Reliable Policewoman

"Gou gets…. competitive." Kiriko shuddered as she gathered her things and followed him to the car. She thought about it a bit more and laughed a little.  "Though watching him and Rinna-san go at it might be pretty funny. We could definitely at least try it…"

"Then it’s settled, I’ll look for something we can all play and then we can just hang out at the Pit when we’re off duty and cool off from working all day." Tomari let out a smile happy with the idea. "I’m sure it’ll be fun, or at the very least entertaining."

"That sounds pretty nice..." Kiriko hadn't exactly been social since joining the force.  Not very. The idea of sitting around playing a game with her work friend and her brother actually seemed like a really nice way to unwind after the thigns they all had to go through.

"Belt-san is probably lonely without us anyway." Kiriko nodded, "I should  probably get all of my case notes in order anyway. I’ve been putting it off to make mroe time for training."

"That’s a good idea. I have things to look over as well. All that busy work that forgets to be done because of more pressing matters." He nodded as he walked over to the car. "Hey, you know we could try that board game night thing, I’ve been thinking of. Pick something Belt-san could play too. We can invite Rinna and… Gou? Does Gou like board games or does he get too bored?" He paused. “Yes I know I just said that…”

"Gou gets.... competitive." Kiriko shuddered as she gathered her things and followed him to the car. She thought about it a bit more and laughed a little.  "Though watching him and Rinna-san go at it might be pretty funny. We could definitely at least try it..."

"I’ll remember that." Kiriko got up to walk over and stand beside him, looking out at the city, "We don’t always have a lot of free time. But I think that having him come and visit you does him a lot of good, and he needs that peace of mind."

"Well, like I said, any way I can be of help." He let out a small sigh. "I’m glad to hear that, really. Sometimes I worry that he blames himself for what happens too much. So, I don’t mind if you guys can’t come by all the time."

"He does, I think." Kiriko sighed, "But I think maybe he's getting better about it, little by little. You're still closer to him than I am and I think he needs you. I can only do so much."

Kiriko smirked, “You’re such a slacker.” She teased, but got up and nodded, “I got a good work out in before you came so I could probably skip the rest just for one day.”

"Sounds good to me." He stood up and sretched. "Let’s head back to the drive pit. We can look over things and see if anything sspicios has been going on. How does that sound?"

"Belt-san is probably lonely without us anyway." Kiriko nodded, "I should  probably get all of my case notes in order anyway. I've been putting it off to make mroe time for training."

"It certainly is… It’s getting more and more complicated as time goes on…" She thought about things she had learned, feelings she was trying to work out, then sighed and shook her head. "You’re still someone very important to him, and he needs you."

"Well, I might have been forced to retire, but if you ever feel stuck, I’m willing to help where I can." Hayase smiled and looked out past the roof’s railing. "Maybe, but you don’t need to force him to come by. He can come by when he has free time."

"I'll remember that." Kiriko got up to walk over and stand beside him, looking out at the city, "We don't always have a lot of free time. But I think that having him come and visit you does him a lot of good, and he needs that peace of mind."

Kiriko picked up her water and drank. “Yeah, I definitely get that. It’s not the fanciest or the best, but I feel very satisfied after eating it.” She smiled and offered him the bottle again. “It’s definitely made by someone working their hardest. So we’ll have to do the same, right?”

"Of course, there is too much on the line for us to not do our best." He stood up and stretched. "Though I don’t think I’m in any shape to work out after all that food. How about you?"

Kiriko smirked, "You're such a slacker." She teased, but got up and nodded, "I got a good work out in before you came so I could probably skip the rest just for one day."

"Ah well, Gou’s been sort of butting in at work lately. that’s just the sort of person he is. But Tomari and I have been more busy. It seems like it’s just one thing after another with the Slowdown cases." She looked over at Hayase, "But I’ll make sure he stops in to see you more often."

"Yeah, I’ve been keeping track of it in the papers. It seems like it’s keeping you both on your toes." Hayase shook his head. "No, don’t worry about me. I don’t want to hold you two back from your job. Protecting people comes first."

"It certainly is... It's getting more and more complicated as time goes on..." She thought about things she had learned, feelings she was trying to work out, then sighed and shook her head. "You're still someone very important to him, and he needs you."

"It took me a while, but I think I understand Tomari enough to keep up with him now." She laughed a little and nodded, "My brother an I are both pretty energetic, but I’m better at channeling it into productive things, where Gou just likes to run around. i worry a lot about him. I think Tomari does too…"

He laughed with her. “Tomari should worry about keeping his own energy consistent before worrying about others. Although, I suppose since he hasn’t been coming around as frequently, he’s being better about skipping work.”

"Ah well, Gou's been sort of butting in at work lately. that's just the sort of person he is. But Tomari and I have been more busy. It seems like it's just one thing after another with the Slowdown cases." She looked over at Hayase, "But I'll make sure he stops in to see you more often."

"Ah, no. He’s doing well, I think. We’re finally running at the same speed, so things are going much more smoothly now." Kiriko sat on a bench. "Of course now we’re both trying to keep up with my brother."

"That’s good to hear. I know he can be a bit difficult to keep pace with, so I’m glad you can do that now." He rolled over next to the bench. "Your brother? He must be quite the ball of energy."

"It took me a while, but I think I understand Tomari enough to keep up with him now." She laughed a little and nodded, "My brother an I are both pretty energetic, but I'm better at channeling it into productive things, where Gou just likes to run around. i worry a lot about him. I think Tomari does too..."

"Yes. It’s good to see you too, Hayase-san. I was in the area and thought I’d stop by." She managed a small smile, "You look like you’re doing well."

He smiled back at her. “Yeah, I’m doing fine. How about you and Tomari? He’s not giving you too much trouble, I hope.”

"Ah, no. He's doing well, I think. We're finally running at the same speed, so things are going much more smoothly now." Kiriko sat on a bench. "Of course now we're both trying to keep up with my brother."

"Yes. It's good to see you too, Hayase-san. I was in the area and thought I'd stop by." She managed a small smile, "You look like you're doing well."

She couldn’t help laughing a little at that. As much as Kiriko’d had doubts in the beginning because Tomari had seemed lazy and unfocused, he was a good person and he cared. “That’s what partners are for.” She assured him, finishing off her sushi. “This wasn’t bad… We’ll have to go together next time, huh?”

"Sounds good to me." He said as he finished up his sushi as well. “Like I said, it’s a bit bland but something about it makes you feel like the guy is putting everything he has into it.” Tomari smiled. "Can’t go wrong with someone putting in that much work right?"

Kiriko picked up her water and drank. "Yeah, I definitely get that. It's not the fanciest or the best, but I feel very satisfied after eating it." She smiled and offered him the bottle again. "It's definitely made by someone working their hardest. So we'll have to do the same, right?"

Kiriko sighed and took the bottle, setting it down. “That’s what partners are for.” She patted his back lightly, “You scared me for a minute there. Of all the things we face, you choking isn’t what I’d expect to bring you down.”

"You’re right… We gotta make sure the Roidmudes don’t find out my one weakness… Not being able to chew food properly." He let out a weak laugh as he was still getting his air back. "Not that I’d have to worry, since I know my partner has my back."

She couldn't help laughing a little at that. As much as Kiriko'd had doubts in the beginning because Tomari had seemed lazy and unfocused, he was a good person and he cared. "That's what partners are for." She assured him, finishing off her sushi. "This wasn't bad... We'll have to go together next time, huh?"

Tomari reached up and grabbed the bottle. He quickly drank some of the water before taking some deep breaths. "I’m okay… I’m okay." He said trying to catch his breath. He looked at the bottle in his hand and smiled before extended it back to her. "Thanks…"

Kiriko sighed and took the bottle, setting it down. "That's what partners are for." She patted his back lightly, "You scared me for a minute there. Of all the things we face, you choking isn't what I'd expect to bring you down."

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