Summary: A detective meets an interesting person due to a kidnapping case.

Note: so I'm weak to actual detective Akechi AUs so what?

Warnings: Actual Detective Akechi AU, Niijima Goro, These Kids Are A Little Bit Gay For Each Other, Akira Be A Terrible Flirt, Tantei-San.

Disclaimer: Don't own P5.

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Goro lingered around the corner, listening carefully to the sounds coming from the room just ahead.

"It will be over soon, Faker," A voice crooned, "Don't worry, I'll make sure to make it extra painful just for you and your stupid glasses."

Silence, then-

The sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed, and Goro clenched his fists.

"The least you could do is try to act terrified! Such an empty face, no wonder everyone at your school is so terrified of you, little criminal."

Criminal? Goro frowned, it matched the profile Goro had looked over, but the term was too harsh…

"You stay put here like a good little delinquent, not that you can actually move, HAH!" The voice cackled, and then there was the sound of footsteps getting farther and farther away, "I won't be long!" Then a door on the other side opened and closed.

Goro waited for a couple of minutes before he held his breath and risked a peek into the room.

Gray eyes met his.

The silence continued as Goro's eyes roved over the figure- gray eyes, messy black hair, Shujin's uniform.

This was Kurusu alright, the teenager reported missing a couple of days ago.

Goro frowned deeply when he noticed the disheveled hair and clothes, and the bruises marring his cheeks.

Kurusu stayed still, not moving in any way and not making any ruckus, his expression remaining stoic.

A couple of feet to his side there was glittering broken glass scattered on the ground along with bent glasses frames.

The silence was broken when the sounds of doors being banged open and shouts echoed somewhere else in the building.

The noise lasted a few minutes, and the moment it quieted down, Goro stepped into the room, hands raised, "Shh, I'm here to help you. My name is Niijima Goro and I'm with the police, and we're going to get you out of here, Kurusu-kun."

That garnered a reaction, as Kurusu frowned darkly for a moment before smoothing his expression back into its expressionless state, and ducked his head slightly, but making sure to keep an eye on Goro from under his bangs.

Right. He was on probation, he was most likely wary of the police.

Still, it wasn't like Goro could just stay there and try to reassure Kurusu that things wouldn't make his probation any worse, he had to move.

The ear bud he was equipped with then buzzed a little as the inspector in charge contacted him, "We got our target,"

"Understood," He responded, "I'm currently with Kurusu," He rattled off the directions to his position as he stepped towards Kurusu and around him to start working on removing the ropes binding Kurusu's hands together, before moving to untie Kurusu's legs from the legs of the chair as Kurusu rubbed his wrists.

Goro rose and gave Kurusu a once over now that he was closer to check him for any injuries that he missed from afar.

"And yes I'll need a medic waiting."

"How serious?"

"Bruises, as far as I can see." Goro gave Kurusu a meaningful look and Kurusu shook his head sharply and stood up, stretching his arms and stepping to stand next to Goro, "And Kurusu seems physically fine other than that."

"Alright, we're coming to get you two."

"Thank you, keibu-san."

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With the culprit arrested and the latest kidnapping victim safe in their custody, the work they had remaining was easy compared to what they had to do before to find the culprit before anything happened to Kurusu.

But it still was enough to keep Goro at the police station over-night, so he sent a message to Makoto telling her that he wouldn't be returning home for the night.

Makoto immediately responded telling him that she was going to head over to the station with food and a change of clothes for him; any objections he tried to make went ignored as she pointed out that she was already going to do the same for Sae.

He sighed as he put his phone back into his pocket and looked to the side to see Kurusu slouching with his back to the wall while he was being surrounded by the inspector and his two assistant officers.

Goro decided to make his way over, reaching them just in time to hear the tail end of what the inspector had been saying, "And your guardian is on the way."

Kurusu merely nodded once, expression still blank.

One of the officers noticed him approach and waved at him, "Hey, Niijima, you can keep the kid company, right?"

The inspector smiled tiredly at him, "His guardian, Sakura Sojiro, will be arriving in less than half an hour, but we already have things to deal with immediately, so we want you to stay. You're our best bet at talking this out properly with the kid's guardian." As the inspector moved to leave, he ducked close to Goro to whisper, "The last time Sakura was here, he looked ready to rip the precinct a new one if we didn't find his kid quickly, and he sounded like he was ready to throttle me if he arrived and saw the kid was hurt."

"So you're sacrificing me?" Goro quipped, voice low but tone joking.

"If anyone here can sweet-talk their way out of certain death, it would be our one and only Silvertongue." Goro blushed faintly at the implied compliment as the inspector patted his shoulder and moved away.

Goro fought down the light blush and stepped closer to Kurusu, "Kurusu-kun, it's nice to see you out of danger and patched up," Goro said, eyes taking in Kurusu's treated face and wrists, "How are you feeling?"

Kurusu blinked at him, seeming to consider him for a moment, before shrugging one shoulder, "Fine. Niijima?"

"Ah." Goro smiled faintly, "Yes, my name is Niijima Goro, as I introduced myself to you earlier." Kurusu nodded and Goro continued, "You probably know of my sister, Niijima Makoto, she attends Shujin academy as well." Kurusu nodded again, "You seem like the quiet type, you have barely spoken much." Kurusu shrugged once more, and Goro hummed thoughtfully, a serious expression sliding into place on his face, "Or maybe you said your daily quota of words during the report?" A subtle smile twitched into life across Kurusu's face, and Goro allowed the serious expression to easily melt away to show an amused twinkle in his eyes, "Glad to know that it amuses you," He teased.

Kurusu sent him a look, gray eyes twinkling with a mischievous presence that lurked just at the edges, and Goro had to prevent himself from trying to loosen the tie around his neck as he felt heat build in his veins.

"Wouldn't have taken you for a joker, Tantei-san," Kurusu spoke, voice loud enough to be heard only by Goro, who had to suppress a breathy chuckle at the title, and the heavy stare that joined the words to pierce through Goro.

Get it together, Goro, now was not the time to get hot and bothered over someone else, let alone a victim of kidnapping, no matter how attractive he was.

Goro's attention was pulled away from his thoughts when Kurusu's expression smoothed over and he straightened from his previous slouch, eyes intently staring into the direction of the station's door, and Goro followed his line of sight to see a middle aged man wearing a fedora approach them.

Goro took in the man's features and realized that he was Sakura Sojiro, Kurusu's guardian.

"Boss," Kurusu greeted Sakura the moment he reached them.

"Jeez, kid, you had us all worried." Sakura sighed, by Goro could easily see the relief in his features, as well as the sharpness in his gaze as he assessed Kurusu's appearance. In response, Kurusu awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.

"Do you know what happened to Morgana?" Kurusu asked, and Goro cocked his head to the side, wondering who Morgana was.

"The cat's fine." Sakura sighed, then sent a crooked smile Kurusu's way, "He's a tough one, he just needs rest and to not strain himself for the next few days."

"That's good to hear." Kurusu's shoulders relaxed slightly.

"You stay here, kid, I'm going to check with that inspector to see if you can leave now." Kurusu nodded and Sakura turned to head deeper into the station while muttering darkly, "He better let you get back with me."

Goro cocked his head to the side, "That was swift."

"He's direct when it comes to serious business," Kurusu merely said in response, and Goro just nodded, looking in the direction Sakura had disappeared to; he didn't even need to talk himself out of a heated conversation with Sakura who was too focused on Kurusu to pay Goro any attention, so he figured he lucked out. The inspector? Probably not so much.

"Goro! I drop-" Goro heard Makoto call out to him before her voice cut off into a gasp, and Goro immediately twisted his head in the direction of her voice to see her staring at Kurusu with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. Goro vaguely registered Kurusu straightening his posture.

Then Makoto shocked him by launching herself forward towards Kurusu, "Akira!"

Kurusu caught her as she semi-tackled him, managing to stay on his feet, "Mako-"

"You're alright!" She pulled back and stared at him intently, "We were so worried when we got the call from Futaba! Morgana had dragged your bag back home and everyone assumed the worst and only barely half an hour ago did we hear any news about you from Boss. Everyone will be so happy to hear that you're alright! But what did they do to you?" Makoto's voice and expression darkened as she caught sight of the bandages, it was such a foreign expression that Goro never saw on her face that visibly startled.

She must have noticed him then because her expression slackened to one of shock, "Ah, Goro… That's right, I forgot that you were here."

Goro's expression must have betrayed how perplexed he was about that statement because she coughed in embarrassment, cheeks coloring pink slightly.

"My apologies, Goro."

"It's alright."

Kurusu's lips twitched in amusement at their interactions, and Makoto sent him a narrow look, causing him to raise his hands in surrender.

"Goro." Makoto turned her narrow look to Goro, posture serious, "Your food and clothes are at your desk. Akira-" She turned back to Kurusu, "-you better contact us once you're back home, alright?"

"Sure thing." Kurusu nodded, and Makoto looked satisfied as she turned around and left.

Goro blinked at her retreating back, while Kurusu chuckled. Goro was about to ask what was so funny when Sakura returned.

"Alright, you're all set," Sakura said, and Kurusu stepped towards him, turning to face Goro with that mischievous stare that rooted him in place.

"Come and visit sometimes, Tantei-san. I need to thank you properly, after all."

A blush rose to Goro's cheeks while Sakura chuckled fondly, "Stop being such a terrible flirt."

"But, Boss, how can I help myself with such a cute detective?"

Goro buried his face in his hands and groaned.

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End