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["Apologize for the mistletoe"... does that mean he has some regrets about it? Yu wants to ask, but Yosuke clearly has a lot more to say, so he bites back on it for now, worrying his lower lip a bit as he watches his friend's expression. Listens.

His own face remains stoic, for the most part, though his eyebrows lift a bit at the word "feelings." He's not sure what to make of it, yet. Any of it.]

Oh, [he says softly, once Yosuke finally does pause. But he's groping for words, to be honest, trying to figure out what the other boy is getting at -- what he's not saying yet. Because clearly there's something, and it's... it's like he's afraid of it.

Maybe Yu should brace himself, so to speak.] Yosuke, I... you don't...

[... but he trails off there. To be honest, he's still somewhat confused -- this time it does show in his expression.]

[no. no no no. don't try to block his feelings Yu, not when he's about to actually finally say it.

he takes a deep breath, and his next sentence comes out in a quick breath.]

I think I love you.

[now he's staring at the floor... feeling exposed in like the worst way possible. not just because he's still naked but he feels like his heart is right out there and Yu can just take it and then give it back to him for all he cares.

but he had to say it.]

But I don't want to make it weird. I know you see other people. [at least Mikey, god knows who else.] You're always surrounded by so many people, and I don't want you to feel like you can't tell me stuff because I was the idiot who caught feelings for you. I just... had to tell you. Before I keep making everything worse. Or awkward. Or both.

[... ... ...

Uh.

Few things can render Yu Narukami completely speechless, but this-- this is definitely on the list. For a moment, he has to question whether he heard that right. Whether this might be some effect of whatever's happening to his skin. When he breaks it down, tries to pick at the pieces, he... he can't see it as anything other than real. Not when Yosuke is so steadfastly avoiding his gaze on top of everything else.

Something brief and hot flares in his chest, some annoyance at the way Yosuke puts himself down like that, but-- that, that feeling, is definite something spurred on by the affliction.

As for the rest...]

Yosuke... [Okay, now-- now he thinks they need eye contact. He leans forward and grabs Yosuke's hand, tugging him close enough that they're looking directly at each other. His cheeks are dusted lightly with pink; somehow, this feels even more intimate than everything else did. In spite of that, his answer comes swift and solid.]

... I feel the same way about you.

[the silence is deafening while Yu works it all out. and he's determined not to look at Yu, at least for maybe 5 business days, especially since he did the dumb chick flick thing of yeah we had sex and I love you. to be fair, that wasn't his intention at all. but when someone you care about so much is showering so much attention on you, it's so hard to say no.

but then Yu's grabbing him and forcing him to look him in the eyes, and this time it's Yosuke's brain that completely sputters to a stop.]

... Huh?

[there's no possible way he heard that right.]

[He... he's not really...

Huh???

Yu stares at him for a second, almost in disbelief, speechless now for an entirely different reason. Is... it's that all Yosuke is going to say? Really?? Yu is quiet, working out a response for a moment, then two, then--]

Yosuke...

[Simple. Elegant. Deadpan.]

[Yosuke blinks for a minute, noting the tone of his voice. but then he laughs, feeling so much tension rising from his chest and his shoulders. it's the best possible outcome really, and also the one he was least prepared for.]

I guess I wasn't ready for that. For you to say it back.

[it's the lightest he's felt since he faced his Shadow and Yu didn't judge him for it. and then again, it comes back to the person in front of him. it always comes back to the boy in front of him.

he grips Yu's hand, and then moves to lean on him, attempting to wrap his other arm around him.]

Thank you for always accepting me... partner.

[It's so unbelievably warm, this moment, and Yu... he feels some of the same lightness, maybe. Something loosening in his chest that he didn't even realize needed it. How in the world did it take them so long to get here? That's the part he keeps coming back to, the tension over the past few months that feels like it's just dissolved in moments...

Yosuke wraps an arm around him and-- it's clumsy, it's weird, he nearly topples to the side from the surprise, but-- it's perfect, too.

His arms find their way around Yosuke's shoulders, holding tight as he exhales a soft, breathy laugh.]

I wasn't expecting it either. [The whole day has been an insane whiplash of ups and downs, twists, genre shifts--

That sort of makes sense for them, though.]

... But I'm glad it happened.

Me too. Oh--!

[he sits up again, face a little flushed as he looks at Yu.]

I didn't think I'd get to this part of my speech... but if you want to keep seeing other people too, that's okay. People are kind of drawn to you like you're a magnet or something.

[don't think he didn't see you take all those girls out on dates, Yu.

and here is when his face gets so hot that he feels like he's burning because it's awkward and he legit didn't think he'd get this far. well he did in a way, but under a completely different context.]

That is... if you want to. I know it's a little selfish but... I wanna be your favorite. Your-- [wheeze] person. If that's okay. Totally tell me if it's not, though!! But that's it after that, I swear!! I'm done!

[Like a magnet?? Yu isn't sure he would agree, isn't entirely sure how he feels about that, but-- his face reddens a bit at the implications. At all of it, really, especially the unexpected... well, he's not sure he'd agree with selfishness, but it seems a little like possessiveness, from his partner.

(Weirdly, he doesn't mind that...)

He sits up as well, leaning forward a bit, considering his response for a moment.]

My 'person.' [Eyebrows lifted, amusement tugging at the corner of a smile. Sorry, Yosuke, your persistent inability to use words is kind of funny.]

That's fine with me. You already are. [His favorite. His expression is more genuine as he says it, less teasing.]

... and, if there's anyone else you want to go out with, you should. [Look everyone should see a tiddy at least once in their lives, no need to deprive yourself.]

Edited 2024-01-13 14:27 (UTC)

[don't give him that look, Yu. his face gets hot again at the amused look, and he starts pouting instead.]

Hey, I'm improvising here!! Just give me a break!!

[HUFF]

Someone told me recently [lol Akira] that not everyone has to have a label for everything. So I didn't know what to say, I just... blurted out the first thing I thought of. But you get what I meant, anyway. I just wanna be special, a little.

[he's not going to respond to the date thing outside of shrugging his shoulders. it's not really something he's too concerned with -- Yu's pretty much one of the only people who can tolerate Yosuke as much as he does.

which is fine with him.]

[Alright, alright. Break afforded. Yu leaves it alone...at least for now. (He tucks it away in his mind for use at some other dumb time.)

He pauses at the implications of that, though. Not everyone has to have a label...that's sort of where he feels most comfortable anyway, at least for right now. Labels get messy and complicated; this is simpler, and so...maybe it'll be easier for them both to figure out as time goes on. Something about that...he's really grateful for it.

... It's hard to say what inspires it, but Yu leans forward, puts a hand on the back of Yosuke's neck to hold him steady so he can press their foreheads together. Maybe it's just a quick way to eye contact, but-- it felt right, anyway.]

You are. To me, you are.

[The very first friend he made in Inaba. His very best friend. And-- yeah, yeah. His person.]

[Yosuke's feelings are still all over the place, and all of it is good. the best possible solution to the situation he's in, having someone reciprocate his care for them. it's something he'd tried to run away from after he met Yu, a longing and knowing that he might like the other boy like that as they spent more and more time together. he'd settled on at home on an intense, platonic love, but here it'd grown into something different. it was accidental, really. a brief conversation over text, a few months of denial/acceptance/denial and finally, they're here. in the floor, naked, but here.

and he's so incredibly happy.

he's so overcome that the only thing he can do now is press his lips against Yu's now, hard and intense. there's no other words he can really say at the moment, because this sort of thing... he just can't translate them.]

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