A/N: More? More. You'll have to forgive me for the actually atrocious upload time on this one(not that the last one was much better) but I want to get this uploaded before I become too busy to upload it. No trigger warnings for this one, just fluff. Am I doing anything wrong? If so, don't forget to tell me in a review.

It's Christmas Eve!

Yui Narukami had the perfect idea on how to spend the day. She smiled at the idea as she cleaned the stove in her uncle's home. She had the perfect plan, the most wonderful idea she could ever imagine. She's making a cake for someone. Not just anybody, but for a special one, her lovely girlfriend Naoto. She sighed contently as the thoughts of their first night together passed through her head. She remembered the feel of Naoto's lips on her's. The blush on her face when she pulled away, and how warm she felt, curled up beside her.

She had already preheated the oven, and was just about ready to put it in. She had followed the recipe to a T, but something stopped her from opening the hatch- What if she didn't like it? S-She liked chocolate, right? Yui had gotten pretty good at reading the many faces of the Detective Prince, what if she had messed the proportions up and she hated it? Would she hate her?

Yui slapped her cheeks a couple of times. It wasn't as hard as Naoto had done those months ago, but it was necessary all the same. Naoto loved her, and Yui loved her for it. Without her, Alice would still be plaguing her mind for sure. She was still on the insecure side, and still needed to be told time and time again, mainly in the middle of a secret cuddle session on the school roof, that nothing, come hell or high water, would lessen Naoto's love for her.

She was fit to be loved, her mind told her, causing her to smile. She picked up the cake pan, and slid it into the oven, closing the hatch. She set the timer, and stepped from the small kitchen into the living room. When the timer rung, all of the preparations would be in place, all that would be left was the phone call.

The timer rang, the cake was cooling off on the counter, and her present, wrapped neatly, was hid in the desk in her room. Now… the moment of truth. The phone rang… Once… Twice… She picked up. "Hello, Senpai?"

"Hello, Naoto. I-I um… was wondering… would you like to come over… f-for you know… Christmas Eve…?" She looked around the still quiet house. It seemed Nanako was at a friend's house for some reason or another, and Dojima was working, no doubt building a case against Adachi.

"O-Oh. Sure. I'll be over as soon as I get done here."

Did she hesitate? Naoto wasn't one for stuttering her words, unlike Yui. She bit the inside of her lip. "Okay, I'll see you soon. I love you!"

"And I, you, Senpai." She brought the phone away from her face and ended the call.

Yui Narukami sighed as she sat deeper into the couch. She was still hung up on that hesitation she heard in Naoto's voice. It could have been simply nothing, but nothing about the Detective Prince of Inaba was simply nothing. She could have been surprised at the notion of spending Christmas Eve with Yui, but isn't that what couples are supposed to do? Sit, eat cake, and exchange gifts? What if this was too sudden, what if Naoto hadn't been prepared for something like that. The anxiety began eating away at Yui, and she drifted off to sleep.

A rather loud knocking woke Yui up, and she gazed out of the screen door near her. It was dark. Yui gasped and jumped up, rushing to open the door. Once open, she bowed deeply to her expected guest. "I'm sorry! I fell asleep while waiting for you and didn't wake up until just now and I left you out in the cold for hours and hours and I'm so sorry, I'm a horrible girlfriend and-"

Naoto stopped that by lifting Yui's upper body from her bow. "Hey, hey. I just got here, okay? You didn't leave me in the cold. And you are not a horrible girlfriend, okay?"

Yui sniffed slightly. "A-Are you sure?"

Naoto giggled quietly, this was like a game in a way. It didn't happen often, but when she thought she messed up, she would the exact same thing; bow deeply, yell an apology, and began listing off things that she thought she had done wrong. It was amusing to see how many things she could list off in one breath. She thinks the record is nineteen. She always stop her when she said those four words. She hated hearing her say them, she loved Yui, and she hoped that one day, she would love herself nearly half as much as Shirogane did. "I'm quite sure. Now, can I come in?"

"O-Oh, yes. Please, head up to my room… I made cake."

Naoto's eyes twinkled. She loved her girlfriend's cooking, and couldn't wait.

They sat on either side of the table, with the homemade cake between them. She didn't have time for the fancy decorations that she wanted to put, so it was simply a plain cake with white frosting. Yui cut two pieces from the cake and put them on plates, one for Naoto, and one for herself. "I-It still should be fresh… I-I just made it a few hours ago… I-It's chocolate." She hesitated. "Y-You like chocolate… right?"

Naoto rolled her eyes, smiling as she broke a piece off of her slice, and placed it delicately in her mouth. Her eyes widened in surprise. She expected it to be good, but this… This is amazing! She let out a satisfied moan as she chewed the cake. She began speaking after she swallowed it. "It's delicious! Senpai where did you learn to cook like this?" Her cooking was always good, there was no doubt about that. She would regularly make boxed lunches for both of them for school when she could. But Naoto had a hard time believing that her senpai cooked this. It was too high quality.

"A-Ah… It's my mother's recipe… I learned it a few years ago, so I wouldn't go without cakes for my birthdays," Yui admitted, blushing lightly.

"Your mother is an amazing woman," Naoto chewed and swallowed another bite of cake. "She gave me two amazing things." Naoto blushed as she said that.

Yui blushed brighter than she was already. She began eating the cake herself.

Once they had their fill, Yui had gone and placed two slices in the fridge, one for both her uncle and her cousin-turned-little sister when they returned home. Now, the two of them sat in silence, content just to be in each other's company. Naoto spoke first. "That really was an amazing cake… You'll have to thank your mother for me when you see her again."

"I-I'll make sure of it," Yui smiled.

The two were silent again for a short while. "Oh, I have something for you. I was so late because I had originally forgot it at home. Here." She stood up, and retrieved a box from the metal wire shelves near the door. She held the box out, and Yui took it. As she was unwrapping it, Naoto began explaining. "It's a watch I customized. It has all the functions of a normal watch… But, it can also tell you where I am. M-My watch can do the same, only for you," she sighed. "And with you going back in the spring, it'll soon simply say 'Out of Range' So I want to spend as much time with you as I can."

She removed the watch from the small cardboard box, and smiled. She pressed a button on the side and letters appeared under the time. "Distance: 2m" It read.

"I love it! A-And since… since you made this yourself, it makes me feel bad that my gift is store bought.." She was crestfallen. So that's what Naoto was doing when she had called. She looked over to her desk and sighed. She stood, and pulled the drawer out, grabbing the rectangular box from within. She held it to Naoto, who took it. "I-I didn't know what to get you, and after some consideration, I went to Daidara-san's shop, and I ordered a new weapon for you… I-I know that everything is over and all but-" She whimpered. "I'm sorry…"

Naoto opened the box, and in it, lay a brand new revolver. It was similar in shape to her own weapon, but where as her's was a dark color, this one was plated in nickel, and the handle was, while wood, has intricate carvings on it. There was even proof of purchase and a list of specifications of the pistol. Two of the things she needed to register her firearm so she could legally carry it. Just by looking, it was no cheap pistol, and looking at the proof of purchase confirmed that it was worth no less than a couple hundred thousand yen. "This… You bought this?"

Naoto looked up at Yui and she nodded. "You… You seriously spent hundreds of thousands of yen, on a present for me?"

Yui gulped, and nodded again.

Naoto lifted up the revolver, and took a look at the other side, even spinning the chamber. It was a solid piece of work. "Yui…"

"D-Do you not like it?"

"I love it, but.. you could have bought something cheaper, couldn't you? You didn't have to spend all that money." Yui looked hurt, maybe it had been the wrong thing to say. "Wait… what I meant to say was… All I did was make you a watch, one that only has a distance limit of a few meters. But you went out, and, even though you knew how tiresome getting a weapon is… You went out and bought me a weapon, and even provided a proof of purchase and the specifications." She looked up at the other girl. "It still amazes me how much you would put yourself through for me." She smiled.

"Y-You don't hate it?" Came Yui's response. Her voice trembled slightly.

"Of course I don't! Yui please give yourself some more credit! You are an amazing, loving, caring and heartfelt person! You are the person that I fell in love with. And the one who fell in love with me!" Naoto smiles as the life begins to return to her lover's face. "The gun is beautiful, and since Daidara-san crafted it, I'm sure it's an amazing shot. If anything, you're making me look bad." She joked that last part, before getting up and sitting beside her Senpai.

"I will treasure it forever, Senpai… Just like I will treasure you." Naoto set the revolver on the table and wrapped her lover in a tight hug, trying dispel the dark thoughts clouding the other's mind. "I love you too much for a simple bad gift to make me loving you less, okay?"

Yui sniffed again as she was cradled in the sleuth's embrace. "O-Okay… I.. I love you, Naoto."

"And I love you, Senpai. Now." She stood, "I-I ask for you to excuse me for a moment… I have something I want to show you."

Naoto left rather quickly, leaving Yui dumbfounded. She was beginning to think she had done something wrong, when the door opened and Naoto stepped back into the room- looking both very uncomfortable, and very very beautiful. She forewent her regular clothes- a form-fitting male's uniform, with her chest bound tight enough to not show any evidence that she even had breasts. What she came back wearing, surprised Yui into silence. She wore a regular Yasogami High Girl's uniform. She had even unbound her chest. "Yakushiji-san prepared it for me. I-I remembered when you said you liked my higher voice, s-so…" Naoto seemed nervous. "I-I wanted to look.. more like a girl, for you, Senpai." She blushed, before rolling her hands down the skirt.

"W-Wow…" Was all Yui could muster.

"I-I know that this is… standard issue, but must the skirt be so short…? It's rather embarrassing…"

"N-Naoto… You look beautiful…"

This caused Naoto to blush brighter than she was already. "P-Please, stop… You're just trying to make me blush harder. I-I… uh…"

"I'll think I'll stick with my normal outfit. I just can't go around without feeling like I'm going to die." She roller her hands down her skirt again. "B-But I'm happy I showed it to you. This makes up for the difference in gifts, right?" Yui nodded.

"W-Well, I should be going, it was nice to come over for Christmas Eve. Goodbye Sen-" She began gathering her things, but Yui grabbed her hand.

"N-Naoto… Will you please… stay the night tonight? I-It's rather cold tonight, it'd be a shame if you got sick walking home…" Yui looked up at Naoto with pleading eyes, she had scrambled and- less than beautifully, fell to the floor, where she was now laying, hand clasped tightly around that of her lover's. "B-But, if you have to go home, I-I understand…"

"Y-You mean, You mean you want me… tonight?" Yui nodded.

"I-If you need to, I have some sleepwear for you- I-I just… Don't want to be alone tonight.."

That much was true. Lately she had been having nightmares caused by the battle with Kunino-Sagiri, and she was terrified going to sleep again. She had just barely stayed awake during school hours, before the long holiday. When at home, she would force herself awake. Currently she wore makeup to hide the bags under her eyes, but she would have to wash it off and slip into bed while Naoto was asleep.

Naoto's eyes darted around. She clearly wasn't against the idea, never in her life, but she was thinking about what her grampa or Yakushiji-san would say if they found out she had stayed the night at her girlfriend's house. "I can probably come up with an alibi for where I stayed tonight." Naoto nodded, before smiling.

Yui breathed a sigh of relief. "O-Okay, t-the sleepwear is in the-" She was caught off guard by a rather powerful yawn, causing Naoto to yawn as well, and then giggle.

"You must be tired. I'll change momentarily, but first." She pulled the other girl up to her feet, and smiled charmingly.

Narukami blushed, and looked away slightly. "Y-You truly are beautiful…" She muttered, before wiping at her face. This damn makeup was really uncomfortable-

"Senpai?" She froze.

"Y-Yes… Naoto?"

"How much have you been sleeping?" Yui gulped, and averted her gaze further. "Senpai, please tell me."

"W-Well… I-I… I have been asleep…" Her voice wavered.

"How long have you been asleep in the past several days?"

"We-well…"

"Senpai." Naoto was in no mood for games any more. She had just seen her girlfriend rub makeup off of her face- revealing dark purple rings under her eyes. She had thought that the open makeup kit in the bathroom she saw earlier was to make Yui look pretty- prettier than she already was, but it turns out it was hiding something from her.

"N-Not very much…"

"And how long is 'not very much?' Give me an estimate." She hated being this stern with the person she loved dearly, but nothing would come from letting the matter rest.

"U-Um... " Yui wasn't about to lie blatantly to the sleuth. "I… haven't been sleeping at all these past two days, a-and before that I could only sleep for an hour or two at a time… To be honest. I-I've been having nightmares."

This sent a chill down Naoto's spine, and she reached out to caress the other's face. "And why am I just hearing about this now?" Her voice was soft and caring, a sharp contrast to how stern she had sounded earlier.

"I-I didn't want to worry you… I was making such amazing progress since Alice went away, that I didn't want you to think that I was backpedaling any. I-I thought that if you really saw how weak I am… You might change your opinion of me. T-The truth is… No matter how much you say so- I really am nothing…" She laughed melancholically. "I really am Zero, aren't I…? The fool.."

Naoto honestly didn't understand the words coming out of her mouth, but she had to stop them either way. The sleuth surveyed her options, there were many of course. Everything had various solutions, it was just up to her to choose the right one. She stepped forward, embracing the sulking girl in a loose embrace. "Are you done?" She asked, petting Yui's hair slightly. She had taken note of how she stopped wearing it in a braid since Alice had relinquished her control over her body. Now, her soft, silk-like hair had somewhat lost it's sheen, probably due to the lack of sleep her lover was experiencing. "Haven't you heard that saying, within zero, holds infinite possibilities? You hold within yourself, infinite potential, yet you only see yourself as a number, when Zero is far more than that."

"B-But-" Naoto put a finger to Yui's lips, shushing her.

"You're more than nothing, Senpai. You are everything, my, everything. So please, just… Love yourself. You already love me, right?"

"Y-Yes, more than anything!" Yui's grip on Naoto's arms had tightened.

"Then, since you love me… Can you love the me that loves you? I-I'm not implying that I don't love you with my entire being already- but. My inner self, my persona… My shadow, I think they both love you without a doubt. They are why I can say that- Yui Narukami. I love you… so much." She giggled out those last two words.

"A-And I love you without a doubt as well, Naoto but why does-mmmf?!"

The sleuth had pushed herself against the lips of the team leader, and pulled her into a tight embrace. If she was completely honest with herself, she had forgotten she was even wearing a girl's uniform, her short term embarrassment lost to wanting Yui to just stop hating herself so much. Yui moaned slightly at the sudden contact, and stepped backwards out of shock, causing Naoto to step forward. This continued on for a few cycles until Yui had tried to step back- and fall back-first onto her bed, Naoto looming over her.

Yui was panting quietly, trying to catch her breath, her heart beating out of control. Naoto, however, was ever the calm and collected one. Though, to be fair, her nerves were on edge as well, she just had a better time of controlling it than others. "I-I just- Ever… Ever since our fight with Ameno-Sagiri. I've just been… so… so terrified of everyone turning their backs on me." Yui admitted, looking away.

She chuckled. "It's kind of funny, to be honest… We fought and brought Adachi to justice… And then we fought the source of all of the fog- but I'm still hung up on something in the past… I-I know that I'm supposed to be happy but-"

Naoto leaned down and places a light kiss of Yui's forehead. "Senpai… Are you referring to the point in the battle when Ameno-Sagiri took control of us?" Yui nodded. "Well, let me be the one to alleviate your worries, okay?"

Naoto inched closer, a light blush on her face. "Because I'm not going anywhere…" Yui let out a quiet sound as she met Naoto's eyes again.

There was… something alluring about those blue-gray orbs, that often times left Yui speechless, and Naoto felt very much the same about her senpai's muted gray orbs. It is often said that eyes are the gateways to the soul, and to each other, they each had one more beautiful than any diamond. "I-I don't think I'll ever get tired of how you can seemingly cheer me up with so little effort."

"Well that means I'm doing my job, right? Naoto chuckled, before lightly kissing Yui's lips, laying herself gently down on the other girl, before slipping off to her left.

"Y-Yeah…" Yui turned her body and cuddled up to Naoto, her back nestling comfily against Naoto's front.

Being wrapped in Naoto's warmth had made all of Yui's worries melt away, she honestly didn't know how she was going to survive when she moved back to Tokyo in spring, but right now, all that mattered was the two of them, right here, right now. She looked down at her watch, the LEDs read "Distance: 1m" She smiled, before drifting off to sleep.

Yui had woken up to a rather odd feeling. She had remembered going to sleep with Naoto hugging her from behind… So… Why was she tucked neatly into her bed? And why was she alone? She raised up, her hair messily falling over her face as she did. She looked down at her form, she was still in yesterday's clothes with the watch around her right wrist. "Distance: 6m" She sighed. It seemed like Naoto had woken up first, and laid her down in bed. She stood up, yawned, and threw off the clothes in favor for one of her night gowns. She grabbed her brush and began to get the knots out of her hair as she walked out of her room.

Once she was down the stairs, she found Naoto sitting on the couch, back in her normal clothes, reading a novel. She had a small smile on her face as she flipped through the pages, she was incredibly engrossed in that story. She took a quick look at the kitchen, a box of cereal was opened, and there was a bowl already in the sink. "Good morning." Yui yawned, rousing her lover from the book she was reading.

"Goo-Oh!" Naoto looked away as quickly as she had looked up. "G-Good morning… S-Senpai…"

Yui opened the fridge to retrieve the milk for her cereal, oblivious as to why Naoto was so flustered. She hummed a little tune as she made herself breakfast, and made her way to sit beside her girlfriend. "W-What are you reading?"

Naoto, who had buried her face into her book when Yui had walked around the table and sat down next to her. "U-Uh.. It's just a-" She peeked over the cover and peeked back down. "I-It's an old American novel. M-Murder on the Orient Express… Um… Senpai?"

"Yes, Naoto?" Yui spoke between spoonfuls of cereal.

"W-What is it- that you're wearing?"

"O-Oh, this? It's just a nightgown…" She, for the first time, looked down at her choice of fabric, and since she was now fully awake- she saw just how… transparent the cloth was. Yui was quiet for several seconds, her face heating up. She began hyperventilating, and she had started shaking. "I-I-" Yui tried to speak but she couldn't. Her consciousness began to fade.

"Senpai?! Senpai stay with me!" She heard Naoto's voice, before it all faded to black.

Naoto couldn't believe what she had just seen- Yui had just passed out- from a panic attack. It was such a strange idea, that such a thing would happen in front of her. It had happened before, of course- like back when Nanako had flatlined. She had walked out of the room, they all could hear the long, monotonous tone before the door closed. Yui had made it a few steps away from the door before collapsing, and thanks to Kanji's quick thinking she was caught before she hurt herself. Everyone looked between each other, before being startled as Yui let out a screaming sob. They all took their turns trying to comfort her until she had calmed down. When she did, she stood, and began walking away. Naoto knew where she was headed, especially when she grabbed her bag and pulled out one of her Kama. She and Rise were the first ones to run after Yui.

"Let me through." Yui held her Kama at her side, her eyes were bloodshot from her crying earlier. Aside from the redness, her eyes were dead, robbed of the light that had been in them by the man on the other side of that door. "I need to talk to Namatame."

The police officer looked at his partner, and then looked back at the girl. "Why don't you put that weapon down. There's no need for violence, now is-" Yui had raised the sickle, and was pointing it at the man who was speaking.

"Namatame must answer for what he has done. Let me through, and you shall go unharmed." The officer's hand reached for his weapon.

"Hey now, come on. Don't do anything we'll all regret. Just pick the Kama down, okay?"

Yui had flicked her wrist, holding the hand scythe upwards- but stopped once she heard a voice from behind her. "Senpai! Stop! Don't do it!"

A large group of footsteps started being heard, and someone had grabbed her arm- pulling it painfully behind her back, causing her to drop the weapon, letting it noisily clatter to the floor. "Senpai, please! Senpai snap out of it!" Slowly, her eyes became more lively, and she looked around.

She saw the two officers, hands on their weapons, staring wearily at her. If she would turn to her left, she would see Naoto's tearful expression as she held onto her arm tightly. Her eyes widened as she realized what she was about to do. "O-Oh n-no I-" She started breathing rather quickly, "I-I-I'm so s-sorry. I-I don't-"

She staggered forwards, but was kept from falling over by Naoto. "Please forgive her, she is under severe distress. She did not mean any of it. Right, Senpai?" Yui nodded shakily.

The two officers relaxed their posture. "Well, as long as it doesn't happen again… So, what can we do for you?"

"I would like to speak with the suspect on behalf of Detective Dojima." Naoto spoke, her hands had relaxed, letting Yui's arm fall to her side, although the former's hand was still looming around it. "He had some questions for him, but is currently confined to his room. Please, let me through."

The two officers looked at each other again, before sighing. "Alright, alright. Just keep that girl on a short leash, okay? Come on, let's go get something to eat." With that, the two left.

Naoto had no idea if Yui had had any panic attacks before that previous time, but she quickly picked up on the warning signs. First, Yui's pupils would dilate by two centimeters, followed by an attempt to speak, which would only come out as a stuttered mess of the first words on her mind. Then she would begin hyperventilating, and soon after, shaking. It was just as scary as it had been before, but she had at least been spared losing consciousness. Hell- if she had, the group would have voted to throw namatame into the TV for his crimes.

Before the tremors had gotten worse, Naoto had taken the half-eaten bowl of cereal and placed it on the table. She was just about to try to snap her out of it when Yui had passed out. She paced around the room worriedly, waiting for the other girl to wake up. "Oh." Came from Yui's lips as she opened her eyes, her gray irises now hazy and unfocused. "It seems I'm up… Well, okay then."

"Y-Yui?" Naoto had rushed to her side as she sat up.

"No, not quite." The girl smiled sweetly. "I, am Fortuna. It is a pleasure to finally meet you in person, Naoto-darling." Yui had held out her hand, before finding the other's hand and shaking it lightly.

"D-Darling?" She blushed.

"Why yes, I am part of Yui's psyche. The part that had fallen head over heels for you, to be exact." Yui- er, Fortuna, had brought Naoto's hand up to her lips and kissed it. "I must congratulate you, for getting rid of Alice, by the way. She really was a nuisance…" Fortuna had sighed. "That little brat was so creepy…"

"U-Um… Forgive me… Fortuna… But, where is Yui?" Naoto had slipped her hand away from the other girl's hand.

"Oh! Oh, I'm terribly sorry. You see, she's resting right now. Well- no, that's not the exact reason. She was so distraught because she thought she had done something wrong by, well… wearing this." She pinched the near clear cloth with two of her fingers. "So King Frost's cooling her off. She should be back up and running in an hour or so."

Naoto had breathed a sigh of relief, before being wrapped in a tight hug by her girlfriend's persona. "But I'm so happy! I finally get to talk to the one I love so much!"

"H-Hey- not so tight, please." Naoto choked out.

Fortuna had pulled back bashfully. "Sorry! Sorry… I guess that training with Chie is paying off, huh?" She giggled.

"Um… Fortuna?" Naoto bit her lip. "You said that… You're the one who fell in love with me… right?"

"Why yes I did- Oh! Oh no, I did not mean it like that!" She pouted. "I was the first."

"First?"

"I was the first part of her to fall for you, but I was in no way the last." Fortuna scratched her chin lightly. "Back then, Alice ruled most everything, so I had expected nothing to come from it. But steadily, as Yui spent more time with you, that affection grew to most all of her Persona. And then, to her herself." The pout she was wearing changed into a smile. "You have no idea just how much you've helped her in such a short amount of time, Naoto… She really adores you, all of you. She bought you that revolver so you could always protect yourself… When she won't be there to do it for you." Fortuna had reached out and cupped Naoto's face.

The sleuth chuckled, and shook her head. "I don't think I'm worthy of all the credit you and Senpai give me… I'm just a detective, I'm not an expert on relationships… I just do what seems right."

"And that's what makes you such an amazing person, Naoto… Before, back when it was just Alice- no Izanami, no King Frost, no Pyro Jack… no me… She was socially and emotionally ostracized… She wasn't born with a stutter, you know? For the first few years of her life, she was just a normal, carefree child. But when she was enrolled in kindergarten, everything changed. At first, it was just questions about her hair, but… It escalated rather quickly. Her things were regularly stolen and, or destroyed in front of her… Once, they were playing outside, and some of the kids pushed her off of the playground- she was just trying to be one of them…"

Fortuna's smile wavered slightly. "She was pelted with clay, blamed for things… Some of the boys even resorted to hitting her. One day… I think it was in mid october, maybe? She left for school talking perfectly fine, and came home stuttering every other word. She was so terrified of being hurt that she developed that nervous tic." She laughed quietly to herself. "To be honest… She thought you were going to hate her too, when you two first met…"

"B-But I would never-!" Naoto was silenced by a finger on her lips.

"When you first met, after Kanji had gone missing… you were a complete stranger. The persona that had awakened in her thought you would be swayed by Alice's influence as well. And I am so… so glad you weren't." Fortuna's eyes opened, and they stared at Naoto. "I believe that she would be dead by now, if it wasn't for you… I know she says this a lot- but I love you. She knows that she doesn't deserve someone like you- but now she doesn't care anymore. She's just happy that you're here for her." She hummed.

Naoto smiled shyly. "And, I love you too… All of you, not just Yui, or you… I love every aspect of her. And I want to help her get better… I want her to love everything, not just me… But I know that progress in such things can be slow, especially after how long she's had to deal with the raw hatred… But I shall be there for her when she needs me, just like when we rescued her from Alice, or when I stopped her from possibly hurting those officer's outside of Namatame's room. I know that it'll hurt, for the both of us, when she leaves...But if I can do just one thing, I want to make sure she can stand on her own two feet during her last year of high school. I want her to come back to Inaba, happy."

Fortuna ran her thumb across the sleuth's cheek. "And it's that dedication that I just know will help her through this." Fortuna withdrew her hand and began running it across Naoto's face, tracing her eyes and nose.

"Are you… always so touchy-feely?" Naoto shied away, but was brought back.

"You'll have to forgive me, I am blind, you see." Fortuna spoke, gliding her index finger across Naoto's soft lips. "I have an idea of what you look like, of course- but…" Fortuna smiled sweetly. "Feeling it for myself is wonderful, you're wonderful"

The two were quiet as Fortuna ran her fingers delicately across Naoto's face. The former only letting out hums of approval occasionally. Eventually, she yawned quietly. "Naoto-darling… may I make a request of you?"

"O-Of course, what is it?" Naoto blushed again at that nickname.

"You were reading earlier, weren't you? Do you think you could read to me? I'm getting quite tired…" Fortuna had tapped the open space beside her, where Naoto had sat before, and waited for her to sit.

"W-Well, I don't see why not. Do you want me to start from the beginning?" Naoto had gotten up and grabbed her book, that had been discarded hastily on the table, being almost thrown out of her hands earlier.

Fortuna shook her head. "I just want something to lull us to sleep…" She had sat down, Fortuna had nestled her head into the detective's lap, her eyes closed.

Naoto opened the book to the page she was on earlier, and, while reading out loud, she began to stroke the other girl's hair idly, only lifting her hand when she had to flip a page. Fortuna, and eventually, Yui, slept soundly as she did, the later calmed down from her panic attack earlier. After a while, Naoto stopped reading to look at the slowly falling snow outside the sliding screen door. Nanako had come home some time while Yui was still asleep, but was shushed by the sleuth, pointing to the sleeping person immobilizing smiled, nodded, and tiptoed to her room, after waving a hello to Shirogane, she hoped these moments would last forever.

The End.