Fault Line (Joe Tazuna x GN!Reader)

Curiosity (Killed the Cat)

It only took Keiji a few seconds to get the surveillance system running on the monitors.

You looked at the different rooms, and forced your eyes to stay away from the Room of Lies, where you could tell Reko and Ranger's bodies hadn't been taken care of yet. Your eye was drawn to a monitor which had Q-Taro in frame. He was standing outside of someone's bedroom. You could see him open his mouth, but there was no sound.

Another monitor displayed a bedroom. That would've been normal, if there wasn't a strange screen on the dresser. You wanted to point it out, but didn't get the chance to before you heard someone coming.

"Turn it off," You instructed, "Someone's coming." Keiji, as per your order, pressed a few buttons and shut off all the monitors.

It was a good call on your end. The person who walked into the room was Gashu. It would've been one thing if it was one of your allies, but you imagine it wouldn't be good if a Floor Master had seen.

He walked in, and stopped upon noticing the three of you standing in front of the monitors. "What are you three up to in here?" He asked.

"We were talking about the AIs." Joe lied, "They're interesting. Scary, but intriguing."

Gashu narrowed his eyes slightly, "Right. Indeed they are. Very well, then. I'll leave you be." He turned around, walking out of the room.

"Wait," Keiji called out, and Gashu turned back around, reentering the room, "Do all these monitors have AIs on them?" He asked.

"Yes, they do." Gashu perked up, seemingly excited to get to talk about them, "Every monitor has an AI of a candidate who survived their First Trial. Is that all you have to ask?"

"Yeah, you can get going now." Keiji waved him off. Gashu nodded, turning and leaving again.

You all turned to each other, "The surveillance system only shows this floor," You said. "And Gin wasn't anywhere."

"We aren't looking for Gin right now," Keiji said. "We need to find Ranger's chip first."

"But, what if he's in trouble?"

"...I think Keiji has a point," Joe said, "Even though you're also right, we need to find Ranger's chip. And... Gin isn't helpless. He can't always rely on us... So we need to trust in him."

You couldn't argue. You couldn't argue, because even if you did, they wouldn't change their minds.

And they were right.

"...Okay."

~ * ~

Keiji and Joe left you in the Monitor Room to make sure a Floor Master wouldn't be able to come in and use the surveillance system. The two of them made their way to the Room of Lies, assuming they could just find Ranger's chip somewhere in his body.

You sat down, leaning against the monitor machine. You were alone for the first time in awhile. You finally had the chance to think about your situation.

But instead of thinking about that, you thought about what Joe had said to you last night.

He likes and appreciates you.

And he held your hand. He fell asleep in your arms, but you hadn't gotten the chance to talk to him about what any of that meant, yet.

From the moment you left the bedroom, you were always with someone else. Never alone.

And... you weren't in the most ideal situation to be talking about your... feelings for someone.

So you'd push yourself away.