Rated K. This is more of one of those, other side of the coin chapter. Hope you enjoy it, nothing too long.


Night time Routine

Rise looked in the mirror as she stripped off her flower strapless top and jeans and twirled in her underwear, just observing if anything changed in her figure.

"Naoto-kun, you think I've put on weight?" The detective sitting on the love seat in the bedroom was pulled away from her book, sporting a look of surprise.

"Why would you think such a thing?" Naoto just shook her head and went back to her book.

"You don't think so? Hmm I guess." She twisted again but in the opposite direction, her eyes focusing on her stomach with meticulous detail. "I guess I feel this way 'cause we've had a lazy day..."

The reasoning was deemed logical to Naoto as she hummed in agreement, turning the page without a second thought. Rise mentally agreed that the Sleuth was right but the feeling didn't put her at ease. Almost on cue, Souji strolled in from the bathroom already in his sleepwear for the night of long shorts and a loose fitting T-Shirt.

"Souji-Senpai do you-"

"No." He said simply causing Naoto to chuckle as she got through another page. The Idol shot him an incredulous look at his insistence of not having this conversation.

"You didn't even hear me out." She cried which made Souji shake his head. He picked up one of the garments on the back of the desk chair and walked towards her. By this point she was already back at the mirror giving herself yet another look over so she wasn't aware of his presence until she saw his reflection.

"You look just fine." He told her accompanied by a swift kiss to the cheek and her sleep shirt stuffed into her arms. Her face bloomed red with the ferocity of a car's break light as she was left speechless for a moment. Souji quickly turned to Naoto who looked at him humorously with a raised eye brow. He gave the detective a quick wink which only made her laugh and go back to her book.

"That was unfair Senpai." Souji waved it off, looking for something on the bedside table.

"Life's unfair, you'll deal with it."

"Naoto-kun! Help here?" She shook her head, not even looking up.

"Request for assistance denied."

"Hmph!"

"Anyway are you gonna stare at the mirror hoping for things to change or get ready for bed?" Souji called as he started to turn off the lights in the other parts of the apartment. Rise considered the question before grumbling to herself and putting her sleep shirt on.

"Well?" Naoto pressed, still not taking her eyes off her book.

"You aren't even dressed?" Naoto pointed to her legs to Rise that she was now wearing her baggy sleep shorts.

"How?"

"You weren't paying attention." The idol's eye twitched in frustration and huffed.

"Urgh this house."

"Also Rise?" The sound of her name from the only male in the house caused her to turn towards the door where he was sticking his head in. "You sleeping in here or the spare room?"

Her face softened as she thought about leaving the pair alone tonight but it she just couldn't pull herself away from them.

"Err I hope I could stay with you guys again tonight?" She asked softly. Souji just nodded and Naoto shrugged, seemingly not bothered by the request like they saw it coming.

Naoto finally looked up from her book, sliding in the book mark to save her progress for the night and closed it with a dull thud.

"We were expecting it anyway." She pushed herself out of the chair and pulled her house sweater over her head revealing her red Featherman R night shirt under it. With a quick shake of the head to get her locks back in order she faced the idol again. "Anyway I'm going to brush my teeth want to join me?"

"Oh yeah sure."

...

...

In the warmly lit bathroom, the two separate buzzing sounds as the two ladies occupied the opposite sides of the sink. Finishing slightly quicker Naoto spat out what was in her mouth and started brushing again, running the tap to clear out the residue in the bowl. A couple seconds late Rise did the same but paused before she started again.

"You aren't bothered by me being here."

Naoto paused in her brushing for a second and cleared her mouth early to answer the question. "Why would I worry? I'm still marrying him."

Rise almost choked on her toothbrush at the blunt response.

"I... I know that. It's just you know." Naoto gave her a curious look through the bathroom mirror.

"That I might feel threaten by you being here?" Naoto scoffed. While she might have felt that way at school, she's an adult now. They were adults now, she's more than aware of their lives and what was important, her insecurities for the most part dealt with and buried. "As far as I'm concerned you are enjoying my company as much as Souji-kun's or am I wrong?"

"Yes! Of course..." Rise looked down for a moment. "...Sorry I'm just sounding silly."

Looking up she noticed that Naoto was facing her directly rather than trading glances through the reflection. Rise quickly spat out what she had in her mouth into the bowl and ran the water before turning to the detective. She was intercepted by a lingering kiss on the lips. The action brought a bloom to her cheeks as Naoto pulled back before she could reciprocate. The Sleuth tilted her head in a gesture of thought, her own cheeks rosy in tint before deciding to speak.

"You are thinking too much. Finish up so we can head to bed." Naoto said simply using a towel to wipe her mouth before she strode past the bemused Idol.

As Rise entered the master bedroom she walked in on Naoto and Souji making out while sitting on the bed. They both perked up to the sound of her footsteps turning to her, panting softly, both of them sporting blushes.

"Oh was I interrupting something?" Souji shook his head.

"No no, just got lost in each other..." His words came with a sheepish scratch of the back of the head. She noticed Naoto's suspicious silence. While her face was showing embarrassment her eyes told a different story. They were sly and mischievous. The twinkle in her eye gave off the impression that she knew that Rise could see more to it than that.

"Shall we head to bed?" Naoto asked.

The other two in the bedroom agreed as Rise hung her towel over the arm of the love seat in the room.

"So who's in the middle this time?" Naoto turned to Rise, finger on chin in thought.

"I was last time so it can be Souji-kun..." She turned to him, face asking the question. "If you agree to it?"

"Sure I don't mind."

With that Naoto shuffled under the covers and patted the portion of the bed that was beside her. All the former leader could do was smile at the invitation as he snuggled in next as her. The detective sighed as her head settled on his heart, it set her mind at ease as she heard the metronome of Souji's heartbeat.

Rise looked on a little hesitant as she saw the couple on the bed, the feeling of being an intruder on their relationship becoming more apparent. She flicked off the light, plunging the room into near darkness. The only light coming from moon and street lights from outside peaking through a small opening in the curtains. Undoing her hair ties and leaving them on the bedside table, slowly she slid under the covers getting close but not touching her former Senpai. She did let out a small yelp as she felt his strong right arm circle her shoulders and bring her into cuddle. The warmth he provided did nothing but make her whimper.

"Feeling ok there Rise?" She was considering answering truthfully but something else made her push it aside.

"Yeah I am. Just a little tired." Souji's affirmative grunt seemed a little unconvinced but he dropped none the less.

"Rise believes she's an inconvenience to us." Naoto said simply. Eyes still closed in comfort to listening to Souji's life pulse.

"Naoto-kun!"

"Really?"

Even though it was dark she could feel Souji's eyes on her as they peered into her soul. It left her uncomfortable and vulnerable. She's normally the one that's upbeat and cheerful about everything. It felt like they've gone back 8 years to high school when she was just finding herself.

"It seems so..." Her voice was a little solemn but she heard Souji chuckle brightly.

"Oh, well I don't think so. And as long as Naoto is game for this arrangement, I am."

"I'm happy with it."

Rise looked at the pair, and how easy they gave their acceptance on the subject without a second thought. After everything through school to University up until now it made her wonder how lucky she was.

"Guys..."

Souji shook her a little in his grasp. "Aww come on. Don't be down beat about it. If we are saying its all good then you have nothing to worry over."

"Souji-kun is right. If there were any issues then we would say. You could at least believe us on that. "Naoto said now looking across at the Idol with her face resting on her hands on Souji chest.

"I know. It just seems that you guys are perfect-"

"Perfect?" The pair said in unison before laughing.

"I and Souji-kun are far from perfect. I have abandonment issues from losing family at a young age and Souji has complexes over self worth. That causes much more issues than having you around for at the house for whatever activities we do. We are aware we are not perfect and it means we strive harder to better ourselves." Naoto said quite matter-of-factly. It really made Rise's brain stop while she was processing the information given to her.

"At the end of the day we learn to communicate, it isn't always easy but we do it because it's necessary..." Souji gave Naoto a small squeeze of affection which she hummed contently to. "If anything you've given a new dynamic to everything which isn't something any of us can complain about."

"Aww you guys..."

"Seriously, don't worry about it."

"I told you, you're thinking too much."

Rise snuggled up to Souji, burying her face into his shoulder.

"Have I told you two how much I love you?"

Both Naoto and Souji leaned over to kiss her on the crown of her head.

"Yes."

"All the time."