A/N: I'm alive! I'm so sorry to have kept you all waiting longer than usual! I've been having mid-term exams for uni over the last week so I didn't get much chance to write! Thank you all for sending through lovely messages, and also a request for some fluffy scenes between Akane and Kogami! Well, here it is! Hope you enjoy it!
To my reviewers, followers and favourites:
Otakugirl1996: Akane will definitely wake up soon! Fingers crossed the baby would still be around!
brainyotaku: I know :( I still can't believe they took away Kagari and Masaoka in the first season! I was hoping they would stick around for longer!
passingbyguest: Akane is alive for sure! Hopefully she can pull through till the end! I thought a hint of some old characters would do Akane some good!
Hound 3: Thank you and I agree! I think Kogami would be even more ruthless if he finds out someone's been trying to harm Akane and the baby!
Guest: Awww you're so sweet! Thank you and yes I've just been stuck taking exams T.T Honestly I would rather be writing!
AlissReads: Thank you for following and favouriting this story! I hope you enjoy it!
Case Twelve: Stand By Me
For as long as Tsunemori Akane could recall, there was always something about Kogami that had made her so drawn towards him. At the beginning she thought it was his experience, the way he saw the world, how he takes in every little detail and analyse it. Then came his intelligence, his knowledge; his ability to pull out information at the drop of a hat. She admired him, she wanted to learn from him, she pushed herself to be more like him. Only when he disappeared without a trace, did Akane slowly begin to realize this fascination had flourished into love. She was dumbfounded, surprised that her feelings were so predictable and extensive. There was no chance, she remembered reminding herself when Kogami did eventually return from abroad, that someone as complex as Kogami Shinya would accept a girl as plain and simple as she was. Never had she expected, that just a mere few months after re-gaining her position at the Bureau, to have his lips pressed fully against hers. Another few seasons later, Akane found herself standing amongst the evening snow, eyes glued to the diamond ring that fell out from the empty Spinel carton he had handed to her earlier.
"Marry me."
Today, he held the same look as he had back then. Only this time, instead of holding on with fear of rejection, it was plastered with concern. His orbs, the greyish blue colour that Akane loved so much, scanned across her face in shock as Kogami knelt down next to her. She watched, breathing still heavy as she tried to adjust her senses. The pain in her body consumed her like fire, skin stinging like needles being jammed in without warning. Akane felt like her mind was exploding, blinding whiteness creeping around the corners of her vision; ready to take her back towards an endless dream. But with all the might she could gather, Akane withstood it, desperately refusing to give in to the sensation.
"Akane," she heard his voice reach out to her, "You're-"
Before Kogami could finish his sentence, a wave of nausea suddenly churned its way through the former inspector's stomach. Immediately, a gag hitched up her throat and Akane gagged, shooting up from the bed and breaking out into a coughing fit. Abrupt and unexpected, her body reacted negatively to the movement, forcing its victim to cry out in agony as she gasped and choked for air. Like a bolt of lightning, Kogami was on his feet, reaching forward to bring her into his arms.
His touch was gentle but firm, "Akane!" Kogami cried, quickly turning towards the door and calling for backup.
Ginoza and Sugo hurried in seconds later, both startled by Kogami's unexpected summon. Akane, now cradled close to her husband's chest, allowed her eyes to slide at the incoming agents. Aside from a few visible scratches here and there, Ginoza and Sugo seemed well, much to comfort Akane's own worries. She wouldn't have wanted anyone else to be in the same situation she was in.
"G-Ginoza-san, Sugo-san," she managed to breathe, "Are you hurt?"
The two blinked, realizing Akane somehow conscious, " Tsunemori," Ginoza sighed in relief, "We're fine, you took the most damage."
She attempted to respond with a smile, assuring them that she was alive. But with another twist in her lower abdomen, Akane coughed and felt herself reflex with discomfort. Every organ in her body was complaining, joined alongside the cramping that was worsening in her belly. It scared her, this pain; she could feel something was wrong, that her child was frightened and in distress. She must protect it, she must. There was no way on earth she was going to lose her child to this battle.
Withering and barely able to move, Akane reached for Kogami's hand, "Shin-Shinya," she panted desperately, "Please, you have to help."
Kogami accepted her hasty grasp, "We'll get you out," he affirmed, "So hang in there, hang in there for me."
"No, no not me," Akane whispered, giving a shake of her head, "Our ch-"
She couldn't hold on any longer. The three faces in front of her became blurry, everything was falling out of order. With one last ounce of strength, she squeezed the hand she held onto, before feeling a swarm of darkness completely devour her, dragging her once again into the deep pit of slumber.
"Akane!" Kogami exclaimed as he noticed his wife fading away, "Gino, call Shion!"
Ginoza was already on the move, Sugo trailing at his toes, "I'll find Ishida," the ex-pilot declared before the two dashed off.
Left cradling a now unconscious Akane, Kogami stook a moment to carefully study her features and assess her injuries. Her breathing remained steady, which meant she probably fainted at the cost of something else. Was it the pain? Or perhaps she was bleeding internally as well? A thousand possibilities crashed into the former inspector and enforcer's thoughts, numbing him of any ability to think. Kogami Shinya always knew what to do in emergency situations, but today he was useless. Today, all he could do was hold Akane as close as he can, tuck her into his warmth and hope she would trust him as much as he believed in her.
"Marry me."
His mind flashed to the evening when he asked Akane to marry him; he remembered it like it was only yesterday. It was sometime in January, just after the new year where snowfall was at its height. He was rarely a nervous person, but today his palms were sweaty and despite standing outside in the cold winters evening, he felt like someone had shoved him into an oven. To calm himself, he lit a cigarette, leant against the car and looked up at the looming NONA tower.
"Goodnight Tamada-san!"
Akane's gentle voice appeared as the doors slid open and she walked out, wrapped in a thick coat and scarf her late grandmother knitted for her. She smiled and waved another female colleague goodbye before making her own way down the main path. Snow was starting to fall heavier, and Akane ushered along, almost missing Kogami until she noticed a tall shadow putting out his cigarette a mere feet or so away . She blinked and stopped, surprised to see him waiting out in dark.
"Kogami-san?" she started to rush towards him, making sure she wasn't dreaming, "What are you doing?"
As always she looked so cheerful to see him, "You didn't tell me you were coming," Akane uttered, halting to study him in his bomber jacket, "And you'll catch a cold like this."
Taking off her own scarf, Akane stood on her tippy toes before proceeding to loop the knit around the latter's neck. It smelt like her, a mixture of rose petals and orchids contrasting against his second hand smoke. Kogami could feel his heart quicken as he paused before moving his hand to where he kept the ring. Slowly, he pulled out a familiar blue plastic packaging before placing it skilfully in Akane's palm; encouraging her to open it.
"I want you to have this," he insisted
Confused, Akane glanced down at the packaging, "Spinel?" she muttered, "Kogami-san, I'm capable of buying my own."
Kogami didn't reply, watching intriguingly as the curious Akane proceeded to break the seal on the cigarette packet and peeking inside. To further add to her bewilderment, it was completely empty, not even a hint of loose tobacco was seen stuck around the edges. Akane frowned, sensing this could be some sort of puzzle Kogami had invented for her to solve. He was good at these things, problem solving and all, while Akane still needed a hint every now and then.
"Another challenge?" Akane questioned, tipping the carton over, "Kogami-san, you really have too much spare time to- "
A ring fell out. It was platinum, beautifully cut with a high level of clarity and colour. The diamond, round and brilliant, sat perfectly on top of the band, glimmering with hope under the night sky. Akane froze, staring at it like she had never seen such an object before in her life. Kogami on the other end, swallowed nervously as he tried to read Akane's expression. He had to say something, it was all planned out in his head. But seeing Akane so shocked made him panic, and all the correct words suddenly disappeared from his mind.
"Marry me," was all he managed to blurt out
It came out wrong, so wrong. He could just picture Ginoza rolling his eyes and pinching his temples with disbelief. Akane however, didn't flinch or move at his blunt remark, but rather remained glued to the ring. Her face was shrouded in astonishment, warm honey orbs still trying to analyse the meaning behind this strange piece of accessory. Kogami feared if this continued any longer, he might have to call Shion or someone to come and defrost this cemented Akane.
"I'm sorry," he began, "I shouldn't have – "
"Yes."
He shivered, while Akane looked up, eyes focusing on him, "Yes," she repeated, "I will marry you."
This time, it was Kogami's turn to stiffen, as if being hit by the dominator's non-lethal paralyzer. But instead of passing out, he felt a pair of arms wrap themselves around his torso, a breeze of brunette hair pressing into his chest. His brain stopped functioning all together, washed away by a rush of emotions that flooded in like a tidal wave. He could finally breathe again, a blend of relief and amazement spreading from head to toe. Even his body was acting on its own, responding to Akane's embrace by clinging onto her like it was the only thing left in this world.
"I want to wake up next to you every morning and welcome you home every night," Akane smothered, voice trembling, "You won't be alone again, I promise."
I promise.
"Kogami!"
The sound of Ginoza's voice drew him back to reality. His friend and partner appeared at the doorway, huffing and puffing like he just completed a marathon. Sugo seemed to have found Ishida as well, with the two staggering close behind as they approached the doorway. Glancing up, Kogami issued a frown as Ginoza stepped forward and thrusted a heavy looking satellite phone in his face. From the readings on the screen, all possible signals around the nearby area were cut off, probably at the hands of local mercenaries whom wished to hunt them down.
"All connections are dead," Ginoza explained, "I can't get across to Shion."
Kogami hissed in frustration. He glanced down at Akane, still unconscious in his arms, "Sugo, we're going Morse then," he instructed, gently resting his wife back down against the bed, "Radio navigation."
The pilot gave a firm nod of his head, "Understood," he confirmed, beckoning at Ginoza for support, "I'll need you to help me range."
"I'll do it."
"But Kogami – "
He stood up, hands digging into the pocket of his cargo pants, "SEAUn's geography is complicated," Kogami insisted, "And we don't have much time."
Ginoza folded is arms, "Then what about Tsunemori?" he challenged, gesturing at the sleeping figure, "We know you're not going to leave her here."
Sensing the question coming, the former inspector and enforcer turned to smirk, "Ishida, I'm leaving Akane with you."
Ishida, who lingered quietly at the back this whole time, blinked upon unexpectedly getting his name called, "Uh me?" the younger soldier pointed at himself
"Yes, you," Kogami insisted, flashing a rare hopeful look, "I'm trusting you with this."
Akane knew in some strange way, that Kogami had always looked out for her. She wasn't quite sure how, but it always felt like he was nearby. It first began when she was a newbie inspector, arriving at office each morning to find a mug of hot coffee waiting for her at the desk. Sometimes if she was running late, a bar of muesli or snack accompanied the drink, as if deducing she wouldn't have time for breakfast. She had always thought it was Masaoka or Kagari who performed such act of kindness, never Kogami. Only after marriage, when similar patterns occurred, did Akane realize who her secret caretaker really was. And although knowing a character like Kogami would never come to personally admit it, Akane was still grateful for this form of endearment.
Slowly, over time, she herself started reciprocating these little acts of fondness back to Kogami. She knew that for most of his adult life, Kogami lived alone; banished from society after being labelled as a latent criminal. Akane recognized this loneliness from the get go, and vowed to herself to never allow Kogami to feel abandoned again. No matter how tired she was, or mentally exhausted a day of work has caused her, she always made it her goal to greet Kogami at the door when he came home. It was a technique her own mother used, and she found it comforting every time she saw a bright smile welcoming her back.
"I'm home."
Her mind brought her back to when they first moved in together. It was already late into the evening, with Kogami having to stay behind at the foreign office to squeeze out some information from a potential dealer. Akane recalled how drained he looked when she came bouncing down the hallway to see him. Home was after all, the only place Kogami could ever lower his guard, where he was safe and needless to worry about threats coming in at every possible angle.
"Kogami-san!" she cried in excitement, throwing her arms out and drawing him in, "Welcome home!"
Surprised, Kogami literally had to throw off his shoes as Akane came flying, "What's wrong?" he asked, catching her in an embrace.
Akane shook her head, closing her eyes as she breathed in the lingering scent of coffee and tobacco, "You came home," she hummed, "Thank you."
Ever since then she continued to greet him in the similar manner, all delighted and perky; like it was her first time laying her eyes on him. Kogami got the hang of this tradition a few days later, arriving home to someone who was always overjoyed to see him. Sometimes he would lift Akane up and twirl her around, planting a kiss against her lips to tell her it was truly him. For once it made him look forward to coming home, returning to a place that no longer haunted with dread.
On certain occasions, when Kogami was plagued by nightmares of war and terror, Akane would be more than willing to spend the night looking after him. She knew such occurrences were common for people who have seen battle and conflict, but she didn't know it would be this frightening until one night, she awoke to Kogami sitting in their shower; drenched in cold water and fear.
"They're all dead," she heard him whisper to himself, "I couldn't do anything."
Flicking on the lights, Akane gently approached him, "Kogami-san," she murmured, opening the shower door, "It's safe, you're home now."
It hurt her so much to see him in such state, "Come, let's get you cleaned up," she knelt down and turned the water off, "You'll get sick like this."
"Akane, there's blood," Kogami didn't budge, "Akane, I have to wash the blood off."
Her favourite blue eyes were laced with horror, illusions that reflected images of Kogami's life abroad. The deaths, the executions, the lives that he couldn't save were crying out to him, reaching towards him for help. Akane paused, studied her husband for a brief moment before getting up and climbing into the shower herself. She paid no attention to the icy wetness that dripped around her, but instead sat down and carefully tucked him into the base of her neck.
"I know," she consoled, "Let's wash it off together."
That night, Akane didn't sleep a wink. Even when she finally got him dried up and into a fresh set of clothes, she still couldn't fully apprehend how cruel this world had treated him. She stayed to comfort him, fingers intertwining with his to tell him she was here, here to stand beside him and hold on. Since then, Akane grew into the habit of holding hands with Kogami whenever they slept. To them, it wasn't just a way of showing affection, but more so a confirmation that they would never let each other go.
Hence, when Akane finally found the strength to peel back her eyes and look up at the lights, she thought the familiar fuzzy face belonged to Kogami. Her vision was still a little blurry, but something told her it was him. Automatically, she smiled, remembering she never got the chance to fully finish her sentence earlier. Opening her mouth and attempting to speak, Akane managed to breathe the first few syllables of his name.
"Shi-Shinya," she ushered faintly, feeling a warm hand graze her cheeks, "I need to tell you," his touch was moving closer, hovering over the chin like he was going to kiss her, "I'm pregnant."
Except it wasn't Kogami who was by her side, nor was it him receiving the news. Instead, Ishida Tetsu's fingers curled themselves firmly around Akane's throat, his other hand bringing a hunting knife dangerously close to a major vein. The soldier didn't seem to be moved by Akane's words, but merely sighed as he prepared himself to slice through the soft flesh.
"Too bad," his voice grew phlegmatic, "I was starting to like you."
His hand skimmed into action, followed by a spurt of blood.
A/N: Ugh I live for fluffy Shinkane! If any Psycho-pass scripters are reading this, please let my OTP be happy! (*cries with feels*) Or I'm bringing more cute moments into this story!