dinohouse | Enter Free For All [any universe, any version, just let me know, noisy muse is noisy, etc.~]

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Enter Free For All [any universe, any version, just let me know, noisy muse is noisy, etc.~]

Metaroids could be truly interesting things. To think that a Metaroid from a film projector could create life-like, realistic and, most importantly, solid and tangible images... To consider the power inherent in simple kitchen tools...

Discovering the existence of polygraph machines was trés bien as far as Enter was concerned, and upon corrupting one of these marvelous machines with Metavirus: Shinjitsu, he was presented with a Metaroid that could, through the facilitation of small darts, force the victim to speak only the truth.

What havoc they will wreak together. Magnifique!

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Probably should have thought this through a little more carefully, because now the target of my aggression is gone and I've been left alone with Naoto-kun.

I swallow hard, and I can feel my face burning. Damn.

"You- You alright?"

I hesitate for a moment, then offer him my hand. "I could ask you the same question, you know. I thought you were in the city."

He's blushing. Why is that so cute?

I look myself over, trying to nod but failing. "I took a dart to the shoulder, but there wasn't any blood, and it doesn't even hurt anymore."

I take his hand, and my cheeks feel even warmer at the contact. His hand is wide and oddly soft, and not at all unpleasant to touch.

I clear my throat. "I was. I was called back to investigate a few cases here. Odd ones that need an expert's eye."

"That's good, I guess."

And it is, I mean, that he didn't get really badly hurt or anything. But he did have his gun out. "But I'm guessin' you weren't shootin' the guy because he's shit at darts."

I clear my throat right back at him, and then manage a crooked smile. "Oh. Well. Welcome back."

"He was a wicked man." I state in answer to his confusion as to why I would shoot the attacker. "He deserved to be shot."

I look down, trying to hide the fact that my cheeks are still hot and probably pink.

"Thank you for coming to my aid. We're you in the middle of something?"

"Uh, yeah." I agree. I mean, obviously the dude was pretty bad news. The whole disappearing thing didn't do him any favors either. "Sorry you missed."

I bite my lip and shrug one shoulder, then give Naoto-kun a friendly pat on his. We're cool. We're buds.

"I was thinkin' about picking up some dinner at Aiya. Would you, uh." Fuck, how do I finish that sentence now that I've started it? Damn it. "Wanna come with me? Or are you busy. It's fine, if you're busy! With work! It's fine, I mean, we'd be going back to my place, and my ma's there, and you should probably just go back to work."

Leave it to Kanji to see things as black and white as I'm currently seeing them.

My shoulder feels strange, sort of tingly, after he pats it. What is wrong with me today? This is not how I should be reacting to things.

"I would love to come over for dinner." The words are out of my mouth before I can even think about them. Odd, I'm usually more careful about choosing my words. "Would your Mother mind?"

"Oh!" I never expected him for a second to accept.

But I'm glad he did.

"No! God, of course she won't care. She'll just be all excited that I'm actually bringing a friend over." I nod and gesture awkwardly in the general direction of Aiya.

"Sh-shall we?"

I smile. I've met Kanji's mother before, she's a good person, very kind. Works hard. Cares about her son.

I nod, and move to fall into step beside him (of course I have to take at least a step and a half to match each of his strides, but I'm kind of used to that by now).

"I trust you've had a better day today that I have?"

"Well..." I angle us towards Aiya, since I'm not about to subject Naoto-kun to my cooking as well as the awkward company of Ma and me. "I didn't get assaulted by some whack job, so I guess my day was goin' alright."

I curse the warmth in my cheeks, sure that it shows, as I continue. "I'm glad you're alright, though."

He blushes, and that makes me blush. Damn it. "Technically I, ah, assaulted him first.

We move into Aiya, and I hang back a little, still close to his elbow, but I give him the room he needs to order.

He's really handsome, despite his ruffian attire. I've seen his gentler side, and the contrast is rather appealing.

I clear my throat suddenly, trying to cut off my thoughts there.

He wouldn't be interested in me anyway.

"That's my bud." I grin, maybe awkwardly, but hey. He is my bud, damn it, and I'm proud of him. That guy was seriously bad news. I think it's probably kind of not a good thing that he managed to escape.

How, I'm still not sure.

I order a decent enough spread of food, I mean, I'm feeding three and one of them's me, and Naoto's no slouch when it comes to food. I mean, he's not like Chie, or Yousuke, or Teddie or nothing. But he can eat a bit. I mean.

What am I even thinking of?

I turn to glance at him when he clears his throat. What's that look, he looks all...

God, I hope he's not upset. I'm not prepared to deal with that.

"You okay?"

Kanji orders enough food for a small army. Or at least half the Investigation Team. We can't possibly finish all that... then again, he does have quite an appetite.

I blink at him, not having realized he was looking at me, and then shrug slightly, tugging my hat down a bit.

"I'm enjoying your company."

"Oh. O-oh!"

Fuck, I think my face is fuckin' burning off too. Damn it. Why am I like this around him? He's not any different than Yu-sempai, anyway. Or Yousuke-sempai. Or any of the girls.

Well, fuck that mental path, damn it. I shake my head to try to clear it but it just jumbles everything up even worse.

"Um, thanks." I manage to get that much out. "I'm enjoying yours... too..."

They call my order and I practically lunge at the counter to get it. Just to give Naoto some breathing room for a second.

Me too.

What is wrong with me today? Why am I being so open and honest with my thoughts and feelings? I'm just upsetting Kanji, making him feel uncomfortable.

I've never seen his face so red.

Deep breath, Naoto, deep calming breath. Slow exhale.

"Would you like me to help carry some of that?" I ask as we leave Aiya, a little worried that Kanji might drop some of the food.

I blink down at Naoto from around the food and have a silent moment of internal panic over the right answer to this question.

Like, I can handle it, I'm plenty strong and have a pretty decent sense of balance. But I don't want him to think that I'm like... saying something about... him, by saying no.

Ah, fuck it.

"It's alright, it's not far." I head in the direction of home, and grin at him so hopefully he won't take it the wrong way.

I waver. Does he think I can't handle helping? Is he trying to be a man and impress his female bodied friend? Is he simply trying to bolster his own pride?

Is he as confused as I am about the implications inherent in such a situation?

He's simply being Kanji, awkward and open and adorable Kanji.

I nod at his answer, finally, and stuff my hands in my pockets. I square my shoulders, and widen my stride, and try to express a strong, masculine vibe.

Overcompensation, yes. But sometimes it is necessary.

He totally changes the way he's walking suddenly and I definitely know I made the wrong choice.

Damn it.

Still, it really isn't that far to our shop and use my foot to slide open the back door the way I've done since I was a kid.

"Ma! I brought dinner! And a f-friend!"

Fuck.

I set the food down on our table as carefully as I can manage, and mumble rapidly towards the floor as I do so, before my ma shows up.

"Hey, Naoto-kun, I didn't mean nothin' by carrying everything myself, you know? I don't, definitely don't think about you... that way, I just wanted you to know that."

Ma comes in and she's got this fuckin' grin on her face that makes me scowl.

"Hey, ma. You 'member Shirogane Naoto-kun? The, uh, the detective from that one time?"

Kanji shouts for his mother once we're inside, and then turns to me, looking serious and conflicted.

At his apology I blush - I've been doing that a lot today, it seems - and nod, looking anywhere but where I want to. Which is at his eyes.

I clear my throat. "It's okay. Just... it's hard. Sometimes. Um. Most of the time."

We're interrupted by the arrival of Kanji's mother, and I bow low in polite greeting. "It's a pleasure to see you well, Tatsumi-san. I hope I am not intruding by stopping by without notice."

"Yeah, I get that. I mean, I still get every cop lookin' at me twice out the sides of their eyes like I'm gonna go on a rampage or something." I know it's not entirely the same thing, but still.

Ma is practically ecstatic and compliments Naoto like eighteen ways from Sunday, which I think is a little overkill and I tell her to cut it out and eat already. Which just gets me that same condescending pat on my shoulder that she always give me as she crosses the room to get some dishes and chopsticks and stuff. Which is fine.

"Sorry, she's kinda... overbearing sometimes."

"You are very lucky to have a mother that cares so much." I tell him quietly. And maybe a little sadly.

She loves and cares for him, no matter how he looks, or what he wears, or what he chooses to be.

Sometimes I wonder if my own mother would have... best not to think about that.

"Here," I move to Tatsumi-san's side, and reach to grab the plates for her, even though I have to tiptoe. "Let me help you set the table."

Man, is that a fuckin' loaded statement or what. I mean, yeah, I love my ma and I know I'm lucky to have her... to still have her, after what happened to my dad. But like. Naoto lost both of his parents, but his grand dad did pretty good raising him and... fuckin' shit.

"Thanks." That's not a bad response, right?

Naoto offers to help ma set the table and I hide a smile in upacking the food. At least ma stopped talking about how she 'doesn't care what the officers say, no offense Shirogane-kun, no offense meant of course, but my Kanji is nothing like they think he is'.

I chuckle softly, glancing at Kanji, unable to hide my fond smile. "No offence taken, Tatsumi-san. I'm not technically with the police, yet, and also I've grown to know Kanji, and he's a good person. A good man."

Stop blushing, stop blushing, stop blushing...

I help Kanji's mother set the table, and then wait while Kanji lays out the food before I sit.

"This is nice." I say suddenly, without thinking. "My grandfather doesn't usually come home until late, so I don't get many family meals."

Is Naoto... blushing?

Well, shit, so am I, but I can maybe pass it off as... bein'... warm... from the steam of the food! Of course.

I decide to ignore it. Not that I was gonna bring it up or nothin' but whatever, my ma's probably just embarrassing him.

Ma tells him this is hardly a 'family meal' because it's not home cooked and I shoot her a hiss. "Ma, come on, you can't cook for shit anyway."

Of course ma doesn't take offense, I don't think she even hears half of what I say, she just laughs fondly and compliment's the chef at Aiya and moves on.

"You live with your grandfather? Here in Inaba? I'm not sure I've ever met another Shirogane."

"Ma, you're bein' nosy."

I laugh softly, and as politely as I can. "My grandfather can't cook either. This would probably be the sort of family meal we'd have, were we to have them."

I begin eating, nodding my agreement at the compliment to the chef. When I'm address again I set my chopsticks down and swallow before speaking.

"Not usually. We're here on business at the moment." I glance at Kanji, still trying not to blush every time I look at him. "I don't mind. It wasn't that prying of a question."

"It's nice to sit down and eat together even if it is someone else's food." I mumble, behind my hand and chopsticks with my mouth full.

Ma admonishes me and I glower at her but swallow before continuing.

"Still it's not like you gotta tell her your whole life story."

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