City(e)scape
Summary: Sometimes, we all need a little escape. In which Akane and Kougami take a break from a long night at the office to take a look at the city. Akane/Kougami fluff
A/N: I wrote this as a celebration to the news of Psycho-Pass getting a second season! I decided I needed to crank out some fluff in anticipation of, hopefully, a wonderful continuation! This oneshot is set pre-episode 11, btw. As usual, reviews and critiques are much obliged! Thanks!
Warning: mentions of events relayed in the P-P novels/official guidebook (mainly Ginoza's and Kougami's past).
Disclaimer: This is where I'd usually say that if I owned Psycho-Pass it would be getting a second season, but it seems that the producers have heard my wish XD
It is a usual late night at the office.
Kagari has long since passed out at his desk and has to be carried back to his room by a distraught Yayoi and a very well-humored Masaoka. Ginoza has somehow rooted himself to his desk and Akane has to literally pry his fingers off the keyboard as if he was in some sort of symbiotic relationship with the computer (to which the young Inspector wouldn't be too surprised to find true). The small monitor where the blonde analyst can usually be seen is empty, minus her lab coat which had been draped over the leather sofa—Shion was usually the first to call it a night out of Unit 1.
As the brunette pours herself a second cup of coffee (from an old, twenty-first century coffee maker—due to funding shortages the office was very archaic, from the metal ceiling fans to the non-holographic office chairs) she turns to look at the only remaining Unit 1 member.
The raven-haired man was flipping through a manila case file, reaching for what appeared to be his seventh cigarette of the night. The growing pile of discarded buds on the ashtray worried Akane greatly. Hesitantly, she reached out a small hand to clasp his shoulder, amber eyes cast to the floor.
"Ah, Kougami-san don't you think you've had enough for one day? Uh—not that I'm trying to offend you or anything, but even with lung transplants smoking is still dangerous and—"
"What if I am offended?" the Enforcer interjected, a stoic look on his face.
"T-that wasn't my intention! My deepest apologies!" She stuttered out, bowing repeatedly.
"I was just kidding, Inspector." He teased, ruffling her auburn locks.
Blushing, Akane pushed away his hand, coughing as she placed her paperwork on his desk. "I've finished with the reports of the last case—could you check to verify the information as correct?"
He raised an eyebrow at the request but took the folder wordlessly. Steel grey eyes scanned the papers, skimming the information for any errors or inconsistencies. Finding none, he closed the folder before handing it back to the woman.
"I just skimmed it, but everything seems fine. Good work, Inspector." He turned back to his desk, fishing out a cigarette from the packet before reaching for the lighter on his desk. That is, until he realized it wasn't there.
Slightly unnerved, he picked up the papers, shuffling them into a pile as he checked behind his monitor for the silver lighter.
"Looking for this?" Akane questioned innocently, tapping the obviously perplexed man on the back. He turned to see his beloved lighter just out of arms reach.
"Did you ask me to look over those case files just to steal my lighter? And here I thought you valued my input…"
She laughed, holding out the lighter to him, "Ok, now I know you're teasing me! Of course I value your input; Inspectors generally have all forms of jurisdiction over Enforcers. If I didn't think of you as an equal I wouldn't bother asking you to read over those files. But, I will admit, they did offer quite a distraction for me to take this."
"Heh, now you're thinking like a detective. That was pretty manipulative; are you sure your Psycho-Pass is clear?" He quickly reached for the lighter only for the Inspector to pull back, shaking her head.
"Of course. Powder-blue as always! Speaking of which… it looks like you need some sleep. I haven't seen you stop to rest in over two days! Enforcer or not, there is a hue limit. If you let your Psycho-Pass deteriorate too much you'll end up in the therapy facility. Which is why I have a proposition for you." She gave a sly grin, shaking the lighter in front of his face.
"All you need to do is come with me to the city. We can grab something to eat and then you have to go back to your room and sleep. Unless you follow these terms I can't promise the safe return of your lighter." She spoke in all seriousness, although a slight smile was tugging on her lips.
"…Alright." The man begrudgingly stood up from his chair, shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Where to, Inspector?"
"There's this great place in the middle of the city where I go with my friends! It has a great view and is especially beautiful at night, when all the buildings and cars light up the world!"
After being cleared by the drones (Akane had made up a surprisingly clever lie of checking a recent crime scene for synamatic scans) they buckled on their seatbelts as the brunette turned the car to autopilot, removing her hands from the wheel. She quickly punched in the address of the restaurant into the GPS as the car rolled to a start.
As the city rolled across the window, the pair lapped into a comfortable silence. Akane drummed her fingers against her lap while the city came to life, a spectrum of lights flickering and inviting as the car continued its journey through the lighted dark. Shinya seemed equally relaxed, resting his arms against his head as he too peered out of the window to see the artificial lights. He let out a content sigh, eyes fluttering close to the gentle sound of rain tapping against glass.
"K-Kougami-san, d-do you like the rain?" Akane questioned, glancing nervously at the floor of the car.
"I find it soothing, actually… how about you?" He drawled, keeping his eyes closed.
"Me too! Most find it to be an inconvenience, but I like it. Especially the noise. It's very calming; I've never been too fond of complete silence so the sound of the rain always made me happy. I can remember spending summers at my grandparents' house, where my grandma and I would watch the raindrops and tell stories until it stopped. We would then jump in the puddles after the rain—ah, sorry; I've been rambling, haven't I?"
He shook his head, giving a small smile. "It's alright. Your ramblings were… interesting."
Before Akane could respond the car lurched to a stop, signaling their arrival to the restaurant. The brunette woman reached under her seat for an umbrella only to come up empty.
"Sorry, Kougami-san, but I must have left my umbrella at home. I hope you don't mind walking in the rain—"
"It's fine." He interrupted, dropping his jacket on her head before exiting the vehicle. The girl blinked a couple times in surprise before following the man into the restaurant, holding the jacket over her head as she ran to the door. They both entered the relatively empty restaurant as a hologram floated towards them.
"Hello! Seating for two?" The holographic waiter questioned, motioning towards a seat near the large windows that overlooked the city. He
"Yes, please!" Akane replied, walking behind the waiter as it led them to their seats. The hologram pressed against the air in a flurry of motion until a list of binary codes in the shape of a rectangle appeared. Eventually, the numbers turned to letters as two paper-thin holo-menus were placed on the table.
"Just press the 'order' button on the menus when you've decided what you wish to order. Thank you and please enjoy your time here." Bowing once, the hologram disappeared in a pixelated storm of numbers, leaving the two alone.
They both swept their fingers against the holo-menus, each chatting about past cases and the like as they chose their meals. Akane finally decided on a simple pasta dinner while Kougami stuck with a light dinner of miso soup and takoyaki. Pressing the order button, they waited as the waiter materialized in front of them.
"What do you wish to order?"
They both relayed their orders as the waiter evaporated again. Just a few moments later a robotic server appeared with two trays of food and placed them on the table before leaving.
"It's a shame we couldn't eat out on the terrace; that's where I usually eat when Yuki and Kaori invite me to lunch."
"It's not bad in here, though. We can still see the city… and the rain." He motioned to the window with his spoon before taking a sip of his soup.
"That's true! Hopefully the rain will lighten and we can really see the city. Sometimes I even go there just to think. It's really relaxing, in my opinion. And, from how many cases we've had to work on in the past month, I assume you need a little bit of a break too." Akane smiled, hazel eyes cast to the droplets of rain as they fell down the glass.
"Well…" Shinya started, leaning back in his chair, "it's mostly Gino's fault. He's been trying so hard to prove to everyone that he's a capable Inspector and Unit 1 is breaking down due to his brashness."
"He's shouldering so much of the work on his own—despite our own workloads, I've heard from other Units that Ginoza-san gets to the office a good three hours earlier than everyone else to do more paperwork."
Kougami let out a real, genuine laugh, steel eyes trained to the Inspector's face. "That definitely sounds like Gino. Back in high school he was always the studious one—always telling me to study and focus on my classes. He really hasn't changed—it's funny, we're out of headquarters yet all we can talk about is work and our colleagues."
The brunette waved her hands wildly, "O-oh, we can talk about something else, if you want! Like… what shows do you watch? Or maybe books you've read recently?"
The man gave a small smile, "You don't have to try so hard, Inspector. I don't mind talking about the MWPSB. As for television, I don't really watch anything except the news. I recently picked up Swan's Way by Marcel Proust but I haven't had the chance to read it. What about you?"
"Ah, I tend to watch educational channels but I tune in to some sitcoms and reality TV shows because Kaori and Yuki always pester me to watch them so we can talk about them together. As for books, I haven't really read anything that wasn't assigned by a class in a couple years but I do read the newspaper every morning to keep on top of things."
"…Interesting." He murmured, taking a bite of his food, "I always pegged you as someone who read old crime novels or something. You just seem so… level-headed in your beliefs. I assume your family helped cement the beliefs you hold now?"
Akane shook her head in confirmation, "I spent a lot of time at my grandparents' house due to my parents' work. My grandparents were really old-fashioned. They took every chance to instill what they believed to be good, moral grounds. That reminds me, Kougami-san, what are your parents like? S-sorry, that may be too personal a question…"
"It's fine. My pops died a couple years ago but my mom's still doing fine. I haven't been able to see her since being demoted to Enforcer so I worry a bit for her. They were also very old-fashioned. My dad wouldn't let me read e-books or anything; believed that paper and ink could teach you just as much as a fancy electronic device. I acquired most of my own preferences—such as in philosophy and theology—from my old man. He… he always told me to "keep my eyes to the stars—"
"And your feet on the ground." Theodore Roosevelt, right?" Akane interrupted, immediately covering her mouth with her hands at the outburst.
He let out a small chuckle, "Yah, that's the quote. Impressive, Inspector. Not too many people know it."
She blushed at the compliment, nervously running her fingers in her hair, "I-It was nothing. Believe it or not, my grandfather told me the same quote."
They broke into a comfortable silence as they finished their meals, the rain continuing to beat down as time passed. Akane traced the sliding drops with her finger as the electronic receipt appeared in the air. With her other hand she pressed in her sixteen digit code before turning to Kougami.
"So, do you think you're still following his advice, even as an Enforcer—ah, sorry, sometimes I just speak without thinking!" She mentally berated herself for once again overstepping her boundaries.
The raven-haired man merely shook his head. He rested his hand against his chin, letting out a sigh. "I want to say that I am, but that would be lying. After becoming an Enforcer I lost sight of the stars—of my true goal: to protect those around me. I almost became a mindless hunting dog of Sibyl, until you arrived. Inspector, you planted my feet to the ground and for that you have my sincerest thanks."
Flustered, the amber-eyed woman looked away in embarrassment. "But, Kougami-san, your answer was what kept me from resigning from the MWPSB. So, in fact, I have you to thank for even being able to come this far as an Inspector."
Without warning the Enforcer pushed his chair out before holding out his hand. "Come on, this conversation's getting a bit heavy. Let's go outside, on the terrace. You did say it had an amazing view, right?"
"B-but it's still raining!"
"I know. Didn't you say you liked the rain? Come on."
He gently tugged her from her seat, leading her towards the sliding glass doors that opened to the balcony. The brunette trailed behind, taking in the form of the raven-haired man as he walked to the edge of the terrace.
They stopped at the low railing, Kougami letting go of her hand to rest his arms against the metal fence. Rain poured down on the pair relentlessly, drenching them to the bone while they looked towards the horizon. Faint stars could be seen at the edge of their vision as the city came to life in a blur of fluorescent colors and speeding cars.
Peering from the side, Akane could barely make out the slight tug on his lips as he stared at the glittering world. She took in his tired appearance, from the bags under his eyes to his disheveled attire.
"You were right, Inspector. It's like being at the heart of the city here. Sometimes I forget there's more to the world than what's behind the MWPSB's walls…" he trailed off, focusing his attention to the silver light of the moon.
"Speaking of which, I think it's about time you gave me back my lighter. A deal's a deal, after all."
"Kougami-san you've only completed half of the agreement. I have to see you well rested before you get it back."
He frowned slightly, turning his attention to the shivering brunette. "I won't get it back even if I do this?" Before she could respond, the man pressed his lips to hers. It was a sweet, light kiss that caused the brunette's hazel orbs to widen in surprise.
Kougami pulled back, grinning widely. Akane blushed, turning away from the smirking Enforcer. "S-sorry but I can't return it to you until you rest—achoo!" She let out a small sneeze, shaking in the freezing rain.
"Ah, you might catch a cold if we stay out here much longer. It would probably be best if you went home."
After a long, hot shower, the brunette quickly changed into her pajamas before stepping out of her bedroom. Shinya was sitting in her office chair, staring up at the ceiling. He quickly got up when he noticed her presence, approaching the woman. Wordlessly, he swung her over his shoulder despite her adamant protests. The petite girl kicked and swung against him but the Enforcer merely chuckled, gently placing her on her bed.
"Looks like you've ended up being the one who needs rest. I'll just sleep in the chair in the office room until morning since I can't check in at HQ without an accompanying Inspector." He started towards the door only to have a hand clutch at his jacket.
"Could you stay for just for a little while longer…?" Akane trailed off, amber eyes fluttering close as she fell asleep.
He slowly sat down on the floor, resting his back against the side of her bed. Eventually, he too fell asleep, lulled by the gentle sound of her breathings. There was a hint of a smile on his face.
-Omake-
(next morning, at the office)
A certain orange-haired Enforcer typed away at his desk until a paper caught his attention.
"Akane-chan and Kou, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G—"
Yayoi quickly swatted him with a balled up magazine, frowning. "What are you going on about now, Kagari?"
"Ouch! I was just checking through the list of Enforcers and Inspectors out on the field and came across Akane's and Kou-chan's names! They checked out last night but didn't check back in to headquarters until this morning! You know what that means~" He sung, relishing in Yayoi's obviously annoyed look.
As if on cue, the pair walked through the office door together. Akane looked paler than normal, letting out a slight sneeze as she walked to her desk. Kougami followed after, handing her a box of tissues from his desk. She took them gratefully, giving a weak smile.
"So, what did you guys get up to last night? Don't lie 'cause I already read your 'report.'" Shusei questioned, cornering the pair at Akane's desk.
"Nothing happened, Kagari. We went to do some synamatic scans and it started pouring. It looked like Akane was getting sick so I took her back to her house. That's all." Shinya replied, focusing his attention on the shivering girl.
"Alright, alright, I believe ya… this time." He winked at the pale brunette before striding back to his desk. Well, he would have believed them… if Kougami hadn't called Akane by her first name.
The Inspector sneezed again before turning towards the raven-haired Enforcer. "I wanted to say thank you for staying by my side last night. And I wanted to give you back your lighter, I almost forgot about it." She tossed him the metal tin.
Shinya caught it with ease, letting out a grin. "I have a proposition for you, Aka—I mean Inspector. I'll stop smoking on one condition."
"What's that?"
"You have to let me kiss you whenever I feel the urge to smoke."
"W-what? You're absurd!"
"Well, it's an offer you can't refuse. Besides, when I gave you the tissue box I took your tablet. You won't be able to do work without it. And, I plan to keep it until you agree."
Akane let out a groan. "I'm going to regret taking your lighter, aren't I?"
Kougami laughed, pecking her on the forehead. "Probably."
A/N: Wow, that turned out much longer than I expected XD anyway, hope you guys enjoyed it! I apologize for any OOC-ness as usual :P I'm not used to writing for this pairing but I hope I did it justice!
-Isis