This came about because this story seriously needs a starting point somewhere. I didn't give it much thought until recently when I figured that there is nothing to launch the story from. It literally just starts quite randomly. Obviously this is about where their arrangement first began. All good stuff and all.

Rated T

Beginnings

"So..."

Rise fidgeted uncomfortably as she sat at the coffee table with a mug of hot cocoa facing the couple she had asked to have a meeting with. The pair of Souji and Naoto looked on in curiosity and anticipation at what she had to say. Naoto leaned forward on her elbow with a sigh as she looked down at her coffee before looking at the idol across the table.

"You did say it was important." Naoto exclaimed causing Rise to blush.

"This isn't easy ok." Rise sighed, absentmindedly playing with a strand of her locks.

'That's rare' Souji noted as she could barely keep eye contact with the two of them.

"Come on Rise, what's on your mind?"

It was a second sigh coming from her, this time the two pairs of eyes both narrowed in on her, making the Idol shrink into the chair.

"Fine..." She took a deep breath. "...I want to get laid."

There was a brief pause as the wind blew through the apartment. The cogs in Naoto and Souji's head began to turn.

"Eh?"

"Huh?"

Rise pinched her nose in frustration as her words went over their heads as she thought of a new way to get her point across. Shaking her head, she started again to get a better understanding of what she meant.

"Let me try again..." She took another breath in. "I have a problem where I really want to get laid, and you guys are the only one I can speak to about it." Subconsciously the pair leaned forward slightly, interested in where this was going. It unnerved her a little. "So since we done this before and there is absolutely no one else I can trust..."

The idol breathed out to steel herself, trying to push the nervousness out of her mind.

"I was wondering if I can be friends with benefits with you two?"

The question made them blush in unison at the thought of what she was asking. This in turn made her blush with embarrassment. She looked on as the couple looked at each other in what seemed to be silent conversation as they cycled through different expressions before turning back to her.

Naoto with a quick cough to clear her throat hoping she wouldn't mess up her words on an answer.

"Well err... That's quite a proposal you have. I know you don't have sexual intercourse often-"

"You mean none at all." Was the swift interruption, She wasn't going to make the mistake where they made the assumption she was having a dry spell. Her dry spell had been years and she still couldn't get the last time the trio was that intimate out her mind.

"None at all?" Was his question, the eye brow he raised was more concern than confusion.

"Yeah none. The last time I've been with anyone it was you guys. I couldn't just sleep with anyone you know." She looked down at the table, annoyed at herself. "I have so many issues with trust and I'm scared of being with anyone due to how cut throat the idol industry is. You guys know what it's like."

Naoto frowned, knowing exactly how bad the industry was. Some of the stories Rise told her about herself or even other idols she'd worked with were horrible and borderline disgusting. Having a partner while being an active idol is a complete no no. Which made Naoto wonder that if she was dating Souji, how would she even be able to cope?

"I remember from before." Souji looked on, missing the context of what they were referring too.

"I'm a little lost..."

Rise sighed.

"There are rules in place that doesn't allow starlets to have any recreational social lives without the jurisdiction of their producer or record label. Well that's the rules for most idols in the system..." Naoto cleared up. She motioned to Rise with a tilt of the head though. "However Rise-chan's situation is a little different due to her own popularity and not having a producer. It's not something her label would agree to though."

"Yup. Not in a million years."

All it did was make him frown.

"Gosh that is sad."

"Also just on a personal level. People still see me for Risette rather than Rise. I have no idea what people are like once I let my guard down. I swear I wouldn't know what I would do without the team."

Memories of the Rise from high school ran through Souji's mind quickly bring up a quick comparison to the present on sitting in front of her.

Both Souji and Naoto looked at Rise with a mix of concern and empathy at her current situation. Souji alone knows how difficult it is to be with someone relatively famous with Naoto being an ace in her industry. While being in the anti-crime shines a different light on her that is considerably more negative, it hasn't meant that they haven't had to watch where they go to or make sure they haven't been tailed. They've already had some close calls in the past before.

"That's understandable." Naoto put her finger to her chin in thought. "I can imagine intimacy rarely comes along and not finding anyone you can trust especially with how things are at the moment is something I can empathise with..."

Cheeks bloomed in colour at the thought of her next question.

"What makes you think we'll be any good for your problem?"

Leaning forward, the normally bright and excited eyes of the Idol eyes narrowed uncharacteristically.

"Well I've known you two out of the rest of the team the best. And being all secret and hidden is kinda your forte Naoto-kun. Plus..." Her face morphed into a smirk. "...I wouldn't exactly go down on my own if anyone found out. If the media heard that one of Japan's most famous detectives has had Japan's most consistent and popular idol in the past 4 years in between her legs I think we'll both be over."

Naoto almost choked on the coffee she was currently nursing while Souji couldn't help but chuckle.

"A-Are you blackmailing me?"

The starlet sat up, completely blasé about the threat. "No, it's my bargaining chip."

Souji patted Naoto on the back as she tried to recover. Offering a sympathetic look.

"You wouldn't really?"

Rise stuck her tongue out playfully. "Oh of course not. I know better than that and I care about you two as well. Also with that information it's only going to put me in danger more than anything else considering what you guys get wrapped up in. I ain't stupid."

"Glad to know you have reason." The wheezing ended as the Sleuth finally got her breath back.

"Don't worry I do. Anyway, this is the case I'm trying to make." She looked back at the couple. "I know it's asking a lot. And I was really looking for another alternative because I don't want to dump my problems on to you but I-"

"I think it's worth a consideration." Naoto surprisingly interrupted getting a raise eye brow from her boyfriend curiously. He saw the look on her face, the one of intrigue and thought. Consideration played in her mind trying not to just humour her situation. The flare of the cheeks signalled that her memory took over her brain for just a moment. "It would be interesting…"

Souji couldn't help but grin.

"What's on your mind Naoto?" The look of being caught in a scandalous situation plagued her expression as her eyes widened like a deer caught in headlights. She shook it off, knowing that he had caught on to her brain's trail of thought.

"N-Nothing…" Turning to the Idol, trying to shake the embarrassment off her face. "…How do you see this working?"

Rise leant back, a finger to her chin, forming a reply in her head.

"I guess in between gigs or if I'm nearby and you guys are around I could come down and we can do the dirty." The former leader's eyes rolled at the bluntness but he was acutely aware that it made Naoto's blush deepen several shades. "I don't mind either way but at the end of the day I just really miss the two of you and I'm at my wit's end."

"It doesn't seem so bad considering it's rare enough that we are both home." Naoto's words pointed out the small flaw in Rise's plans but the thought of how often she was away made brain downcast at the reality.

"I'm aware of that." Shuffling to make herself more comfortable knowing the hardest part of the conversation was over. "But I know there would be times like this where we are all around. Least it means that I don't overstay my welcome."

"Hmm…" A quick turn to her boyfriend; "What do you think?"

Coughing, Souji found his voice at the abrupt question.

"Well… I'm not sure what I can add. I don't mind…" The Sleuth's raised eye brow of her own made subconsciously made him double back and start again. "More like I'm flattered but it's down to you Naoto. I'm good either way."

"You are so non-committal on this."

"I know right."

He turned to Rise sporting a face of mock shock, raising his hands in defence. "I don't know what you expect me to do. Turn around and say yes Rise should join us in bed or something. This is the bit where I say I'm not stupid."

"Suit yourself." She took a draft of her hot cocoa and mocked him with a roll of the eyes. "Consider yourself lucky Senpai that you get first dibs."

"Only if I let him." Naoto doing the same with her coffee.

Rise grinned from behind the mug. "Feisty."

All Souji could do was sigh.

"So what do you think Naoto?"

The question was pondered on for a couple seconds knowing Souji would throw the ball back into her side of the court. Eyes look down at the table helping her focus.

"I feel there isn't anything to lose from it. It's not like it's something we haven't done before even though it's been a while." Tapping the top of her coffee made ripples in the dark liquid. "We are adults now so as long as we communicate I think it's something we can work out"

It was a quick shake of the head as she made eye contact with the idol opposite her.

"I think it's a scenario that has room for exploration."

The words made Rise's eyes wide before her expression brightened at Naoto's acceptance of the proposal. She quickly turned to the former leader. The excitement was slowly seeping through and she was finding it hard for her to contain.

"And you Souji-Senpai?"

It was a quick shrug, not dismissive but not emphasising any side on how he felt.

"As I said I'm fine with whatever Naoto goes with so if she wants to do this then I'm game. I'm sure it's something which will be fun."

The idol squealed in joy.

"You guys!" The couple couldn't but smile and laugh at the giddiness and relief of their best friend. "You don't know how much this means to me."

In a rare moment Naoto in front of the Idol laughed.

"I think I do." Taking another sip of her coffee. "I think you being upbeat is contagious."

"That's our Rise."

In typical fashion for the idol she stuck her tongue out defiantly.

"If it stops you two from being depressing then I'll take it." She took a moment to get her excitement bundled together and with the lack of action caused the familiar feeling to come back.

The normally soft eyes narrowed. "Guys?"

Both of them looked on curiously, waiting for her to proceed. "Can we?"

The Sleuth blushed but a faint smile played on her lips as she sighed in humour. She figured this might happen once they agreed to this. "I guess we could. We have time…" A soft hand took in a larger rougher one in its grasp. "How does that sound Souji-kun?"

He could only grin. "Not like I'm going to say no."

He pushed himself out of the chair with an exaggerated groan.

All Rise could do was bounce up from her chair. "Yay!"

With her partner in hand Naoto took Souji off to the apartment's master bedroom with the Idol in tow.