paradis | [you belong to me]

[ If Yu has any particular feeling about Yosuke physically jerking away from his touch, he doesn't show it, in the set of his body or in his expression. Instead he carries on like none of that just happened. ]

I wouldn't say it's normal, [ he murmurs with a touch of humor. ] I think I'm just happy.

[ They'll have many obstacles to overcome. And frankly, Yu knows that won't all be on Yosuke and his reticence. Yu isn't exactly the showiest person himself, so he doesn't really mind all that much that Yosuke doesn't want to go public. He doesn't either, mostly just because he is a private person. But if he's honest with himself - and he tries to be, given everything they've gone through - he knows he'll have his own issues to work through.

Like, it's probably a little weird and creepy that he meant it that he wants to keep Yosuke all to himself, right? So, there's that.

The corners of his mouth quirk up. ]

Yeah. It's a lot of food. You're up to the challenge, aren't you?

[ "That's kind of girly," is what comes to mind first and what he kind of wants to say, but at the same time he knows that's not it. It can't be it because even if Yu was "weird" (and he was "weird"), it was still flattering and made him happy to hear. And maybe it's not that "girly" given the situation, but coming to terms with that sort of thing is still not as instantaneous as maybe he'd like.

It should, would, get easier. ]

Whatever you say. [ He replies with shoulder bump and a more relaxed and easy tone. ] I still think that's only something that you could get away with.

[ Because if he said something like that, it wouldn't have gone as well. "A disappointment as soon as he opens his mouth", or something like that, right? ]

And of course I am! Who do you take me for? [ Except that he really isn't but he should really make the most of their time together, especially given how he seems to both want and hog so much of it. Not to mention, a little normalcy among all of the madness was needed and Yosuke would like, no, he wants to be someone who can provide that. ]

So which way is it?

I don't know about that. You seem to be getting away with it, too.

[ Pointing out that for all of Yosuke's talk of being nervous, they're still handling being on their first date - in public - fairly well together.

Yu will gesture, simply leading the way in response to that last request. It was a couple of weeks ago, but he feels fairly confident they can find the same place. He also feels fairly confident they'll be able to get an out of the way corner table. ]

Does this mean you think you can beat me?

[ is

he turning dinner

into a contest?

he sure is. ]

Yeah, well— [ Yosuke trails off as he tries to figure out how to phrase things for once instead of just blabbering the first thing that comes to mind. Especially since he imagines saying something along the lines of, "if I pretend it isn't a date and just us hanging out then it isn't so bad" would be counterproductive at the absolute least.

So instead he sort of fumbles through the basic idea of what it is that he wants to say, arms crossed against his chest and a look on his face to show that he might be thinking about this a bit too hard. ] ...if I think about how it's just being with you then it isn't so bad.

[ Did...that even come out right? It probably didn't. He definitely sounded dumb. Convinced he still messed up in the end, Yosuke laughs nervously and eagerly goes to move the topic along. Sorry Yu; he'll do better next time. Maybe. ]

B, but totally man! I've seen you eat before but there's no way I'll lose to you.

[ Dinner totally just became a contest and it looks like Yosuke is now turning it into a race. Or, well, as much as a race as it can be to someone who has no idea where they're going or any frame of reference. ]

[ Considering that Yu was expecting "if I pretend it isn't a date and just us hanging out then it isn't so bad" and instead got... that--

Yu glances at Yosuke, tough to read, but if Yosuke manages to place it, he'll realize it's a look of mild wonderment. It's not that he's surprised that Yosuke could pull off, you know, a moment of thoughtfulness. Yu's just ... touched. He tried. He's trying. Even in the kiss he wanted to meet Yu halfway. Yosuke ... he really wants to try and make this work.

The words might not be perfect - there's caveats in that statement, and it isn't the most ringing endorsement - but the sentiment feels just right.

Warmed all the way through, Yu ducks his head to unsuccessfully hide the smile blooming across his face, and looks up again with a much more open expression. ]

That so? What happens when I win?

[ Be careful where you tread, Yosuke. There's gonna be stakes now. ]

[ Trust Yu to get what he's saying but the look he gives him is a bit much, isn't it? Yosuke's happy that it went well but it was still half-crocked, wasn't it? Or maybe that was enough...

Either way, his growing feeling of satisfaction is put to a stop when Yu purposes a wager. Of course. ]

Wh, what do you mean "what happens when you win"? Aren't you getting a bit ahead of yourself there, partner?

[ But he's not wrong. Given the past track record between food challenges and the both of them, Yosuke hasn't exactly been the most successful. His stomach is already bemoaning the idea of facing another version of The Rainy Bowl Challenge. ] Why don't we just let the winner decide on what that should be?

[ Any bravado and "contempt" that was in his voice falters a bit. He knows exactly what he's doing right here by leaving things vague, but even though there is a fair amount of things that come to mind he can't put them to actual words. ]

But nothing too ridiculous!

[ It could be better, sure. They could both be better. But this is evidence enough of how Yosuke feels for him, and it just makes him happy.

If he's honest with himself, he'd only ever really foreseen a future where he was doing his level best to set Yosuke up with a girl, and then spending whatever time he had left in Inaba watching his brave, cute, honest, weird, dumb, hard-working, giving, amazing best friend gush about some girl.

Except that, as it turns out, Yu is the person Yosuke wants to spend his time kissing.

Just thinking about it still gives him a private little thrill.

Yu is smiling as Yosuke flusters and tries to add conditions, and the smile just grows sneakier. He's not overt about it, but there's something about the tucked in curl of his lips that just screams trouble. ]

Hmm. Maybe I'll start thinking of possibilities now. [ Yu affects a thoughtful look, tapping one finger on his chin. ] A kiss might be nice.

[ He pitches his voice a little lower for that, aware of the people around them, but the way he slides his gaze sideways at Yosuke is shameless. ]

Dude, you don't have to ask for those.

[ One time deal.

Apparently Yosuke only had one time where he could not let his mouth get the best of him, and he had used it already earlier. Now what was left of him was... Well. Something that he ended up saying automatically with a bit of a frown. The immediate thought was that, despite Yosuke's trepidation about the whole situation, kissing was the one thing that seemed okay.

Of all of the things. But, like all things, his brain finally plays catch up and Yosuke is panicking as he looks around to make sure that no one else was around to hear him making such a bold statement. It was such a candid comment too! Fortunately everyone seemed to be in their own worlds to notice anything and he knew if he made a scene now it would totally draw attention to both of them. Instead he just tries to act like nothing happened. Emphasis on "try". ]

I... At least not public. [ His voice is quiet, practically a whisper as he looks away at the ground. Isn't this awkward too? UGH! He'll try to compensate it by saying his next point louder. ] Wh, where is this place anyway! Are you sure it's this way?

[ That gets Yu to laugh. He doesn't hide it, and he laughs for a solid few seconds, though the sound is, as always, quiet. He hadn't necessarily thought Yosuke would admit something like that, but now that he has, Yu can't help but feel a little delighted.

He doesn't have to ask, huh...

Yosuke gets himself under control, and so does Yu, his mirth dying back down into a sweet smile. He wishes he could kiss Yosuke right now. ]

Hm? Oh, yeah. It's right here.

[ Just two stores further on their left. Yu says this very mildly, as if there's zero issue punking Yosuke like that right before they walk into their restaurant, but he leads the way inside without a care in the world. The host at the door tells them to pick their own table - and Yu leads them to the one he was thinking of, in a back corner, out of the way and slightly secluded. ]

[ If it was his thing to kick Yu, he totally would have for laughing at him like that. Sure it was nice to hear Yu laugh like that but at his expense wasn't cool! Having people laugh at him wasn't new or anything but it was the principle of the matter. Something like that. On the other hand, Yu laughing so openly was rare to begin with and perhaps he should have enjoyed it... Arg, whatever! Embarrassment was still embarrassment in the end.

He's also most certainly not pouting (because guys don't pout, that's something that girls and Teddie do) as he follows Yu into the restaurant and takes a seat across from his best friend who was also his boyfriend, his arms still crossed. He's sulking; there's a difference. Albeit one that doesn't matter in the end.

...actually he's going to give Yu a little kick to the shins anyway once he has settled. Not like anyone could see them easily. ]

So, do you know what's good?

[ He's glancing between the menu and Yu. There was a lot that sounded good but also a few things here and there that weren't exactly to his taste. ]

[ He's not laughing at you, Yosuke! He just thinks you're cute. ... okay, that probably still constitutes laughing at you, but can you really blame him? Reflexively copping to "you can kiss me anytime" is adorable and wonderful and he hardly knows what to do with it.

Once they take a seat and Yosuke actually does kick him, Yu only smiles, nudging Yosuke's toes with his own in an overtly romantic gesture. It's under the table and they're secluded; no one will see. But Yosuke will know that he's basically playing footsie, and that's all that matters. ]

You can't go wrong with the shoyu, [ he murmurs, now using his foot to nudge a little higher on Yosuke's leg. ] But they make great tonkotsu ramen here as well.

[ Now this was unfair!

Yosuke sputters some sort of incoherent noise as he feels Yu's foot nudging him. How was Yu able to be so calm (smug) about what he was doing and carry a conversation like that while Yosuke could feel his face heating up as a direct result of...his foot game.

More than ever, Yosuke is glad that they're tucked away and still have gone unnoticed by the server who seems to be taking an order from another couple more centralized in the restaurant than they were. While he doesn't return the gestures, he does uncross his arms and rest his elbows onto the table and his half of his face with a hand. ]

Tonkotsu ramen sounds great... [ Yosuke's voice is unsteady as he replies and is muffled by the fact that he speaks right into the palm of his hand to hide some of his embarrassment.

There's a growing part of him that doesn't want to be left being the only one feeling this embarrassed and with a deep breath to work himself some courage, he'll bravely (awkwardly) make an attempt to return the gesture—not with his feet but with his hand.

He'll check over his shoulders to see if anyone's might be looking before quickly going to caresses the side of Yu's face in a way to mimic Yu's actions with his foot. His nerves give out when he hears footsteps approaching them and quickly withdraws his hands to his side. Trying to look normal as all possible. ]

[ He's enjoying himself, to be honest. Teasing Yosuke, watching him blush, it's the best. Yu sinks a few inches in his chair just to up his footsie game. ]

Sounds like you've made up your mind. I think I'll get the shoyu, then.

[ As casual as you please.

Yu can see Yosuke psyching himself up for something, and he sits up again, an expression of polite interest on his face.

What he isn't expecting - at all, even remotely - is for Yosuke to reach out and gently brush a hand across his cheek.

Well, Yosuke gets what he wanted. By the time Yosuke snaps his hand back Yu is flushed, his eyes wide, stunned into silence. Even when Yosuke's hand is gone it's like he can still feel the heat of his boyfriend's fingers, their calluses from months of fighting rough on his skin. Reaching and gentle, full of Yosuke's feelings and his bravery.

Flustered beyond belief, Yu is actually delayed in responding to their server, obviously caught flat-footed when a waitress politely asks them if they're ready. Yu will dip his head and murmur that Yosuke can go first, trying to buy himself time to put his utterly shattered composure back together.

I'll... I'll meet you half-way.

He meant that, huh?

Once Yu places his order and the server leaves them, he ends up sitting forward with his own face half-hidden by his hand. ]

... you're not one to be trifled with.

[ Still flustered. ]

[ Yosuke somehow manages to spit out his order for the server without making things too awkward for any of them. The server does give them both a glance over but thinks nothing of it and simply writes down their orders and leaves. The entire time Yosuke is celebrating that he totally got the best of Yu.

The price was that he was now mortified. He can't believe he did something like that in public and right just before someone could have seen them! And with something that brazen and intimate, it would be been nigh impossible to explain it as "platonic".

He eventually crumples onto the table and completely covers his entire head under his arms. It was too much. ]

Yeah...but now we look like idiots.

[ It's all that he manages to mutter from beneath his arms as he feels his whole face burn from embarrassment. The two of them flustered as they sit in the corner of some ramen restaurant... He knows he doesn't have to push himself so far, but at the same time he doesn't want to let Yu be the only one initiating everything or stupidly (rightfully) thinking that Yosuke might regrets this.

He doesn't regret this. Even now with his face burning and feeling like a complete idiot, his heart is racing in the good way. He was kind of proud of himself. ]

[ Yu doesn't say anything. Just watches Yosuke cave in still-flummoxed silence, slowly calming and regaining his normal, somewhat stoic composure. He has to make himself take deep breaths, and he does it as silently as he can.

Yosuke ... must ... really like him, huh ...

It's never once been that he's doubted his new boyfriend. He just... he didn't think...

He'd never let himself think this would ever happen to him. Now that it is, the reality of it is more overwhelming than he could have bargained for.

Once he thinks he's gathered enough, Yu carefully reaches out and presses his fingertips to Yosuke's elbow. This touch isn't teasing, or meant to rile; it's a comforting one, one that Yu hopes will get Yosuke to look up.

Since when he does, Yu will smile, warm as the rising sun. ]

[ He instinctively flinches when he feels fingertips on his elbow. The touch is encouraging and it works to get Yosuke to lift his head from off of the table and look up at Yu.

He always felt like his smiles were supposed to be bright but the one that Yu's giving him feels as if it's on a completely different level. ]

...you don't always look at me like that do you? [ "Because there's no way we're going to fool anyone if you keep looking at me like that," is how he wants to follow things up with but instead doesn't. He figures Yu could probably read that much from him.

Which kind of leads him to the subject that they should have talked about well before this point. Okay, so they were dating; Yosuke was good with that. They weren't being overt about it; again, Yosuke was fine with that. But was hiding this acceptable? Yosuke knew just how patient Yu was but was it fair? ]

Hey, are you okay with how things are? A lot has happened so...uh. [ So? So, what? How did he want to continue that...perhaps he shouldn't have brought it up. It wasn't exactly great "first date" material. ] Never mind.

Not always.

[ Murmured, in a casual tone, but there's a thread of sincerity in it. Truly, he isn't sure if he has or not. He's pretty sure he's shown enough discretion not to let something like that slip before, but he's had these feelings for so long now, it's hard for him to recall all the ways he might have looked at his best friend.

What he means, though, is: this is for you. just for you.

His smile fades into a more serious look when Yosuke changes the subject. He'll sigh through his nose, bobbing his head in a single nod. ]

No, we should talk about it, you're right. We haven't, since the party, and...

[ A pause, as he gathers his thoughts. ]

I ... just want to be with you. [ His heart beats hard against his rib cage. Yosuke. His Yosuke. His best friend. His. ] As long as you're happy with that, then I'll be happy, too.

[ Yeah, Yu doesn't have to say it but Yosuke could figure that it was something meant just for him. The amount of things that were "just for him" was mounting and Yosuke couldn't complain. Trust Yu to pick up the pieces that her leaves behind, too. ]

We're kind of doing this all backwards and out of order, aren't we?

[ He muses. At least that's how it felt to him. First came the kiss, then came an awkward conversation (confession?) that ended with Yosuke not exactly coming clean about his feelings—probably because he was still sorting all of those out, and it culminating with him going out with Yu. More or less.

Wasn't the "proper" way to go about it involved feelings, confessions, dating, and then kissing? It wasn't as if he was going to sweat the semantics; it happened however it happened. What was starting to bug him was how Yu kept being happy with such the smallest of things. He gets it. He really does but at the same time— ]

But you could ask for more than that. [ He spits out without much thought. Except this time when he words hit him he doesn't take them back but continues to fumble through. ] I mean, if you're happy then I'm happy and you're stuck with me either way. Like some circle of happy.

Wait, no, that sounds dumb.

A little, [ Yu concedes with a quiet huff that will have to pass for a laugh, given that he's not much for laughing out loud.

He can tell Yosuke is thinking hard about this, and probably feels a little guilty over things. As far as Yu is concerned, there isn't really anything to feel guilty about, but he knows how his friend-- boyfriend worries. Appearances, making others happy; these are chief concerns to Yosuke, and sometimes they go hand in hand, and sometimes they clash. He knows right now that the latter is part of the problem, what with them needing to appear to be just friends when Yosuke wants him to be happy, too.

But the answer he gets manages to surprise him yet again. Is dating Yosuke always going to surprise him this much? Yu blinks, and then flushes a little, ducking his chin. ]

It doesn't sound dumb. [ A beat. ] I...

[ He looks up without lifting his head. Yosuke will start to recognize this as how he gets when he's feeling shy. ]

... I wouldn't know what to ask you for.

[ He's open to the idea, but truly, he has no aspirations. The idea of being able to ask for more is at once enticing and terrifying, and he thinks, maybe, they should be setting those boundaries together. ]

[ The answer was expected from Yu and the shy look he gets was also kind of expected. (He didn't have to not say he didn't sound dumb because he most certainly did though.) There was a part of him that hoped that Yu could have offered him something to work with. Even if it was asinine. ]

Just think about it. [ Yosuke says with some reservations himself. He knew that was a lot to present to Yu right from the start but he meant it. Asking for things seemed logical for Yosuke; there was a lot that he wanted both materialistically and not. He was kind of shameless about it, if he wanted to be honest with himself.

And he just knew that he could ask almost anything from Yu and it would be met with both an agreement and results. He had seen the way that Yu will sometimes hold onto particular items from the TV world for people in Inaba. Yosuke wanted to do the same. ] I'm not as good as you are with granting requests but—

[ His voice is lighthearted, he sticks a thumb up, and offers Yu that bright smile he always tried to keep up whenever possible. ]

I'll try; I like being relied on.

[ And there'd be no better person to rely on him than Yu. Of course, he was already there for him as much as any person could be but he wanted to do more. He had thought of it as a pain in the past when people bothered him incessantly at Junes for one thing or another, but he had come to realize that it wasn't all that awful. It made him feel good when he could help.

Quietly, he'll add on: ] And, you know, because you're important too.

[you belong to me]

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