Work Text:
“My name is Nagito Komaeda, I’m the android sent by Cyberlife. Could you direct me to Captain Kuzuryu’s office?”
“Excuse me?” Hajime blinked up at the intrusion in his and Souda’s conversation.
“My name is Nagito Komaeda, I’m the android sent by Cyberlife. Could you direct me to Captain Kuzuryuy’s office?” The white-haired android stated again, LED blinking a bright blue on his temple “I’m supposed to report to him for assigning.”
“Right…” Hajime glanced at Souda, who had abandoned his morning coffee in favour of ogling the android in front of them both.
“It’s through the pen and in the glass room at the top.” Mahiru walked up, frowning slightly when she noticed the large ‘ANDROID’ inscribed on his jacket.
“Thank you for your assistance,” He turned to face her, finally taking his eyes off Hajime and his LED whirring as he looked at Mahiru, “Officer Koizumi. I look forward to working with you all” He let his eyes sweep over the group before turning away, presumably to find Fuyuhiko’s office.
“Did he say he was reporting for assignment?” Mahiru crossed her arms “Does that mean one of us will be working with him?”
“Not you at least, you’ve got Togami as a partner” Hajime clicked his tongue, ignoring the sinking feeling at the realisation that he didn’t currently have a partner.
“I know, finally someone competent” She huffed a smile that quickly dropped at Hajime’s unimpressed face “No, I didn’t mean-”
“I get what you mean,” He tried ignoring the sting at her words “We just weren’t that compatible as detectives”
“Yeah…” She smiled softly, her words trailing off.
“So…an android detective” Hajime began, trying to end the awkward air that had risen.
“And who knew they gave the things last names now?” Souda interjected, earning a side eye from Mahiru.
“You don’t even work here, why are you still in the building?” She placed her hands on her hips, “Surely you have better things to be doing?”
Souda went red “Well my Soul-bro forgot his lunch,” He stammered, half-heartedly poking Hajime’s arm “And the precinct is on my way to work at the garage and oh would you look at the time I really gotta be getting off!” He practically sprinted out the door, waving goodbye as he did so.
Hajime sighed, rubbing a temple with one of his hands.
“He forgot to give you your lunch didn’t he.” Mahiru said, lips pursed.
“I’ll get something from Chicken Feed.” Hajime rolled his eyes, thinking dejectedly of the sandwiches he had made last night that were certainly going to be eaten by Souda come lunchtime.
———
Hajime reached for the coffee pot begrudgingly. It wasn’t good coffee per-say but it was pure, frankly disgusting caffeine, so good enough in Hajime’s opinion.
He was pouring himself a cup when his mind started to wonder, stuck on the android from earlier. His features were narrow and so realistic they bordered on an uncanny valley. But those eyes shot it right down. Piercing, analysing, picking you apart just to put you back to-
“Yo Haji, have you checked out the freak thing yet?”
“Shit!” Hajime yelled as he scaled the back of his hand with the boiling coffee, dropping his mug in the sink and rounding on the offending interrupter “What the hell, Owari?”
“You gotta work on those reaction times of yours dude.” She yawned, elbowing him out of the way to the beloved coffee machine.
“It's not a reaction time thing it’s a- nevermind.” Hajime abandoned his coffee, instead opt-ing for a safer glass of water.
“I don’t get it,” She finally continued while poking various buttons “If we’re all so bad at our jobs that we need robo-cop to come replace us, why haven’t we been fired yet?”
“Maybe it’s not about replacing us.” Hajime rolled his eyes, pressing the ‘Double Shot’ button for her “I mean there’s been more police androids around the precinct.”
“Yeah but they’re just grunts!” Akane yawned again, gulping down from her ‘World’s Worst Detective’ mug “I gotta gut feelin’ that this thing is meant to be more than that.”
“Yeah, I get what you mean…” Hajime glanced over at Fuyuhiko’s office, eyes landing on the back of the android’s jacket and the ‘ANDROID’ inscribed there.
Suddenly, a large hand clapped him on the back, causing him to choke slightly on his sip of water and spit it out.
“Sorry dude! Akane! How are ya’!” Nekomaru stomped into the break room, eagerly accepting Akane’s headlock and noogie.
Hajime rolled his eyes and dabbed at his spill with a paper towel. Those two had been partners since the academy, and inseparable- which made sense. He didn’t know if there was anyone else at any precinct who could keep up with Owari’s antics the way Nekomaru could.
“Coach Nekomaru!” She widely grinned, affectionately shoving him. “Harvey and I were just talking about the new, plastic addition to the precinct.”
“Hajime.” Hajime corrected, sighing “Owari thinks it’s here for some detective work.”
“Seriously?”
“Dead serious, coach.” Akane nodded sagely before breaking out in a grin “But let’s see if the plastic can keep up huh?”
Hajime huffed and turned away as Akane and Nekomaru began a loud and convoluted game of catch with a coffee pod, just in time to see the android exit Fuyuhiko’s office.
He was definitely made for more than grunt-work, more lithe and clearly athletic than the police androids that were usually seen around the sides of the precinct. They were really just glorified bodyguards. But this one seemed more…intelligent somehow. He thought back to how its eyes had swept over him, Mahiru and Sousa when it’d walked in. Analysing. He hoped it hadn’t seen more than his public police records.
“HINATA! MY OFFICE!” Fuyuhiko’s voice shot him out of his thoughts, travelling over the pen and removing any hope of a quiet morning. Fuck, his headache was back.
“Eugh, it’s at a desk already” Akane stage-whispered, pointing to where the white-haired android from before was indeed, sitting at the desk across from Hajime’s.
He had a strange, passive smile on his face, and raised a hand to wave at him and Akane.
Hajime scrunched his eyebrows together, turning back to Akane as she snickered at his confusion.
“What.”
“It likes you.” She grinned, punching him in the arm and strolling past to her desk. Nekomaru clapped him good-naturedly on the back and offered an apologetic smile before following her.
Rubbing his arm (Akane always punched way harder than she meant), Hajime made his way to Fuyuhiko’s office, under the watchful eye of the android.
———
“I’m sure you know why you’re here.” Fuyuhiko started, motioning for Hajime to sit down in the seat opposite his desk.
“The plastic, right?” Hajime leaned back in the seat, grimacing at the hard metal backrest.
“The android,” He accentuated the word with a glare “has been assigned to this precinct by Cyberlife to help investigate the rise in deviancy. I assume I don’t have to explain to you what that fuckin’ means.”
Right, deviancy. Androids going crazy and attacking their owners before fleeing off into the night.
Sounded like something straight out of a bad sci-fi movie. Then again, 20 years ago androids were something out of a bad sci-fi movie.
“What’s next, toasters refusing to toast?” Hajime huffed a laugh.
Apparently, Fuyuhiko did not find it as funny as he did, shooting him an unimpressed look.
“Like it or not, it’s becoming a real problem, there have been over 20 deviant-related assault and homicide cases in the last month.”
“What do you want me to do about it? It’s not my job.” Hajime rolled his eyes, thinking forlornly about the dead-end theft cases he’d been stuck on for the last few months.
“Starting now, it is.” Fuyuhiko slammed a hand on the desk.
“What about Owari and Nekomaru? I thought they were on the deviancy case?”
“Detective Owari and Officer Nekomaru have not been…” Fuyuhiko pursed his lips “making an acceptable amount of progress. Frankly they’ve been too busy goofing off to actually come close to solving the issue. Leading to…this” He gestured to the android outside, who seemed to be intently watching their conversation. Even though Hajime was sure it couldn’t hear them. Probably.
“Owari won’t be happy about this. Actually, she’s going to kill me for stealing her thunder.” He turned back to Fuyuhiko, whose forehead vein was becoming more prominent by the second.
“Well the thing is, I don’t give a shit about Owari’s precious feelings!” He sneered “Either she can kill you for ‘stealing her thunder’ or I can kill you for being a lazy slacker. I am ordering you to get off your ass and investigate god dammit!”
“Let me guess, with that thing as my partner.”
“Yes, with that thing as your partner!” He sat up straight, leaning across the desk.
“No way,” Hajime blankly stated, hazarding a glance out of the office and once again, making direct eye contact with the grey-eyed android “They creep me out.”
“Well ‘they creep me out’ isn’t exactly a good reason,” Fuyuhiko stood up suddenly, slamming his hands down on the desk “Listen, I got Nevermind breathing down my neck and a board of Cyberlife sponsors itching to call this precinct a failure. So if you don’t get up off your ass and actually solve some crimes for once, so help me god I will fucking fire you, you hear me!”
He stood breathing heavily, glaring down at Hajime.
Hajime sighed, “Sure, whatever, assign the plastic to me.”
“He’s already assigned to you, dumbass.” Fuyuhiko growled, sitting down and fixing his tie. “Now do your job for once in your career.”
“Yeah yeah.” Hajime rolled his eyes, shutting the glass door to Fuyuhiko’s office behind him.
His eyes strayed to the aforementioned ‘plastic’ sat at the desk across from his.
The android was leaning his cheek on his hand, a shockingly human gesture, and swiping lazily through case files with a pure white hand - his synthetic skin pulled back.
This was going to be a long day.
———
RK-N00 knew his mission from the moment he opened his eyes for the first time, messages popping into his field of vision.
He was to hunt down the wayward androids known as ‘deviants’, bring them to Cyberlife for assessment and disassembly.
And, privately, to assess the Detroit Police Department’s ability to handle the so-called deviant threat.
Junko informed him of this now, feet swinging from her garden chair as she twirled a nail file in her hand.
“Listen Nagi, Cyberlife knows this deviant issue is on the rise and frankly, no one knows what the hell to do about it!” She pointed the nail file at him and poked his chest “And this is nothing against your skills baby, state-of-the-art prototype and all that. But this issue is state wide.”
She hissed the last word, standing up and tapping a nail against her temple.
“We need to make sure they’re equipped to handle it is all.”
“I understand Enoshima-san” He bowed his head to her, prompting a high-pitched cackle.
“Junko-san or nothing, Nagi! What have I told you!” She grinned wildly “Enoshima-san is my sis-…”
Junko stared out at the garden for a moment, a hauntingly serious look on her face.
“Nevermind!” Her focus jumped back to Nagito “Forgot who I was for a second! Get on with your mission Komaeda, capische?”
Nagito nodded, fixing his tie “I always accomplish my mission.”
“I’m sure you do.” Junko smirked up at him, lightly pressing his LED, sending his focus hurtling back to the real world.
Blinking rapidly, Nagito adjusted to his environment.
Bright lights, glass walls and a very impatient police chief tapping his fingers against the glass surface of his desk.
“Is your report finished?” He grumbled
“Yes Captain Kuzuryuy.” Nagito nodded, stepping forward and placing his hands behind his back.
“Fuckin’ finally.” He growled under his breath before clearing his throat “So you’re the prototype Cyberlife emailed about?”
“I am. The RK line is specially designed to assist investigators in the deviancy case.” Nagito let his eyes drag across Captain Kuzuryuy, analysing while his social protocol did the talking.
26, from a long line of police officers and captains. 7 minor reports on his record, most from the academy- diagnosis? Anger issues.
“But I understand if you wouldn’t want an android like me on a case, I’m sure your human officers are more than capable of-”
“Ok that’s enough of that.” Fuyuhiko held up a hand, “Fuck, did they give you an ass-kissing protocol or what? Alright, I’ve already got a lieutenant you can partner up with.”
Perfect. A head-start on his mission. “Please, enlighten me Captain.”
“I’ll send Hinata over once I’ve spoken to him, in the meantime go sit on that desk over there. It’s across from his.” He pointed to a desk across the bullpen through the glass window at the front of his office.
“I will get started analysing the deviancy files. Cyberlife thanks you for your cooperation.” Nagito nodded and began moving towards the door.
Less difficult of an assigning than he thought, maybe the Detroit Police Department wouldn’t get a mark on their record. Yet. He’ll see how this ‘Lieutenant Hinata’ matches up.
“Yeah yeah.” Fuyuhiko huffed, clicking his tongue as he watched the android make his way across the pen, nearly causing Togami to spill his coffee in surprise.
Creepy fucker.
———
“So.” Nagito looked up from the case files he was browsing, again meeting the eyes of Lieutenant Hinata.
“So, Lieutenant?”
“So…we’re partners.” The other man awkwardly began, stiffly sitting down in the chair opposite him.
“Yes we are Lieutenant Hinata, I look forward to our collaboration on the deviancy case.” He paused, noticing the grimace sliding onto the burnet’s face “Are you unhappy with this arrangement, Lieutenant? I understand if you would prefer a more trusted, human partner. I am only an android after all-“
Hinata held up a hand to halt Nagito’s words “No it’s not…I mean yes I would prefer a human partner but let’s get some things straight first.”
“I’m listening, Lieutenant.” Nagito let his hands glide forward to support his chin, looking up at Hinata as he pursed his lips in disapproval.
“That’s the first thing, no more Lieutenant. No one calls me that.”
“Not even those under you in rank?” This went against his social programming, “I understand Hinata-san, is there anything else?”
“Hinata-san? Alright, fine, whatever.” The other man rolled his eyes, leaning back in his chair as he continued talking “I know this is a new…arrgangement between the precinct and Cyberlife, but I don’t want them knowing everything about my life, alright? You report to them what you want. But keep me out of it.”
A distrust of company authority? He could work with that. After all, Hinata-san didn’t have to know what he was telling Junko.
“Of course, Hinata-san. I’ve committed your requests to my memory drive. Can I help you in any other way?” He tilted his head slightly to the side.
Hinata looked away sharply, putting his focus on his computer instead.
“You seem startled, Hinata-san, your face is flushed. If you are uncomfortable with my presence I can request a new-”
“Stop it, Nagito. Let’s just get started.” He looked sharply at Komaeda, halting his thoughts.
Nagito shrugged, “I’ve identified a potential scene for us to investigate. A CH500 caretaker android assigned to a Haiji Towa. Neighbors reported a foul smell coming from the house.” He looked up, making eye contact with Hinata.
“And?”
“And, he was found dead in his kitchen an hour ago.” Nagito saw Hinata sit up in interest.
“The android?”
“Missing.” Nagito let himself mirror the small smile that spread over Hinata’s face. The slight excitement at the prospect of a mystery to solve was infectious, even when it shouldn’t be to an android like himself.
“Well let’s get going then.” Hajime stood up and began getting on his coat from the back of his chair, shutting down his computer.
Nagito followed suit, standing up and fixing his tie and blazer. He was pleased to see that he was, in fact, slightly taller than Hinata-san. Not that it mattered to him, but studies have shown males in positions of power tend to respect taller men more. Humans were fickle like that. And really, Nagito would take anything to help Hinata-san be more amicable towards him. After all, a mutually beneficial partnership would only help him accomplish his mission.
And he always accomplished his mission.