Disclaimer: I do not own Persona 5 or any of its characters, only any original ones depicted here.

Chapter title comes from "Rain on Me" - Lady Gaga feat. Ariana Grande.

~•~•~•~

There was no such thing as relaxation in the Special Investigations Unit in downtown Tokyo. If you were relaxing, then you weren't working. If you weren't working, then you were useless to everyone else.

While half of the workers could care less about that notion, Makoto Nijima was not one of them.

It was her creed. It was what woke her up in the wee hours of the morning, made her skip numerous meal breaks and return home in the middle of the night, ready to do it all over again the next day. She practically sweated and exhaled work. Her work ethic was admirable to her superiors yet terrifying to her coworkers; it was almost like she was a machine. Detractors waited with bated breath for the day that she would have a nervous breakdown, thus eliminating their competition.

Today was not one of them as her lithe fingers flew across her keyboard, typing up a report on a recent homicide case. Makoto never skimped on the details, even if they seemed unimportant to the overall investigation. She had seen so many cases overturn or re-open due to miniscule elements being found out.

"Nijima-san!"

Keeping her fingers moving, her garnet eyes flicked up over her monitor to see in the doorway the smiling face of Yuuki Mishima, a rookie who seemed like a fish out of water here. While most officers had an air of seriousness about them, the young man was chipper 24/7. It had annoyed the hell out of her in the beginning, especially when she was forced to bring him along to investigate his first aggravated assault case. The guy had a goofy grin on his face as he rambled and asked questions about what they could possibly find at the scene and how he was eager to help out in any way he can. Her patience wearing thin that day, Makoto coldly told him that he could help by not touching a thing and letting her ask all the questions. The response only deflated him a bit, thinking that his superior was just having a bad day and saying things she didn't mean. Turns out she wasn't kidding as she shoved a pen and pad in his hands right before they questioned the victim. After that case, he quickly got the hint to tone down his earnestness around the woman before she shoved a nightstick up his ass.

"Mishima-kun. Have you gotten those files I asked for?"

"Yes ma'am, right here!" He held up a thick manila folder and waved it. "I also threw in a few printouts from the database that might help you out a bit, heh…"

Pausing her typing, Makoto raised a brow at him. "And I imagine you obtained this info with a superior's permission this time?"

Mishima's grin had a nervous edge now, his brows raising. "Of course, heh…I, uh, learned my lesson last time."

Her lips quirked a bit. "Good. Set them down."

After doing what she said, the other noticed the empty Styrofoam cup to the left of her keyboard. The inside was stained brown from her morning coffee yet there were no stray drops on the bottom. "Um, Nijima-san, when did you finish your coffee?"

"Mm…about 9 AM. Why?"

He tilted his head with concern. "Surely you could use another one, you've been typing away for hours now. Why don't I go make you some right now?"

"Mishima-kun, I appreciate the offer but it's too soon for me to have another cup, I'll be shaking if I drink anymore."

Now the young man's face bore incredulity, eyes wide at his superior's reasoning. "Ma'am…do you know what time it is now?"

Makoto made a noncommittal sound. "I'm guessing it's only around 11, maybe 11:30." She had turned off the clock that showed up in the corner of her screen ages ago; time didn't matter to her anymore.

"…It's 1:47."

The typing stopped as her fingers paused, hovering over the keyboard. She looked up at the rookie with disbelief, thinking that he was playing a joke on her. He picked up on this and pulled his phone out of his pocket, turning on the lock screen (which had a picture of a volleyball match on it) and showing it to her, confirming his statement. The action caused the brunette's mouth to open a bit. After a couple of seconds, she sighed and shook her head. "On second thought, why don't you go ahead and make one for me?"

Biting his lip to hold back any teasing, he nodded quickly before turning around and leaving her office.

Now that he was gone, Makoto lifted a hand up to her face, rubbing the bridge of her nose with her thumb and index finger. Losing track of time was nothing new to her but to have someone else notice it was a bit embarrassing. And it was Mishima of all people. The guy was too damn perceptive sometimes.

Sharply reminding herself to focus, she continued typing her report, not even pausing when Mishima came back with a steaming cup of coffee (he remembered her order like the back of his hand), setting it down in its usual place before slinking out once more. She took a sip after letting it cool for a bit, savoring the caffeine giving her an extra jolt. After a few more paragraphs and proofreading it twice, Makoto finished her report and saved it before clicking on the print button. She got up and left her office to head to the printer, keeping her gaze straight ahead. The inspector could feel eyes on her, like always, watching her every move to see if she would mess up in some way. Aside from Mishima, her coworkers were not warm and kept their interactions with her strictly professional though even that was difficult for some of them.

She could count on her whole hand reasons as to why they were not fond of her.

From the first day as an officer up until now, the brunette carried herself with confidence that she could do her job correctly; some mistook it as arrogance and never bothered to clarify with her.

Many of the officers were friends with each other outside of work and her constant rejections of invites gave her a reputation as a frigid hermit.

She often went out of her way to ask for the toughest cases that the higher-ups could give her, leaving the others with parking violations and petty street fights; anyone who enjoyed dealing with those wasn't sane.

She was a woman in a higher position over many men. While she wasn't the only female to work in this section, not many had gotten to her current level, bringing resentment from those below her. Some of them thought that she was unfit for the job and had gotten through by kissing ass or spreading her legs.

Her name alone brought contempt from the unit. Being related to a prosecutor who was known for forging evidence and interfering with police investigations was a one-way ticket to being hated. To think that she had still left a dark mark after all these years…

'No.'

Makoto pursed her lips, brows knitting together in derision.

'Don't think about her. This isn't the time to lose it.'

Taking in a few deep breaths, she unclenched her fists, noticing that her nails had left crescent-shaped marks in her palms. Frowning, she looked up once she heard the printer stop printing, picking up her papers and shuffling through them to make sure no one else's documents were mixed in. Nodding to herself in satisfaction, she headed back to her office and stapled everything together. Picking up the office phone, she hit the button labeled 'Director' and held the receiver to her ear, waiting for the ringing to stop. Within a few seconds, a gruff voice answered.

"Yes, Nijima-san?"

"I'm sorry to bother you sir but I have the report on the Akiyama case ready for you."

"Ah, yes, thank you."

"I'll leave it in your mailbox if you'd li- "

He cut her off. "Actually, Nijima-san, that won't be necessary. I would like for you to drop it off at my desk, there is something I would like to discuss with you."

Eyes widening a bit, she nearly stumbled over her words. "Of course, sir. I'll be right there."

Hanging up, she stared at the black phone for a little while, wondering just what he could want with her. The SIU director was a terribly busy man and only delegated in-person meetings for discussions with higher-ups or to berate his employees…hopefully it was the former.

Composing herself, she tucked her papers underneath her arm and left the office once more, walking until she left the criminal affairs division to enter the large hallway. She headed to the elevators and pressed the up button, tapping her foot as she waited for the numbers to go from '17' to '12'. A 'ding' sounded a minute later, causing the metal doors to open as a small group of plainclothes officers stepped out, chatting about their cases of the day. Makoto stepped to the side to let them pass before entering the empty car, pressing the button labeled '20' before standing in the back. The doors shut before making the ascent to the upper floors without interruption. The 'ding' came on once more before she stepped through the now open doors, heading to the right and down the narrower hallway to the Director's office. Stopping in front of the dark wood door, she steeled her nerves before knocking a few times.

"Enter."

Makoto turned the silver knob and opened the door, stepping inside and taking a quick look around, despite herself. It surprised her every time how non-lavish his office was compared to theirs; if it wasn't for the nameplate on his desk and the large window overlooking the city, he could be mistaken for just another officer. Once she shut the door, the man in question looked up from whatever he was reading.

"Ah, Nijima-san."

"Good day, sir. I have the report right here."

The Director nodded. "Yes, thank you for that. Please, set it down here and have a seat."

Hoping he didn't see her swallow the nervous lump in her throat, she walked up to his desk and placed the papers in the document tray on the corner of the desk before sitting in one of the chairs across from him. Straightening her posture up more, she spoke. "You wished to discuss something with me, sir?"

"Yes, I did. I was going to summon you later but I figured I would save you the trip- "His lips turned up a mite. "I know you're a very busy woman, Nijima-san."

Her shoulders relaxed a little as her expression matched his. "Indeed but if it's for you, I can make time."

"Good. We might be here for a little while." His expression becoming serious, he closed the manila folder he was reading and pushed it across the desk to her. "I received some new information regarding a case we have been working on for far too long and wanted to share it with you."

Raising an eyebrow on what he could mean, Makoto picked up the folder and opened. Before she could start reading, her breath caught in her throat at the glossy picture that was stapled to the corner. It housed a person…well, more of a silhouette due to their attire and the poor conditions the photo was taken in. The figure was dressed in mostly black and was lanky in stature and made up of sharp corners and edges, barely resembling a human being. What unnerved yet infuriated the brunette was the mask on their face. It reminded her of a demon with the way the top curved into two sharp spikes and the sides and chin pointed out at an unnatural angle. The sickening part was that the bastard had painted a sadistic smile onto the bottom of the mask, giving their victims a horrible last sight as they perished.

And so the SIU had dubbed him 'Black Mask'.

A serial killer slash thief who had been terrorizing Tokyo for the past two years and keeping the SIU on their toes. The criminal would steal anything from money to jewelry to confidential documents before finishing off their victims. Serial killers were nothing new to them but this one was clearly unlike the norm. There were no known motivations, no connection to each victim or evidence that could be used to determine the criminal's identity. To say it was stressful was a foul understatement.

The department's reputation was in serious jeopardy and got worse with each day that passed with no arrest announcements. It was incredibly frustrating for Makoto to overhear conversations on the train or in restaurants criticizing the force and thinking that they didn't care about the citizens. She knew that wasn't the case at all, they were trying their goddamn best…but she could understand their fear as well.

Imagine leaving your house (or even being inside) for a normal day and ending up on the ten o'clock news, leaving your family to grieve as the people who were supposed to protect you can't even bring justice because they can't track this monster down.

Reading through half of the first page, Makoto took in the new information with a furrowed brow. "Hm…I see. Where did you obtain this information from, sir?"

"From Akechi-san, I've had him combing through any fine details he could find for the last month or so."

She barely held back her look of distaste for the prodigal detective. "Ah. So what exactly did you want me to do with this information?"

The Director clasped his hands and leaned his elbows on his desk, looking at his employee with his dark eyes. "You see, Nijima-san, I called you in here because despite all of this, we're still missing pieces of the puzzle. I contemplated a possible approach since yesterday but now that I've had time to reflect, I've realized that there is no better option."

"And…what is this approach, sir?"

His gaze became stern. "I feel that the department is approaching this case the wrong way. We're thinking too much like law enforcement and missing all the possible details that Black Mask might be laying out for us in the open. It seems like it's time for us to start thinking the way they are and putting ourselves in their shoes in order to track them down."

Makoto could not help the way her eyes widened and her mouth dropped. Of all the things to hear out of the Director's mouth, this was definitely not one of them. "Director…exactly how do you…how do you think this should be carried out? I mean- "Her throat cleared. "We're not going to be…taking this role too seriously, are we?"

If the man ever laughed, now would have been a perfect time to do so. "Not literally, Nijima-san. In fact, I would like to keep my officers as far from this criminal as possible until we're 100% confident about their identity. What I mean is- "He leaned forward further now, raising a bushy brow. "In order to find a thief, one must get to know how they think. Who better to ask than another thief?"

Now she understood what he was saying.

To get answers, they would have to work with someone who knew how Black Mask walked, talked, stole, killed, breathed. But how was that going to happen? The figure had no known associates and there weren't many thieves who were on their level that would be worth even associating with. Except maybe…

"I see what you're saying sir, but…who exactly did you have in mind?"

The older man's face morphed into one of faux shock. "Why, I'm surprised you're asking me this, Nijima-san. What thieves have you known of who have been giving you trouble for the last few years that could nearly rival Black Mask's anonymity?"

She had a horrible feeling in her stomach that the group she was thinking of was the exact one the Director was suggesting; his words only made this discomfort worse. Clenching her hands into fists on her lap, she gritted out through her teeth. "The Phantom Thieves."

"Indeed. All these years and yet we still don't know their identities, who else would be better to ask for assistance? I'm sure I can have someone get you a lead to find where they are located."

Makoto was used to going along with her superior's ideas but something about this didn't sit right with her. "Sir…forgive me, I don't mean to come off as disrespectful but this sounds like a very risky maneuver. How do we know we can trust them to not lead us on or into a trap?"

The Director gave a sly smirk, emphasizing his jowls. "Because we'll have leverage over them; either help us or be incarcerated. There's still many charges piled up against them that could keep them in prison until they're gray and brittle-boned."

Making an understanding sound, she could see why he was going to these lengths to put an end to this case once and for all but there was still one thing nagging at her.

"Director…is there a reason that you're telling all of this to me?"

"Why, of course." He held a hand out to her, as if he was showing off a prized animal. "Who else would be better to perform this task than one of my best inspectors?"

Now her jaw dropped to the floor.

"M-Me?!"

Realizing that she raised her voice, her cheeks flamed as she bit her lip and looked away.

"Sir, I don't…I don't understand…"

"Nijima-san, I honestly believe that you are the most capable to handle this case. Even though I know you detest the Phantom Thieves, I can trust that you will put aside your feelings to get the job done, for the sake of the SIU and Japan. Besides- "A brow raised. "This would look great on your letter of recommendation for Police Commissioner, no?"

Whatever protests the woman had ready to give died at what he said. Makoto didn't have many weak points people knew about but her desire to be promoted was one of them and the Director was dangling it in front of her like a piece of meat and she was a starving dog. Had it been anyone else, she would have questioned whether he was sincere in this recommendation but she knew the man as someone who did not throw promotions out like they were free flyers. The circumstances this was under was not ideal but if she didn't take this now, this opportunity would never show up again. She hated to admit it but she was desperate.

"I'll do it."

~•~•~•~

"And then he walks up to me, all swaggered out and dressed to the nines, and this is what comes out of his mouth. 'Want to get some Big Bang with me?' Big Bang? Really?! He was dressed like he had sushi money, and not the conveyor belt kind!"

Makoto shook her head, smiling as their bartender scoffed behind the counter. Her good friend Eiko was telling them about some random man that approached her earlier today while she was handing out flyers for the hostess club she worked at.

"Did you look at his shoes?"

Eiko turned her head, giving the bartender a confused look. "No…what do his shoes have to do with anything?"

The woman folded her arms, giving the other a serious look. "Any schmuck can buy an expensive suit and act like he's made of money but not everyone can get the shoes to match it. Next time look at them. If they have a ton of creases and are peeling, run like hell, girlie."

Eiko's mouth opened into an 'O', having learned something new today. "Ohhh, I see. Gosh Lala, what would I do without your wisdom?"

"Pft, you'd probably be working at Serendipity and not Club Opal."

Everyone cringed at the mention of Serendipity; it had an awful reputation from its former employees who were lured in by its charming manager and supposed high wages.

"Ugh, you're so right. Right, Mako?"

"Mhm."

Noticing another one of her friend's lackluster responses, Eiko frowned and tilted her head. "What's up, Makoto? Rough day today?"

"Ah, no, it's just…" The brunette hesitated, biting her lip. She never really liked to bring her work problems into her personal life, especially on drink outings with the other. It was time for them to unwind from their hectic life and catch up on what they had been up to.

This didn't deter the bubbly woman as she leaned over, nearly falling off her bar stool as she rested a hand on Makoto's arm and gently shook. "Come ooooon, tell meeeee. You know I like hearing about cop stuff once in a blue moon!"

Unable to hold back a smile at her insistence, the woman sighed. "Well…my boss gave me an opportunity to solve a case we've been working on for months but…" Her smile disappeared. "It involves having to get involved with the wrong people in order to make progress."

"Huh? Is that all? You said no, right?"

"Ah…I was going to but then he said…he would try to have me promoted to Police Commissioner if I ended up solving the case."

At this admission, Eiko nearly spit out the drink she was sipping. "What?! No way. Noooo way."

Makoto turned her red eyes to meet with her dark brown ones. "Yes way."

The normally talkative woman was speechless for once. She knew how much her friend wanted to achieve that goal; it had been all she talked about since that one spring day in their final year of high school. If she was in her shoes, she would've said screw it and took the job but Makoto was always much more cautious than she was; it was how they balanced each other out.

"Hmm…well, do you want my honest opinion, Mako?"

As soon as the other woman nodded, Eiko began. "I know you're a real stickler for the rules and doing the right thing but you've been wanting this position for so long and now the opportunity is there…I don't judge you for saying yes. Besides- "Her glossy, pink lips parted as she flashed a grin. "I know Miss President isn't the type to be swayed to the dark side so easily and if anyone messes with you, you can give them the ol' one-two with your fists of fury!"

Makoto's cheeks flushed at her friend's reassurance and alluding one of her favorite martial arts movies to her physical prowess. She tried to look put-upon with a pout but it couldn't last long as it morphed into a full-blown smile. "Thank you Eiko…you're the first person I talked to about that today. I guess I just needed the validation."

"Oh yes, that's because you have such an overactive imagination. Speaking of!" She hollered down the counter to Lala, who was polishing glasses at the end. "Lala, bring us another round! We're celebrating and trying not to think of anything other than how we're getting home!"

The policewoman sighed in mild exasperation when Lala shook her head but began preparing two more glasses for the duo. Once Eiko was focused on getting toasted, there was no stopping her. At least she never pushed Makoto out of her comfort zone and respected the fact that she had to get up early for work versus herself who didn't have to work until the afternoon. After two more drinks (four for Eiko), the two said their goodbyes to Lala before Makoto assisted her friend out of Crossroads, sitting her on a bench while she called two separate cabs for them. Luckily, the black-haired woman was able to give the driver clear directions to her place and after giving Makoto a big kiss on the cheek and a promise to call when she got in, the cab drove off. Her own arrived soon after and she got in and gave her address, sitting back and enjoying the drive over. She had a mild buzz and felt warm all over, watching as the lights of downtown Tokyo passed by through the window. It wasn't the weekend yet but there were still a good amount of people out relishing in the nightlife. A chuckle escaped her when she saw a group of college-aged girls linked together by the arms, dressed in bright colors and nearly skipping along the sidewalk, singing out loud a pop song she was familiar with.

"I'd rather be dry but at least I'm alive

Rain on me, rain, rain

Rain on me, rain, rain!"

She hoped these strangers had fun and stayed safe tonight.

All too soon, the vehicle pulled up outside of her apartment complex. Makoto gave the driver the fare plus a good tip before getting out, heading to the front door. Bringing out her keys, she unlocked it and entered before heading to the elevators, taking the lift up to the seventh floor. She got out once it reached and headed to the door at the end of the left side of the hallway. Unlocking it, she stepped in and shut the door behind her, sighing as she leaned against it for a bit. Something about stepping into your own home brought the exhaustion from the entire day to the surface.

Not wanting to fall asleep against the door, Makoto locked it before kicking off her shoes and setting her purse down on the couch, starting to walk off to her bedroom to get ready for bed. She froze halfway though as she remembered something. Quickly turning around, she walked over to the shelf hanging above her TV. A tiny smile formed as she looked up at what was sitting on it.

"Hey Dad. Sorry, I almost forgot to say good night to you, you know how crazy Eiko gets at the bar." Bringing her hand up, she pressed two of her fingers against her lips before resting it on the face in the picture frame. "Good night, I'll see you in the morning."

Forcing herself to walk away lest she end up having a full conversation with him, Makoto sighed shakily before heading to her room. She quickly changed into her pajamas and brushed her teeth before getting under the covers, staring at the rectangles of light on her ceiling, the streetlights shining through her blinds. It didn't last long as she found her eyes drifting shut within minutes, the alcohol and knowledge that she was going to have to go against everything she learned during her career carrying her into a deep slumber.

~•~•~•~

Hey there!

So this is an idea that's been heavy on my *clicks* noggin since last year and I finally said fuck it and started writing at 1 AM. This is only the third fic I've ever written but since the other two are for a fandom that's not super active, I'm a bit nervous to have the P5 one read this, especially since there's so many good ones already out there ;u;

But I hope some of you will enjoy this, please leave reviews or constructive criticism, I'm not sensitive! I can't promise how often I'll update this as I'm still working on one other fic and working full-time but I'll do my best to be somewhat consistent. 3