"Good luck on your first day back." Kanji said as he handed her the lunch he made for her.
"I'll be ok Kanji." Naoto replied giving him a kiss goodbye.
"If those punks say anythin' I'll pummel their asses." He said sounding like his younger self.
"I can handle them Kanji." Naoto said "I'll see you when I get home."
Naoto smiled to the receptionist as she walked into the Inaba police station.
"Detective Shirogane welcome back, Super intendant Dojima wants to see you in his office." The receptionist said
"I understand, thank you." Naoto said as she headed to her desk.
As she walked in she could feel the looks of the officers focus on her as if they were secretly judging her, most of the other detectives were male and they were in the mind-set that she should be at home looking after Ryoko. She knew that Kanji was there looking after her and he would be much better at it than Naoto could ever be, though she still loved that little girl with all her heart.
"Just because I am working doesn't mean I am not a good parent." She thought to herself.
Naoto then remembered she had to go and see Dojima; so she dumped her things on her desk and headed to his office, she was glad it was Dojima in charge as he was fully impressed by her talent and skill as a detective.
"Good to see you back again Shirogane." Dojima said as he looked up at her.
She thought that he hadn't changed at all since they met; he was a driven detective and a devoted father and now a great uncle to Kotone.
"It's good to be back Dojima-san." Naoto replied
His face relaxed into a small smile.
"Have you got a picture?" He asked
Naoto smiled as she pulled her phone out of her pocket, she searched for the photo she had on her phone. Her wallpaper was that of the investigation team they took before Yu left them, she couldn't bear to change it. When she found one of her little detective she showed it to Dojima.
"She looks like you." Dojima said with a warm smile "I remember when Nanako was that small."
The older man coughed and returned to his detective mode and picked up a folder to give to Naoto. She nodded and put her phone away and took the folder, she opened it and saw an overview of a new case.
"This case needs your expertise." Dojima said
Kanji found himself watching the clock; it was coming up to seven o'clock PM and Naoto had sworn she'd be home by now, Ryoko was fast asleep clutching onto her little plush doll of Sukuna-Hikona she had the Take-Mikazuchi doll stood by her head guarding her as she slept. He sighed as he turned the heat down on the stove, letting the pot cool to a gentle simmer; he was trying to avoid growing anxious. As the clock turned 7:05pm Naoto came in through the door, she walked into the kitchen to see Kanji sat at the table his expression full of worry.
"I'm home." She said to him.
"Thank god you're home." He said before he enveloped her in a bear hug, his nerves disappearing as he held her in his arms "I was so worried."
Naoto couldn't help but giggle a little.
"I am only five minutes late Kanji." She said to him.
He let her go and headed over to the stove quietly, to finish up cooking dinner, a little embarrassed at how worried he was.
"It was your first day back at work and I was kinda anxious as well your colleagues aren't exactly open-minded." He said
Naoto sat down at the table and looked at the small pile of letters; she liked to read the mail after she got home for work, they got a postcard from Kanji's mother every week telling them what she had been up to. She noticed that the bills were never in the pile as Kanji had already taken care of them, claiming it was his responsibility to keep the family budget running smoothly, Naoto knew that it was something his mother had taught him to do. Sometimes she felt like she was the husband in the marriage, they often joked about it, as they were comfortable with the way their marriage worked.
"Tonight we are having a Tatsumi special." Kanji said as he put the food on the table.
"Looks delicious, Kanji." Naoto said
Kanji thumped his hand against his chest; Naoto smiled as she saw his apron, it was the '#1 House husband' apron he was given as a joke from Rise on his birthday. She didn't expect him to like it, or that Naoto would have said "it's a very apt statement Rise-chan" when he showed it to her. Rise looked a little crestfallen that her little joke fell flat.
"So how was work?" He asked looking generally interested.
"It was good, Dojima-san gave me a new case and he wanted to see a picture of Ryoko." Naoto said
Kanji nodded, he'd have to send his gratitude to Dojima for making Naoto feel like she was accepted in the police force.
"Anyone say anything about you?" Kanji asked
"Not that I heard." Naoto said "If they did I don't really care."
She focused on her dinner and Kanji nodded at her.
"They can say all the sh… stuff they want about me; I don't want 'em disrespectin' you." Kanji said
He had to avoid saying the swear word as he promised himself that he wouldn't when Ryoko was born, he wanted to become a respectable adult in his daughters eyes and that meant no swearing and shortening his words.
"I know Kanji, I love you for that." Naoto said