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One day you’ll find that it only takes a few blinks to load information in your head, a few minutes of processing, a few hours of internal battle and then a few days to cope with acceptance and then you’ll see that everything has went out of balance and you get flagged down for the negative change that spiraled out of your control and you never get the chance to recover.
For Hajime Iwaizumi, life alters when his mother dies.
+
Good morning! It’s time to get up! Now, to all latent criminals, be sure to keep working on purifying your Hue!
He gasps awake; it’s been happening for a few days now out of some dream he can’t recall the moment he opens his eyes and it’s unnerving to suddenly see the vantage of the pure white ceiling of his cell. Even the walls are too bright.
Everything is too illuminated even at this early hour, he finds as he sits up in bed, also an immaculate white and he rubs his eyes irritably as though he hasn’t been used to this every morning.
Outside his cell, drones for loaning services are already making a lot of noise. Doctors for daily checkups are doing their rounds. It’s all a distant echo accompanied by the continuous reminder from the speakers until it stops.
Be sure to keep working on purifying your Hue!
He stands, finally, bare feet touching the cold floor, and walks over to the transparent wall separating him from the outside. He lays a hand on it and immediately his data for today lights up in a holograph.
Psycho-Pass
IWAIZUMI, Hajime. 24. Male.
Crime Coefficient: 141
Hue: Steel Blue
ID: 00475-AETO-71194-2
He scoffs. Yesterday he was sure it went down three numbers. He hears an alarm ring outside: someone else’s Hue has turned into an alarming color.
Hajime watches this all passively. So early, he thinks.
Ah, but, he muses. Things never go your way here.
Crime Coefficient is 324. An Enforcer registered at the Criminal Investigation Department. He is an Enforce At Will target. Safety will be released. Enforcement mode is Lethal Eliminator. Please aim carefully and eliminate the targ—
Shoot, Inspector!
“—Tooru, Tooru!”
Tooru jostles in his seat, pushing back in a start and he looks up to see Daichi looking at him apprehensively.
“Daichi,” Tooru breathes, trying to relax his nerves.
“Okay? Take a breather.” Daichi says.
“Yeah, don’t worry,” Tooru says, resting his head on the back of his seat and closing his eyes. “It was a big loss that’s all.”
It happens all the time. Out of everyone working for the Public Safety Bureau, Enforcers are somehow always transient, weaving through danger all the time it’s not a surprise that many don’t make it back on occasion.
That’s their purpose of living now though, isn’t it? They are public hunting dogs isolated from their family and the outside world in general being latent criminals themselves. Tooru doesn’t know if he’s only trying to convince himself.
Daichi rubs the back of his neck.
“He was a good one, been here longer than Tetsurou and Yuu. It’s depressing to think about it,” he says.
Tooru knows. He was a good Enforcer. But sometimes being good alone is not enough.
Tooru thought, when he had pointed the Dominator towards the Enforcer he had already considered as a friend, why this now?
Tooru thought, when his hands were trembling as the Enforcer, tied up with bombs by the person they were hunting for, was shouting at him to shoot before the bombs can detonate, life is never a fair fight.
He lost a friend and subordinate that night.
“Now, now then let’s not,” Tooru tells Daichi, waving a hand. “You’ll cloud your Psycho-Pass.”
Daichi raises an eyebrow, scrutinizing.
“And yours won’t?”
Tooru smirks at him with what he can pass off as a smug expression.
“Why don’t you take a look?”
Daichi holds his wristcom up, quickly scanning Tooru and then whistling in amazement at the resulting holograph that he shows to the other Inspector.
Psycho-Pass
OIKAWA, Tooru. 24. Male.
Inspector at the Criminal Investigation Department
Crime Coefficient: 28
Hue: Powder Blue
ID: 00475-AEHA-26693-1
Daichi is shaking his head.
“Supernatural kind of healthy mind,” he says.
Tooru chuckles. “Thank you.”
“Go see the therapist though, to check in.” Daichi says, moving to his desk and taking a folder out.
“Will do.”
Daichi nods and waves the folder in his hand.
“Good. Gotta take the reports to the Chief first, I’ll come back here later.”
Tooru nods and watches Daichi walk away. Before he steps out, he calls, “We’ll be getting a new Enforcer won’t we?”
Daichi turns back at him slightly, thoughtful.
“Most probably.”
Tooru looks down as he hears the door close.
“Iwaizumi-kun,”
Hajime looks up from the paper-printed book he had loaned a day ago and gazes towards the transparent door that can only be opened outside.
There are two women in lab coats—doctors, Hajime immediately knows—smiling at him and waving when they catch his eye.
“We have your supplement for today.” One of them says.
Hajime lets a second of silence pass before he exhales and sets his book down. He walks over to them and waits for the package in the slot.
“Okay,” he says when he takes it. “Thanks.”
They look pleased.
“You’re one of the most cooperative patients here, Iwaizumi-kun,” the other says, still smiling. “We want you to know we really appreciate that.”
Hajime touches the wall with his finger and his data shows up once more. No changes.
“It went down three numbers yesterday,” he tells them.
The first one nods. “Let’s keep working hard and pretty soon you’ll be able to get out of here. It’s only a matter of time.”
Hajime wants to scoff but stops himself. He knows it’s a lie—he’s never getting out of here.
They get aptitude results from the Sibyl System a few days later.
“Ehh, I wonder what he’ll be like,” Koushi coos from his desk when he gets the memo, one hand still tapping away at his tablet.
“Ya think he’ll be hard to work with, Suga-san?” Yuu twirls around his seat, facing Koushi, data on the three screens in front of him momentarily forgotten.
“Hey now, we don’t know that yet. Daichi and Tooru haven’t gone to see him.” Tetsurou says from his space, taking a cigarette packet out from underneath his table.
Daichi peers at them from underneath the holographs in front of him, grinning.
“Tooru hasn’t even opened the file.”
All eyes turn to the Inspector who’s slumped on his table, moping at the paperwork he has on his desk and they all snicker.
“Well,” Kiyoko finally speaks, quiet as ever. She’s looking at the holograph on her wristcom, the file of the Enforcer candidate. “We’ll only find out if he’ll agree.”
Sometimes, Hajime remembers his nightmares.
He was quite young when it happened—having just graduated high school. He remembers the old days, he wasn’t always the enthusiastic, outgoing kind of person but he had a group of closely-knit friends he could probably take on the world with.
It’s unbelievable what some people will do to get away when the unjust things they’ve done comes back biting their ass.
They don’t care, speeding into traffic and completely disregarding the traffic lights that have turned red.
They don’t care, slamming onto crossing pedestrians—men, women, Hajime accompanying his mother after getting groceries. He distinctly remembers his mother’s hands, urgent but soft as she pushes him right out of the way.
The Public Safety Bureau doesn’t get there on time.
Hajime vaguely remembers seeing the deepening color of his Hue. He vaguely remembers being taken away.
Sometimes nightmares don’t happen to be dreams.
“Yikes, getting back there again gives me the creeps.”
Tooru’s going over his unread files with his wristcom, trying to determinedly ignore the file Daichi gave them beforehand, the one with the Enforcer candidate. They’re on their way to the isolation facility where the candidate is to be coaxed into accepting the position. Tooru thinks coaxed because that’s all that’s going to come down to anyway.
Daichi rolls his eyes, keeping his eyes on the road but pointing his sarcasm at Tetsurou who’s in the backseat, leaning onto the back of Daichi’s seat.
“You didn’t have to come if you didn’t want to,” he tells him. “You forced yourself into this.”
Tetsurou shrugs nonchalantly. “I haven’t seen an isolation facility in a while. Not that I’d ever want to get back in there I’d rather get shot by a Dominator.”
“Nasty.” Daichi says.
“Let’s test that sometime then.” Tooru offers.
“Let’s not be hasty; I still have to give Kenma his console.”
Daichi snorts, taking a turn and the facility comes in sight.
“You wound me with false promises,” he jokes.
Hajime looks up when there’s a loud beep. Outside he sees a drone and a facility agent waiting and he raises an eyebrow.
“You have a visitor today, Iwaizumi-kun,” the agent says and Hajime almost frowns in disbelief. Nobody has ever visited him in the last several years that he’s been here.
“And that would be…?” Hajime starts.
“The MWPSB. It’s quite important.”
Huh. What the heck has he done now?
“Er, have I done something wrong?” Certainly his Psycho-Pass couldn’t be that bad? His Crime Coefficient hasn’t even gone over 200.
And the agent goes, laughing softly, “Oh, no, no they just wanted to talk.”
That’s even stranger.
“It still looks the same!”
“Pipe down, Tetsurou.”
“I’ll—” Tooru stops walking abruptly and Tetsurou and Daichi pauses, looking back at him. “I’ll catch up to you later I think I…I’m gonna go buy some water.”
Daichi raises his eyebrows. “Are you feeling alright? You didn’t have to come then if you’re not feeling fine.”
Tooru waves a hand, already stepping back.
“I’m good, it’s fine.”
Tetsurou hums and then steps away from Daichi.
“Come to think of it—hey!” he calls out, catching up to Tooru. “I’ll come with you!”
“Where are you going?” Daichi demands, frowning.
Tetsurou waves a hand away, grinning.
“You go on ahead, we’ll catch up!” he says, pointing at Tooru who sticks his tongue out at him. “With an Inspector here, so it’s fine right?”
Daichi sighs, shaking his head exasperatedly as he watches them go but nevertheless turns around and goes on ahead.
The water bottle clunks loudly when it comes out of the vending machine, almost as loud as Tetsurou’s humming as he downs a can of soda.
Tooru studies him for a moment before he sits down.
“Everything alright?” Tetsurou immediately says and Tooru makes a face at him, not trying to be mean but he can’t help it. Being asked that by an Enforcer must be something.
Tooru tosses back his hair.
“It’s nothing unmanageable.”
Tetsurou’s grin is sly. “Of course, with your supernatural mind after all.”
“You flatter me.”
Tetsurou is still waiting for an answer. Finally, Tooru sighs.
“I just hate isolation facilities,” he says.
“How compatible we are,” Tetsurou says, sardonically. “So do I.”
“When I graduated high school,” Tooru starts, setting his water bottle beside him. “I had a best friend who got caught in a road accident. His Psycho-Pass never recovered. I was devastated. He was taken away—I don’t know where it was. Either way even if I did know I wouldn’t be allowed to see him then.” Tooru looks at his hands. “I think he knew. It still makes me sad. Makes me wonder every time I get to be in an isolation facility, if he’s there.”
Tetsurou doesn’t stare. He looks at the ceiling instead.
“Hmm, you really shouldn’t have come if you’re uncomfortable then.”
Tooru eyes him pointedly. And then smacks him on the shoulder.
“Hey—!”
“It’s my job to be here,” Tooru asserts. “I’m your Inspector.”
Tetsurou snorts, again sly.
“Right, of course.”
Tooru exhales, standing. “Okay let’s go, Daichi’s waiting.”
An agent lets Daichi in a room separated in the middle with a glass wall. The Enforcer candidate hasn’t arrived yet so he sits down, settling the documents on the table in front of him until he hears the door from the other side open and the candidate stepping out looking considerably baffled.
He sees Daichi and Daichi nods at him in greeting as he sits down.
“You’re Hajime Iwaizumi,” Daichi says.
Hajime nods slowly. “That’s right.”
“I’m Daichi Sawamura. I’m an Inspector from the MWPSB.” Hajime waits for him to continue so Daichi goes on, “I’ll get to the point. I’m here to offer you a chance to work with us as an Enforcer in our Division at the MWPSB.”
Hajime doesn’t know if he’s hearing things right.
“Excuse me? Me? As an Enforcer?”
“Yes. Sibyl determined you have the right aptitude for the job.”
“Huh. I thought I was determined I wouldn’t get out of here.”
“It’s unfortunate that your Psycho-Pass Crime Coefficient cannot return to the appropriate regulation value so this is a great chance for you to live more than what you can get here. You should think about it.”
Hajime tilts his head. He doesn’t think he’s ever heard someone else say that sentence without a patronizing tone until now.
“Are you sure you’re fine?”
Tooru waves Tetsurou off, stepping out of the elevator and onto the fourth floor.
“Positive. Supernatural mind, remember?”
“Right.”
“Nothing unmanageable.”
“Okay.”
“Besides,” Tooru says as they’re winding to a corridor where an agent blocks them. Tooru holds his hand out, wristcom blinking and his badge appears in his hand, sliding down. The agent nods and leads them to a door and Tooru winks at Tetsurou. “It’s not like he’d be here, right?”
Tetsurou shrugs.
Tooru holds his wristcom against the door handle and it unlocks. It slides open and before he steps inside, he turns to Tetsurou once more.
“What was the name of the candidate again?”
“Uhh…hold on…,”
Tooru rolls his eyes, impatient and steps inside.
Hajime looks up when the door opens.
Tooru looks up just as he does.
Tetsurou comes around.
“Hey, I remember now! His name’s Hajime Iwaizumi!”
Hajime stops breathing, arms suddenly frozen as he stares at the person by the door. He has not seen that face in ages.
“Hajime…?” Daichi calls him, confused until he looks around and sees Tooru and Tetsurou come in. Tetsurou is waving at him brightly. Tooru is frozen, staring at Hajime.
“What are you both doing?” Daichi tells them, groaning. “Get a move on—Tooru?”
Tooru is still motionless, an appalled look on his face. He takes a step and then he’s racing forward, almost pushing Daichi aside.
“Tooru! What on earth—”
Hajime stands, toppling his chair over, aghast himself.
“Iwa-chan,” Tooru says, a long drag of breath, his stare boring into Hajime.
“Y-You—” Hajime stammers, unable to move again.
“You know him?” Daichi asks Tooru in disbelief.
“Is he…?” Tetsurou begins, startled.
“Tooru,” Hajime breathes and Tooru feels like he would burst into tears of relief and horror and disgust for himself.
He should’ve tried finding—
He starts to reach a hand, touching the wall however he’s immediately stopped by an automated voice in Hajime’s side.
“Your Hue has changed. It is now indigo.”
Hajime’s side of the room starts glowing red, holo-warnings appearing right behind him and he stays where he is as his side of the room is fogged with a sedative to calm him down. The glass wall separating them slowly becomes opaque so Daichi and the rest don’t see Hajime fall in a sedated sleep.
“IWA—HAJIME!” Tooru slams a hand against the glass and Tetsurou’s immediately there, grabbing him by the waist and hauling him off.
“Tooru, Tooru!” he’s yelling at him, not letting go even when Tooru finally gets to his senses, breathing hard.
Daichi’s in front of him then, shaking his partner’s shoulders.
“Tooru, that’s enough,” Daichi tells him severely, as kind as he can muster. “You’ll cloud yourself if you keep that up.”
Tooru looks desperate. “Daichi, Daichi that’s my—he’s my friend we have to—”
“He’s the Enforcer candidate remember?” Daichi reminds him. “We just have to convince him to work with us,”
Tooru tries to calm his pounding heart, his exhilarated rush.
“Yeah. Okay.”
Tetsurou lets him go.
An agent comes in and informs them that Hajime has been returned to his room.
“He’s usually one of our best patients because he’s very cooperative,” the agent says. “It’s just not his day.”
“We’ll come back tomorrow.” Daichi says.
“…and that’s the story of how we almost botched a nice agreement with our Enforcer candidate,” Tetsurou finishes his story with a flutter of his fingers, a lit cigarette in between them.
“He didn’t exactly say no,” Daichi cuts in, quickly looking over to Tooru. “He’s exaggerating.”
Tooru quirks a little smile but doesn’t say anything.
Tetsurou shrugs. “He hasn’t said yes either.”
Koushi looks away from his monitor and grins at Tooru.
“Ah, but it’d be nice if he says yes then it’ll be a nice reunion right?”
“I’d have said yes in a heartbeat!” Yuu says, not looking away from the holograph in front of him. “I did anyway. Rehabilitation centers suck.”
“Some people like thinking things over, Yuu.” Kiyoko says and Yuu twists around to look at her, eagerly surprised and cheeks reddening.
“Anyway I’m getting back there later.” Daichi says.
Tooru leans back confidently. “I’m coming with.”
Daichi gives him a look.
“What?” Tooru says haughtily. “I’m coming with.”
“Oh let him go, Daichi it’ll shut him up.” Tetsurou says, laughing loudly as he lights another cigarette.
“Division two is on duty for the entire day today anyway.” Koushi adds sweetly with a smile.
That’s why Daichi and Tooru find themselves back in the isolation facility hours later, back in the same room yesterday and Tooru is fidgeting on his seat as they wait for Hajime.
When he does come, Tooru sits up straighter and Hajime visibly stills in surprise but sits down either way, wary.
They’re staring at each other, Daichi realizes after a few minutes. Tooru with the keen intensity he’s always known for, and Hajime but with a softer, fervent gaze.
“Er,” Daichi clears his throat. “So um,” he eyes Tooru. “You know what? You can talk to him right?”
Tooru blinks, finally breaking his gaze.
“Oh. Yeah.”
Daichi takes advantage of the moment and stands.
“Okay, great. You can convince him about it. I’ll wait outside.” He quickly makes a hasty leave.
And they’re back to staring, neither wanting to break away.
“Iwa-chan,” Tooru finally says. It’s been so long, he wants to say. Hajime inclines his head and Tooru watches every movement. He looks rougher somehow, a sharper jaw line but he’s still the same Hajime he knows from 6 years ago.
He’s wearing the standard rehabilitation uniform now—a plain mint green garb resembling hospital wear. Tooru tries imagining him in a suit like what he and the other Inspectors and Enforcers habitually wearing.
Hearing the nickname, Hajime laughs.
Tooru is startled by this and his eyebrows pinch petulantly.
“What?” he wants to know.
Hajime smiles crookedly. “I haven’t heard that name in ages.”
Tooru looks different now, Hajime thinks. His fringe is longer, hair browner than he remembers. He’s obviously matured finely and he’s definitely taller too.
If Hajime observes closely, he’ll see Tooru is trembling, fists clenched tight in concentration.
“I…,” Tooru says. “I haven’t heard your voice in ages.”
“Well there you have it,” Hajime tells him almost sarcastically. He breathes in. “You’re here again for yesterday right?”
Tooru nods, face turning serious now.
“Yes. We’d like you to be an Enforcer.”
“Why?”
Tooru blinks. “‘Why’?” he repeats.
Hajime looks thoughtful.
“Why me?”
“Sybil concluded you have the aptitude for it.”
“Is that supposed to be flattering?”
“No, but it’ll get you out of here.” I want you out of here.
The crooked smile is back. “But not exactly free. Enforcers are your hunting dogs, aren’t they?”
“I’d rather not call my own subordinates as dogs.”
“That’s good to hear.” Hajime’s really smiling now.
“Iwa-ch—Hajime. We need those strengths that your aptitude results show in our team.” Tooru says, leaning closer.
“Oh? What does it say?”
“You’re a quick learner. Fast reflexes. You’re calculative and won’t move until you’re sure but you’re not afraid to take risks. Your Psycho-Pass clouds fast but you’re also quick to recover to your usual Hue.” Tooru says quickly, he’s memorized it all.
Hajime’s stare doesn’t leave him.
“Is this Sibyl talking or you?”
Tooru laughs breathily. “Which gives you more comfort?”
For a moment, Hajime looks like he’s going to answer that. Then—“It’s a no, sorry.”
“What,” Tooru exclaims loudly, not helping it. Hajime watches Tooru’s flummoxed expression. “Iwa-chan, don’t you want to get out, will you—?”
“I know. Think it over, right?” Hajime interjects. “I just think I’m not suitable for that kind of job even if Sibyl says so.”
Tooru’s breath is caught in his thoat.
“I…okay. Please think it over.” He can’t force him into this, he might cloud over again.
Hajime nods once. “Okay.”
Tooru feels his stare following him as he leaves the room.
Tooru finds Daichi talking to Koushi with his wristcom when he comes out and Daichi ends the call when he sees him, telling Koushi that Tooru’s back.
“How’d it go?” Daichi wants to know.
Tooru looks at him. “I’m coming back tomorrow.”
“O-Oh. So he said no?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, we can always find anoth—”
“No. I’m coming back tomorrow.”
Daichi huffs, amused.
“Okay. You’re coming back tomorrow.”
+
“Iwaizumi-kun, you have a visitor.”
Hajime glares at the agent waiting outside his cell but decides it’s not worth displacing his irritation on.
Again? he wants to say. Of course.
“Okay,” he stands.
+
“Hello, Iwa-chan! How is your Psycho-Pass today?”
Hajime feels a smile tug at his lips as he watches Tooru take his usual seat in front of him, only the glass separating them both. He’s wearing his suit, as usual, a MWPSB pin on his lapel.
It’s been over a week.
Hajime touches the glass and his data appears as a holograph. He flips it over for Tooru to see.
Tooru looks delighted. “You dropped two numbers from yesterday!”
Hajime laughs, not helping it.
“Are you really keeping track of this?”
“Yes, why not? I do it all the time.”
Of course. “Don’t you have any work to do?”
Tooru beams. “Of course I do. I’m never without work. In fact two days ago we had a case and Yuu, one of our Enforcers, he’s usually very rash see so he almost broke his leg because he just jumped out of the second floor and Kiyoko—”
You have a lot of work then why are you here?
“Aren’t you getting tired of trying to convince me when you’re getting nowhere?” Hajime says conversationally, leaning forward.
Tooru raises his eyebrows.
“This is work too you know, trying to convince you to join us.”
Hajime smiles. “It’s not working.”
“Then I’ll come back again; I’m not easily averted.”
So, so Tooru.
“Besides!” Tooru smacks the table in front of him. “I’m allowed to visit anytime now. I’m an Inspector.” He smiles sweetly.
Fantastic. “Right.”
“Ah, Iwa-chan is so shy don’t you want to bond…?” Teasing.
“I thought you’re not supposed to mingle with latent criminals or your Hue will be clouded.”
“Why, you must not have heard of Tooru Oikawa’s supernaturally healthy mind.”
Hajime rolls his eyes. “I suppose you’re just here to antagonize me again.”
“Not really,” Tooru says, rolling his left sleeve as he talks and Hajime scowls when he sees that his forearm is bandaged. Tooru merely continues speaking as if this is natural. “If only you’ll say yes then we’ll both have it easy.”
“Nice try,” Hajime pauses and motions to Tooru’s arm. “What happened?”
“Ah, my battle scars—joking! Just joking, don’t frown! That frown alone can cloud an entire room.”
“Just get to the point.”
Tooru gestures casually. “I told you we had a case two days ago. Somehow I managed to get knocked onto the ground and a crate fell on me before I could move, I was trying to push a subordinate away. It’s just a normal work day.”
Hajime narrows his eyes. “I didn’t see that yesterday.”
Tooru shrugs. “I didn’t roll my sleeve up yesterday.”
How many other injuries are you hiding then?
“That’s not exactly convincing me to join you.”
Tooru grins. “I don’t want to tell you we work in paradise when it’s the complete opposite. You know how it is.”
“That’s not convincing.”
“Then I’ll try again tomorrow.”
Somehow, along the way Tooru starts filling him in with the 6 years he had missed in the short given time with every visit.
“Remember Mattsun and Makki?” he says one day he’s visiting. This time he’s brought pictures, swiping them out of his wristcom and showing it to Hajime in holographs on the glass. “They’re Inspectors now too! They’re in Division two.”
Hajime eyes the faces of his old friends, not knowing if the pictures are recent. Either way it makes him smile. Issei and Takahiro has clearly gone through a lot of change too. Takahiro’s hair is longer—tied in a ponytail and Issei has several piercings in both ears.
“That’s good to hear. They’re doing well?” Hajime asks.
Tooru nods, smiling wide. “When they learned I finally found you they were all over the place trying to get information out of me.” He laughs.
Finally found you. Hajime looks up at him. Have you been looking for me?
“—and then this one—”
“Tooru.”
Tooru drops the next holograph immediately, eyes fixing on Hajime.
Hajime relaxes. “I’m sorry.”
Tooru flinches, a reflex.
“Why are you apologizing?”
Hajime clasps his hands together.
“I disappeared out of nowhere.”
Tooru frowns deeply, placing a hand on the glass forcefully.
“I’m not blaming you for anything aren’t I? It’s not your fault your mother died and your Crime Coefficient rose. You didn’t even do anything. It’s one of those times where the system is like a fatal flaw.”
Now Hajime winces.
“If anything,” Tooru says, leaning back to his seat. “I should be the one being blamed. I didn’t do anything to find you.”
Hajime scoffs. “Don’t be stupid.”
Tooru shrugs. “See, you’re not blaming me either. It’s never a fair fight.”
“I suppose.” Hajime smiles.
+
The target had a gun. They haven’t encountered an armed target for the past few weeks now and it sure is something to dodge bullets once more.
Close brushes like these make them feel the most alive.
Tetsurou is actually cackling. He’s under Tooru’s wing for this case and he looks like he’s enjoying it. He even made a bet with Yuu he’ll get the first shot.
They spot the target now—he’s standing on the ledge as though attempting to jump.
“Ah, I love it when they have their backs turned.” Tetsurou says.
“It’s technically not fair,” Tooru replies though he does not mind at all.
Tetsurou beams, showing his teeth and kisses his Dominator before pointing it to the target with much ease.
“Crime Coefficient is over 310. He is a target for enforcement action. Safety will be released. Enforcement mode is Lethal Eliminator. Please aim carefully and eliminate the target.”
“I don’t play fair.” Tetsurou says and shoots.
An alarm is ringing somewhere and Tooru forces his eyes open, blearily blinking as he tries to recall the dream that’s now slowly fading. Above him, his holo servant appears, a blue axolotl waving at Tooru enthusiastically.
“Good morning!”
Tooru murmurs a groan.
“‘Morning, Ace.”
“It is time to wake up! Today is a bright Tuesday with a forecast of clear skies,” the holo informs him, dancing around, its fins waving. “Oikawa-san’s Psycho-Pass Hue this morning is powder blue! Have a wonderful day with that healthy mind of yours!”
This finally prompts Tooru to sit up and he gathers his blankets around him like a coat.
“What time do I leave today?” he asks and Ace salutes at him.
“You have a planned visit to the Hikari no Sono Rehabilitation Center at 13:00!” Tooru gasps, remembering and he thinks ah, yes, Iwa-chan. “At 15:30, your shift starts at the Public Safety Bureau.”
Tooru gets out of bed, looking relatively happier.
“Thanks, Ace.”
+
Tooru caught him in a bad time today.
“My Hue clouded this morning,” Hajime muses the moment Tooru sits down. “I didn’t think they’d allow a pure Inspector see me.”
“Did your Crime Coefficient rise?” Tooru wants to know.
Hajime touches the glass, flips it over.
Psycho-Pass
IWAIZUMI, Hajime. 24. Male.
Crime Coefficient: 150
Hue: Dark Blue
ID: 00475-AETO-71194-2
“Oh. Well. That’s not so bad.” Tooru says in clipped words, sounding unsure.
“You don’t have to keep yourself from saying anything wrong or whatever,” Hajime says, waving a hand flippantly.
“It’s not so bad.” Tooru says again.
Hajime sighs, defeated. “Well, you can still shoot me with that number.”
Tooru’s reply is quick. “But nothing lethal. Let’s keep it at that.”
Hajime laughs. “Okay, Inspector.”
“Really though. Have you ever seen someone get shot by a Non-Lethal Paralyzer? It looks like it hurts.” Tooru mulls over. “Let’s keep on working on that number of yours.”
Their time ends and it’s the first time Tooru doesn’t bring up the Enforcer request.
The next day, Hajime’s Crime Coefficient drops back to 141 and remains like that for the longest time.
“Iwa-chan, I’ve got something to say.”
Hajime looks away from the holographs that Tooru has placed on the glass.
“Hmm?”
Tooru smiles. “I’ll be away for like three days. We have a rather long case.”
Hajime blinks at him. “Okay. It’s not like you need permission from a latent criminal.”
Tooru sticks his tongue out at him.
“I’m just saying. What if you decide you wanted to be an Enforcer after all and I’m nowhere in sight and you didn’t know where I went? Boom, I went to solve a case.”
“You love dreaming loudly.”
“You wound me, Hajime.”
For the first time in 6 years, 3 days seemed to be an awfully long time.
+
“How’s it, Kenma?” Tooru strides into the Comprehensive Analysis Laboratory and finds that Tetsurou is there, always attached to the hip to their Analyst.
Kenma pushes Tetsurou off from leaning on the back of his chair and turns to nod at Tooru.
“Going well so far. I’ve tracked the necessary maps. There are ones you can open even when offline. We’re not sure if the signal will reach there so we’ve got cables ready.” Kenma says, tapping away at a tablet.
“Good. Where’s Daichi?” Tooru asks.
Tetsurou grins. “Briefing the rest.”
“I’ll join them,” Tooru starts to turn away but then eyes Tetsurou again. “You should too.”
Tetsurou sighs exaggeratedly.
“Aye, aye.” He straightens up and quickly places a kiss on Kenma’s head before following Tooru out of the room.
“So,” Daichi says, tapping the steering wheel. They’re on their way to the edge of the city. They’ve got Yuichi Watanabe on their list, a latent criminal who ran off when he found that his Psycho-Pass exceeded the regulation value and refused treatment. He escaped to an abandoned factory where the Sibyl System’s signal is conveniently offline and he’s taken a hostage with him, a 9-year-old boy they found out to be his son.
(“A child huh,” Tooru had said back in the Division quarters.
“He’s the nasty kind.” Yuu noted.
“The easier to cloud, the easier you can use as a shield.” Koushi said quietly.
Tooru’s expression twists in disgust.
“We’ll make it there quickly then.”)
“So?” Tooru prompts Daichi’s unaired phrase.
“How’d the thing with Hajime go? It’s been three weeks.”
Tooru makes a face.
“Well…he’s still not budging. But I’ll keep trying.”
Daichi breathes deeply. Exhales.
“Better make it faster then. You know it’s only time the Chief might decide we’ll have someone else instead.”
Tooru wants to grit his teeth at the thought.
“I know that.”
As they expected, their Dominators cannot connect to the system when they get to the abandoned factory. It’s an eerie building, once a factory for Drones but has been shut down when problems with the maintenance arose. The metal walls are glinting orange, reflecting the setting sun and the windows not showing the darkness inside.
They move quick, unraveling the cables and Koushi is already tapping at his tablet to connect with a far off signal.
Kenma is the first call they get when their wristcoms finally light up.
“All connected?” he wants to know and they give him a quiet assent.
“Good,” Kenma says. “You can check the map I’ve given so you won’t get lost. There’s a long winding basement inside so you probably have to connect another cable if the signal doesn’t reach there.
“Wonderful. Underground. Let’s do this.” Tetsurou says.
“Do we know where he’s situated in real time?” Tooru asks.
“I had track on him at the fourth level in the basement,” Koushi says, eyes perusing rapidly at the words in front of him. “But the signal still goes haywire I’m trying to stabilize it.”
“I’ll send over the rest, you have to go now.” Kenma says.
Daichi turns to them.
“Okay, we’ll separate in two groups. Tetsurou and Koushi will come with me. Yuu and Kiyoko you’ll go with Tooru. It may be possible that the hostage’s Crime Coefficient may be high,” Daichi looks at Tooru pleadingly. “So if you get there first and—”
“I know how it goes,” Tooru says and Daichi nods.
“Good. Move out.”
“Yes, Inspector.”
“Tooru, are you okay?” Daichi asks as they’re walking in and Tooru taps the drone rolling beside him and it opens.
He takes his Dominator out.
“Dominator Portable Psychological Diagnosis and Suppression System has been activated. User authentication: Inspector Oikawa Tooru.”
“Hmm?” Tooru says, conversationally as though they’re not about to walk into a fight.
“Dominator usage approval confirmed. You are a valid user.”
Daichi shrugs. “Just wondering.”
Tooru tilts his head, eyeing him for a moment. And then he points his Dominator at him.
“Hey—” Daichi says.
“Crime Coefficient is 59. An Inspector registered at the Criminal Investigation Department. Not a target for enforcement action. Trigger will be locked.”
Tooru grins and sets it down.
“Yep, you’re good,” he says.
“I’m asking about you.”
Tetsurou slows down and walks with them. He already has a Dominator in hand.
“Are we good to go or what,” he asks.
Tooru grins and points his Dominator at him and Tetsurou raises his hands, playing along.
“Crime Coefficient is 124. An Enforcer registered at the Criminal Investigation Department. He is an Enforce At Will target. Safety will be released.”
Tooru puts it down. “You’re good too,” he says.
“Keep that down,” Tetsurou says, sighing. “We’ll go on ahead.” He tells Daichi before walking off.
Tooru shrugs, hooking his Dominator to his holster.
“I’m good,” he says.
The only problem with working underground is that every movement echoes. When Yuu’s Dominator almost bashes against the stair railing as they’re going down, there’s still an echoing thrum.
Kiyoko and Tooru send him silent glares at once.
Sorry! Yuu mouths at them, raising his hands.
Brief static cackles in their earpiece and then Daichi’s voice—“This is Shepherd One. We found traces of blood in the fourth level. We checked there’s no one there and we’re going down to the fifth.”
“Hound Two here,” Yuu says. “We’ll catch up to you.”
“Roger.”
Kiyoko reviews a file with her wristcom.
“There are eight levels, he could be anywhere.”
“One at a time.” Tooru says.
Koushi is walking ahead of them, brisk but fast and they’re hiding behind a truck full of metal scraps when he asks Tetsurou and Daichi to stop, raising a hand and frowning.
Koushi always acts as the ear, hearing far better than the rest of them and this time he inclines his head, looking at them both meaningfully before pointing upwards.
There’s a beat of silence, and then unmistakably, the sound of footsteps, silent but there.
Someone is walking along the metal panes holding up the short ceiling.
They hold their Dominator ready and—
“Go,” Daichi hisses.
They move out, as quick as lightning Dominators pointing upward. Daichi hears the directional voice as clear as day.
“Crime Coefficient is 293. He is a target for enforcement action. Safety will be released. Enforcement mode is Non-Lethal Paralyzer.”
“FREEZE!” Daichi’s voice carries out into the room, echoing back. “We’re the MWPSB, you’re under arrest!”
They see a silhouette jumping and then a cry of a child and Daichi realizes what’s going to happen when he hears maniacal laughter.
Koushi and Tetsurou raise their Dominators, now flaring blue.
“STOP, DON’T!” Daichi yells, racing forward and crashing onto both Koushi and Tetsurou who cries out when they fall. “HE’S GONNA JUMP, YOU’RE GONNA HIT THE KID.”
True enough, Yuichi Watanabe jumps almost carelessly and he lands on a box pile, a 9-year-old boy clutched to his side screaming the entire time.
Koushi and Tetsurou are on their feet again, Daichi catching up to them but they freeze when they see that Yuichi has stood up as well and has something else on his person other than his son who looks horrified.
“And here I thought swords were long abolished,” Tetsurou has the time to say.
Koushi kicks him on the shin.
“That’s a machete.”
“Move,” Yuichi threatens, holding the machete against his son’s neck. There’s a streak of blood on the boy’s arm. “And his head falls.”
“You’re his father,” Koushi says, dismayed and sad.
“Dad, please, you’re hurting m—” The boy squirms, sobbing and Yuichi digs the blade just by a millimeter and there’s a line of blood forming on the boy’s neck, now accompanied by screaming.
Koushi and Tetsurou point their Dominators immediately.
“Sh-Shoot and I’m telling you!” Yuichi screeches.
“Not if we get there first,” Daichi says coldly, tapping his wristcom and pointing his Dominator.
Kiyoko holds her wristcom up, showing what is happening and Tooru backs up for a moment, getting an idea.
“We need to get down there!” Yuu says hurriedly.
Tooru drops his Dominator from his holster, feeling the wall surrounding them until he finds the slot he’s looking for.
“See in basements like these,” he says, picking his Dominator up once more and pointing it towards the seemingly empty wall in front of him. Kiyoko and Yuu step back watching him. “They usually have hidden elevators to transport drones in secret,” Tooru continues.
“Enforcement mode is Destroy Decomposer. Target will be completely annihilated. Please proceed with maximum caution.”
The resounding boom echoes throughout the room several times, the three of them instinctively covering their ears. When all that’s left is the soft tinging of metal, they eye the gaping hole of the hidden elevator, its box still inside.
They hurry in wordlessly, Tooru talking in a rushed voice when they start moving down.
“That noise ought to have distracted him. It’s more than enough to get the others to overcome him. Either way, he’s bound to go running for the next level. We just have to get there first.”
They all hear the resonant noise, all too familiar with it; Koushi, Tetsurou and Daichi keep their mouth shut.
Yuichi falls for it quite fast, stepping backwards in clear, rising anxiety and unconsciously loosening his hold on his son.
“What’s th—?”
“Now!” Daichi yells.
Things happen fast and in sequence: Tetsurou doesn’t shoot his Dominator. Instead, he throws it and it lands on Yuichi’s forehead, making him draw back and his son backs away, dropping to the floor, terrified.
Koushi draws his Dominator as Daichi does but Yuichi gets ahead of them, now enraged, eyes shining and he swings his machete back and forth that Tetsurou has to move away from him.
Yuichi throws the blade and it lands on a pillar with a chain attached to it. The chain breaks and there’s an immense groaning noise.
“Daichi!”
Koushi practically throws his entire weight on Daichi to shove him away just as a net holding several metal bars falls from the ceiling.
“Tetsurou, run after him!” Koushi shouts as Yuichi flees.
Yuichi grabs his machete back before anything, running for the stairs and as a mistake, looks back and sees the black-haired Enforcer picking up his Dominator, his son just behind him trembling.
When Yuichi turns back, there’s a Dominator pressed against his forehead.
“Would you not move around so much?” Tooru says, irate.
“Target’s Threat Judgment has been updated. Enforcement mode is Lethal Eliminator. Please aim carefully and eliminate the target.”
He doesn’t see the swing, forgetting that he’s got a weapon. Tooru sees it whiz past however and he certainly feels it open a line from his temple to his chin.
“Tooru!”
For some reason, the first things Tooru thinks of is my fucking face—
Tooru takes advantage of the whiplash, smacking Yuichi with the back of his hand in retaliation.
Yuichi shouts in anger, raising his machete once more and Tooru belatedly sees a haze of blue, two Dominators appearing on either side of him, Kiyoko smiling amusedly and Yuu is grinning with mad intentions.
Tooru touches the blood dripping on his chin, feeling the cut but not the pain yet.
“God, you deserve this one.” Tooru spits.
Kiyoko and Yuu release their triggers and Tooru looks away when Yuichi screams, waves hitting him on the chest and on the arm and though he doesn’t see, Tooru knows when he hears the latent criminal bloat and explode, ugly splattering sounds smacking on the floor.
He was starting to feel the pain now.
“Inspector,” Kiyoko and Yuu are moving towards him and Kiyoko somehow produces a handkerchief that she’s pressing to the side of Tooru’s face.
“Ah,” Yuu grins. “You’ll get a scar.”
Tooru frowns at him.
They hear a horrified gasp and then sobbing and Tooru remembers just as Tetsurou points his Dominator to the 9-year-old kid.
Koushi and Daichi are on their feet now, looking apprehensive.
“Er, Tetsu…,” Koushi says, hesitant.
Tetsurou put the Dominator down and twists to look at Koushi.
“What? Just checking,” he shrugs. “It’s gone up—”
The boy wails, hysterical and reaches over the machete that’s now lying in a pool of blood and gunk and he waves at it weakly at Tetsurou.
“Get away!” he yells.
Tetsurou does as he’s told, eyeing Tooru and motioning his head.
Tooru moves away from Kiyoko’s handkerchief, stepping forward and pointing his Dominator, trying to be discreet.
Please be low enough to drop, please be low enough to drop.
“Crime Coefficient is 108. He is a target for enforcement action. Safety will be released.”
Good.
Tooru approaches the boy and crouches down, careful not to step on the blood close to him and watches as the machete shakes in the boy’s hand. He’s clearly having a hard time holding it up.
“Hey, what’s your name?” Tooru asks him and the boy’s eyes widen, hesitating for a few moments.
“Y-Yuuya.” His voice is soft as a feather.
“Right, Yuuya. Can you put that down, please?” Tooru pats the floor. “Put it down for me, please.”
Yuuya seems reluctant do so but after a moment passes, he sets the weapon down slowly. Tears are running down in streaks on his cheeks though he doesn’t seem to realize it. Everyone else remains silent but watching so Tooru’s voice caries out easily.
“Thank you,” Tooru tells him carefully. “I’m Tooru. We’re from the MWPSB and we help maintain order. We try to help. Do you understand that?”
Yuuya nods, again slowly, eyes boring into Tooru.
“That’s good. There’s no need to be afraid so I want you to calm down.” Tooru says. “We’re going to help you.”
Yuuya narrows his eyes which are red in the corners presumably from crying.
“I can go see my mom again?”
Tooru nods. “Yes, you can see your mom again if you’ll cooperate with us.”
Yuuya seems to grasp this quickly.
“Okay,” he says.
Tooru eyes Tetsurou quickly and then back again and Tetsurou smirks, subtly pointing his Dominator.
“Crime Coefficient is under 95. Not a target for enforcement action. Trigger will be locked.”
There’s a swift thumbs up from Tetsurou and Tooru beams, standing.
“There we go, thank you Yuuya-chan. Kiyoko, will you…?”
Kiyoko walks over and helps Yuuya up, speaking to him softly. Tooru walks over to Daichi smiling and feels once again blood dripping from his chin.
“That might need stitches,” Daichi observes.
“I’d rather bleed to death than get a scar on my face.”
Koushi laughs into his hand.
“Then you’ll die of infection.”
Tooru stares at Koushi for a second, mulling it over and smiles at the first thought that passes his mind.
I can’t die yet. Hajime is waiting.
At least, he hopes Hajime is still waiting.
Five days pass and he hasn’t gone back to the facility and he had said he’d only be gone for three. It takes a lot to convince people he’s raring to go.
“I’ll even take Tetsurou!” Tooru exclaims to Daichi who had insisted he stay in today to rest. There’s still a bandage covering half his face so he doesn’t seem as intimidating as he usually is.
“Why, what is this I didn’t agree to anything,” Tetsurou says, turning his chair to face Tooru.
“I won’t ever cockblock you and Kenma again ever.”
“Ah yes, I remember I did agree—”
Daichi rolls his eyes as the other Enforcers in the room snicker. Of course, there isn’t anything Daichi can do about it, really.
“Kuroo-san, you’re such a pushover,” Yuu comments cheerfully.
Tetsurou shrugs, smiling slyly.
“If there’s a good deal you take it.”
“Iwaizumi-kun,”
Hajime practically flies out of his bed when he sees the facility agent with a drone outside his door. It’s been five days is what he wants to say but all he’s thinking at the moment is is he here?
“You’ve got a visitor,” the agent says, smiling.
Be calm. Be cool.
“Alright,” Hajime says, standing as casually as he could despite the fact that he wants to run ahead out of there. “Take me to them then.”
“I wonder if he’s mad,” Tooru thinks aloud, rocking back on his heels.
Tetsurou eyes him quizzically.
“Why do you think that?”
“I told him I’d be back after three days.”
Tetsurou smiles craftily. “He doesn’t seem to want you around,”
Tooru winks at him. “He’s just very shy.”
“Wow you’re really stubborn. Shouldn’t you go in? I don’t want to bother your convincing skills or anything.”
Tooru huffs at him haughtily, grinning as he rests his wristcom on the door and it slides open.
“I’m a gift,” he says.
The first thing Hajime notices (after trying to ignore the way his heart is pounding excitedly when he sees Tooru walk in) is the bandage covering half his face.
“Hi, Iwa-chan!” Tooru says as bright as usual. “I’m back! Did you miss me! Sorry it took longer than expected there was a lot of paperwork and there’s this kid—”
“What happened to your face?”
Tooru pouts, clearly not his favorite topic.
“Just a graze, that’s all.”
“That took off half your face?!”
“Now you’re exaggerating!” Tooru smiles. “I feel completely fine.”
Iwaizumi narrows his eyes skeptically.
“I thought your Enforcers keep you safe. Aren’t they your dogs or something.”
“Don’t be rude. And hey, they do keep us safe!” Tooru insists, smug. “Except you know dogs can be overactive and us ‘owners’” Tooru rolls his eyes. “have to come in and protect them.”
“Like what happened with your arm.”
“Yeah but this one—”—Tooru points to his face—“—is entirely my fault I was being careless.”
“You’re still unbelievable.”
“Well I, the great Oikawa-san—”
“Doesn’t anyone there tell you to stop when you’ve clearly done enough?” Is there anyone there who cares for your well-being at all?
Tooru tilts his head. “Oh, Iwa-chan what we do is never enough.”
This ticks Hajime off but he doesn’t say anything. He puts a palm on the glass, showing the same Crime Coefficient as he always had: a glinting 141.
“Ah, no changes then?” Tooru looks delighted. “That’s good, well—”
“Make me.” Hajime says.
Tooru’s breath catches in his throat as he stares at Hajime, confused and disbelieving.
“Eh?”
Hajime’s gaze on him is steady, pinning him there with determination.
“Make me an Enforcer.”
(Tooru would be lying if he denies smacking the glass in excitement, yelling just so. He, however, denies all this to Tetsurou who remains doubtful.
“You didn’t even ask him this time. You forced it out of him didn’t you,” he says suspiciously.
“I told you I’m a gift!” Tooru flutters his eyelashes.)
+
“My name is Hajime Iwaizumi. I’ll be working with you from here on.”
Hajime has never been good with introductions but he supposes it’s enough. Beside him, Tooru seems to be enjoying this thoroughly although standing in front of everyone in Division 1 is something Hajime is not really comfortable with just yet.
“He’ll be assigned Hound Five starting today so get along well!” Tooru practically coos, high on his current good mood and has forgotten about the possible scar on his face when the bandage will be removed.
Hajime’s desk is in between an Enforcer with gray hair and kind hazel eyes to his left and another who’s considerably shorter than he is, also relatively bouncier and there’s a noticeable tuft of bleached hair in front of his head, to his right.
“HI! I’m Yuu!” the Enforcer to his right exclaims, twirling on his seat to face Hajime. He holds up two fingers, grinning. “I’m Hound Two.”
Hajime nods at him, smiling himself. Ah, so this is the Yuu.
“Hey,”
He feels a tap on his shoulder and the Enforcer to his left is waving at him.
“That’s Suga-san!” Yuu announces.
“Ehh, you didn’t let me introduce. I’m Koushi Sugawara,” Koushi says, laughing softly. “I’m Hound Three, you can ask me anything about the electronics,” Koushi looks around and points at the two tables across them. The Enforcers there are waving.
“The one with the messy hair is Tetsurou,” Koushi laughs. “He’s Hound One.”
“Oh, I know him.” Hajime says.
“Uhuh. The pretty girl over there is Kiyoko. She’s Hound Four. She’s great with holographics.” Koushi winks.
Hajime nods gratefully.
“Thanks. I guess I’ll be needing help working on these,” he points to the three holograph screens in front of him, showing him data he’ll understand eventually.
Koushi gives him a thumbs up.
“No problem! I can teach you—”
“IWA-CHAN!” Tooru comes zooming to Hajime’s table and Koushi stops talking, laughing silently instead. “Iwa-chan, let’s go I’ll show you the Analyst lab.”
“Tooru, I literally just sat down.”
Tooru gasps dramatically. “Refusing orders on the very first day of duty!”
Everyone in the room snickers.
“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, Hajime,” Tetsurou grins, taking out a PSP underneath his desk. “Unless it’s Daichi’s orders then—”
“I’m literally three feet away from you.” Daichi says, not looking away from his screen and Tetsurou pretends he’s busy with his console. “Tooru stop bothering the new Enforcer.”
Tooru tugs at Hajime’s arm anyway, grinning.
Hajime feels his own little smile as he feigns sighing.
“Okay.” Orders are orders, right?
“This is our darling Analyst, Kenma,” Tooru introduces and Kenma nods, pointedly ignoring the tacked compliment.
“Pleasure to meet you, Hajime.” Kenma says.
“Likewise.” Hajime’s too busy looking at the several screens lined in front of the Analyst in amazement. It’s a wonder he doesn’t get dizzy looking at them.
“The Dominators are that way,” Kenma tells Tooru, pointing and then Hajime finds himself being dragged again by Tooru who’s now enthusiastically telling him things, too fast for him to understand.
Tooru taps the drone and it hisses softly as it opens revealing the Dominators inside.
“You know how it works right? It’s a gun that reads the Psycho-Pass of the target you’re pointing at,” Tooru tells Hajime who nods.
“I did join the briefing if you so tactfully forgot.”
“Of course,” Tooru says carelessly, taking a Dominator in hand and Hajime watches his brown eyes briefly turn blue.
He knows how it goes.
“…Suppression System has been activated. User authentication: Enforcer Iwaizumi Hajime. Affiliation: Public Safety Bureau, Criminal Investigation Department. Dominator usage approval confirmed. You are a valid user.”
“…anyway, Iwa-chan as I was saying…”
Hajime didn’t catch what he was saying.
“What was that?”
Tooru makes a face, standing with his hand on his hip. Hajime points his Dominator at him, grinning.
“Crime Coefficient is 28. An Inspector registered at the Criminal Investigation Department.”
“So this is why you’re supernatural,” Hajime says, snorting. “I doubt you’re even human.”
“So mean and rude to his Inspector,” Tooru looks over to Kenma who’s been dutifully ignoring them this entire time. “You got that recorded, Kenma?”
“What was that? I think so too.” Kenma throws them a wily smile.
“Also very mean!”
“My Crime Coefficient is at two hundred of course I agree.”
There’s a noise coming from outside, some kind of shouting and Tooru sighs.
“Why do they have to make so much noise in this time of the day?”
“Who’s ‘they’?” Hajime raises an eyebrow and finds out not a second later when the lab doors open and his heart shoots up in delight when he sees who it is.
“HAJIME!” Takahiro and Issei yell together and Hajime sees Kenma putting his face in his hands.
Needless to say, they both glomp on him with vise-like hugs. They’re both laughing, Hajime realizes and he finds that he is too, chest warm and comfortable for the first time since 6 years.
“Hey!” Tooru says indignantly.
Issei is enthusiastically ruffling Hajime’s hair.
“Hajime! Finally!”
Takahiro is thumping on his back, laughing loudly and Tooru is trying to pry them both apart, scowling.
We’ve missed you! It’s been so long! They’re saying through laughter and the embrace, not minding the fact that they have higher positions and shouldn’t be going around hugging Enforcers but here they are and Hajime’s heart is squeezing, 6 years of being alone and he’s here.
“I don’t want to mess with your reunion but you’re really loud,” Kenma says at some point and they laugh in unison.
“Kenma,” Takahiro says, opening his arms. “We can hug too if you want.”
“I’d rather get shot by a Dominator.”
“Funny, Tetsurou has said that before.” Tooru remarks.
“Me too if I can’t help it.” Hajime says and Kenma smiles.
“Iwa-chan, no.”
+
“Target is Isao Hiroyuki. He was flagged by a street scanner after a Psycho-Pass check up, refused treatment and ran. His recorded Hue is chartreuse.”
Daichi has his wristcom up, his Dominator in the other.
“He’s expected to be hostile and aggressive with a Hue like that. He’s also suspected of using inhibiting drugs so the Paralyzer may not work on him the first time.” Tooru adds, smile out of place with the current situation.
“We can live with that,” Yuu grins.
“Honestly,” Daichi sighs. “Anyway, Isao Hiroyuki has hidden himself up this street,” he points behind him and the Enforcers gathered look past him.
It used to be a bustling red light district from the time those were still a trend. Now, these constricted passages have been home to several dens passing on drugs for money.
“It’s hard to get drones inside so we’ll do like the usual,” Daichi continues. “Tetsurou and Koushi will come with me. Hajime, Kiyoko and Yuu with Tooru.”
“Roger!”
“Iwa-chan,” Tooru grins, talking softly as they’re walking into the street. Security drones are waiting at each end just in case Isao decides to come out after all. Daichi’s team has gone ahead and as usual, they’re tagging behind. Yuu and Kiyoko are walking behind them, Dominators held ready.
“What,” Hajime says, green eyes turning blue as he listens to the short directional voice of the Dominator as it activates.
“User authentication: Enforcer Iwaizumi Hajime. Dominator usage approval confirmed. You are a valid user.”
“Aren’t you glad you’re here with me?” He can see Tooru’s smile even without looking up and he reaches a hand and pinches Tooru’s cheek, making him squeak briefly. The scar he had feared to appear on his face is only a thin, barely noticeable line.
He eyes Tooru and smiles crookedly.
“Yes,” Hajime says, leaving Tooru momentarily stunned and Hajime huffs, moving forward. “Let’s move, Inspector.”
Tooru smiles breathlessly, looking at Hajime’s back as he walks off determinedly. He eyes Yuu and Kiyoko behind him and motions them forward.
“Well? You heard him. Let’s move!”
“Roger!”