Ginoza couldn't help but keep an eye on Tsunemori. She looked a little green around the gills, as they said, after that last assignment. Ginoza walked up to Tsunemori's desk as the office day was closing out.
"Inspector Tsunemori," he began slowly. "You look a like you could use a break, do you want to come over to my place for dinner?"
He saw her hesitate.
"Just as colleagues of course." A smile ghosted over his lips.
"You know what? That would be nice." Tsunemori said relaxing a bit.
"Excellent." Ginoza said, relaxing a little as well.
He gestured for her to walk a touch in front of him as he got the door for her. In truth he was worried about her clarity, he didn't want what had happened so often in the past happened to anyone under his watch. He wanted to protect her like the so many he could not. But that wasn't worth thinking about right now. Tonight, was about Tsunemori, and he wanted to make sure she had zero worries, at least for a while. They got in the elevator and Ginoza pressed the button for his floor.
"Ah! I can't remember, have I told you about Dime?" Ginoza asked.
"Dime?" Tsunemori said her brows scrunching in confusion.
"Ah, I see." Ginoza said shifting his body from foot to foot. "My dog, Dime, you're not allergic, are you?"
"Oh, I see." Tsunemori said smiling pleasantly. "You haven't told me about... him?"
"Yeah, he's getting up in years, but he's a good dog." Ginoza enthused smiling despite himself.
Ginoza and Tsunemori got to the correct floor, and exited the elevator. Ginoza lead her to his room opening the door for her again, and immediately letting out Dime. Ginoza held the door open for Tsunemori as she enters. Dime immediately rushes forward, tail wagging to greet Tsunemori.
"What a good boy! So, what's the plan?" Asks Tsunemori.
"Uh, I was thinking we could go foreign, I have spaghetti and some meatballs in the fridge." Ginoza said reaching forward to pet Dime.
"Spaghetti and meatballs, huh?"
"Yeah, with garlic bread of course."
Tsunemori smiled, "Did you plan this?"
Ginoza pushed the glasses to the top of his nose. "A gentleman never tells." The smile on Ginoza face fades a degree. "You've been working so hard recently, I figured, as your subordinate, it's only fair I look after you, since you look after me in the field."
"Ginoza, you're very thoughtful, but you don't have to." Tsunemori said
Ginoza shook his head, Tsunemori didn't understand, he couldn't let what happened to Kogami and him happen to her.
"What are friends for." Ginoza smirked trying not to dwell on such morbid thoughts, removing his coat and offering an arm for Tsunemori's.
Ginoza put their coats in the closet. "Make yourself at home."
Tsunemori sat down on the couch, Ginoza went to the kitchen and took out a pot, filled it with water and put on the heat. He took the meatballs out of the fridge along with tomato sauce. He then put the tomato sauce and the meatballs together in the pot and turned the heat to medium. He'd never tell Tsunemori, but he looked up the recipe previously, it seemed simple enough. He took out a baguette and cut it in half lengthwise before slathering it in butter. He minced a fair amount of garlic before spreading it over the baguette halves. Ginoza worried maybe this would be too much food, but on the other hand leftovers were always an easy meal. He put the bread in the oven after putting it to 350°C. Ginoza came out after washing his hands, drying his hands on a dish towel.
"I suppose I need to work on my hosting skills." Ginoza said, tilting his head in apology.
"You're fine." Tsunemori got up off the couch where she was previously petting Dime. "He's a husky right?"
"Correct." Ginoza said.
"So, what are your hobbies? I feel like we only ever talk about work."
"Hmm, I like coin collecting, and, well, gardening, however," Ginoza gestures around them. "There are no windows here, that limits the type of plant I can keep. That and Dime, certain plants aren't good for dogs and he used to have a habit of eating some leaves off my plants, hasn't in a while though."
"Wow, I hadn't imagined you such a green thumb, I usually just play video games and chat online." Tsunemori admitted. "Well actually, I haven't done that in awhile, I usually read case files now. Pretty boring"
"While I admire your commitment to your job, Tsunemori, you really must consider your psycho-pass. You should go back to your previous interests, it would be a healthier option. Remember, you must take care of yourself."
Tsunemori was about to answer when Ginoza's phone beeped.
"Ah, the garlic bread should be just about done, I hope you don't mind but I like it lightly toasted."
"It's fine." Tsunemori said. "You don't need to worry so much."
Ginoza hurried to the kitchen to check on the garlic bread. Thankfully it was light brown, so he put on oven mitts and took it out to cool. He then took out the spaghetti and lowered the heat on the first pot before adding the noodles. Tsunemori walked into the kitchen.
"Anything I can do?" She asks.
"Oh! Um… no, no. I wouldn't want to trouble you." Ginoza assured her, though he would rue the day she found out, Tsunemori was an abhorrent cook.
"It's no trouble." Said Tsunemori cheerfully.
"Hmm, you could chop up the garlic bread into reasonable sized pieces, it should be cool enough by now." Ginoza supplied, surely, she couldn't mess that up too badly.
They remained in silence until Ginoza finished cooking, without any incidents he was proud to announce considering it was his first-time cooking spaghetti and meatballs. Though he had overestimated the amount of pasta he needed, and the pot was almost overflowing, it seemed the spaghetti had expanded. He supposed there were worst problems to have, nothing burnt at the very least. He fed Dime, sneaking him a frozen meatball. After setting the table, Ginoza served Tsunemori's plate first, giving her extra meatballs, he heard she was taking self defense and he supposed she could use the extra protein. Ginoza went to the fridge and took out their drink for the night.
"Red wine?" Asked Tsunemori.
"Yes, well, I, uh, read it went well with the dish." Ginoza responded, before freezing in place then rushing out of the room. "Wait!"
"Ah, Ginoza!" Tsunemori froze alarmed, but Ginoza returned a moment later.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to alarm you," he was holding a few sprigs of leaves. "This is parsley, it grows well in dim light, but also goes well with this meal. I almost forgot, and it would be a shame to waste this opportunity."
Ginoza offered Tsunemori half of the pickings he had taken. Tsunemori laughed relieved before ripping the plant into shreds and spreading it over her meal.
"You really had me worried."
Ginoza poured them each a glass of the wine before sitting down himself.
"My apologies, that's the opposite of what I want this evening."
"So, about this case-" Tsunemori began, Ginoza raised his hand.
"No, no, this evening is about relaxing, no talking about work. Your clarity will thank-you."
"Ginoza, I'm quite robust, I assure you, I was just thinking..."
"Tsunemori. Allow me to do this, friends look out for each other, I think you're pushing yourself a bit hard recently, even if you don't. The case will be there tomorrow."
Tsunemori paused before, nodding. "Okay Ginoza. So, what do you want to talk about?"
"Well, I heard about Sparkle Knight, it's a new game, right? Thoughts."
Tsunemori's eyes seemed to light up.
"Well, I haven't been playing it, but I've heard a bit about it, did you know it has seven endings?"
"Do go on," Ginoza smiled.
And so Tsunemori and Ginoza talked throughout dinner about the latest video games, though neither were quite up to date. As dinner came to close Ginoza got up to gather their plates.
"How about some tea? Mint, alright?" Ginoza asked.
"Sounds lovely." Tsunemori responded. "Are these more out of your garden?"
"Yes but I dried them." Ginoza responded reaching up for the cupboard and taking down a teapot.
He filled the kettle with water and set it to boil. He then spooned the correct amount of mint leaves into a filter and put it into the pot.
"We've been talking about my interests all night, what about you? How many plants do you have in here?"
"Let's see, uh, five. But at my Grandmother's I'm growing more, she has more space." The kettle clicked, so Ginoza poured the hot water into the teapot. "I'm growing tomatoes and zucchinis, and a few other things. But here…"
Ginoza lead Tsunemori into his bedroom where there were five pots. On top of a bookshelf.
"There's the mint, and that's the parsley." Ginoza said taking them down, he rested them on the floor before taking a cut of each, offering them to Tsunemori.
"Mmm," Tsunemori hummed appreciatively.
"And then this," Ginoza took down a plant with light green stripes on it leaves. "Is pothos, or devil's ivy, though epipremnum aureum is its scientific name. That-" Ginoza's phone beeped. "Ah the tea."
Ginoza walked over to the kitchen, leaving Tsunemori to admire his plants. He removed the tea leaves and poured two cups of the mint tea. When he returned Tsunemori was reaching up to try and get his other plant.
"Allow me." Ginoza said, handing her the tea, she slipped it appreciatively. He then took down a tall, fern like plant. "The zz plant, or Zanzibar gem, also known as zamioculcas." Ginoza had a glint in his eyes. "This is my true pride though," he reached up, and revealed not a pot, but a glass bowl. Inside were four different types of moss growing beside each other with small sand paths separating them. "It's a moss terrarium, moss grows so slow, it took forever to get it this full." Ginoza was beaming, like he never beamed at work. "Here, you can touch them, just be gentle."
Tsunemori reached in a petted each gently.
"Wow, you must have really worked hard on them."
"Not really," Ginoza seemed embarrassed "it just took a lot of patience." Ginoza returned his four pots and one glass bowl to the top of his shelf. "My apologies, I must be boring you."
"No! I'm happy that you can share things with me you're so passionate about." Tsunemori shifted a little. "I'm happy I came to the MWPSB, I'm happy we're friends."
Ginoza chuckled awkwardly. "Thanks, I'm glad we're friends too."
"Yikes! Look at the time, I should go" said Tsunemori glancing at her watch before draining her cup of the remaining tea.
"Yeah, I should walk Dime." Ginoza agreed.
Ginoza walked Tsunemori to the door, handing her coat.
"Thanks for tonight, Ginoza, I bet I'm down like 10 degrees." Tsunemori said putting on her coat.
"Anytime." Ginoza nodded.
The two hugged goodbye and parted ways, both a little happier.