PSYCHO-PASS : Paradigm Shift

Chapter 2 : Oxymoron (smut)

Warning: Mature themes ahead, read at your own discretion. 

PART 2 – Oxymoron

That prolonged ride home was agonizing to Shizuka. Primarily because it was advised by Sibyl to drive slower during storms, and secondly... because she was anxious about meeting him outside of the job. She knew she'd eventually had to face him, but having to face him after such a case... was something she wasn't really prepared for.

In all honesty... how can anyone be prepared to face their... undefined partner (in lack of better expression)? She really disliked the term "sex friends", or "friends with benefits". But, how do you describe someone who used to be a close friend, and then turned into a surprisingly good lay? She didn't want to make a big deal out of it... but, it turned out to be much bigger issue that she'd imagine it to be.

She really believed she could handle the situation like a grown up. Instead, she caught herself acting like a teenager, torn between two men. And now... this meeting... it wasn't just the two colleagues discussing the case. It will be more. It always is with Nobuchika.

She could have told him something. Anything. That they could have meet during the break tomorrow, and in broad daylight. At her office, once he submits reports from unit one. They could have gone to the cafeteria... or some coffee shop. They could have met in any other place... at any other time... because, regardless of how messy the Okura case has been... they could have simply left it for the next day. Like with Akane.

This wasn't necessary. But again... they had the tendency to look at things quite differently. Just one more thing to disagree about. Meeting him at his home... will be uneasy. Tense, even. But, it's not like Nobuchika didn't know how it would make her feel. It's more likely that he decided to call her there precisely because he knew how it would affect her.

She had two options. To refuse it, and look like a coward in front of him... or accept it, go with it and play it cool, hoping she wouldn't lose her composure along the way. She hoped for the later. It still made her anxious, though.

So many things, so many conflicting emotions were still unresolved. They will have to be resolved soon. She was aware of that. But, it only caused the additional pressure. She thought some distance from both Gino and Kou would give her some clarity, but she was still just as indecisive about making that decision as before... if not even more.

The most logical choice would be... to finally call things off with Kogami and try having something with Ginoza. Something... because calling it a relationship would be too much, considering how they started off.

She sighed, putting both her hands on the wheel, and leaning her forehead onto it. She had a hunch of how things were about to develop. She had to get ready for either an enormous fight... or something entirely different.

And that promise of different... was slightly scary... and exciting.

She stepped on, starting driving faster. If she learned anything from dating someone like Shinya... was to rush towards problems head on, in order to solve it sooner rather than later.

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It seemed like it will be a fight. Gino was already in the bad mood when he opened the door - she could tell by his expression.

"You are really something, calling this meeting right now. Couldn't it have waited for tomorrow?" she asked, untying the belt on her coat, removing it from her shoulders.

Without a word, he took it from her and placed it next to his own coats. She unzipped her heeled boots, placing them next to his pair of perfectly shined shoes. He was always so neat that he almost put her to shame. His suits and shirts were always perfectly ironed. His hair was always perfectly styled and well-groomed. He was one of those men who took care of their outside appearance... though, wearing glasses gave him much stricter, and much sharper look. Which was probably what he aimed for, considering how he was bullied in his youth. Now, as a figure of authority, he was exuding power.