AN: This is just a random short idea I couldn't get out of my head. Because with these two, nothing is ever conventional, and I love it that way. As is often the case, in my headcanon they're married and happy in a post-series setting.
"No! No!"
It wasn't every day Karigari awakened to the sound of screams. What concerned him in particular this time was the fact that they clearly came from his wife, whom he quickly deducted was talking in her sleep.
Moments later, Sasagawa awakened in a cold sweat.
"Fritz…" She blinked at the man who lay across from her, trying to vouch her own surprise surroundings. She was in her room. In bed. And it was still quite dark out.
"Miss, are you alright?" It was obvious that she was only having a nightmare, but still, if she was unsettled, Karigari couldn't help but feel unsettled himself.
"Yeah…" she muttered, barely moving her lips. "I guess… that was a dream after all. Thank goodness." She sighed, feeling content that indeed, it couldn't possibly have really occurred. "But I'm so frustrated now!"
Karigari was not expecting her to practically throw herself at him, pressing her head into his chest.
"What exactly did you dream about?" Her sudden mood swing did make Karigari all the more curious. Dreams were a peculiar thing, something even his genius mind couldn't really wrap around. They often brought up parts of his subconsciousness even he'd never realized were there. He couldn't guess properly what someone else was dreaming, other than the fact that per her reaction, it must have had something to do with Drive Head.
"Cyclone Interceptor was upgraded!" Sasagawa exclaimed. "It was really amazing, and put out a massive fire which threatened the entirety of Bayfront City!" Her voice became softer. "But I didn't get to see any of it. I only heard secondhand."
"I see…" Karigari narrowed his eyes. Yes, to Miss that would indeed be a horror, but to him it was completely trivial.
"Why didn't anyone tell me?" Sasagawa looked at him accusingly. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"If there actually was a fire threatening the entirety of the city, perhaps I'd already been burned to ashes," Karigari replied. "I might have even been the one who started the fire, cooking up a large steak dinner to celebrate our anniversary. How ironic that would have been." He patted her on the head, letting his left hand, the normal hand run down Sasagawa's hair. "The real question you should be asking is how you didn't notice if such a large-scale disaster was occurring."
"I was taking a relaxing hot bath," Sasagawa mumbled. "It's cold out." She tightened her grip around Karigari's back.
"Miss, let me assure you that Cyclone Interceptor's upgrades won't be complete for at least a few weeks. But, if you're truly concerned, I can fire up my hidden cameras in the Mobile Rescue Police headquarters right now and get another look at their progress."
Sasagawa was admittedly enticed by the idea. But it would also require letting Karigari go, something she had no interest in doing at the moment.
"You don't need to do that," she answered. "Maybe tomorrow."
"Good," said Karigari, who had no desire to get out of the warm bed either. "But please be aware Miss, as traumatizing as nightmares can be, they're entirely fictitious, just the mind taunting you with your deepest fears. At least most of the time they're fictitious."
"Most of the time?" Sasagawa tilted her head as much as it were possible while lying on her side.
"I once had the most terrible nightmare," Karigari replied. "I dreamt that Kurumada's driving system was chosen over my own, and he became the Chief Engineer of the Mobile Rescue Police. I pinched myself so many times to make sure it was a dream that my cheeks were sore for days after. I still try it occasionally, yet that nightmare is never ending."
"But… that definitely really happened," said Sasagawa.
"I'm beginning to accept the fact," said Karigari. "After all, perhaps we wouldn't have met if not for your love for Drive Head. But I wonder, had I been chosen as Chief Engineer, would you have fallen in love with my machines instead?"
"I think I would." Sasagawa's reply came without missing a beat. She really did think as much. "After all, I fell in love with you. In my heart, you are the Chief Engineer."
Inside, Karigari was bursting with excitement. He'd realized all chances of him falling back to sleep anytime soon had just gone out the window.
"I do hope this conversation isn't a dream," he replied.
Sasagawa reached over and pinched him on the cheek.
"Does it hurt?"
"Yes!" he replied. "Did you need to pinch me that hard?"
"Fritz, I'm sorry…" Her cheeks had become a bright shade of red.
"Don't be," he replied. "This time I'm glad it hurt. But I see you're still quite riled up."
Karigari smiled at her. "Try and get some sleep, Miss. I'm sure you'll have better dreams."
"I still don't think I can sleep," she replied, her mouth forming a grin. "Snuggling with you like this is better."
