Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

When Makishima Yusuke finally graduates, it’s quickly buried in a flurry of goodbyes and good wishes and family parties which he wants to run away from, as fast as possible, so he can sit in his room with what he deems much needed quiet and rest. It’s been three years of hell, dammit, and while he knows he’s being selfish, he just wants to step back and let everything settle down on itself while he breathes.

He checks his phone, sends his brother a message verifying their plans for his trip to England, and sighs as he looks around his room. Clothes and shoes are scattered around the place, boxes and bags adorning every corner. It’s a mess, and it represents the way he’s feeling inside quite perfectly. He should be packing, get ready for moving out, he supposes, but decides against it in the end because well, he has time.

He’s going to England for three weeks, just to meet up with his brother and this mysterious person he hasn’t shut up about for the last three months, and he has more than enough time to pack once he gets back. Tadokoro might get mad and call him messy, which will be ironic, but he’s dead set on not touching anything and packing the night before he drives over to Tokyo to settle down in their shared apartment.

***

England is bleak when he arrives; rainy and gray and cold and Yusuke instantly loves it. He wraps his blue-striped scarf around his neck and adjusts his equally blue (with pink and green stripes and dots, his favorite) coat as he steps down from the plane, holding his shoulder bag tightly. He regrets his decision of moving to Tokyo with Tadokoro instead of moving to England with his older brother, like he had originally planned, for a brief moment, and shrugs it off quickly. He has reasons for staying behind, he had firmly stated, which had caused his brother to laugh.

After retrieving his luggage, Yusuke had firmly plopped down on an empty chair, cradling a cup of coffee in his hands. Maybe ditching the scarf would be a good idea. Maybe coming to England in summer would have been a better idea. Maybe wearing—

“Yusuke?” As he turned his head, strands of hair slipping off from his messy bun—which had been a feat to achieve in the first place, he felt his lips quirk up lightly into what any of his friends would have called a smirk, but was in reality as genuine a smile as he managed.

“Ren,” he answered simply, standing up as his brother approached him, his short, brown hair peeking messily from under a bright green beanie. Ren was grinning widely, his eyes nearly closed as he wrapped Yusuke up in a tight hug. Gross. Ren was too affectionate for his taste, sometimes.

“How was the flight?” Ren was moving to grab Yusuke’s belongings before he could stop him, already moving ahead and gesturing for the other to follow him, not bothering to wait for an answer. So rude.

***

The ride to Ren’s was quiet and comfortable. Both brothers were slightly (very) bad when it came to small talk, and Yusuke couldn’t care less about pleasantries. He just wanted a place to crash in so he could sleep forever. Or as long as his brother would allow him, given he had planned for lunch with his girlfriend at 2 the next day.

Once they arrive (finally), Ren allows Yusuke to shower and settle down before dragging him into his study, mumbling about models and fabrics and designs and next thing he knows, Yusuke is being shoved into a dress so tight, he swears he can feel his organs re-accommodate. He kind of likes it. A little. Not really. He looks good, alright?

“Your build is just like the model I’m doing this for,” had been the explanation he had gotten. Bullshit. Yusuke was sure Ren just wanted to play dress up and use him as a doll of sorts. Short shorts, shorter skirts, frilly dresses, barely-there tops—He wants to die.

And kill Ren afterwards, if possible.

Maybe he should have stayed in Japan and slept in and eaten all the ice cream he could afford (all of it) for three weeks and avoided meeting Ren’s girlfriend, maybe he should have just moved in with Tadokoro, maybe he should have manned up— 

“We’re done here, thank you,” Ren states proudly and Yusuke hates how smug he looks, ‘accidentally’ poking him with one of those stupid pointy pins he uses to hold fabrics together or whatever it is they work for (besides poking Yusuke, thank you very much). He's sure such action must be aggression of some degree somewhere in the world. 

“I’m going to sleep,” he announces, waddling into the changing room adjacent to Ren’s studio, skirt riding up his legs and it’s so stupid, why the hell are skirts so nice and comfortable and why is he not socially allowed to wear them, he’s almost sure they would mix his shirts perfectly. Not that anyone needs to know this, of course. He'd rather give up his favorite gravure magazines than let anyone know he apparently likes wearing skirts. (Maybe when he goes back to Japan, he'll buy some. Or steal Ren's, as compensation for the damage he is bound to suffer.)

When he finally wiggles out of the skirt he’s wearing, falls on his butt at least twice and changes back into his pajamas, Ren is no longer there, and neither is his phone. He supposes he’s talking to his girlfriend, so he leaves the skirt on the work table by the window and walks into the spare room, carelessly flopping down onto the bed.

He checks his phone, quickly replies to everyone’s texts letting them know that yes, he’s alive (Onoda); no, he hasn’t tried the food yet (Tadokoro) and NO, he does not for any reason under any circumstance miss him (Jinpachi). This last one is a lie, but no one has to know that, either. Maybe he wanted to see Jinpachi before leaving, but the idiot went and caught a cold, so he took it as a message from destiny.

When he finally manages to settle down, his phone buzzes again and he groans, choosing to ignore the phone. It's probably just Jinpachi, anyways.

He falls asleep not too long afterwards.

Chapter Text

Yusuke’s sleeping face is actually kind of cute, Ren thinks when he slips into his brother’s room around eight a.m. The green and red of his hair (a horrible mix only he can pull off) contrast starkly against the pale of his skin and the white sheets he cocooned himself in overnight. He’s almost tempted to take a picture and keep it to himself, because even if he’s a pain, he’s really fond of his little brother. Who is taller than him. Obviously.

Waking Yusuke up in the morning was dangerous, especially when it was cold outside and just his luck—today was just that kind of day. Maybe he’d be lucky, and get only a faceful of pillow.

Sighing, he poked the younger’s side, grinning as Yusuke flailed around briefly, obviously aiming to smack him only to be stopped by the suffocating hold the blankets had on him.

“Wake up. Your phone’s vibrating,” he said, poking Yusuke again as he reached out for it. All he got in reply was a muffled groan, so he shrugged and unlocked the phone, eyeing the amount of messages with growing curiosity. “Jinpachi? Who’s that? You have at least 20 messages from— Hey!”

The phone had been jerked out of his hand very rudely, and when he looked up from his hand, Yusuke had sat up already, fingers tapping at the keyboard rapidly. “Mind your own business,” he mumbled grumpily, before setting his phone down again.

“Is it your girlfriend?” Yusuke shifted awkwardly, shaking his head jerkily before shoving some strands of hair away from his face. “Boyfriend?” Yusuke’s reactions were just too good—He got so shy over nothing, and Ren watched as he ducked his head and flailed around briefly before half-shouting ‘no, he’s an idiot’. If Ren could have his way, he’d tease Yusuke about it all day long, but they were late as it was, so he stood up. “Hurry, we’re going shopping for later.”

He grinned as he reached the door and heard Yusuke’s dramatic groaning and muttering as he flopped back down on the bed. Yusuke hated shopping unless he absolutely had to buy something.

***

“I know you’re very confident of your style,” Ren stated as he walked into a shop with clothes that, in Yusuke’s opinion, looked stupid and over-priced. “But I don’t want Tamako to be blinded because of your outfit of choice.”

Great, he’d have to wear dull clothes in equally dull tones and he already felt antsy and he didn’t want to meet Tadako or Takami or whatever; if Ren was happy, that’s what mattered, but Ren was stupid and stubborn and Yusuke was even more stupid and gullible when it came to his (stupid) older brother, so of course he had agreed. 

“Why is this my life,” he muttered sullenly, praying that Ren heard him, and also that he didn’t in equally fair proportions. Ren simply turned and shoved some pieces of clothing into his arms, ordering him to try them on before moving to a different rack.

“Ren,” he whispered after a while of staring at the clothes he was handed in equal parts horror and frustration, sticking his head out of the dressing room, only to be blatantly ignored. “Aniki.” Still nothing. He was going to murder Ren and bathe in his blood. “Nii-san,” he hissed and glared as Ren turned to him, grinning in that sickly sweet way that Yusuke had learned to recognize as smugness.

“Yes, Yusu?” Ren kept his grin in place, quirking up a brow as he crossed his arms, eyes twinkling with amusement and impatience.

“These are girls’ clothes,” he stated seriously, schooling his features into a neutral mask that conveyed just how annoyed he actually was. “I am not a girl. I am not wearing a dress to meet your girlfriend for the first time. Is that a shirt dress?” He has so much to say, so many questions, really, but he has to focus on the main problem: Ren.

“You’ve learned well.” Ren states simply, trying to smother his grin behind his hand. His smile is as creepy as Yusuke’s, or more, Yusuke bitterly thinks before Ren suddenly looks at him with a serious gaze. “You don’t have to wear it today, but at least try it on.” There’s a please added to that sentence, Yusuke decides as he huffs and does as he’s told.

Once he pulls the zipper up, he immediately decides he looks good in dresses. There’s something about the way the fabric hugs his shoulders and brushes against his middle thighs that makes him consider buying dresses and skirts and changing his name and moving somewhere where he’s unknown, just for the pleasure of wearing girls’ clothes.

He looks softer, somehow. Like the fabric floating around his waist and the small buttons that decorate the piece of clothing are made just for him to feel… Cute, confident. It’s something he would never have imagined, but he feels good about himself, like he belongs in them, and that’s an odd thing all in itself. Yusuke was never one to feel comfortable in his skin, truthfully speaking, and he would have never imagined the difference would be made by the clothes he wore.

***

When they finally walk out of the store and shove their bags into the back of Ren’s car, it’s been over an hour and Yusuke is hungry. Ren decides to take him to his favorite café (they both have terrible eating habits) and dutifully informs him he’s going to the salon to say hi to his friends and get his hair dyed, since the roots are already too long and it looks nasty. Yusuke is about to say he can walk home when Ren looks him, eyes squinted in a way that makes him look dumb(er), and announces Yusuke’s tips are too damaged.

Yusuke wants to throttle Ren. His hair is damaged because his hairdresser had been busy when he had the time to get his dye fixed and his hair cut, not because he wanted it to look a mess. No one besides his hairdresser was laying a finger on his head. Ever. It had taken them forever to find the brand with the exact color Yusuke wanted, the one that caused less damage, and most importantly, for his hair to reach its current length.

Ren shrugged as Yusuke informed him this, sipping his extra-sugary coffee. “Your loss. Aaron’s great at dying hair and could get you a nice treatment.” Yusuke almost changes his mind.

***

Yusuke changes his mind. This Aaron fusses about his hair for a good thirty minutes, bathing him in compliments until he grows just a little uncomfortable, and sighs. He figures a trim and some color fixing would do no harm. The guy looks eager and good at what he does, and besides, he’s not paying, so he relents after a few minutes of silence and intense starting from Ren.

Ren is a demon.

It takes a good two hours, but when Aaron is done, his hair rests against the middle of his back in long, meticulous layers that add just a little form and volume, a big difference to the former lower-back-nearly-ass length it had reached. He runs his fingers through his hair in muted amazement, relishing in the brightness and softness and sheer brownness of the tresses, so dark against his pale skin.

He somehow feels more like himself than he had done in a long time, he finds himself thinking absently. His lips quirk up and he thanks Aaron quietly, genuinely, as his fingers itch to grab his phone and send Jinpachi a picture. Maybe then the idiot will finally stop whining about how disastrous his color of choice is. Deciding against it, he turns to look at Ren, whose hair now is a copper tone that fits him unfairly well, and tilts his head as though asking ‘well?’. Ren beams, nods in proud agreement and gives him (or was it Aaron?) a thumbs up. 

Yusuke decides that yes, it will have to do.

“We’re meeting up with Tamako at two-thirty,” Ren informs him once they arrive at his place. Yusuke glances down at his watch, and absently notes he has nearly two hours to get ready, which is more than he needs. “We should leave at two o’clock, so go get ready. Wear the grey pants and coral button-down,” he adds as an afterthought and Yusuke turns to look at him, fumbling with his phone and bags.

“What.” He states eloquently, because he doesn’t know what the fuck coral is supposed to be. It sounds like a dangerous food.Ren sighs in despair, presses his thumb and index finger against the bridge of his nose.

“The pink shirt with the buttons, Yusuke. It looked good on you.”

Yusuke merely hums and walks into his room.

He gives in. He is weak, he is trash—he takes off his shirt (the color can be seen better this way, his brain had supplied), takes a picture and sends it to Jinpachi, no subject or text added, and takes a small shower afterwards. When he dries off, pulls on his underwear and pants, his phone starts vibrating non-stop for a good two minutes. It’s a very amusing series of texts, Yusuke decides.

OMG MAKICHAN
makISHIMA YOU FINALLY DID IT
IT LOOKS SO GOOD MAKICHAN I’M So happy
I’M GOING TO CALL YOU OK?? PICK UP

He barely had time to read the messages before his phone started vibrating, signaling a call from Jinpachi. He can hardly hide his smile, stomach stirring with a mix of excitement and nervousness for reasons he can’t recall, and answers the call.

There’s a brief moment of silence before the line is filled with incoherent, high-pitched noises that Yusuke can only describe as excitement in Jinpachi’s language, for lack of a better word.

A beat of silence and then, “Maki-chan. Maki-chan.” He sounds elated, for some reason. “Brown looks great on you, Maki-chan.”

Yusuke is not blushing. It’s just... Suddenly really warm in the room, or something. “Thank you,” he says, and rubs the tip of his nose awkwardly.

They end up talking for over thirty minutes—Jinpachi talks, Yusuke listens and hums when is necessary, as usual, and he’s about to tell Jinpachi he really needs to go when Ren walks into the room, brow quirking up in hardly concealed curiosity because Yusuke is grinning. Yusuke never grins.

“I’m really glad to hear from you, Maki-chan.” Jinpachi says softly over the line, and Yusuke can almost see his smile. “Brown really suits you. Take care!”

His stomach flips as he eyes the phone screen when he hangs up, and he frowns. That’s and odd reaction.

Ignoring Ren’s gaze, Yusuke dresses up and places his hands on his hips impatiently. “Let’s go,” he mutters, not excited at all anymore, and not bothering to conceal it.

Chapter Text

Tamako turns out to be a really nice girl—she’s small and all soft curves, including the long blond bob and awkward bangs her hair is styled in (it reminds him of Jinpachi for a passing moment). She smiles a lot at him, but from what he can see so far, has a strong character she doesn’t hesitate on showing. Ren seems to be more focused and serious around her in a way, although he smiles a lot and rushes to do whatever he can to make her smile and keep her pleased. It’s kind of… Gross, how drastically he changes around her.

He looks at Tamako like she puts the stars in the sky, Yusuke thinks as he looks up from his ice cream, answering the questions he had been asked the last few hours as politely as he can. She’s nice, really, but he’s just too awkward for his own good. He hopes she likes him—he’ll probably be the only family member she’ll be meeting in a while, and he doesn’t want them to think they’re all weird. Not because of her first meeting with him, anyways. That wouldn’t be fun.

His phone rings a few times, and he’s not surprised to see most texts are from Jinpachi, who is whining about being bored and lonely and how much he wishes Yusuke was there to spend time with him because his parents were away for the weekend. He tries not to think much about it.

When he receives a message from Tadokoro, it’s a picture of him, Kinjou, Imaizumi, Naruko and Onoda. Onoda looks suspiciously happy, as do Naruko and Imaizumi, he notes after looking at the picture for a second time. The text simply reads, “Onoda and Naruko convinced us to go to Akiba earlier today. Kinjou really enjoyed it.”

He smiles lightly, despite the small twinge of jealousy he feels twisting in his gut unpleasantly. He’s really glad his friends are having fun, but he wishes he was with them as well. He snaps a quick picture of the restaurant, and types in “met aniki’s girlfriend today, she’s nice”, before hitting send and pocketing his phone.

***

Two weeks after meeting Tamako, Yusuke finds himself walking down the streets of London with her, and he feels at ease, smiling and gesturing wildly as he follows her around several shops. He finds himself at ease with her, and watches out of the corner of his eye as she smiles and replies just as excitedly, slipping between Japanese and English seemingly without noticing.

She pulls him into a shop after hours of walking, announcing she has to buy accessories for a dress she had recently bought, and he walks around curiously, admiring the bright colors of the countless accessories decorating the shop’s walls. It should look crowded, he thinks in mild amusement, but the space has been used in such a way that it looks pristine and organized, colors and designs mingling together prettily.

He wanders around, eyeing everything with an almost innocent curiosity when Tamako approaches him, holding something in her hands. She beams up at Yusuke and gestures for him to lean down before standing behind him.

“This would look really pretty on you,” she states, combing his hair back carefully and setting the golden headpiece over his ears. Two leaves settle comfortably against the sides of his head, and he blinks as he looks at himself in the mirror. It does look good, he finds himself thinking, and purses his lips. “So?” Tamako’s looking at him expectantly, hands on her hips and she looks mildly intimidating.

“Well.” He states simply and looks at himself in the mirror again, angling his head so he can look at the details in the leaf closer. “Well. It is nice, but not really my style.”

Big Mistake number two, he decides as Tamako waves her hand dismissively. “It looks great, that’s what matters.”

(Big Mistake number one had been telling her he liked the way he looked in girls’ clothing. He had been mildly drunk because of Ren’s amazing idea to serve wine over dinner (he wasn’t one to drink—too much of a lightweight), so it’s okay, he tries to tell himself.

Tamako had merely looked at him, shrugged and flipped her hair over her shoulder—when did it get so long? Was she wearing extensions? Over her… Fifth? Sixth? glass of wine, she had merely shot him a smile and stated Ren did too, so it was no big deal. Ren had choked on his wine, and Yusuke had laughed, before the subject was changed. Before he knew it, Tamako had arranged for them to go shopping the following day, hungover or not.)

So here he finds himself, in a shop filled to the brim with whatever accessories he could think of, encouraged by Tamako as he tried on different headpieces. He finds himself liking headbands because his bangs can get in the way sometimes, and had actually grabbed some that reminded him of Jinpachi, who had been whining about this shirt he hadn’t been able to use due to a lack of headbands that matched it.

Yusuke hadn’t really cared about getting the others souvenirs, yet here he was, walking down the streets of London with several bags filled with silly things—some of which were headbands and other accessories (for his sister and Jinpachi, he had firmly told Tamako, who merely rolled her eyes) as he looked for something Tadokoro might like. He could only think of food, and he’s not too sure Tadokoro would appreciate smashed cookies, or cakes, so he settles on getting several bags of chips for him. The amount of air in those things will probably keep them from being smashed.

***

Two days before Yusuke is scheduled to leave back to Japan, Ren and Tamako decide to drag him out. There’s only one thing left for him to see, they proclaim seriously, and Yusuke instantly knows he should be scared.

“London nightlife,” Ren begins, in what sounds oddly like that of a strict teacher, “is quite great when you know where to go and who to meet up with. Luckily for you, we know just the places and people.”

No, he wants to say. No, he had planned to call Jinpachi and Tadokoro and sleep early today. He tries to say as much, but Tamako brushes past him into his room, pushes him into a chair and starts brushing her fingers through his hair. Twenty minutes later, his hair is styled and falling over his shoulders in a way he really likes—the sides are twisted into braids and his bangs fall messily over his eyebrows. It’s not the first time Tamako has styled it that way, and he has tried to copy it, but to no avail.

He sighs and decides putting up a fight won’t be worth it. He’ll lose anyways, in the end—Ren and Tamako are a force he is not going to win against.

He’s shoved into a change of clothes more fit for the occasion, and then into the back of Ren’s car. He’s not really excited, if he’s honest, but the only time he truly was, was while he climbed up the hills in his bicycle, be it with Jinpachi, Onoda or even alone when he wanted to feel the air whip around him, clearing his mind and numbing his body.

The club is packed, people squirming in what he supposes is meant to be dancing and looks anything but attractive or comfortable in his opinion. He’s dragged towards the back of the club, in a table near the bar, and tries to become one with the high chair he’s in. He can feels eyes on the back of his head, and supposes it doesn’t help much that he was talked into wearing a loose, flowing top and really tight pants. The outfit showcases how slim he is, and the pants hug his ass in a nice way. He looks a little feminine, but he feels confident, just not enough to act nonchalant as a guy by the bar winks at him.  

He flushes and ducks his head, suddenly very interested in the design of the table. This was going to be a long night.

Three shots in, a short guy approaches him and asks him to dance. He’s polite about it, and smiles almost timidly, unlike the past brutes that had all but demanded Yusuke join them. He eyes the guy curiously—he has dark hair and blue eyes that strike him as familiar, but his mind is a muddy haze, and after sharing a brief look with Ren and Tamako, agrees.

The song playing as they step onto the dance floor is catchy and Yusuke likes it enough to dance along, albeit a little awkwardly at first. The guy merely laughs, eyes scrunching at the corners and he dances along with Yusuke, until the song changes and then he has an armful of this guy, whose hips are pressing against him. It’s… Unfamiliar, and feels nice, his hazy mind supplies. His hands slide down to the other’s guy hips, pulling him in just a little bit closer as they dance, and he gets lost in the sensations briefly—having a body pressed to his own so closely, the beat of the music thrumming along his body… He absently wonders why he has never done this before.

***

As he pads towards the kitchen as quietly as possible, hair tied in a messy ponytail on the top of his head, he finds himself thinking he’s going to die. He’s not even nineteen yet and he’s going to be very dead.  In fact, he’s not sure he’ll be able to make it to Japan.  His head pounds and his stomach stirs unpleasantly.

“Someone turn that off,” he groans as the sunlight hits his eyes and flops down across the counter, relishing in the cold of the ceramic against his skin. Maybe he should try to die here. He feels a little less miserable.

Ren laughs—tries to, at least, before he groans and clutches his head. Tamako eyes them both with a mix of pity and amusement. She wraps her robe around herself and ties it around her waist as she steps into the kitchen, a goddess between sharp-faced peasants dying due to alcohol consumption.

Rummaging through the kitchen briefly, she hands them pills and glasses of cold water, earning groans and some other noises that resemble a ‘thank you’. She sighs and shakes her head, ushers them towards the living room, and stands in the middle of the kitchen for a moment. She doesn’t know how to treat hangovers—she’s never drank herself stupid, and even after her ever-changing methods, Ren has survived. Today, she feels like making onion soup. She figures it won't do much harm.

The hospital is just a five minute drive away, anyways.

***

Yusuke drinks the soup and hums quietly, flopping down on the couch again. He feels much better, warm and content, and it hits him then that this is his last day with them.

He eyes them with a curious gaze—Ren has his head in Tamako’s lap, who is stroking his hair slowly, a small smile grazing his lips. He feels like he’s interrupting a private moment, so he pulls out his phone, taps at the screen absently, sends Tadokoro a text asking about the weather, and is about to play some silly games when he receives a text from Jinpachi. He sighs.

There’s no text, just a picture of him beaming at the camera. He’s wearing a fuzzy-looking beanie, and he’s grinning widely as his bangs stick out every which way. Behind him, he can see Arakita and Fukutomi, both wearing matching constipated looks. A hand which belongs to a body outside the shot is trying to block the picture, he notes. A moment later, he receives another message.

“We went hiking today, Makichan!!” His mind reads it in Jinpachi’s tone perfectly. Gross.

His eyes fall on Jinpachi’s beaming face again, and he glares at the screen as his cheeks heat up. He looks so stupid and cute. “Ugh, it’s hot here, isn’t it?” He finds himself asking as he taps a reply, and looks over when Tamako and Ren scoff. Sometimes it’s creepy how coordinated they can be.

“You’re just blushing,” Tamako says, still playing with Ren’s hair, who stretches out like a cat before sighing happily.

Blushing? No way. He looks at the screen again. Jinpachi’s cheeks and nose are flushed, probably from the wind and cold.

...No way. Yusuke’s not blushing.

Another picture, this time a close-up of Jinpachi’s still smiling face, the sun setting behind him. “Wish you were here,” the text says.

Holy shit. Jinpachi’s really cute. How come he had never realized before? It’s probably just because he misses him a little, no big deal.

He reads the text again and blushes again, his heart beating funny for a brief moment.

Shit.

Chapter Text

Flights are long and tedious and boring, especially if there’s a child screaming bloody murder for at least an hour straight. He’s sitting in first class and can still hear the spawn of the devil scream and cry and he wants to join in because children screaming or crying makes him feel uneasy. 

He remembers when his sister was younger and would cry over anything and everything, he’d be tempted to run away and hide, unless he wanted to cry as well. Not that it’s any different now, he thinks bemusedly before the voice of the stewardess floats down, informing they’ll be arriving soon, and to please keep their seat belts on, blah, blah.

His stomach churns, both in anxiety and excitement. He hates landings, and is looking forward to seeing his sister again, who had informed him she had a surprise for him when they spoke the day before. He hates surprises, but Kei had sounded genuinely excited when she informed him of this, although the whole thing was a little suspicious in his opinion.

When he gets his luggage and starts walking towards an empty bench, he hears a squeal that sounds very much like it came out from his nightmares, and next thing he knows, he has dropped his bags and has an armful of positively elated Jinpachi, which strikes him as odd. He hesitates and wraps an arm around the other’s middle, giving him an absent pat to his back before he looks up.

Kei, her hair now an odd shade of red, is standing there, smiling innocently. Tadokoro is standing behind her, looking as gruff as ever, although there’s an amused glint in his eyes Yusuke nods at them in greeting. So this was the surprise. He opens his mouth to say something, and looks down at Jinpachi, who is examining his hair very closely. Like—very closely. The strand of hair he’s holding almost touches the tip of his nose, and he has to cross his eyes in order to get a good look. He looks so fucking cute.

“Okay, that’s enough,” he mumbles and pushes Jinpachi away, who immediately starts whining and huffing and crosses his arms and overall looks adorable, which adds to Yusuke’s need to get out of there as soon as possible.

***

In the car, he’s shoved into the back with Jinpachi, which he’s beginning to suspect has something to do with Kei, since Jinpachi had called out in a really shrill tone, clinging to Yusuke’s arm, that he wanted shotgun. Tadokoro had merely scoffed as he pulled Yusuke’s luggage along before climbing into the driver’s seat.

The ride is quiet, filled with small talk, the other three asking Yusuke about his trip and London and how Ren was doing, and Yusuke trying to answer each question as good as he could, until he could feel himself start to drift away, his eyelids heavy with sleep and exhaustion.

When he comes to himself, his head is resting on Jinpachi’s lap, who is talking to someone excitedly. He turns and finds he’s not in the car anymore, which is odd, because last thing he remembers is getting into the car. He hears Tadokoro’s laugh and sits up, a confused frown etching on his face.

“Makichan!” Jinpachi exclaims and smiles, handing him a bottle of water. “Here, drink this, you must be dehydrated from sleeping for so long. I was wondering when you’d wake up! My leg was numb—“

 He sips at the water, does his best at pretending Jinpachi is not talking on and on, and looks at the clock. It’s almost five p.m, which is odd, because he had arrived at nine, and well. Where did the day go?

“Shouldn’t you be leaving soon?” He asks, looking between Tadokoro and Jinpachi. Tadokoro merely waves a hand dismissively as if saying ‘later’, and Jinpachi blinks before laughing.

“Silly Makichan! I’m staying the night because we’re all going to the beach tomorrow!” Jinpachi looks really cute when he’s excited.

“We? Who’s we?”

“You know, us. Hakogaku, too, I think.” Tadokoro replies, all but beaming as Kei walks into the room with a platter filled to the brim with different snacks.

“Oniichan, I’m leaving now,” she says and looks down at her watch. “I’ll return tomorrow night, okay? Have fun tomorrow!”

Yusuke merely blinks and watches as his sister all but skips away and out the door.

***

When Tadokoro says he’s leaving an hour later, Yusuke mentally curses him. It doesn’t help at all that he shoots Yusuke a saucy grin and wiggles his brows, and causes Jinpachi to fumble with the bowl of popcorn he brings from the kitchen. In fact, it adds to the gnawing awkwardness Yusuke feels when they’re finally alone, sitting on opposite sides of the couch.

“So,” Jinpachi starts and nudges Yusuke’s side with the bowl. “You said your brother took you shopping, right?”

“Yeah, he did. His girlfriend helped me choose something for you, actually.” He mumbles and rubs the back of his neck slowly. “And, uh. Actually. You see.”

He really wants to tell Jinpachi about the dresses and skirts that somehow found their way into his bags at the last moment, but isn’t really sure how to come around the subject, so he takes a deep breath, puffs out his cheeks and ties his hair up into a tight bun.

When he looks up, Jinpachi’s looking at him with a warm, curious gaze, and there’s something odd about his smile that makes Yusuke clear his throat and look down because he suddenly feels really shy and he wants to hide under the couch and never ever come out again.

“You see, well.” Holy fucking shit this is bad. “Actually, I’ll just show you.”

“Oh—Okay, that’s. Okay.” Jinpachi looks disappointed for a second, and he stands up.

When they enter his room, Jinpachi sits down on Yusuke’s bed before setting the bowl aside and leaning back against the pillows, sighing happily. His hair sticks out against the pillow, strands sprawling out around his head like a halo of sorts and Yusuke finds himself staring for a moment as Jinpachi sighs happily.

He wants to keep him in his bed forever, but that’s not the point of this whole thing.

“Takodoro told me you guys are moving to Tokyo,” Jinpachi says casually, fiddling with his hair.

“Yeah,” Yusuke replies and sits at the edge of his bed, opening one of his bags and pulling out several pieces of clothing. “I was moving out by myself, but Tadokorocci asked if he could stay until he found a job and a place of his own, so I agreed.”

“Ah,” is all he gets in reply, and he can feel Jinpachi crawl towards him. “Arakita and Fukutomi are moving to the same complex, I think.”

“How about you?” Yusuke pulls out a smaller bag, humming as he pulls out what he’s looking for.

“I’m moving out by myself.” Jinpachi proclaims, and Yusuke can’t help the small peak of warmth that settles on his chest at how awfully proud he sounds. 

“Anyways,” he clears his throat and turns to look at Jinpachi. “I want to show you something, and you have to promise not to laugh or I’ll kick you out.”

Jinpachi merely blinks and nods, tilting his head as he watches Yusuke slip into the bathroom. It takes at least five minutes, but when Yusuke finally steps out, wearing a flowy green dress and his hair falls over his shoulders, Jinpachi swears he’s going to have a heart attack.

“Oh,” is all he manages to say, a blush spreading across his cheeks in no time because Yusuke looks beautiful and he wants to kiss him because he looks so nervous and he’s fidgeting with the waistline of the dress and he looks ready to combust and oh god, his Makichan really is the most beautiful thing he has ever laid eyes upon. Instead, he clears his throat, and says, “Makichan, that looks great on you!”, because it’s the closest to the truth he can get out.

“Well, uh. Thank you,” he looks away, furrows his brows and fists his hands on the fabric of the skirt, causing it to hitch up just a little. “It was Ren’s idea, in a way, but I really like how it looks. And feels.”

He’s really nervous, Jinpachi notes, and tilts his head as a thought slowly settles on his head. “Makichan, do you feel better when you dress as a girl?” He asks as tactfully as he can, which isn’t very much, really, because a lot of thoughts are coming up to him all at once.

“Yeah,” Yusuke replies in a barely there voice, risking a glance at Jinpachi, who merely smiles at him and sighs.

“Oh, silly Makichan! That’s okay,” he feels the need to reassure him somehow, but has no idea how to do it, so he walks up to him and takes Yusuke’s hands gently. “If you feel confident, that’s all that matters, you know? If you like to dress up as a guy, or a girl, or if you prefer to wear nothing at all—” Alright, wrong thing to say. Holy shit. “Thing is! I’m sure our friends will understand, if that’s what you’re so worried about.”

“Tadokorocci knew already. I mean. It kind of came up because of him. He forced me into a skirt once for a costume party, and I liked how it felt.”

Jinpachi knows exactly what Yusuke’s talking about—Yusuke had looked miserable that night, and now he can’t help but burst out laughing. Yusuke rolls his eyes, but can’t help the little smile that tugs on his lips as he mumbles, “Oh, shut up.”

***

When they finally settle down to sleep, side by side because that’s how they’ve slept the handful of times they stayed at each other’s place, Jinpachi stays awake for almost an hour after Yusuke falls asleep, staring at him in silent wonder.

His lashes touch his cheeks and his hair frames his face so gently, he finds himself itching to reach out and brush the hair away. It would be the perfect excuse to touch his cheek, because they look really soft as well. Yusuke looks really soft when he’s not schooling his features into looking like he hates the whole wide world.

Jinpachi heaves out a small sigh, smiling softly as Yusuke shifts, releasing a small groan and watching with quiet amusement as his brows pull together into a small, barely there frown.  He really likes his Makichan so, so much. Despite his flaws, there are many good aspects about the grump. Like the way he smiles when he thinks no one’s looking after someone said a joke. That smile is his favorite thing ever in the whole wide world, he decides. It makes butterflies dance around his tummy for a good five minutes after he sees it or thinks about it. Or the way his eyes shine when he says a joke or has evil thoughts of world domination.

Looking at Yusuke again, Jinpachi smiles and presses his fingers against Yusuke’s wrist gently, bringing his hand up to his lips and pressing a small kiss against his knuckles.

He really does like his Makichan so much, he thinks as he drifts off to sleep.

Chapter Text

When Yuusuke wakes up, it’s to the annoying, constant buzzing of his phone. He groans low on his throat and smacks at his bedside table until it stops, and only then does he realize, as he settles down again, that Jinpachi’s arm is thrown over his waist, hand pressing against his tummy. His heart feels as though it stops and beats much faster all at once, which is odd, but not unpleasant. He likes the way Jinpachi’s chest feels against his back, the way his breath hits the back of Yuusuke’s neck, teasing at the strands of hair that slip down his back.

He decides, after a while, to get moving. It feels like it’s been an hour, but might have been ten minutes for all he knows. He turns and looks at Jinpachi—gazes at him like he’s the most beautiful thing in the world (he is to Yuusuke, at least) before he slaps the other’s stomach none too gently. Jinpachi jerks awake, and he looks terrified for a second before he lets out a high-pitched whine, nose scrunching up cutely as he turns to look at Yuusuke.

“Maki-chan!” His voice is thick with sleep and he looks terribly disgruntled and displeased, which amuses Yuusuke greatly. “That was really mean.”

Yuusuke merely shrugs and steps out of bed.

***

Tadokoro’s blasting the horn at around 10 a.m, which annoys Yuusuke to no end because he can’t find his damned swimming trunks and Jinpachi’s not done preparing the snacks he had promised to make the day before and stupid Tadokoro is not helping. He’s just sitting there blasting the horn and being annoying and noisy and Yuusuke wants to murder him right now immediately.

When they finally leave the house around 45 minutes later, Tadokoro is grumbling under his breath about how they’ll be the last to arrive and Jinpachi apparently honestly does not give half a shit because he’s wearing one of the headbands Yuusuke got him and he looks fucking elated, and Yuusuke feels very really proud and he also does not care one bit. The beach will still be there, anyways.

When he voices his thoughts, Tadokoro grumbles under his breath until they get to the beach. He doesn’t disagree, though.

Yuusuke still feels really very proud.

***

When they (finally) get to the beach, most of the guys are there. Onoda seems elated when he spots Yuusuke, and the ruckus that erupts once they realize the state of his hair is expected and equally unwanted, as far as Yuusuke is concerned. It’s just a stupid color change, after all.

Kinjou and Arakita arrive ten minutes after them, and they apologize a little (awkwardly and begrudgingly) before they settle their stuff under the huge umbrella Imaizumi had brought along. Yuusuke says hi, plops down on his towel and announces he is not moving for the rest of the day as he takes a sip of his obnoxiously pink drink.

“It’s really hot, isn’t it?” Kinjou says after a while of silence, watching as the second years skip around in the waves, carefree and happy and young (he sounds fucking old).

Out of the corner of his eye, Yuusuke watches as Fukutomi nods, licks his lips and blurts out, “Yeah, you’re really hot.” His face turns a dark shade of red in what he’s sure is a record time, and Yuusuke has to smother a snort against the back of his hand. It doesn’t really work.

Jinpachi is wide-eyed as he meets Yuusuke’s gaze, trying his best not to laugh and failing until he buries his face as best as he can in the bone and flesh that make up Yuusuke’s attempt of a shoulder.

Kinjou looks pleased, though, as he turns his head to eye Fukutomi. It isn’t too obvious, but it’s there, in the way his chest puffs out just a little and the side of his lip curls up in the tiniest of smirks.

“Maki-chan,” Jinpachi whispers as best as he can (which is not good at all, his voice too breathy and loud all at once), “let’s leave these two and go swim with those guys?”

Yuusuke scrunches up his nose and watches as Tadokoro roars and chases after Onoda and Naruko, who are both squealing and choking on their laughter as they try not to trip over each other’s legs and the pull of the water on their legs. It’s a funny scene, and Yuusuke nods lightly in agreement before pulling out a big, floppy hat from somewhere behind him.

It’s the ugliest thing Jinpachi has laid his eyes on after Yuusuke’s shirt—the one with stripes and just one blue sleeve, and it kind of hurts his eyes if he’s honest, but he remains quiet as he follows Yuusuke. The sand is white and warm under their feet, and Jinpachi can’t fight the small, happy sigh that leaves him. He absolutely loves the beach, the warmth and the water and the clash of colors everywhere around him.

Their hands brush together and Yuusuke flushes and adjusts his hat so it shades his face with his other hand, but otherwise doesn't move away from Jinpachi. The butterflies are at it again, fluttering and suffocating, and he feels really really aware of Jinpachi’s fingers tangling with his and the way it makes Yuusuke’s breath catch just a little and the way he can feel the blush radiate off his skin. He feels like some sort of lighthouse, or something. That’s how he imagines his skin looks, anyways. Bright as fuck and eye-catching but not pleasing.

He lets the pad of his thumb brush against Jinpachi’s knuckles, and revels in the way he all but beams up at Yuusuke, eyes crinkling and cheeks slightly flushed—he’s not sure he wants to blame the sun for this.

He wants to drown in this moment, in the warmth he feels blossom in his chest and take over his body as he gently squeezes Jinpachi’s hand, pulling him in just a little closer and praying the other boy doesn’t notice or mind much.

They walk hand in hand for a while, not bothering to speak and smiling at each other timidly from time to time. It’s really nice, and they both enjoy their time together until Arakita is running towards them, growling long and loud and yanking Jinpachi away, throwing him over his shoulder and earning an undignified yelp and flailing from said boy as a reaction. Yuusuke watches, trying not to smile and clutching his drink to his chest as he watches the scene unfold—Jinpachi is screaming and demanding to be put down immediately. And put him down he does—Arakita walks into the sea, and with momentum and strength Yuusuke can’t figure out (the boy is as much a stickman as him, really) he all but launches Jinpachi into the water and takes off running in the opposite direction, most likely seeking the protection of Shinkai. The ordeal causes Tadokoro and Naruko to stop, laughing loudly and clutching their sides as they try not to fall over. It doesn’t quite work, because Manami, the little shit, jumps off from somewhere underwater and shoves at them, cackling as they fall before he takes off after Arakita.

Yuusuke feels his lips quirk up as Jinpachi all but wails as he stomps off towards him, and he shakes his head with barely concealed affection.

This is his family, what matters most to him, and not for the first time, he finds himself feeling happy to have found them, no matter how dysfunctional they might be from time to time.

Chapter Text

A few hours later, they’re all sitting around a fire—it had taken Fukutomi and Tadokoro a good forty minutes of fumbling with rocks and sticks and a lighter until they finally succeeded, causing Fukutomi to proudly proclaim his strength and Tadokoro to huff and rolls his eyes because he had done all the job, and they’re sharing stories and laughing like a bunch of loons. Jinpachi looks around with a small smile, noting the way they’re all huddled up in pairs, wrapped up in blankets.

Onoda had miscalculated, and he had profusely apologized until they had told him it was okay—they could stretch out a blanket and use the rest for their original purpose. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Arakita cussing under his breath and squirming around because “Shinkai’s fucking boney knees keep poking my damn hip”. No one was really paying attention to them, since they fought like a married couple on their best days and cussed each other out on their worst. It confused Yusuke a little, if he was to be honest. Besides, they were too invested in roasting marshmallows.

He feels Yusuke poke his side and turns to look at him, blinking curiously. He’s pointing at Kinjou and Fukutomi with his marshmallow as subtly as he can, who look well about to kiss for all Jinpachi cares, so he nods awkwardly because he has no idea what else to do, and keeps his eyes on Yusuke instead because his skin seems to be glowing under the moonlight and the fire, and the brown of his hair makes him look so much paler than he actually is—it takes his breath away a little.

He’s rudely pulled out of his reverie by Naruko (“Oi, Headband! Stupid! Your marshallow!” This earns him a smack on the shoulder from Imaizumi because he’s being rude). When he looks down, though, his once pure, beautiful marshmallow might have been a piece of charcoal for all he knew. He mentally blames Yusuke for being beautiful and distracting.

Yusuke has the gall to laugh at him, so Jinpachi pouts and flicks him right between his brows for good measure. Hopefully that will teach the asshole not to make fun of him because he definitely deserves to be respected (he’s the Mountain God!!) and it’s really sad, how his marshmallow’s life ended because of his crush.

“Maki-chan,” he says as they help put the fire out and pack their things away. It’s almost 11 p.m, and he doesn't think he'll make it to the station in time for the last train. “Can I stay at your place tonight?”

Yusuke glances over at Tadokoro before nodding, and folding a blanket. “Sure,” he says and tucks a strand of hair behind his ear.

***

There’s no way he’s drunk enough for this, Yusuke thinks bitterly as he looks around his living room. They’re all sitting there—minus the “young ones” as the second and third years had been dubbed earlier that day, and he’s trying to make a mental count of the beer bottles scattered around. He can’t make it past eight. They’re all laughing and playing Never Have I Ever like a bunch of tween idiots and he just really wants to cuddle Jinpachi and go to sleep.

“Never have I ever…” Fukutomi starts, his brows pulled together even more than usual, Yusuke doesn’t know how that’s possible. “Kissed a boy.” He stares at Kinjou pointedly, who leans back and takes a sip of his beer.

“We’re drinking for the things we haven’t done, right?” Yusuke asks before Shinkai gets a chance to speak up. It might be the tenth time he asks, he’s not really sure anymore. Everyone pauses, looks around and shrugs before a chorus of sure’s, yeah’s and why not’s fills the room.  Yusuke shrugs and takes a sip of his bottle.

“Never have I ever had sex in public,” Shinkai manages between a fit of giggles, eyeing Arakita.

Absently, as the game rolls by and their beer bottles multiply, Yusuke thinks the game somehow turned into a “tell your boyfriend what you want without actually telling him” kind of thing he really didn’t want to take part in. Drinking is dumb and he hates it.

***

He’s definitely not drunk enough for what he sees when he walks into his room after settling their friends in spare rooms in his house. Tadokoro had crashed on the couch not too long ago, and trying to move him would be useless, so he settled for gesturing at the empty rooms down the hall and getting the remaining four spare sets of blankets.

Jinpachi is shirtless and in his bed and he’s flushed and he looks beautiful and Yusuke could eat him up if he was given the chance. His breath catches a little, and he stares dumbly as Jinpachi runs a hand down his side, coming to a stop over his hipbone and biting his lip as he catches Yusuke’s gaze.

“Maki-chan,” he says, his voice all breathy and soft and sinful. “Come here, Maki-chan.”

His brain kind of stops working then, so he crawls into bed, hovering over Jinpachi as the other boy shifts his position, wrapping his arms around Yusuke’s neck, fingers tangling in his hair.

Their lips brush and Yusuke stops breathing for a second as he looks down at him, wide-eyed and nervous. Jinpachi merely smiles and kisses the corner of his lips before he promptly falls asleep. Yusuke wants to scream. Instead, he rolls over and buries his face on a pillow before groaning and kicking his pants off.

He glances over at Jinpachi, adjusts the covers over their bodies, and falls asleep not too long afterwards.

***

When he wakes up the next morning, his head screams in protest. Jinpachi is curled up behind him, fingers laced over his tummy and chest brushing against Yusuke’s back with every breath he takes. He turns his head slowly, and jumps a little when his eyes meet Jinpachi’s.

“Morning, Maki-chan,” Jinpachi says before he rolls away and sits up, stretching his arms over his head as he yawns. His hair is a mess, and there’s a red mark running down the side of his face because of the pillow, but when he smiles down at Yusuke, Yusuke thinks he looks even more beautiful than he does on his best days. Yusuke groans and buries his face on a pillow.

He mumbles a greeting and sits up as well, struggling for a moment to tie his hair.

“I should go soon,” Jinpachi says after a moment of prolonged silence, frowning as he looks down at his phone. “It takes two hours to get home, and I’m leaving in the afternoon to help dad unpack my stuff tomorrow when he gets to the apartment.”

“Oh,” Yusuke says and frowns, nodding. He watches as Jinpachi stands up, changes and brushes his hair back before shoving his things into the bag he brought over.

“Thank you. I had a lot of fun, Maki-chan,” he says, with a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes before steps out of the room and into the empty hall.

Yusuke sits there, frowning, until he hears the front gate close and the heavy steps down the hall. He flops back in bed just as Tadokoro leans against the doorway, eyeing him curiously. “What was that? I don’t think I’ve ever seen him run quite so fast.”

“I don’t know,” Yusuke replies, and licks his lips. Something in his chest clenches and he sighs as he remembers the way Jinpachi’s own brushed against them. “He just said he had to go, and. Well, you witnessed the rest.”

“Something happened,” it’s not a question and he hates it, so he merely shrugs helplessly.

“We almost kissed. I think.” He doesn’t have to look over to know Tadokoro is eyeing him weirdly. “I thought we were going to when I got into bed, but it wasn’t a kiss, not really.”

“You have time,” Tadokoro says and walks over to him, wraps a hand around his ankle and tugs. He’s not good at sentimental talks, which Yusuke appreciates because he hates talking about his feelings more than he hates vegetables. “Now get off your lazy ass and come cook us something. Arakita’s going to tear down your kitchen soon.”

Yusuke is about to reply when he’s all but yanked off the bed, and there's a second where he's scrambling to grab onto something before he squeak as his ass meets the floor. “Fuck you,” he says, trying not to join in on Tadokoro’s annoying laughter.

Chapter Text

Five days later, Yusuke’s on his way to Tokyo with Tadokoro, and he hasn’t heard from Jinpachi yet.  He tries not to let it bother him, really really does, but it’s the longest he has gone in years without talking to Jinpachi, and it makes him feel antsy and guilty, for some reason.

He absolutely hates the feeling.

***

The apartment is more than big enough for the two of them, and the first thing they do once they arrive is fill up the pantry with more than enough food to last them around two months. Tadokoro looks elated, but Yusuke feels strangely empty when he glances down at his phone to see Jinpachi had not yet replied to his texts. If Tadokoro notices anything, he’s smart enough not to mention it.

When a whole month passes and classes are just around the corner, Yusuke decides he’s had more than enough. He’s been moping and staring at his phone hopelessly for hours on end, and he hates the feeling of uneasiness and neediness that crawls over him as his thumb hovers over the ‘send’ button for the third time that day. Jinpachi had made it obvious he was ignoring Yusuke, and while Yusuke had no clue why it was, he was not going to press the matter further. He had given up texting Jinpachi two weeks before, to Tadokoro’s relief. (The constant whining over the lack of replies was becoming exhausting, he had said.)

So when he walks into the university’s tower to pick up some forms and spots a familiar face in the queue, he stops in his tracks and feels his stomach churn. Jinpachi is talking animatedly to a girl, playing with a pen and looking as careless as ever. Yusuke flips his hair over his shoulder, adjusts his leather bag over it,  and pulls out his phone, tapping away at the screen. He hears as Jinpachi gasps and stammers over his words, and Yusuke locks his phone before he lets his gaze trail along the room in feigned disinterest, merely quirking up a brow as he meets Jinpachi’s gaze. He leans against the wall behind him, and pulls his phone out again. A minute later, Jinpachi is standing next to him, one of his hands clenched tightly around the strap of his black messenger bag.

“Maki-chan!” His voice comes out high-pitched and louder than he intended, if the way he takes a breath and purses his lips is anything to by. “What are you doing here?”

Yusuke tilts his head towards the poster that reads in bold, black letters ‘TOKYO MODE GAKUEN’, and shoots Jinpachi a dry look because he’s a butthurt child. “I start here next month. Fashion design,” he adds, unnecessarily. “You?”

“Oh.” Jinpachi’s looking at the poster, brows pulling together a little. “I start here, too. Interior design.” He clears his throat, looks at Yusuke with wide eyes and downturned lips. “Maki-chan… My phone broke last month. I had to get a new number because I kind of dropped it on the train rails on my way back from your place? And the whole thing broke, and my friends didn’t have your number, so I couldn’t text you or call you at all because Fuku-chan said it wasn’t his problem so he wouldn’t ask Kinjou, and—” He pauses his rant and whines softly on the back of his throat, latching onto Yusuke’s arm, looking like he might cry anytime soon and Yusuke’s heart hurts. “I missed you so much, Maki-chan! You need to give me your number and go out for lunch with me.”

Yusuke nods lightly, glancing out the window and trying to get Jinpachi to release his arm, which was starting to feel a little numb. “I thought you were ignoring me on purpose,” he says, and it comes out bitter, more than he expected. “Give me your phone.” He adds hurriedly.

Jinpachi frowns and pulls out his phone a moment after, blushing lightly as he hands it over. Yusuke is about to ask what’s wrong when he looks down at the screen, and he smiles despite his best efforts not to. The background is a picture of them, from a year ago. It was the only time Jinpachi had gotten Yusuke to take a picture with him, although the then-green-haired teen had grumbled for a long while afterwards.

He stays silent, and instead hands Jinpachi his phone. His hair falls over his shoulder, shielding him from Jinpachi in what he hopes looks casual and effortless, and smiles a little wider as he catches Jinpachi’s small sound of glee.

“Our backgrounds match, Maki-chan!” He says, as if Yusuke wasn’t well aware of the fact.

***

Yusuke sets his bag down and takes his jacket off, setting them aside as he walks into his apartment, Jinpachi following closely behind. Tadokoro had texted saying he was going out, most likely looking for good restaurants in at least a three-mile radius from their place. Yusuke hadn’t bothered asking, and knew Tadokoro would inform him as soon as he came back, anyways.

Jinpachi is quiet as he takes his jacket and shoes off, setting his stuff next to Yusuke’s and following him into the living room, all the while looking around with a curious gaze. “It’s nice here,” he said as he joined Yusuke on the floor by the window wall, too afraid to get near it, lest he fell out and into the busy streets of Tokyo.

Yusuke hummed in reply, setting the bag with their food down between them and glancing out as well. “Yeah, it is,” was all he said, before grabbing the bag and pulling out his food.  

Jinpachi watched as Yusuke ate a fry, fumbling with the wrapper of his sandwich before he pulled out his own burger, humming happily as he organized his food in front of him. “Eat well!” He exclaimed, grinning at Yusuke, who mumbled a reply around a mouthful of food.

They eat in silence, stealing glances when the other is focused on the food or looking out the window, and they feel content and at ease, the way they always have when they spend time together.

Yusuke finds himself childishly hoping for more time like this.

*** 

Jinpachi is getting ready to leave when Tadokoro comes back, and he gives Yusuke an odd look, clutching a big paper bag to his side.

Yusuke frowns and realizes his hand is cupping Jinpachi’s cheek (his hair was all over the place, his mind supplies defensively), and he opens his mouth to say as much before Jinpachi grins and steps back, grabbing his bag and saying bye before all but running out the door.

“Well,” Tadokoro says as he closes the door behind him, letting his lip curl up to the side and crossing his arms.

“Well, nothing. Nothing happened. His hair was sticking out so I was fixing it for him,” Yusuke says as he moves to curl his hair up into a tight bun. “He’s going to attend the same university as me,” he adds, as an afterthought.

“I know,” Tadokoro says, simply, and flops down on the couch, turning on the T.V and grabbing a bag of chips from his paper bag. They’re Habanero flavored, or something. “He told me when we picked you up from the airport, but you fell asleep before we talked about it.”

Tadokoro turns his attention to the screen, and Yusuke knows that’s his cue to leave, so he shuffles into his bedroom and flops down on bed, looking at his phone before setting it aside and rolling onto his side. He falls asleep before it vibrates, signaling a new message.

Chapter Text

Some days, Yusuke feels like a stranger in his own body, an itch he can’t quite describe trailing under his skin, burning the tips of his fingers and leaving a bitter taste on his tongue.

Some days, he simply twists the lock of his door and turns off the phone, hoping against hope that he will be left alone. Some days, he craves touch— from anyone, as long as it helps him feel grounded, but is too scared to seek out comfort.

Today, though, is different. He isn’t sure what it is, but he goes out and buys some snacks, wanders the streets until it’s a little passed noon and he feels tired and restless, eyes prickling and skin itching incessantly. He tries not to ignore it, ducks his head low as he makes his way back to his apartment and pulls out his phone, dialing a phone number he has learned by heart in just a handful of days.

His brow furrows as he waits, trying to ignore the way his breath catches and his stomach turns nervously, his free hand curling at his side in a manner that screams of anxiousness even though he tries to keep the feeling at bay. He clears his throat and is about to end the call before it picks up, and he feels a tiny smile tug on his lips.

“Hi,” he says, unnecessarily timid before he clears his throat twice, thrice.

There’s a beat of silence, a muffled sound that sounds like a yawn before Jinpachi’s voice floats through the speaker. “Maki-chan?”

His voice is muddled and soft, and Yusuke can see his rub the sleep from his eyes, run a hand through his hair, and his stomach tightens, heart skipping a beat. “Hi,” he repeats, dumbly, and he purses his lips. “Hi. Did I wake you?”

Jinpachi’s laugh is soft and breathy, and there’s a moment of silence before he replies. “You did, actually,” he starts, voice gentle and laced with worry. “But that doesn’t matter. You never call, Maki-chan. Is something wrong?”

“I… Just wanted to hear your voice.” The words are out before he can think about it, and his cheeks flare up as a blush spreads across them not too long after. “I’m just- Just-“

  “Do you want to meet up for lunch? We can stay in and order pizza, or something. We can watch a movie, too!”

Yusuke smiles despite his best efforts to remain straight-faced and hums in agreement, absently thinking about how thankful he is to have this idiot in his life as they make plans, because despite their endless banter, there is something about Jinpachi that makes him feel at ease, calm even as the voices in his head scream for him to pay attention. 

***

Yusuke looks down at the crumpled piece of paper where he rushed to write down Jinpachi’s address, clearing his throat and curling his fingers around the paper bag in his hand before pressing the buzzer, keeping his gaze down as he waits for the door to open. His thoughts are a flurry of words he can’t focus on, and his knees feel a tad weaker than usual.

He hears the tell-tale padding of Jinpachi’s feet against the floor before the door is all but yanked open, and he looks up, meeting the other’s gaze before he smiles minutely. Jinpachi’s eyes search his face, brimming with worry before a smile stretches his lips, and he steps aside.

Yusuke is once again, very rudely, reminded of the beauty of his friend. His hair falls around his face and just over his shoulders in loose, damp waves, and his skin is lightly flushed. “Hi,” he says, as Yusuke’s gaze focuses on the dip of the shirt’s collar, the way it falls off his shoulder just so.

“Hi,” he replies and looks up quickly, clearing his throat. “Sorry for coming on such short notice—”

“Don’t be silly, Maki-chan!” Jinpachi is grinning, eyes crinkling lightly before he’s tugging Yusuke inside. “You know I love spending time with you!”

He looks so sincere and excited Yusuke can barely bring himself to doubt the other’s words, and as they settle down on the couch, a random Disney movie playing in the background as they chatter and eat, he can feel the tension of the day melt away, settle into a small pit on his tummy and the itch under his skin recede, even as the voices inside his head put up a fight.

He laughs, and his gaze holds Jinpachi’s for a second too long, maybe two.

Some days, Yusuke feels like a stranger in his own body, an itch he can’t quite describe trailing under his skin, burning the tips of his fingers and leaving a bitter taste on his tongue.

Some days, he simply twists the lock of his door and turns off the phone, hoping against hope that he will be left alone. Some days, he craves touch— from anyone, as long as it helps him feel grounded, but is too scared to seek out comfort.

Today, though, is different. Today, he has Jinpachi, and he knows he will be more than alright.