#sortafriendly

A dull, throbbing pain pulsated through your head as you began to slowly push yourself up off of the hard, wooden floor. Where are you, and how had you gotten here? As you regained consciousness and observed your surroundings, you would become keenly aware of where you and your associates were currently being held. The Tenryou Commission’s holding cells in the police station. Great. Just great. You thought to yourself as you gathered your bearings. Unlucky for you, however, moments after you regained consciousness a few lower ranked officers would make their way into your cell, dragging you to one of the many interrogation rooms two floors up. After being haphazardly tossed into the room, you were once again left to your own devices. In what one could only assume would be a brief moment of reprieve, you took the time to search your person, letting out a sigh of relief when your hand was met with the pulsating sensation of your vision. The warmth your pyro vision emitted was enough to bring life back to your, uncharacteristically, pale face. It was a welcomed sensation, especially in your current circumstance.

Thinking back on it, the whole ordeal that landed you in your present predicament was… fuzzy. As you wracked your brain for the answers, you would begin to pace on the opposite side of the room, eyes focused on the ground. Ah, that’s right, it’s all coming back to you now! Although some of the details are still missing, you recall that after returning to the main hideout your treasure hoarder and nobushi “pals” called home from your latest scouting mission, one of the rather crude - but oddly efficient - alarm systems went off. It was a raid! Even so, you don’t remember the details of when you were arrested. One moment you were sitting next to a fire roasting some fish, and the next you were waking up here in a holding cell. Wait a minute, a raid? When had the Tenryou Commission taken the time to follow any of your leads? Surely, you would have noticed if someone had been following you right? Maybe… maybe you didn’t? While yes it’s been your goal for the last several months to leave enough of a trail for someone with authority to lead a raid on the main base, you were hoping you’d at least be out on an assignment or something when it happened so you didn’t get wrapped up in all of this mess!! A scowl crossed your pursed lips as you stopped in your tracks. Ugh. Just great. Now you’d probably be sent to prison for Archons know how long and potentially miss out on– “My my, you’re rather lost in thought there aren't cha~? I wonder how long it’s going to take you to notice I’m even here~.” A mischievous voice spoke up from the other side of the interrogation room, pulling you out of your own thoughts. When did he get here? How long had he been sitting there watching you pace? Across the room sat none other than the Doushin Shikanoin, a highly renown detective who worked with the Tenryou Commission. When your eyes finally met with his, you would notice the rather smug smirk on his face, which elicited a somewhat subtle eye roll from you. This was not the person you thought you’d be dealing with, especially after only having been awake for– How long had you been awake? Not more than twenty minutes at this point right? As you got distracted with your own thoughts again, a curt cough was heard from the detective, drawing your attention back to him once again. 

“Man alive, I think you’re the first suspect I’ve had to actively get the attention of. Don’t tell me I’m rusty or something! That would only add insult to injury at this point.” Heizou’s shoulders slumped as he leaned forward onto the wooden table that sat in the center of the interrogation room, his chin resting on one of his hands while his eyes wandered up and down your figure inquisitively. Feeling his unnerving gaze on you, your body would press itself against the wall you stood closest to.

“Awe c’mon~” he said with a light laugh, his smirk only widening as the moments passed “I don’t bite! Come! Join me and sit! Truly, how are we to have any worthwhile conversation when you’re holed up in the corner over there!?”

Although you were weary, you made your way to the table and sat across from the rather jovial detective. Surely he had to be up to something, no? Anybody who was anyone knew the name Shikanoin Heizou and what he was capable of! In fact, he was the reason recruiting was so difficult these last few months! Nobody wants to get caught up in a case under the eye of Doushin Shikanoin, and yet here you were, one of the now many unlucky sods tied up by him. 

“So why don’t we start with introductions? I’m sure you’re aware that I’m-” “Doushin Shikanoin. Yes, I know who you are. Everyone here does.” You hadn’t meant any disrespect by interrupting him, it’s just at this point you’d rather get the pleasantries out of the way. “Man alive, you just had to steal my thunder, didn’t you, Y/N?” Eh? How did he know your name? For a moment you thought back on the brief conversation you’ve had thus far and… Nope! You definitely hadn’t said your name in that time! “Hehehe~ The look of panic on your face is enough for me to forgive you for stealing my line a moment ago.” His cheeky grin made your blood boil just a little. Were all detectives as borderline unprofessional as him? Before you were given a moment to retreat into your own thoughts again, Heizou would produce a familiar, leather-bound journal from underneath the table. One could assume he had been hiding it there until you had come to sit down with him. Not daring to make any sudden movements, you watched as the detective began to leaf through the journal, his olive eyes scanning each page thoroughly and efficiently.

“Y’know Y/N, there’s enough evidence in this little journal of yours to put you and your associates behind bars for at least 20 years. Grand larceny, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, disturbing the peace, distribution of stolen goods… Dare I go on? Tell me, what possessed you to keep something so glaringly incriminating on your person? It’s almost like you wanted to get caught or something.” He peeked around the book to watch your expression, any shift in your mood would be telling to the detective, and with that in mind- Oh who are you kidding? Keeping a cool head after hearing you were going to be sentenced to a minimum of 20 years?! It almost didn’t seem real. Even so, while tears began to pour down your face as you were faced with the prospect of spending the rest of your early life in prison, a shaky smile spread like a wildfire across your lips. It didn’t matter if you were going down too, you finally succeeded in your goal. You took down one of the big three branches of treasure hoarders and nobushi in Inazuma. Whilst you were once again wrapped up in your own mind, Heizou’s gaze softened, his eyes sparkling ever so slightly with curiosity and intrigue. His intuition had been correct it seemed, and now that he had confirmed the suspicions he had about you, he would quietly exit the interrogation room while you were preoccupied. Not only was he not going to get an answer out of you at the moment, there was also something he needed to get done, and fast.

When you’re not aware of the passage of time, it seems to creep by at an eerily slow and concerningly fast rate, and by the time you had quelled your inner turmoil, Heizou was gone. Wiping your face clean of tears, you sighed softly and took the alone time to gather yourself again. Your eyes flickered around the interrogation room lazily, absorbing every last detail about it, knowing each breath you took was getting closer to the last one you’d take as a free person. Eventually, your gaze would land on the table you were sitting at for an undisclosed amount of time. There was a glass of water, some honey lavender melon, and bread. Where had this come from? 

Not thinking too deeply into it, you reached out and took the glass, holding it to your lips to greedily drink its contents. After drinking over half, you set it back down and let out a sigh of relief. Crying always leaves you feeling sticky and dehydrated, regardless of how much or little you did. With nothing better to do, you would also indulge on the food that had been provided to you. When there was nothing left, you finished off the rest of the water and sighed, content that this could be your last meal as a free citizen. Despite wanting to cherish these fleeting moments of freedom, you crossed your arms and laid them on the table, resting your head atop them. A little nap wouldn’t hurt, right?

When you were finally awoken some hours later, it was by one of the guards who had initially escorted you to this room to begin with. He seemed rather irritated, probably due to the fact you were out like a light until his rather gruff voice penetrated its way into your dreams and roused you from your slumber. After securing your wrists with cuffs, the guard would begin to lug you back down to the holding cells. Just as he was about to bring you down the first flight of stairs, a familiar and rather annoyed voice called out, making the guard halt in his tracks. “Officer Nakamura! Unhand them this instant!” Heizou shouted, jogging up to you and the officer. Finally in front of you two, he put his hands on his hips and let out an irritated sigh. “Just what do you think you’re doing?”

“I’m bringing them back down to the holding cells?” Nakamura replied quizzically. Was this a test? Surely it wasn’t, right? “Gah, man alive, you’d think someone would have given you the memo.” “The memo? I’m afraid I’m not following, Doushin Shikanoin...” Heizou didn’t hesitate to pull you free from Nakamura’s grasp, and after removing the restraints on your wrists, he would hook an arm around your neck, pressing the two of you together while a sneaky smile spread across his face. “Well Nakamura, Y/N here is actually my partner, and they’ve been acting as a double agent for the Tenryou Commission. Thanks to all the commotion stirred by madam Kujou Sara, our little birdie here couldn’t escape to the extraction point during the raid~! Really was a shame we had to get them back this way, though I guess it did benefit their cover to be arrested with them~. Just adds to their credibility at this point.” As Nakamura began to profusely apologize to you for mistaking you as one of the apprehended criminals, you turned your attention to the detective who was currently leaning against you. Feeling your eyes on him, Heizou turned to meet your gaze and winked at you, his grin only widening. What have you gotten yourself into?

Update Tags: @eraelia-alberich