper. A silent tear rolled down her cheek.
«Tsunemori, listen to me».
With a light touch on her shoulder, he compelled her to face him.
«Listen to someone who's wasted half of his life believing he had the right to be angry and resentful for the unfairness he supposed only he had endured. Give that up. Concentrate on what you have instead of what you feel is being taken from you. It may be not much, but it's still something».
«Gino…» her lip quivered and silence fell between the two of them, each staring and getting lost in the other's eyes.
«Weren't you the one who once taught me that only fools learn from their experience?» she teased him while smiling softly.
He took her face with both hands and placed a light kiss on her forehead.
«I'm afraid this foolish crippled former senior inspector of yours has changed his mind».
She wrapped her tiny arms around him and buried her face in his pyjamas.
«You know it's terribly late, don't you?» she asked, her voice muffled by their close embrace.
«Mmm mmm» he nodded without letting her go.