Ending the Omnipotence Paradox

Chapter 5

((AUTHOR'S NOTE: I do NOT own the phone dialogue that happens in this scene! I have used and altered it from the new official movie clip that was released by Crunchyroll to better fit into the canon Providence time frame.))

It was later that evening and Kogami was still berating himself over the discussion with Akane earlier that morning. How had he lost all semblance of control so easily with her? Control was something he'd always had an issue with before, but that was never the case when it concerned Akane. He wasn't sure how she had become a weak spot for him as of late - popping into his thoughts at more times than he'd like to admit. Was it being back in Japan, being closer to her and the memory of working together, that was impacting him to such a degree?

"What an idiot," he chastised himself as he poured a second glass of whiskey and then walked out onto the balcony for a cigarette, knowing sleep would evade him again tonight - haunting him with the memory of Akane's lips against his. A sensation he knew he never should have felt at all. He held the cigarette up to his lips, lighting it as his wristcom signaled an incoming call.

Kogami was surprised to see Akane's information populate on his screen, not expecting her to reach out to him, especially not this soon after his embarrassing display today. He had no desire to avoid her though, chalking that up to the fact their departments were now working closely together on this new mission. With a tired sigh, he answered the communication signal, but let her be the first to talk.

"Mister Kogami..." her soft voice came through after a few moments of silence.

"Evening," he replied dejectedly while taking a drag from his cigarette. He wasn't quite sure what to say, so he waited to see where she would take the conversation.

"What's the deal with the SAD?" She asked after another brief pause. Not the question he'd expected, but a good one nonetheless.

"Oh well," he began with a relieved breath. "We're boots on the ground for the Foreign Ministry with the goal of -"

"I know the official run-down," she admonished wryly, causing Kogami to let out an unamused chuckle.

"Course you do," he acknowledged, unsure again what she wanted him to say.

"Did they let you back in Japan just so they could use you to fight violence with more violence?" She questioned skeptically. "What's the whole story here?"

He took another drag from the cigarette, setting his glass down on the railing before answering. "Im not really sure the scope of the assignment yet. All I really know is that the Foreign Ministry wanted some enforcers of their own, so they offered me an invitation."

The words sounded hollow even to him, but he wouldn't burden her with meaningless justification or the troubles he'd left in Nepal.

"Would you have come back if *I* had invited you instead? Like I was going to when we were at Shambala Float...?" The hesitation in her question caused his stomach to flop uncomfortably.

"Don't know," he answered honestly. "It's hard to say."

"Granted, I lack the authority to do something like that..." she muttered with an exasperated sigh. "What about Director Yabuki? Did he have anything to say about your past crimes? He must have seen them in your files."

"The issue never came up; he probably doesn't care. This mission with the Peacebreakers is his only concern right now," he explained, wondering where she was going with this line of questioning.

"So, are you going to keep working with foreign affairs?" She asked incredulously.

"Maybe..." he answered noncommitally. "My goal is to do what needs to be done."

"If you try to break the law again, I will stop you this time," she said resolutely. "I won't hesitate to step in, Kogami."

He took another long drag from the nearly spent butt between his fingertips. "Of course you won't, because you have to do whatever it is you think is right." Those words came out harsher than he'd meant them too, but goddammit, if she didn't make him question himself. "I don't regret anything I've done, not a thing."

His only acknowledgement that she'd heard him was a scoff of disbelief on the other end of the call, followed quickly by the line disconnecting as she hung up on him. He stared at the communicator, slightly shocked that she had ended the call so abruptly. Not that he could blame her; in trying to protect her, he'd also succeeded in being a complete asshole.

Kogami hung his head in disappointment, tugging a hand through his hair before putting his cigarette out.

Yeah, he definitely wasn't sleeping tonight. What an idiot.