Work Text:
I leaned on the cold wall's stone and lifted my head, a quick breath slipping past my lips when the hubbub seeped outside through a door opening that lasted for mere seconds.
Light steps plopped on the ground, crunching against the two or three leaves Nanako had left in front of the house because it always made it look 'a bit more foresty, right?'
I could recognize those steps from their sound alone. Sharp, precise, and quick. Naoto's steps.
She stopped at the wall's corner and leaned at my side, her shoulder grazing mine.
"You're already tired of Yosuke's screams? That was only two hours. You signed up for two weeks of this," she said.
I chuckled and turned my gaze from the creamy skies to her dreamy face, still dazed by how radiant she looked. "Yeah, I just needed a second to get used to Kanji's new haircut."
Of course, that was false. I needed a second to get used to being back where I belonged.
"I'm afraid that will also be a long-term commitment," she joked earnestly, the smile she flashed right then forcing my heart to skip a few beats.
I tried not to look too much like a deer in headlights, cleared my throat, and stammered an answer the best I could. "Speaking of commitment, how long have Chie and Yosuke been a thing?"
"I'm… I'm afraid I don't follow," Naoto answered, genuine confusion appearing on her face.
"Chie. Yosuke. Together. Since when?"
Yosuke hadn't talked to me about it, but I hadn't missed the little glances and touches between them.
Naoto's brows furrowed further. "I must admit I'm not aware of their whereabouts… Did they say anything?"
She had to be joking… Then again, she was the girl who wasn't sure I loved her even when I told her twice a day. But I couldn't pass the opportunity to tease her a little.
"Are you sure you live here? Talk to them every once in a while? Or just… I don't know, look in their general direction, Detective?"
I mustered the absolute smuggest pinch of my lips I could and almost smacked my own forehead when I realized she wasn't even paying attention to me anymore, focusing on the door behind us instead with a puzzled pout, as if scolding herself for not seeing the clues in front of her.
"Umm… I do. But you know me, the matters of the heart are as obscure a mystery as the Midnight Channel."
"I guess," I said with a sigh I failed to suppress.
"Everything okay?"
I could hear a tinge of worry sneaking into her voice. Maybe I should have tried harder not to sigh so… nostalgically?
Thankfully, my reasons were simple.
"I missed everyone. It's nice that you prepared something for me. Thanks, by the way."
That smile came back and I couldn't be happier for it. "Of course. But it's not everything, is it? You're clutching the badge." I was. Damn habits. "What's on your mind? Is it Tokyo?"
"Nah, I told you already… Tokyo's been great. I met a bunch of new people. I get to see my parents much more often. But it doesn't feel the same, you know? You're all still the crowd I'll always prefer hanging out with. Why do you think I keep coming here every chance I get?"
She lifted an eyebrow, and for the first time ever since I met her, Naoto looked mischievous. "It's not just for me, then?"
I decided to get her at her own game. "I have to be honest… It's for Teddie."
The reaction was instantaneous. She blushed bright red and clamped her shoulders tight, before quickly relaxing and throwing me a glare that was more adorable than annoyed. "Y-Yu! You know I don't like th-those jokes." She released a small breath. "The way you boys' eyes start glittering whenever they cross… I'd almost be afraid they'd snag you away from me."
"I'm not going anywhere away from you. For two weeks," I reassured in a hurry. I liked to joke but I liked Naoto just a tad bit more.
We fell into a comfortable silence.
Well.
'Comfortable.'
I sensed some uneasiness hanging heavy in the air between us. Maybe it was the chilly breeze that passed through the street. Or maybe it was the quick succession of Ums and Uhs Naoto seemed unable to repress.
She had something to say.
"What's on your mind?" I asked.
She took a deep inspiration, brought a hand over her heart, and leaned away from the wall. "I must take the ch-chance while we're being alone."
That didn't sound good. "What do you mean?"
"I wanted to talk to you."
Very not good.
"You're not dumping me, are you?" I asked. Experience taught me being blunt usually lent better results.
Usually.
She flustered even more and vehemently shook her head. "Wh-what?! Of course not! Why would I do that?"
That was better. Still not good.
"Cause you look very red and embarrassed?"
"No, I…" She uttered a discreet Geez and lifted a more determined face. "I wanted to talk to you about what you told me last year, on the 14th of February."
"Just call it Valentin—"
"The 14th of February."
"All right. Go ahead."
She settled in place, took a second to calm herself, and met my eyes. "I sought some sort of approval from myself during the last year, and I feel I'm starting to grasp who I truly want to be. I'm closer, and I have noticed tremendous improvement in the way the police handle my presence. I even befriended a few of Dojima's coworkers. I know it would have gone smoother if I'd kept the act, I guess. I couldn't care less—I'm not going to change who I am for the job. I still get a few stares now and again, but I'm not the kid they let around the crime scenes because they need a fourth opinion."
"That's great!" I exclaimed.
I was happy for her. Really. She'd been waiting for that recognition for years. It was long overdue.
She tilted her head slightly to the right and scratched her left cheek in embarrassment. "It is indeed. I'm not the annoying girl anymore. I'm a detective." She straightened back, her voice turning a bit lower. "And to that effect, I changed since that day. I changed a lot, and… y-you weren't there every step of the way." She walked closer to me. "Yu. You told me you liked me just like I was."
"Yes, I did."
What was she getting at?
Her face fell, her glance dropped, and her cheeks paled. "Am I changing too much away from that?"
There it was. I knew something important was bugging her.
"Naoto…"
She didn't let me finish and spoke again, more passionately. I could see the first glimmer of budding tears in the corners of her eyes. "I know you have your new life, and the new people you always talk to me about whenever you call… I just want to-to know that you're not compromising when it comes to me and that I'm not holding you back. And if I'm becoming someone you might not love anymore… W-would you tell me if that was the case, please?"
I stood against the cold stone, speechless, for what felt like hours.
"That's what you really think?" I eventually asked.
Her eyes dropped even lower. "Y-Yes."
Then I had to be clear.
"I made a mistake."
She snapped up, apprehension clear on her features, then immediately sombered in an apparent defeat that viciously tugged at my heart. "I see…"
"I should have finished my sentence last year."
"If y-you want to end—wait, what?"
She perked up once again, this once more curious than anything.
"I did tell you that I liked you just the way you were. But that was only half the truth. You know, I was taught something new this year in physics class. Ever heard of entropy?"
"I believe I have. I'm not very familiar with the concept."
"It's simple to understand, especially for someone as smart as you are. Basically, entropy is the measure of chaos within matter. It's a property that dictates the flow of energy goes from high to low. And that entropy…" I lifted my index finger to emphasize my point. I had been told it was a patronizing habit of mine, but Naoto never minded. "… is the reason most people are wrong when they say opening windows in winter lets the cold in."
Her eyes widened in understanding. "Opening the windows lets the heat out…"
"Exactly. You can't ask a flame to un-heat. That works for human beings too. Nobody can ask a smith to destroy a sword he just forged, the rain to fall upwards, the sun to set east… And nobody can ask me not to be in love with you anymore." I parted from the wall and stepped a few inches closer to her. I stood an entire head above her, but she'd never seemed so tall to me before. "I made a mistake that day because I didn't tell you everything. I liked you the way you were, that was true. But what I should have said is this: I'll like you however you are." My hand went to the top of her head on instinct, and judging from the slight hurt in my cheeks, I couldn't stop smiling. "You can be who you want to be, look how you want to look. I won't care. You're you. That's enough for me."
"I…"
"Naoto. I'm your man. That will never change."
I had gotten my point across. But some honey-melting-romance-movie lines never hurt anyone. Especially not gets-embarrassed-when-we-sit-on-the-same-bench Naoto.
The tears were now very clear, but they were happy. "Yu…"
"Now that that's out of th—ooof!"
She launched herself around me and enveloped me in a tender embrace. Her arms circled my back and locked into a secure and warm ring that weighted like soft velvet against me. I grinned like the idiot I kinda was and returned the hug as lovingly as I possibly could, my hand darting up on reflex to stroke her silky blue hair.
She had gotten a lot more feminine, there was no getting around it. But she thought I was probably a fan of her more tomboyish attitude, and that wasn't really it. I loved her as a woman, yes, but as a person most.
When the surprise passed, however, I started having more and more trouble ignoring just… how much of a woman she was.
She stepped back and wiped her eyes with gentle swipes of her wrist, but kept her hand linked to mine. "For the record, I'll always be your woman too."
"For the record, I think you look good," I replied.
We stood there, gazing into each other's eyes for Izanagi-knows how much time.
The pleasant silence was interrupted by the door slamming open and Yosuke's voice booming outside.
"Hey, lovebirds! Hate to interrupt you two getting all smoochie—" He spent way too much time with Teddie... "—but Chie just challenged Kanji to an arm wrestle. If you don't wanna miss the show you better come inside!"
And he disappeared inside as fast as his head had popped out.
I turned to Naoto with a chuckle and gave a nod towards the house. She acquiesced in turn but held my hand back when I walked.
"One last item. Chie chose the Saitama Police Academy for next year." I stood back to her side and lifted an eyebrow when she blushed bright once again. "I'm exploring the idea of following a similar path."
A surge of awe struck me like white lightning, followed by the distinct sensation of melting on my very spot.
Was she…?
"You finally decided?!" I blurted out way louder than I intended.
The bashful smile she displayed was a dead giveaway. "My grampa has connections in Forensics for TMPD Keijibu, and they say my profile is something they'd be very interested in provided I get some education."
"TMPD? Isn't that…"
"In Tokyo. Yes. I don't think I'll be able to pull off getting into Tōdai, but any close university will do."
She wasn't playing.
"That's…"
She wasn't lying.
"I…"
She was coming.
"That's wonderful news!" I finally exclaimed, and it was getting very hard not to just grab her by the waist and fly her around.
"Indeed. So, what I have to say is… I'll join you. In a year. If you'll have me?"
Was she getting cheeky? She knew what I had to answer to that.
"Are you kidding? Of course! I have a room ready for you back home!"
"Th-that won't be necessary…" She sighed again, gained a more confident grin and lightly tapped my shoulder with the back of her hand. "I'll catch up to you in one year's time. So, enjoy your lonely peace for now, Yu." She clasped her hands in her back, walked towards the door and shot a bold wink over her shoulder on the way. "I'm coming."
I couldn't contain an honest chuckle and pressed onward as well.
"One more, huh?" I asked as I opened the door for her to step inside, Yosuke's cheers and Yukiko's laughs joining Chie's grunts and Rise's surprised gasps in a gentle cacophony.
"One more," she said.
And the door closed on the harmonious hues and cries of a place I would never forget.