psychofailed: (pic#10008542)
狡噛 慎也 「 ᴋōɢᴀᴍɪ sʜɪɴʏᴀ 」 ([personal profile] psychofailed) wrote in [community profile] maskormenacelogs2016-10-29 04:14 am

something poignant about reunions

WHO: Kogami and Masaoka
WHERE: Maurtia Falls, Masaoka's house
WHEN: Oct 23
WHAT: Notdad is back
WARNINGS: idk angst and language maybe? Potential references to death or violence.


[It's been a couple months since Kogami ended up on his own again. Part of him is a bit frustrated, being jerked around like this, but it's also nice not to be alone. And Masaoka is perhaps the only one who understands, having been on both sides of the system like him. He doesn't really talk about the Sybil System much anymore; the horrified reactions he gets are tiring, but even so, there's still...a gap. Unsolved murders and kidnappings and various other crime might not be unheard of among the MWPSB back in Japan, but it's practically commonplace around here, and they don't have that same ability to verify suspects with a cymatic scan around here. It all depends on how well a detective puts their chain of evidence together, how well a lawyer can argue that it makes sense or doesn't.

Kogami wonders how anyone can stand the uncertainty. Every time he does this, he wonders at the same time, if Masaoka misses it. He never really talked to the senior Enforcer about it last time, hadn't really been able to accept the reality of being trapped for a significant length of time. He hit the six-month mark in September, though, and it's just starting to sink in that he might be here for years, like some of the reports he's heard from other imPorts.

Which of course, makes him feel incredibly restless with his garbage job that was only good for a steady source of income. Kogami's never been the kind of man who can sit on the sidelines too long, after all, and Masaoka's return is a good opportunity to finally talk it over with him, maybe seek his help in re-entering law enforcement.

First things first, though. He finds the older man's new address easily enough, regardless of it no longer being next door, and he has a bottle of Masaoka's favorite whiskey in hand--the same kind he left for him some months ago, after that whole fiasco with his "other self" that he just generally tries not to think too hard about nowadays.

Instead of ringing the doorbell, though, he raps sharply on the door with his knuckles a few times before calling out to announce his presence--]


It's me.
thefatherssins: (pic#10409611)

[personal profile] thefatherssins 2016-10-30 02:32 am (UTC)(link)
[Masaoka was trying not to dwell on things. At least his new job as a "youth counselor" wasn't so bad. Confusing, and the thought of a latent criminal counseling anyone was risible, but it was a position where he could feel like he might be doing something. It was something that could genuinely occupy the mind.

(It isn't his kind of work, though, and he knows it never will be. He's a detective.)

But it's harder in the evenings, or in the mornings before the sounds of other people intrudes. It's hard to try sleep without imagining whatever state of non-being he must have temporarily been in, and it's hard to actually sleep with that on the mind. He's getting a lot of reading in- the history of this world, classic detective stories, a bit of art criticism. Just about the only things in his room right now are a stack of library books and some passable-but-not-ideal whiskey.

He puts down the copy of Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy when he hears the knock, certain it's Kogami even before the other man speaks. When Masaoka opens the door, it's with a wide smile.
]

Kou! Come in!
thefatherssins: (pic#10332677)

[personal profile] thefatherssins 2016-11-01 12:04 am (UTC)(link)
Thanks. [He really does appreciate it. Not just the whiskey, but what's behind it- the fact that Kogami pays attention, the fact that whatever else is going on here, there's someone Masaoka can rely on.

When Kogami says that Nobuchika's gone, Masaoka pauses, stopped in the middle of grabbing glasses for the two of them. After a moment he continues, pouring each of them perhaps a little more than is necessary.

He hands Kogami his glass, and sits down himself, dropping into a chair.
]

This place was hard on Nobuchika. Maybe it's better for him. [Maybe it's not, maybe life in a society not dictated by the Sybil System would have helped Nobuchika in the end. But Masaoka knows his son has had enough violent upsets to his life. This was another one.

It still stings, though, as does the absence of the others. Though who knows whether any loss here is permanent?
]