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The first time it happened, Goro was caught by surprise, so its definitely not her fault.
She was chasing Joker through backstreets of Shibuya, not unlike the other nights they lived this chase. it was the same cat and mouse game every time. Goro had planned ahead with where she positioned her subordinates and managed to corner the infuriating criminal into an alley. It was just the two of them, Goro blocking any possible escape. There was nowhere to run, and Goro thought she had tasted victory.
How foolish.
For a moment Joker appeared to panic, taking a defensive stance while Goro marched towards her. She was about to contact her associates to confirm her and Joker’s location when Jokers expression changed completely.
That smug, irritating smirk was spread across the dirty criminal’s *attractive* face. It was the kind she would make as she leapt out an open window in a last minute escape, or when she seamlessly pulled off an elaborate trick. It was nearly distracting from how the fugitive strode to meet her in long, confident steps.
Goro hesitated at the action, and it caused her downfall. Akira stepped so close to her that the tips of their shoes practically touched, black leather boots tapping simple brown work shoes. Joker reached out with a steady hand and gripped the detective's chin between her gloved fingers; and all of Goro’s thoughts left her head, and all movement left her body, focusing solely on how soft Joker lips were.
She’d kissed her firm and rough, with a fever and passion that Goro didn't want to admit brought heat to her cheeks. She felt Joker’s other hand grip the base of her skull and their chests rub together. Joker’s knee nudged between Goro’s thighs.
Goro felt teeth graze at her bottom lip and then a tongue forcing her mouth open. It took everything in the detective not to let out a sigh or moan as Akira explored every crevice of her mouth. Her pride would never let her live it down. Akira retracted to bite at her lip again, harder, and maybe a small quiet noise did slip from the detective then, but she wasn’t sure.
Then, as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. Goro was left completely breathless and still as Joker licked her bottom lip before pulling away with a devious smirk.
It was too late by the time Goro noticed a rope ladder draped over the side of one of the buildings around them, Akira already to it.
Dammit all.
Joker had kissed her as a distraction, and used the moment to signal a colleague on her smartphone. Sure enough, Goro saw a silver skull mask pear over the edge as Joker reached the top of the ladder.
Goro’s brain turned back on as she tried to make sense of what just happened and protest.
“What- Hold on,, you cant just-” she stuttered. There was no particular goal in mind, but Goro was so embarrassed and panicked that she didnt care.
Joker turned to face Goro, only one hand gripping the ladder as she spoke triumphantly, “So long, my sweet detective~”, punctuating the statement with an exaggerated wink.
The last thing Goro saw was a trail of long raven hair and a brilliant grin as her long awaited victory was torn away.
Goro shook with rage and embarrassment, stomping on the ground like a child
Fucking
“god dammit, FUCKING JOKER!”
-
The second time was only a little less surprising, but tenfold as humiliating.
It was several weeks later when they met again. Goro was chasing Joker and a handful of her lackeys at top speed through a narrow hallway. They’d stolen an expensive display item from an art exhibit established by some radical nobody with weird taste in talent. If she had to guess, Goro would say it was out of spite or a grudge with that particular art dealer. Goro had heard of some questionable rumors, but didn’t know much about it. They were just rumors, anyway.
Goro was positive she had all the exits covered. The thieves were a bit of a ways ahead of her when they suddenly turned into a room. It was a strange course of action, and Goro inferred that they thought they were far ahead enough to lose her in doing so. Still, it was a bit suspicious. Goro stayed cautious as she busted into the room after them.
Sure enough, there was a large fire escape window on the back wall with a hefty latch. One of the thieves was already working it open. Of course this was their escape route.
Joker took immediate notice at Goro’s not so subtle entrance and started towards her. That same confident air was about her.
A terrifying thought crossed Goro’s mind at the familiarity of the movement. No she wouldn’t. Not here, in the middle of their escape. Not with her crew present.
She should’ve known; the Joker was always full of surprises.
Goro was preparing to try and tackle the thief to the ground when Joker got in her space again, just enough inches taller in her black heeled boots to be intimidating. She got so close their noses almost touched and smiled. Before Goro could reevaluate, Joker grabbed her jaw with her right hand, her shoulder with the other, and pressed their mouths together.
For a second time. Right in front of her colleagues. The kiss wasn’t any gentler, either.
And so the young detective was stunned. For a second time. Joker moved the hand from her shoulder to her waist and gripped gently. Goro was too caught up in the rushing in her ears and the rough slide of their lips. Joker had their heads tilted at an angle and they just-- fit. Goro really couldn’t help but sigh into it, just a little.
Joker only pulled away when the blond in the red latex suit said, “c’mon, joker. Its open.”
Goro saw the blond roll her eyes dramatically with the statement.
When Joker left her mouth, Goro thought she was free from the harassment and started to recuperate. The criminal, however, proceeded to move their bodies closer and reached her right hand around to get a fistful of Goro’s backside, the left hand still at her waist. all of Goro’s thoughts came to a screeching halt as she let out a short embarrassing yelp. Goro felt a burning flush all the way to her ears almost immediately.
That only seemed to make Joker smile wider, as she left the detective to dash over to the window with her partners. She faced a red, stuttering detective with pride and chattered,
“Goodbye for now, darling~”
Then, she was gone. Snuck off into the night like the phantom she was. She heard a snarky remark or two from her thieves fade into the distance.
Goro was speechless. She’d kissed her again, while her colleagues were standing right there. Watching them. And to think the scoundrel had the audacity to touch her like that. It was- it was obscene. Just thinking about it had goro feeling heat in her ears with renewed passion. What a bitchy douchebag. Shameless twit. Goro craved the day she would win, when Akira was finally behind bars.
-
A couple weeks or so later, Goro was looking for a nice place to relax after a long, aggravating day of working. She was with a team investigating a case in yongen-jaya that day, and decided to find a place in the area before heading home. Perhaps a coffee.
She ended up at a small and cozy coffee house called LeBlanc. Goro had been there once or twice with an acquaintance before. She remembered the curry being good, the wonderful coffee, and the older gentleman running it being very friendly. It was about time she came back. The old man really could make a good coffee.
When she walked in, though, she was greeted with someone else. A rather lovely young lady with pale skin, glasses, and dark hair messily pulled up in a large high bun with some long stray curls sticking out.
“Welcome,” the girl said with a calm tone of voice without looking up from what she was doing, “have a seat and I’ll be right with you.”
The small restaurant was empty except a single black and white cat roaming around. Then, that's to be expected considering the time of night.
“Thank you, and good evening,” Goro said while taking her seat at the bar.
As she spoke, the pretty girl looked up to see her customer. Her expression was confused for a brief second, then she quickly replaced it with her previous calm face; unreadable. Something seemed to startle her for some perplexing reason. Well, whatever it was, Goro wasn’t too concerned.
“So,” Goro urged in conversation, “can you make a cup as good as the usual server?”
The girl smiled casually. “As good as Sojiro? I think not, but I'm learning. I think its pretty good, at least.” Her voice was smooth and pretty, befitting of her looks, and infuriatingly familiar.
Goro placed her order without thinking on it much, far too distracted with her thoughts to scan the menu, “Alright, I’d like a plain decaff blend, with cream but no sugar.”
“Not much for sweets, huh?” She returned while getting to work.
“Not really, no.”
Goro watched the girl as she worked, looked at the name tag on her apron.
Akira. It was pretty, just like everything else. Her movements were smooth and precise, like she’d been doing this for years. She had a long sleeve white turtleneck rolled up to her elbows underneath the green apron. It revealed thin wrists and defined hands; long fingers moving delicately as she prepped Goro’s order. Round, thin rimmed glasses sat gently on her nose, and her eyelashes were so long, they probably touched the lenses.
Aside from noticing her beauty, Goro felt a strange pang familiarity about her the more she looked. It felt like they should know each other, somehow. There was something in her behavior, and the way her voice lilted as she talked. It was on the tip of goro’s tongue. She was so close.
“I think I’ve seen you on TV if I’m not mistaken, that talented, young, high school detective, hm?” the girl implores.
Goro slips into her shiny detective persona to answer, “Ah, so you’ve heard of me. I suppose I have gotten a bit of publicity lately. You flatter me, Akira,” a charming smile plastered on her face.
“Some even called you a detective princess. Quite impressive,” Akira places a white cup on a saucer on the counter between them, “sweet of you to stop by a humble place like this, lovely miss detective.” The girl said it with that low voice dripping with sweet honey, and the slightly mischievous smile on soft lips. Goro remembered the feeling of them.
It clicked. This was-
The smile immediately left Goro’s face.
There was no way. But it was just too familiar. The feeling in her gut insisted. No, There was no doubt.
Akira must have seen the realization on her face, because she stepped away more devious than before.
“Would you like any curry with that? It's quite tasty.” She licked her lips after the statement.
“J-joker,” she stuttered quietly. It was less of a question and more of a statement, as Goro had confirmed it by now.
Akira had the audacity to look perplexed, eyebrows knitting together in an unfairly cute way.. “I’m afraid I don’t understand. Are you feeling alright, miss? You look a bit pale.”
“You’re Joker, the phantom thief,” Goro said a bit incredulously. She processed that the girl in front of her was the same person she’d been chasing for so long now. The person who’d stolen so much. Then memories flashed in her head of the kisses she’d stolen as well, and Goro’s face flushed pink. She willed herself to calm down, and composed herself enough to raise her coffee mug to her lips.
“Sounds like nonsense to me. Maybe your job is working you too hard. You should finish your drink before it gets cold and head home for a good night’s rest. You are far too pretty to not get proper sleep,” the smile returned to Joker’s face. She started absently doing dishes and cleaning about the kitchen.
“Don’t you dare play dumb with me. I’ve seen through you, give it up, Joker,” she responded with heat, and began to sip her coffee. It did have a decent taste, just the way Goro liked it.
The girl seemed to ponder this for a second, then responded, “Quite a bold claim considering how little factual basis is behind it. Actually, do tell, what could have possibly given you the idea?” She questioned while sweeping about the kitchen floors.
Goro hated it, but she’d been pinned. She can’t exactly claim this young, probably high school student, is an infamous and dangerous thief just because of a few physical similarities and a gut feeling.
It seemed all Goro could do right now was lean back and sip her admittedly delicious cup of coffee.
“One of these days I’ll catch you, fiendish bitch,” Goro grumbled, completely forgoing the kind exterior.
“How mean you’ve become,” Akira said in mock murt, “But, yes, I’m sure you’ll get me in lots of trouble for going to school everyday as a diligent student and wasting time petting my cat.”
Akira finished with the dishes and sweeping, and hung her apron on the wall, then took her place leaning over the counter to be face to face with Goro, “All jokes aside, we are closing soon, so I suggest you finish that and make your way out. Wouldn’t want you to miss the last train and have to stay upstairs with me.”
The way she said it sounded like she definitely wouldn’t mind the idea.
Goro resigned herself to retreat for now. There wasn’t much helping the situation. She would simply have to carry out a continued investigation.
As she finished off her coffee, Akira cooed to her cat, who promptly leapt onto the counter for the thief to pet. She had her elbow leaned on the back counter and her face resting on her fist. Goro watched the cat affectionately rub and purr on the lovely figure while trying to brainstorm her next plan of action. The sight was very distracting.
“I’ll go now. Thank you for the coffee,” Goro stood and was about to make for the door.
“Ah, wait a moment,” Akira chirped and pranced right in front of her, “you can’t go without a quick parting gift. you’re a special customer after all.”
Happy as can be, Akira intruded on Goro a third time and planted a slow, sweet kiss to her lips.
Goro held still and Akira took the chance to place one hand at the nape of her neck, the other at her waist. Goro really shouldn’t be surprised by now, but it was still sort of shocking. Despite that, she didn’t pull away.
The kiss quickly became open mouthed and drawn out. Akira tangled her fingers into sandy brown hair and sucked Goro’s tongue into her mouth, ringing a moan from the detective. It was so nice, Goro honestly couldn’t find it in her to think of anything but the damp slide of their lips, and the warmth of their bodies pressing together.
Akira ended it with bites and nibbles to Goro’s lips, then drew away. There was pink dusting her cheeks, under the shiny frames of her glasses, and her smiling lips were red and shiny from kissing. Goro probably looked worse.
“Have a wonderful night, princess, and be sure to rest up.”
All Goro could think of was a completely useless, yet unendingly interesting revelation. Joker was shorter than her. It was easy to tell in such close proximity, now that she wasn’t wearing such absurdly tall heels. Goro had a solid few inches on her. She didn’t know why this was intriguing, but the thought made her smile, barely, as she made her way home.
-
Months later. Goro was attempting to catch the phantom thieves in their latest big scandal. She was furious, practically stomping around the facility looking for them. She’d just lost them around a corner, but they had to still be close.
Goro was unendingly frustrated, practically grumbling about the bank. A bank! Of all the cliche, unoriginal bullshit schemes, they had to rob a bank.
She didn’t want to admit it, but it was looking like she’d lost. She strayed from her forces in her chase, and was now just an angry teenage girl running aimlessly about the second floor. She wanted to do an extra sweep before leaving, though, and checked all the windows and potential escape routes. Nothing.
In her miserable defeat, she stepped out a glass door to a small balcony, hardly big enough for two people. What a strange thing to have in a bank, but it was very esteemed and luxurious. Maybe that was why Joker wanted to rob it, as a challenge. She sighed and let the breeze caress her face
She was staring out when she heard hurried footsteps behind her. She whipped around to look and her eyes immediately met Joker’s, dark grey voids swirling like a storm. Joker was smiling of course, and by the looks of it, quite breathless. Was she running?
“Ah~ There you are, I wouldn’t want to miss my chance to see you before we left,” she spoke cheerfully, like they’d run into each other in a grocery store. She started closing in with spring in her step. “That really would have been a shame,” and with that joker leaned into Goro, whose back was pinned against the railing. She held the rail on either side of Goro’s person, effectively caging her in. Goro did nothing to stop her, only stayed still in waiting. The extra height was back, and Goro briefly toyed with the concept of which she liked better, Joker taller or shorter.
One final glance between them, faces mere inches apart, and Joker tilted her head to close the distance.
Goro would go as far as to say it was romantic, effortless as it was. At this point it seemed almost natural. Joker’s soft lips pushed and moved against her as she pressed their chests together. Goro’s hands hovered around uselessly before landing above Jokers chest, gripping her shirt below her collar. She felt surrounded, immersed in Joker’s hold, nowhere to go. Normally, that would terrify and enrage her, but instead, all she felt was warmth. She felt Joker’s arms touching her sides, could hear her breathing, felt the pressure of their bodies pushed together. She craved more of this woman. A slip of Jokers tongue made Goro groan into her mouth. The kiss was slow and deep, and it still made Goro feel lightheaded.
When Joker pulled away, there was a string of spit connecting them. She kept their faces close and lifted her right hand to play with Goro’s ponytail. It was small, her hair being short, and Joker seemed quite amused with it.
“You look very cute with your hair up like this,” she said, then finally stepped back to give Goro breathing room. Goro suddenly remembered when Joker was Akira, minding her normal life in the cafe with her hair done up so sloppily.
“I think you’re cute with your hair up, too.” Goro wanted to sound clever, but she was wiping Joker’s spit off her face with the back of her hand.
Joker immediately perked up, practically bouncing. “You think I’m cute?” She said excitedly.
Goro blanked. She hadn’t intended to say that, but she supposed she did. She’d meant to threaten Joker with a reminder that she knew her identity.
The question on its own seemed so silly, though. Didn’t Joker know? She had to know how attractive she was, so why would one little compliment from Goro mean anything to her? Regardless, she blushed slightly at the notion.
“It matters not,” was all Goro said without meeting her eyes.
“Aww Akechi-kun is all embarrassed,” Joker teased. When Goro looked at her, the thief was smiling bright. It wasn’t like all the smug, arrogant smirks she’d received in the past. It was almost innocent. She just looked.. happy. “I’d better get going before the team gets angry, hell, they already are, but it was worth it.” She began skipping off, “So long, love!”
At that point, it was reasonable to conclude that Joker went thoroughly out of her way to find Akechi. And for what? A single kiss? She was so strange. It was without a doubt just a method to spite Goro and make her as infuriated as possible. Jokes on her, it wasn’t working. Try as she might, Akechi can’t bring herself to be that angry. Annoyed, sure, but… it was nice.
-
Months passed and things were quiet, in terms of the phantom thieves. Suspiciously so. Goro was enjoying some free time at a pleasant jazz bar she frequented, becoming angry that even in her time off, she was still thinking about work. It seemed the phantom thief was on her mind constantly these days.
Thieves. Plural, as in the group causing havoc, not a single specific thief in particular. Obviously.
In the midst of her dazed thoughts, Goro didn’t notice the approaching figure making its way to her table. Not until a certain dark-haired, dark-eyed teenage girl with glasses sat down in the chair right across from her without even asking. Needless to say, Goro was a bit startled. Akira looked short of breath and she was holding a menu from the front.
“Hey there Akechi-san,” Akira said while hastily holding up the menu to cover part of her face, “fancy seeing you here. What might you be doing on such a pleasant evening?” She asked as if they were school friends happening upon each other.
“Nevermind that,” Goro hastily replied, “what are you doing here? Have you been running?”
Akira chuckled sheepishly. “Well, you see, I just got out of a really close call- sort of. I’m trying to lose them,” she said while glancing around cautiously and adjusting her glasses, “I ran in here to use their bathroom to change, hid all my shit in the bathroom for now. I really wasn’t planning on getting killed tonight, so if you could help me hide for a bit Iwould be much obliged.”
Akechi nearly choked on her drink. “Killed? Who on earth is after you.” In any other scenario, Akechi would turn the thief in without a second thought, but this wasn’t a matter of getting arrested and serving time, it seemed.
“Yeaah, my teammates and I kinda fucked up a lil. Accidentally pissed off some guys that we didn’t mean to get involved with. But hey, in the meantime,” she lowered the menu a bit so they could see each other's faces better, “how about we just enjoy ourselves, hm? If you agree to help me hide and let me go afterwards, of course.”
Akechi let out a huff. “If it really can’t be helped, then I guess I will aid you for now and now only.”
“Ah~ You’re the best, thank you miss detective,” she said with joyous relief.
This encounter with the girl was unlike any of Goro’s others– as Akira or Joker. For the first time she looked, well, quite disheveled. Her hair was done up sloppily and with haste, Goro could still hear her catching her breath a little, and she was very obviously on edge. It wasn’t that prominent, and she didn’t appear that anxious, but Goro could pick up on the small signs. She was a detective, after all. Thinking back on what Akira had said, she got an idea.
“So, do tell, where were you able to hide all of your gear and such within the confines of a club restroom.”
Akira only hummed amusedly and raised a brow at Goro. Of all the mockery.
“Not telling, huh?” There goes her plan of stealing some evidence for later. It was probably hidden somewhere basic anyways, like in the air vent or in the ceiling if it was tiled. Maybe even a makeshift hole behind a mirror, or at the bottom of a waste bin beneath the bag. Shouldn’t be too hard to find.
“How about you? Do you frequent places like this? I never took you for the jazz type, but its actually quite fitting.”
“If you must know, yes, I do enjoy this particular establishment. They often have live musicians that I happen to find quite enchanting,” she said with a small sigh, fidgeting with the rim of her glass.
“ah~ That sounds lovely. That means you have to take me here again when there is a performer you’re fond of. If they won the favor of Akechi-san, they must really be exquisite.”
Akechi colored slightly at the prospect of the two of them coming here again under normal conditions, just the two of them… like a date.
To Akechi’s great surprise, their time together was rather pleasant. They carried on with light chatter and somewhat flirtatious conversation until Akira got a text. It must have been a rendezvous plan, because she hastily gathered herself to leave. Before retreating to the restroom, she grabbed Goro’s hand from across the table and brought up a menu to hide their kiss from any lingering eyes. It was hasty and subtle, and then she stood to leave.
“Wait-” Goro said without thinking, mind addled.
“hm? What?” Akira turned to face her.
be careful, she thought but stopped herself from saying. Why would she have said that. What a silly notion. “Its nothing, just-”
Akira looked anxious to leave, so goro made this quick, staring her dead in the eyes.
“D- don’t die. I can’t apprehend a corpse.”
Akira flashed a brilliant grin and dashed on her way.
Akechi thought of chasing after her and following, but she couldn’t find a good enough reason in her heart.
-
Several days pass and Goro once again finds herself near a scene where the phantom thieves are suspected of wreaking havoc. The strange thing is, Goro isn’t supposed to be working. It was her offday on a beautiful clear evening, so she really should be relaxing at home. But the location isnt beyond walking distance of her own apparent, so it really wasn’t any trouble. She didn’t even have a gun on her. She was useless in the scenario she actually catches them. Goro tells herself its the burning desire to see Joker behind bars that drew her there and has nothing to do with the tugging ache in her chest that plagues her day and night.
Still, Goro would rather not be seen by her coworkers who would surely harp on her to go home, so she stays discreet in the shadows. She wanders a block behind the rest of her crew and spends the next couple hours keeping a sharp ear and eye out for any sign of the criminals.
After what felt like years of tedious waiting, Goro grows weary and thinks to herself that they probably weren’t here in the first place. She chops up the experience to an enormous waste of time and walks home in disappointment.
Just as she nears her street, she hears it. The barely there but all familiar sound of Joker’s boot, followed by an entourage of other footsteps. Goro quickly looks up towards the rooftop and catches a flash of red tailcoat against the night sky.
instantly filled with renewed energy, Goro gives chase. She knows this area and even has an idea of where they might be headed. She quickly thinks of the quickest route and tries her damndest to beat them there. With every step she feels her heart thunder in her chest. With every turn she focuses on the direction of the quiet steps until shes confirmed it. she knows exactly where their destination is.
To her surprise and elation, she actually did manage to get ahead of them. Theres a small warehouse in an older area of the district. narrow streets and corners make it very easy to get lost all around it, and the place is completely abandoned. Its a perfect temporary hideout. Goro only knew of its existence from a little drug bust early on in her detective career.
At last Goro heard the sound of a zip line and several pairs of feet hit the ground just around the corner. It was a narrow rode with one turn. Goro would corner them. Goro ran as fast as she could until she and Joker quite literally ran into each other.
“wh- Akechi san?” Joker exclaimed while taking a step back. She was breathless, panting, and appeared very panicked. She heard a collection of swears and complaints from her team behind her.
“That’s right,” Akechi said, equally breathless, “I beat you here. I thought the extra steps ahead and Ive finally stopped you.”
Joker squirmed in her position, eyes darting back to the way they came. She really did look frightened. Goro had a feeling this might be a case similar to their night in the jazz club.
“Thats great and all, but we really gotta run. I promise u can catch me again next time.” Joker started signaling her team to turn around but Goro stepped in and grabbed her wrist.
“No! You aren’t escaping this time. Not without-”
Goro cut herself off. Without what? She had no gun, no handcuffs, no backup at the ready. Then what what she trying to get out of this?
“Without what?” Joker faced her fully but still tried to take a step back.
For once in her life, Goro let her heart make a decision. She tugged Joker by the wrist and kissed her as hard as she could. It was almost violent, like Goro was trying to start a fight via kissing, but it got Joker to freeze in her tracks. Goro grinned in satisfaction just from catching her by surprise. With her other hand, Goro gripped Jokers shoulder hard enough to bruise. It clearly said, I’ve caught you and I’m not letting go.
When Goro finally did let go, she stayed close. She stared Joker dead in the eyes despite the redness that spread to her ears.
“I’m not letting you go. I’m deciding that you should run past me to your safepoint because it is in my best interest that you remain living. In addition, my cell phone number is xxx-xxxx ( AN: u think im gonna think up a number). Don’t forget it. It's for life or death emergencies only. I reside not far from here if the night becomes only riskier for you.” Goro forced the words out despite her unending embarrassment.
Joker looked flabbergasted. She definitely wasn’t expecting that from the detective. All she could do was stare.
“Well? Get a move on, you imbecile.”
That seemed to knock her out of it. She flicked her wrist to tell her group to move ahead, then paused before following after.
“I’ll… see you later?” Joker sounded unsure and still tired from their earlier sprint, but Goro could see a faint coloration peeking from behind her mask in the dim light.
“We’ll see. Hurry along before you’re left behind.”
“Right…” and with that, Akira was gone, but not forever.
As they ran off Goro heard a red headed girl whine “jokerrr that makes three times I’ve seen you two kiss. Three. Are you gonna fuck already or whaat?”
“Three? But you guys were only around for that one other time?”
“...”
And with that, Goro started on her way home. She finally felt like she had an upper hand. She had bested Joker today.
(she would later regret the information she gave away when Joker breaks into her apartment window in full phantom thief garb asking to stay the night.)