bakerstreet | Won't tell anyone about the way you hold my hand.

Won't tell anyone about the way you hold my hand.

SECRET relationship;

The fact that you're in a relationship with this person isn't public knowledge. Actually, no one knows about it except for the people involved. Maybe you guys are just private like that; on the other hand, it may be a necessity to keep things a secret from others. Maybe you're both team mates, and others on the team would give you grief, or you're not suppose to be dating, or you're not the type to usually date and you're only testing the waters. Perhaps it's the combination of you two, possibly an odd couple, that would bring some controversy or some teasing. Or, you know, you could not want to deal with friends and relatives being busybodies. Your reasons are your own.

Are you content with stealing moments to be together as a couple? Do you want to make your relationship known and the fact that you can't drives you batty? Remember, there are lots of benefits to dating in secret. You can be yourselves completely, away from prying eyes, and get to know each other better as potential longterm romantic partners. In a way, it's ideal.

...still, do you ever wish you could scream from the rooftops how much you care for your significant other?

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Play out stolen moments (◡‿◡✿), secret dates (◕‿◕✿), secret handholding (⊙‿⊙✿), and secret kissing ( /)w(\✿)!

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What kinda test?

[Maybe he does, but Kanji hasn't met the guy. Seems kinda weird to be just handing that stuff over as some kinda test. At least in Kanji's mind, she doesn't have anything left to prove. She IS a freakin detective. The police actually call her for things, even if some of them are jackasses about it. How many people can actually do that. Far as he knows, like three. And most of 'em aren't real.]

Yeah, I know. After everything with the TV world, I know you've got my back. But, uh, that goes both ways, y'know? [He smiles, but he clams up and quickly adds.] Not that I don't think you can handle stuff, but I don't know, if you ever needed it ...

[Not that he knows what he could help her with. He's not exactly part of the brain trust, especially not next to her. Sure, he could hit stuff, but if he learned anything from Senpai, it's that that option doesn't really lead to good places. He starts running his mouth and swinging his fists, it usually means trouble, and trouble's the last thing he wants for Naoto. Even if he doesn't really know how to put it into words, he cares too damn much.

[He stops, breathing in the smell of the broth and cooking meats from inside of the shop. Damn, that smells good. It's got his mouth watering.]

Hey, I'm not complaining. I mean, it's food, right?

[He takes a step towards the door, but for the second time today he stops in his tracks. All of a sudden he just feels weirdly self-conscious.]

Am I ... am I dressed right for this? Like, I didn't put on anything special or nothing ...

[He idly fingers the collar of his jacket. Great. He's worrying about his clothes now too.]

He challenges me to be a better detective. There are always ways I can improve, ways to put things together more quickly, to know better questions to ask, and so I can solve cases more quickly. He really does mean well.

[She's always known that he means well, even though they do not connect as well as they could sometimes.

A blush crosses her face as he speaks.]

Thank you, Kanji. It means a lot to me that I know you have my back no matter what. Sometimes everyone needs someone with them.

[She pauses as he stops, and before she can really think twice, she reaches over to put a hand on his arm.]

You need not fuss, Kanji. I think you are dressed quite well. As you can see, I am not wearing anything special either.

[It's funny. A few weeks ago, all those funny feelings he had just from her being around woulda had him flipping out. It still sends his heart racing and flushes his face red, but it just ... it feels right. When he figures out a better way to say it he will, but just being closer to her feels right. Like it's where he's supposed to be.

[It doesn't stop his heart from pounding in his chest though. Mostly because of that fear of messing things up and a whole lotta hormones he hasn't completely wrapped his head around.]

Yeah, it's, ah, ... just never really done this before. I don't really know how it goes, I just figured, y'know, it's supposed to be nice. Kinda fancy or something.

[C'mon damn it. It isn't that hard.]

[She smiles up at him, the fluttering in her chest a bit louder, a bit more prominent in this moment. A part of her wonders what she's doing, wonders why she's feeling so... odd around him, but for once, she has made the choice to let her emotions out and follow her heart that she didn't even know she had. Kanji knows all of her, and seems to care in spite of it all. It's a bit scary, but that has never stopped her before.]

Neither have I, Kanji. We will simply have to figure it out together. From what I know, there are times to be fancy, but there are other times that people are simply together. I think you are just fine. Shall we go in?

[Even if she isn't, she seems so calm about it. Like she's not feeling that same knee-jerk panic that he is. Like she's got enough confidence at how this all works out, even when she's saying she's got no idea how it's supposed to work. It's weird. Weird, but kinda soothing. He can feel the calm starting to rub off on him, and he stops fidgeting with his jacket.]

Yeah ... sounds good to me.

[He almost walks in ahead of her. Almost, but uh-uh, he's got manners, and he's gonna hold the little flaps of the door open for her like a gentleman.]

[Naoto has spent many years trying to look cool and collected when she is absolutely not. Part of her is worried that trying dating would lose her a friend that she cares deeply for, but on the other hand, it is certainly worth it.

She looks up at him and smiles, a rare, unguarded, cheerful smile, and walks through the door. Once inside, a waiter leads them to a table. Seated, she looks over, suddenly just a bit awkward. Now it's starting to truly feel real.]

I certainly hope the food is as good as I've been told, or as good as it smells.

[Yeah ... there it is. They're on a date. The hell is he supposed to do now? Even after the moment they had at the door, that same awkward silence from the first block settles in. He starts grasping for words, looking for something to say, but luckily for him, she pipes up first.]

Guess we're gonna find out, right? [He shrugs.] How'd you find out about this place again? Your grandpa told you?

[Naoto nods, glad for something to talk about. It's odd, really. When they are studying, or between classes, or with the group, it is easy to come up with things, but now, just the two of them, it is suddenly awkward.]

Yes. He tends to keep up on things in town. I believe the owner is someone he assisted with a case once. Now that I think of it, Grandfather has helped quite a few people in Inaba with various cases.

[Yeah, awkward's the word for it. It's kinda worrying him actually. 'S this normal, or is it a bad sign, or ... he doesn't know.]

Really? What kinda case?

[Because, ah, don't detectives usually solve murders and stuff? Seems like something he should probably figure out if they're gonna be eating the food, y'know?]

He was accused of embezzlement from a former employer. Grandfather was able to prove that he was completely innocent.

[She shrugs. While she personally tends toward mostly murder cases, she does do other sorts of cases, and Grandfather Shirogane takes even more different kinds.

Before she can say anything, a waiter brings a menu. On the menu is a fairly wide selection of traditional Japanese foods, along with a few more dating dishes.]

Ohhh, gotcha.

[Okay, so there wasn't like, people in the food or nothing. That's good.

['Specially because the menu's looking pretty good. He's eyeing some takoyaki until he notices the whole 'Dating Dishes' section. Splitting a big thing for two? That really something people do on these things?]

So, uh ... whatcha thinking?

[He's trying to be subtle, but probably just ended up being too vague.]

[Naoto laughs softly.]

Do not worry, Kanji. The owner did not put people in the curry or something similar.

[She shrugs, eyeing the menu, and looks over at him.]

I had not truly decided. We... could split something if you would like.

C-course not! That'd be crazy ...

[... he's watched a lot of crime shows lately, okay? Seemed like something he should worry about.]

If you want to, yeah. Sounds good to me. Just, uh, pick whatever you want. I'm not picky.

[Because that's the gentleman thing to do right? Let the lady pick?]

[She laughs, a light, cheerful sound.]

I know I usually solve murders, Kanji. In theory it is a good thing to make certain of.

[She pauses, thinking.]

Well, is there anything you do not like? I want to make certain that you at least somewhat enjoy what we get. I am considering some of the sukiyaki.

[He laughs too. He's not sure why, nothing really funny got said ... she's just ... y'know, she's cute when she's happy. He doesn't get to see that often.]

Yeah, that, ah, that sounds good to me.

[He smiles. Maybe this isn't so awkward and bad after all.]

Excellent.

[Naoto smiles again, and the waiter comes over to take their order. After he disappears, Naoto's hands go back to her lap, and she starts quietly fussing with the bottom of one of her sleeves.

All of her excitement and enthusiasm seem to have drained out, and now she's back to being nervous. It shouldn't be this awkward, should it? Maybe she's doing something wrong. Mentally kicking herself, she wonders if she should have read up on what people do on dates.]

[He's wondering the same things. 'Cept for the reading part. Looking that kinda thing up just wouldn't really occur to him.

[But yeah, shouldn't they be talking more instead of just sitting around avoiding eye-contact? He's not an expert on this ... like, not at all, but it doesn't seem right.]

You, uh ... you working on any cases or anything?

[He feels like the longer he just sits there saying nothing, the worse it's gonna get, and he really, really doesn't want that. He doesn't want to screw this up or for them to be ... y'know, wrong.]

[Oh. Well, there is a topic of conversation.

A bit of a relieved look on her face, Naoto nods.]

Nothing too exciting, to be fair, but I have been called in on a burglary case in Okina. I had to go to the scene yesterday, that is why I was missing in our last classes. Before that, the last thing I was really working on was a homicide in Kyoto. A man was accused of killing his wife in the bathtub, but as it turns out, she had a seizure and fell, hitting her head and drowning.

[It's odd how relaxed talking about murder makes Naoto. She sits up a bit straighter, and starts speaking more with her hands, instead of nervously balling them in her lap. The smile is starting to come back to her face as well.]

[It is just a lil bit creepy how excited she got talking about it. But, y'know, she's talking, so he's alright with it.

[Besides, it's kinda cool. I mean, how often do you see this stuff on TV? Crimes, stopping the bad guys. It's awesome. And she actually does that. It's like something out of a movie.]

Whoa ... how's that work? I mean, how do you tell the difference? I mean, if she fell wouldn't she still have hit her head or something? That could look like someone whacked her on the head, right?

One of the largest clues was that the only bruise she had was on the back of her head. If she had been held down, she would have had bruises other places as well. Also, the towel bar inside the shower was half-off of the wall. It seems that she attempted to catch herself, but failed.

[Naoto is getting even more excited, but stops after a moment, a realization hitting her like a truck.]

Oh. Er, I apologize, Kanji-kun. I sometimes forget that most people don't speak casually of murder and crime. Um.

[He laughs.]

Hey, it's all cool. Don't worry about it. That's crazy though. I mean, how the hell do you notice all that stuff?

[He kinda wonders what it must be like to have her brain, because all of that would go way over his head.]

It is something I have been working on for quite a while.

[She thinks for a moment, trying to put things that are almost second-nature into words.]

The best way I could explain it, I think is that noticing details like that is to me what knitting is to you. I've seen you knit while watching TV or while doing other things, it's just second nature to you, and something you've done for quite a long time. That is what this is to me.

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Won't tell anyone about the way you hold my hand.

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