Reverse Tarot - ic-general

[ @Kite ]

1:17 PM

Leaning against the wall and readjusting his coat, Teddie scanned the street for the umpteenth time. Okay, so maybe arriving half an hour too early hadn’t been the best idea, but what else was he supposed to do? Wait at home sitting around? Absolutely not. …That didn’t change the fact that he was getting kind of cold from standing here, though. At least it was getting close to the actual meeting time now. A little too late he was thinking about how maybe they should have told each other something to recognise the other by, but oh well. He was standing right next to Aiya’s- hopefully that’d be enough. Augh, the nice smell coming out of the shop was making him hungry. Well! He could eat there later! With Naoya…… Toudou, was it? Meeting other persona users was always exciting! One less person to keep one less secret from. Another glance at the clock on his phone- any minute now, hopefully!…

Inaba was a rather small town so Naoya assumed it'd be easy enough to find Teddie. Unless a bunch of other people collectively decided to meet at this restaurant today. But... nah. There was only one person standing around in the cold and his persona, acting a sixth sense, let him know that another user was near. "Heya." He gives a casual wave and a smile. "Teddie, right?"

"Ah!" Jumping upright when he got called, Teddie looked at the new person. ...A little older seeming then he was expecting! Then again, maybe he should have expected that when the other said they'd been in business for 20 years already. Not that he looked bad, though! He looked nice enough. Returning the smile, he gave a small hum in reply. "Mm!~ And you're-" After having a mini crisis for perhaps a second too long over wether to go with Naoya- or Toudou-san (he'd already used Naoya on chat, right? But wouldn't it be too informal?) he decided to just mimic Yosuke for his own sake. "Toudou-san! Right?" "Welcome to Inaba! I hope your trip here was okay?"

Naoya chuckled, noticing that long pause. "That's me, but feel free to use my first name, I don't mind." He rolled his shoulders and stretched his neck before replying, "Sitting so much made me a little stiff but otherwise 'm good. Thanks for the warm welcome! So... how exactly do we get to the TV world?" He hushed his voice a bit as he asked that last part.

...Darn, caught. Oh well. At least that made things easier going forward. "A-alright! Naoya-san it is then!" Once the TV world came up, his expression turned a bit more serious. "Well, that's.." Glancing around quickly to make sure no one was standing like, right next to them or something, he continued. "We kind of have to sneak in trough a TV at the electronics department in Junes?" Not that entering from another place should be too much of an issue with the world doing alright, but... Risking it just never felt quite worth it. "It's as easy and quick as falling into it though, so as long as no one's actively watching it's pretty easy! And, uh- maybe also try to land safely when, landing." He hoped that was as reassuring as it sounded in his head. At least the ground there was grass now, which was a bit softer to land on. With that, he smiled again and returned to normal volume. "Would you like me to lead the way? Or would you like to eat first?” (edited)

"Oh, alright." He gives an understanding nod. Shouldn't be too hard to do, right? Unless the store was having an electronics sale or something... "Let's go ahead and look around first. I'm sure we'll be more hungry afterwards, yeah?"

"Mm!~ Okay! That makes sense." And hey, it'd be a pretty sight to see too! Motioning for Naoya to follow him, he began to walk towards Junes. "This way for the tour, then!" On the way there he idly talked about the stores in the area, the people, the shrine, the inn... Inaba still always felt like home, no matter what happened there- and he liked talking about his home! He hoped Naoya would like it too. Once they got to Junes, he cast a look around if his father was there. Apparently not! Good, that'd make sneaking in easier. In general, there weren't that many people around yet. Rush wouldn't start for another hour or two, so they'd have time! Now, for the electronics department...

Naoya quite enjoyed hearing about the little town. He could tell the place meant a lot to Teddie as he listened to the young fella speak, smiling at his enthusiasm. "So we just climb in..?" He wanted to be sure as he looked at one of the tv's in the electronics area. Unsure if he should just go for it or what?

Happy Naoya seemed to be enjoying his stories, Teddie was almost a little sad once they made it to the department store. No one was in the area of the electronics, luckily. That'd made going in a little less awkward, at least! "Kind of! Just remember you'll fall once you're in! So make sure to not get hurt when landing..." He could always have Kamui-Moshiri heal him if it was really necessary, but he'd rather have it not be necessary. Running his fingers trough the TV screen and watching it ripple along with him, he gave a small nod to the other. "So! Would you prefer if I go first? Or do you wanna go?" The static feeling on his fingers felt awfully familiar. He never quite knew if he liked it or not, though.

"Oh..? I'll try landing on my feet then." Hopefully that wouldn't be too hard, he did more physically taxing things all the time and after all! Watching his eyes widen slightly, despite having seen plenty of strange things in his time it was still awe inspiring seeing a tv act like a portal. It was like something out of a sci-fi film! "Better let you go first since you're the guide. I wouldn't wanna mess up somehow, eheh." He gives a grin and gestures with a hand for Teddie to go ahead.

Letting out a soft laugh at seeing Naoya's amazement, he nodded. "Mm~ Okay! See you there then. Make sure no one's watching you!" Doing exactly that and looking around one final time, he gave a small wave before letting himself fall trough the TV. Going back in always felt odd. Going back home- Going away from home? Maybe both, maybe neither. Oh well, no time to think about that now. The grass helped cushion the landing a lot compared to the old hard flooring the TV world used to have. Dusting off his clothes while he stood up, he took in a deep breath. Perfectly peaceful here and silent here, just like it used to be.

Naoya watched, still a bit awed by the display before giving his head a little shake. Refocusing before glancing around and then climbing into the TV as well. He managed to stick the landing, albeit a little shakily, putting his arms out to balance himself. "Whew...." a sigh of relief came as he got straightened out and finally looked over his surroundings. "Wow... this place looks gorgeous! Hard to believe it used to be so scary!"

Seeing Naoya land on his feet very well for his first time, Ted gave a round of applause. A solid 8 out 10 for a first try! “Hehe~ It’s nice, isn’t it? You could actually go here to relax and have a picnic now!“ Not that he ever had, but theoretically! Sure! Truth be told, he’d kind of been avoiding going in unless he had to the last couple of years. Not the greatest guardian, was he? But- the place didn’t really need a guardian anymore, right?… Besides, Yuki-chan, Chie-chan and Kanji should still have things covered here even when he wasn’t around. Walking a bit closer to the giant lake spreading out before them, he stared at the reflection of the ‚sun‘ in the water. “If someone without a persona ever fell in again, it’d be back to the way it was… But we know how to fix it now, at least!“ It felt a little weird talking about this- his- world like this. “Uhm… Was there anything in particular you’d like to hear about or see?“

"Yeah, it's kinda like a nature park!" He nods before striding over to stand beside him. "That's good. Wouldn't want anyone getting hurt again." From what he'd heard the incidents were not pretty. He looks down into the water himself for a moment, eying his own reflection. "Hmm... well I'm kinda curious about how the shadows are here now that stuff is calm?"

"Oh, the shadows..." That took a second to think about. "Honestly, I'm not entirely sure. They haven't shown themselves since in this form of the realm. I can sme-- sense that they are here! All around, even! But...." He wondered if Rise-chan would be able to properly pick up what the shadows were doing if she were here. To him, it kind of smelled like the entire place was made up out of them. It was odd. "Either way though, I can feel that they're calm... So we shouldn't have to worry about them! Not unless something stirs them up." He sincerely hoped something would not ever stir them up again. Keeping his eyes on the water he fell silent again, waiting to see if Naoya had any other questions.

"I see... well as long as they're doing okay. That's good." He gives a small nod. "Does anything besides shadows live here?" He finally asked, tone curious.

"Besides the shadows?..." He looked up for a bit at the other in surprise, then averting his eyes again before answering the question. "No. Not as far as I'm aware." It wasn't a lie. "Sorry, there's not a ton in here, hm? Though I suppose that's for the best!"

"Ah, gotcha. I guess you're right... though other creatures aren't always bad, eheh." He knew plenty of nice ones. "It's good to see this place peaceful tho. I'm sure it musta been hard before when things were out of whack."

"Yu...?" Yosuke looked back into his bedroom, where Yu was still laying. He had just taken a rather... Intense shower, music blasting and letting the water clean his snotty face. He had cried so hard he hardly made any noise (thankfully). Now that he had expelled his overwhelming feelings, he was ready to finally talk to the one person he needed to. Last night he had sensed Yu's cold shoulder, and hugged him from behind in an attempt to dispel the distance between them. He had made a sincere apology, but he had more to say. Regardless what most thought, Yosuke wasn't stupid. He was just... Really good at convincing himself that reality wasn't as he saw it. He had been like that since he was a preteen, after he caught his friends talking badly about him when they thought he wasn't within earshot. Ever since, he tended to spiral, particularly when he does something to gain the ire of those around him. That was what the loud shower was for. And because of this, Yosuke tended to mentally deny the obvious, even if it was right in front of him. His self loathing was stronger than any truth people spoke to him. He moved in to sit on the edge of the bed, coughing into the back of his hand. "I wanted to talk to you about last night."

Why did Yosuke have to drag him along like that? …That wasn’t a good way to think about things. From what he knew, it wasn’t like Yosuke recognized his feelings, as much as he tried to hint towards things and make moves that his partner more often than not would show discomfort in or write off as a joke, depending on the point of their relationship. About how Yosuke wasn’t into that. Wasn’t into him. Subtly and Yu’s sexuality were never two ideas that went together. Despite not wearing it directly on his sleeve, he had been in relationships with many people all across the spectrum. Some were little more than flings, and others that had been getting somewhere before things fell apart. More often than not, there was one major cause of concern for those who gave him their final parting words before a breakup. Accusations by his romantic partners were often levied against him in regards to his relationship with Yosuke, with claims about how he loved his roommate more than them or was getting held back by him. Sometimes, the assurance that Yosuke was just a friend eventually served to be more than enough. Other times, it ended in an ultimatum—His romantic partner or Yosuke. Every time, he chose the latter. As much as he did love Yosuke, it could be difficult to entirely justify his actions and decisions in those moments, especially with how things lacked any progression. If he could spend the rest of his life with his partner, he would, but… Eventually, he wanted to be able to get married and have a family, and that was something that could never seemingly happen with Yosuke. Besides, the man had finally opened up about his sexuality, but that interest still didn’t seem to extend to him, things just being how they always had been while he tried to throw Yu’s interests and desires onto someone else. To brush it off, like always.

3:57 AM

…His thoughts had been interrupted by the man himself. After a glance and a quick nod, he pushed his lethargic body with all the strength he could into a sitting position, wishing to more easily match Yosuke’s eyes. What he had caught once actually getting a close enough look had made his stomach twist. “...Your eyes are red.” A light frown made its way onto his face as he met Yosuke’s eyes, feeling his throat tighten. This… Was because of him, wasn’t it? Even if his common sense and logic had gone out the window with his sickness, it wasn’t hard to come to that conclusion. He… He hurt him… Didn’t he? Of course he had read back on the chat—Considering his current state, there wasn’t much more that he could do, and seeing how he talked to everyone else… It was difficult. The things that Yosuke called himself… That wasn’t anything he ever wanted to see, but it felt like those sorts of negative thoughts were only becoming more and more common. Adachi-san hadn’t exactly worked to alleviate his worries when they texted, either, asserting that Yosuke needed to get help. “...I’m sorry.” That’s all he could say, for a moment, eyes falling to his lap as a light sniffle escaped him. “It wasn’t your fault. I overreacted.” Not that the both of them didn’t understand how unreasonable Yu could be when he was ill—Even he hadn’t entirely remembered what he had said when he woke up in the morning, having to scroll up to recall why he had been so upset with his partner. Then again… It wasn’t as if some of the thoughts he had expressed were entirely untrue. All he wanted was for Yosuke to actually recognize his feelings for once, but… That wasn’t a topic Yu exactly knew how to approach, either. (edited)

Yosuke blinked said eyes at the observation, before turning to cough hoarsely into his wrist. "No, dude," he started, quickly coming up with a lie, "it's-it's from all the coughing. Don't worry yourself about it." He leaned in, playfully poking Yu's nose, "your eyes are red, too." Which wasn't exactly true, but they were definitely teary from the fever and sinus issues. He was getting better at lying, though-- he didn't like that. Any other time he would have been honest, telling Yu he had a bad day, but this time, he didn't want to guilt trip his partner. After all, everything Yosuke was upset about was made up bullshit that he came up with himself. When his mood spiraled like that, it was incredibly difficult to get back out. Viper, or whoever he was, was probably right-- he needed therapy or something. But right now, most of his worries had to do with being swindled into a deal with an antagonistic God, and he wasn't sure he could explain that to anyone other than his persona having friends. Even more immediately, however, was Yu and his feelings, of which Yosuke needed to work out. "Don't be stupid," Yosuke said flatly, his face matching, "you didn't do anything wrong. I was the one that made the shitty jokes and played with you and Ted's feelings. Everything about that is..." Yosuke puffs out a breath. He wanted a cigarette, but now wasn't the time. It would make his coughs worse anyway. "I was just an asshole. It's ok to tell me I was an asshole, because I was, and I already know it. The last thing I want you to do is blame yourself for me not reading the room right..." He looks down, his heart doing a backflip. His hand started to grip the blanket, his mind spinning. He had come to terms with it years ago: that he was wildly, madly, head over heels in love with his best friend. If it weren't for his parents or his friends from the city and their less than positive view on gay people, he would have told Yu back in high school. It was a daydream he sometimes had, a dream he would wake up from and cry about. The confusing whirlwind of emotions that come with your first true love being a guy, the actual reason Yosuke came out as bisexual. Leading into him being a girl magnet in college, wanting to forget how his parents kicked him out for coming out to them, accepting any girl into his life, only to tell her within three months it wasn't working out, because there was no spark. He wasn't gay, he just couldn't find someone that was perfect for him. He had a reputation as a heart breaker when he graduated. And then came Akira. Beautiful, smart, loving Akira. Akira couldn't fill that void meant for Yu, but he filled a part of Yosuke's heart that he desperately needed-- a reassurance that it was ok to be his authentic self. Akira loved him so wholly, and Yosuke fell in love back. But now he was here, and he was realizing some things. Yu had dated guys before, and sure, Yosuke was jealous, but he was terrified of ruining their friendship. What would he do if he lost Yu? What would he do if they weren't compatible? Maybe Yu didn't like him back, or love him the same? (edited)

4:27 AM

But he wasn't stupid. From what he could glean from Yu's words, he could only come to one conclusion. "Yu, I... Don't wanna make you say it first, cause that wouldn't be right, but... I sorta read between the lines on what you were saying. Not even that-- it was pretty obvious." You're the most important person in the world to me, Yu had said, making Yosuke's cheeks color. He was in such denial that someone so incredible could like him, he didn't even see the big red signs. "I'm sorry that I... Deflected your feelings. It wasn't right of me too do that. I did... Think it was just you having your usual fever, but... Thinking of everything else you have said, I can really see how you feel..." Yosuke scoffs, looking away and pressing the heel of his palm into his eye. "How do I even say this-- I just-- I-I mean to say-- fuck." His shoulders and head slump forward, his hair hiding his red face. "I just... Kinda... Have really really really liked you since high school. And uh... I just was so... Caught up in my own head that I didn't think s-someone as perfect as you could like me back, is all... A-and if you don't, that's fine! I-I just--" and he starts to go on, rambling in his embarrassment. (edited)

Had it just been sickness causing Yosuke’s red eyes…? Maybe he just hadn’t been paying as close attention, but he couldn’t recall them looking nearly as inflamed over the past few days… Then again, he wasn’t exactly in the state to be longingly staring at his partner’s eyes and picking up any sort of issues that they could express. If it wasn’t for the quick distraction, Yu might have even believed him, but it was difficult to see it as anything other than a cover-up with how far Yosuke took it. The finger reaching out to give him a light tap on the nose only felt like icing on the cake of all of his worries about how long he had been dragged along, frown deepening as he caught on to what his partner was doing. Why couldn’t he just be honest…? Even if it hurt, it was better than not knowing the truth, right? …That wasn’t the point right now. They had bickered enough about Yosuke keeping secrets without the man budging, and it wouldn’t do them any good to get into it when they were both sick. Especially since Yu’s own emotions were… Rather fickle, at times like these, and he had recovered enough to know that getting into that would cause more problems than anything when he could barely hold his feelings back. Speaking of, Yosuke's own emotions seemed to be rather sporadic. Granted, that was something that was much more typical. This was the partner he was more used to—the one that wore his heart on his sleeve, rather than trying to bury everything under the rug. Not that it was great to hear Yosuke go on and on about how he had fucked up, but… At least it was something. “You’re not an asshole.” The assertion was necessary, given how much Yosuke had been harping on it. He never entirely understood where those sorts of thoughts came from… Still, it wasn't like he couldn't say that the man was entirely wrong… “Maybe a jerk, but asshole is taking it a little far.”

4:40 AM

After another moment of collecting himself and covering up another dry cough, he turned his face back to Yosuke, doing his best to put on a comforting smile. As much as Yu didn’t truly blame his partner for how things went down, they just needed to get past this—The longer they stayed on it, the worse the both of them would feel for putting the fault on themselves. When had he fallen in love with Yosuke to the point hearing his partner talk down on himself physically pained him? It was hard to recall… While it wasn’t exactly love at first sight—watching a man constantly trip over himself to the point of having to pull him out of a trashcan wasn’t the most romantic handful of first encounters—but it couldn’t have been too long after that. Maybe it had been all the way back to when they had agreed to take on the case together, with all the determination that Yosuke showed, or one of his times watching Yosuke take charge in the investigation or TV World, having a burning passion that Yu had been enamored with. …Or maybe it was when he held Yosuke as he sobbed over the one person he never felt that he could never truly replace. Teenage crushes weren’t often something to be taken too seriously, but… Throughout all of it, Yosuke had still clung deeply onto the trauma of what happened to Saki-senpai during their time together in high school. That was a line Yu knew he couldn’t cross back then. Yosuke needed his own time to rebound, and make the decision for himself of who he wanted to see and when. Rushing that would help no one.

4:40 AM

By the time that Yosuke had found himself ready for new partners, though, it seemed like Yu was the last on his list of interests. Though, it wasn’t like Yosuke seemed to have any real interest in his girl of the month. Yu wouldn’t say that directly to him, of course, knowing that they had their own ideals of love and romance that he wouldn’t dare to cross the line of. But… It never felt like his partner was happy, no matter who he was with. Like something had been missing, no matter how many girls he went through. When he finally got with Akira-kun, it felt like a blessing—For once, Yosuke actually found someone he loved, rather than getting with random girls that he seemed to take little interest in. He hadn’t often been around when the two were together, but with the little time he did see of them and how joyful Yosuke was whenever he spoke of his boyfriend, Yu knew that his partner was truly happy with the man he’d gotten with, and, in turn, he was happy for them. Still, it was hard to not feel a slight pain in his heart each time, wondering if that could have been him if he hadn’t waited. If he had made his feelings more clear at any point, or had disregarded the inadequacy he felt in regards to Saki-senpai, maybe he could have been the one who got to hold Yosuke like that. Who got to touch him and… Kiss him… Like that. That wasn’t going to happen. Yosuke had made it clear over the years that he didn’t like him like that, and… He accepted that. …Who was he fooling with that? Certainly not himself. No matter how much Yosuke had turned down his advances and interest, it was still hard for him to not desire anything to go down between them. Even if he was Yosuke’s number two to Akira-kun, he just wanted something. He wanted to justify all the time he had spent waiting for something more to happen.

4:40 AM

The soft sound of his partner’s voice had completely caught him off-guard, blinking a couple of times to knock himself out of his mind. His thoughts had taken such a hold on him that he barely recalled that his partner was on the same bed as him for a moment. Maybe he needed to get a little better before they had this conversation, but… It was too late for that now, with how Yosuke was talking. Speaking of, he was slightly lost on what his partner was talking about, head falling slightly to the side as he tried to interpret the meaning behind his words. What was obvious? Why couldn’t he say something first? If Yu hadn’t leaned more towards brawns than brains, maybe he could have gotten what his partner was hinting at a little quicker, but he felt absolutely dumbfounded. …Things started to make a little more sense at his partner’s next statement, though, eyes widening as Yosuke trailed off. Oh. Shit. This could have turned out really bad… Yes, he wanted Yosuke to acknowledge his feelings, but actually being in the moment was an entirely different situation. His partner actually noticing that, bringing it up to him, and then… Trailing off…? It felt like he was just waiting to get stabbed in the heart, clutching lightly at the sheets beneath him and preparing himself as if he was ready for a physical rather than mental attack. Despite that, he didn’t look away, no matter how much his anxiety spiked watching Yosuke’s behavior and focusing heavily on his words. It would help if he could get any idea of what his partner had been on about, but all of the stuttering and trailing off left him completely at a lost. This felt worse than a breakup… At least with those, he typically knew it was coming beforehand, and could mentally prepare himself for the heartbreak. This… It was too sudden, and he wasn’t sure how he could take direct denial after a decade of being in love.

4:40 AM

But… That wasn’t what happened. Mouth agape, all that Yu could do was stare dumbfoundedly as the other began his confession. Yosuke… Liked him…? It was difficult for him to process for a moment, mind having gone completely blank at the revelation, only becoming more and more empty headed as his partner went on. How had he missed it if his partner had liked him since high school…? …The only thing he really could do was begin to inch closer as Yosuke continued on, looking to finally close that distance between them which had hovered over their conversation for so long. His head was too full of butterflies to truly comprehend what Yosuke was saying, still in a slightly dazed state—Though, it didn’t exactly seem that things were going in the best direction, with where Yosuke’s thoughts could often take him. “Calm down.” That was something they both needed to do right now, as blunt as his delivery was. They wouldn’t be able to think about any of this with both of their minds racing so much. As if on instinct, he brought out his hand to grab for the one Yosuke had digging into his face, attempting to pull it away and slip their fingers together. This wasn’t atypical for them, but now that those feelings were out in the open, it felt… Different. The slight underlying twist of his stomach by a typically romantic gesture that usually wouldn’t go much further wasn’t there any longer—He had hardly noticed it was there before, but now that it was gone, he felt… At ease. “Of course I like you.” With those words, he brought out his other hand to Yosuke’s chin, lightly pushing for his partner to meet his eyes before he continued on. Catching the redness in his face only made Yu’s smile widen, feeling like a giddy high schooler for the first time in… Forever. That feeling had overtaken him, and, before he knew it, something much more intense had been slipping out of his mouth. “I love you, Yosuke.”

4:40 AM

Those words had come out without any hesitation. It hadn’t even hit him for a moment that he had uttered it, face only reddening a few moments afterwards as he truly processed his words. Was that taking things a little too far…? After a decade, he couldn’t say that he cared all too much. Really, he was living on this emotional high. Yosuke… Liked him. Not only that, really really really liked him. For… Just as long as he liked Yosuke back… “I've been interested in you since high school, too.” It was nice to finally have that out in the air. Really, it was nice to have all of this finally in the open. This was what he had been waiting for. Maybe it came… A handful of years later than he would have liked, but that still didn’t mean his heart wasn’t soaring, even as he tried to keep his emotions at a comfortably low level in order to explain his own disposition back. “I never pushed my boundaries because I didn't want to make you uncomfortable, between Saki-senpai and your attitude towards both Kanji-kun and my comments.” …Yeah, that was a little awkward to get into, but Yu didn’t want to focus on that for too long. Talking about all of that would only bring down the intoxicating feeling that had come with Yosuke’s admittance. “...Now I feel a little dumb for not making a move sooner,” he admitted, an airy laugh escaping him. Yes, he was certainly regretful about that, but he wouldn’t let it drag him down too much. Not much could right now. This was all he wanted, and now that he got it, he couldn’t say he felt let down in the slightest.

Yosuke finally looks Yu in the eyes as the other gently takes his face, eyes starting to water from the heat in his cheeks. He looked startled when his partner said those three words, the three words he thought he would never hear. The three words that… maybe, after all he went through, made everything worth it. He had loved so hard and so fiercely so many times in his life, but now he sat before the one person he wanted to love him most. What had only been a dream before was now happening, and Yosuke's heart felt warm and full in his chest When Yu mentioned Saki-senpai, his heart ached. He stopped loving her a long, long time ago, but he still thought highly of her. She was his first friend and confidant in Inaba, and he had failed to be the same to her in response. Perhaps that's why he was always so eager to listen to his girlfriends– he wanted to make up for annoying her the way he had. And when Yu brought up his behavior towards Kanji, he had to look away, biting his lip. Kanji was the first person he told when he came out as bisexual, but he hadn't afforded Yu the same… "I'm sorry… I never really…really told you, but… my parents, they sort of…disowned me, when I told them I was interested in men. I'm sorry I kept that a secret." He was so numb to that reality by now he didn't even change his expression, letting out a long breath. He feels his forehead touch the others, tightening his hold around Yu's hand. "I… I just… feel so… relieved," his voice croaked, eyes starting to glisten wet, "for so long, I thought… maybe you'd disown me too. And then you dated guys, and I… I still couldn't say anything. I was just so… so scared of losing you– w-what if we broke up, what if it ruined us—" He hiccups, letting his head dip downward, sobbing openly in front of his best friend and staring at their hands. "The fact that you… you could love me for me… that you've loved me, even when I was a dumb teenager…" He took a moment to sob hard, his shoulders jerking. Yosuke looks up into Yu's eyes, tears staining his cheeks, eyes completely wet. "God, I love you so much. I've loved you for so long, and now you're here, a-and I just–" He sniffed hard, closing his eyes a moment, trembling… he wanted to compose himself, but he was struggling, all of his insecurities and long held feelings crashing over him like torrential waves. He looks up at Yu– beautiful, perfect, dumb, goofy Yu, the man he has loved for what felt like his entire life… Yosuke doesn't hold back the urge, leaning in and capturing his lips in a soft, tender kiss. His eyes were closed, and he focused on the way it radiated through him, filling him with warmth. He scoots his body closer, not breaking their embrace as he gently takes Yu's face, still reveling in their soft kiss. His heart felt like it was going to fly away, or burn out of his chest. He wasn't sure. He just knew that he wanted to kiss his partner and feel his hold.

Family wasn’t a topic they often discussed on either side. Both of them were pretty disconnected from their birth parents, but Yu’s at least hadn’t disowned him for his sexuality. When he told his father of his potential interest in the same sex, the man simply warned him of the social consequences if he were open and recommended that he keep that sort of stuff private if he wished to find success in the business world. Dojima-san seemed to share some of his father’s concerns, but was still supportive of his nephew’s romantic interests regardless, especially when it came to Yosuke. So hearing that Yosuke’s family had gone so far after he had come out to them was a shock, to say the least. Despite how much time he spent with Yosuke and around Junes in Inaba, he had never been particularly close with the Hanamura Family, only having run into the two on rare occasions. They seemed rather nice, at least to him, and the fact that they had taken Teddie in seemingly without a second thought had cemented them in his mind as two truly kind individuals. If there had been anything he had learned throughout his time dealing with shadows, though, it was that you could never judge a book by its cover. Still, it was beyond him to do something like that to your own child. He heard stories, and dealt with a variety of issues being open himself, but… Shouldn’t most parents love their children unconditionally? He was never given a chance at that… Yosuke deserved better, though, and to lose that over something as integral to his identity as his sexuality was… Beyond cruel.

6:42 PM

Even if he wanted to comment about that, now wasn’t the time. His entire being had soon become focused on the way their foreheads touched, listening to the way their breath hitched from more than just their sickness as they found themselves pulled further into each other’s atmosphere. There was no way he would interrupt the other’s moment of weakness, choosing to provide comfort through the simple motion of rubbing light circles into the side of the other’s hand. It wasn’t much, but the small things often went a long way in their relationship. When the tears came about, Yu paused for a moment, feeling his heart stop along with his breath. There was a mix of relief and pain, joy and fear… Things that he admittedly felt as well, but bit his tongue on expressing. After all, Yosuke needed the support more than him right now. The best he found himself capable of doing was desperately rubbing his thumb against his partner’s check, wishing to wipe away as much of his tears as possible. The past worries Yosuke had expressed made Yu’s face briefly scrunch up, the very thought of disowning his best friend over something that felt so… Normal, to him, being completely sickening. Kanji, Naoto, Teddie… Basically everyone in their group wasn’t exactly straight, by any means. Then again, he had never come out to Yosuke, but he had almost assumed that was something he didn’t have to do… He had been open enough about his interest. Though, with how Yosuke was as a kid, it wasn’t a surprise if that went entirely over his head or was written off as a joke. The fact he hadn’t seriously dated a guy until police academy probably didn’t help things, either… There was no need to focus on the past. What mattered now was the present, and what had been directly in front of him. For the first time in his life, Yosuke had finally reciprocated his feelings, and now…

6:42 PM

…It was difficult to even comprehend the overwhelming joy that had come from Yosuke’s face inching closer to his, choosing to meet his partner halfway as soon as he caught wind of what the motion had been implying. The feeling of his partner’s lips had been bliss, far beyond what he ever could have hoped for over the years. For once… This wasn’t just his in his dreams. He wasn’t going to wake up in the middle of it, heartbroken at the reality of what felt like a hopeless, unreciprocated love. Yosuke was real. Their love was real. This was all real. If he could, he would have stayed like that forever. There was definitely the intent to hold onto that feeling as long as possible, but, soon enough, he felt a rough scratch at his throat, and had to jerk his face and hand on Yosuke’s face away, turning to the side in order to cover up a sudden cough. "...Maybe we should try when we're better." A soft laugh escaped him between a small fit of coughs, failing to collect himself in any meaningful way. It was just their luck to finally gather the courage to admit their feelings for one another when they were both half-dead—so much for a romantic first kiss, but it wasn't like that would be near the last of them. They could more than make up for it later. …No, that… That wasn't right. Sure, he had been living in the high of the moment, but, backing away… Something had been nagging at the back of his brain. Beyond the sudden exhilaration of their feelings finally being brought into the open, and all of the sudden gestures that he had desired for a decade coming true, a thought had been pulling at him. Not just a thought—a conversation. "Y'know," Adachi-san had told him over the phone earlier, once Yu made sure that Yosuke wasn't listening in, "that kid's been so goddamn obnoxious lately with all his mopin'. All that apologizing and arguing ain't exactly givin' me the impression he's in the best place. He's way too paranoid—way too stupid."

6:42 PM

"...I know." Of course he had, but hearing someone like Adachi-san taking notice left him a little speechless. "Then put your goddamn foot down already!" There was that venom in his voice—the type that Yu could never truly make out the genuineness of, especially in situations like this. "You're always way too much of a pushover with him. It's seriously annoying. Ya gotta stand your ground before shit gets worse, 'cause it is gonna get worse if ya don't do anything now, and no one wants to put up with that shit." Adachi-san wouldn't have come to him about something like that if it wasn't serious. Sure, the man tried to hide any sort of empathy through snide remarks and feigned disinterest, but Yu had known him more than long enough to see past all of that. With the way he spoke, he was concerned—and if even he of all people was willing to go that far, then Yu needed to do something about it… His eyes turned down to their hands once again, giving a light squeeze as he thought of how to approach the topic. This wasn’t a spot he wanted to be put in right now, especially with how foggy his mind was between the sickness and medication, but… If he let it go on for too long, then it would be too late to address it later. "...If we're going to get together, I want you to start getting help." He turned his eyes back up to his partner, a subtle frown having made its way back onto his face. What they had for a moment was paradise, but… That wasn’t realistic to keep going forever. Not with how things had been recently, at least. "I… Don't think it would be good for you to balance multiple relationships, on top of… What else you have going on." Trust and honesty were essential parts to a relationship, and if Yosuke seemingly couldn’t even trust him enough to tell him everything that was going on, then… It felt like a hopeless cause to start anything right now, as much as it hurt him to admit when they had gotten so far.

6:42 PM

"I'll still be here." As if to emphasize his point, he brought their intertwined hands up to his mouth, pressing his lips lightly against the back of Yosuke's. It would hopefully soften the blow of his next words, at least. "But I can't be in a relationship where you're constantly hurting and can't tell me the truth. That's only going to destroy both of us." Any other time, and Yu would have been more than willing to jump straight into things, no hesitation at all. But, with how everything had been… He just couldn’t do it. As much as he desperately wished to be with Yosuke, and truly did love the man, running recklessly into a relationship at the moment was only likely to make his partner’s fears come true.

Yosuke had watched Yu curiously for a moment, wondering what he was going to say. As Yu spoke, however, it was as if one could see Yosuke's heart breaking in his eyes. His giddy expression had quickly died into an exhausted stare. He wasn't being betrayed, however. No, Yu just wanted answers, and he was right– it wasn't right to be together when Yosuke was keeping secrets like this. Even Yosuke keeping secrets from Akira felt horrible, but Akira supported him despite it all, and Yu was crumbling under the weight. As much as he did love him, Yu wasn't what he needed right now. The guilt, the ultimatums– when will he just realize that Yosuke isn't talking because he can't. Yu wasn't so dense that he couldn't glean that much, right? But Yosuke supposed from his perspective, it did look like Yosuke was hiding things and was refusing to tell him. He pulls his hand away, looking elsewhere in the room. His heart felt like it had been stabbed, racing in his throat. He was starting to spiral again, and he had already cried in front of the other. No, instead, he was going to make his expression blank, his self-hatred for making Yu feel this way crawling under his skin, reminding him over and over that he was the cause of everyone's agony. "You're right… now probably isn't a good time," Yosuke didn't look at him, instead stared at the wall. He tried for a strained smile. "Maybe later, down the line. But we shouldn't be together when there are things I can't tell you." He got up to leave the room, assuring Yu he was fine, he just wanted to be alone for a while. This felt like his worst fear, and he wished it was because of his personality, not something so out of his control. Yu had laid out an ultimatum that Yosuke could only say no to, and it broke his heart. He wanted to tell Yu, but he just COULDN'T. Why couldn't the other understand that? Why couldn't he RESPECT that? It didn't involve Yu, but Yu wanted to be trusted as much as he trusted others. Yosuke got it, he really did, but he also didn't want Yu to pry every chance he got. Damnit, this is exactly what that fiendish God wanted. He couldn't think this way – Yu was his best friend, he deserved to know. Either way, it didn't make Yosuke feel any less horrible, it didn't make him hate himself any less. Finding his way to the couch and curling up with a blanket, he stared at the TV, numb and heart broken. Despite knowing it wasn't true, he felt unloved and unwanted. Despite Yu just wanting answers and wanting Yosuke to feel better, Yosuke felt denied and alone. His head hurt. He closes his eyes and eventually finds sleep.

God, he can't just leave him like this, can he? Yosuke lit another cigarette, letting out a long sigh and a cloud of smoke in the cold fall evening. He watched the street below, people fumbling their way to the subway after a night out of drinking, embracing each other as they did so. With what Saori said, Yosuke knew he couldn't just keep lying… but he had to get Yu off of his tail. He already knew from Saori's reports that the Shadow Operatives were infiltrating the space. Members that Yu knew. It would get back to him if Yosuke was caught. He could easily sneak around Phlegethon, but he struggled to lie. He thought back to what Yu said. He was still angry and hurt, but he focused on something that the other said. It dawned on him, then– It was his out. He finally entered the kitchen when he was done with his cigarette, finding Yu inside. They exchanged sad, heart broken stares, before Yosuke finally spoke: "I'll… I'll get some help. I promise." Maybe it's for the best that they stay friends, for now. As warm and wonderful and brilliant as it was to finally kiss his partner, being too close would be inviting Yu into even MORE of his business. Besides… he could always ask Naoya-san about the therapist that knew about personas and what not. He could at least lay most of his concerns out, that way. He'd just have to be honest with her: "it's something I can't tell anyone."

Heartbreak couldn’t even begin to describe what Yu felt as Yosuke pulled away and all expression left his face other than a hint of sorrow behind his mocha eyes. If he could, he would have taken back his words—Said that, despite it all, he would still like to be with Yosuke, and they could work on those things after the fact. Not everything had to be perfect, right? They could have a good relationship and Yu could be happy even in the state that Yosuke was in. …But, if he said that, he would have only been lying to himself. Standing his ground was difficult, especially in a situation like this, when all he wished to do was relieve his partner’s pain in any way possible, but… He couldn’t. Like Adachi-san told him, he needed to stop being a pushover. If Yosuke was going to get help, then he had to bite his lip and deal with the consequences of pushing his partner in that direction, even if it meant sacrificing what his heart desired. Those thoughts still didn’t keep all of this from hurting a hell of a lot. How he wished to be able to hold Yosuke’s hand, hug him, kiss him—Anything, to make him feel a little better, but he knew better. Even as Yosuke stood to leave, his hand hovered briefly, as if to grasp at Yosuke’s wrist, before dropping to his side once more at the last moment. "I’m sorry,” was the only thing he could get out in response, head dropping to his lap as the other went to leave. The words may not have even been caught, with how they left Yu’s lips in little more than a whisper, but… It was something he still felt he should have uttered, regardless of if it only reached deaf ears. Dragging Yosuke along like that, getting that entire confession, even kissing him before saying that they couldn’t be together… Maybe he was the shitty one all along.

5:19 AM

Dammit… The tears couldn’t be stopped now that Yosuke had left the room. At first, they had been nothing more than light wells at the sides of his eyes, but, soon enough, those dams had broken, and nothing could stop the waves that had begun to rush out. Why was he the one crying…? This… This was all on him, wasn’t it? Yosuke was the one that was hurt, not him, yet… Here he was, getting emotional over it all regardless. At least he could try to soften his sobs to the best of his ability, even if he didn’t have the energy to get up and close the door. He bit back uttering anything stupid outloud, covering his mouth whenever he found himself unable to contain any sort of sound. Yosuke didn’t deserve to feel guilty over this. It… Wasn’t his fault. Nothing was his fault. This was all on Yu, and his emotions getting the better of him. He must have cried until he couldn’t produce anymore tears—Not that he really remembered after a while. It all had been a blur, and, before he knew it, he’d woken back up on Yosuke’s bed hours later, groggy and heavy. A good cry session was supposed to relieve you of your worries, right…? Then why did it only make Yu feel worse? …Everything was just too much, right now. All he knew was that he needed a smoke, his lungs at least feeling clear enough to afford him that luxury. Although, once he had slipped out of the bedroom and caught sight of Yosuke out there, he found himself suddenly having his own change of plans, taking a beeline straight for the fridge’s bottom shelf. Yosuke wouldn’t be happy about that. He never was, but… It didn’t seem Yu could upset him much more, now. Why did he have to piss off Yosuke…? It wasn’t like what he asked for was unreasonable… Well, he didn’t think it was, at least. Wanting his best friend to be in a more stable, happy place before they got together was only natural, wasn’t it?

5:19 AM

…Thinking like that wasn’t going to do any good. Even if he was oblivious to it, Yosuke must have had his reasons for being upset, and Yu wasn’t going to downplay that. He must have been on his third beer by the time he heard footsteps heading towards the kitchen. His first instinct was to move himself in front of the cans in order to not make a bigger scene, but, given how Yosuke had been chain smoking outside, there wasn’t much high ground to be had. Besides, trying to hide things would only make the situation worse… That, and contradict his entire point. Those eyes that Yosuke looked at him with only made him feel worse. Why did this all have to hurt so much…? Why couldn’t they have confessed when things were simpler—When Yosuke was… Happy? Why did Yu only have to make things worse for his partner? His thoughts had been so overwhelming that he barely caught what Yosuke said at first, only catching on after his partner trailed off momentarily. His eyes sharpened briefly, focusing intently on his partner’s face as the other spoke again. After he’d caught on, though, his eyes widened, mouth slightly agape as he truly processed his words. "...You will?" The question didn’t need an answer, given Yosuke’s promise, more uttered out of disbelief than anything. A beat of silence was met with his mouth shutting and turning into a light grin, eyes softening into something much more natural and comforting. "I'm glad." It felt like his worries had been largely washed away with Yosuke’s statement, the weight that had been on his shoulders lifting ever so slightly and giving him a chance to breathe. This was all he wanted, and now that it was finally becoming a reality, he couldn’t have been happier.

5:19 AM

"I really do love you." That point felt important to restate, after their previous interaction. He needed to make sure that Yosuke understood that, no matter what. "That isn't going to change." No matter what Yosuke did or would do, he would always be there. As much as he wished he could have known what was going on… He was able to accept Yosuke not telling him directly. After all, a case could never be that easy, could it?

Yosuke's heart tightened in his chest, feeling like it was under a huge weight as Yu offered him a kind, warm smile. Yosuke couldn't help the way his eyes glittered, overcome with relief and warmth. He couldn't deny him, he just couldn't. Yosuke moved slowly to the couch, sitting close to Yu, and looking at him. They both looked on the verge of tears, both wounded in their own ways. Yosuke had to try not to hate himself for that, had to remind himself not to make it all about him. "I love you too," he breathed out, closing his eyes and sniffing back tears. He stares back at Yu with a fire behind his eyes, gripping his face with both hands to make their eyes lock. "I need you to understand something, though: whatever is going on, I cannot tell you. I cannot tell anybody. It will put both of us into a lot of danger. You have to understand that. Even if I go to a therapist, I can't tell them either." He sighs, retracting his hands, looking up at Yu with determination. There was a fire in him, but he was practically begging Yu to let it go. "I'm involved in something dangerous. You will just have to trust me. The second I tell you anything, me, you, and everyone else I love is done for. "Do you understand, partner?"

Having his feelings reciprocated once again allowed a short breath of relief to escape him, finally able to collect himself a little more mentally. At least he hadn’t messed that up—Everything was going to be fine, like it always was. Though, he had to admit that Yosuke’s hands cradling his face set his cheeks ablaze. It was difficult to know what was going to come next, with the way his partner looked at him. Part of him expected Yosuke to connect their lips again, making him debate on whether or not that would have been a good or bad thing, given their current situation. The moral ambiguity there between lust and logic had luckily not been tested, given Yosuke’s next statement. In fact, Yu’s face had gone completely pale in response to his partner’s words, staring blankly for a moment as he processed what Yosuke meant. Dangerous…? That… He couldn’t mean… Possibilities to what Yosuke meant there felt slim. Sure, he could have been talking about something that abided by reality, like getting wrapped up in some yakuza or loan shark deal, but… That didn’t make sense. Yu would have probably already seen threats around their place, and if things were that bad, Yosuke probably would have still told him, only giving him a warning not to go to the police or get involved. No, this… This sort of fear was something more. It was almost as if… He thought someone was listening in on them, with how apprehensive he was to say anything. That… Wasn’t something a human could do. At least not with every single person Yosuke interacted with. As if all at once, his fears had seemingly been confirmed as reality, and it took all of his will power not to let his face twist too much in horror or utter anything that could get both of them in trouble. That wasn’t easy, forcing himself to take in a couple of deep breaths and close his eyes as he collected himself for a hopefully non-suspicious response. (edited)

6:47 AM

“...I understand.” There wasn’t any other response he could give, even if he wanted to. Yosuke was putting his own foot down, and Yu could recognize that pushing would only hurt things rather than get him the information he wanted. Not that there wasn’t still the impulse to, considering how Yosuke had gone on about some… ‘Danger.’ A danger that Yu was sure he was onto, especially as Yosuke went on. But, he couldn’t say that, instead opting for something much calmer—Something that wouldn’t lead to both of them arguing more. “If you can’t tell me… Then I’ll accept it.” Well, he would accept Yosuke not being able to tell him. There was no way that he could sit by and do nothing about it, especially with how Yosuke described it. “I still want you to get help with what you can.” Even if he couldn’t admit the worst of it, there were other factors that needed addressing that Yu wasn’t going to sit by and watch become worse along with everything else. “I know deciding your career path has been hard. They could help you figure out everything there, as well as help you work a little more on your emotions.” Compared to whatever Yosuke had been talking about, he knew those things must have seemed minor, but Yu was going to make sure that his partner could at least be able to clear those things up. After all, the less he had on his plate, the better, and getting a handle on his emotions was sure to aid him in what he was going through. (edited)

Yosuke let out a long, relaxed breath when Yu agreed not to push him anymore. He hadn't felt this at ease in ages, constantly feeling like he has to come up with lies, only because his partner is so desperately trying to find the truth in everything. Yosuke knew no other way to go about it, frankly. Yes, it was concerning that he was in danger, but he needed to get it out somehow. Maybe now he could feel a little less alone, a little less like he has to pretend. He knew that Saori and Kagutsuchi would be displeased, especially since he promised to lie– but at least Saori didn't need to see him blubbering in the chat this time. "Sorry. I know that's a lot to take in, but… I have it handled, I promise," he tries for a smile, small and gentle. When Yu made a good point about him needing therapy, Yosuke winced, looking aside. Maybe he should have said that he was going to therapy and that was that? It was something he'd tell his therapist? God, why didn't he think of that? He's too stupid for any of this… "I'll go– I promise." Yosuke smiles again, but he looks exhausted. His lungs burn from smoking half a pack and he was still worn out from his flu. He was close enough to Yu to lean forward, pressing his face into his partner's shoulder, letting out a long breath. "Please don't worry too much about me… it makes my heart hurt." Having been at the receiving end of Yu's sad kitten eyes for a while now, it was starting to wear him down.

Was Yosuke just lying to make him feel better…? It was difficult to tell, but… As much as Yu wanted to trust his partner’s word, the way that Yosuke had been acting over the past few months failed to give him much confidence in the claim. For someone who had it handled, he certainly didn’t make it seem like that… Even now, despite his partner's momentary smile, it was hard to think he had much of a handle on his situation… Not that he could think about it for very long before Yosuke nuzzled into him, cringing slightly at the other's words. He never wanted to hurt his partner—all of that worrying was out of love, but… Sometimes things done out of good intentions could hurt just as much as those with cruel intent. “I think that might be all the smoking.” It was a weak jest, at best. The punch was lacking, too, coming out as a little more serious than it probably should have. There was no way he’d leave it there, bringing a hand up to lightly brush through Yosuke’s shaggy hair, using the other to rub against his partner’s back. Was this crossing the line…? With their relationship, Yu never really knew. Then again, he never really cared, either. “I'll try, but I hope you’ll give me a reason not to worry as much, too.” Given the situation, that lingering thought of the danger Yosuke was in wouldn’t entirely leave the air, even if they both wanted it to… But just knowing that Yosuke was getting professional help, and to see him improve week by week, day by day… That would be enough, for now. He just had to hope that wasn’t asking for too much. “Are you tired?” Of course he was. They both were; the emotional whiplash of the night and illness that still had a hold of the household hadn’t done well for either of them. The fact Yu was nearly as put together as he was had been a miracle. Then again, he would do anything to make sure his partner didn’t have to see him fumble emotionally.

5:04 PM

For everyone's sake, he needed to be strong, no matter what. That line of thought was only amplified with everything else going on. They were all going through so much… He just needed to get past his anxiety over Yosuke's situation and be more proactive in helping everyone through it. What he felt didn't matter nearly as much as everyone else right now. “Let’s go to bed.” With his words, he’d slipped one arm under Yosuke’s knees and the other around his upper waist, sweeping the man up off the couch with relative ease as he stood up. Sure, he may not have been at his full strength, but he still had enough power to carry around someone as light as Yosuke far enough to bed. His decade of weight training had seemingly paid off, at least a bit.

Yu's phone starts to ring-- Yosuke's number pops up. That's right, he's still at work...

After enough rings, the call eventually goes to voicemail. (edited)

There's a tinny sound of Yosuke sighing at the beginning. Yu, please call me back. I'll be home soon to see you anyway. I can tell you're freaking out about Nana-chan... Just remember to take deep breaths. I promise to come straight home. End Voicemail.

Most of the afternoon had been spent in the kitchen, apron on as Yu made sure that everything had been practically cooked to perfection. Curry rice, beef skewers, fried pork cutlet, and a multitude of other sides and desserts, including the best Christmas cake he could make. It almost looked like he was preparing for an entire party, and though some of it was going to be packed up for their family get-together the following day, most of it was intended just for the two of them to enjoy. Humming to the soft Japanese pop he had playing in the kitchen throughout the day, he'd worked to finally plate all of their dishes. Honestly, it was just a relief to have it all done—as much as he enjoyed cooking, being in the kitchen for so long instead of out with his partner had made him a little antsy as the day rolled on, but if he could make a meal that the other enjoyed, it would all be worth it. It wasn't like he was the only one doing anything, of course. Leaving Yosuke to take care of setting up their entertainment choices while he cooked was for the best. He often hadn't understood what to pick for situations like these, obliviously throwing on some sort of horror or strange indie film that didn't really set the mood for his partners. Apparently, some people didn't like watching face-eating zombies on a date—Not that he understood the issue, but they weren't so happy about it, so he had learned to leave the choice of what to watch up to his partners. "I hope you're hungry." Finally free from the delicate balancing of plates he'd brought into the living room, he set both of theirs down at their respective spots at the chabudai. Luckily, nothing had seemed to mush into each other, the presentation being just as clean as it had been before he picked it up. Relieved at the sight, he straightened his posture and slipped back into the kitchen to grab their drinks. The hot chocolate and plain coffee sitting on the counter had been just about the most festive thing about their meal. They both had cute little Christmas cats on them, per Yu's insistence that they get them on a shopping trip years back. Really, almost everything in the house had been something they bought together or for one another. Guess that's what it was like moving in together fresh out of high school, though it did make the whole idea of them already seemingly dating for a decade seem a little more obvious the more he thought about it… "What did you decide on?" While passing by Yosuke, he was sure to plant a quick kiss on the other's cheek before setting both of their drinks and utensils down at the table and finally taking a seat, ready to chow down on the main course after hours of cooking. This… This was nice. After everything, it felt incredible just to have a normal evening. No fighting, no sad looks, no lying… Just the two of them, together, enjoying the holidays. …Well, maybe it wasn't completely normal. They hadn't exactly been exchanging kisses and openly flirting before, but that was only an upgrade to their typical routine.

Yosuke had spent the morning working a half-day, promising to help through some of the busier hours and leaving during nap time. When he got home, he bundled himself up in sweats and a sweater, trying to be warm after riding his bike back in the cold. Although tonight was special, he still dressed comfortably, knowing that his partner wouldn't mind. Excited, Yosuke had buzzed around the kitchen, trying to help, but Yu eventually designated him to entertainment duties. It's not that Yosuke didn't like a good horror flick or anything, but Yu seemed to like the slower paced stuff, which Yosuke struggled to pay attention to. Looking up from his search, Yosuke's eyes lit up at the display, looking up to Yu with love and wonder. "You did all of this for us…?" He gently takes his hot chocolate, cheeks coloring pink as he feels Yu kiss him. "It looks delicious! Thanks so much…" When Yu sat down, Yosuke instinctively moved closer, flushing their sides together and trying to warm up. He sipped at his hot chocolate before answering. "Well, I found a weird action flick about a demon Santa that was summoned from hell… or something," he shrugs, "orrr we can watch this animated movie about a girl stuck in a world of cats. What do you think?" He looks up at Yu, their noses almost touching from their closeness. Yosuke can smell the coffee on his breath. He felt…warm. Loved. Happy, excited, hopeful… he never thought he would move to the next stage with his best friend, and now it was becoming reality. If it weren't for the food and movie, he would suggest just making out all night instead, but spending time like this is far more valuable.

Those sweet words had been all Yu needed for his face to brighten up even further, eyes rivaling the Christmas tree lights in the corner with his joy and excitement. This was all he had wanted for a while, and finally having it almost felt too good to be true. With that thought in mind, he certainly wouldn't let it pass him by now. “I thought I would treat you.” That's what the whole holiday was about, at least in Yu's eyes. It was certainly the most heartfelt response, too… Though, it wasn't entirely accurate. “...I also couldn’t decide on what to make.” After standing in the grocery store for so long, the man had admittedly reached a point of throwing just about anything that he and Yosuke liked into the cart in hopes of making a decision later down the line. That decision had never came, though, simply cooking it all up tonight after another bout of staring in the fridge at everything he bought. At least he hadn't haphazardly thrown it all together, and though it was a little much, Yosuke's compliment and thanks were all he really needed. All the hard work was worth it, even if there was no way they would finish all of it. Well… No way Yosuke would, at least. Even if he could eat that much, though, Yu was going to do his best not to shove everything down his throat tonight. He had to be romantic. Well… he had to try to be romantic, at least. “The cat movie sounds cute.” The answer came after a couple moments of thought, having to debate between the two. They both sounded good… Yosuke really did know his interests well, but only one was destined to win out. But, there was always a way to get a taste of both. “I'll just summon demon Santa later.” That… May have been a joke? It was hard to tell with Yu… Especially since he refused to give an answer either way, instead placing a light kiss on the other's nose with a light giggle. “I have a surprise for you after the movie.” A vague statement, to say the least, but he wanted to keep it as secretive as he could. Still, even the thought had his cheeks flushing, eyes darting over to the screen as he worked to regain his composure. “It isn’t much, but I hope you’ll like it.” Maybe he shouldn’t have been so concerned—Yosuke would like whatever he had to offer, right? Still, part of him had wondered if he should have kept quiet. If he fumbled or missed something and completely crashed and burned, he wasn’t sure he could ever recover mentally… That shame would follow him into their trip up to the cabin tomorrow… But, it was too late now. He had to contemplate on his potential failure for the next hour and a half and pray that it would go smoothly. “Let’s eat.” That was about all he could say, looking back with a light smile before digging in. Maybe he would embarrass himself, but at least they could enjoy each other’s company for the meantime.

Open!