A/N: I mostly wanted to rewrite this because I felt the relationship between Naoto, and Erin was too fast, and unlikely—at the time, I was still trying to figure things out, but I think they're better this time around.
A soft wind rustled through Erin's red locks, as she leaned against the fence, rubbing her arms to keep warm. It was early October (meaning she was still in her summer uniform), but the weather outside was cool—the sky above her was painted in dreary hues, dark ink splotches reminded her more of smoke than clouds. Part of her wanted to get her cardigan from inside, but another didn't want to risk the chance of missing Naoto by leaving. She looked up, the hand over her forehead shielding her eyes; the corners of her mouth twitched downward; it looked like it was going to rain, maybe even later tonight. Ever since coming to Inaba, she was afraid of trivial things like the rain—because she knew what happened after it rained at night; knew something that others didn't, and that scared her, kept her up at night. She was afraid of losing her friends, of messing up, and letting them down. Freezing in the middle of battle; healing them seconds too late.
But mostly, she was afraid of losing her. And it was so scary to depend on someone so much, especially when she had only known them for a few weeks. Naoto was special; Naoto was different. Not only in the way she spoke and acted and carried herself, but the way she made her feel. Erin felt a strange connection when she looked at her—call it destiny, fate, soulmates. She saw herself in her. So much of her. A reflection of what she really was—imperfect, not needed, but she was still trying. People started to notice that she was more cheerful when Naoto was around—noticed the way she doted, and fussed over the underclassmen like she was a new, shiny doll, noticed the way she'd blush when their eyes met, and sometimes when they didn't. Erin knew nothing of love, but only because she hasn't had much of it in her life. She only hopes that everything will be alright; maybe she won't have the fairy tale ending with Naoto, but she figured it was worth a shot. As the saying goes, "it's better to have loved, and lost, than to never have loved at all."
Their conversations in the beginning were brief, if not a tad awkward, consisting of simple greetings, and fumbled words (all on Erin's part). She had always been (still was) stupidly nervous around the younger girl, and found it hard to piece her thoughts together into coherent sentences. Afraid of rejection, afraid of saying the wrong thing, and disgusting her. Even after everything they've been through—Naoto's Shadow, and the moments after—she still couldn't help, but feel a deep admiration for the girl. A quiet awe. Even after finding out what she really was, it didn't really change things. In her eyes, she was still the beautiful, strong person she saw on TV, and maybe even more, now that she's seen her flaws. Seen the real Detective Prince. And the girls who hung on her every word at school could never say the same.
Over the past few days, Naoto slowly opened up to her (not full blown confessions, or deep dark secrets, but little things about her past, what she was like as a child, and what she did in her spare time). She was still the quiet type—she knew that as well as anyone, but Erin was optimistic; she was determined to become her friend, and maybe even...—
"Umm... Senpai?" Just like that, Erin was brought out of her reverie, the very girl she was thinking about coming into focus. Her grey eyes were dark; an odd expression touched her features, as if she was making some complex calculation that involved the older girl. But there was something else there, too, just beneath the surface. A hint of something far away, and new. Concern? Had she been spacing out this entire time?
Erin puts on her best smile, and laughs, but the sound comes out wrong to both of them. Naoto's face is still contemplative, as she studies her features—head cocked slightly to the side, a muffled hum in her throat; she wasn't staring disapprovingly; no, she was staring at her like she was trying to figure her out, figure out her motive behind sending Rise off to deliver her that letter. It only serves to respark the butterflies in the pit of her stomach. "S-Sorry... Distracted, I guess..." She feels her cheeks grow a little warmer just by occupying the same space as the detective. She prays Naoto doesn't notice, and if she does, doesn't make a comment on it
Naoto acquiesces with a short nod, though she hardly seemed convinced. Erin swallowed the growing lump in her throat. The intensity of her eyes could kill. "It's quite alright. I trust you weren't waiting long." Right, the letter... Why else would she come here? She mostly hung around in the hall outside her class afterschool (Erin only knew this because she'd passed by her a few times on her way out). The redhead shakes her head, gestures towards the roof ledge, and the two of them sit down beside each other, the latter making sure to leave a good distance between them. Erin twiddles her fingers shyly, eyes downcast so Naoto can't read her face. She frowns; there's a pause.
"Umm..."
It becomes apparent to her that her Senpai doesn't plan on breaking the silence between them anytime soon (but then again, she should be used to this). She coughs into her hand, clearing her throat, before starting up again, "I-um received your note from Rise-chan..." Naoto's cheeks positively glow; her fingertips lightly brush against the folded up piece of paper tucked away in her back pocket, as if to reassure her that it was still there, and hadn't magically flew out on her journey from her classroom, to the rooftop. When Erin lifts her head to reply, she quickly turns hers, hand reaching up almost automatically to the brim of her hat, tugging it down so she can't see her blush.
"Y-You did...?" Erin breathes, figures it sounds dumb, and backtracks, "W-Well, o-of course you did! I mean... You're here, aren't you?" She wants to slap herself for sounding so... Well, all over the place (why was it so hard to find her voice around her?), but Naoto doesn't seem to mind. In fact, she smiles, and not the little curled up, wary smile she's used to—this one is shy and secret and beautiful; so much so, it takes all of Erin's willpower not to throw her arms around her right then, and kiss her.
"Yes, I am here, aren't I~?" She repeats, closing her eyes, gracing her with a small chuckle—it's melodic like a bell, and like everything else Naoto did, it completely amazes Erin. What was she in front of this beauty? "...So, you wanted to speak with me?" She reminds her, albeit breathlessly; beside her, Erin ties her lips, embarrassed for whatever reason.
"Ah... W-Well-um..." She swallows thickly—finds that her voice is too shrill, too unlike her—eyes darting everywhere, but at Naoto. Expressing herself was so easy on stage, but here, in the real world, she chokes, "That's half true? I mean, I-I do what to talk, but...!" Erin exhales, wrings her hands together. This was it... The faster she got this done, the easier it'd be right? "Iwaswonderingifyouwerefreethisweekend?"
Or so she tells herself; she's panting once she's done, and Naoto is blinking at her unsurely, her head tilted. It takes her a long while to process what she just heard, but when she does, her blush returns full force, "I... Don't have any plans, no." She speaks slowly, carefully, as if she's making up everything on the spot; she reaches up to re-adjust her hat again, "Do you, Rin-senpai?"
"No!" Erin says quickly, grabbing her arm (and causing the younger girl's blush to redden). She immediately regrets it (where had that even come from?), and retracts her hand, like she's just been burned, "N-No, I don't... S-So, would you like to go to Okina with me? O-Or wherever you want!" She tugs at the ends of her curly hair; the expression on her face has fallen before Naoto has even had the chance to reply, "It's okay if you say no..."
Her heart wrenches painfully when Erin pulls away (but she does her best to quell her disappointment). She isn't entirely sure why—why there were goosebumps where she touched her; what this heat was that was coursing through her; all her feelings were starting to blend together, a jumbled mess inside her head—and she concludes that further investigation was needed. This was all so new for her—she was used to this attention, people touching her (maybe not, since she never wanted it before), used to people fawning over her, but with Erin everything got complicated; she seemed to actually want to be with her, not who she wasn't or wanted to be.
To say Naoto Shirogane was confused would be an understatement. "O-Oh sure!" She answers finally—because Erin is waiting patientally, staring at her with such concern, and she isn't sure she can handle it right now—realizes too late that her voice has grown in pitch, and she blushes more, lowers her head. The floor seemed interesting all of a sudden, "O-Of course we could go to Okina..." She had only been there a few times herself, none of which were personal trips. It would be nice to take a break for once; she's been so wrapped up in the case recently that she's forgotten how to simply breathe, "I-um, heard there's a new coffee shop that opened, if you'd like to go with me?" She inquires, a touch of desperation in her voice. She wasn't sure how she'd react if she turned her down. After all, she was the one who suggested the outing.
Erin wrinkles her nose disdainfully, obviously not a fan of the drink, "Coffee?" She retiterates, clearly taken back, but she quickly covers it up with one of her usual smiles. Naoto is briefly reminded of the sun when she smiles—they were always so warm, and sincere. She was so full of life, full of happiness. Innocent. Feminine. Everything she wishes she could be; it was no mere coincidence that she had red hair, "I-I mean, y-yeah! Coffee! Um... Should I pick you up...?"
"Do you not like coffee?" Naoto frowns, observing her face far too closely (she notices thing she's missed before—the lines on her face, the color in her lips, her eyes, the same shade as hers, but somehow so much brighter) for Erin to feel comfortable. She wiggles underneath her scrutinizing gaze; the butterflies from before flutter around, "We could see a movie if you prefer..."
"Not really..." The upperclassmen admits, easing into a more sheepish smile; she tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear, "Not unless there's a lot of sugar, and cream. But you probably drink it black, huh?"
"Well, usually... But it's alright if you like it differently." She gradually returns the smile, and Erin thinks to herself that she was the prettiest when she smiled. She should always smile, "And I wouldn't mind if you picked me up, Senpai~"
"Okay!" She stands up excitedly, holding one of Naoto's hands in her own, face absolutely beaming, "So... Sunday?"
Naoto looks down at their intertwined hands—her cheeks are flushed a pretty pink—then lets out another one of her rare chuckles, "It's a date~" Erin watches her retreating form for awhile, before following her back inside.
'A date with Naoto-kun...'
Maybe there was hope for her fairy tale after all.
I hope you see a difference in my writing from back when Adam, and I started in September (and last updated in October), to now~