-December 17 2011-
The Investigation Team has just beat Adachi and Ameno-Sagiri inside the TV World and saved Inaba, thus ending the Investigation Team's case on the murder mysteries and the fog. It was truly a victory for the team, deciding to celebrate throughout the night.
However Rise, the team's support kept watching Naoto the entire celebration. Why?
See Naoto got hurt during the fight against Adachi, really bad. In the middle of the battle, his Persona; Magatsu-Izanagi surprised Naoto and slashed her back, quite deeply. Upon seeing blood drawn, Rise felt her heart stop for a second, thinking about Naoto's health and got distracted in the fight. This lasted short but it still brought fear into Rise's heart. Yukiko had healed her wound with Salvation but still the Lovers worried since Naoto wasn't showing signs of being hurt, and knowing Naoto, she's hiding her pain well.
Worried for her teammate, friend and not-so secret crush, Rise talked to Naoto after the celebration and insisted on checking up her wound
By taking a bath together at her place.
"..." Naoto sighs at Rise's persistence. "No Rise, I'm afraid I will have to decline. I appreciate your concern though, but I'm fine."
Rise immediately frowned "You're not fine Naoto-kun. I saw you holding back a few cries of pain, and I saw you twitch violently a few times."
"I'll be fine Rise" Naoto insisted, but unfortunately for her, Rise clung to her arm "Rise. Get off me."
"No!" she pouts "I'm helping you out Naoto-kun, whether you want to or not."
"Why?" The detective inquires, clearly annoyed "Why do you insist on helping me out?"
She didn't expect Rise's response however "Because I care about you a lot Naoto-kun!" The ex-idol says, her eyes turning teary eyed "…I hate it when you push us away, when you push me away because you think you can handle it, but I can tell that right now you can't." she tightens her grip on her "And I'm not going to let you just walk away, pretending that it's ok to walk limp just to hide your pain. It's nothing to be ashamed of!"
"…" Naoto sighed, Rise's words getting to her and now expressing signs of guilt. She hated to admit it but Rise had a point. "Well..." she offered a meek smile."I do need help..." she admits with a small blush "I need someone to rub ointment on my back...just to make sure it doesn't get infected and such. I-I can't reach it you see, though I'm sure you suspected that already?" she decides to give in to Rise's demands regardless.
Rise lets go of Naoto and claps her hands in delight "I can do that for you Naoto-kun!" her mouth turns to a grin "Of course that means that we'll have to bathe together."
Naoto twitched at Rise's teasing tone, but ignored it "Yes, we will. I expect you to behave appropriately, unlike at Yukiko-senpai's inn."
"Hey I didn't touch much." Rise pouted "And I didn't hear you complain."
"I was not expecting you to do that" she deadpanned "In any case, please don't touch there again, and we won't have a problem."
Rise whined, but sighs "Ok fine, I understand Naoto-kun." She wraps her arms around Naoto's own arm "Now let's go heal you up!" she then begins to run to Naoto's place with Naoto in tow.
"W-wait Rise we can walk there and you don't know where I live!" Naoto squirmed as Rise pulls her with surprising strength 'She's stronger than she looks…' she thought as Rise stopped and even more surprising, walks alongside Naoto with no hurry. The detective was astonished, but at this point in her strong friendship with Rise; most of what she does astonishes her.
The duo quickly arrives at Naoto's house and is led to Naoto's room. Rise had to blink a few times to notice all the mech and featherman figures lying around, as well as a few book shelves containing hard to read books "Woah Naoto-kun, your room is packed!"
"Yes well...thank you" Naoto blushed a bit at that
Rise giggled, letting go of Naoto "No no no; thank YOU!" she lets out a big smile at her "So ready to take a bath and heal up?"
"For better or worse" Naoto tipped her hat to hide a blush 'I should have argued the Amagi hot spring again instead, I'm sure that with my bathtub…we might get a little too close.' She thought, realizing right away that maybe that was Rise's plan all along. Oh well, can't back out now (Not that she wants to). Naoto opens the door and goes in, with Rise following.
Naoto's Bathroom is fancy and quite large. The shower itself is encased in glass, with a glass door going into it. The glass slightly distorts what is seen through it and it is quite spacious. It is also quite deep and curved on the sides, so it can serve as a large and comfortable bathtub as well.
"Woah!" Rise gasped "Your bathroom is really nice Naoto-kun! I'm jealous"
"Is it?" Naoto blinked "I…suppose 'I've lived quite a luxurious life... I feel rather honored actually. I apologize if it's too much"
Rise shook her head "its fine." She smiles "So let's get naked Naoto" Rise says, quickly pulling up her shirt; the detective immediately turns around to look away in embarrassment.
"W-warn me beforehand Rise!" Naoto yelps "This is a bit awkward…" she mumbled
"Why?" Rise said, tossing her bra and shirt out of the way "We're both girls."
"That's…not the point" Naoto sweatdropped "I'm not exactly used to this."
"Huh, well that's true." Rise stopped for a moment "Well its fine, it's for a good cause right? "
"…I suppose" Naoto sighed as she decides to fill up the bath; turning the hot water valve and letting it fill the bathtub. In the meantime she grabs a few shampoos and conditioners, as well as an ointment her grandfather prepared to help heal and clean wounds like the one on her back then puts them near the bathtub. Begrudgingly she begins to strip down to her bare nothings and enters the bathtub. She failed to see Rise's horrified face at her scar, let alone her gasp. "N-Naoto-kun your scar…!"
"Hm?" Naoto turns her head a bit to see Rise's silhouette from the side, seeing the girl walk over to the bathtub, but seems nervous to do so "Is it really that bad?"
Rise merely nodded "Y-yeah…" she sees Naoto turn off the hot water valve, the bathtub filled ¾ in. Naoto then hands Rise the ointment bottle "Please rub my back as gently as possible where the slash mark is." Naoto said as she accommodates herself on one of the bathtub's sides, exposing her back to Rise and giving her ample space to sit in.
"Absolutely." Rise nods as she stepped into the bathtub and sees the scar a bit closer, quickly putting her free hand on her mouth as to hide her gasp, eyes widening at the scar's length and size. "…Does it... sting?" she nervously asked, hand trembling as she wants to touch it, but fear it will hurt Naoto, so she pulls back.
"A little bit..." The Fortune said a bit nonchalantly, not really minding it. Whether she's telling the truth or not Rise can't tell, and that made the ex-idol all the more uneasy.
"..." Her eyes looked down, unable to gaze at the scar any longer "...I'm sorry you got hurt that bad... I really wish I could've helped..." she spoke with a somber tone.
"You did what you could" Naoto said, not really caring much for the damage done.
Rise bit her lip, clenching her free hand into a fist, eyes watering a bit, threatening to cry, but Rise held back and looks up back to the scar, facing it with vigor and applies the ointment on her free hand after letting go and opening it again. She doesn't warn Naoto though as she places her hand on the scar to apply the cream.
Naoto's eyes widened at the sensation; gritting her teeth a bit, arms trembling and eyes closing as she flinches at the touch of Rise's hands on her back "ah..."
At the sound of Naoto's cry, Rise quickly backed her hands away in fear she thought was hurting Naoto "T-too hard?" she asks nervously
"N-No, it's bound to hurt..." Naoto cringed a little, taking a deep breath to calm herself. "It's okay... I need this to be done..." she nodded, motioning for Rise to continue. "Your hands are rather gentle..." she compliments the Lovers.
Rise blushed at that, feeling her heart beat faster "T-thanks...your skin is really soft Naoto-kun..." she said as she puts her hands on Naoto's back and gently rubs the ointment she put on them around the wounds.
Naoto smiled a little, as Rise rubbed and massaged her, the pain and soreness no longer there. "I get that a lot... it's strange." she mused. "I could be the perfect woman, yet I denounce my womanhood."
"Do you hate having taken that decision?" Rise asked as she continues her rubbing, feeling rather relaxed now from before.
"Um...partially both" Naoto admitted, further relaxing in Rise's rubbing.
"Really?" Rise blinked, stopping for a moment before continuing as Naoto begins to explain herself.
"There are benefits to both genders. I would be fine being known as a woman if my profession wasn't so... impractical about that." Naoto admitted. "Yet I also like being a man...? It is hard to explain... I'm comfortable with myself, yet me being masculine... defines me."
"Like your personality" Rise deduces
"Pardon?" Naoto asked
"There's two of you" she smiled "Naoto Shirogane, the girl that loves to tinker with machines and read books and watch Featherman...but there's also Naoto Kuzunoha, the detective prince that solves any and all cases." she lowers her hands slowly to work on Naoto's lower wounds "In that sense, there's a female Naoto...and a Male Naoto. Your original self and your job self."
Naoto frowned, and nodded. "I suppose so... but which one is the real me...?"
"Both of them." Rise smiled. "It's like my troubles with my Shadow..."
"...?" Naoto blinked
"I had the same problem..." Rise explains "Risette the Idol, and Rise Kujikawa the girl that wants friends...I couldn't differentiate both after a while. That's my real reason for quitting. I was getting sick of Risette. People were seeing a side of me that I wasn't comfortable with. All the photo shootings and forced swimsuit contests...I was disgusted. Risette was becoming more of an exposed model to ogle at than a symbol of inspiration to help others as I wanted. I couldn't take it anymore so I quit...and I came to Inaba" she smiled and stopped rubbing Naoto's back "Where I'm trying to understand myself, as Rise and Risette. In that sense I..." she blushed a bit "I understand what you're going through Naoto-kun. That's why I want to help, but I realize now how harmful my help was being" she looked down, her reflection eyeing her back on the water "I was making you more uncomfortable and annoyed instead of letting you open yourself slowly when you saw fit. In a way I felt like a hypocrite, I became the very people that I wanted to get away from...for that I'm sorry. I know we're sort of over it, but I truly mean it, and I'll prove it to you however I can Naoto..."
"..." Naoto frowned. She could just hear the amount of passion and soul in Rise's voice. "...You..."
"I mean it... I feel so awful about that..." Rise cringed, eyes tearing up a little.
"..." Naoto smiled a bit. "It's alright... I mean that, too. You've helped me a lot... just sharing this with me. I suppose there really is nothing wrong with having... multiple sides to yourself, huh?"
"No...there isn't" Rise said looking down and backing her hands away, though she's surprised that Naoto turned around and wrapper her arms around her in a gentle hug "N-Naoto...?!" she squealed a bit and blushed immensely, her eyes widening by quite the margin at the surprise feel of Naoto's skin and breasts pressed against her own.
"Then...there is nothing wrong with us" Naoto smiled and with her fingers she wipes away Rise's tears "So don't cry Rise. I accept your apology."
"N-Naoto..." Rise stutters a bit, her voice sounding lower than usual, but her smile speaks more than her words can.
"...this is my proof" Naoto turns her head up and gently presses her lips on Rise's forehead for a few seconds before backing away.
The two girls blushed, feeling embarrassed at their actions, yet grateful that both had the courage to bond like this. "...I misjudged you, for the longest time, Rise. I am quite at fault too." Naoto admitted. "...But I've seen past all that now. I've peered into your heart. And I am..." she smiled. "Proud at what I see."
"N-Naoto-kun..." Rise stuttered, cheeks reddened at the Fortune's actions.
"I...I would like to date you, if you would accept" She said, clinging a bit closer to Rise "As...Naoto Shirogane."
Rise smiled, and places her hands on her chest, as to try to stop her beating heart. "Naoto-kun..."
"Is that... alright with you?"
"...Absolutely."
Naoto smiled and put a hand on Rise's cheek, caressing it "I'll...try my best to make you happy Rise. This is new to me...all of it, but I want to learn more about you, as well as myself. Please...let me walk this path with you."
"..." Rise blushed at her touch, nodding and smiling. "I'd... like that, Naoto-kun. I really would... a-and I'll my best to respect you from now on, too..."
Despite the two of them being naked together in a bath, the two were happy, smiling in each others' company, merely enjoying their presence in silence. "...Shall we finish our bath, at least?"
"Of course..." Rise smiles as she lifts one of Naoto's legs and gets to work on it
"R-Rise...!" Naoto blushed at the ex-idol's actions with her leg.
"Let me pamper you a bit." Rise giggled. "You're still sore and aching. I won't do anything you're not comfortable with yet, don't worry. But wow, Naoto-kun, your legs really are drop-dead gorgeous. You're idol material!"
"Doubtful..." Naoto looked to the side, blushing.
"I mean it" Rise said "You should do a song with me on stage!"
That's when Naoto laughed a little bit, despite her blushing from Rise's massaging. "Aha... I can't sing, you see." she frowned. "I can play the piano and violin, but they are hardly something worth showcasing at a concert..."
"Well you can dance with me" Rise winked
Rise could feel her leg flinch at hearing that. "N-No...! I cannot dance either..." she frowned. "W-Well I can do the tango..."
"Tango huh?" Rise smiled "I can dance that." She teases after putting Naoto's leg down.
"O-On stage?" Naoto blushed, looking down in embarrassment. "Well... M-Maybe. Perhaps one day..."
"No no no" Rise shook her head "Just us and the music. I respect your privacy Naoto" She smiled, taking her hands with Naoto's and intertwining her fingers with hers in a gentle matter "So...sure one day, but not in public if you want."
"..." Naoto felt more comfortable with that and Rise's actions. She nodded to her with a small smile on her face. "...Together... hm? I suppose then… I see no harm with that."
"Yay!" Rise clapped her hands a few times in joy.
And get out, drying each other with their towels; or rather, Rise attempting to dry Naoto but Naoto assuring she was okay... still; Rise got her legs done, at least. And her back. "...Well... that was a new experience for me." Naoto admitted.
Rise winks at her as a tease "Hope it repeats itself"
Naoto blushed a bit and coughed at that "...Perhaps"
"Hehe, shy?" she giggled.
"Perhaps just a bit." Naoto gave a cocky smile. "Come now - let's get ready, and no you cannot dress me up" Naoto smirked, admittedly enjoying this game of hard to get. It riles Rise up. Rise's pouts were admittingly adorable though, something to consider in the future.
"Fine..." Rise huffed. "I get it, you're a big boy..." she stuck her tongue out.
Naoto chuckled at that "...You can at least put my underwear on" she teasingly offers
"Yay!"
"But I have to put yours on"
"...Yay!" Rise giggled. "It's fun to dress people up!"
Naoto smiled, but seemed indifferent. Still - it was nice to see Rise smile and get along, in a weird sort of way. But it works. It was the start of a grand new relationship, at the very least - the two feeling a lot happier with each other now.
Not quite a couple, but clearly more than friends. It's a good step forward, especially if it made both of them feel a lot happier, and at ease with each other.
"Will you be staying the night?" Naoto asked
"Of course!" Rise nodded, smiling "If you're ok with it that is" she blushed. "Your company is comforting."
Naoto chuckled at Rise's honesty, but appreciates it. She looks at her with a sincere gaze "So is yours Rise"
Rise blushed at the gaze, placing her hands behind her back and tilting her body a bit to the side "I'm... really glad to hear that."
The two after dressing each other up in their nightwear and helping Naoto bandage her wound appropriately, return to the Fortune's room. Naoto sits down on her bed and gently grabs Rise's hand, gently pulling her in. Rise gladly lets herself be pulled and playfully tackles Naoto down, the two girls laughing at their actions and having a fun time. After tickling each other and winning in a quick wrestling match, the two girls relax and Rise cuddles against Naoto with a big smile, her head resting on her breasts , feeling exhausted after a long day of saving the world and having fun with her best friend and crush "...Good night, Naoto-kun..."
Naoto pulls the sheets on both of them and she hugs Rise a bit tight "Good night Rise...sweet dreams."
"You too, Naoto..." Rise chuckled, the two heading off to sleep.
Rise fell asleep first, but Naoto stayed awake a while longer, her lingering gaze watching over Rise's sleeping face.
'...Even now, you want to look after Me.' she mused. 'You're something else Rise Kujikawa. I just can't figure you out.' She thought, her hand gently traveling Rise's face, admiring her soft skin and stops at her cheek, her finger tracing Rise's lips 'But one thing is certain. You care for me…and I've begun to care for you' she let that thought linger for a moment '…I want to protect you...' she smiled at that thought 'my fair Idol~'
With that, Naoto closes her eyes and drifts off to dreamland, in the arms of what might be her future lover. Who knows…? The future has many possibilities.
END