Work Text:
"Act"
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It was a known fact that the night known as “Christmas Eve” was considered by many to be a highly romantic affair. Couples would draw close, exchange thoughtful gifts and perhaps partake in acts of an….intimate nature.
It seemed…odd to Naoto therefore, to have come across one of her teammates standing silently alone in the dead of night.
She tilted her head somewhat but Hanamura-senpai just continued to stare out towards the river, silent and brooding.
Naoto was known for her late night walks, she'd participated in many a time and this was indeed the first time she'd run into this young man.
“Yosuke-san?” He jumped before whirling around, with an expression that seemed more akin to a naughty child having been caught sneaking a treat from the cookie jar.
“Naoto-san!” He cleared his throat and adjusted his jacket, “ What are… you doing out this late? What, no hot date? Damn Kanji-kun, get with it will ya.” He laughed somewhat and her cheeks warmed.
“I don't understand that implication.”
“Course ya don't. Jeez, poor kid.” He mumbled. “Love is cruel.”
Ugh, this imbecile. She found it ironic really that Kanji-kun was considered the least intelligent of their Group when in reality, this one here took the prize.
Kanji-kun was just… insecure and questioned his own intelligence far too often for Naoto's liking…
… never mind.
She brushed that intrusive thought away….one that had crept into the Detective's mindset more and more.
It was….irksome.
Her senpai's look was also irritatingly amused.
“Got something on your mind Detective?”
Her eyes narrowed.
“Nothing of your concern, now what are you doing out here? Do you not have…?”
He snorted aloud, and shrugged.
“Nah Naoto-kun, it's just me and my thoughts.” He exhaled. “I just didn't want her to be lonely tonight.”
“Her?” Again Naoto frowned but then realized her senpai was clutching… what looked like a paper rather tightly.
“… I did what I promised.” He murmured. “ I avenged her…. Got Saki-senpai justice.” The papers was slowly being crumpled in his fist. “That bastard is going away for a long time isn't he?”
Naoto nodded, “He has fully confessed to my knowledge, and once he has fully recovered he will transferred to the precint holding cell to await transport.”
Yosuke-senpai's smile was wan… but genuine. “Good…so she can rest in peace now.” he took a breath, “ Yu says…I can let her go… be at peace myself you know?” The paper shook. “Just… like I said, I didn't want her to be all alone tonight, but now, she can rest in peace, she's free… but I just… Is it bad I wanted to spend just…one Christmas Eve with her?”
It was foolish…borderline insane really, but the hitch in his voice made Naoto pause and instead she found herself shaking her head.
“No, Yosuke-senpai, I…I don't think that's bad at all.”
Again that small wry smile, “You're a bad liar Detective.” He chuckled. “I know its nuts. I know… Saki-senpai would never have, ya know … with me I just…” He trailed again. “ Like I said its stupid.”
“… Loving someone isn't a bad thing.”
“That's ironic coming from you.” He snorted. She was taken aback. His brow slightly rose. “… or maybe it's true, Yu's right, you genuinely have no idea…do you?” His gaze softened almost...it seemed into a look of pity?!
Naoto bristled at the very implication
“No idea about what!" she snapped.
Again he laughed, then shook his head. “Nothing Detective, nothing at all. Damn that's rough… brilliant in so many ways but dense as a doorknob in others. Fuck man.”
“I beg your pardon!”
“You're excused, seriously though, I'm that lame ass loser alone on Christmas, sure that tracks, but what the hell is the Great Detective Prince doing alone out here?”
Naoto folded her arms, “Are you implying I should have entertained one of those fools who litter my shoe cubby with their nonsense?”
Again the idiot just laughed- snorted even, sounded his chest in an asinine display of…. Of idiocy that was making her teeth grit.
“Fuck man… I thought my problem was bad, but at least I actually got rejected, poor kid.”
“Yosuke-senpai, what are you even talking about!?”
“Not my place Naoto-kun, sorry, this is one mystery you're just going to have to figure out on your own.”
“You claim it's not your place?” She stormed over to the gangly youth. “ But where in this encounter have you not inserted yourself or more accurately your asinine attempts at being coy into this conversation!” Naoto pointed. “ If you are privy to some information pertaining to me in some way, I demand you relinquish it at once or you stop with this idiotic game of half truths, which by the way, you absolutely are horrible at!” She huffed. “ You claim to my being a bad liar? Well Yosuke-senpai, perhaps as the saying goes, you should look in a mirror.”
The silence dragged before finally… he shrugged.
“Guilty as charged. You're right, I'll leave you alone.”
“Thank you, and so?”
“So what?”
“… Now that we've established you are a terrible liar, you will be honest with me now, what exactly is it you are implying!”
“Haaa.. nope.” He shook his head. “I just won't talk about it anymore is all.”
“…I'll have you know I have ways of making even the most stubborn suspect talk.”
“Yeah, but see there's scarier forces afoot than you Detective. Therefore, I'm keeping my mouth shut.”
“That is—!”
Yosuke-senpai just turned back to the river.
“A mystery you can solve yourself Naoto-kun, I got all faith in ya…. now seriously, you should get on home, it's cold out… and no one should be cold on Christmas Eve.”
“Does that not also apply to you?”
“… I'll be fine. Like I said.” He hugged the paper…which was also she realized dully, was a picture, to his chest. “I just don't want her to be alone tonight.”
“…right… yes. Well… don't stay up too long, I can imagine Teddie will be up at the crack of dawn no doubt.”
He snorted, “ Dumb bear always is… but yeah… just uh… think long and hard Naoto-kun, I mean… its pretty damn obvious but… guess also sometimes that's the hardest kind of truth.” He clutched the picture even tighter. “And...the hardest truths can be the scariest to accept.”
“I am thou, thou art I.” She murmured.
“Heh, exactly, well… good luck Detective. Merry Christmas.”
“Merry Christmas...Yosuke-senpai.”
He gave a short nod and well… it was obvous he wished to be alone with his thoughts so she turned to go-
“Naoto-kun.”
“Hm?”
“… Don't overthink it, just act when you finally figure it out… because one second it's there…the next it could be gone. You get me?”
Badum. Badum.
“I… will take your words under advisement Yosuke-senpai.”
He didn't answer her. Perhaps he didn't need to.
The words lingered in her mind however, the usual lilt of mockery and teasing had been gone, no… they had been instead raw with grief…and regret
They had solved the case. Avenged Konishi-san's death and….
He still mourned her. That much was obvious.
Don't overthink….just act.
…. But act on what?
She continued her walk in this quiet state of mind, lost in her thoughts when she realized something odd: how had she ended up in front of this store? It was entirely out of her way?
Tatsumi… Textiles.
You genuinely have no idea… do you?
No idea….about what?
Badum. Badum.
A light was still on above. He was one prone to have all nighters in fact…. Kanji-kun was… like her in that regard she mused.
So...he was likely still awake...on this lonely Christmas Eve night....wait.
Wait a moment.
… don't overthink. Just…
“Huh… Naoto-kun? What are callin' me for? I mean not that I'm mad or nothin’ just yer not… ya know… busy…?”
“Hello Kanji-kun, my apologies for the late hour but could you perhaps…come outside just for a while… I think…you and I are long overdue… for a conversation.”
Act.
***
End.