Chapter Text

Yu stood outside a familiar house as Chie leaned against him. Her hand was currently wrapped around his and she kept nervously glancing at the door and then back towards the street.



“We can go inside if you like.” Yu whispered as he pulled her in closer. She quickly glanced up at him and he could see a desperate look in her eyes. “Oh, come on Chie, you know they won’t bite. In fact, they love having us over.” She slowly began to nod before stopping herself and vigorously shaking her head.



“This is different! He’s my boss now and we were only dating… what if they don’t want me to be with you?” She asked desperately struggling to pull him closer.



Chie had always been a strong woman. She would train for hours on end and ever since she joined the police academy her confidence had risen to new heights. If it had to do with Yu however, she had a tendency to worry. She had been practically paralyzed with fear when they decided to tell the others they were dating.



“Chie, you are being ridiculous.” Yu’s voice was soft as he tried to reassure his fiancé. “They were ecstatic when we told them we were together. They will be ecstatic now that we are making this a more permanent arrangement.” He smiled and brushed his hand across her cheek.



“I know it’s just that… well this is your family you know?” She leaned into his hand, but her eyes remained on the floor. Yu sighed before placing a soft kiss on her forehead.



“I understand, but you can do this. You were excited last night!”



“That was before I got here! We can just do this another day right?” Yu smiled as she panicked and he ran his fingers through her hair.



“Dojima hardly gets days off and they already know we are coming. Sorry, but you’re stuck.” Yu nodded at her and without waiting for her to catch on he quickly rang the doorbell. Chie’s mouth dropped open and Yu could see the sudden urge to flee plain on her face.



The door suddenly swung open and a young girl stood in the door way. Her long chestnut brown hair had been pulled back into a ponytail while her bangs were swept to the side. She was thin and still a full foot shorter than Chie, though if she continued to grow at this rate she would be as tall as Yu by the time she finished middle school.



Yu had to stop himself from smiling as he noticed the girl’s outfit. She wore a bright green tank top and blue jeans that were held up by a bright yellow belt. She had been spending too much time with Chie.



“Bro!” The young girl flung herself forward and wrapped her arms around Yu’s waist. Yu staggered backwards and almost lost his grip on Chie’s hand. She had certainly grown since his high school days. “You’re early!”



“Ah, yeah we thought we could come over and help with breakfast.” Yu rested his hand on top of her as she separated and turned towards Chie. She rushed over and gave Chie an equally rough hug. Yu could see the corners of Chie’s mouth tug upwards.



“Hey Nanako! Are you enjoying your summer break?” Chie’s voice cracked as she failed to hide her nervousness.



“Yeah! I’ve finished all my homework early so I can spend all my time with my friends. Though I do wish dad would let me stay out a bit later.” Yu laughed as Nanako lamented her current situation. She was getting to be that age he supposed. “Um wait you said you two were here to help with breakfast?” Yu and Chie nodded at the young girl. She frowned for a moment as she looked between the two of them. “Okay, um Chie, maybe you could set the table?” Yu quickly turned away and tried to muffle his laughter. Chie stood there in silence as she let the words sink in.



Once upon a time Nanako would have eaten anything and told the cook it was good regardless of the actual quality. It would seem that a few too many disasters in the kitchen had slowly changed her mind on that particular policy.



“Oh, shut up!” Chie lightly slapped Yu’s back before stalking into the house. “I’ll set the crap out of this table!” It took Yu a few more seconds to stop laughing. Once he calmed himself down he made his way to the door.



“Hey big bro?” Yu stopped in the doorway and looked back at his cousin. Her eyes were wide and sparkled in the morning sunlight. “Was that… was that a ring?” Her voice rose an octave or two as she finished her question. Yu wanted to actually respond, but the only thing he could do was smile sheepishly at her.



Without warning Nanako barreled past Yu and into the house. He could hear a sudden shout of surprise followed by an echoing laugh. Yu quickly made his way inside before shutting the door and peeling off his shoes.



As he reached the living room he found Nanako holding onto Chie’s left hand and jumping up and down. Chie on the other hand looked a bit stunned, but her lips had curved up into a bright smile.



“I uh, guess you told her huh?” Chie asked as her nervousness slowly began to dissipate. Yu simply shrugged.



“She saw the ring.” He said as a matter of fact. “I think she’s excited.” Chie laughed as Nanako let go of her hand and flung herself at Yu again.



“This is so awesome!” Nanako shouted as she tightened her grip on him. After a few moments, she finally released him before quickly and unceremoniously slapping him across the arm. “And how long did you keep this a secret?” Her face had suddenly shifted into a deep frown as Yu rubbed the newly sore spot on his arm.



Before Yu could respond the back door slid open and the tall muscular figure of Ryotaro Dojima stepped inside. Despite it being his off day, he was still dressed in a button up shirt and slacks. A single unlit cigarette was held between lips. His eyes were half open and shallow bags had taken their place under his eyes.



“Hey you two, welcome! Mind explaining why my daughter is yelling this early in the morning?” Dojima smiled as he looked between the three of them with a quizzical tilt to his head.



Without a moment’s notice or preamble, Nanako took Chie’s left hand in hers and pulled her towards her father. She then thrust Chie’s hand out towards her father while a triumphant nod. Dojima cocked an eyebrow at first, looking between Nanako and Chie before his eyes finally fell on her finger. Domjima’s cigarette fell from his mouth and his eyes locked with Yu’s.



_ _ _



“Nanako can you start cracking the eggs?” Chie watched as Yu and Nanako moved through the kitchen with exceptional ease and speed. She smiled to herself as she sat on the floor across the table from Dojima.



“This used to happen all the time.” Dojima’s voice drew her attention away from the kitchen and over to the aging detective. He had a pleased smile on his face as he watched the scene in the kitchen unfold before him. “When he first came to live with us Nanako and I weren’t really sure how to act around him. Then next thing I know I’m waking up to them making breakfast together and her calling him ‘bro’.” Dojima chuckled as he shifted his weight.



“I loved that year.” Chie grinned at her boss, “I met my best friends and I did more that year than I ever thought I would in a life time. This reminds me of all the times we came over and tried to cook.” Chie cringed to herself, but was still able to let out a short laugh. Dojima’s smile widened and Chie began to fidget with her left hand.



She wasn’t really sure why she had been so worried before. She couldn’t count the amount of times the four of them had been like this. She allowed herself a moment to admire her ring once more. It glimmered in the soft sunlight now peering through the sliding glass door.



“I can’t say I’m surprised you know.” Chie jumped as Dojima brought her out of her reverie. “About you two I mean.” He continued, seemingly unaware of her sudden loss of composure. “He always seemed to have a way with people. They just flocked to him. In all my years as a detective I have never met anyone quite like him.” Chie’s gaze swept over to her fiancé and she felt her heart beat rise. She had to agree with Dojima. Yu certainly was one of a kind. “You were different though.” She wanted to keep staring at Yu, but the sudden declaration had piqued her interest.



“What do you mean?” Chie asked as she rested her cheek in her right hand.



“Yu is a very composed individual. He isn’t exactly prone to emotional outbursts and he has always been very aware of those around him.” Chie shook her head as Dojima began to rattle things off about his nephew. He was acting less like his uncle and more like a cop. Dojima had a way of always being on the job.



“That’s one of my favorite things about him. He always keeps me level headed. I can’t count the amount of bad choices I would have made if he hadn’t been there to remind me what was important.” A memory of a hospital room and a dark television flashed in her mind.



“It’s funny you say that, because he is the least composed when he is around you.” Chie arched an eyebrow at him. “It took me a while to notice it since your group didn’t come around too often, but I noticed it that summer. Do you remember when we all went to see fireworks together?”



Chie felt the sudden urge to hide her face behind her hands. Yu’s words suddenly ran through her mind as if he was saying them again. ‘That was the night I knew I wanted you by my side for the rest of my life.’



“Yeah… I remember it.” Her voice was quiet, but lucky for her Dojima was still distracted by his daughter and Yu’s work in the kitchen.



“It was the first time since my wife passed that Nanako and I were able to watch the fireworks with others.” Chie winced reflexively. It was rare to hear Dojima speak about his wife, but she was surprised to see the peaceful smile on his face. “I thought I would be the only one looking away from show.” He turned towards Chie and gave her a smug smile.



“I think I see where you’re going with this and-“



“I wanted to see my daughter’s smile. Nothing quite like it in the world. As I went to look back at the show I noticed someone else’s attention had been pulled away.” Chie’s cheeks felt like they were on fire, “That was when I realized you two were together. I had a feeling something was going on before, I’m a detective after all, but this was proof.”



“I didn’t realize anyone else saw us that night… He only just told me about that…” Chie was suddenly wondering why breakfast was taking so long.



“You know what I learned that night?” Dojima nodded towards her left hand, “My nephew was in a lot of trouble.”



“What do you mean by that!?” The words left her mouth before she could stop herself. Dojima’s head fell back as he let out a burst of laughter.



“It’s a good thing.” He said between gasps of air, “What I meant was, he was looking at you like I used to look at my wife.” Dojima wiped a small tear away from his eye as he continued to catch his breath. “I’m really happy you two have found each other.” The statement was so surprising that it threw Chie completely off balance. She stared at Dojima unable to put her surprise and sudden gratitude into words.



“Hey breakfast is almost ready you two!” Nanako’s voice drew them to the kitchen and Chie watched as Yu slipped several eggs onto a plate.



“Guess that’s my cue to make the coffee then.” Dojima rose from his spot and quickly made his way to the kitchen. “Oh Chie, I’ve got something for you.” He raised his hand and beckoned her to follow him. Chie scrambled to her feet and raced into the kitchen after him. By the time she made it into the room, Dojima had already set out the coffee mugs.



The three mugs were all simple in design. They were painted a single color with a single name wrapping around it. Dojima was already pouring warm coffee into the first mug when he nodded to the nearby cabinet.



“I did some re-arranging so you will find the other mugs in there.” Chie nodded and moved to open the cabinet. The door swung open easily enough and revealed a stack of plates and bowls. Atop one of the plate stacks was a single mug.



The mug was a simple dark green with bold yellow letters wrapping around the body. The letters had been painted elegantly and each letter flowed into the next. Chie reached out and gently took hold of the mug.



“Chie.” She read the word aloud as she stared at the mug. Her vision began to blur as she looked up at Yu. He stood beside her with his head down, still focusing on preparing breakfast, but she could see the gentle smile on his face. She then turned towards Dojima and tried to think of something to say. Instead she was met by his bright smile and a hot pot of coffee.



“Welcome to the family.” The words filled her whole body and she simply nodded.



_ _ _



Midday had come and gone by the time they left the Dojima household. Chie skipped ahead of Yu as the wound their way through Inaba’s back streets. Yu slipped his phone from his pocket to double check the time one last time.



Naoto’s text had just come saying that the Phantom Thieves had arrived in Inaba. Which most likely gave them about half an hour to get to their old hideout. Yu put his phone back before looking up at Chie once more. Part of him really wished they had time to swing by their apartment before heading to meet the others. Chie suddenly spun on her heels and looked back at him.



“You told him ahead of time, didn’t you?” Yu raised an eyebrow as he continued walking forward. “Dojima! You told him we were engaged. Why else would he already have my mug ready?” Her eyes narrowed as he caught up to her and she fell in beside him.



“I promise I didn’t say a word. I think he just knew the signs.” Yu shrugged, but that was apparently not good enough for his fiancé.



“No way. He’s a detective sure, but he’s not that good… besides you didn’t have any signs.” Yu snorted and tried not to laugh.



“Chie my uncle was onto us from day one when we were investigating those murders. I highly doubt it took much for him to put two and two together.” Chie opened her mouth to respond then shut it a moment later. A long moment of silence passed before she simply shrugged.



“I guess you have a good point. Hey?” Yu looked down at Chie just in time to see her pushing herself up to kiss him. Their lips met briefly as she tightened her grip on his hand. When they separated they were both smiling. “We’re engaged.”



“I’m very aware.” Yu nodded towards her hand, “I was there after all.”



“I’m just practicing. We are about to meet the others and I’m looking forward to seeing Yosuke’s face.” Chie grinned as she began to pull Yu along with her.



“Oh? Not nervous anymore?” She rolled her eyes and let out a puff of air.



“No way! This morning was different. We see Dojima and Nanako all the time. It was almost as bad as telling your actual parents. Imagine if they disapproved!?” Chie shook involuntarily as they turned the corner. “We already know our friends approve. I have nothing to worry about.” Yu let out a pleased sigh. She had nothing to worry about with his family either, but telling her that was clearly pointless.



They heard the familiar jingle before they could actually see Junes. The superstore was packed as always, with people walking away with large plastic bags of food or boxes of electronics. The store hadn’t been very popular when it was first made. Yu remembered the spiteful looks the store would receive daily. Ever since they decided to work with the local stores however, their business had boomed along with their reputation.



They slipped inside the store and caught the first elevator up to the food court. Chie flashed her ring in different poses as they began to rise up to the roof of the store.



“What are you doing?” Yu asked as he tried not to smile.



“I’m trying to think of the best way to show off the ring!” Each pose was more bombastic and elaborate then the last.



“This is my Stand, Silver Chariot!” Yu’s voice was deep as he took a ridiculous pose next to her. His hand in front of his face and opposite arm stretching out behind him.



“Oh come on!” Chie lightly stomped her foot on the elevator floor. “I do not look like that.” Yu laughed as the elevator door opened. Chie sighed as she stepped outside and waved her left hand behind her.



“I’m starting to regret saying yes.” She said playfully as he followed her out.



“Yo! Chie and Yu are here!” A familiar voice boomed from across the outdoor food court.



Kanji Tatsumi sat at a large wooden table they had used many times during their investigation all those years ago. His black hair had been cut so that his bangs hung just above his square framed glasses. His plane black t-shirt and matching jeans were tight against his muscular frame.



“Kanji!” Chie waved as they pushed through the center of the floor. As they approached the table they watched as two others sat a tray of drinks down.



“Hey partner!”

“Chie! Yu!” Yosuke Hanamura and Rise Kujikawa each grabbed a drink and waved them over. Yu tried to keep pace with Chie, but she was already rushing forward. Rise ran around the table and met them on the other side, quickly wrapping her arms around Chie.



“It’s soooo good to see you!” Rise’s red hair bounced in the sunlight while she squealed in delight. Yosuke and Kanji met them soon after and embraced Yu in a brief hug and a light punch to the shoulder respectively.



“Man, it’s been so long! How have you two been?” Yosuke asked as they all took their seats.



Yosuke’s brown hair had grown out a bit longer than it had been in high school. His usual calm posture had disappeared however. He had small bags under his eyes and his smile was unable to hide his weary appearance.



Rise on the other hand was glowing. Her red hair was radiant and flowed around her. Despite her incredibly busy schedule she had apparently taken to her singing career like a fish to water.



“Great! I’m actually working under Dojima and he’s teaching me how to make my way up to detective.” Chie tilted her head up with pride.



“That’s great! What about you Sempai?” Rise put her chin in her hands as she looked across the table at Yu.



“I’ve only had a few cases so far, but I’m enjoying the work. Being a Prosecutor is no joke though.” Chie wrapped her arm around his as he spoke.



“It’s like were partners really.” Yosuke rolled his eyes.



“You two are as nauseating as ever.” Chie stuck her tongue out at Yosuke. These two always brought out the other’s inner child.



“Hey so where are the others?” Yu asked ignoring the two making faces at each other.



“Oh, Naoto and Yukiko are on their way from the inn so they should be here soon. Teddie is-” Before Kanji could finish speaking a shadow fell over Yu.



“Sensei!” A cry rang out behind Yu and he suddenly felt a heavy weight slam against his back. Yu grunted as two thin arms wrapped around his neck. “Sensei I can’t believe it’s you! It’s been so long!” A high-pitched squeal rang out in Yu’s ear as he struggled with the weight pressing down on him.



“What are you doing you idiot?! You’re going to choke him to death!” The weight was suddenly lifted and Yu began to rub his neck gently. He turned to see Chie holding a slim young man by the ear.



Teddie was the smallest amongst their group of friends. He was almost a full head shorter than Chie. He was as thin as they come and his stark blonde hair and blue eyes stuck out anywhere they went. That was nothing to say of his fashion sense as well. Like today, he tended to wear high end clothing. He was currently dressed in a white shirt that frilled out in the front as well as a set of well ironed slacks.



“Teddie you saw them last month.” Yusuke chided his old roommate as Chie let go of his ear. He quickly took a seat next to Yu as the other all rolled their eyes.



“Hey Teddie. It’s good to see you.” Yu smiled at his beaming friend. “How has work been?”



“Oh it’s awful! Yosuke keeps dragging me everywhere! We haven’t been able to stay in Inaba for more than a few days.” He gave the rest of the table a pitiful look.



“After our local Junes started working with it’s local shops our profits have skyrocketed. They decided they wanted more stores to start using a similar program. Since my father and I were a big part of that change they asked me to go help other stores implement the new changes.” Yosuke let out a weary yawn and rested his head in his hand.



“Wow that sounds rough man. Can’t be easy with Teddie following you around.” Kanji pat Yosuke on the back in an attempt to comfort him.



“That’s just it. The higher ups love the business that Teddie has brought to our store. They want him to be the Junes official mascot. It’s been a logistical nightmare because Teddie didn’t exactly exists until a few years ago.” Yosuke looked like he was on the verge of collapsing as he continued to talk. The poor guy.



“I’m going to be just like Rise! My face will be famous everywhere we go.” Teddie bragged as if he was completely innocent and Yosuke’s current plight had nothing to do with him. Yu often wondered what it must be like to live in Teddie’s world.



Yu expected Yosuke to blurt out something at Teddie, or at least give him some mild chastising. Instead Yosuke simply smiled at him. It was a weary smile, but it was definitely genuine. Yosuke had grown a lot since their high school days.



“What about you Kanji? How’s the shop?” Yosuke yawed once more, but Yu could see he was mustering as much interest as he could manage.



“Aw man things are going great! Ever since my mom let me start managing the store we have started to focus more on making toys for kids.” Kanji’s eyes sparkled as he sat forward onto the table. “We have gotten so many orders I’ve been working on the weekends just to keep up. We are thinking about hiring a helper so I can have some more free time you know?”



“That’s so awesome!” Rise said, clearly impressed.



As the group continued to talk Yu stole a quick glance at Chie. He found her doing the same and their eyes met. He smiled as he let his eyes fall to her finger then he nodded questioningly towards the others. She shook her head before mouthing ‘Yukiko’. Yu nodded in understanding before turning back to the others.



He found they were suddenly the center of attention as the others had clearly lost interest in whatever topic they had been speaking about.



“So… want to share with the rest of the class?” Rise said in a teasing tone. Busted. Yu looked at Chie and shrugged. She sighed, but there was still a joyful smile on her lips.



“Actually, we have some big news.” Yosuke and the others exchanged curious looks before looking back at the two of them. “Well you see Yu and I-“



“Guys!” a shout echoed out from the opposite side of the food Court. The rest of the group let out a load groan at the sudden interruption, but they all waved at the new arrival.



“Yukiko my love it’s so good to see you!” Teddie leapt from his chair spread his arms wide. Yukiko on the other hand simply raised an eyebrow and shook her head.



“Yo! Where’s Naoto? I thought she was coming with you?” Kanji made room for Yukiko so she could sit directly across from Chie.



“Oh, she’s downstairs with our guests. She asked me to go on ahead. Apparently, she has something she wants to talk to them about first.” Yu frowned as Yukiko took her seat. Naoto had already angered at least one of the thieves so talking to them alone was a risky move. What was she up to?



“Never mind that! Chie was about to tell us something before you interrupted!” Rise waved her hand energetically at the others in an attempt to quite them.



“Oh yes! Is this about the ‘big news’ you’ve been teasing me about all week?” Yukiko’s eyes lit up and she pushed herself closer to the table. All eyes were back on Chie and you didn’t have to be very observant to see she was struggling with the massive amount of attention.



Chie looked to Yu, nervously biting her lip. He couldn’t blame her either. With this many eyes on her it would be hard to not feel stage fright. Yu slid his hand onto hers and simply smiled. Chie stopped biting her lip and slowly nodded. They turned towards the group and both cleared their throats. Then with one swift and confidant motion Chie thrust her hand forward. Her ring glinted in the setting Sun and a stunned silence fell amongst the group.



“We’re getting married!” The way they spoke made it seem like they had practiced and that this was the easiest thing they had ever done. A sudden scream split through the air and several of their friends jumped to their feet.



“Dude no freaking way!” Yosuke was as elegant as ever. Yukiko quickly sprinted around the table followed closely by the Rise who slipped her arms around Chie’s waist and began laughing and crying at the same time.



“As expected of Sensei.” Teddie nodded confidently as if this was a normal everyday occurrence. Kanji who had sat in silence until this point, reached across the table and slapped Teddie lightly across the back of his head. “Ow!”



“Don’t act like this normal you dumb bear! This is- this is huge man!” Kanji stood and pointed a large index finger at Yu. “He’s getting married man!” Yu laughed and checked to make sure his hand was still on Chie’s. Their fingers were still woven together and he quickly stole a glance in her direction.



Rise was on her knees sobbing and smiling in the most confusing scene Yu had ever seen before. Yukiko had Chie’s other hand held tight as she marveled at the new ring.



Chie shined like the sun. Her hair glimmered in the dimming light and her smile lit up the entire table. Yukiko said something that made her laugh and Yu watched as her whole body shook. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen and she always would be.



_ _ _



Akira leaned against a nearby wall as the rest of the thieves stood in a group talking amongst themselves. Naoto stood opposite of them and quietly checked her watch from time to time.



“I’m kind of surprised your hideout is in such a public place.” Akira’s offhand observation was met by a quite chuckle.



“Well I’m sure you understand how hard it is to find a truly private place to meet. If I were to wager a guess you had a similar set up for your operation as well.” Naoto smiled and gave him a knowing look. She most likely couldn’t prove anything, but she was rather confident that she was correct. The fact that she was correct only made things worse.



“Not exactly like this, but you wouldn’t be far off.” Naoto gave a smug nod before checking her watch once more. “Well you said you wanted to talk about something, so what is it? Or are we simply wasting time?” Naoto met his eyes with a rare look of surprise.



“Oh you heard that? Sorry, but that was just a lie to get Yukiko to head up to the hideout first.” Naoto matched his sudden frown with an equally powerful smile.



“Then why keep us down here.” His hand slid slowly into his bag and felt the hilt of his hidden dagger. With Morgana in the bag he wouldn’t be able to pull it out in time to do anything, but his instincts would be screaming at him if he did nothing.



“Nothing nefarious I assure you.” Naoto raised a placating hand before continuing. “Two of our members are getting married and I simply wanted them to have time to break the news.” Akira’s hand quickly let go of the hilt of his dagger. He suddenly felt incredibly embarrassed for being so on edge.



“An engagement!? That’s wonderful!” Haru’s voice drew their attention to the others who had apparently taken interest in their conversation.



“Wait you said two. Do you mean two of your friends are getting married to each other?” Futaba asked a little too eagerly.



“Yes indeed. They have been together since high school so it wasn’t exactly surprising.” Futaba gave Akira a quick look before turning beat red. She suddenly seemed to find the ground very interesting since she could no longer meet his eyes.



“I-I see… that’s very interesting.” If she blushed any harder people would start mistaking her complexion for a skin burn.



“My apologies, I was already assuming the worst of you.” Akira found he was surprised by his apology even if it was deserved. Naoto smiled weakly in response.



“I understand. We didn’t exactly start off on the right foot. I hope we can learn to see eye to eye.” Akira met her gaze once more. He wasn’t willing to forgive her yet. Not by a long shot, but he could at least give her a chance. Besides someone who was willing to think ahead for her friends like this… well they couldn’t be all bad.