Work Text:
20.
« You want some pie Kenma ? »
« Why not. »
Sugawara actually left the place with his wallet. Kenma thought he already had the pie somewhere around. It just turned 1pm and they still haven’t eat, given that chips and sweets don’t count as meal. Somehow Kenma got used to their extrovert colleague and the job’s routine. On his screens, trackers and scanners were filtering Psycho Passes under their demand. At some point Kenma was the one acting someone’s death sentence. They were the one spotting them, eventually leading those people to confinement or worse.
A scent of hot and freshly baked apple filled the hallway soon. Kenma walked out to help Sugawara with the food.
« Do you want to go on the patio ? The weather’s nice today. » He suggested
« Alright, let’s go. »
Under daylight the city spreading near the headquarters looked nice and lively enough. Another day of work, or leisure, another day of Psycho Pass check at the subway’s exit, at the congress entrance. Yet another day of hiding for latent criminals, said Sugawara out of the blue.
Daichi. It was undoubtedly about Daichi. The man in the storm eye, subject of all the chit chat we could hear in the building during breaks.
20.
Kenma was being praised since day one. Sugawara, like a broken record, kept saying how talented his colleague was. That they were the brain, without whom nothing could work. Kenma couldn’t agree with such statement.
That day Sugawara stayed silent. In the usually lively lab, the facts were undeniable, black on the blue-ish screen. Kenma couldn’t look back, they didn’t have the guts to confront Sugawara, who was staring at his computer over his shoulder. Division 2 asked for help and so they did their job. The kettle whistling was only adding tension to the already nervous atmosphere. Four seconds, five seconds later, it was still screaming alone.
27.
The intercom ringed, and Kuroo’s voice could be heard.
« Can you open kitten ? »
Kenma didn’t move, the confident hand grabbing their shoulder was not hurting him, but it weighted so much more. They were still new here. It was not really fear, but who knows what will happen if they made a reckless move. The pressure was even higher than an activated Dominator pointing at you. His delicate fingers took over Kenma’s keyboard and erased the report he just made.
30.
« We’ll talk about it later. Now open. »
Kenma never considered themself as an easily intimidated person. However there’s something about Sugawara’s straightforward and yet petty methods that surprised them. That’s it. His silver hair could provoke the moon’s jealousy, enable to match his beauty and perfectly mastered double side.
« You took your time ! » complained Kuroo.
« Sorry, our hands were full ! »
« Nevermind. »
He approached Kenma, unaware of the questionable scene they had to go through. Kuroo slipped a small talk between two sentences.
« So kitten, anything new ? »
Kenma hesitated, and withdrew.
« No, nothing. »
As usual Kuroo was coming right for tea time, but Oikawa who’s used to stick to him closely where nowhere to be found.
Kenma took a break, and fled the ruler of the lab.
« The only way he could slip through our scanners is through air ducts. I don’t know what the tech department’s doing but we need our drones back quickly. The old models work like shit. »
Kenma was quietly listening Kuroo rambling. Good grief Tsukishima couldn’t hear him. Kuroo would definitely say that directly to him if he ever bothered to move his ass to the maintenance lab, a hundred feet below the headquarters.
They’ve been short handed in field tools since the last riot the Small Giant organised. No need to stress the fact that they were foolish underestimating the threat. It was the biggest and hardest investigation the current Division 2 had to face. The whole team was in the meeting room, waiting for Kuroo’s orders.
« I have Chief Ushijima’s green light. All means are good to succeed. Akaashi you got something right ? »
« Yes. It seems that the coordination of all the low rank members goes through a community game in which you earn points and upgrade your persona by completing daily missions. They created a specific « party », a group you join to complete missions created by other users.»
« Which also means that anyone can play it and anyone can join them. » completed Yaku. « If an inspector plays it, and long enough, we could grab more informations and prevent future attacks. »
« Exactly ! That’s my point. »
By the end of the meeting, Saeko and Akaashi were assigned to the infiltration part, since they volunteered. And Kenma was sent by lazy Kuroo to the maintenance group.
« I’ll go with you ! » cheerfully said Sugawara.
Going all the way down there was, indeed, pretty long : a succession of corridors, lifts, fake roads and traps for eventual intruders. Kenma would be lost if they weren’t guided. Every floor looked alike. Actually it gave plenty of time for Sugawara to explain himself.
« Kozume Kenma, I shall apologise for deleting your report. I know you worked hard on it. »
Their footsteps were punctuating their words.
« There’s something I owe Daichi. My life, I have to admit. Protecting him back from curious people is the least I can do. »
« So you’re choosing your personal interests rather than public safety ? »
Sugawara did not answer. In Kenma’s mind, he was done, no good action could wipe his betrayal away. Not a begging followed those indirect revelations. Maybe he was confident enough, maybe he didn’t care anymore.
Upon arriving to the right floor, they had to undergo a serie of tests. So they could finally meet the technicians and visit the place.
« Welcome to the maintenance lab. Sorry about this Sugawara, usual procedures. »
« It’s fine ! I know. »
The head technician was alone today. In the huge main room, the typical wind-like tune of the engines hardworking intertwined with the slow paced song playing through the speakers.
« I never saw you in real. You are… »
« Kozume Kenma, analyst. »
« Nice to meet you Kozume. »
And they shaked hands.
20.
After half an hour or so, they left Tsukishima, still swearing at Kuroo, and went through the same never ending trap road. On the way back Sugawara was whistling that very same melody, sowing it for good in their minds.
What was the right move ? Now that the facts were openly admitted, should they report him ? Kenma was meticulously weighing pros and cons.
« What’s so special about Daichi ? » They later asked Kuroo.
« He quit his job as an Inspector. And now I believe that he’s involved with some shady business. The Small Giant, the riots, underground trafic, a future attack towards the Sybil System. All the good things y’know. That guy might be linked to all of these. »
« Then why isn’t the Bureau putting more efforts into his capture ? »
This Daichi guy Kenma only saw once or twice seemed to be pretty dangerous. Maybe they missed the point, and there’s other plans for this criminal.
Kuroo was quite informed, even without Kenma’s investigations. Behind the lines and thousand meters of cement, Kenma caught glimpses of a wide shenanigan, spreading it’s invisible web over their head.
At least they would talk about it to Kuroo, a trustworthy friend.
« Kuroo, I did write a report, Sugawara deleted it. He’s covering Daichi, he’s going against the- »
« I know. »
He casually answered, sipping his coffee.
22.
On mid way, Kenma unfolded the coat of lies he was trapped in. Now they understood that every person breathing and walking in this huge skyscraper could not be trusted, starting with their closest friends. The glorious road once drew was blurred under the newest reveals.
23.
It would be stupid to underestimate them. Kenma was excited. When Kenma was interested in something they were pouring their whole heart into it, until they would fully understand the what, the why and the how. There was no doubt they would indulge in a personal investigation of the Daichi case. And as the brain, succeed.