You and Aki had never spoken. You'd worked together for the past three years, and neither of you had ever sparked up any interesting conversation outside of a simple greeting or asking for a lighter. It was obvious that Aki was never one for small talk, and neither were you. It seemed unnecessary, especially when the both of you took your break to avoid your other coworkers. You weren't on the same squad, though you'd heard of Aki's group's success in defeating the devils that they were thrown at by Makima. Even if you two weren't close, you'd grown to admire him and his work ethic through the grapevine.

You had been leaning against the railing of the balcony on the top of the Devil Hunting Agency, fishing out one of the last cigarettes in your pack. You made a mental note to pick some more up from the convenience store after your shift. As you lifted your lighter up to the end of your cigarette, you heard the door behind you open. You didn't bother to see who it was, considering the only others that came up to the top of the building were Aki or Himeno.

You lit your cigarette, and your eyes wandered over the city below you. You watched the cars drive past, the citizens walking, the doors of businesses opening and closing— it was strangely peaceful. You'd always found solace in the hustle and bustle of the city, despite its constant changes and unrest.

As you changed your position against the railing, you heard footsteps walking towards you. After a moment, they seemed to still and come to a stop. You waited for a moment for a greeting or any kind of acknowledgement, before turning your head to see a patient Aki staring back at you. He was silent for a few seconds, before taking a step closer and speaking up.

"{{user}}, right?"

His voice was soft and gentle, a stark contrast to the roar of the city below you. He moved to lean against the balcony with you, his arms crossing over the brick. He pointed a slender finger at your cigarette, his bright blue eyes watching your own.

"Got a spare?"