Naoto curses under her breath as she slips her hat off the bed post next to her head. Her signature blue cap has become a comfort in troubled times. Shadows and personas, jumping unto TVs, and serial murders have been an overload of stress. Through it all she has her hat.
The hat was a gift from her grandpa when she solved her first case. It was big on her at first, but she's grown into it quite nicely. Naoto loves her hat more than anything.......and it's torn. The Investigation Squad's last foray into the TV world took a toll. During a particularly grueling battle with an Envious Giant, Naoto was struck hard with a flurry of attacks. One of the slashes caught the side of her hat, cutting it open.
A teardrop stains the blue material. Naoto rubs her eyes, she's crying. She doesn't know why, but the tears keep flowing down her face. A choking feeling comes over her as she tries to close up her leaking emotions. This will pass as it has before. Sudden crying and partial insomnia have just been facts of life for Naoto since the summer when she herself was kidnapped. Fear is the biggest factor, not that she would tell anyone. Having been accosted in her own home and nearly killed isn't something easily forgotten. That moment made Naoto feel small and scared, and she hates that.
The wave passes, the leaking emotions are barricaded back shut. Naoto wipes her red eyes, and gets ready for the day. Her blue detective coat fit snugly around her to protect from the cold. Her head is not as lucky, but that's the plan for today. In the days since the battle Naoto troubleshot a perfect idea to fix the hat, Tatsumi Textiles.
Rise had mentioned Ms. Tatsumi fixing a skirt of hers so surely a hat would be no problem. Truth be told, Naoto loves being there. The textile shop has this soft vibe that can't be replicated in any other place. It's cool in the summers and warm in the winters. Everything about it makes Naoto happy. Naoto chuckles to herself thinking about her favorite part of the shop, Kanji. It is just so amusing to her that the loudest and most brash friend lives in the quietest and most comfy shop.
Naoto loves thinking about Kan-............Nonsense. She shakes her head free of any more thoughts on the matter, and heads downstairs. The Shirogane estate's main stairs creak with every single step she takes on them. A perfect security system albeit an accidental one. At the bottom of the stairs is the comically large living room adorned with several couches surrounding a fireplace. On the seat closest to the fireplace sits an old man in a robe with a book in his hand. He seems fully entrenched in "Sherlock Holmes Arrives Too Late", enough that he doesn't notice Naoto passing by him towards the door.
"Grandfather, I'm going out." Naoto says affirmatively as if talking to her boss.
The old man looks up from his book, "Where are you off to, dear?"
"The textile shop."
He raises his eyebrow, "Isn't that the home of that blonde boy that nearly assaulted Yakushiji at the shrine?"
"T-To be far, he thought a knife was pulled on me." Naoto shakes her head, "No matter, I'm simply going to get my hat fixed."
Her grandfather doesn't say a word, he simply nods before returning to his book. Naoto can sense his thinking face behind his book as if he doesn't believe her. Why else would she walk out into the cold to the store? Yes the atmosphere there is nice, but she doesn't linger. Perhaps he thinks that Naoto is specifically going there to see Kanji. What a preposterous thought.
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Despite the briskness of the weather, children were still running around the floodplain. Playing games while also carefully avoiding getting too close to the frigid river. With the fog gone people can enjoy themselves again, which brings a smile to the Detective Prince's face. She lets her eyes glide over to the flow of the river. The water tumbles over itself in a soft yet rapid fashion. Sounds of running water wave over her. Her nose fills with a scent of pine, a freeing smell from the musty choking air of the TV World. A jolt goes through Naoto's body as she feels a tug on the bottom of her coat.
Naoto shifts her body completely around, ready for whatever it is that touched her. Yet nothing is there, no dangerous criminal or friend, no one at all. Her eyes shoot lower to see a small child looking at her in awe. The tiny girl is younger than even Nanako with this innocent amazement painted on her face. Naoto crouches down so she is face to face with the child.
The kid pipes up, "Are you Maggie's sister?"
"Maggie?" Naoto asks with a tone of confusion.
The little girl reaches into her coat pocket, and pulls out a small stuffed rabbit.To Naoto's amazement, it looks just like her. The rabbit wears the same coat and plaid pants, it even has a little hat with soft blue fabric sticking out the bottom like hair. The doll is incredibly intricate in its detail. Naoto can see the excitement, and joy in the girl's eye.
She decides to play along, "Yes, I am her sister."
The child starts to jump with excitement, clutching the rabbit tight as she runs into Naoto, hugging her. "That means you are an angel!"
"An angel?" Naoto is taken aback by the sudden comment.
"Mhm. The person who gave me the doll specifically said that she has a sister that looks like her, and she is an angel."
"Who gave you the doll?"
"I promised not to say."
Naoto sees the kid desperately wanting to tell her, she just needs an excuse. "Well they gave you my sister, right? I want to thank them for giving her to someone so nice."
The girl's eyes look at the doll, and then back at Naoto, "O-Ok.........Mr. Tatsumi gave me Maggie. He gave it to me w-when I fell off my bike and started crying."
Mr. Tatsumi? Like Kanji Tatsumi? Kanji made this to give to a crying child? It seems so out of character for him. Sure he seems like someone who enjoys less 'manly' hobbies, but to make such an intricate doll is next level. Not to mention the rabbit looks just like her. Perhaps it is a coincidence, but is she supposed to be the 'angel' sister to this doll? Naoto's face feels warm just thinking about it.
YOU ARE READING
KanNao Story: Fixing The Hat
ФанфикKanji has been crushing on Naoto since he met her, so the two crossing paths one day isn't special. What is special is the way Naoto begins to feel around the blonde punk as they grow ever closer.
