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“I have a confession to make.” Naoto’s words cut through Kanji’s mental prep, his mind going over and over again the gentlemanly mannerisms that the Detective had drilled into him over the past several weeks. He glanced down at the bluenette, having gotten her to help him get dressed for his ‘date’ with Nozomi Nakahara, which frankly whether it was a date or not was really up for debate. They’d made plans of course, were meeting up and getting dressed and everything, but the poor timid girl hadn’t exactly clarified if it was a date and Kanji didn’t trust his knowledge in the area enough whether to judge if it was a friend date or a date date.
He kinda hoped it was a date date. Nozo was pretty cute. For being so shy and all.
Yeah.
“Hmm? What’s that?” He asked, his attention set to straightening out his tie, with Naoto making a huff before doing it for him. One of the perks of both of them into this sort of thing, always had each other’s back in case of a wardrobe malfuction.
“I may have...been aware of your former crush on my person.” She ducked her head, her words becoming more of a murmur as she stepped back from her work, satisfied the tie was straight. She still didn’t look at him however.
“You knew?” He asked, brows raising in surprise, and okay, yeah, he wasn’t exactly over it completely and some days wondered what it’d be like if he had the balls to get to Naoto first before Rise had, but still. He hadn’t thought she’d actually have been aware of it. “Well, why didn’t you say anything?” He asked, and he was not blushing, thanks. That was stupid. He was over it after all.
Her hand went up to tug her cap down in her usual ‘I’m not comfortable being looked at right now’ way. She cleared her throat before answering. “I didn’t reciprocate your feelings and I did not want to put you on the spot...” She murmured and...yeah. That felt kinda shitty, but he supposed he expected it.
“Huh, guess I never had a chance then.” He murmured, glancing back to the mirror, shoulders slouching a little. But then he let out a huff and squared them again because so the fuck what? It wasn’t like he was still over the moon for her, and he had Nozo-chan to look forward to, why would he be moping? “I never could compete with Rise or Senpai huh?” He asked, giving his friend a slight smirk, though it instantly fell at the flat look she gave back to him.
She scowled, single blue eye peaking out from behind her hand, still on her cap, before she snorted and stood back up straight. “Hardly. You’re twice the man Souji is. That failing was my own.” She trailed off and turned away, the risidual pain flickering over her face before being carefully masked with a stony expression.
Kanji winced, yup. Still a sore subject. Do not ever mention Senpai and Naoto’s relationship around Naoto. Noted.
“Uh, anyway...that’s fine since. Y’know, if I’m lucky I won’t fuck up this thing with Nozo-chan, right?” He added, because the awkward silence was horrible for both of them since neither one could ever manage to break it gracefully. They were just too bad at this thing. This conversation thing.
Naoto snorted and went to straighten out his suit again, (not like she hadn’t at least five times already). “You’re fine Kanji, you won’t ‘fuck up’ anything.” She chastised, before arching a single, blue brow at him. “So long as you don’t revert to being crass that is, though Nakahara has been getting...thicker skin recently.”
He let out a slow sight, and god he hoped so. His reflex and her timidity was just a recepie for disaster, why was he always going for the ones he could fuck up with? He must be a masochist of some sort. “Y-yeah.” He stammered, rubbing the back of his neck. “Heh, Idols, you know? So touchy.”
She gave him a fond smile, her eyes softening. “Idols.” She agreed, before giving a husky chuckle and pulling away once more before glancing to the door. “We wouldn’t wish them any other way however.” She murmured, and Kanji heard the voices of their friends coming to pick them up for that party Rise invited them to, the one where his hopefully date date and not just friend date was happening. Though it was techincally a double (triple?) date, but maybe that was for the best.
“Damn right, guess we’re suckers for high maitenence eh?” He added, glancing to the door himself before going back to fussing over his clothes again. He was a tailor. It was important. Shut up.
He could hear Naoto sigh (complete with eye roll he was sure) before she tugged on his sleeve to get him away from the mirror. He was turning into a girl. He totally was. “Not that high.” She drawled. “Anyway, we’re going to be late.”
She paused, and when he glanced back at her she looked thoughtful.
“You know, one more thing just occured to me.” There was that smirk, the one that proved that there was much, much more to the ol’ Detective Prince than just a cold exterior and horrile social skills. Kanji almost felt a chill go up his spine at that look. She could be...quite deadly unchecked.
She leaned up and rested a firm (if small) hand on his shoulder, making him lean down to let her get closer to his ear, and he’d wonder if she wasn’t trying something if not for her earlier admission. As it stood he was just confused.
And maybe a little bit scared.
After leaning up an acceptable amount her smirk turned into a leer and he fought the urge to swallow. “You wouldn’t have lasted five minutes with me without breaking.” She whispered, before pulling away with a far too smug expression just as Yosuke stepped inside (because Souji with Naoto was just asking for disaster). “Hey, you two ready or not?” He asked, looking irritated and...er...a bit roughed up if they were honest. His tie was undone and his hair...the less said about that the better.
Naoto’s smirk turned into a scowl as she took the Magician in, giving him an unimpressed arch of her brow. “I believe you have no room to judge, at least not until Seta learns the meaning of self control.” She drawled, giving a pointed gesture to Yosuke’s appearance.
He blushed, glancing down and stammering as he just noticed how he looked before giving a sheepish grin. “Ah-that-this one’s kinda my fault-so-” He began, hands going up to fumble with his bowtie before Naoto gave a deep sigh and went to fix it for him. “Come here.” She griped. “Both of you are helpless I swear.”
Yosuke gave another grin before letting the Fortune work, then his gaze turned to Kanji, who...hadn’t exactly gotten over the bomb Naoto had just dropped on him. “Hey, you alright dude?” He asked, concern in his tone and his expression.
Kanji nodded, though the motion was jerky and uncoodinated because, no, he wasn’t alright, his mind needed brain bleech and he needed a glass of cold water because what kinda fucked up kinky shit did Naoto and Rise even get up to????
Yosuke blinked slowly, not convinced, but he let it drop (for once) and instead turned back to the tiny Detective as she finished fixing up his suit. “Thanks Naoto.” He quipped, giving her a grateful smile before gesturing to them both. “Now come on! Can’t miss the party can we?”
“Please tell me Souji’s not as bad as you.” Naoto asked softly, another scowl on her features as Kanji finally recovered enough to make normal words again.
Yosuke gave another nervous laugh, leading them all back out to the limo that Rise had procured for them all to use. “Ah, I’m sure he’s not. You know partner, always can take care of himself!” He added, then glanced behind them. “Come on Kanji! Don’t wanna make Nozo-chan think you stood her up!” He then had the gall to wink and Kanji huffed, finally snapping out of his flustered state before gruffly walking past them. Whatever. At least he was moving again.
“What’s up with him?” Yosuke asked. Had he gone too far? Sometimes with Kanji it was hard to tell.
Naoto just shook her head and went to nudging him towards the car, glad at least that her friend had taken the news well.
Well. Some of the news at least.
Hopefully Nozomi was a bit...kinder than she was. Kanji deserved that.