Claustrophobia
Summary: Ginoza doesn't do well in tight spaces. Throw in an annoying orange-haired Enforcer, an elevator, and a steadily increasing crime-coefficient and you have a recipe for disaster. "If you don't get off of me in the next three seconds Kagari I will shoot you."
A/N: Sorry about all the fluff and crack I seem to be writing. It's just so hard to write serious stuff for a show like Psycho-Pass, when every episode makes me feel like I'll have a heart attack (I need cuteness to survive). Also, I know in the anime they show the Dominators being locked away but I always imagined they had their guns on them, inside headquarters. Anyway, if you enjoyed my story please review and tell me what you think!
If Ginoza had been any smarter he would have taken the stairs. He sensed something was amiss and yet, did nothing, stepping into the elevator and allowing that orange-haired buffoon into the elevator with him.
To say the Inspector was uncomfortable in cramped quarters would be an understatement. Ever since a childhood experience involving losing his father in a crowded mall, the man did his best to stay away from highly-trafficked areas.
Look at all the good that's done.
…
'Stay calm, stay calm, it's fine… at least you're not alone in the elevator. Whatever you do don't panic—' The man beats against the metal doors, all thoughts of being level-headed and cool cracking under the pressure of being stuck in a cramped, hot elevator with arguably, his least favorite person.
"Let me try, Gino." Kagari pulls at the doors. They don't budge an inch.
"Well, it was worth the try. At least we're not stuck alone in the elevator. I'm sure everyone will realize we're gone and come rescue us!"
The raven-haired man has never been more tempted to turn the Dominator on himself.
…
"Giiinnnoooo, I'm bored. How long have we been in here? Gino? Hello?" The Enforcer poked at the raven-haired man's cheek, smiling expectantly. No response. He pushed further, nearly sitting in the man's lap.
"If you don't get off me in the next three seconds Kagari I will shoot you." The man obliged, picking himself off the floor and instead, leaned his head on the Inspector's shoulder (he really had no idea what personal space was).
"Ah, you're no fun, Gino-san! At least play a game with me. Look, I have a deck of cards." The man pulled out a pack of cards from his back pocket, waving them enthusiastically in front of Ginoza's face. The man remained stoic, swatting the cards away. They scattered onto the floor of the elevator, a joker laying face up in Kagari's lap.
…
"Truth or dare?"
"Neither."
"Come on man, loosen up. Shion's probably asleep on the couch; she won't wake up for hours. That means we're going to be in here for a very long time."
"Do not address me so informally, dog."
A loud screech interrupted their bickering, causing the men to stand up.
"What's going on?" Ginoza looked positively pale, all color draining from his face. 'Please God, don't let me die in here with this fool!' The aforementioned idiot didn't seem the least bit fazed, humming a little tune as they rocked dangerously. Lights flickered on and off until the pair was bathed in darkness.
"Uh, Gino-san, this is a relatively new elevator right? Because the really, really old ones don't have a safety cable in case the elevator falls, which means we would go 'splat.'"
"How can you talk about something like this so calmly?" The man looked frazzled, glasses long forgotten in a corner of the elevator, top two buttons on his coat unbuttoned (which never happened), and hair messy (he swore he could feel his hair greying the more time he spent with the insufferable Enforcer).
"If you die, you die. I wouldn't be happy about it but I can't change fate. Since five my life's been dictated by Sibyl. I didn't have a second chance on anything." His voice is shaking, and in the darkness of the elevator, Ginoza wouldn't be surprised if he was crying.
"You're scared, aren't you, Kagari?"
The man doesn't respond for a long time, the elevator lapsing into an unpleasant silence. At this rate, the Inspector preferred a talkative, boisterous Kagari, to the sad, stoic one.
"Scared wouldn't be the right word. I'm afraid of where I'll end up when I die, Ginoza." The Inspector is surprised by the statement, punctuated by the first time the orange-haired Enforcer has ever called him by his full first name.
"The Sibyl system thinks I'm bad. And, who knows, maybe I was born evil. I don't know anymore…"
The Inspector stands awkwardly, trying to feel for the boy in the dark. He tentatively grips his (or at least what he thinks) is his shoulder, clasping it. "I-I think I can relate. Honestly, my psycho-pass has been increasing and I'm scared I'll go too far for therapy and become an Enforcer. I've worked so hard for my position and to think, after two years, it can all go away because of my stupid brain…"
Somehow, the men feel they understand each other just a little better.
"Why are you telling me this, anyway, Gino?"
"Well, if we die, at least I got that off my chest."
"I'm not a priest, you know. Confessing your sins to me isn't going to change a thing."
"I don't know about that, Kagari. I've been told it's therapeutic to tell other people about your problems."
"D-did you just make a joke, about therapy? Of all things…"
The two end up laughing on the floor, clutching at their stomachs. Ginoza doesn't remember the last time he's ever laughed that much and the Enforcer isn't doing much better. Eventually, the lights flicker back on and the two grow bored.
"Fine…" Gino murmurs, looking away from Kagari.
"What?"
"We can play a single game."
The Enforcer's face brightens instantly, amber eyes alight with mischief. "Alright, Inspector…"
…
"Would you rather dress up as the Easter bunny and hop around the office or have your pants set on fire?" The Inspector pauses, adjusting his glasses. "I'd probably die from the embarrassment anyway, so I guess I'd rather have my pants set on fire."
Five games of poker (in which Kagari makes a joke about playing strip poker that the gullible Inspector almost takes seriously), eighteen rounds of truth or dare, and twenty-seven rounds of would you rather and the two are so bored that any thoughts of dying actually seem amusing.
"Ok, Kagari. Would you rather propose to Kougami, or wear a dress during a case?"
"Dress definitely. Considering I already wear hairclips, they would probably think I was trying to start some ridiculous fashion statement."
"Why do you wear hairclips, anyway?"
"It's a relatively boring story—"
As if sensing the pair was at the end of their rope, the elevator dings open, revealing all the members of Unit 1.
…
They had been stuck in the elevator for twelve hours. Twelve hours. Looking back at the ordeal, the Inspector still couldn't believe he hadn't shot the Enforcer's brains out (or his own).
That's why, a few days later, when he hears Kagari, Kougami, and Akane are stuck in the same elevator the man has to leave the room, unable to control his laughter. Those poor people. He felt some pity for the two and can only imagine Kagari trying to convince them to play strip poker.
"For Kagari's sake, I hope neither of them have their Dominators on them."