[closed] everyone was watching you as everything just slipped away

[condoner]

Who: Akane Tsunemori (condoner), and friends.
When: 17 April (IC)
Where: The Chilling Cave
What: The Psycho-Pass cast (and then some) go ice skating.
Rating/Warning: Warning for Gino's sadness.

---

[ upon kogami's suggestion, akane's taken it upon herself to find a suitable (ha ha) way of celebrating her 23rd birthday! she found the chilling cave by coincidence while patrolling the streets once and decided that she wants to try ice skating.

so after texting the guys (brother, mom, and dad), as well as a couple of friends (really, it's just a couple. she doesn't have much friends) if they're free on the 17th, she waits outside the chilling cave, hoping to meet up with her friends.

it's time… to chill! ]

Comments

[mombastic]

[ Okay, she's-- letting go now.

And slooowly drifting out onto the ice, hands held out on either side of her for balance.

... It doesn't work when one skate slips out from under her, oops. ]

[coefficiency]

[ There's a wobble in her legs, starting at the knees and ending at the ankle. Gino realizes there's a very high chance of falling. Or sliding right onto her butt.

Which, predictably, is what is unfolding before him. Quickly, his hand grabs for her elbow before she can completely collapse. Re-centering himself, he gently hauls her back onto her own feet, both hands hooked under her arms. ]

..Are you okay?

[mombastic]

Better than I would have been if I'd kept going, [ she says ruefully, breathing out nice and slow. Okay, she's all right. She'll just adjust her stance while he's got her. ]

Thank you, ah...?

[coefficiency]

[ At her comment, his eyebrows lift, expression seeming to lighten a fraction. Could there be a smile on the horizon? Will the world end? ]

I apologize. My name is Nobuchika Ginoza; it's nice to meet you–?

[mombastic]

Otome Yanagiya. [ There's definitely a smile on her face, at least. For all that she's pretty much using him as support here. ]

It's a pleasure, Nobuchika-san.

[coefficiency]

[ Whoa first name, how odd to hear after so long. There'd only been one person who– ok no, he's not going there. Carefully, he lets her go, though offers his arm for her to hold onto as he skates to the side. ]

Likewise, Otome-san.

[mombastic]

[ Otome does what she wants-- well, she figures they'll be friends sooner or later, so why not? She's pursing her lips as she mimics his movements, and deigns to just... rest a hand on his arm, in the wild hopes that she won't end up clinging to her.

She's gonna try, dammit. ]

I'm a little sorry you had to meet me like this, though. I'm better on solid ground.

[coefficiency]

[ If she needs to cling, that's ok. Clinging and moving will still be better than holding onto a stationary wall. Carefully, he skates forward, feeling only a small tug from where Otome is holding on. ]

Don't be. This place seems to push everyone outside of their boundaries. At least this is of our own volition.

[mombastic]

Very true! I've already had the chance to see what this place does to people against their will...

[ Yeeeeep. ]

[coefficiency]

Unfortunately, I think we all got to see that recently.

[ He's never touching a book again!!!!!!! ]

[mombastic]

Ah... yes. I hope it didn't cause you too much trouble, Nobuchika-san.

[ She's faintly grimacing, though. ]

[coefficiency]

It... was interesting. I'd rather there be no repeats.

[ Mostly it was embarrassing. The other half was infuriating, because of one Kogami Shinya. He's frowning alongside her grimace. ]

Your time didn't go much better?

[mombastic]

I wasn't affected, thankfully! However, I had a few run-ins that weren't exactly comfortable for... well, either of us.

[ Poor Trowa. ]

[coefficiency]

Ah, I could see where that would be...

[ Hideously embarrassing. So much.

Anyway. Time for a topic change, because sticking to this one is reminding her of awkwardness and it's reminding him of things he doesn't want to think about. ]

How do you know Tsunemori?

[mombastic]

Oh! [ There's her smile again! ] I ran into her and she asked me if I wanted to be a coroner.

[ It went about as well as you'd imagine. Slightly better. ]

[coefficiency]

A coroner.

[ Somehow, that's so.......Tsunemori? She probably said it with a smile on her face and not an ounce of manipulation. ]

Sometimes, she thinks about work too much.

[ POT, KETTLE!!!!! ] Did you agree?

[mombastic]

[ Yeeeeep. ]

I'm better suited to working with living people, unfortunately-- but I told her if she ever needed a second opinion, I'd be happy to offer one.

[coefficiency]

[ He wouldn't necessarily say that's an unfortunate thing. ]

A doctor, then? [ Equally as needed. ] That's kind of you; I'm sure she appreciates it.

[mombastic]

Right on both counts! Akane-chan is such a sweet girl, too-- I'm glad she's getting a chance to have fun.

[ Otome, she's not that much younger than you are??? ]

[coefficiency]

She is; I'm glad as well. She doesn't get much of a chance to do that back home. Or didn't, rather.

[ Somehow, he feels so much older than her. ]

[mombastic]

That's... what I've been hearing. You must have all been incredibly busy back home.

[coefficiency]

We're part of Division one, so most of the cases we handle tend to be very tough or lengthy. Or potentially both.

[ They've all worked hard to get where they are, essentially being the top of the MWPSB. Akane's kept them there, despite Kasei's misgivings with their performance on the Makishima case. ]

Tsunemori's team lead. We've just hired on a junior inspector to help with Tsunemori's position, but she won't be fully effective for another few months, give or take.

[ Mika's smart but she's brash and close minded. Gino sees too much of himself with her; except she doesn't have years of work under her belt to temper the lack of respect. He has a sinking feeling anytime she raises a point. A few months more of being on the field will take some of the wind out of her sails, but she'll need a steep wake up call to jump over the internal hurdles she's placed for herself. ]

[mombastic]

So not only were the cases difficult, but you weren't fully-staffed? I can see why it could be hard to take a decent break every now and then...

[ They'd had a shortage of personnel, too, but that was because demons/Septentriones/the Triangulum really loved killing them. But that's a bit awkward to explain. ]