tarotcards | IC INBOX ➟ RECOLLE

[ He actually was genuinely curious about whether or not his twin has gone through this before, because he thinks, well, Souji would probably handle it better... but Souji also brushing off any investigation into himself is not at all unexpected, and Yu lets it go.

Instead he just kinda...

ducks his head, pressing a loosely curled fist over his mouth as he mutters: ]

You'd think, [ he huffs, ] that having seen him stuck inside a trash can, I wouldn't find him so attractive?

[ help. ]

[ For something like his love life, Souji doesn't mind diverging into that, but things like Personas or the continuation of hearing voices in his head? Nah, they can just skip right over that. ]

[ Souji stares at his brother curiously as Yu ducks his head. He lowers his head to listen and it only takes him about two seconds to piece everything together. He can't help but smile (but he does hold back his laughter) and pulls his head back up. ]

Well, he did make a very memorable first impression. I can't quite blame you for always thinking of him.

[ Yes, there might be a teasing tone to all this. ]

[ Yu makes a sound like "hrrhgnn" and shifts, flopping back against the couch instead and tilting his head back so he can fold his arms over his burning face. Maybe if he's lucky Souji won't have caught the embarrassed frown or hilariously bright red blush on his face. ]

He's...

[ ... ]

amazing, [ he finishes lamely. ] Things got weird at prom, but it was because he thought I was dating Karkat...? I .. really can't tell if I have a chance or not.

[ Yu's not getting off that easily. Souji moves his prom crown over to the little coffee table they have so he can focus entirely on Yu and move around so he can take a look at the embarrassed face of his twin (like the good brother that he is). ]

Why wouldn't you? Did you clear up the situation about Karkat with him?

[ To be fair, Yu is pretty fond of that prom crown too, which is why he didn't say anything about Souji polishing it. (He'd do the same, in his brother's place.)

Once Souji moves, Yu will lift that arm off his face and give Souji an uncertain look. ]

... he's straight, [ is the answer he eventually gives. ] ... I think. He and Karkat were each other's Valentine's dates, and apparently Yosuke spent most of the time insisting it wasn't a date, and he'd wanted a cute girl instead. [ Somewhat deadpan, gesturing loosely. After which he just kind of sighs. ]

But... sometimes, the way he looks at me...

[ A pause, and Yu looks away, staring down at the floor pensively. ]

Is this just ... wishful thinking?

[ At the moment of "he's straight", Souji's smile fades and turns into a small frown. He leans back and then crosses his arms, thoughtful. ]

... Mm, I remember his response when I told him who his date was. [ According to Yu's tone, it seems like Souji doesn't have to explain what Yosuke's response was (spoilers: it was a lot of capslocking) ]

How did things get weird at prom? When he thought you and Karkat were dating?

[ He doesn't answer Yu's question just yet. He wants to ask this one first before he gives his thoughts. ]

[ Well, at least Souji already knows and he doesn't have to explain it. Which is both a relief and sort of sad, that Yosuke's just kind of This Way and his friends know it.

Yu is quiet for a second, continuing to stare at the floor as he recalls that night. ]

He got upset. He tried to hide it by saying everything was okay, but it was easy to tell the idea bothered him. When I talked to him later, he said it was because he thought I'd been keeping things a secret from him...

[ Yu shakes his head. It still doesn't make complete sense to him, what happened. ]

[ Ah... the mention of keeping secrets from Yu pings something in Souji and he diverts his eyes from Yu for a split second. Luckily, Yu is already staring at the ground so Souji looks back at him without feeling like he's caught. ]

Isn't it possible that he was upset that his friend was dating someone else?

[ Souji's trying to avoid any scenarios where Yosuke is straight, not wanting to put down his twin right away. ]

[ Well.

They're both keeping their secrets, aren't they.

So Yu misses the way Souji glances at him, but this way, Souji can't see any uncertainty in him, either.

Only once his twin asks a question will Yu look up at him, thoughtful and a little worried. ]

... I ...

[ ... could it be? ]

I don't want to risk ... ruining this, [ he murmurs, which might not seem like an answer to Souji's question at all, but is really just an extension of that logic. Even if it is possible... what if I mess up and...? ]

Sometimes I think... that there really must be something to this. When we're together, he'll blush, or look at me like...

[ A brief pause, and he gets too flustered to continue, rubbing a hand over his mouth before he tries again. ]

But am I just seeing that because it's what I want to see? If I guess he was upset that I was dating Karkat... am I just hoping for something that isn't possible?

[ Souji lowers his head, trying to remember every interaction he's had with Yosuke. He's not as close with Yosuke as Yu is so there's not much that he could say, but he shakes his head. ]

You can't rule out the possibility. [ He looks at Yu. ] I've never seen Yosuke act like that around me. Granted, I haven't been around him as often as you have, but it's something to consider.

[ He looks down once more in thought. ]

... You should speak with Keigo. He's known Yosuke the longest. He might know what this all means.

[ Yu will sigh out, briefly shutting his eyes. ]

Maybe. I don't know him, though. I'd feel strange randomly contacting him to ask about something like this.

[ Without hestitation: ]

I can contact him for you. I think we're close enough that I could ask him something like this.

[ They've had a serious conversation regarding the recent changes that's been happening in Recolle and Souji's also taken him out on his birthday when he showed up at Luke's bar alone and depressed, so Souji would like to believe that he could talk about Yosuke and his feelings. ]

[ Yu's shoulders jump, tense and surprised, and he just kind of blinks at Souji for a second. ]

... are you sure that's a good idea ... ?

[ He knows his reticence is really just his own fear about disturbing the status quo, and it probably won't be a problem, but even so... he can't help but feel nervous. ]

[ He just looks down at Yu. ]

It depends on what you want to do. I won't if you don't want me to.

[ He understands Yu's concerns completely, not wanting to change the way things are right now, to feel like he would mess it all up... Things that Souji feels all too well. ]

[ Meets his gaze for a long moment, thinking it over, still visibly concerned. Finally he says: ]

I trust you. If you think it's worth a shot, then ... I'd be grateful.

[ He just nods. ]

I'll text him tonight, then.

[ Of course, he'll report back as soon as he finds out what Keigo says, but to move away from the more depressing overall atmosphere... ]

So... Yosuke. He's really that amazing?

[ The teasing tone is back and he nudges his brother in the side with his elbow. ]

Thanks.

[ Quietly, and with gratitude. Of course, Souji just has to rib him, and Yu rolls his eyes even as a blush creeps up his face. ]

I mean...

[ Yu seems to think of several things, and quickly gets so flustered that he just has to kind of rub a hand over his face and grumble. Souji's his twin, so he doesn't feel the need to be as eloquent as usual, and Souji will probably correctly interpret Yu's incoherent grumble as "yes, and also, I am head over heels for him, help." ]

[ Souji understands all of that embarrassed grumbling but he's just going to pretend that he didn't understand at all because he's a fun twin like that and he's great. He even moves his head to he could get directly in front of Yu and be a shitty brother with his shiteating grin. Aren't you happy that Souji is your twin?? ]

What was that, Yu? I couldn't hear you over your grumbling?

[ just kind of

shoves on souji's face

grinning crookedly, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter. He's still blushing, but at least Souji's horsing around has made him feel less flustered. ]

You know what I meant!

[ A beat, and: ]

Besides, you can see it in him too, can't you?

[ What sort of person Yosuke is. ]

[ Even if his face is being rudely shoved away, Souji just pushes back because he's gotta be that lil shit. Plus, if it's helping Yu cheer up from his "weh I think Yosuke might be straight why" brooding then this is good. ]

No, I really don't know. I'm an innocent and clueless bystander.

[ Said in the most exaggerated tone ever. ]

I don't know anything about how his smile seems to just light up an entire room or how hard he tries to be a good friend or even how he's charming in his own dorky way. I have no idea what you're talking about.

Please, educate me, brother. Tell me the wonders of Yosuke Hanamura.

[ aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Yu just keeps on shoving, and he'll straight up wrestle Souji if he has to, okay, he'll pin his brother to the couch for this transgression against his composure. But he's also grinning and laughing freely, because Souji is a big fat stupid jerk who somehow always knows how to cheer him up!! ]

Shut up!

[ He's not normally this free with anybody, ever, but with Souji, it's okay. He's blushing and grinning and ... for the moment, happy.

And he'll also muss Souji's hair up if he can reach it. ]

He speaks without thinking and he complains all the time, and all our puns drive him crazy and he never does his schoolwork...

[ breathless, but lit up from within. ]

But he's compassionate and reliable, and he knows me, and he still wants ... to be my friend. He told me that... it's hard for him to believe people weren't crazy about me. [ That gets a laugh of a different kind, sort of hiccupy and disbelieving. Anyone being "crazy about" him is still almost impossible to believe, after a lifetime of loneliness.

Yosuke is crazy about him, though.

Yu's energy and boisterousness fades, but there's no less warmth in him. It's just a quieter happiness now, a smile that makes the corners of his eyes crinkle. ]

He doesn't know how amazing he is.

[ Souji laughs as Yu wrestles him against the couch and messes up his hair. He resorts to just holding onto Yu's wrists and trying to pull them away from him. Don't make him bring out the tickle machine. He will bring out the tickling if he must, but as Yu settles down towards the end of it, Souji loosens his grip on Yu's wrist. He... feels happy for Yu. There's this warmth inside him, knowing that his brother feels this way about someone else and that someone makes him this happy. After all that they've been through, he's glad that his brother seems to be catching a break.]

Then let's make him know.

[ Said with this sort of determination behind it. ]

You should give him something or take him out somewhere as a token of your appreciation, to say that you value him.

[ Pretty much immediately Yu locks up all over again. Not as completely as one might expect - his expression stays relatively open. But his whole body tenses at Souji's suggestion, and a slight uncertain frown tugs at his mouth. He'll end up sitting back again, moving out of Souji's space.

He clearly doesn't think that's a good idea. Like, at all. Still, after a quiet moment, he'll try: ]

... like what?

[ Souji's demeanour doesn't change. He's still calm, smiling, just sitting off in his corner of the couch like he wasn't just harassing his twin a few minutes earlier. ]

It doesn't have to be anything big. Something even as small as a gift card or CD is good enough.

To say that "I saw this and thought of you" is casual enough while also meaning a lot.

[ .... slowly: ]

There is something I've been thinking of, but not a physical gift.

[ A small tilt of his head. ] Some time ago I made him a playlist. I hadn't planned on making him another just yet, but.. I could do something like that again.

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