Psycho Pass: All Alone With You

Where Charity Prevails, Pt.1

Kogami sighed, lying in bed on his stomach.  He was caught between that peaceful sanctum between sleep and first waking, where the sleeper is cradled on a perfect cloud of warmth and comfort. Akane ran her fingers through his hair, tickling his ear as she curled her body up close behind him.  Cradling her cheek against his neck, she reached over his shoulder and ran her fingers across his chest until the goosebumps raced for position across his bare skin.  He smiled, taking her hand in his, and then the door sensor chimed, alerting the presence of someone at the door.  Reality returned, in stark color, and she was gone.

    Growling into his pillow, Kogami punched the wall above the headboard and hurried from his bed to the dormitory door.  The angry padding of his barefoot against the floor failed to announce the approaching danger to the person on the other side. Thus, it was with a high-pitched yelp of surprise that Kagari found Kogami's hand wrapped around his throat, crushing his windpipe.

    "Ko!  Dammit!  I c-can't breathe!"  Kagari did not resist as the hand suffocating him, dragged him into the dormitory's front room.  "W-what did I do?"

    "You woke me up!  That's what!"  Kogami gave Kagari a curt shove and walked away from him, afraid that he might do him serious harm in his present mood.  "This better be good."

    "It is.  Well, I think it is."  Kagari rubbed his throat, massaging away the sensation of Kogami's firm grip.  "If it weren't important, I'd never come near your cave on your day off."

    Kagari was all playful bluster, a genuine human being, with not a serious bone in his body, even on his worst day.  He was rarely without a smile, despite being easily angered, and his ill-temper never lasted more than a few minutes at a time.  However that bluster was greatly diminished as if a great weight had settled over him, dampening his usual jovial mood.  His hands were stuffed into the deep pockets of his red jacket, his neck tucked into the collar as if he were hiding, but from what, Kogami could not be certain.

    Kogami carelessly threw himself onto the couch, tugging at his sweatpants as he propped his feet against the arm.  Bare chested, he reached for the pack of Spinel on the coffee table.  "Alright, I'm awake, and I'm listening."  He lit the cigarette and tossed the lighter back onto the table.  "If I don't like what you have to say, I'm breaking your arm.  Again."

    "Cut me some slack, Ko.  This is serious."  Knocking Kogami's feet off the couch, Kagari threw himself down on the seat beside his colleague.  "Akane has this crazy idea to showcase the MWPSB at the Daigo Children's Mental Care Facility downtown."

    "Career day?  Showcasing latent criminals to kids?" Kogami sat in disbelief.  The idea was far-fetched, even for Akane.  "I'm having a hard time believing Ginoza signed off on it.  Had to be Kasei."

    "Most of the patients will never leave this facility, Ko.  They're already labeled as latent criminals.  Akane wants to give them some hope for the future."

    "Didn't you spend time in a similar facility?"

    Kagari looked over at him with narrowed eyes and nodded pensively.  "When she asked me to go with her, I said yes without thinking."

    "So what's the problem?  If you shave, you'll fit right in with the rest of the delinquents."  Kogami regretted the comment when Kagari's eyes went dark with anger and then darker still with sorrow.  "Out with it, Kagari!  I'm already annoyed that you woke me up."

    "Dammit, Ko! Are you going to actually make me say it.  I want you to come along!  There's a lot of muddy water under the bridge here for me!"

    Kogami crushed out the cigarette in the tray.  "Or are you just afraid to be alone with Inspector Tsunemori?"

    "Ko!"