human
Naoto Shirogane
The past several years had been peaceful but slow for a lack of better. It was, in that sense, a double edged sword. Everyone who knew of the incidents including the "Midnight Channel" were no doubt glad it was all over. This did, admittedly, include the now eighteen year old Naoto Shirogane. However, in the midst of everything coming to a halt, this included her own line of work. It was slightly awkward, but she had remained in the police force with Ryotaro Dojima. Then again, maybe it had been for the best given she just recently finished her high school education and was thus now graduated and looking for a more permanent job.
Regardless, there had been several thing which stayed altered.
Yu, Dojima's nephew, was still gone. Tohru Adachi had been behind bars for his linkings with all the crimes. Everything was as it should. And yet, Naoto still couldn't help but almost feel like something was missing, even after just graduating from high school. Not from within Inaba, mind you. Oh no. Rather, she felt like something from her own self was missing.
Many people tried to encourage her to relax and take it easy rather than be so on edge lately. And the young detective had tried to heed the words. Truly, she had. But the task was so much easier said than done. It came with her workaholic nature and the fact that she had finished school was currently wasn't at all helping her feel any less restless.
"Still, they are right." She mused softly to herself, glancing up towards the ceiling of her residence. "May as well the free time while you can."
Break? What's that?
An inward scoff echoed throughout the young woman's head. But she knew her mind had a good point. Words like 'break' and 'vacation' didn't easily exist in Naoto's mindset. The revelation alone made her sigh and simultaneously groan.
Standing and getting to her feet, she began to head into her kitchen. A slight frown crossed her face. "Well ... that's one thing I guess." She decided, giving herself an affirmative nod as she closed the refrigerator door. Now that she had a new mission in mind, Naoto had somewhat of an idea on how to spend at least this day. Even if the task was simple in concept, it was still essential nonetheless.
According to her findings - or lack thereof - she needed to go shopping. Heading back into her room, she grabbed her wallet. Yes, wallet. Purses were too easy to lose or get stolen. A wallet, Naoto had found, was far more organized and easier to handle. Then again, she was much more like a tomboy as opposed to the stereotypical female.
Slipping the wallet into one of the front pockets of her blue jeans, she began to head out, stopping as her eyes caught her cell phone. It seemed redundant. While she did still remember all the others from the Investigation Team; Yu, Chie, Yukiko, Kanji, Teddie, and Yosuke, poor Naoto had never been good with social interactions. It was another thing many had encouraged her to work on but was also a much easier said than done task.
Still, her head wound up shaking in a no direction. It may be a mistake but she shouldn't be that long, not enough to actually need it. Her eyes then trailed up to her keys instead and pocketed those away. And with that, she opened her front door, closing and locking it after finding herself out in the streets and in view of the public.
As the sun hit her face, a hand raised to shield her dark orbs. While summer was her favorite season, she did wish that sometimes the sun wouldn't try to seem as if it were attempting to blind her. After her sight adjusted, she began to walk towards the Central Shopping District. Not that Junes wasn't fun to visit every now and again but she had to make funds last. Not like money grew on trees, after all.
All the while, Naoto pondered on her own future. It was so tempting to try for a more permanent Criminal Justice job. But should she go for it? Or was there another line of work she could be equally good at?
Isn't this what college is for? To help you figure all of this out?
But the mere thought of how muchthatwould cost made Naoto cringe, groan, then sigh softly.
"... We'll get to that bridge when it arrives," she finally decided, continuing her trek towards the Central Shopping District.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
With the conclusion of the Midnight Channel murder case had come a sort of clarity for Kanji Tatsumi. There came a time after the dust had settled -- with that bastard Adachi rotting behind bars, with Yu-senpai back home in the city, with all of his friends drifting back into their ordinary routines or breaking out on their own paths -- when Kanji realized a few things. He wasn't sure why he had never made these realizations before, but it had all come together at once.
1. He had friends who had seen him at his best and at his worse, more than he could even say for his mother. Friends for life, the sort that came from sharing blood and sweat and tears.
2. He was Kanji goddamn Tatsumi and everything that happened to imply.
3. Anyone who didn't like either of the first two facts were free to get bent.
Those thoughts kept him buoyed for a couple of years, but Chie, Yousuke, and Yukiko all graduated before him and Rise and Naoto had their own jobs to deal with that kept them busy -- Rise across the country and Naoto in her own little crime-solving bubble. With Yousuke working his way up the track to manager, Yukiko officially taking over the inn, and Chie busting her butt to become a police officer, Kanji'd been left sort of out in the cold.
Halfway through his senior year, he'd decided to do something about that. His mom was in decent health and didn't need any help running the textile shop -- even with the demand of the little dolls he made in his spare time. So he got another job -- it had taken some convincing, but Daidara had finally taken an apprentice.
He'd had to smooth over the whole "beating up a shit ton of would be gangsters with a shield" thing and prove to the old man that he believed in the artistry blacksmithing -- something the old Kanji never could have done. He made little delicate works of metal art as well as big, bulky decorative shields and the like, though he still had a ways to go, but during the summer after graduation he had time to indulge that particular time sink.
Besides, having Kanji around had some unexpected benefits for old Daidara.
As Naoto traipsed through the Central Shopping District, there was a clamor coming from Daidara Metalworks.
"Yo! Get the hell back here! Drop it and Iwon'tkick your ass!" Kanji could be heard yelling. He thought it was rather diplomatic of him, really. The way it looked was a... little different.
A second year was sprinting down the street with a poorly concealed knife under his shirt, his expression scared shitless as Kanji chased him down. He had... well, clearly the past couple of years had been good for him, in prime physical condition that was only shown off by his shirt -- what had once been a long-sleeved shirt with an elaborate skull motif had had its sleeves ripped off at the shoulders, leaving bare, glistening arms free... one of which just happened to be wrapped around the waist of another second year, carried like a football and looking rather sick from the whole experience.
"Got ya!" Kanji shouted as he darted forward, snagging the second year by the collar, the youth's legs flying out from underneath him as his collar met the immovable object thatwasKanji Tatsumi's grip, landing on his butt as the pilfered knife landed on the ground.
"Tch. Buncha stupid wannabe bikers -- don't need to be messing around with knives. 'Specially stolen ones; they're a hell of a lot sharper than those pocket knives," Kanji berated (with the slightest note of pride over the quality of the pilfered knife), sounding almost... responsible as he berated the two kids in the middle of the street. They weren't even that much younger than he was -- he'd clearly had a chance to mature and the fact that he was a half foot taller than either of them certainly didn't hurt matters.
human
Naoto Shirogane
As Naoto walked by some of the restaurants, her stomach growled, seeming to protest the thought of walking by them. "Shut up," she replied, not bothering to hide her annoyed tone. "Almost -- "
The sound of a very familiar voice, however, caught her attention as she stopped and turned. Sure enough, it'd been who she had thought; Kanji Tatsumi. Was he ... had he just left the blacksmithing place? That was certainly an interesting sight. She'd thought he would stick to his forte; not to say this was a bad thing to see. Unexpected at worst but then again, the same could easily apply to herself and actually being out and about. She didn't usually let herself be seen in public, though why was beyond her. She'd though it may be connected to an odd fear of not wishing to be judged. But ... was that really all?
To this day, she still hadn't been able to figure it out.
Actually ... you do knowshe reminded herself, feeling her face darken slightly. Not much but if one paid attention, it was definitely obvious to see.
The last times shehadran into any of the investigation team, they noted two things easily; her new vertical height and her new chest size.
It had been ... decent during the past two years. But now, she couldn't really hide it, not even with the use of bandages or other such similar techniques. They weren't ... too big, a respectable C-cup. But that, for a lot of Japanese teenagers, was pretty damn ... well, big.
Suddenly, she felt her courage to call out to Kanji falter and vanish.
Honestly, maybe it's for the best? You did pester him even before you met the rest of the investigation team. It'd be a miracle if he doesn't hate you for that alone.
Nodding to herself, Naoto's gaze lowered as she looked down to the ground. While his attention remained on the two 'wannabes' as he called them, she tried to take advantage and sneak away. She wasn't exactly expecting him to recognize her.
Or, if he did, she didn't intend for him to call out and greet her, especially since he did seem like he was on duty with his new work. It'd probably be for the best, to not pester him in any form or fashion.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
In the time it took for Naoto's courage to falter, Kanji seemed to be wrapping up his rant at the two second years. "And what d'you got to say for yourselves, huh!? Old Daidaraand mebust our asses over this stuff!" Kanji yelled at the two punks, still immobilized as they were by the giant blacksmith's apprentice.
"... tch. Fuck you. You wouldn't get it, anyway," the one on the ground muttered.
"What. Did you. SAY TO ME!?" Kanji demanded, only barely restraining himself from smacking the kid upside the head. A condition of Daidara's tutorship was that Kanji didn't get into any more needless fights. Scaring the hell out of people was about as far as he could go.
The little punk looked up at Kanji defiantly -- there was a look in his eye that the Investigation Team had seen before. The look Chie had when Yukiko had been kidnapped, the look Kanji himself had had when Naoto had thrown herself into the Midnight Channel, and the look they'd ALL had when Nanako-chan had been kidnapped... and finally Kanji dropped both of them.
"... just stay the hell out of Daidara's. Or next time I'm gettin'the chair," Kanji said, returning a glimmer of fear to the punks' eyes before they leaped up and scrambled away.
Naoto... he hadn't thought about her in a while. Hadn't had much time to think about any of his friends, really, busy as they all were. He wondered why he started now--
He got his answer when he happened to glance up, seeing the retreating back of a very familiar figure. She was tiny and her hat was a dead giveaway.
His breath caught in his throat, and he faltered for a moment. Naoto... it had been a while, and all those old feelings came rushing back, flooding his cheeks and making him stumble over his words. But no! He was the new Kanji Tatsumi. He handled his business like a man!
He plucked up the discarded knife from off the ground, shoving it down in his pocket before striding after Naoto, long legs allowing him to catch up with her in rather short order. He opened his mouth, and --
It'd be difficult to describe the sound he made short of "Naogkhr," which in more able hands might have been "Naoto-kun, how are you?" He cleared his throat, announcing more loudly and clearly a moment later: "Hey, Naoto-kun!"
human
Naoto Shirogane
A mixture of one of the teenagers actually talking back plus Kanji's - fairly angry, she had to admit - reply made Naoto's head turn once again. She blinked, almost wondering if for a moment her eyes were deceiving her. But ... if she was seeing fine, she had to get a closer view. The young woman took quiet but quick steps, steadily closing the gap. By the time she got in range, the two guys had began to run, albeit not before she saw that same look. It was more than familiar enough. Gods knew she'd definitely had it when Nanako-chan had been dragged into the Midnight Channel. Everyone had.
Her head shook slowly in disbelief.
Impossible. It's been two years!
But ... that look was not her imagination. Was there something she didn't know about? She would definitely do some research when she finished her shopping.
Before that, however, Kanji's voice reached her ears as - amazingly - he did indeed address her. Admittedly, though, it wasn't completely comprehensible at first. Even though she was eighteen now, Naoto couldn't help but chuckle. She had been way too naive before and never really noticed Kanji's reaction to her, especially when he blushed. Not only had his cheeks gone crimson, but he got temporarily tongue-tied from the sight of her. It was .. an interesting observation of sorts for Naoto.
"Hey, Kanji."
Mustering up the courage, Naoto finished walking across the street, soon ending up beside Kanji. "You .. you got a new job I see. You look well. It's good to see you."
Not only had the words been sincere, but for once, she hadn't struggled to say them.
Why now?
It was ... another odd thing. But at the same time, Naoto wouldn't complain. Maybe, just maybe, she'd finally found someone who could help her get past her social awkwardness.
Who'd have thought it would have been the punk of the investigation team? Certainly not her. The thought made her smile widen.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Perhaps Kanji had read into the look -- or perhaps it had merely been a catalyst for thinking about Naoto for the first time in what seemed like forever. He was a more self-assured man these days, but... well, Naoto had never been too far from his mind. He had crushed on her rather hard two years before, and it seemed like those same old feelings were rearing their ugly head here again in front of her.
"Hey, Naoto," Kanji said, looking momentarily chagrined afterward.You already said that! Quick, say something else.Kanji managed to master his tongue before it came out as nonsense once more, pausing thoughtfully to think about what next to say. Luckily, she gave him an out in asking about his new job.
"Ah, yeah!" Kanji said, glancing down at himself as if noticing it for the first time himself. Lost in the blur of him chasing down the punks, it was obvious now that he wore a little tag on his shirt claiming that he was a representative of Daidara Metalworks. A toolbelt hung around his hips, a hammer on one side, pliers on the other, and thick gloves were draped over the side as well. "Convinced old Daidara to take me on. Hardass finally gave in," Kanji said with a small grin.
It was almost like no time had passed at all -- but he was quite cognizant of the time that DID pass. The time that had developed Naoto from a blossoming girl into a fully fledged woman with an ample chest. It was amazing that he kept his eyes from gluing themselves to such, using raw discipline to keep his nose from bleeding like a faucet.
"You look, ah, real good too. Healthy," he said with a firm nod.Healthy? Who SAYS that?"Ah, what's up? I haven't seen you 'round Inaba in a while," he said. She always DID like to keep herself busy, and he recalled her as being rather asocial. Not that he had been much better, all things considered. Loneliness was a trait they'd shared.
human
Naoto Shirogane
Despite the slightly rocky talks Naoto had with Kanji in the past, he still did - now that she pondered on it - have his habit of blushing often around her. So .. had he always felt this way but never been able to explain himself? It seemed as much.
And you never noticed this ... how?
It was perhaps the most embarrassing for two reasons. She should have been smart, if not observant enough, to have seen this. Two, she was a damn detective! Failure to see all of these reactions from Kanji was about as bad as missing one of the most important clues of a damn case!
As Kanji talked - tried to, anyway - to her again, Naoto couldn't help but chuckle softly. Had he really always been this flustered around her? And she'd missed it? What an idiot she felt like. Ah well. Better late than never as the old saying went. Her head nodded as Kanji hinted it had taken a lot of convincing to be accepted for the job. "That's good news; really. I'm happy for you."
Her smile couldn't help but widen as he used a rather unique word to describe her. "Well ... I suppose that is true enough. I was kind of underweight two years ago. Still am ... but not as bad." she quickly added, feeling her own cheeks darken.
The hell was that? Wait, is he rubbing off on you so fast?
Usually, she never thought about - or actually did - curse. And yet it had very clearly entered her thought. She swallowed softly before looking back into Kanji's eyes.
"I suppose ... I've been trying to make sure what I want to do with my life though. I'm technically still with Dojima-san and the force but ... it's kind of ... well, rocky. Not from Dojima but most of the others. They're still unsure about me being one of the detectives. I .. I don't really have those same thoughts like I did in the Channel; but I ... " Naoto paused, trying to figure out a good way to explain herself.
"I guess I wish .. I don't know. It kind of doesn't matter because I can't tell them what to feel or think. But .. am I making any sense at all? I ... I guess I wish I didn't feel like I was going through this cycle of deja vu. I wish they'd just grow up and stop being adamant on wanting me to leave. It's frustrating for a lack of wording."
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
It almost seemed like the poor bastard was making up for lost time, floundering around in an unexpected flood of emotions. He was getting better at navigating the way he felt and keeping his head above water, but even skilled swimmers could eventually get pulled by the undertow.
Her own flustering wasn't helping him out much in that regard. She was... cute. Hell, she'd always been, but it really came out at times like these.
He finally found his bearings -- a proverbial life preserver -- when she revealed the troubles she'd been having recently. "Ah, that's a pile of shit," Kanji said with all the airs of a man who knew EXACTLY what he was talking about. "You're the best detective in Inaba --no, Japan, and even better than Dojima-san! Wouldn't have had a chance in hell of catching Adachi if it weren't for you," Kanji said.
His next words came out with a practiced ease, as if it were a mantra he'd said to himself a million times: "You're Naoto goddamn Shirogane. You know who you are and so do your friends. Ain't anything else to it," Kanji said, rolling his right shoulder as he grabbed at his bicep with his left hand, a familiar sign of getting pumped up. Some habits died hard, and self-affirmation could be a beautiful thing. He grinned wide, as if proud of himself for that little speech.
human
Naoto Shirogane
As the silence hovered between the two, Naoto took the opportunities to glance behind Kanji. Even though his boss hadn't bitched for him to get back inside and continue his shift, the detective couldn't help but worry for Kanji. Simultaneously, she didn't want to seem rude or like she was merely shoving him away. So, her mind began to quickly think while still paying attention to Kanji's words. The first half had definitely been expected. ItwasKanji, after all. Of course he'd call people like those she had to deal with on the force a piece of shit. It wasafterthat she never would have expected.
"I ... I don't know about being quite that good. Really but .. thank you ... "
She hadn't thought it an easy task but sure enough, her cheeks were no doubt getting even more red. She didn't need a mirror to see herself; poor Naoto could feel the heat radiating off her skin.
"When .. when, um, do you get done? I can ... if you want ... we can go eat somewhere when you're finished with your shift?"
And before she had the opportunity to take it back, Naoto realized that - intentionally or otherwise - she'd just asked Kanji out.
".... Sorry if that was too much. Um .. "
She tried to find more words to add. But nothing was coming to her mind. All she could do now was wait and see if he'd finally thought she had lost her mind or not.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
"'Course you are. They didn't call you the Detective Prince for nothing!" Kanji said. She'd been famous, though there had been a minor scandal when it had been revealed that Naoto was the "Detective Princeess". A fact Kanji only remembered when the words had already left his mouth, wild and free. It was just as well -- her next words just about floored him. It wasn't that he thought that SHE might be interested in him, and more that they'd be going and grabbing lunch in general. Things had always been... awkward before.
Partially because it had taken a while to find out that Naoto was a girl, and he'd been attracted to her even before then. A couple of years gave him perspective enough to realize that there was just something abouther. She could've worn Teddie's retarded bear costume and he still probably would have found something to like. It was fortunate, perhaps, that he didn't remember that Teddie went commando under the suit.
"Oh, uh. Shit, what time is it," Kanji muttered to himself, digging out his cell and reading the time on the front. 2:27 blinked back at him in digital form. Or, well, 14:27 did, but same diff.
"Uh, I'm off time in three minutes. Gotta run these," Kanji said, brandishing the knives he'd shaken down the wannabes for, "back to Daidara and clean up. You wanna meet at Aiya n' grab a table? Shouldn't be more than about ten minutes," Kanji said. He was too hungry to be flustered right now -- his animal cracker stash was low and they didn't have much in the kitchen back home. It was time for a grocery run, but he could handle that after lunch.
human
Naoto Shirogane
"Well ... okay. Point taken." Usually, Naoto would be far more stubborn and adamant on disputing things. But this time, Kanji truly had won. It was a rare blessing, one that hopefully he'd embrace. There were few times this may ever happen again, after all. "You win this one, for now." The combination of Kanji's facial expression plus the new pause made poor Naoto almost certain he didn't think she was crazy; nah, she probably seemedinsane! She was very close to apologizing but before she could open her mouth, Kanji ... accepted?
That took her aback about as much as her offering for this outing had Kanji.
"Yeah ... sure. Sounds good. I'll be there!"
Giving Kanji a quick wave, Naoto pivoted and hurried back into her home. There weren't many but Naoto did want to take advantage of the time alone to make a few changes. They'd all been ones some female co-workers, friends, or both had all suggested; mainly Chie and Yukiko.
"This ... feels weird.... " she murmured, slowly reaching up and removing her hat. It was almost akin to stripping yet not. Still, it wasn't the absolute worst feeling either. Setting it down, Naoto hurried into her room, tossing her uniform top off half-way inside. It wouldn't be like anyone would see her, after all. Shedidlive alone and that was by far one of the best perks.
Mainly as gifts from various friends and relatives, Naoto did have some other tops in the forms of tank tops and even blouses that were more casual than school attire. Her hands reached down and picked a navy blouse with a slight v-neck shape. It didn't show too much off but it did at the same time hint if the first few buttons ever came undone, there would be quite a show.
".... Still not as bad as a bikini .... " she decided, figuring it could have been more .. revealing. Taking a long, deep breath, Naoto pulled the blouse over her head and looked at herself in the nearby mirror.
Honestly? She kinda liked it. This wasn't half bad of a look.
"...Fine. I owe them both ... " she murmured, somewhat annoyed and yet happy with the results of this experiment.
Her hands did a quick pat down of her self, feeling both her wallet and keys still in the pocket of her denims. Satisfied to feel this, the detective finally turned, locked her door, and began to head to Aiya. Hopefully, if Kanji had already gotten there, he hadn't been waiting too long.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
"Damn right," Kanji grinned broadly, savoring his victory over the taciturn detective. People didn't get very many of those, and it had been on even ground, too. Rather than her thinking they were all a bunch of morons because of the King's Game incident. Not... not that her summation of the entire event had beeninaccurateor anything...
"Alright. See ya in a bit."
The next few minutes was a whirl of motion for Kanji -- he just about sprinted back to Daidara's, and he managed to clear out of the place in record time. Knives were returned to their places, tool belt was stowed in a small locker underneath his smithing bench, his name tag was likewise stowed, and he made quick work of his cleaning duties. He scrubbed down his anvil, polished his tools, and made sure everything was put away before he left Aiya at speed. He was lucky that he lived just down the street from Aiya...
He didn't change into something nice and presentable -- that wasn'thimbut he did wipe down, getting his hands clean of black soot and making sure he didn't smell like the smoky forge or old Daidara who seemed to always have a peculiar scent of sweet onions about him. Kanji was starting to suspect the old man bathed only in his sweat, which was all the grosser for the fact that it COULD have been true.
With that done, Kanji switched form one shirt to another, out of his ratty work shirt and into a tight gray shirt that had bore the black visage of a revolver-wielding Reaper -- which had the secondary effect of outlining his sterling physique, before he headed out. He had a shorter distance to walk than Naoto did, so he was back to Aiya before she was.
He was surprised at that, though he quickly picked out a table for the two of them, a table nearly in the center of the diner and just across from the central counter top. He waited patiently for her arrival, ordering his tea and beef bowl in the meantime... though he only had a minute or so to wait, as soon Naoto came through the door looking... well, less Naoto-esque than usual. He managed to grab a napkin in time before the blood started, cutting off the trickling nosebleed when it came.
"Hey, Naoto," he said, a touch muffled due to the napkin. "I already ordered -- feel free to get whatever on me," Kanji said. He was feeling generous, and besides... between his dolls selling quite well at the shop and his (admittedly paltry) money from the smithy, they were doing quite well these days. It was a success that Junes couldn't take away from them.
human
Naoto Shirogane
Naoto wasn't too amazed that Kanji had arrived first. She wasn't as close as he was to this place. Granted, Naoto wasn't as far away as she could have been either; but ah well. Even though she was used to being good with everything, maybe she should accept a select few things she could embrace as weaknesses of sorts. In this case, it was not always being the first to arrive and having to understand that distance could - and would at times - affect how fast or slow it took for someone to arrive.
"Hey. You haven't been here too long, have you?" she asked, doing a quick scan mainly of Kanji himself. The first thing that got her attention was his shirt. She couldn't explain to herself how but it suited him really well. The next made her smile widen again as she noticed his nose bleeding.
"Oh? Thank you. That's ... sweet of you." She knew he would very likely have chosen a different word but ah well. It was describing the situation, not quite him. So she felt a bit better. He'd likely feel more awkward if 'sweet' had directly been used to describe Kanji as opposed to his acts.
"So um ... what made you want to work at Daidara's place as opposed to anywhere else?"
Before she could hear his answer, the waitress appeared beside their table. "Green tea, a chicken bowl, and white rice, please ma'am."
Am I doing decently with this conversing thing?
That last inner thought was one that she knew should have been asked aloud. But her uncertainties and select doubts were keeping her silent. Besides, she had asked him a question before the waitress arrived. It seemed right to let him speak, not interrupt him.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji shook his head, careful to keep the tightened wad of napkin pressed to his nose to stymie the bleeding. "Nah. I was only here for a few minutes. I pretty much just live across the street," he said. Well, and a bit down it as well, but that was splitting hairs. The blood flow seemed to be ceasing, so he slowly withdrew the napkin after wiping himself down, balling it up off to the side to throw away later.
A couple of years ago, Kanji might have taken issue with being called 'sweet'. Maybe he still would have if, say, Yousuke or Teddie had said it to him. But coming from Naoto just then, quite clearly female and... tantalizingly so, well... he shrugged it off with a sheepish look. He seemed awkward, but... happy. "Don't mention it."
"Oh, uh," Kanji said, straightening up when she asked again after his line of work. "... well, I like making things. Been able to learn how to make really delicate stuff for my dolls, yanno?" he asked. He hesitated for a moment, looking quickly from left to right as if to make sure no one was listening. "... plus, it means I can make my own weapons n' armor. I hang out with Teddie sometimes. In the TV. Kickin' the asses of any shadows we find on the other side. It's a good workout," Kanji said.
Nobody had talked about the Midnight Channel in a while -- just about a couple of years, honestly. A rumor floated around here and there, but as far as Kanji was concerned, that whole business was over and done with.
"What about you? What's this about you not knowing what to do with your life?" Kanji asked. As long as he'd known her, she'd loved being a detective and solving crimes -- he'd always thought that confidence was pretty cool, to follow after what you wanted despite what stood in one's way. Kanji could respect that, look up to it. And as a matter of fact, he did.
human
Naoto Shirogane
"Ah, okay. Good to hear." She'd been ready to elaborate and answer the other inquiries before the waitress returned with her tea and meal. "Thank you." Taking the opportunity, Naoto reached down and took a sip of the green tea, feeling the soothing drink help her better relax and think. The nice flavor was always a good bonus and it was one of the healthier drinks to buy in Inaba, let alone Japan.
"I suppose that's an interesting way to look at it." she mused, nodding after pondering the idea for a bit before giving Kanji a soft smile. "That's a good way to stick to your fortes while trying something new out at the same time. I like that."
A very serious expression quickly crossed her face, however, as Kanji confessed he went into the Channel. "Hold on. You still go there? And .. there are still shadows? Kanji ... doesn't that worry you? At all? When we did everything we did two years ago, weren't all the shadows supposed to have vanished? For good? I didn't want to mention it .. but now that you bring this up, you saw the look on those kids earlier, didn't you? Kanji ... do you think there's something going on again?"
Naoto made no attempt to hide the frown that crossed her face. Just the mere thought genuinely annoyed and even angered her. Everyone on the investigation team had sacrificed so much to make sure the crimes connected with that damn Channel ended then and there. To hear that they may be possibly repeating, be it from Adachi or someone else, did anything but make the young detective happy.
Even though her mind and heart were racing, she figured she could at least give Kanji an answer to the last question. "I .. well, I suppose I wanted to make sure this was the path for me. But if what you're saying is true plus the guess ... then I don't think it is anymore. Iknowit is."
A new sense of resolve - something she hadn't felt since accepting her Persona two years ago - surged through her. Even if there wasn't anything amiss happening, she at least knew for the first time in a long while exactly what she wanted to do. It was definitely a step in the very right direction.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji's food didn't take much longer than hers did, the waitress bringing his beef bowl -- it had to cook a little while longer than the chicken did, after all, due to being thicker. He grinned wide at it -- it had been joked that it was a 'portal to the meat dimension', a dimension that only a scarce few had been able to brave. Namely Yu, Chie, and himself. Out came the chopsticks, and he began to dig in as Naoto spoke.
"Don't worry about it," Kanji said as he swallowed down a particularly large bit of beef. "Teddie's a shadow and he's still around, right? Y'gotta figure that not all of 'em died. They haven't been growing restless in the fog like they used to, either. They just sort of hang around and occasionally try to snack on me or Ted while we're wanderin' around," Kanji said. He grinned suddenly, "'Course, we kick their asses."
It was a bizarre world they lived in when Teddie had slowly subsumed the position of Kanji's Best Friend.
"If you wanna come with sometime, we could check it out. Looks a lot like it did after we beat the shit outta Adachi," Kanji said. Their "dungeons" had all faded away, leaving only the vanilla TV World and all of its bizarre rooms. They'd had quite a bit of time to explore the place, after all, even if no map they'd ever made made any sense whatsoever.
"Glad to hear it. You're a damn good detective. And if thereisanything up, you'd be the one to find it," Kanji said.
human
Naoto Shirogane
It wasn't that Naoto doubted Kanji; just the earlier incident being a coincidence. That was where she began to really question everything. However, since he was bringing up the option of joining him ... why not? She did need to get out more and it'd be another way to keep working on her social skills. "Well ... alright, then. I suppose it wouldn't be bad to check it out again. Sorry if I seem like I almost over-reacted for a second there. I just ... I suppose I'm making sure nothing's trying to repeat. There are some moments I could do without a second time."
This especially held true now that Yu was gone. He'd been a damn good leader. Naoto had no idea if she could take up that role or if Kanji would be able to. Everyone else, to her knowledge, was typically too busy. She was lucky enough as it was to run into any of the others. The girls tended to drop by with no real warning and give her tips and advice. It was a nice gesture but, at first, she hadn't asked for ways to work on her more feminine side. Now, however, she had began to recently realize it was okay to look and dress more like a woman than a tomboy.
Not to say she'd start always wearing dresses or whatnot; but she considered things like letting her hair grow out so it wasn't at the short length it'd been at.
The thoughts were dismissed as Kanji complimented her detective skills. "Thanks. I .. know I kinda made myself part of the team. But I'm glad it worked out in the end."
While Naoto tried to think of something else to discuss, she resumed eating her meal.
Damnit, not now! Don't freeze up now! Come on!
Despite her maintaining a calm expression on the outside, deep down, Naoto was beginning to have a panic attack. They didn't often come up, only when she felt incredibly scared or desperate. Thus, social situations like this tended to create some of the worst triggers for her.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
"Nah, I understand. That's what all this started out as, you know? I don't like the idea of any asshole using the Midnight Channel for hurting people either. Last thing we need is another Adachi, Namatame, or even that creepy asshole with the fish eyes," Kanji said. Perhaps it was the ultimate insult to Mitsuo Kubo that Kanji couldn't even remember his name.
"So about once every month -- at least -- me and Ted'll jump in and see if there's anything we should deal with. Never ran into anything whose ass we couldn't kick," Kanji said with a note of pride. Perhaps more than any other member of the team, Kanji'd kept himself in fighting trim, and it showed.
Kanji wolfed down the rest of the bowl, eating like a human vacuum and washing it all down with his cup of tea. He pushed away the bowl, smiling with satisfaction to himself.
"'Course. We would have had a hell of a time trying to nab Adachi without you. We probably woulda rubbed out Namatame and called it a night," Kanji said. And that murderer would still be free to do whatever the hell he wanted. Kanji was glad he'd never to have to see that psycho's face again -- and they had Yu and Naoto to thank for that.
He went quiet for a moment, reveling in the end of his meal, before glancing back at Naoto. He liked how she looked, liked the woman she seemed to be growing into, but... "... yanno, y'don't look right without your hat. I mean," he said hurriedly, "not to say you don't look nicewithoutit, you look really good actually, it's just that I'm used to seeing you like... Naoto. I mean, you look good either way, just..." He trailed off -- he was only digging himself deeper, a thought that occurred to him while his cheeks enflamed yet again.
human
Naoto Shirogane
Thankfully, Kanji found several things to mention. An inward sigh of relief echoed through her head as finished her own bowl in a matter. Shehadnearly gone grocery shopping on an empty stomach so, for once, she was actually hungry.
"Once a month, hm? Did you already take your trip this one? Or not yet? We .. I wouldn't mind scheduling for the next time you go." With Teddie, herself, and Kanji, she actually felt better about the idea of going back into the television. After a brief pause, Naoto added, "So ... does Teddie fight alongside you? Or is he the guide more or less since Rise doesn't join you?"
Even behind the cup, Kanji would see her smile widen slightly as he went on and praised her about the capturing of Adachi. That was definitely a bonus about still being in the police force; if there was something going wrong in the Channel again, sheknewit couldn't be Adachi for one good reason. She'd seen him a few times still in his cell. So unless he had replaced himself with a clone or someone who looked exactly like him, he was still where he should be. Her head shook as she began to wonder about the possibility of someone else trying to make history repeat but quickly dismissed the thought.
Wait until the bridge arrives ...
Naoto began to sip her tea .. only to cough slightly as Kanji finally mentioned her hat. For a while, she stayed quiet, repeating his thoughts in her mind before finally chuckling softly as she set her cup down.
"I won't lie. It felt .... really odd to take it off. For a bit, it almost felt like I had stripped completely actually. But the girls - Rise especially - have all been trying to give me a few suggestions. Growing my hair out, wearing different things, looking a bit more ... feminine. It's not the worst things I've been told but it was - still is a bit - new. But ... honestly? I kinda like the change. It really is good at times. It's ... it's fine. Really. Thank you for the input. I understand well enough what you're saying."
Allowing a brief pause to linger over the two once again, Naoto pondered on whether to even go shopping like she'd originally thought. In the end, the answer was yes if for no other reason knowing she would need something for dinner and the next several weeks. When Naoto bought things, be it food or clothes, she went with the purpose to make them all last as long as possible.
Before that, however ....
"This .. this was really fun, Kanji. Whether it's to go to the Channel together or something else ... I'd like to do this outing again. If you would also, that is."
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
"Nawh, we were planning on taking a trip in this weekend. During the case, I kinda became obsessed with checking the weather -- it's supposed to rain this weekend, and screwy shit always seemed to happen when it was raining." Kanji snorted. "Not like there's much else to do around here when it's raining, right?" Kanji asked. Inaba was, after all, still a sleepy little rural town... and honestly, he liked it that way. The place was a real pain to live in when madmen and murderers were on the loose and you could be snapped up and fed to shadows at just about any time. No one knew that better than the kidnap victims back then...
"Teddie usually joins in with me. He still guides me and everything, but it's not like we can rely on Yu like we used to." There was no denying that that guy had been something else. The way he effortlessly switched Personas, calling out a veritable army of monsters from out of his head when the rest of them could only call on one -- even if they did grow stronger. "None of the shadows are as strong as what we used to face. Little bastards'll sucker punch you if you're not paying attention, though," he said. It... sounded like he had a bit of experience in that regard.
Kanji still looked flustered as they kept briefly to the subject of her hat -- "That's good. Y'should only do what you feel right with, yeah? I'd rather hang out with you rather than some bullshit Rise tries to stuff you in." It was almost peculiar that he seemed to be the only one immune to Rise's charms -- he'd shown more attraction to Yukiko and Chie than he ever had to Rise, and even that had been minimal. "But ah, this," he said, gesturing to her and the shirt that just hinted at her femininity rather than being blatant about it, "looks good," he said at last, still looking a bit flushed.
It was amazing that she could turn him into a gibbering idiot even after a couple of years of barely seeing one another.
"Huh?" he asked when she offered to do this again, looking momentarily surprised before he broke out in a big grin. "Hell yeah!" he said, toning it back when he realized that might come on a little strongly. "I mean yeah, sure. You still got my number, right? It hasn't changed or anything," he said. He still seemed to be toting around the same kinda beat up flip phone from a few years before.
"Just lemme know when. I'm usually pretty free after our old school hours. Usually work or do shopping before then. Which I guess I gotta do after I leave here," he said with a long-suffering note. He hated doing shopping, but he'd rather do it than force his mom to do it.
human
Naoto Shirogane
"Weekend sounds good. I'm almost always available ... unless Dojima-san or any of the higher-ups in the force abruptly call me in. But that's .. not too often." It was ironic. Prior to today, that very fact used to annoy and make her feel just a bit .. useless. But now, she had all but forgotten about it. In fact, if she wound up seeing Kanji as often as her mind was trying to calculate, it may be for the best that they don't pester her too much. The reminder about the weather made her a bit intrigued, simply because it was odd that even during bad weather, Kanji could still find shadows to battle against.
"Hm, interesting. I wouldn't have expected that to still continue but ... it makes for an easy scheduler of sorts I guess."
Her head nodded in agreement as Kanji admitted the same - and perhaps only concern - that she had about joining him once more in the Channel. Yu wouldn't be there. He had, no doubt, been born a leader. He had the charisma, he never once - to her recollection - panicked even when things got horrible, and he was very capable of using multiple Personas. Each one had various elements and techniques, deeming Yu the 'jack-of-all-trades' of the group.
"I'll keep it in mind. I may not have been back to the Channel since a few years ago. But I have a pretty good memory so ... it should be, as they say, like riding a bike."
If worst came to worst, she had been given confirmation that both Teddie and Kanji himself would help back her up. And with the latter having been going to the Channel rather often - well both technically - she could be given opportunities to get back in the hang of re-summoning and using her Persona while they gave her time and chances.
Her head nodded as she grabbed her cup and finished the last few sips of her tea before setting the now empty glass down. "I will, don't worry. You keep being yourself, regardless of what others try to say." There hadn't been many who attempted such tactics on Kanji but she had recalled seeing people try to make him change a few times. It was mainly in regards to his sewing and hobbies. But honestly? It helped his family business. That being said, it wasn't Naoto's place to judge him. True, not many men picked up such activities but .. hey. The same definitely applied to the amount of women who went into the detective field of work.
"Thank you for the input though. I .. I really do appreciate it."
Another odd thought entered her head. Even when she'd first met the team, especially Kanji, she never found herself stammering. It wasn't as bad as it could have been. Still, it made Naoto wonder if she'd had feelings for Kanji since then and they were slowly beginning to emerge?
Don't be foolish ... no, not foolish. Hasty? Damn. I can't even find a word ... ugh. Let things happen naturally all the same ..
Kanji would likely need about as much time as herself to - mentally more than physically - adjust to the mindset of being more than comrades and friends with another person.
Her smile widened as Kanji agreed for a future date. "Don't worry about your choice of words. It doesn't offend me to hear. I just .. don't know I can use them for myself. But it doesn't bother me to hear them. Yeah though, I still have your number." Technically, she had everyone's. Using said cell phone, however, used to be a different story. Now that she had a purpose, however, she'd clearly be using it more often in the near future.
"I'll call you soonish then."
Soonish? Really, Naoto?
"Oh? You have to do shopping too? Well ... maybe we can walk together for a bit? I was going to myself before we found each other." she offered.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
"Far as we can figure, the Midnight Channel pretty much works like it used to. 'Cept the fog coming in doesn't really do a whole hell of a lot on the other side. Couldn't really say why that is," Kanji said, his expression speculative for a long moment. He'd... never actually thought about it. Teddie had mentioned something about the place smelling... cleaner or something, and that was the most he'd really thought about the whole thing. Naoto was better at figuring that sort of stuff out anyway -- Kanji beat the shit out of things, and that was a status quo he was pretty comfortable with, all things considered.
Besides, and this was something he kept to himself... even if she was a little rusty at the whole thing, he'd be there to protect her.
When she suddenly changed track and told him to be himself, he looked surprised, eyes widening incrementally and his lips parting. He visibly relaxed and grinned in the next moment. "Damn right. I can kick ass and make dolls. That's my way," he said. He took a sort of pride in it, it seemed. His dolls wereadorable, and he wasn't ashamed about that in the least. He was a different Kanji, far more self-assured...
except when it came to dealing with Naoto, it seemed. However, that acceptance she had just implied toward him (at least in his mind) was very welcome. He'd always been worried about appearing manly in front of girls... in front of Naoto. Hewasa man, and nothing about that would change no matter what others thought of him... but it made him feel better to know she wasn't going to reject him for all of that.
"No prob. Always here to give a pep talk," he said with a little smile, as if aware that he was the LAST person one would expect a pep talk from. As Naoto immersed herself in her thoughts, Kanji called over the waitress, paying for their meal and getting ready to leave -- they both still had full days after this, he imagined. He certainly didn't expect an invitation or anything.
"Uh, yeah. Sure! Gotta hit up the Junes. Pick up some groceries and things for Mom. You heading there, too?" Kanji asked as he motioned toward the door, as if to invite her to walk and talk with him.
human
Naoto Shirogane
Although it was .. nerve-wracking a bit to hear that the Midnight Channel seemed to work the same way, even with the weather, she merely noted it all for now. Why was it still acting like that? Shouldn't the weather not matter by now? Things like this only seemed to convince one of two things was going on; someone was already in the Channel and tampering with it,orthese were all signs of foreshadowing and someone would be repeating history soon. Very soon from what Naoto could gather.
"It might be easier to figure it out when I get in there. Could be mere coincidence but ... I doubt it. Sounds like there should be an actual reason as to why it's still going through all of those patterns." she mused, stretching out slightly.
"It's a unique - but very good - way to go. Really, it is. No talents are restricted to certain genders only, nor should they ever be. If you ever doubt that again, look at Chie's love for martial arts or mine with the detective stuff. Both those are supposed to be mainly appropriate for men but ... " she gave a light shrug. "We don't care enough." Her own smile widened as she slowly sat up, nodding and finally realizing - after actually studying Kanji, that even after the two years had gone by, she wasstillshort.
Not as much as she used to be which had likely been a foot difference. But ... there were still about eight to ten inches of difference between herself and Kanji. Were this anyone else, they would have no doubt likely been a tad intimidated.
Naoto, on the other hand, was merely slightly annoyed. Not at Kanji, just .. at typically having to resort to stepping on her tip-toes or doing any and everything necessary to reach the most annoying places. There weren't many in her house, luckily. The store, however, was sometimes a different story.
"Yeah. I need to restock up for myself. I can get enough for several weeks if not a month. This last trip, however, seemed .. to go by faster than usual." Another intriguing thought. How and why had that happened? Ah well. It was all about to get remedied.
Her head bowed politely as she walked outside of the door and found herself back on the streets once again.
By now, Naoto would usually have been eager and willing to head home. But honestly? She was content - for once - to be outside of her home. She was with good company, possibly more in the future, and having a damn good conversation with said individual at that rate. She definitely never believed she would have such luck with anyone ... ever.
But hell, she wouldn't complain. If anything, Naoto was rather prepared to embrace and accept everything she had so far, especially in regards to Kanji.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
"If you say so," Kanji said -- there wasn't the usual mocking or indifference that phrase implied. If she was worried, then he supposed they had a right to be worried. She'd always been pretty careful about stuff (besides the time she boneheadedly got herself captured) but she'd always had a good reason. He guessed she'd even had a reason to get captured, as much danger as she had put herself in trying to do so.
"Heh, never thought about it like that," Kanji said when she pointed out that she and Chie had less-than-ladylike pursuits. Chie the sporty martial artist and would-be cop, and Naoto the science fiction-loving detective; Kanji the doll-making badass was in good company.
The hell do I have to complain about?
Kanji considered Naoto for a long moment -- they were more similar than he had realized before. He'd gotten an inkling of that when they had rescued her from her Shadow, having beaten the shit out of that floaty cyborg himself, but... it put it into perspective when he heard it from her.
Kanji headed out into the sunlight of mid-afternoon Inaba, hands digging down in his pockets as he took a deep breath. It was nice out, warm and summery, with the smell of blooming flowers and fruit heavy on the wind. Even in the busiest part of Inaba, one could still smell nearby nature. Kanji felt outright stifled in the larger cities.
"You live alone these days, Naoto?" he asked, glancing over to her as he led the way to the Junes. It wasn't too far from where they stood after all. And even if it was... well, he was having fun. No matter how much he occasionally lost his tongue around her, he was enjoying her company.
human
Naoto Shirogane
Naoto merely smiled, glad that her reminding Kanji it was okay to be slightly unorthodox at times could be a good thing. It definitely beat adjectives like 'corrupt', 'insane', or just outright 'evil'. And the investigation group wasn't quite that. Eccentric at her own worst .. but that wasn't too bad. It was sometimes their flaws as opposed to their strengths which actually made all of the team really strong. Funny how that worked.
She hadn't really thought about the past several years, let alone her placing herself in danger to help get a lead on the case by allowing herself to get kidnapped. Now with the possibility of history repeating, she had to ask herself if she'd do it again or not. Maybe; but definitely in a much smarter fashion. It was something that, as far as Naoto knew, she had time to ponder on at least.
Her eyes temporarily broke away from Kanji and took note that they were going towards Junes. Her heart sank a bit; she hadn't expected to head this way. She'd always tried to avoid Junes just because they were usually higher in price. While it was true that there weren't really many other options, there were enough for Naoto to find another place to go shop at. Ah well. It wasn't like she did this often and she did save most of her paychecks rather than splurge recklessly like most teenagers did.
Her eyes softened as they looked back to Kanji when he asked on her living alone. It was no surprise that he - nor anyone else - on the team knew what she was about to reveal. Her smile barely widened as she replied without any hesitation, "My parents have been dead. I've been an orphan for years. Yeah, I've lived alone since they got into a car wreck years ago. Inheritances plus the government helped me for a while. The latter, however, has slowed down now that I'm able to work. But .. um .. yeah. I'm always alone."
She'd relayed this story to most of the police. Yet why was it only now that she wanted to cry? Maybe because, prior to now, those last three words never sounded half as painful as they had been just now? Because she confessed it to someone she may be falling for? Something else she was missing?
"Don't worry about it," she quickly added, keeping her voice stable enough as her head tilted up. "You didn't know. No one did really. I guess I didn't want to sound like I was trying to pull some 'poor pitiful me' act so I've kept it hidden away unless I have to mention it."
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji was happy to walk along with her, pulling a small scrap of paper out of his pocket to consult the list he had written -- his writing was unusually small and neat, not dissimilar from the way quite a number of girls liked to write. It was almost fastidious, with each item outlined in fine ballpoint. Their shopping list was always of a fairly wide range -- this week it included rice, steak (which only Junes seemed to sell as a raw ingredient these days), scallions, tofu, seaweed, miso, ramen noodles, and... well, feminine hygiene products, an object that even the new-and-improved Kanji kept obscured with his thumb.
He stopped dead in his tracks when Naoto told him that her parents had been dead.
He turned slightly shocked and certainly apologetic eyes on her. He'd never considered that -- he'd always just assumed that she had parents back home, parents who would allow her to traipse all across Japan being the "detective prince" that she'd been... her parents being dead made that make alotmore sense, and he felt like the world's biggest dick for thinking that.
"Uh... shit, Naoto. I'm sorry," Kanji said, the shock dying down only to be replaced with embarrassment. Even with her affirmation that it was okay... well, Kanji still felt like a dick. "But hey, that's a pile of sh-... you know that's not true," Kanji said, gentling his language just slightly. "You got us, right?" Kanji asked. He didn't know if that'd be much consolation, a bunch of people she had initially befriended just to take on a serial killer/kidnapper, but...
Well, it was true. Kanji had considered them all family during that yearlong battle. Maybe it was because Kanji had been with them the longest besides for the original four and Yukiko, coming in before Rise and Naoto had joined the fight (and before Teddie had taken a level in badass), but... they had been his family. They had all been like elder siblings to him but Teddie (who seemed younger) and Naoto who... who he didn't know what she was to him.
"... but seriously. You got all of us. I know we ain't a great substitute, but... we're still here," Kanji said, reaching over for a reassuring pat on the shoulder, accompanied by a slightly awkward grin.
human
Naoto Shirogane
Naoto knew it probably wasn't intentional but the more Kanji spoke, the stronger her urge to cry got. The words were rather elegant, not at all something any other person would probably expect from a punk figure like Kanji. But .. he was doing a damn good job with his response. Her teeth gripped her lower lip for a few moments before she mustered the courage to look at him, barely continuing to keep her tears concealed. "I do, yeah. I'll admit that at first .. I wasn't sure if anyone really even ... considered me an official part of the group just because .. I kind of made sure I got included without any real thought or input. But ... every mission we did since then ... I realized how stupid I was."
And before she could stop herself, the tears began to fall. They had been rather discreet at the same time, though, because Naoto hadn't realized her body caved in until Kanji began to look blurry to her.
"Kuso .. " she murmured, quickly glancing away as she began wiping her eyes. "I guess it's been too long since I let myself .... well .... "
She couldn't say it. And why was beyond her. The word was simple, not even a curse one. She wanted to end the sentence with the easy term of 'cry'. But it was like some hidden sense of pride kept her from saying it. The action was perfectly justified, especially since she had grown up first before letting herself ever really grieve. All the seemingly simple things Naoto could normally do with no real effort abruptly felt like a chore.
A frustrated sigh finally left as she took a few steps away. "Don't watch .. " she pleaded, knowing that if anything it probably tempted him to do just the opposite. Her hand deftly raised as she let it land on her cheek.
It stayed raised in midair for about a minute before going back to her side. A long, deep sigh elicited from her lips and when Naoto turned back around, the crying had ceased. There were hints of it on her face as it was still a bit wet. But otherwise, no tears were streaming down her face.
"I'm fine now. Really. Thank you, though, for the reassurance."
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji looked outrightpanickedwhen he saw her pretty eyes shimmer with tears and then overflow, sending streaks of refracting tears down her face. "Aw, shit," Kanji murmured to himself. He stood in silence for several long moments, looking chagrined and rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. He half expected her to just run off then -- Kanji was no stranger to rejection, even if it had usually been with laughter instead of... this.
Good job, fuckhead. You made her cry.
"Uh, yeah," Kanji said lamely when she told him not to watch, averting his eyes... but sneaking the occasional glance, if only to make sure she wasn't pissed at him. He looked utterly relieved when she reined it in, bringing back the usual cool, calm Naoto that he knew and... Kanji flushed, clearing his throat.
"Sure. Er. Sorry, Naoto. I didn't mean to... you know, bring up anything hard like that. I just wanted you to know that, y'know? That I'm--... we're all here for ya. You guys were there for me, even when all my big embarrassing secrets were aired--" Wait. No, Naoto and Rise had never actuallyseenthat. Kanji stuttered, his cheeks flushing again suddenly. Shit, she didn't need to know that he had thought he might be... No, things had been going prettywell, and...
"We should get going. Don't want to be caught out past dark, and maybe I could help you carry some shit. I mean, you like to plan in advance and everything, right? Gotta be a lot of crap to carry home," came the smoothest subject transition in the history of forever.
human
Naoto Shirogane
The idea of breaking into a run had actually passed Naoto's mind. But she stood her ground, regardless of rhyme or reason. Whatever the motive was, the detective was honestly glad she'd listened and remained instead of running away. "It's ... really, it is okay. I just needed to get that out of my system for a bit. Then, I had to get a grip. I've done both I ... I'm better now."
Better, alas, was the keyword. Deep down, Naoto could feel she hadn't been anywhere close to finished. If she wanted to pick up, it'd definitely be after the shopping trip.
Speaking of which, Kanji brought it up as he gently reminded Naoto that had been where they were trying to go to ... before she'd broken down.
"Y-yeah. Yeah, sounds good. It .. probably will be a lot." Even despite her not going to the usual place for shopping, Naoto tended to get atleastseveral weeks worth of food during every trip she took ... if not more. Her head tilted back slightly as she took another long, deep breath before resuming walking towards Junes.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji looked relieved and concerned in equal measure -- he wanted to apologize again, but at this point he was afraid he'd sound like a dumb broken record. Instead he reached out to her, settling what he hoped was a reassuring hand on her shoulder, giving her a weak smile before dropping it and leading the way back toward Junes. He was just glad she hadn't run away from him -- even if it had been two years and he was healthier now emotionally than he was then... he was still scared shitless of being rejected.
especially by her.
It wasn't too far from the Junes from there, though Kanji was happy enough to while away that time in silence. Soon, as they came in through the side, the little Every day's great at your Junes~musical sting playing above them as they entered the supermarket. Kanji heaved a little sigh, the warm summer afternoon replaced by friendly fluorescent lights and air conditioning. "Goddamn, that's catchy," Kanji muttered, rubbing the back of his neck as his grey eyes turned onto Naoto.
"Alright. Let's see about getting our shit together. You got a list or something?" he asked. He figured with the two of them there, they could get through this quickly and he could see her home and then he could stop embarrassing the shit out of himself.
human
Naoto Shirogane
A small smile crossed Naoto's face as they walked in and she heard that annoyingly but very catchy tune. It made her think about Nanako .. which confused her slightly. She knew she missed seeing her but that wasn't what made her uncertain on how her train of thought had gone. It felt like there was another reason for thinking about Nanako besides the fact it had been a while since she last saw the young girl. It was only a theory ... but enough to make her cheeks warm up.
You just finished high school. Why are you thinking about wanting a family?
Probably because it had just dawned on her that she had missed having one at all. Her age and hormones likely weren't helping. Still, it almost felt .. inappropriate to think about even though she knew that wasn't the case.
"Yeah. In here," she replied, pointing to the side of her head. "I can usually remember things like this pretty well."
Helps I'm buying only for myself really ...
"Yeah though, it really is catchy," she agreed, realizing she'd replied to him out of order. Then again, it was Kanji; he wasn't technical enough to scold or care about such a petty thing. Hell, sometimes he had done such things himself.
"So ... you probably have a smaller list. I wouldn't mind getting your stuff done first if you want."
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
"Heh. Least that works for you. Sometimes I'm lucky if I remember my shoes in the morning," Kanji said with a self-deprecating smile. He... wasn't a morning person, sleeping the sleep of the dead as he tended to do, after all.
Kanji didn't even notice the order of things, since it was true -- he wasn't a very orderly and technical guy. He was rough around the edges, though surprisingly soft in places. He looked as much like a delinquent as anyone could ever hope to meet, dressed in blacks and with a very noticeable scar across one side of his head... but here he was, doing his mom's shopping along with a friend who just happened to be Japan's preeminent female detective.
He had a weird life, Kanji Tatsumi did.
"Uh, sure. We usually just plan for the week, but itisfor a couple of people. Got plenty of shit to pick up for food," Kanji said, unfurling his list and looking it over, eyes tracing along his own fastidious handwriting. In the background, a rather familiar shape focused itself...
Yosuke Hanamura had really taken to his responsibilities at Junes. He still had his headphones on, as was his trademark, but he wore a sedate white shirt with slacks such a burnt orange that they could more properly have been called brown. And... he had a bit of a wispy mustache, a look that... didn't really seem to be doing it for him, all told. Perhaps he thought it made him look more mature -- Kanji had told him it made him look like some sort of predator. And that it had scared Nanako-chan.
"Hey Kanji and -- holy crap, hey Naoto," Yosuke said, pulling his headphones off of his head and letting them hang 'round his neck. After a moment, he looked confused. "... wait, hey. Kanji, wasn't that you I just saw heading into the TV? Because I swear I just saw someone in the electronics department," Yosuke said.
human
Naoto Shirogane
"At least it's just the shoes you forget --- "
Naoto's cheeks instantly went red and now there was no chance he wouldn't see. Her head bowed slightly as she murmured, "I'm so sorry. No idea what came over me." If it weren't for the fact that she needed to get her shopping done, she would have run off due to how embarrassed she was. Between her obligations and another voice catching her attention, however, she stayed inside Junes. Her head looked up in time to see Yosuke. Her face was probably a bit still red but by the time she got addressed, it was a more normal color.
It definitely began to become less red as he went on to ask if Kanji had gone through the TV.
"... You thought you saw someone? Aren't there cameras around here that you can use to look to see whodidgo through?"
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji was caught off guard just then -- had... had Naoto just made a fuckingjoke? She had always been the most straight-faced member of the team, even in the face of the ridiculousness that was... well, just about everyone else in the group except MAYBE Yu. And even he had occasionally indulged in something that Teddie or Yosuke got him into...
They were both saved from the consideration of these things by Yosuke, however, and Kanji turned his gaze back to Hanamura. He looked shocked (again), and it almost seemed like an expression that was stuck there. "Nah, it wasn't me man," Kanji said, grimacing.
"Er. Thereusedto be, but the last thing we ever needed was the guy looking over the security tapes to see someone going through one of the TVs. I've made sure that none of the cameras are pointing at any of the biggest TVs just in case," Yosuke said. It was a bit of a security risk, but it wasn't like anyione else had ever known about getting into the TVs through Junes... of course, Namatame and Adachi had had their own ways to get in...
"Well, shit," Kanji swore, shooting a glance Naoto's way a moment later. "Hey, what you were saying earlier... about those kids," Kanji said. Those second years who had been stealing weapons from Daidara's... iftheywere the ones who had gone into the other world... Kanji had just sent them in pretty much unarmed.
"Fuck," Kanji muttered when he realized that. "Yo, how long ago was this?" Kanji asked, his urgency setting Yosuke's expression into a grimace of his very now.
"... I guess it was about twenty minutes ago?" Yosuke suggested.
human
Naoto Shirogane
"... Fair enough," Naoto mused, realizing it probably would have been awkward if not worse for anyone to literally see people going through the TV. "Well ... did you see what they looked like? Anything?" Suddenly, the desire to buy groceries vanished. Now, it was replaced by the desire to make the weekend plans shifted over to right then and there. If Yosuke had thought he'd seen Kanji enter, only to realize it was likely someone else, then the last place she should be was here. Moreover, there was the question of why people aside from the investigation team had entered. What reason didtheyhave to enter? And .. how did they know to go through the televisions?
Kanji seemed to be on the same train of thought as he hinted about the earlier teenagers. Her head slowly nodded as she looked over to him. "I .. I think so, yeah. But there's gonna be a lot of questions when we get in there for them. Um .... I'm not going to say you shouldn't be strict but um ... not so much, perhaps? Assuming they went in there for the same reasons we all did, itisat least having a good incentive included this means. That all being said though ... "
Naoto sighed as she looked between Yosuke and Kanji, "Unless the next few days are safe in terms of the weather, we probably should go now."
Well .. if nothing else, this day had definitely been an interesting one; much more so than her usual days where she followed a more typical routine.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
"Ah, afraid not. I just saw someone in black going through the TV -- I didn't get a really good look. I figured the only people who know about that stuff is us, and as far as I know, only Kanji and Teddie ever go through there anymore," Yousuke said.
Kanji swore under his breath. "Damn it, Yosuke, if you weren't sure couldn't you've tried to call me to find out!?" Kanji asked.
"Because my phone's dead right now! I thought it WAS you, and if I'd called, all I would have got was static anyway. You know cells don't work through the TV World," Yosuke said, looking annoyed.
"Shit," Kanji breathed, glancing back over to Naoto. "They're a couple of idiots. Going in without telling anyone," Kanji muttered. He was just projecting -- they'd all done that same foolish act, but Kanji felt guilty about sending the brats in there weaponless. They were probably walking around with shitty kitchen knives right now instead of a Daidara Original, and as they'd learned a few years ago, one's equipment made all the difference in the world. That and their Personas...
"Okay. Yosuke, go get me a folding chair -- I'll pay you back later," Kanji snapped when Yosuke looked like he was about to argue the point. "Naoto, you still got your gun, right? Oh, and call Teddie!" Kanji yelled after the retreating Yosuke. "We're going to need him to get out!" They definitely didn't need to be getting trapped on the other side. Though he wondered... how were those punks getting out? Or, worse, was this their first time in there?
Things were getting better and better...
human
Naoto Shirogane
Well .. at least Yosuke had noticed one of the questions that would definitely be asked to whomever had gone through the TV; how they knew about it. Because Yosuke was right; no one outside of the investigation team should have known. Any villains who had the knowledge were ... dealt with. Clearly, someone else had stumbled upon this information. Whether it had been random or intentional no longer mattered. It was all occurring, whether Kanji and Naoto liked it or not. Needless to say, the young detective definitely didnotenjoy this. This was no doubt one of the easiest ways to always better her sleuth skills, yes.
But that didn't mean she enjoyed it with the very thought of others being in very possible and likely danger.
"If they rushed off like that, chances are ... they're running really low on time. And, be honest. If you tried to tell anyone else about needing to go through a TV, would you expect anyone to believe you? I doubt which is why we kept this a secret from the get-go, correct? They had good intentions, I'm assuming. But ... they were definitely more reckless than even I was."
An affirmative nod would be seen as she lifted her top high enough that he could see the gun tucked away into one of her pockets.
Over the years, she'd gotten a license to carry it legally around so no one would question her possessing it. That plus the fact there weren't any cameras like Yosuke had said made her feel confident with revealing the gun to Kanji.
"Always. Just in case but .... yeah."
A defeated sigh passed Naoto's lips as she let go of her blouse, allowing it to conceal the weapon once more, before looking right at the TV. She hadn't quite expected to go back, definitely not like this.
But ... it was clear they were needed. It'd be more wrong of them to just let these teenagers die.
"... If theyhadgone in there for the same reasons, this means something dangerous is likely there. And I don't mean just the shadows you've been fighting with Teddie. Kanji ... I hate to say it but ... I'm wondering if ... if history may be repeating somehow."
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
"Yeah. I mean, I guess Yu and Yosuke were thereallystupid ones, since they went and jumped in before they had anyone to back them up," Kanji conceded. Naoto had joined when there were already a half-dozen able fighters as allies, plus Rise as their support. Yu and Yosuke had had... what, Teddie as support? He knew the little bear guy took a while to learn how to fight and to actually join in. He'd seen it, after all.
Kanji glanced down when she pulled up her shirt enough to reveal her gun... and a tantalizing bit of pale flesh that he very swiftly ignored.Damn it, brain. Keep your shit together. "Right. Well, here's what we're going to do. We're going to go after those punks, kick their asses over this... and then help them with whatever they got going on. They gotta be in there for a reason, right?" Kanji asked, having considered the notion when Naoto had brought it up. He may not have been the thinker between the two of them, but he seemed to be the one taking charge now. Someone had to do it.
"No one's shown up dead, Naoto. We'd'a heard about that. We didn't stumble onto this whole thing until after that reporter lady and... Konishi bit it," Kanji said. "... might be someone missing. You ain't heard anything like that, have you?" he asked as Yosuke came jogging by with the folding chair Kanji'd requested.
"Perfect," he said, gripping the side of the chair. It wasn't nearly as nice as his shield, but it would have to do considering.Hello, old friend."What about Ted?" Kanji asked.
"He was hanging out at the Amagi Inn with Yukiko. Guess it's going to be about twenty minutes before he can get over here," Yosuke said.
"Fuck. I guess that's the best we got. What about you?" Kanji asked, pointing his chair at Yosuke.
"Someone should watch things over here. Besides, I got work. And short of stealing something out of kitchen supplies," Yosuke said, cutting off Kanji before he could berate him, "I don't have anything to use. You guys go on ahead -- I'll point Teddie your way. I'll call the others, too," Yosuke said. "If we have another Adachi, the others should hear about it," Yosuke said.
human
Naoto Shirogane
"I would assume so, yes. But ... how? I mean, it seems like someone tipped them off to come here, someone who knew about it. But Adachi's been in his cell; I've seen him recently. So unless we've got someone from the team who is a double agent ... " she let the thought trail off. It wasn't fun to think of. But any and every option had to be set down on the table. And until they could make damn well sure of what was or wasn't happening, it was still - even if not likely - a possibility. As Kanji inquired if she'd heard about any unusual deaths, her head quickly shook from side to side.
"No. And I do keep up with the news a lot, much akin to how you deal with the weather in fact. So ... I would have seen if that were the case."
That being said, this couldn't be Adachi. The techniques were wrong.
"... Feels like one of those copycat cases; where there's a lot of similarities and differences at the same time. It'll be easier to determine, however, when we find those teenagers and get answers."
Naoto gave Yosuke an affirmative nod, agreeing with Yosuke that the others definitely needed to know. Her head finally turned back to the TV as she let out a long, deep sigh.
"Well ... here I go again I guess." After briefly using peripheral vision to make sure no one was nearby - no one who didn't need to see what she was about to do - Naoto took initiative and jumped inside first.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
"You knew, didn't you? I mean, you kind of figured out about us doing weird shit before you ever knew about Personas and everything. I mean, it could just be a really good detective that figured it out," Kanji said, forgetting that one needed a Persona (or be with a Persona-user) to enter a television in the first place. It was a mystery, and one that he was confident that they could solve.
"Be careful guys. No idea what you'll find in there," Yosuke said with a brief nod, turning away to place a call to Chie, and then on to the others...
Kanji held out his hand when Naoto leaped into the television first, cursing under his breath. ".... shit, I was gonna go first," he muttered. With nary a glance elsewhere, Kanji dove into the television behind Naoto.
The TV World was the same as it always was -- a misty studio platform beyond the Junes TV. Kanji landed on the usual platform, letting out a deep breath when he straightened up. The fog was always killer, nearly blinding and giving off an oppressive feeling... it was why he kept his glasses onthisside, which he drew out from a box hidden off to the side. The black glasses were settled on the bridge of his nose, taking away from the fog... but not that feeling. There was a sinister note to the air, a sort of... foulness that Kanji couldn't explain.
And with the fog gone, he could see thin streaks of blood across the yellow floor. Huh.
"Hey, you don't have your glasses, do you?" Kanji asked, glancing over Naoto's way He didn't figure she carried them habitually or anything after all this time.
human
Naoto Shirogane
All Kanji would have seen or gotten for a reply was a small smile. Her instincts and detective skills had only been a part of it. Back then, she had been hinted that something very wrong was going on. She had, however, gotten tips. It hadn't been until she thought on it but Adachi had purposely said far more than he should have. It made her mentally facepalm; how had she missedthatof all things?! It should have been her first hints to look out for him!
Ah well. Doesn't quite matter anymore ...
Maybe she had merely forgotten but now the fall seemed .. almost longer. Finally, she landed on her feet on top of the platform. As she glanced around, everything seemed ... a bit blurrier than usual. She began to panic, wondering what was going on. And then Kanji brought up both the answer and a future reminder.
".... Damn. No, I don't. I was going to bring them over this weekend. But I wasn't expecting to head in here now so ... no."
Despite her vision being anything but perfect, the crimson on the ground definitely caught her eyes. Walking towards the lines of blood, she lightly dipped her right pinky finger into it before lifting it close to her nose and inhaling.
"This ... is pretty damn fresh. I'd say around twenty to thirty minutes at most. At least we kind of have a trail to go off of."
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
"Well, shit," Kanji said. He considered for a long moment, before he slipped his glasses off and handed them off to Naoto. "Here, take 'em. You gotta be a lot more accurate with a gun than I gotta be with a chair," Kanji said. There was a logic to it, and if one of them was going to have their vision obstructed, it should've been the one who needed their eyes less. And he wasn't going to let up, either, until Naoto took his pair of glasses.
He was going to have to get Teddie to make a spare to keep in the central area if this sort of shit was going to happen. Not that he could be angry at Teddie for not planning this far ahead... no one had thought that anyone was going to use the TV World for evil, after all.
The blood was a splatter trail stretching off deep into the fog... it wound through twisted corridors, little drops here and there appearing not just on the floors but also the walls. In fact... it looked a lot more like a trail than it did someone trying to escape, since the blood dropped at a very consistent pace, implying a constant speed rather than someone stumbling around in the darkness. Which was also worrying -- one needed the glasses, or eyes made out of those lenses, in order to see well, but there was a sense of purpose to the path taken through those corridors.
"... y'get the feeling like we're being led on by something?" Kanji asked. He felt uneasy -- but who wouldn't, stumbling half-blind through the fog and the darkness? At least Teddie'd be able to find them by the trail...
In the distance, there was a sound. It sounded a bit like muffled voices, of shouts and sing-song replies. Kanji shot Naoto a look, and hurried on.
What lay beyond was... something else.
Those twisted corridors suddenly opened up into a big hall, filled with dozens upon dozens of candles. Pictures lined every wall; portraits, mainly, but also incidental shots, far-off pictures of people on the street, glimpsed through bushes or around corners. Every face had black marks drawn through the eyes and over the mouths, looking like they had been childishly doodled upon with a sharpie or similar. They were clustered with roughly identical pictures, groups of six or seven with the same model, candles lit around them like some sort of stalker shrine.
Kanji couldn't see, but Naoto could -- glimpses of an identical jacket, of a familiar hat, of a Tatsumi textiles apron... Kanji, Naoto, Chie, Rise, Yosuke, Teddie, even Yu were all represented in their own little clusters.
But there were others -- Adachi, Namatame, Mitsuuo, each portrait more defiled and blacked out than the last. And then there were utterly unrelated ones, of two high school boys and a high school girl.
And in the heart of the room were those same boys, on the ground and bleeding from nasty wounds across their shoulders or ribs, while a dark figure stood over them.
"You couldn't save her... you couldn't save her," a voice was gently whispering.
That dark figure stood tall and thin, at least as tall as Kanji but far more emaciated-looking, told in thin shoulders and a scrawny neck. Its clothing was black in places, dried blood soaked into its outfit. It wore a mockery of a bear's head over its head, a hood with little, mothbitten bear ears up top, its mouth gaping wide over the lower half of the figure's face, the bottom jaw torn out of the hood to reveal a mocking human grin. Its bear suit was likewise in tatters, and in its left hand were three knives, held loosely between its fingers. In its right...
She'd been pretty once. the girl that dangled from her neck in the figure's hand. A cute button nose, bright green eyes, and a figure that would have filled out her school uniform nicely if it hadn't been ripped to shreds. Hosiery held tight to her legs where it wasn't ripped through, her shirt torn to reveal perky breasts. Her green eyes, possibly vibrant and full of energy normally, were dull and listless. A thin white glaze covered her cheeks, her breasts, and dripped between her thighs. Bruises were spread across her arms, her stomach, and her inner thighs, clearly dripping from between them.
A thin cut had been brought to bear across her left leg, presumably where the blood trail had come from.
human
Naoto Shirogane
For a long while, Naoto stared at Kanji's glasses as they were being offered to her. She was more than ready to protest but ... he was right. She would need to be accurate. Mentally noting to get her glasses to avoid forgetting about this ever again, she slowly accepted them. Within moments, everything came into a much better view. The sights made a tight knot in her stomach form. It took a hell of a lot to even make Naoto uneasy in the first place. Even when they had been in this place before, it was never as ... eerie compared to the way it was making Naoto feel then and there.
"Here, Kanji, you can --- " But before she could finish, he actually began to run off! "W-wait!"
Her right hand reached for her gun as she held it tightly. Thankfully, he hadn't gone too far and thus Naoto was able to easily catch up with him. Her pace slowed, however, as the copies of the team came into view.
"... The ... hell ... ??" she murmured, amazed and terrified at how accurate these all were in appearance. And then, to add on more confusion, Adachi, Namatame, and Mitsuuo were also here?
Poor Naoto was so confused, save for one obvious thing. There was no way in hell this could be Adachi. Itdefinitelywasn't his style. Her eyes glanced around from the investigation team to the pictures a few times, only stopping as a new figure began to walk out and reveal itself.
The suit alone made it easy to almost think it was Teddie. But .. no. This was something,someonethe grin suggested, to be far more darker. Taking note of the three daggers, she whispered softly to Kanji, "Be ready to raise that if he tosses one."
She swallowed softly as her eyes couldn't help but see the now dead girl. But ... whom had that been? The person they were trying to save? Her teeth gripped her lower lip as her arm raised, pointing the gun right for the assailant's forehead.
"... Who are you?! How did you find about this place?!"
Was this really their culprit? And if so, why was he staying inside the TV? Didn't he understand it would be incredibly simple for them to find her? Or ... was that what he wanted? It was questions like this which continued to confuse her. Her finger moved towards the trigger, ready to pull back on it if it seemed needed.
Until then, they wouldn't get any answers if either of them attacked and aimed to kill this guy now. It was the only real thing keeping her from just shooting then and there.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
"Tosses what?" Kanji muttered. He was almost blind in this place, seeing only glimmers of candlelight through the heavy fog, like malevolent will'o'wisps floating just outside of perception. All he could do was hear... hear the mocking little voice in the darkness. Even if he couldn't see anything, he listened to her, raising his chair in a defensive stance in case he needed to defend against something being tossed at him. Something... dark was in here. He got that same feeling when they confronted one of their Shadows, their dark halves that would have killed them all had they gotten the chance.
"Oooh~... did you come, too? Come to try and rescue this toy of mine?" the figure asked. It was an obviously male voice, but it was high and unhinged. "I'm done playing with her, and I'dloveto give her to you. It's just... this toy'sbroken," he said, his voice deepening suddenly as he raised his daggers to plunge them straight through the girl's back.
There was a scream, cut short with a distressingly organic sound as the blades ripped through her flesh. She hadn't been dead, just unconscious from the blood loss... but there was no mistaking the frozen horror on her face, the blood dripping down her body... and then she was gone, disappearing in a wave of what looked like fireflies, snuffing out toward the ceiling. They had never seen someone actuallydiein the TV World... they'd only ever seen the reporter's corpse and later Saki's...
But since their bodies were still there... the boys had to be alive, too.
"Do you want to be my toy too, Naoto?" the voice whispered, a wide grin splitting across the figure's face as blood dripped from his three daggers, still extended in that fatal blow.
"Who the fuck are you!?" Kanji yelled. He didn't see the girl die... but he was aware that someonehadjust bit it, and he was barely restraining himself. But he couldn't restrain his voice.
"Play with me," that figure whispered again, just loud enough for everyone to hear, his hand pulling back with all three daggers dripping between his fingers. He started forward, long legs carrying the slender bear man toward Kanji and Naoto.
human
Naoto Shirogane
"Daggers," Naoto managed to quickly whisper back, noting that even without the knowledge of what exactly to look out for, he had paid attention to her words. As the figure began to speak, the voice almost felt like the daggers; sharp and dangerous, each seeming to pierce a part of her very heart and soul. The pain only got worse as they were hinted the girl hadn't been dead; not until the man stabbed her. Her grip on her lower lip tightened roughly.
Seriously?! Damnit! If I'd known, she could have been saved!
A rare sensation of genuine anger was beginning to emerge in the detective. But she tried to desperately keep it at bay, knowing it wouldn't be good for her emotions to get the best of her. Especially not now of all times.
However, her heart couldn't help but cease for a few seconds as this ... person spoke her own name!
"...H-how .. how do you know who I am?! Whoareyou?!" A bit of panic could actually be heard mingling in with her fury. She took a step back, feeling even more uneasy - no,scared- about this person. No one, not even Adachi, had this sort of effect on her. So what was so different about this one? Was it only the fact he seemed like he could pass off as a stalker if not worse? Or was there much more?
Naoto felt her ankles quickly tense up, ready to move back again if needed. She only kept herself in place for one reason; she still needed to be in range for her shot to have a chance to hit. And yet, she almost didn'twantto. But .. why? He was armed! It'd be all the more justification to go on and pull back on the trigger!
Get a grip!she screamed at herself, feeling her hand actually beginning to shake a bit. It wasn't yet obvious, not unless one tried to look. But it was definitely happening. Her eyes closed as she took a long exhale. When they opened up once more, her arm adjusted to make sure it had gone in between the eyes of this person, or at least in the same area as to where they should be.
Finally, her index finger pulled backward ... and a loudbangechoed as she fired her gun. Even if it merely incapacitated this bastard, it'd at least be a start. But gods help her, she didnotwant this person getting close to her.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji's blood ran cold as he heard the footsteps echo in the darkness. He could hear it, but he couldn't see it, no matter how he strained his eyes to see through the fog. The voice sounded like it was coming from all around, and the oppressive feeling in the TV World only grew stronger as the figure approached in the fog. Whatever this thing was, it couldn't have been human.
Kanji's grip tightened on the edge of the chair, moving slowly closer to Naoto. He didn't want this bastard getting near to her either -- it was clear even to him that his first victim had been female... even if he hadn't noticed she'd been raped.
Just wait, Kanji. She's got the gun, let her shoot and then move in...
"Scared, Naoto?" the voice whispered again. "Just be my toy... I'll show you how muchfunit is to be a woman," he whispered... and right before she pulled the trigger, the creature grinned. "Persona," he whispered.
A card appeared in front of his face for a scant half-second, the bullet smashing through it like a rock through glass. An inhuman cackling roared over the appearance of a being before them -- it was... small. Child-sized, in fact, no older than 8 years old. It was bandaged haphazardly from head-to-toe and garbed in nothing else, what skin it showed run through with stitches. Mismatched eyes -- gray and blue -- shone on its face, and in one childlike hand was a long handle, a thin, oblong shape resting on the handle, the hilt of a very unwieldy sword at least as big as it.
For a split second, the "blade" might have looked familiar, like an atom bomb.
"Ainu-Moshiri," the figure giggled. "Get them! Tear them apart!"
"Take-Mikazuchi!" Kanji yelled in turn, smashing his own Persona card with a swing of his chair. The skeletal robot appeared in a flash of light, and Kanji was just a bit faster on what he said next: "Ziodyne!"
Lightning and wind tore through the room in equal measure, the bolts smashing into the little Persona while buffeting winds blasted Kanji's, knocking both the figures back, Kanji landing on his behind in front of Naoto. Meanwhile, the shadowy bear man was lost amongst the smoke kicked up by their brief altercation of opposing elements.
human
Naoto Shirogane
This was by far one of the worst days for Naoto, even more so than her purposely letting herself get captured. At least back then, she had honestly been more prepared. Hell, she had set it up. But now ... she had next to nothing. The only item Naoto had on her that could even begin to help with this fight was her pistol. No glasses, no Persona card .. nothing else. Needless to say, it took her aback when this man summoned one also.
Gods, who is he indeed?
She'd never admit aloud the answer of her being yes was scared; very much so in fact. Her heart raced as she tried to recall if she had ever felt this way before? Probably but definitely not anytime recently. Soon, dust from both the attacks kicked up, causing Naoto's left arm to raise up as she kept most of it out of her eyes, temporarily forgetting she still had the glasses.
A few coughs left Naoto. Even with her mouth closed, some of the debris had caught her nose, causing her to open her mouth. She forced herself not to swallow anything though it did leave an odd feeling in her mouth and on her body. Her eyes had also closed instinctively because she found Kanji beside her. "... Kanji? You alright?"
Her gaze remained down towards her companion as her right hand raised once more, beginning to adjust her aim as she prepared to fire again.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji drug himself to his feet, wiping the flecks of dust from his eyes as he stepped closer to Naoto. He settled a hand on her shoulder, as if to keep himself between her and the madman. "Hey, Naoto," Kanji whispered. "Didja forget how to summon your Persona?" he asked. He'd come back months after the fights in the Midnight Channel, and it had been somewhat difficult for him to call forth Take-Mikazuchi. It was no trouble for him now to simply summon it from within, but if one had been gone for a couple of years...
"I'm alright," he whispered back, holding his chair up in front of himself -- not like he could see anyway. "We need to get those punks out, or else they might get killed while we fight," Kanji said. He knew they were in there somewhere, even if he couldn't see them.
Kanji gripped his chair as he heard footsteps echoing again in the fog, the smoke clearing enough to reveal the slender bear man, standing there in the darkness. Behind him, his little Persona floated, heavy warhead-sword held loosely in its tiny hands.
Kanji stared back at the killer, only able to see a bare outline through the fog now. What the hell were they fighting? They had a Persona, they had Naoto's name, they had this little stalker shrine... and most perplexing of all, they could get into the Midnight Channel in the first place. What were they dealing with?
"Kanjiii! Naotooooo!" came a voice from a good ways behind them, the tell-tale squeaking of Teddie's footsteps echoing through the darkness.
The killer froze visibly, but only Naoto could see it. See the grimace and the silent mouthing of a word: Mother? Brother? Other? The killer turned suddenly, flashing Naoto a lingering look before fleeing back through the room, his back turned and entirely visible to Naoto as he fled, his Persona fading away as the killer tried to make good his escape.
human
Naoto Shirogane
"Not forget, no. But ... I didn't really come here with much of anything prepared since I was expecting to come here in a few days, not today. It .. it's not your fault. Really. I just ... didn't see this or the fact we've got one of the creepiest bastards here as factors I planned ahead for." Her voice was remaining calm though barely. This guy really was genuinely scaring her. He knew way too much and it left far more questions unanswered than anything. Honestly, she was almost wishing she had let Kanji keep his glasses. That lewd and gruesome image of the girl having been clearly raped was now etched into her memory. Even with Dojima and the police force, she had never seen anything quite like that before. It was new .. and not at all something she wanted to view again if it could be helped.
"Y-yeah. I know. But trying to run past him would be --- "
She'd been ready to end the sentence with something along the lines of 'suicidal' or 'foolish' but halted as Teddie's voice rang out. Her pulse began to switch back to a much more normal pace as she let out a loud whistle, letting him follow it so Teddie could rendezvous with them.
Gods yes! Please yes! Hurry the hell up, Teddie!
Naoto refused to give any indications on her face that the look the killer gave her added more fear than he had already made her feel. But deep down, she felt as if her soul had been peeked at, or something perhaps even more powerful.
"...He's gone. Here ... "
Gently moving one of Kanji's hands down, he'd feel his glasses pressed against a hand.
"I .. I don't know if I can summon my Persona like this. Until I can get in a better state .... you should have these back. Just in case we run into anymore shadows on the way to find those guys."
She wouldn't force him to accept but her tone made it clear it was definitely her preference. She kept the glasses held out, waiting for Kanji's reply and Teddie to arrive.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
"Fuck. He got away," Kanji muttered to himself. He couldn't chase the guy down by sound alone -- he'd be at a disadvantage when he couldn't see the guy at all, and considering that the guy's Persona was at the very least a match for Take-Mikazuchi. That unnerved him -- he had barely lost a beat since they'd last gone into the TV World, and it was quite likely that he was now the strongest person on the Investigation Team -- maybe even stronger than Yu after two years of inactivity. And this bastard was a match for him.
Naoto was right -- this wasn't Adachi. This wasworse.
When she offered him his glasses back, her hand on his, he blinked at her blurry outline in the fog. He nodded slowly, taking the glasses from her and settling it over his eyes. He could see once more, everything coming into sharp relief... including the fact that she was slightly shaking.
It was somewhat nice knowing he wasn't the only one worried.
"Alright -- Hold on tight to me," he said, offering her his arm. After all this, he didn't want her getting separated from him in the darkness.
The squeaking grew closer, the blue and red bear that emerged from the fog a far more welcome sight than the far more realistic-looking brown bear, with all its blood splatters.
"Kanji! Naoto! Man, am I glad to see you guys!" Teddie said, coming to a stop -- he had his claws on, and his Persona floated along behind him -- the large cartoonish bear with a warhead of its very own. "Um... what happened?" Teddie asked, gesturing around the stalker shrine. "And... w-what is all this?"
"We'll fill you in later, Ted. C'mon. We gotta get these punks out of here," Kanji said, gesturing to the two injured boys. There was going to be hell to pay for all of this... and he knew for afactthey'd be seeing that girl on some telephone pole soon.
human
Naoto Shirogane
The usual side effects of not having the glasses on were beginning to try to kick in. Between that and the images carved into her memory, Naoto felt herself beginning to have a headache. The second Kanji accepted and put the glasses back on, her vision went blurry once again. The vulnerable state she was in made her unable to help but swallow. Her eyes closed as she took a long, deep breath, trying desperately to calm herself.
Yes, calm. She was that scared to actually feel the need to resort to such tactics. No one had ever made her this genuinely terrified. No one. And this ... killer had seemed to do just that. Maybe because he wasn't only a killer? Rapist was definitely added onto his list of crimes. And the very real possibility of having that happen to her if he did catch her ...
No! No, no! Stop ... you're with Kanji. He won't ...
And yet, she couldn't help but remember this guy's own Persona seemed to be on par with Kanji's.
Her hands trembled as she held eagerly onto Kanji's arm, not needing to be told twice about not letting go. She had no intention of doing so on her own, fuck that. This guy would have to make her if he truly wanted to try to separate her.
"What he said. Let's ... just get them and go. Don't get me wrong, Teddie, it is very good to see you. In fact, you probably came at the best possible time. But ... I don't think I've ever been so eager to leave."
Naoto would have gladly explained to Kanji what was bothering her, namely the part on the girl having been nude and showing signs of raped. But .. she didn't know if she could relay the details in front of him with Teddie nearby.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji could feel her death grip on his arm, and after a moment he turned a bit, his other arm coming around as he moved to face her, his free hand landing on her shoulder. "I got ya, Naoto," he said, holding there for a long moment before he moved back around, switching his hands 'round so that he held the chair in his left arm rather than the right arm (which she was holding on to).
"Uh, alright! One bear-y fast escape coming up, haha... ha... ha," Teddie said, his laughter clearly just a nervous tick as he looked between Kanji and Naoto. "Right," he said, moving over to the two unconscious boys. One of them came around with a little bit of face smacking (even though he screamed when he saw the visage of a bear, however cartoonish). The other was a good bit more unconscious, and Teddie tossed the young man across his shoulder, holding on tight to him as he stood up. They alwaysdidseem to be stronger in the TV World, after all.
"Okay! Let's go, guys," Teddie said, heading for the main entrance. Kanji gritted his teeth. "Hey. Second-year -- stay close to me," Kanji said. He could see the boy freeze outright when he heard Kanji's voice, though the commanding note in it seemed to straighten out his spine a little bit. He nodded slowly and took up a position by Kanji's other shoulder, setting a hand on it lightly for guidance.
And so done, Kanji headed for the entrance. But before they ever got there...
"What happened to Miyuki-chan?" the second-year at Kanji's shoulder tentatively asked.
"... we... that fucker got her. Killed her right when we got there," Kanji said outright. He'd find out later, and sugar coating it now would just make it worse.
The boy froze for a moment, his voice curiously flat when he spoke again. "Oh." He was in shock.
It was a long trip out of there, seemingly longer on the way back than it had been on the way in, but they were at the entrance in due time. And with that... Teddie helped them escape back into the real world of Junes.
human
Naoto Shirogane
"Thank you. I -- " Naoto had been ready to apologize for the unorthodox mindset dominating her. But he wouldn't want that. Even with having only known Kanji for a few years, the detective felt pretty damn sure that would no doubt be his reaction. Her head and even chest fell against his arm as her eyes closed. With how close she was, Kanji would be very likely to feel and hear her pulse, let alone how fast her heart was beating by now. Even with the strong front Naoto was trying to keep in front of everyone else, her body was all but screaming just how scared she actually was.
The walk back stayed mostly silent. Finally, however, one of the teenagers spoke up. A twinge of guilt shot through Naoto. Should she even mention that their friend had been raped? She tried to figure out, in her mind, if it would be worse for them to be told by Dojima or any of the cops .. or herself. Her teeth gripped her lower lip as she tried to regain her composure and think logically on how to go about this. The news of their friend being raped would no doubt be as bad as hearing she had also been killed. But .. it felt wrong to keep that part hidden from them.
First thing was first, however. Soon, they left the TV and entered back into Junes. Her vision began to readjust and as it did so, Naoto turned to face the nearest teenager.
"May I ask a few questions, mainly how you all found out about that ... entrance? Did someone tell you to go here?"
It could have - and probably was the killer. But she wanted to hear and know for herself.
"I'm sorry for seeming a tad selfish. But truly, I am - we are - trying to help you out. If, however, you'd rather call me later and give me the details, I can respect and understand that. But answers would definitely be appreciated, preferably sooner than later."
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Yosuke was on the other side of the TV, looking incredibly worried when the five emerged. The boys' injuries seemed to heal up when they made it to the other side -- physical wounds never seemed to last from the TV World to the real world, though the psychological wounds... those weren't going to be going anywhere anytime soon. Both of the young boys seemed to be in shock, though they were otherwise physically alright.
"C'mon in here," Yosuke muttered, aiming the five of them toward the employee lounge, blocking it off a moment later.
Here they could talk.
Kanji finally let Naoto go in the lounge, unfolding his chair and sitting down heavily on it as he considered Naoto and the boys. One had been deposited on the lounge's couch, with Teddie standing off in the corner with his headpiece deposited on the floor.
"I-it's alright. It was... some guy. Had a really creepy laugh and... he was pretty tall. Like him," the student said, pointing at Kanji. "Called us on Miyuki's cell and told us if we wanted to find Miyuki, we had to come to Junes, to stand right in front of that TV. When we came, though... some arms just reached out and dragged us in," he said.
"I could probably check the cameras. Though it might not do a lot of good," Yosuke said. They wouldn't have evidence of him going through the TV, anyway.
"Why'd you even come instead of calling the cops?" Kanji asked. It sounded like they hadn't known about the TV World, after all.
"Miyu... Miyu tended to run away sometimes. Usually just to one of her friends houses... but this time, we got a call, and he told us that we had to try and find her, and if we called the cops, he'd... hurt her," the boy said, his eyes starting to well up. The shock seemed to be wearing off.
human
Naoto Shirogane
Needless to say, Naoto was glad Yosuke directed everyone into the lounge. There would be privacy. And she could hear and reveal everything without fear of the wrong people hearing her. Naoto took a seat beside Kanji, not minding for once that she was on the floor. She was safe .. and that was what mattered more than anything. Especially with the lingering threats, that she could have ended up very similar to this Miyuki woman. It made her almost sick and certainly more scared than she had been. She stayed silent at first, listening to the exchange between the guys first.
"Do you know if the voice who called you matched the one from in there? Or did you record that call by chance?"
Her hand raised as Naoto moved a few blue bangs away from her matching eyes, glancing nervously at the men. Her shoes gently tapped against the floor. She'd still been wondering if it would be best to inform them herself or let Dojima do this. And finally, Naoto had come up with a verdict. The deciding factor had been to let the others hear the cruel, harsh truth. If the voice that Kanji had heard hadn't given away it had not been Adachi, this bit of information would.
".... I'm sorry to say your friend wasn't just murdered. Kanji didn't see it ... but .... " Her teeth gripped her lower lip as her head bowed slightly. Her voice softened to barely above a whisper as she finished the revelation. "She was raped also."
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
"Yeah, it was the same voice," the boy confirmed. He was never going to forget a voice like that, after all. "And, uh... didn't record them or anything. I didn't even know you could do that with a cellphone," the boy said, looking crestfallen a moment later. What if he'd been able to do that? Miyuki could still be...
Those tears started to spill in earnest when Naoto revealed what Miyuki had gone through before she had been murdered.
"What the fuck?" Kanji asked, standing up suddenly as Yosuke gasped, and Teddie looked... well, lost for a moment.
"What's that?" Teddie asked. Yosuke grimaced for a moment before he leaned over to Teddie to try and explain things a little more clearly. After a long moment, the blonde boy went even paler than usual. "... oh." Adachi had been messed up, but he'd never directly murdered someone... nor had he ever raped them.
This guy was on a whole other level it seemed. One that sent shivers up and down Kanji's spine.
"... okay," Kanji said, clearing his throat. "We need to call everyone about this, and especially warn Yukiko, Chie, and Rise. They gotta know to be more careful. They had pictures of all of us up in there, and he knew Naoto's name. I don't know how, but we gotta make sure that he doesn't get to any of us," Kanji said. He hesitated for a moment. Chie was at the police academy, Yukiko was in the populated Amagi Inn, and Rise was surrounded by people every hour of every day, including by bodyguards.
Naoto lived alone...
"... hey, uh. Naoto. Do you want to stay the night at my house?" Kanji asked, realizing only a moment later that maybe putting her up at the Amagi Inn might be better. All the same, as long as Naoto was safe... because if that whackjob could go through TVs and was interested in Naoto...
He didn't want to see her hurt.
human
Naoto Shirogane
A small smile crossed Naoto's face as the one teenager seemed intrigued on the cell phone recording. "You can if you know a few extra tricks. Dojima and a few others taught me that same one." But as soon as she finished her revelation, she went silent, knowing that all who understood the words would need time to register and realize they were definitely not dealing with any typically killer. The combination of rapists and murderers were by far some of the more dangerous types, simply because you could never get a good read off whether they were going to spare their victims or not. Granted, Naoto had never dealt with this before. But she had read and been taught about them.
And now to know she not only had to track one down ... but watch out for him at the same time ... made her shift uneasily on the floor.
Her smile widened as Kanji extended the offer for Naoto to remain with Kanji. "Get out of my head," she teased, chuckling softly. "I was going to wait for this talk to be over to bring it up. But since you did so .. please. I've never minded being alone. But after that encounter ... I don't ... really .... want to be."
She usually just slept in the clothes she wore during the day anyway. A shower could work on maintaining her hygiene .. yeah. This could - should - work.
"Did you just want to finish your own shopping trip then? Mine can wait if I'm going to just go with you."
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji offered her a brief smile -- glad to sharte something relatively lighthearted after talk of murder and everything. "Okay... okay, here's what we do," Kanji said, turning back to the room as a whole. Yu wasn't there to guide him... so he guessed he had to be.
"Yosuke -- call everyone. Teddie... I guess you should stick with the Amagis over at the Inn. She got kidnapped back then even while being at the Inn, right?" Kanji asked. He'd heard she had been kidnapped by Nametame as well back then, even if it had been somewhat before his time when it came to the group. "Chie and Rise'll be fine -- Chie's at the police academy, Rise's on tour... and neither of them are actually in Inaba proper right now, anyway," Kanji said, rubbing the side of his neck.
That just left the two kids.
"... uh," he said, glancing at the fully awake student.
"Hideki," he supplied, still a little too far gone in shock to be annoyed that Kanji didn't know his name.
"Right. Hideki, you... you get your friend home. And stay the hell out of that other world for now, y'hear? Leave it to us. We're actually equipped to handle shit like this. But I guess I'll keep you in the loop," Kanji said when Hideki looked ready to protest.
"Everyone good?" Kanji asked, glancing to Yosuke and Teddie. They nodded hesitantly, Yosuke nervously poking at his phone.
"Okay... Naoto, we need to stop by your place? We can just grab dinner for the night and try getting more groceries tomorrow or something. I'm always beat after heading in there," Kanji said. Plus, he'd have to budget time to explain things to his mom.
human
Naoto Shirogane
Naoto remained silent while Kanji took over the role of leader and gave people things to do. It was no doubt an interesting sight. But then again, that just showed how much he grew over the two years. It honestly impressed her. She probably could have done this herself ... if that bastard from the television hadn't freaked her out. Even if there were more than enough good reasons for her to have reacted the way she did, Naoto still couldn't help but be a bit annoyed at herself. That was likely her perfectionist side kicking in. It was one of the many flaws she'd been trying to work on getting ... better with. It was, obviously, still a work in progress.
But compared to how it used to be several years ago, it honestly wasn't as troublesome as it was now. That plus seeing Kanji smile made her do so.
As Kanji finished talking and directing everyone, Naoto slowly got up to her feet before looking up to Kanji. Her head quickly shook no. "I wouldn't mind just grabbing something then heading to your place. I don't really need much for myself. All my essentials I have on me; gun, wallet, clothes, stuff like that."
Moreover, another scary idea had come to her mind. Adachi could go both in and out of the television. What if this guy could also? They didn't see much of his actual human form so ... he could literally be anyone. She feared having another encounter and the easiest way to do that, in Naoto's head, was allowing this man too many time and opportunities. Granted, it wouldn't have been intentionally done. But .. still. She didn't want to take that chance, not yet.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
"Alright. Yeah, let's grab something simple... some rice, some steak to fry, and some peppers should do," Kanji said, giving Naoto a look. It conveyed a lot of things just then -- about how he hoped he was doing alright, about how he hoped Naoto would be safe... that ultimately, deep down, way under his thuggish exterior... he had the capacity to do right by the people he cared for. Sadly, as much as he'd matured, he'd yet to mature enough for any of that to pass through his lips.
"Okay... well, we'll still run by your place sometime tomorrow or something to grab your glasses. Oh, hey, Ted," Kanji called out to Teddie. "How fast can you make some more of those glasses?"
Teddie paused for a moment, looking speculative. "Um. Should only take me a few hours for each set," Teddie said.
"Could you make a coupl'a spare pairs? In case we don't have ours or those punks get thrown in? Because we're sitting ducks without them," Kanji said.
Teddie nodded slowly. "Uh, yeah. I can do that while hanging out with Yukiko-chan."
Kanji nodded, glancing back to Naoto.
"Let's go."
It didn't take long to get the needed ingredients -- small strip steaks, green, and red peppers, and a generous bag of rice. From there, it was just a quick stop by Daidara's closed shop to grab his shield (a far more effective weapon than the chair was, that was for sure) before they were back home to Tatsumi Textiles -- the shop they shared with their home in back and above.
The shop was just closing up, with Kanji slipping in with his key. His mother, who was just folding some fabric samples and putting them away, glanced up at the bell and smiled gently at Kanji and Naoto. "Oh, Kanji. You brought a friend. Ms... Shirogane, right?" she asked. She'd seen the news reports and had heard of Naoto from Kanji.
The shop was a nice little place -- a rather unassuming place that was primarily kept in business by the Amagi Inn... but supplemented by the big table of handmade stuffed dolls that took up one wall. Kanji had been busy these past few years, it seemed.
"Hey, Mom. Uh, yeah. She's got water damage at her place -- mold and sh... stuff," Kanji said, holding up the bag of groceries. "You mind if she stays over for a day or two while they clean that crap out?" Kanji asked.
"I don't see why not," she said, giving Kanji a look that was almost... odd, but made no further comment.
human
Naoto Shirogane
"That's fine. Sounds like a plan." Naoto couldn't help but smile as she listened to Kanji. The exchange and seeing more and more bits of proof that this wasn't just a dream made her feel ... better in a way. She couldn't pinpoint how but the detective definitely understood what her instincts were trying to say to her. Naoto had never really felt like she needed to be beside anyone for safety reasons, or any other motives at that rate. But she certainly felt secure while beside Kanji. It was another foreign sensation she was noting. This was much better than the panic, fear, and anxiety she'd been feeling moments ago, no doubt. At the same time, however, it almost terrified her in a way.
What if that man figured out she was starting to think of Kanji as more than a mere comrade? It could be used against them. They'd gotten lucky once before. Could that really continue to be repeatedly tested? Not forever, no.
After the exchange, Naoto found herself walking through Junes beside Kanji. She snuck glances toward him every now and again, feeling as if she should say something. But what was beyond her. Apologizing for revealing the truth? Nah. That'd be stupid for one. Two, it'd be more fitting to say that to Hideki and his friend more than Kanji. Her head bowed lightly as a defeated sigh passed her lips. No words or thoughts were coming to her head. In her own way, she was still taken aback by what had nearly just happened, and worse off, what Naoto's eyes had seen.
More than anything, instincts seemed to help her feet move as they continued to help ensure she never got lost or left Kanji's side. After everything was gathered, Naoto found herself briefly outside and entering the Tatsumi textile shop. As Kanji's mom came into view, her head bowed politely.
"Yes, ma'am. It is Ms. Shirogane."
It took every ounce of willpower to keep from chuckling aloud as Kanji hinted he even had an excuse figured out for her. It was another surpise she saw from Kanji. But this was definitely something that had been needed. And honestly, he had come up with perhaps the best possible thing to say; one of them anyway. She wasn't a good liar, for one. Two, she didn't know if she would have been able to figure a decent enough lie out. And mold would certainly be a legitimate reason to be out of the house.
"Thank you, ma'am. It was .. very unexpected. I'm pretty sure it was from the previous owners because I take care to avoid such things normally."
While Naoto wasn't usually fond of lying to people, she understood now was one of those exceptions. After all, it would have been difficult to say they had returned from entering a different world, let alone through a television of all places. No sane person would believe that. The only reason Dojima accepted that truth was because, near the end, Nanako had been dragged into the wreck and nearly died.
Otherwise, the group had kept the existence of the other world mostly to themselves, never once letting anyone else know about it.
Which made this new killer all the more intimidating; how hadhefound out about it? There were so many unanswered questions thatneededto get answered, including how he knew her name, the team, any and everything else he had hinted about having knowledge of in that .. creepy shrine of his.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji had been more than happy to keep quiet -- not because he didn't want to speak with her, but because he didn't know what to say. He didn't scare easy for the most part; sure, some stuff got to him, but... the idea of not being able to protect someone really scared him. Not being able to protect his mom, or his closest friends, or... Naoto. The other day, he would have just called her a friend. Today... today had brought up so many feelings in him, feelings that had died down into embers after two years before suddenly being stoked back into a blaze.
Kanji was in love, and he was afraid that was going to spill out into everything... and even though he was better about it, tanking rejection from random people like it was nothing, he wasn't sure if he could take being rejected by her.
When all was said and done and the lie had been delivered, Kanji had glanced over at Naoto. He was pretty good at lying (since he'd never been able to tell his mom about the TV World), but he was also pretty sure she never believed him when he did lie. Mothers had a way of knowing... but perhaps she was just glad that she wasn't getting any other calls from the police or the teachers about what Kanji had been up to. He was on the up and up... and he'd brought a girl home.
"Well... I am sure we can set you up with a place to sleep. Kanji dear, you can show her around while I get dinner ready," she said, taking the bag of groceries and looking it over. "Mm. Should be just a bit," she said, smiling pleasantly to Kanji and Naoto before she made her way back into the store to the kitchen.
"Alright... well, c'mon and I'll show you the place," Kanji said, setting the shield down behind the counter as he led her into their house. He slipped his shoes off as he came out into the living room. Their living space wasn'ttoolarge, with a fairly small kitchen at one far end, a sitting room with television, table, couch, the usual things... one room off to the side was his mother's, while the stairs led up to his own. It was fairly similar to Narukami's house, differing only a bit in the layout and more obviously in the decor. It was homier and cleaner, perhaps as a result of his mother's influence.
"I think we could get you set up in the living room," Kanji said. He flushed for a moment, wondering if he should offer to show her his room. No one had ever seen it but himself and his family --it was kind of strange to think about it like that, but it was true.
human
Naoto Shirogane
The fact that Naoto wasn't the only one unsure on what to say made her feel a bit better; certainly less rude and awkward. Yet at the same time, she couldn't help but wonder what was even going through Kanji's head. But .. that was his business. If he wanted to bring it up, he could do so. Otherwise, she had no right to pester him with what would likely be a very petty question for him.
During the exchange between Kanji and his mother, Naoto took the opportunity to slip her own shoes off, figuring they followed the same custom like many other families in Japan. The sight of seeing Kanji do the same assured her the answer was likely yes. Naoto also noticed the look from Kanji's mother and despite her face remaining calm, she panicked inside. She wouldn't pry and ask her own questions, would she? Granted, she did deserve some answer if it came down to it. Thankfully, however, she didn't press for answers.
"Thank you again, Ms. Tatsumi. This .. really is appreciated, especially with the last second timing and all."
Leaving it at that, she followed behind Kanji, letting her eyes linger in each room to take in every detail, partly to admire everything and also to remember where to go. It'd be embarrassing to get lost, after all.
As the living room got brought up, Naoto gave Kanji a small nod. "Honestly, I'm .. not really picky for the most part. Just having your mom's grace is more than enough."
Even with Naoto being in a safe location, she couldn't help but feel as if eyes were upon her.
Something to do with the encounter of the killer?
Whatever it was, it made the detective glance behind her every now and again. After sneaking a third look over and seeing nothing, her head shook as she held herself.
"... I never thought I'd say this," she began, finally breaking the pause between them, "but I almost wish this were Adachi we were dealing with. This new one ... " Her head slowly shook. "Is .. he's ... on a completely different level. And even with all the training I've had to deal with this ... I don't know if I can. Not now that I know what he wanted to do with ... me and .... "
Her sentence trailed off as a shiver traveled along her spine.
"I don't often say this. But .. I'm actually scared for perhaps the first time in my life ever."
Even when she'd been told her parents had died, there wasn't nearly as much fear on how she'd live compared to how Naoto was feeling now with avoiding everything he hinted on wanting to do to her.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
"Of course, dear -- I couldn't turn such a young lady away, especially if she is one of Kanji's friends," his mother said. She was just glad her son had friends, considering. Wholesome types from what she could remember of every one... except, perhaps, "Risette".
As Kanji showed her around, he made sure to double check every window and make sure they were locked and covered. He was a little paranoid that they were dealing with someone so unhinged... and someone who could apparently go between the two worlds. Of course, it meant that he could even possibly reach through THEIR television, but theirs was too small to fit a whole person through (unless they were a child) so he was confident that they wouldn't have to deal with that.
When Naoto spoke, Kanji's shoulders stiffened and he turned his dark eyes onto her.
"... don't be," Kanji said at last, perhaps surprising even himself. "I'm not going to let that sick bastard hurt you. You're smart, you'll figure out who this guy is and what he's on about. And I'll be there to kick his ass when you do," Kanji said, his expression firmly set, reaching out to settle a reassuring hand on her shoulder... after a second or two of visible hesitation. "I'll protect you, Naoto. I... I don't know what I'd do if I let you get hurt. So I just won't let it happen." There was something else he wanted to say, lingering on the tip of his tongue, but he let it rest there for now.
human
Naoto Shirogane
It was nice and equally as astounding to Naoto to hear that Kanji still believed in her. Even with how scary this situation was, he wasn't doubting she'd still be able to do this; yet, she was uncertain about herself. It made a small smile cross her face. Naoto looked back again but this time not out of anxiety but to calculate, mainly the distance from their location to the kitchen. When the answer was far enough to consider her actions, she nodded then turned back to Kanji.
"I ... may I just ... be a bit selfish for a bit?"
Without exactly waiting for a reply, her arms wrapped gently around Kanji's waist as she hugged him, her shaking body pressed lightly against his.
"Please .. just for a bit. I know this isn't ... your forte per se but right now ... I just .... kinda need this."
Not to say this was her speciality. In fact, it was as foreign to herself as it was to Kanji. But for the first time in a very long time, she truly felt like - even if only for a few seconds - the sensation of being held would help her feel better if not temporarily forget about the creepy killer who seemed hellbent on trying to find her.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji's gaze followed hers to the kitchen, wondering what she was looking for. He might have thought that she was checking to see if dinner would be ready soon, or to cast her eyes about for a window to see if there were a pair of frightening eyes looking back... he didn't expect her words or her to step forward suddenly and press her shaking body to his own.
His arms went up as her arms wrapped tight around his body, the thuggish-looking man at a loss for words. Slowly, hesitantly, his arms came around. One went across the back of one of her shoulders, down her back as the other went across her shoulders instead, his hand coming to lay on the back of her head as he accepted her into his embrace, muscled arms squeezing her tight. He wasn't the smartest guy, or the most tactful, but he wasstrong, something she could feel in every inch of his body, and hear in the way his heart pounded fast and hard in his chest. He could protect her.
"... y-yeah. No problem," he said. He was fidgeting slightly, not sure what to do. Here he was, with the girl he'd been in love with for two years in his arms, and he was at a loss for words. He could feel her smooth body under her shirt, and took in her scent, intentionally or not, with every breath. "Uh, wh-whatever you need," he mumbled, closing his eyes. He hadn't realized how much he had needed this as well.
For as much as he professed his belief in her abilities, her strength... he thought she counted on his as well, exemplified in these quiet moments where they could simply take solace from the chaos they'd seen earlier.
human
Naoto Shirogane
An amused smile crossed Naoto's face, though it was hidden thanks to her face being buried against his chest and shirt. For someone who didn't usually do many gentle or sensual things with other people, Kanji seemed to be a pretty fast learner. Not that she'd doubted his intelligence or even instincts. But it was as she'd said; this wasn't either of their forte areas. That being said, it usually took people longer to try to adjust and adapt to things they weren't used to. Ah well. On the chance they became more than just comrades, this would be a new change he'd have to get used to .. eventually.
Her own eyes closed as she enjoyed the silence. Her mind was finally, even if temporarily, able to forget about all that she'd seen and been told earlier. There was no way that ... man - no, monster - could do anything to her. Not while they were here anyway. He'd likely been able to kill the girl in the television because it was easy for him to get away with. Hell, there would probably be little to no proof whenever her body was even found that could link back to him. But here ... there was no real way for him to just sneak inside. His mother would definitely notice someone trying to slip in. Moreover, it just didn't seem like his style.
He'd done everything, after all, thus far in the television; using a dimension few knew of or would even begin to believe existed. Kanji's house, however, didn't begin to fall under anything close to that category.
"Thank you for everything today." Naoto murmured gently, mentally reminding herself she owed Teddie a 'thank you' to him also. Gods knew if he hadn't arrived when he had ... things may have gotten even worse than they had.
Slowly, but very surely, Naoto felt herself relaxing against Kanji. It almost actually made her wish she didn't have to sleep alone tonight. But that'd definitely be pushing it and not just for herself. She doubted it'd make Kanji comfortable for one. Two, she certainly didn't want to infuriate - or at least give off the wrong impressions - to his mother.
So while they could stay like this, Naoto intended to enjoy every second of the embrace.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
It came naturally to him, perhaps, because... itfeltnatural. She was just the right size to be folded up into his arms, protected in the sanctuary of his embrace... and it was something he'd wanted for years now.
He relaxed against her in turn, his chin hovering over her for a few long, hesitant moments before he gently rested it atop her head, eyes closing as he simply... let it be for a time.
"... 'course," he replied. "I'm glad we ran into each other again. Even if everything else had really shitty timing."
He stayed silent for a moment, mulling an idea over in his head. "Hey, Naoto," he said on the tail end of that moment, sounding... speculative for a moment. "D'you wanna sleep in my room?" He realized after a moment how that might have come out, and immediately rectified it: "Uh, what I mean is... do you wanna take my room? Or share the living room? I could bring my futon down. I'd prefer to be on the ground floor considering... yanno."
Naoto might have had the gun, but he'd designated himself the protector of this house. "I just wanna make sure both of you are safe," he said, pulling back... but not leaving the embrace. It lingered as he looked down at her, something lingering in his eyes. He didn't know if she'd noticed it -- he sure hadn't noticed her noticing or whatever -- but his eyes were filled with far more than friendship when he looked at her.
human
Naoto Shirogane
Naoto's smile widened as Kanji began to talk on his own. Moreover, he went on to say he was glad to see her. "I definitely wish the timing of things had been .. better. But it honestly means a lot to hear that from you. For years, I thought it was just best to remain mostly hidden away in my residence. But now that I know I have someone who wants to see me .. I think I can finally begin to get over my social anxieties more."
Her head lifted gently as her blue eyes met Kanji's. Her cheeks almost instantly went a bit red. Still, Naoto managed to chuckle softly. "Well .. if you're sure about that. I was ready to take the floor but ... " She gave a light shrug. "I wouldn't mind either way. I ... really am not as picky as I should be. However, maybe sharing the living room wouldn't be too bad. I doubt anything's going to happen but I'd rather be closer to you. Much better safe than sorry as they say."
Sure enough, she did notice .. something in Kanji's eyes. It was all enough to make her ask the first thought that came to her mind as she saw the intriguing and foreign expression in Kanji's eyes.
"Is ... something else on your mind, Kanji? Or rather, what is on your mind?"
There would be no point in bullshitting herself. Of course there was definitely something. So the better question truly was the second one. While she could read others pretty well, Naoto still didn't have the ability to read minds. So, she would inquire rather than assume.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji smiled almost despite himself when he saw her smile, his grip on her back ever-so-slightly tightening. "Yeah... yeah, 'course I wanna see you. Uh. I think we all did. It's just..." Half their group had been in a later year and graduated earlier, and the other half had been split up even faster with her being a hermit and Rise running off back to fame and fortune after the school year was over.
And when she blushed... well, everything was that much worse for Kanji, who almost felt like he'd said something indecent. "I-I'm sure. It'll be safer if we keep together, 'n you can take my futon," Kanji said. He'd prefer to keep at the couch anyway, with his shield leaning up against it preferably. He doubted they had anything to worry about... but when it came to people like his mom and Naoto, he wasn't going to take any chances.
"Uh. Yeah, I guess. I mean, it's nothing important," Kanji waved off hastily when she asked after what he happened to be thinking. Hewantedto say it, more than anything, but...
What if she turns me down?
Just say it. She'll understand, she won't hate your or anything.
But what if she says no?
But what if she says yes?
I can't.
You'll never know unless you say something.
The thoughts raged back and forth in his head, until he finally said something, words tumbling out before his brain could check them for whether he was making a complete idiot out of himself or not.
"I've always liked you--uh, uh a lot more than the other girls," he fumbled, "you know, Yukiko, Chie, Rise. I mean, they're cool, but you're cool." Wait. "Er, different. You're... different from them. Not in a bad way," he added hastily.
Good job, jackass.
"You're... special, Naoto. To me," he finally settled on, giving her a wary look, as if she was about to break out laughing at him, or slap him, or tell him she'd always been more interested in Yu, or... or Rise, or Teddie, or someone else.
human
Naoto Shirogane
"Well .. we had a bit of a rocky start when we met those years ago. I probably seemed really ... nosy and annoying to you. I wouldn't have blamed you if the answer was no." More like she wouldn't have held it against him but honestly, it was basically the same thing. Yet as his grip strengthened, it reassured her that everything he was saying was indeed true. It was nice to know simply because hewasthe better liar between the two. But this made it easy to know he was serious, if anything.
Even before Kanji had his internal fights, Naoto had been pretty sure his next words were important. He was like Yosuke; a man with a purpose. He never said or did something without a reason. There was always a motive and usually a damn good one. So when he finally began to elaborate and admit his true thoughts, Naoto felt her heart began to race.
It took a bit of rewording but finally, he said it.
Swallowing softly, Naoto's left hand wrapped over her wrist, helping her own grip tighten as best as it could.
"Thank you. I feel a bit ... stupid, though. You practically spelled it out even back then. And I just ... never acknowledged, thought on the signs, nothing. But .. past is past. I'm more than willing to start anew and be your par-- no, not partner. Lover."
Well, partner would have kind of worked. But it didn't have the right sensual touch compared to the word 'lover' so she'd switched to that.
All the same, now a thought of her own quickly entered her head. But she couldn't ask that! Even in her head it seemed ... like she'd abruptly gotten really slutty.
But do you really want to risk having your new stalker being your first?
Hell no!
And if he finds you while you're still a virgin?
It continued to go back and forth, making her wonder if it'd even be worth mentioning at all. True, Kanji had mustered up the courage so it seemed only fair to return the favor. But in so many ways, it still seemed ... really out of place to ask if he'd just be her first tonight.
There was always the bonus knowledge that they had at least known each other for some time so it wasn't as if she was inquiring right when they met. Not exactly. But it'd still be about as awkward as if that had happened.
Her body trembled against his before she finally let a single phrase softly pass her lips.
"Aishiteru, Kanji-san ... "
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
"N-no, your poking around didn't bother me." Thatwasa lie, but not to spare her feelings or anything -- she had bothered him in an entirely different way, thinking for several months that he had been growing a crush on a boy -- a crush that had certainly grown and blossomed over time. He'd been incredibly relieved when the revelation of her gender had come out... it had solved a few issues for him, really.
Kanji looked almost surprised when her arms squeezed his waist just a little bit tighter, his own arms tightening around her in turn, holding her close to him, protectively so. "I, uh... was I that obvious?" he asked. He thought he had done a good job of hiding it. Maybe he wasn't as good at lying or hiding stuff like that as he'd thought... but it was true. He'd been kind of a bumbling fool around here. Still could be.
For example, it took him a moment to even realize the implications of what she was saying.
He flushed all the brighter, looking almost panicked that... that things had turned out better than expected. He fought off the very strong urge to ask "Really?" (or even worse, "Why?"), instead keeping his mouth shut. Seconds dripped by, pooling into what felt like forever as he reeled in the knowledge that she wanted to be more than just his friend. She wanted to be his... his lover.
It was so surreal to him, to have Naoto in his arms and to be returning his affections. Were it not for the horrific nightmare in the middle of his day, he might have thought this entire day a wondrous dream. It was that that kept him grounded, made it all real to him, and made his heart hammer in his chest.
"... aishiteru mo, Naoto-chan," he said, the words sounding so foreign to all parties involved coming from someone like Kanji.
She loves you.
That was such a foreign thought, one which seemed like it could only come from a dream.
He licked at his lips nervously, his eyes flickering from her pretty blue eyes down to her soft lips. "I, uh... shit, Naoto," he said with a small chuckle. "I didn't... never thought you'd feel that way. About a guy like me," he said.Two years had done a lot for Kanji, made him into a better man that was doing his best not to simply ruin this moment. He was more of an action guy than a words guy anyway... so he took the plunge and leaned forward slowly, wanting more than anything to feel how soft her lips were in a kiss.
human
Naoto Shirogane
"Yeah. But then again, that kind of comes with me being a detective. It's my job to notice things on people. You were blushing constantly and had rather frequent nosebleeds around me. You .. talked differently to me, also. It started out a bit hesitant at first. But over time, it seemed .... " her head shook as she failed to figure out a proper term to use. "Something along the lines of ... damn. I know what I'm trying to say. It's not coming to me though. But I'm pretty sure you can understand and recall well enough what I'm referring to?" she half-stated and half-asked, uncertain if he even thought back much if at all to those times and days.
Her smile widened as a small laugh was soon heard.
"Like that, for example. Even without saying it, the word 'really?' is practically stamped on your forehead if not seen in your eyes. Yeah, really. I suppose ... none of the other guys appealed to me in such a manner. More than that, none ever tried to approach me like you have. But even if they did ... I don't know if I could admit to myself or them that my feelings would be able to be returned. I respect them as members of the investigation team; but that's mostly it. You .. hinted that you wanted to be more than a comrade. I will say, however, that it was definitely more subtle than as of recently. But now that we're like this ... and having already given a verbal vow to one another, I ... I just know that I've made the right choice. It's one of those things you can feel much better than explain."
Hopefully he'd had some sort of moment like that before to help understand what she was even trying to say. Maybe he had one when he finally accepted himself for whom he was despite having some feminine hobbies?
"Well, the same could be said for you. At least, at first I didn't think you had feelings for me ... "
Her sentence trailed off as she noticed Kanji leaning forward. While Naoto was still a virgin, she was by no means naive. She understood the gesture and what it meant. Thankfully, she had grown relatively well over the years. Two years ago, she had been stuck at an even five feet inches tall. Now, she had five more inches, making it a bit easier to reach Kanji who was at - maybe over - six feet tall.
Her heart began to beat faster as her arms shifted, moving around his neck instead of his waist. Leaning forward, Naoto gently pressed her lips against his, subconsciously closing her eyes as she leaned into the kiss.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Okay, maybe I was that obvious.
Kanji almost grinned as she explained herself in that sort of vaguely long-winded and analytical manner she had about her. They shared that in common to a degree, trying to explain themselves when they were out of their depth... hers was a little more cut and dry than his various mumblings and rephrasings and everything else that came with him trying to make his feelings known to her. And just as she could with him, he understood her then.
"I know. It... yeah, it feels right to me, too. I can't explain it either," he said. Itdidfeel right to him. He'd had people accept bits and pieces of him, but to have his feelings validated in such a way, not poked fun at or made to feel silly in any way... it was different. It was special -- she was special.
Kanji -- fifteen when he had met everyone else -- had had a little more growing to do as well. Standing still barefoot, he lingered around 6'2"-6'3", and with his shoes, it put him just around 6'4", giving him a good shot at being the tallest person in all of Inaba. The broadness of his shoulders only made him seem larger than he actually was... but as he leaned over to kiss her, his arms slid down her to her lower back, holding ever tighter around her and pulling her up just a bit against him as he kissed her.
It was a long, perfect moment, his eyes sliding closed as they indulged one another... He could stand there forever, continue this kiss or... perhaps even more, a thought that he managed to keep from manifesting as a nosebleed... but which instead manifested as a tightness and a bulge in his slacks that she'd ever-so-slightly be able to feel.
Perhaps neither of them noticed the fact that his mother had stepped into the living room behind the two of them, holding two plates. Very slowly she stepped back into the kitchen, smiling to herself. She'd seen it coming, considering. She cleared her throat and projected into the living room: "Dinner's ready."
human
Naoto Shirogane
A soft sigh mingled in with a moan as the kiss continued. It felt amazing though it wasn't just the feeling of having her lips against Kanji's. She had always been afraid of never being accepted for whom she really was and thus always feared her shadow had been right. But now, she never had to worry about wanting to be a man anymore. That guise was truly long dead and gone. She'd never have to try to be someone else again. Finally, Naoto had found someone who wanted her for who she was. It'd been years since she'd felt as if she were on cloud nine. But alas, that same happiness was flowing through Naoto.
Her heart raced more as she felt Kanji's member hardening and pressing against her jeans. Her cheeks darkened as she began to open her mouth wider, allowing him to slip his tongue in if he wanted. Before she could do that, however, an interruption intervened and halted any further progress.
As the old saying went, however, all good things truly did need to come to an end. Her cheeks quickly flushed as the sound of Kanji's mother clearing her voice registered to Naoto's ears. She deftly pulled away, turning to see that it was indeed Kanji's mom she had heard.
"Ah .. um. Thank you."
This had perhaps been a few other reasons as to why she hadn't mentioned to Kanji her secret desire on wanting him to be her first tonight. It'd seem almost .. disrespectful for one. And even if that wasn't the case, it'd be ... embarrassing to get caught by his mother doing much more than simply kissing. Also, she seemed to be a woman of tradition and had likely raised Kanji to be a man that was ... well ... somewhat the same. Not perfectly, mind you. But enough to have kept her thoughts to herself.
Naoto made no move to deny or apologize to Mrs. Tatsumi. It was difficult to go through with the latter when she didn't regret accepting the kiss. At the same time, she didn't try to make her think she'd seen things. No, that would have been stupid.
As she arrived at her spot, Naoto sat down, waiting for Kanji and his mother to join her.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji could feel her lips parting further against his own, about to take advantage of it all when he heard his mother calling from the kitchen. Kanji froze in Naoto's embrace... but a part of him was perfectly ready to hold her in front of his mother -- he wouldn't and couldn't deny his attraction to and love for Naoto, not in front of anyone... but as Naoto pulled away, Kanji let her go, hands drifting briefly along her sides before his hands dropped. He turned away quickly... "adjusting" himself and feeling embarrassed; had Naoto felt it? here was no way she hadn't... but she hadn't slapped him, so...
Mrs. Tatsumi came out of the kitchen with their meals -- freshly fried and sliced steak with peppers, served alongside the rice done plain and white. They were set in their proper places around the table, and she motioned Kanji and Naoto to sit, smiling as if she hadn't just walked in on her son kissing a young lady she scarcely knew.
Kanji sat by Naoto, offering her a small smile as he turned to the table. His mother was doling out their dinner onto plates, setting chopsticks gently across the side of the plate before serving it all with cups of steaming green tea. For all the world, it seemed like it was just another night in the Tatsumi household... but there was something different to it.
Kanji was happy to eat in silence for a time, before his mother drew attention to herself by setting her plate down and considering Kanji and Naoto thoughtfully. "Ms. Shirogane," she said softly, unassumingly. "... I would like to talk more with you sometime. Especially if you are going to be dating my son," she said, the sentence punctuating by Kanji choking on a bit of steak. "I would like to get to know you -- my Kanji's... never been with any girls," she added.
Kanji was flushed more now, perhaps, than ever before, embarrassed to no end. But it was true -- he'd never had a girlfriend, and Naoto had never had a boyfriend. They were in uncharted waters that Kanji wanted to explore with her.
Mrs. Tatsumi regarded them both with a small smile. Her piece said, the quiet woman returned to her own meal, eating contentedly.
human
Naoto Shirogane
Naoto's head bowed politely as her plate was set in front of her. "Itadekimasu," she murmured softly, picking her chopsticks up and separating them as she began to eat. The food was definitely helping her forget the fact Kanji's mother had walked in on the two kissing, close to making out if not more. It was nice to see she didn't appear to be mad. But ... still. Naoto didn't really wish to push her luck, either. The young detective continued to enjoy the silence and food, glancing up as Ms. Tatsumi finally spoke.
"Of course. That .. seems more than fair enough." she agreed, her own smile widening slightly. "Well .. Kanji's not alone in that department. I've never been with anyone myself. Maybe ... after the meal is over or in the morning?" she offered, trying to show that she'd be more than willing to cooperate all the same.
She wouldn't press for Ms. Tatsumi to choose the morning but, secretly, Naoto was hoping for it. She was mentally and physically exhausted from the trip into the television. Worse off, the psychological fear and anxieties had taken quite a toll on her. She just wanted to lie down, maybe resume where she'd had to stop with Kanji for a bit, but soon fall asleep after.
However, if Kanji's mom wanted to talk to her once Naoto was done, she could oblige with that. It'd just mean that when she did finally pass out, Naoto likely wouldn't wake up for quite some time given how long she'd made herself remain conscious.
Naoto's head nodded in approval as her smile widened. "Thank you, Tatsumi-san. This is really good." she complimented, still continuing to eat.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Mrs. Tatsumi chuckled softly to herself, giving Naoto a look that was almost fond. She was a polite young lady, certainly. Were it not for the more boyish hair, dress, and profession, she might have thought Naoto to be any other polite model girl... not that she necessarily took issue with the other things. She was just a little traditional. "Tomorrow -- you two look tired in the eyes," Mrs. Tatsumi said, her eyes glancing from Naoto's to Kanji's, the latter of whom was still looking rather embarrassed.
"Thank you," she said with a slow nod., before she lapsed once more into silence.
The meal was eaten in due time, and when the three had finished, Kanji got up to clear the table, bringing everything to the kitchen.
"I am going to head to bed -- Kanji, please finish cleaning up," she said, glancing towards Kanji. The dynamic had shifted some in recent years. Kanji had gone from high school student to caretaker of the house in his own way, which was better than his previous behavior of beating up would-be gangsters for keeping her up at night.
"Alright, Mom," Kanji called back.
"It was a pleasure to meet you," Mrs. Tatsumi said, offering Naoto a small smile before she stood, excusing herself to her bedroom.
It didn't take too long for Kanji to finish cleaning up, washing the dishes and setting them aside, and when all was said and done: "I, uh. Guess we should get things ready down here. You mind helping me grab a few things from upstairs, Naoto-chan?" Kanji asked.
human
Naoto Shirogane
Naoto's head bowed in appreciation, glad to hear she even admitted it seemed like they were tired. "Yes. It has been a long day." Her smile merely widened as she left it at that. It wasn't that Naoto wasn't a bit still embarrassed on what Kanji's mother had seen. But deep down, she knew it could have been a much worse sight. So she wasn't about to complain, more so when Ms. Tatsumi wasn't bitching at either of them like she fairly could be doing.
As the meal came to an end and Ms. Tatsumi dismissed herself, Naoto gave a small bow of her head to the woman once more. "Night, Tatsumi-san."
Slowly, Naoto pushed herself up to her feet, yawning lighty as she stretched out a bit. This part of the day, everything after the television incident that was, had no doubt been one of the best ones for Naoto in a very long while.
When Kanji returned, she'd greet him with a smile as her head moved from side to side. "Not at all. Which items? Futon mainly I'd guess? I'm not gonna lie though; your mother took that much better than many others would have. Most others would have freaked or worse. I'm amazingly - in a good way - surprised." It was partly to tease Kanji a tad more, yes. But more than anything, it was a genuine way to say that she liked her. In-laws were supposed to be the worst relatives; yet it almost seemed like Naoto didn't have to even begin to worry about that should things elevate to such a level.
And yet, it pained her knowing Kanji wouldn't have any in-laws.
Another bridge to cross when it arrives ...
Her mind had already been thinking on many future what-ifs, with perhaps the main one being a definite being in the form of getting birth control tomorrow. The way her mind had viewed it, if anythingdidhappen from that ... monster, she didn't want to be carrying anything from him. It'd literally be the last thing she needed, a bastard child.
Mentally shoving everything aside, her feet moved as she walked beside Kanji. Her smile widened as she gently intertwined her left hand with his right. "All in all, this really has been one of the best nights I've had in a while."
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
"Yeah, pretty much -- that and a coupl'a blankets. Should probably grab some new clothes, too." He glanced over at her with a faint tinge of red. "I, uh... you could borrow a shirt or something if you didn't want to sleep in jeans and everything," he said. Given the height and bulk difference, one of his shirts would have been a dress on someone like Naoto.
"And... yeah, I think my mom's just happy I'm not getting into any shit anymore. Being a delinquent or whatever," Kanji said with a shrug. "... besides, uh. I don't know what she thought or anything back then, but... hell, maybe she's just glad I'd brought a girl home." It had taken Kanji a long while to even admit to himself that others thought he was possibly gay, a fear he'd grappled with for some time as well. It was an issue that was mostly behind him after figuring out that he was just scared shitless of rejection...
But it didn't seem like he had to worry about being rejected by Naoto.
"Me too, Naoto-chan," he said with a small grin, looking surprised when she grabbed his hand. It was calloused and rough, a workman's hand, and it closed in happily on her own as he brought her upstairs to his room.
It was literally the first time an outsider had ever seen his room, and perhaps it was tough to imagine what lay beyond. It was messy in a strange sort of way -- things never left their own little "areas", but those areas could be in complete disarray. His futon was still out, spread haphazardly across the far corner of his room. There was a big table,coveredwith half-complete products and with all of his sewing supplies stowed under or in the table's drawers. His dresser was covered in strange knicknacks from the other side, and a picture of all of them -- taken with Nanako one of the times they'd all been over at the Dojima residence -- stood proudly in the middle of the dresser. Beneath, most drawers were slightly open, various articles of clothing almost hanging halfway over the front of the drawer.
"So, uh. This is it," Kanji said, gesturing to the room around them.
human
Naoto Shirogane
"Well ... " Taking a quick glance down at herself, Naoto pondered on the thought of borrowing a t-shirt. "If you wouldn't mind me being able to wash these, I could." It seemed like the right thing to do. Plus, a change in her typical routine of sleeping in her clothes would be nice. Foreign .. but not necessarily bad. There seemed to be quite a few new aspects that were very new to the detective. Most had been things that made Naoto smile, with a few exceptions to ideas and thoughts that resulted in an opposite reaction.
"I suppose it is one way to look at it. It is something to keep you in line." she quickly replied. Her mind temporarily shifted to her parents as she tried to figure out what they would have done if they'd found her kissing Kanji.Maybefor the first minute or so, they would have had a fit. But after calming down, Kanji would likely have gotten a talk of his own, mainly with asking things like making sure his intentions were good. It would have been a precaution, not meant to come off as way to judge him.
The image that would never actually occur still made Naoto smile more as she walked up into Kanji's room.
Blue orbs glanced around and took the time to study the room. The mess didn't really bother her as much as it could have, simply because it was his room. Who was she to say it should be neater? If this were herself and her own room .. that would be a very different story. She'd be embarrassed and infuriated at herself for getting so sloppy. But, alas, that was neither here nor there.
Her gaze noted the clothing tossed around, sewing supplies, futon, his half-complete projects, and finally the picture of the group.
Naoto's head nodded as she carefully stepped inside, making sure to avoid knocking anything over or ruining anything. "The products look really nice. Don't worry about the slight mess. I've actually seen worse."
Not recently but it was still the truth.
As she approached the mattress, she temporarily let go as her own hands began to grab onto the futon, helping angle it so it'd be able to be moved out of the room with little to no trouble.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
"Yeah, sure. We got one of those stacked washer/dryer combo things," Kanji said -- it was actually the nicest thing in the entire store, really. They lived pretty simply there at Tatsumi Textiles. Kanji made his way to his dresser, opening a couple of drawers and retrieving from it a white tank top and shorts for himself, and a moment later, one of his trademark long black shirts which he handed off to Naoto.
"Hey! I've been keeping myself in line pretty well. I mean, I haven't really done any major shit since a couple of years ago," Kanji said. Sure, he was a terror to the occasional jackass who thought it was a good idea to steal from Daidara's, and he was intimidating enough that no one made any cracks about the dolls he sold in the family shop, but besides all of that... he'd gotten his education, he'd graduated around the middle of his class, and he had two decent jobs. What more could ya want?
He let go of her hand in turn, making his way over to the other side of the mattress... stopping briefly as he gave her a small smile. He reached across the mattress. "Sorry that we got interrupted earlier. I'm glad that she approved of you and everything, but... yanno," Kanji said. He'd really enjoyed their kiss, and hadn't wanted it to end. Perhaps that was why he was drawing close once more, to steal another kiss from her soft lips.
human
Naoto Shirogane
One hand stayed upon the futon as another took the shirt and gently placed it over a shoulder. "That'd be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Um .. where's a bathroom so I can change after we get this downstairs?" Sure the key phrase had been after they moved the futon .. but it wouldn't kill her to know ahead of time. In fact, it was a personal preference of the detective's.
A smirk mingled in with her smile as she nodded. "I know you have been. I'm trying to work on my social awkwardness though so ... " she paused as a new thought came to her. "That probably wasn't the best way to initiate a joke, was it? Sorry."
Her cheeks darkened again as she gave a nod. "I .. I kinda am too. I just .. didn't know how she'd take the sight and I didn't really wanna push my luck or anger her. But .. that really did go much better than I expected." A soft chuckle passed her lips as he moved close. She moved forward a bit herself, still keeping one hand on the futon to ensure it didn't try to fall over.
"Would ... it just be easier if we stayed here? Otherwise we'll never get anything done."
Letting the half-tease and half-serious question linger, Naoto leaned forward and helped Kanji initiate another gentle but sensual kiss as their lips met once more.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
"Bathroom's downstairs, just by Mom's room and the washer and stuff," Kanji said. It was an efficient little space, the Tatsumi household, everything in its proper place. An order maintained by one heck of a homemaker, determined to keep things nice and straight.
"It's cool," Kanji replied. He wasn't used to Naoto making a wealth of jokes -- she always seemed pretty serious, except those rare times when she sounded outright teasing or. She had a curiously level voice, perhaps a consequence of trying to trick people into thinking she was male, though ithadfeminized from where it had once been...
"I, uh... if you'd like, sure," Kanji said, his own cheeks darkening at the suggestion. He wouldn't mind sleeping in his own bed of course, and if she was with him... It was too late to pull back from the kiss as he felt himself swell once more through his pants, his mind going to a number of wonderful places that caused his heart to hammer and his body to stiffen. Slowly he dropped his edge of the futon, his arms wrapping around her once more, hands settling firmly against the small of her back.
He wanted Naoto... more than anything, he wanted her in a way he couldn't quite express verbally. His body was more than happy to pick up the slack in that regard as his tongue pressed briefly against her lips.
human
Naoto Shirogane
A small but still existing twinge of guilt rushed through Naoto. To a slight degree, thisalmostfelt like she was temporarily manipulating Kanji's emotions, using the fact he had been eager to continue the kiss - possibly more - against him. But she decided after quickly thinking it over the answer was no. Kanji was also like herself in the aspect of being more than willing and capable of speaking up when needed. That being said, if he didn't want this, Naoto would have know in a heartbeat. The same worked vice versa for him. If things got too carried away, Kanji would definitely be told.
With the knowledge reassuring her, Naoto let go of her own side of the futon, allowing it fall back upon Kanji's bed. Her arms found his neck again as she leaned deeper into the kiss. Naoto's own heart was pounding quickly and wildly in her own chest. The pace only seemed to increase as she felt him hardening through his pants once again.
If this were any other guy,maybeshe'd reject or even slap them. Moreover, she'd wonder why in the hell she was even returning the kiss as she'd never voluntarily let anything she didn't want to have happen to her do so. But alas, that wasn't - thankfully - the case. While the touch of his clothed member did make her a bit nervous, it wasn't like she could chastise him for that. It was just his body reacting properly, after all. Health and anatomy classes, plus sex ed, had helped her remember basic facts.
With that in mind, a particular term from those lessons that easily came to her was 'stimulation'. While the kiss was all well and good, she wasn't sure how far he would want her to go. So, for now, her hands stayed around his neck.
Her mouth, however, opened as she felt Kanji's tongue silently asking for entrance. Thishadbeen something she'd wanted to give him the ability to try before they'd been found out, anyway. So she saw no reason to deny him now.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji was a forthright type of man -- he knew to speak up when something was bugging him, even when it would bother the people around him. That said... he was a bit less likely to do that with Naoto. Not for fear of hurting her feelings, but because what was happening right now, his arms wrapping around her for him to feel the softness of her lips... that was exactly what he had been wanting from her to begin with.
Parts of him were perhaps more traditional -- such as looking at Naoto as someone he wanted to protect, someone perhaps even to provide for... but other parts of him were more modern. He was also still a young man, a warm-blooded one that was very,veryaware of how soft Naoto's skin was, how nice she smelled, how she made him feel whenever she smiled at him or blushed in his presence or wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him...
He groaned, low and heavy as his tongue met hers, realizing just why this was a popular activity. It was anything unlike he'd ever felt, and he was drowning in a sea of sensation his hands running slowly up and down her back, feeling every contour of her body under his calloused hands. Slowly he ended the kiss, moving to sit down on the edge of the bed and holding onto her as if to bring her with him. His breathing was heavy, his cheeks flushed and his eyes focused on her as he quite obviously strained against the front of his pants.
He didn't know what to say or what to do just then -- there was no way shewasn'taware of what had happened below, though she was as inexperienced as he...
human
Naoto Shirogane
Naoto's eyes closed as she enjoyed the feeling of her body so close to Kanji's, the sensation of the kiss - French or otherwise - adding an erotic touch to it all. She hadn't gotten many -- no, that wasn't true. The issue wasn't lack of chances to try masturbation. No, no. The real problem was Naoto was too much of a workaholic and focused much more on either her duties at school or the police task. With her only really associating currently with the latter, she had managed to muster up the courage to give herself some much needed private time. Her fast-learning nature had helped Naoto realize triggers or signs that suggested her own body was getting turned on. The tell-tale signal of her panties becoming soaked was one. The feeling made her whimper softly in the kiss, her legs crossing slightly.
Her hands held Kanji tighter as she pulled herself closer to him. A long sigh elicited as his hands began to travel down her body. Even with his hands feeling a bit rough from all the work he'd done over the years, there was a gentle nature to them. She couldn't exactly place where from, only that she could sense it. Barely but still.
As the kiss ended, she accepted the offer and sat down. Her mind thought back to the offer that had entered her head; the one she had been so hesitant to bring up. But .. would now be a good time?
Probably the best one, honestly.
Still, how could she begin to ask Kanji such a thing? Her own cheeks flushed just from the mere thought. Her breathing had turned to soft pants and gasps, almost matching Kanji yet not quite at the same time.
Deciding that the worst he could say was no, Naoto took a deep breath before finally speaking.
"Kanji? Um .. I apologize ahead of time if this may be too much. But ... did ... did you ... "
Her teeth gripped her lower lip briefly before letting go. Her head lowered in slight embarrassment as she forced herself to finish the question, although it came out rushed and hasty.
"Did you want to be my first?"
She contemplated whether to explain that there was more than just pure desire behind the inquiry. But unless he wanted to know, she figured it wouldn't matter. If he did ask, though, he'd get an honest answer.
As the silence lingered between the two, Naoto's mind was rapidly considering all of the possibilities that could and may occur from this. However, if pregnancy had to happen, she'd much rather it be from Kanji than her new stalker.
And if you run into him while expecting?
Her mind hastily got rid of that thought, not even wanting to consider such a scary concept just yet.
Still, a variety of pros and cons continued to dance through her head as she tried to make damn well sure she wanted to do this. Moreover, she wanted to try to go through with this only if Kanji was ready.
While Naoto was inexperienced in actually doing anything, she had read up on a few slightly romantic-erotic novels. So she knew a few other things that the classes from school hadn't taught her or Kanji. Trying to practice these .. tasks, however, would definitely be interesting if nothing else.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji's touch was almost featherlight, as if he were afraid to break her, like she was some porcelain doll. And in a way, that was true -- he was afraid of hurting her, but only at the very shallowest level was it a fear of hurting her physically. He was far more afraid of hurting her in some other way. That said... it was very hard to forget that she was a small woman, nearly a foot shorter than he and quite thin besides. Indeed -- it was hard to forgetanythingabout her body, waifish as it might have seemed to other men. It was exactly what Kanji wanted since it was purely and entirely Naoto Shirogane.
As she began to speak, Kanji stilled his movements and regarded her with kind gray eyes, hands lingering and gentle along her back as he tried to regain control of his breathing. It was not labored so much as his breathing came fast, as if he were excited and close to hyperventilating... which he supposed had an element of truth to it. Hewasexcited and bothered in ways he wasn't particularly used to. He'd not masturbated allthatmuch either, primarily due to his confused nature all those years again, and because... Naoto was the only person he could remember being sexually attracted to.
Other women looked nice, sure, but... but there was something here that did things to him that no other woman had so far.
"I... what?" he asked, clearly caught off guard by the sudden question. He'd... not thought that she would make such a suggestion, though he was sure she could have felt him harden earlier. He wasn't able to tell anything of her in turn, but given her panting breathing and her flushed cheeks, same as him...
Is she turned on... because of me?
"Yes," he said suddenly, no hesitation in his voice, his eyes still wide. "I want to be your first, Naoto-chan... if you want to be mine," he said.
human
Naoto Shirogane
Despite her height and weight proportion, Naoto could take a hit pretty well if needed. There were many perks that came with being included in the police task force. One she had been taught since her entrance had been hand-to-hand. That being said, she technicallycouldbring someone like even Kanji to their knees -- and not just via a low blow to the crotch. No, she knew plenty of other 'non-cheap' ways to do that. That knowledge made her all the more annoyed at herself for having panicked back in the television room. The man really had just hit too many triggers all at once.
Next time, she was hellbent on going in with a much stronger resolve. Because like it or not - and gods help her, she didn't - this man was basically the answer to their steadily emerging case. They had to get him in order to stop anything more from happening. So common sense told her that there would definitely be other times she'd have to face him. And she couldn't afford to break down like she had today. Shehadto get stronger, especially mentally.
Her body tensed as the first part of the response showed he was obviously taken aback by the question.
Damnit. Look at what you've said.
Her mouth opened to quickly apologize for the abrupt inquiry. Thankfully, it had been the good kind of shock, it seemed, as he added that he did want to. Her head lifted as she looked up into his eyes. A nervous but honest smile crossed her face as she nodded.
"Yes. I do want to. Just ... do what feels right, Kanji."
Taking her own advice to heart, Naoto moved close once again, placing her lips against the right side of his neck as she began to suckle and gently nip along the area. Her hand managed to stay still - perhaps through nothing more than willpower and the desire to not make Kanji think she was scared despite being a bit - before resting in between his legs. Her hand wrapped around his clothed member as she began slowly caressing it, trailing up and down every inch as best as possible.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
"I... alright," he said, lost for a moment in her pretty blue eyes. Lost right up until she broke contact to gently begin to nip and kiss along his neck, his face flushing darker than it had before. He let lout a low groan, eyes fluttering closed for a moment until they shot open wide again at the feel of her grabbing his member through his clothing. He wasn't small, and she could feel him outlined against the front of his pants, twitching gently in her hand as she stroked him. "Naoto-chan," he breathed.
And then he did what felt right to him, his hands reaching out to deftly undo the first few buttons of her navy v-neck, his fingers nimble and dexterous for their size. Out came the first button and then the second, his hands slowly making their way down her shirt as he undid button after button, his eyes twitching down to get a view of soft white flesh for the first time. "... you're beautiful," he murmured to her as he opened her shirt and pulled it down over her shoulders.
His hand hesitated for a moment before it moved out to gently squeeze her left breast, his other hand moving down to her hip, moving slowly over her soft skin there.
human
Naoto Shirogane
While Naoto wouldn't have judged regardless, her instincts during their first kiss - when she'd first felt him harden - tried to help her mentally prepare for this. She'd somehow guessed he would have likely been more on the above average spectrum. It definitely intimidated her a bit. But with how often her face was staying red, the anxieties were staying concealed away for now. Her own eyes closed as she continued switching between suckling, nipping, then kissing along his neck. After a few moments, she trailed down towards Kanji's collarbone, her hand continuing it's slow up and down motions on his hardening shaft.
Her heart stopped for a few seconds as Kanji's hands found her blouse. Soft but swift pants landed on his skin as each button came undone. Her mouth stayed open as the kisses slowed, though definitely didn't stop. She almost wanted to beg him not to undo anymore. But .. that wouldn't be fair. Shehadtold him to follow his instincts. Besides, if they were going to constantly be this intimate, she'd need to get used to a few things. Kanji seeing her, be it nude or just the sensual parts of her body, was definitely one of them.
Kanji would soon learn that especially with Naoto, old habits died hard. She still, it seemed, used bandages. It had been what helped her maintain her more masculine guise two years ago. However, they weren't bound nearly as tightly, giving a more accurate hint on their true size.
Her heart pounded wildly as her mind and body comprehended he would be the first for many things; seeing her actual chest was one.
"Thank you ... Kanji." she replied back softly, letting her lips find an earlobe as she flicked her tongue over it. Her hands moved down to her sides, allowing for Kanji to remove the blouse before moving to his own button. Slowly, she began undoing his pants, helping expose his member and free it from the restricting fabric.
Her eyes shut tightly, her own moan eliciting as Kanji's hand found her wrapped breast. The sensation from the simple but powerful gesture made her own fingers quicken, trying to hurry up with assisting him removing his pants.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji almost felt like she'd be able to hear his heartbeat thrumming through every inch of his body, perhaps most specifically that which she had her hand wrapped around just then. For a moment he hesitated, his gray eyes glancing from her bound chest to her soft hand... before finally finding a calming place to alight on, staring deep into those beautiful blue eyes of hers. He was calmed by that, seeing the look she was giving him just then. He couldn't put a word to it, other than that she seemed determined to go through with this as well. It warmed his heart slightly to see it, and his motions grew bolder.
He leaned forward into her body as she worked at the button on his pants, the dark cloth falling open rather easily after she got the button through the whole, the pants sliding down his hips slightly as they gyrated just so. The underwear was quick to slide down as well, revealing his cock -- engorged and ready to be touched, begging for the release her body promised in the most delicate and feminine of ways. His hands smoothed behind her own back now that the blouse was removed, his hands searching for where she had tied the bindings tight...
He began to undo them, pulling the bandaging free to reveal not an injury, but something much more wonderful. They fell like ribbons, fluttering to the surface of his bedding as he released her from her cloth bindings, and when his hand reached for her chest again, it was to feel the warm and comforting softness of her chest rather than the cloth wrappings. He squeezed firmly, feeling her fill the palm of his hand... he could see what the girls had mentioned so far back then, that Naoto was... a good bit more "gifted" than the other girls.
This was a first for many things for both of them... and he grinned sheepishly at the thought that this was all happening with the girl he had held privately in his mind as the woman of his dreams. No... nothing quite so cheesy as that. She wasn't his fantasy, she was his reality, though it all seemed quite like a dream to him just then as his hips wriggled, sliding the pants lower as he twisted his body to kick them away. His length was free entirely, girthy and long and entirely ready for her. And so disrobed, his hands moved to start unbuttoning her own pants...
human
Naoto Shirogane
"It's alright, Kanji." Naoto whispered softly, dragging her tongue along his ear seconds later. "I .. am a bit nervous, yeah. But it's in perhaps the best of ways as opposed to the worst ones." She realized how odd that may sound, that sometimes being nervous was a good thing. But she understood what she was trying to say; at least some part of her did. Another hardly cared to think on much in terms of logic. The rare sensation of desire and wanting was continuing to torment and dominate the detective, and it showed as her movements got more eager and sensual. Her eyes couldn't help but stare as she now actually found herself looking at his erect shaft.
With how much her cheeks were burning, it'd be a real miracle if by the time the night was over, she hadn't gotten a fever somehow. Regardless, looking at his member - and knowing it was going to be inside her soon enough - made her flush. The next thing that got her cheeks to darken even more was feeling the bandages fall off.
Her mouth opened as she felt the need to apologize for having hidden herself. But before words could leave, a groan did as his hand squeezed down again.
"Mmm.... "
Her eyes closed for a few seconds, slowly opening once more as she stood up while Kanji began to slide her jeans and panties off. When they came free, he'd see no hair on either her legs or in between them. It seemed Naoto took care to keep herself shaved and smooth when possible. Allowing Kanji to get a good look for a few moments, Naoto placed herself on her hands and knees, her face in front of Kanji's shaft.
Licking her lips first, she then opened her mouth before taking his cock in, working inch by inch inside. When she got as far as she could without choking or gagging, she mentally noted it before sucking on the member, using her tongue and muscles to stimulate Kanji.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji knew exactly what she meant -- it was like being anxious for something to happen, something good... in the way his heart quickened and in the way his hands were almost violently shaking just then, he could feel it too. "You feel amazing, Naoto-chan," Kanji breathed as his other hand came around, slowly taking her breasts into his rough and calloused hands -- rough in texture, but entirely gentle in the way he handled her soft skin. They closed in on her rosy nipples, fingers gently tugging before pulling away.
He tossed her pants and panties away, glancing back to her just in time to see her kneeling down before him, looking intently at his cock.
What?
That was all eh could think before her lips parted and she took his cock into her mouth. He groaned loudly, one hand reaching out to settle on the back of her head as he leaned back a bit, feeling her lick and suck at him and pleasure him in ways he had never thought possible. He only wished, as she suckled at him, that he could return the favor.
"Hey, Naoto-chan..." Kanji murmured, reaching out to pull her head off of his shaft. He was quick and strong in taking the lead then, pulling her on top of him and pushing for her to angle her head back toward his cock as he lay underneath her. If she could use her tongue... so could he. He gripped onto her slender hips, leaning up to brush his tongue long and hard through her lower lips, suddenly taking in her heat and her taste onto his tongue. She tasted... better than he thought she would, and he pressed back into her with wild abandon.
human
Naoto Shirogane
"Mmmh ... "
Naoto's eyes closed more as Kanji continued to lightly tug and massage at her breasts. Each time his skin rolled over hers, it sent a shiver of pleasure down her spine. The sensation was amazing. If she didn't know better, she had already died and gone to cloud nine. Her heart continued to pound within her chest, feeling his own pulse beating at the same time and almost exact same speed.
".. Hm?"
She glanced up in time to see and feel herself maneuvered. Her cheeks flushed once more as she understood and recognized what he had done. The better question was did Kanji realize what he'd done?
The answer came in the form of a yes as his tongue dipped inside. A long hiss of pleasure elicited from Naoto as she moaned, panting a few times before licking her lips again. Her mouth opened as she resumed suckling and licking, bobbing her head gently but quickly up and down Kanji's shaft. What few precautions had lingered into her mind were all but gone. Now, all Naoto had left was a strong desire to continue pleasing Kanji while having that very same favor returned.
The end result, knowing they would soon be one another's firsts, only seemed to fuel her on as she let her tongue dance along every inch and vein it could seek out and find, further stimulating and arousing her new lover.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji's heart was hammering in his chest, down through his palms which gripped and squeezed and explored her body happily. He had never done anything close to this before, and the sheer novelty of it all made his heart pound that much harder, his breath come that much quicker and shallowly... His hands settled on her hips, coming around to her taut bottom which he found himself squeezing as his tongue pressed deeply into her, licking sloppily but enthusiastically at her warm sex.
His cheeks flushed of their own accord and his cock throbbed and pulsed in her mouth, twitching in reaction to the ministrations of her warm, slippery tongue and her soft lips wrapped around the stem of his shaft, passing over the thick, smooth head at its end. "Nngh... Naoto-chan. If you keep that up..." he whispered into her, cut off by a low, trailing groan as she sucked at him. She was already going to make him cum if she kept this up...
He lay back against the ground, almost not able to keep his head up, and substituted with his hand -- fingers brushed and probed at her, exploring the feminine form for the very first time. He brushed across her outer lips, plunged an inch or two into her inviting hole, before brushing across the front, trailing along her clit by accident for a moment before sliding back down, Kanji's eyes intent and focused. If she was going to make him cum... he wanted to make her cum, too.
human
Naoto Shirogane
Every sensation, from the beating of Naoto's heart to feeling Kanji continue to give her quick, sensual licks to her slit, was making her heart beat faster. Muffled whimpers and whines of delight elicited from her lips as he continued his own oral assault. All the same, her own never stopped. If anything, Kanji's actions seemed to fuel Naoto on. Every time he stimulated her, she did so back, aiming to please him as much or more as he was.
Much akin to Kanji, her own orgasm was building up. Her hands gripped the sheets tightly, clinging onto them as her body trembled upon Kanji. She almost considered warning him of the same thing but decided to let her body speak for her. Besides, she was actually enjoying being able to lick and suck upon Kanji's shaft. There was something about the way it .. felt? Looked? Tasted a bit even? Some odd combination of all the above?
Whatever it was, the unknown factor was teasing and tantalizing her just like Kanji was.
"Mmmmmmmffff!"
As her clit got pressed upon, she felt her body tense up. For a few moments, it had almost seemed like a fluke, like Kanji just .. found it without realizing what it was. But that proved to be false as he continued to rub and press on it.
Her fingernails dug as far as they could into the sheets, letting out a muffled cry of delight as she came, continuing to suckle and lick upon his throbbing member. Now that he accomplished his goal, it was the detective's turn.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji's beathing quickened, coming out in short and labored huffs of hot breath into her soft sex. She was driving him crazy with the way she sucked him off, the way her sweet little tongue wrapped so gently and lovingly around his cock. Here he was, laying in his bed and having the best detective in Japan, the woman he'd loved for several long years, with his cock in her mouth and her pussy in his face, their intermingled sighs and grunts of sexual satisfaction filling the air between them.
As she tensed and stiffened when his tongue hit that spot, Kanji tried it again... and moments later, he began to lick and suckle at her clit with wild abandon, his hands digging into her taut behind as he sought to make her cum -- he knew his body well enough to know what was going to be soon in coming.
"Mn... ngh... ah-ahh," he grunted as she came all over his tongue, his head falling back as she sucled and licked at him, his hands sliding down her back until they entangled themselves in her hair. "Ah... fuck-Naoto!" he cried, his head straining against the ground as he came, thick ropes of his hot seed filling her mouth. He fell back after several long moments, his breathing harder than it had been before, cheeks flushed and his body satisfied, but... satisfied but wantingmore.
human
Naoto Shirogane
"Mmmh ... mmff ... "
The more often Naoto felt Kanji's member throb and twitch, the closer she could guess he was. With her own second climax tempting to approach - and all just from him using his tongue - she felt her body tensing up yet again. But before her body could give in, she felt Kanji do so first as the load of hot cum fell down her mouth and into her throat. The taste and feel made her cheeks flush brightly. It .. honestly didn't taste too bad. A bit salty but ... not bad otherwise.
"Ahh ... hah .... "
Only when Kanji finished spurting did she pull away and roll off, now lying beside him. Slowly and somewhat shakily, Naoto pushed herself so they were face to face once again. Her head fell upon a shoulder as she kept panting softly but quickly.
"S-so ... so good, Kanji ... " she managed to murmur gently, her cheeks flushing darker.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kani's heart was hammering in his chest, his eyes nearly glazed over with lust as he finished emptying himself inside of her mouth and her throat, another spurt shooting out when he realized that she was just swallowing his cum, a thought that made his cheeks flush as well. That was... there was osmething really erotic and intimate about her accepting his seed into her mouth and her stomach like that, his cock twitching once in response as Naoto pulled off of him, laying beside him so lovingly...
Kanji's arm wrapped around her as she settled her head onto his shoulder, his smile a warm one, mildly delirious from the sensations she had elicited from him. "I-it was, Naoto-chan," Kanji breathed, one hand reaching up to brush along her hair... but then Kanji was shifting suddenly rolling on top of her and forcing her back down against the bed. His body settled between her slender thighs, his cock hard and lolling against one of her soft thighs as he lingered above her.
"N-Naoto. I want to... I want to be your first," Kanji said. His body yet thrummed with passion, with sensual electricity that made him desire to take her as his very own, to, tomatewith her and pound her down into the bed until they were both shuddering through another orgasm. Whatever these thoughts, these feelings were, the petite detective had clearly inspired them in him, and his large hands were roaming her body even now.
human
Naoto Shirogane
Naoto's cheeks remained flushed as her head stayed upon Kanji's shoulder. Yet, his reply made her smile and nod in agreement. "I'm .. glad you loved it as much as I did." Soon, however, she felt herself shifted, going from lying on her side to on her back. She swallowed softly as she looked up to Kanji. Even before he had spoken up, she had a feeling on why he had gone through with the actions. But, to be fair, she had said she wanted the same thing also. Hell, this was mostly her idea to begin with. Naoto wouldn't change her mind, especially when she still did want Kanji.
"Go on then." she replied, barely above a whisper. A slight pause lingered between the two before Naoto added, "It .. is supposed to always hurt the first time, no matter how gentle one is. But ... I'll be fine. Really."
A hand slowly raised as she began to run a hand through his hair. If her words may have made him feel uneasy or second guess himself, Kanji would soon feel and see that Naoto truly did want this as much as he did. And if the gentle gesture didn't work, the sensual one of her legs parting for him, hopefully, would.
"I want you ... and you alone."
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji hesitated for a moment, his hand stilling and a brief moment of indecision flickering through his eyes when she told him that he was going to hurt her when they did this. It... made sense -- she was a fairly tiny woman, after all, and he had felt just how tight she was when he had been probing her earlier with his tongue. But... her hand stroking through his hair calmed him some, and he gave her a nervous smile. "Y-yeah. I want you too, Naoto," Kanji said, reaching up to slowly stroke a hand through her own soft hair.
Kanji settled down closer to her body, his eyes immediately drawn down to her thighs parting wide to accept him, his gaze focusing on her tight pussy. His hard shaft twitched, hungry eyes sweeping back over her. She was beautiful... he wanted to fuck her so very badly.
His mind made up now, he was less hesitant in the way he pressed the bulbous head of his cock gently to her lower lips, his hips lining up with hers... and then slowly, gently, as much as he could in either regard... he pressed himself into and against her, his shaft still slick from how she had taken care of him with her mouth. His hips flexed, pushing himself into her centimeter after centimeter, taking Naoto as a woman for the first time -- his woman.
human
Naoto Shirogane
Her eyes closed as Kanji returned the favor of moving his own hand through her blue hair. Soft sighs passed her lips as she gently nuzzled against his hand, feeling his fingers continue to weave easily through the locks. It was funny in it's own way how someone who appeared to be so harsh could actually be very soft and gentle. Ah well. Every person, she had realized from being on the investigation, had two sides to them. Even Naoto herself was no exception. Still, that was long gone, nothing but a memory in her mind for the time being. She was otherwise focused solely on the here and now.
As he began to enter her, Naoto tried to prepare herself, more mentally than physically. It worked well enough .. up until she felt her hymen being pressed against. The stinging made her grip her lower lip as she barely kept a whimper hidden away. But once he broke it and fully embedded himself into her, a scream couldn't help but pass her lips.
Oh gods! That didn't wake her, did it?!
Not that the thought would make her stop. Far from it. The pain only continued for a minute, maybe several at most, before vanishing altogether. Kanji would know when that occurred because Naoto's legs would wrap around his legs, pulling him deeper inside of her.
"Gods ... ahhh! So ... so good ... "
Her hips began to move, meeting with Kanji's as she rode along his shaft, her muscles squeezing and caressing his throbbing cock.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji's eyes were wide and panicked as she opened her mouth to scream -- and he did the only thing he could think of to do by suddenl pressing himself down, his lips pressing against ers to try and stifle her cry of pain. He prayed that his mom didn't hear, and wouldn't come to check on the two of them... there was no way that he could let a moment this important be interrupted. In that moment, however, he slid further inside of her body. He groaned throatily against her sweet lips, his hips stalling as he allowed her to grow used to his girth.
"I-it is, Naoto-chan," Kanji said, his hips flexing when he felt her legs wrap around his hips. He settled against her, hips flush with hers as he pressed his forearms down against the bed to either side of her head. So positioned, he began to piston in and out of her, his hips rising and falling quickly as his eyes roamed down her tempting body. Across her sweet face, captured in a mask of pleasure, and down to her chest, far curvier than it would initially appear.
He leaned suddenly, stomach curling as his lips captured one of her rosy nipples, suckling softly as he rocked her body with powerful thrusts.
human
Naoto Shirogane
Naoto eagerly returned the kiss, not minding that part of the reason it had been done was to keep her quiet. She hadn't forgotten where she was. But it was one thing to try to prepare oneself mentally for something like this. It was definitely a different story in actually preparing for it in a very physical way. She'd known it would have hurt. But to this extent? No. Thankfully, the pain was gone for sure by the time he broke the kiss. By then, Naoto wasn't wincing or making any pained faces. Quite the opposite if anything. She was moaning, whining, whimpering -- all in pleasure and as softly as possible.
"Ahhh ... oh yes. Mmmh ... "
Her breasts bounced with each thrust. Never once had her nipples or clit gone back to their normal size it seemed. Everything was remaining stiff and hard, the attention from each movement Kanji continued to give her only strengthening the reaction from her own body. Her hips continued to meet with Kanji's, her breaths were becoming faster and even slightly louder.
A loud gasp left as Kanji's lips took her nipple in. She gripped on her lower lip hard, making the cry that elicited softer but definitely not silent.
"Mmmmmf! Fuck! Aaaahhh!"
Her hips began to buck faster, as if fueled on by his gentle suckling.
"More!" she pleaded, never once ceasing her own actions as her muscles began to tantalize and caress the shaft buried inside her.
gpt
Kanji Tatsumi
Kanji's body was gently trembling above her, inside her, around her -- it was hard to tell if it was because he was nervous (perhaps he feared to hurt her, to bruise her with his own body), or because he was simply trying to hold himself back, to not push her down hard against the floor and to slake his lust in a very primal rut. It was difficult, stomach straining and his teeth biting down on his bottom lip as he continued to rock in and out of her body.
"God... oh,fuck, Naoto-" he grunted as she ground so sweetly against him, his own hips working in a slow circle as their bodies met in the most exquisite way. He leaned back down against her, cheek pressing to one soft breast as his lip took the opposite nipple into his mouth. "Ah...-ah-... alright!" He couldn't hold himself back.
His hands came suddenly to her own, shoving them down against the bed as his hips picked up speed. He was well and truly fucking her now, his hips rising and falling as he drove into her sweet body time and time again. He was panting, focused entirely on every slide into her tight little snatch, more and more until--
There was no warning, not even anattemptto slow down as he buried himself inside of her, cumming thick ropes of hot seed into her body, spurt after spurt drawn from his body and deep into her own.
human
Naoto Shirogane
"Oh dear gods ... "
Naoto's head tossed from side to side, her body desperately trying to keep some self-control. But each lick upon her nipples, thrust from Kanji, or other sensual movement - word at times - was driving her absolutely insane. Her breasts continued to bounce up and down with each forceful thrust. A smile crossed her face as she finally heard Kanji agree to stop holding back. That was also another perk of being a detective. She'd done some physical training, including combat against some of the others. She could handle a few bruises if it really came down to that. But for the most part, her body was more ... durable than other women. She could take punishment much better than most others. At worst, Naoto envisioned she may be a tad sore when they were done. But she doubted bruises would come into play ... not unless Kanji aimed to include them.
Although honestly, it would be more of a blessing if he did said actions. Compared to a certain other stalker, she'd much rather have Kanji be a bit rough with her thanhim.
"Ah! Ah, Kanji! Ooohhhh!"
Her body shook with his as her muscles clamped tightly down upon his twitching member, as if enticing his orgasm to continue. She was definitely a bit worried if anything would happen ... but Naoto tried not to think heavily on the possibility of being knocked up on the first sexual experience she was having. Rather, the detective concentrated on how good everything was feeling.
"I .. I ... ungh!"
Naoto's head tossed back as she let out another cry, convulsing wildly as she came all over his still spurting cock. Despite her pants and heavy breaths, however, Naoto's hips continued to move eagerly.