A Detective’s Best Friend
Summary: A fluffy mistletoe fic with a twist. Unable to see Kat and Pinstripes stumble over their feelings any longer, Sherl hatches a plan to help the truth come out and gets some help from his furry friends. Takes place almost a year after Case 12 in LMJ.
Rated: G
Evening, November 30th
“Perfect, they’re gone. Now’s my chance” Sherl thought to himself as he snuck out the back window of the Layton Detective Agency’s kitchen and down to the park around the corner. Waiting there were his friends - Watson, Yapper, Geowly, and Dondy.
“Oh good, you all made it.” Sherl hopped up on the bench in front of them. “I gathered you all here tonight because I need help with something. You see, my owner’s assistant Pinstripes is head over heals for her, and I’ve got a hunch she feels the same way. The thing is, she’s not sure how to tell him.”
He paced back and forth as he spoke. “I can’t blame her though, the idea of getting close to someone after nearly losing her dad must be terrifying,” he said with a sympathetic shake of his head. “Anyways, I’ve got an idea of how we can give them both a helping paw, and that’s where you all come in. Watson, did you bring that mistletoe from your owner’s garden like I asked?”
“Yup, I’fe gobt it right here,” he replied with a mouthful of leaves.
“Perfect. Now follow me everyone, I’ll show you how to get into the agency from the back.”
Morning, December 1st
“Here’s your tea, Kat. Careful, the cookies are still hot.” Ernest set the tray down on the coffee table in front of her.
“They smell wonderful, I can’t wait to eat them! Wait a second...” The detective’s expression changed from one of glee to confusion as she stood up. “How did that get up there?”
“What do you mean, miss?”
The detective pointed at the white berries nestled among green hanging from above. Mistletoe. Ernest’s cheeks turned pinker than the roses at Gressenheller. His hands flailed about so much that he didn’t notice Kat was smiling at his adorable reaction.
“W-when did that get there?! I didn’t put that up, I swear!! I would never...” Kat put her hand on his arm calmly.
“It’s alright Ernest. The truth is, I’ve had a crush on you since around the time we solved that case at the Saveloy.” His face flushed red.
“Wait...you mean?? Why me?” he said in disbelief. He had seen her solve cases involving the wildest of surprises, but none of them had compared to this.
She smiled. “You’re incredibly kind, you’re devoted to those you care about, and you look so cute when you get flustered like you did just now. I wasn’t sure how to tell you before, but I’m glad I was able to get that off my chest.”
“You have no idea how relieved I am that you feel the same way,” Ernest said with a goofy love struck grin. “Do you want to discuss things over dinner then?”
“That would be lovely, but let’s get back to the situation at hand,” said Kat. “We are standing under the mistletoe after all. Shall we?”
He pulled her close, dipping her back ever so slightly. Now it was Kat’s turn to blush. The two gazed at one another and smiled, still overjoyed to discover that the object of their affections felt the same.
“Miss Layton, I absolutely adore you,” he sighed before leaning in and kissing her tenderly.
“Well it’s about time!” Sherl exclaimed after returning from his morning stroll. The detective and her assistant broke apart and gave their dog a sheepish grin. “Oh don’t look embarrassed, I’m happy for both of you. If anyone would be sure to treat you right, it’s Pinstripes.”
Suddenly, the phone rang. Ernest picked it up. “Oh goodness. Yes, of course. We’ll be right over.” He hung up. “That was Inspector Hastings with another case. It’s a big one, and we’ll be working with Al and Lucy again.”
“Sounds like we better hurry over there then. Come on Sherl!”
“Right behind you Kat,” he replied.
Once Ernest had gone out the door, she knelt down and gave her dog a knowing look. “Tell your other furry friends I said thank you for putting up that mistletoe. That was incredibly sweet of you all.”
“Of course. What else is man’s best friend for? Now let’s go solve us a mystery!” barked Sherl. And with that, the members of the Layton Detective Agency set off on another adventure.