youraffection | [IC] Inbox @ cerealia

[ Oh. He was waiting to go so he could take Yosuke? That's...nice of him. And a totally Yu thing to do. Why does it suddenly seem kind of a big deal? ]

...Th-thanks, man.

[ Don't make it awkward, Yosuke. This is the kind of thing you'd do for each other all the time, remember? ]

Uh--yeah, on and off. Since my jobs are all kinda random, I never know when I'm going to have free time. I've been taking my guitar to work with me 'cause it's nice when I have time afterwards to go find a place to chill our and just mess around, you know?

[ Yu can feel it, the tension, the strange charged air between them. He does the only thing he can do: push through it like he doesn't feel it at all.

Everything simple has become so complicated. Taken on a dual nature he doesn't intend.

Or ... does he?

no, don't think about that. ]

Sure. [ Soft but warm.

A beat later, his tone light and only that: ]

I'd like to hear you play sometime. I feel like it's been a while since the last time I got a chance.

[ Another beat: ]

And you know, I've been thinking of taking you up on that idea. To find a job at a daycare, I mean.

[ For as much as Yosuke likes playing, he also likes not sucking. He'd like to show off if he felt like he was better. Normally Yu would be the first person he'd show. ]

I dunno if I've improved much since then.

[ He wouldn't mind it too much, though. ]

Huh? Really?

Even so, it's been a while, hasn't it? Besides, you don't have to continually improve for me to enjoy it. I already like your playing.

[ Not that Yosuk shouldn't keep striving. Yu's just saying he'd enjoy himself regardless.

He nods at the question. ]

With so many of the teachers at school missing, I have a lot more free time. I've been thinking about it ever since you mentioned it, anyway. It'd be nice.

[ There's a fond look on his face. The daycare may have been sometimes trying.... but he always enjoyed it, in the end. ]

Edited 2016-08-28 03:05 (UTC)

[ Yosuke exhales audibly at that. Yu, you're nice. Too nice sometimes. ]

Well, maybe if we find some new music...

[ If Yu wants to hear it, Yosuke's more inclined to go through with it, in the end. He's tossed around the idea of writing some himself, but he doesn't feel quite confident enough in his abilities. ]

Hey, I know you're good at it. But how many jobs do you have right now, man? I mean, things'll pick back up again, won't they?

[ Yu only smiles in response to that. He's looking forward to it. Maybe they can find something at the store today...

The question gets him to huff a breath, the sound not quite a laugh. ]

Only the two, and work at Niteo has been intermittent ever since all the city's robots went offline. I can definitely afford the time. Especially if you and Rise are managing three jobs each. [ A bit wry. ] I feel like I've been slacking off, if anything.

[ Oh yeah, he feels that verbal jab. Shot to the heart, Yu. ]

It's a little different when your hours aren't, like, set, ya know. [ He is honestly worried about his friend. ] If it'll make you happy, then I say go for it. Just don't overdo it, okay?

[ It was meant to be a compliment! ]

I won't. If I get overloaded, I'll cut back. Promise.

[ He'd never known how to hold back in Inaba, either, and had spent a lot of time stressed out as a result... but he thinks he can handle this fine. ]

How has work been going, anyway? Getting used to modeling? [ With half a smile. ]

I'm gonna hold you to that.

[ Will you, though? He's not entirely sure about that. ]

Calling it modeling makes it sound comparable to Rise-chan's.

[ Which it really isn't. ]

Yeah, it's fine. They're really big on showing how second hand clothing can be fashionable.

[ Does that mean Yosuke looks second hand...? ]

[ Yu dips his head. It's knowing that Yosuke will hold him to it - perhaps even moreso than Yosuke had watched out for him back home, due to how things have been here - that will help him keep himself in line. Especially since they live together now... he won't be able to hide tell tale signs of exhaustion like he could back home.

His smile quirks up at the corner as Yosuke describes it. ]

Well, I think you've looked great. [ Honestly. ] I've been thinking I should check out your thrift store myself. Looking good while saving a little money... what's not to like?

[ His voice and expression are both light.... is he being sincere or teasing?

(It's both.) ]

[ Yu is teasing him. Yu is definitely teasing him. Yosuke huffs appropriately in response, looking away purposefully. Normally he'd just...you know, go with it, but...it's still a little awkward. Which is probably why he's looking slightly pink. ]

Y-Yeah, well...I guess that means it's working...

[ ...? ]

[ --oh. Oh. ]

I just meant...

[ Rolls his eyes skyward and rubs the back of his neck before somewhat self-consciously dropping his hand.

They just can't stop from making this weird, can they? ]

That is ... yeah, I guess so.

[ Anything he would say to correct himself he abruptly realizes would just sound even more like flirting. So he says this instead and immediately starts kicking himself. He's really off his game... ]

[ And now is time for some awkward silence! Is Yosuke overthinking it? Probably. But it was hard not to take that as-- ]

--So!

[ Ahem. Equally awkward transition. ]

Were you, uh...looking for something in particular? At the store.

[ This is the guy who told Rock Lee he looked cute in a two piece. Don't overthink things, Yosuke.

(Even if, in Yosuke's case, it probably should be taken that way.)

Yu blows out a silent breath. It's such a glaringly obvious subject change, but honestly, he's grateful for the excuse to move on. He shakes his head slowly, a crooked smile tilting his lips up. ]

Not really. Just something new, I think. I don't listen to music that much... [ Thoughtfully. Yosuke will know this about him, anyway, and Yu slips a hand into his pocket as his gaze tracks skyward. ] I was thinking of changing that.

[ As long as he doesn't compare Yosuke to Rock Lee in a two piece...he'd rather take those suggestive compliments, if that's his option.

Thinking of changing that, huh? ]

Just feeling like something different?

[ Yu makes a soft noise of assent. ]

It's never a bad thing to broaden my horizons, right?

[ There's an undercurrent to this that he isn't saying, or even really suggesting through his tone or mannerisms. But it's there nonetheless, deep down:

he's been looking for distractions. ]

[ It's not overt, but the timing does make Yosuke wonder about what Yu's motives really are. He doesn't comment on it outright, though. ]

No time like the present.

[ Hm...does he have any recommendations? ]

I'm sure we can find something to your tastes.

[ It's barely there and hard to see, but he relaxes marginally when Yosuke doesn't call him on it. He only smiles.

The music store isn't big or flashy. It's actually quite small. In a largely high tech city, it's a fairly low tech place, which might be why it's still open. When the boys walk in, they'll find they're the only two people in the store. Instruments line the walls - mostly string instruments, but there are sections further down and on the other walls for brass and woodwinds. Tucked away in a corner is a small space for percussion. Running through the middle of the store, though, is more along the lines of what Yu had mentioned he was looking for: an area for sheet music and practice books, as well as a few racks for CDs.

Yu inclines his head at his best friend, his expression warm. ]

What do you think? Pretty cool, isn't it?

[ He'll start to thread his way through the aisles slowly towards the CDs. ]

[ For all the futuristic flavor that the city has, Yosuke doesn't actually mind the smaller places that are a little behind the times. They remind him more of home, feel a little more relatable and draw a line between himself and their Big Brother-esque captors.

So does he think it's cool? ]

...Dude, this is awesome!

[ It definitely gets Yosuke's seal of approval. Yu goes towards the CDs, but Yosuke is immediately drawn in by the instruments. String instruments means guitars, and while it's not a huge variety, they are just begging to be touched. ]

This is totally not the place I was thinking of.

[ Yu's smile flickers up into a grin at Yosuke's obvious excitement. That's ... nice. Isn't it? This is nice.

For a moment he watches as his friend approaches the stringed instruments, fondness filling him at the excited look on Yosuke's face, before he returns his attention to the CD's. ]

Glad I could introduce you to someplace new, then.

[ This place is less futuristic than other stores they could have gone to, but one feature he likes is a little wall mounted unit that lets him scan CDs and listen to tracks off them. Yu starts sifting through the things he'd been interested in before, plucking three or four CDs out of the rows and taking them over. ]

Seeing anything you like?

[ He scans a CD and pops the attached headphones onto his head, though he pulls one side back to leave an ear free. ]

[ They're used instruments, clearly, but they've been kept up well enough. All acoustic which is actually a surprise. He doesn't mind the second hand guitar he found at the thrift store, though. With a little love it's become a decent machine, so to speak.

He hears Yu draw closer and turns around, just in time to see his friend decide to sample something. ]

Do I have to pick just one thing?

[ He's grinning as he falls into place beside Yu easily, almost like the awkwardness they'd suffered earlier isn't a thing. ]

What'd you find?

[ Yu's smile is quiet but warm and happy as Yosuke comes back over to him. He must like what he's listening to ... or he's just having fun. ]

Well, if you had to pick just one thing, what would it be?

[ Curious. And to answer Yosuke's question, he lets his smile flicker into a grin and takes off his headphones to slip them onto Yosuke's head instead. It's ... kind of funny seeing his friend with two sets of headphones. This song is already playing. Something quiet and thoughtful, nice... it probably seems like Yu's speed. (Because it is.) ]

Here.

[IC] Inbox @ cerealia

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