youraffection | [IC] Inbox @ recolle

[ A soft laugh. ] If you're sure. If your ears get cold, I'll warm them up for you.

[

so that's a totally innocuous sentiment but it sure doesn't sound like it, whoops

ANYWAY HEY LET'S STEP OUT OF THE HOUSE LET'S GO! ]

[ Yu.

Yosuke just kind of sputters but, yes, they are off! Away from the Narukami house and down the street. Yosuke may be walking closer to Yu than normal, given the time of night. ]

It's pretty clear out. That's kinda nice.

Winter nights like this are so quiet. [ Yu tilts his head back and smiles at the mostly-dark sky. ]

It's like we're the only people in the world.

[ a hopelessly romantic thing to think, but he's feeling hopelessly romantic. ]

Am I allowed to ask what you brought, by the way?

Yeah...

[ Yosuke follows Yu's gaze, turning his eyes up to the sky. ]

It does.

[ He is half-tempted to take Yu's hand, but...he's always been a little shy about that, so instead he adjusts the strap to his guitar case around his shoulder. ]

I'm sure one is pretty obvious, but you can guess if you want.

[ instantly deadpans: ]

A trombone. I knew it.

[ Yu. ]

Got it in one.

[ You're so weird. ]

[ a sage nod ] You know me so well, Yosuke. I've always thought trombones were romantic.

You're gonna be disappointed if I actually pull a trombone out of this.

[ ... glance ]

I would be delighted.

You're a terrible liar, you know that?

[ Please, Yu.

As they come to a crosswalk, Yosuke hits the button with his elbow a few times. ]

[ reaches out

and squishes Yosuke's cheek with his palm. ]

And you're terrible at bringing me trombones. We all have flaws.

[ Bats Yu's hand away?? Geez. ]

Hey, you were the one who brought it up! If you don't like it we can just go back.

[ Cracks a smile and manages to grab Yosuke's hand, pressing the back of it to his cheek. ]

No, I'm pretty happy right here.

[ He'd like to hold onto Yosuke's hand, but decides against it and lets it drop. ]

... remember the first time we did this walk? We were both so nervous.

[ Yu. Yosuke blinks, a little touched and a little sad that he can't really feel Yu's cheek through the fabric of his glove.

He flex his fingers once Yu releases his hand, letting it hang at his side. The walk sign signals they can cross the street, so he steps off the curb. ]

...How could I forget?

[ Yosuke laughs a little, shoving both his hands into the pockets of his coat. ]

The way you kept sending me those cheesy emojis all ngiht, I wasn't sure what to expect when we actually met up.

I didn't know what to say, [ he admits quietly, smiling down at his shoes as they cross the street. ] I didn't know how to express how I felt, and I thought it would be better if we talked in person... at the same time, I couldn't resist texting you. So...

[ you know. he glance sideways at Yosuke, his smile sheepish. ]

... that night, I almost managed to convince myself I'd imagined it ... that you'd told me you liked me too. But when I finally got back, and saw the way you looked at me ... I knew it had been real.

[ Yu did say he'd warm Yosuke's ears up and he's already doing a good job of that. The tips of his ears go pink. ]

Dude...

[ He pulls a hand of his pocket to kind of awkwardly rub his ear.

He could tell Yu to knock it off or that he's just being a sap again, but maybe tonight...he can tell his pride to knock it off instead. ]

...I kinda realized that how I felt about you was different from my other friends, I just didn't know what that meant. I guess after that night at prom I...got a clue.

[ Yu laughs, his breath puffing out in small bursts of vapor, perfectly white in the light of the street lamps above them. ]

Souji told me you might have been jealous of Karkat, but I ... didn't know what to think. [ He adjusts the things he's carrying, settling them in a better position on his shoulder. ] Remember the first playlist I made you? I was nervous to let you listen to it, because one of the songs was meant to be a hint about my feelings. But it didn't seem like you noticed, so for a while I let it go. Until after prom, anyway.

...As much as I don't wanna admit...it's pretty obvious now, isn't it?

[ He was most definitely jealous. He felt like such a dumbass for acting the way he did.

At the mention of the playlist, Yosuke gives a small bark of a laugh. ]

Yeah, I had no clue. I just figured we were bonding over music and stuff and you had some cool songs you wanted to show me. That second one, though...

[ His smile is sweet and very fond as he reminisces, mumble-singing: ]

And I wonder, when I sing along with you...

[ "if everything could ever feel this real forever..."

He'd been absolutely terrified, thinking Yosuke would figure him out for sure and would let him down, with an awkward smile and an I don't swing that way... ]

I thought I'd try to make it unmistakable, the second time around. I don't think I've ever been so nervous.

[ Yosuke laughs again, shaking his head with slight embarrassment. Older memories now, but thinking back to the 24 hours that passed after Yu had sent him the playlist? ]

That was, like, the longest 24 hours of my life, man.

[ He glances at Yu, amused. ]

I don't know...did I ever tell you? I listened to it on repeat for, like, hours that night.

[ Another laugh. ]

It was pretty long for me, too. My idea to send you the playlist at midnight and then go to bed didn't really work out...

[ That little revelation gets a smile and a quirk of the brow. ]

Did you really?

Yeah man, what were you thinking?

[ It was a little crazy, but the way Yosuke nudges Yu's shoulder with his own is playful. ]

Uh...yeah. Like, I thought I was reading too much into it...and then I got hopeful and weird and...it was just a long night.

[ Yu only laughs again, shaking his head. ]

I don't know what I was thinking. That night is kind of a blur... I was so nervous about how you would respond that I didn't really think about what you'd be doing in the meantime. It's...

[ He can't help smiling, knowing the warmth in his face is from more than just the cold. ]

... this might be strange to say, but hearing that you were hopeful makes me happy.

[ You were thinking with your dokis, Yu. Which Yosuke is known to do on occasion as well. Still, he huffs, having to look purposefully away from his boyfriend lest he look a little too flustered. ]

Isn't that obvious at this point?

[ Normally he might simply accept that and move on, but it's their anniversary and he's feeling a little more honest. ]

Knowing you felt hopeful about me...

[ someone like me ]

I guess I never really thought I'd be so lucky.

[IC] Inbox @ recolle

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