Author's Note: I do not own Persona 4. This is simply my favorite pairing, and I want to share it with my fellow shippers. YuNao fans unite!
Yu was struck dumb by the announcement. Naoto's legs were paralyzed? Sorrow gripped his heart, worrying how she would handle being unable to ever walk again.
"Don't look at me like that." Naoto said harshly, turning her gaze away from him. "I don't need pity. I'm sure I'll heal and be back on my feet in short order." Though she was trying to sound strong, Yu could detect tremors in her voice that betrayed her sense of loss.
The doctor shook his head and began saying, "Shirogane-san, the damage to your spine is very severe. It is highly unlikely you'll-"
"Shut up!" The detective snarled. "I'm going to be fine! I'm going to recover! Don't tell me I'm not!" Tears were forming in her eyes again as she pulled her hand from Yu's loving grasp. "I can't let it all end like this…"
The doctor left after Naoto's outburst, leaving her and Yu alone in the room as her angry breathing devolved into sobs, tears beginning to stream down her face as what remained of her composure crumbled. "I'm sorry, Senpai. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that." She sniffled, wiping tears from her eyes.
The silverette gently ran the fingers of one hand through her blue locks, his expression holding no anger. "It's alright, Naoto. I can't say I know what it's like, but I know that it must hurt you so much." Getting out of his chair, he gently held her against him, the small girl pushing herself into a sitting position so she could return the hug. "Just remember that I'm always here for you. We've been through so much; I'm not going to abandon you now. Remember those words I said to you two years ago today?"
Naoto wiped her eyes on Yu's shirt before looking up at him with a sad smile. "How could I forget? I was confused at the time, but looking back, that was the happiest day of my life. The day you first told me you loved me…" She grasped his hand in both of hers, gazing up at him with sorrowful eyes. "But I'm not the girl you knew anymore. I'm not an ace investigator, not the 'Detective Princess' you confessed your love to. Now I'm just a girl with nothing in her future but a wheelchair." Another tear slid down her cheek as she was unable to stop herself from crying.
"That's not true. All you have to do is change your style. Someone who analyzes the evidence is just as important as the person who runs out and collars the crook, right?" Yu smiled and held his girlfriend's hand comfortingly. "Besides, I still love you, and I always will. Whether you can walk or not makes no difference to me."
The look in his eyes was just as she remembered - calm and confident, so sure of their future. It lifted her heart immensely. Gathering her strength, the detective nodded and said, "You're right. I've been being foolish this entire time; this doesn't change who I am at all. So long as I have you and Grampa, I'll be fine." She tilted her head down shyly and blushed, adding in a quiet voice, "Thank you, Senpai."
"Don't thank me. It's because of you we're even here today to see each other. If it wasn't for your efforts, Inaba would have been consumed by Shadows over a year ago, remember?" He could sense Naoto's gratitude, and before his mind could catch up his heart had made its move. Grasping her hand in one of his, he used the other to tilt her chin upward while he swooped down and kissed her lips.
Naoto was paralyzed with shock for a moment, feeling Yu's lips pressed against hers. After a moment she gave in to her own love, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him in for a deeper, more passionate kiss. The touch was electrifying to her, sending shivers down her spine as she felt him embrace her gently, their lips locked together for what seemed like an eternity. Finally they pulled apart, Naoto's face flushed with delight and embarrassment as she looked into her senpai's eyes. "You know, stealing can get you arrested, Senpai." She giggled softly.
"What? What are you talking about, Naoto?" Yu was confused, not knowing quite what she meant. Judging by what little he knew of her sense of humor, it was probably a detective joke, but those still went way over his head.
The small girl smiled and grabbed his collar, pulling his face in close to hers. "You just stole my first kiss, Senpai. Then again, I won't press charges; I wanted to give it to you anyway…" Her eyes sparkled with love, her heart pounding from the excitement of sharing a kiss with her beloved Yu. She moved to kiss him again, but the door opened just as their lips were about to touch…
A voice laced with refinement and strength reached them as it asked, "Naoto-chan, are you- What is going on here?" Both Naoto and Yu hurriedly pulled apart, their faces beet red as they looked toward the fit, elderly man standing in the doorway. The white-haired elder gave Yu a stern look and asked, "What exactly are you doing with my granddaughter?"
"N-Nothing, Grampa!" Naoto stammered, waving her hands as if to clear the air. "I forgot, I never introduced you. Grampa, this is Yu Narukami… My boyfriend of exactly two years today." She glanced concernedly between her love and her grandfather, worry written all over her face.
The head of the Shirogane family stared Yu down, noticing how the silverette didn't flinch even under the needle-like gaze. Finally he said in a surprisingly pleasant tone, "It's nice to really meet you at last, Narukami-kun."
Both the teenagers in the room were dumbfounded by the old man's sudden change of demeanor. Chuckling, he asked, "Did you think I didn't know who he was, Naoto-chan? Remember, he was there when we discussed the incident with my 'Phantom Thief' trick two years ago. I may be old, but my mind hasn't gone yet - I still remember his face." Smiling broadly, he moved to Yu and extended a hand. "Daichi Shirogane. It's a pleasure to meet the young man who has made my Naoto-chan so happy."
Yu shook Daichi's hand and smiled slightly, giving a small bow as he replied, "Likewise, Shirogane-sama. Naoto is a very special girl, and very dear to my heart." He was trying not to let his relief show; he didn't want the elder Shirogane to know exactly how much his mere entrance had intimidated him.
"Grampa, if you're happy about us being together, why did you act so angry? You nearly scared us both to death - and don't lie, Yu, I could see that you were just as frightened as I was!" Naoto's face was still red, but now it was more an irritated flush than one of embarrassment at being caught kissing Yu.
Daichi hid another small chuckle behind his hand before answering, "I wanted to test his mettle. Anyone who lacks the courage to look me in the eye will never be accepted as a match for you, Naoto-chan. Don't worry, Narukami-kun, you passed with flying colors." There was a twinkle in the old man's eye as he looked at the now-obviously relieved Yu and the frustrated Naoto.
Yu bowed again. "I'm glad I could finally meet the man Naoto holds in such high regard. I just wish it could be under better circumstances."
The merriment in the elder Shirogane's face disappeared at those words. "As do I, Narukami-kun, as do I. What did the doctors say about your condition, Naoto-chan?" His voice carried a grave tone now as he watched his granddaughter's face fall.
"My legs are paralyzed." Naoto said just loud enough for them both to hear. "I'll never walk again."
When next the old man spoke, his voice was laden with sorrow. "I see… This is certainly going to change things. Narukami-kun, you live with the Dojima family, correct?" He asked, his eyes fixed on Yu.
"Yes, sir." The younger man answered. "Detective Dojima is my uncle, sir."
Daichi nodded to himself as he murmured, "I see, I see… Assuming Dojima-san accepts the arrangements, would you be willing to change your place of residence? Having another pair of hands at the estate would be extremely helpful, and I'm sure your being by her side would ease Naoto's heart more than my and Yakushiji's presence ever could."
Naoto's eyes went wide as she stared at her grandpa. "G-Grampa, are you serious? Are you invoking the family tradition here?" She could barely get the words out, which confused Yu immensely.
"Family tradition? If I may ask, Naoto, what do you mean?" The silverette asked worriedly. He didn't know exactly what kind of tradition such a distinguished family could have for someone dating their daughters, and given Naoto's usual strictness it frightened him.
The shock disappeared from the young detective's face, replaced instead by a deep crimson blush. "Well, you see, my father was the one who changed his name to Shirogane when he and my mother were married. Grampa and Gramma did the same thing with him; it's a Shirogane family tradition that if a man becomes romantically involved with the Shiroganes' daughter, he moves in with them… And from then on, they're engaged to be married…" She turned away, doing an absolutely horrible job of hiding her blush.
This time it was Yu's eyes that shot open. "S-Shirogane-sama, no disrespect meant, but are you asking me…?"
"Yes, Narukami-kun. I am inviting you to join Naoto and I in our home - on the condition that you agree to marry Naoto when the time comes." Daichi's expression was stern again as he watched Yu, who seemed understandably on edge.
Closing the distance between them and wrapping his arm around Naoto's shoulders, Yu nodded. "I accept, and I welcome this opportunity. Before all this craziness happened today, I had planned to ask to meet you, Shirogane-sama, so I could ask for Naoto's hand myself."
Daichi's face broke into a smile as he shook Yu's hand again, nodding happily. "Then it's good to have you, Yu-kun. I have every confidence that you'll be the perfect man for my granddaughter."
In the midst of this, Naoto's face felt like it was on fire, and her mind felt dazed and dizzy. I'm engaged to Senpai! She thought, closing her eyes and resting against him as the two men shared their mutual happiness over the occasion.
*Trivia Note: Daichi is a Japanese boys' name meaning 'great wisdom.'