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Taking Cues from Cutlery
Original Prompt: Yosuke can't stop spooning.
i.
It starts happening the first time Souji invites Yosuke to stay over at his house.
"I know things have been busy," Souji says, and the hesitation in his voice catches Yosuke's attention, "and I'd get it if you said no for…well, whatever reason, you don't have to explain if you don’t want to, but do you want to spend the night this weekend? Dojima-san—"
"Yes," Yosuke says so quickly it startles both of them. Souji jumps and Yosuke blushes, but he can't keep the eagerness out of his tone when he continues, "Yeah, sure. That's… Cool, it'll be cool."
Souji smiles nervously, and Yosuke spends the rest of the day hoping he hasn't freaked him out, that Souji won't call him and change his mind. He knows he's more excited than he should be, enough to come off looking weird, but it means a lot to him that Souji would offer.
Yosuke's never been invited a sleepover before.
It starts off a little awkwardly when he arrives – Souji, he learns later, has never had anyone sleep over at his house either and he's not quite sure how to play the host, though he does his best – but after a movie they mock mercilessly and making snacks with Nanako things fall into place and everything flows easier. Yosuke's heart is beating too fast when they bed down for the night, but it's out of excitement and he's more content than he's been in a long while. Souji makes him feel like he fits somewhere, that he's accepted, and he goes to sleep with a smile tugging at his lips, Souji trying vainly to stifle laughter in the dark from an earlier joke.
He wakes up an hour or two later with his arm around Souji's waist, and freezes.
"Yosuke?"
He can't answer. He's in Souji's futon, under the sheets and everything, so comfortable part of him considers drifting back off. That part is quickly drowned out by pure mortification as he takes in the situation.
Souji touches the back of his hand softly. "Yosuke?"
"S-sorry." Yosuke jerks away, crawls to his own borrowed futon, and can't bear to look at Souji. "I don't know—I didn't do it on purpose, promise! I…"
He remembers his dream. He'd been cold or lonely, and he knew there was something warm nearby so he'd gone to it.
"It's…not a big deal," Souji says. "But why—"
Yosuke doesn't want to answer that so he cuts in with, "It won't happen again." He wraps himself in the blanket, back to Souji, fingers clutching it tight, and lying as stiff as a board.
"…Okay. Goodnight."
He knows Souji wants to talk about it. He recognizes that pause, the one Souji uses before he changes his mind about what he was going to say, and he's grateful to hear it now.
"Night," he says back.
He catches himself trying to move back twice more that night after he finally drifts off again, the impulse spurred on by half-dreams and sleepy logic. Once, he merely reaches an arm out and pulls it back cold, but the second time he's kneeling over Souji before he comes to his senses. Souji doesn't say anything as he hurries back to his spot, but he's sure he's awake that time.
In the morning, he knows he's screwed everything up, done one more dumb thing to remind him why he's never been invited to a friend's house, why the guys at the city used to laugh at him when they thought he wasn't around, when he'd linger after leaving in hopes of hearing something nice said about him. This is worse than that ever was, though, and he's not sure what he'll do with himself if he's messed things up with Souji.
Souji walks him home, carrying his stuff for him, and Yosuke lets him because when he offered to do it himself Souji gave him a weird look.
"Last night was fun," Souji says when they reach his house. "We should do it again sometime."
Yosuke's torn between elation and relief and worry that he'll repeat his mistake, but he agrees, maybe a little too fast.
Souji, looking pleased, doesn't seem to notice or mind.
That night, when Yosuke's getting ready for bed, he reaches for an extra pillow and it's not until he's curled around it and comfortable that he realizes what he's done. Thinking back, he sees it happening night after night, and has only the vaguest idea of when he first starting doing it – back in the city, with his phone that rarely rang on his nightstand.
He pushes the pillow away, and tells himself he doesn't care when he tosses and turns for the rest of the night.
ii.
Yosuke's only been in bed for thirty minutes when he feels his cover shift. He doesn't have to open his eyes to know what's happening, and he's so used to it at this point that he's not even surprised.
Ted wants to cuddle. Teddie always wants to cuddle, has since the very first night he spent in the house, and Yosuke let him then because he was scared and only sharing the same futon calmed Ted's frightened whimpers. There's no excuse for it now, not when he's been here for weeks and the office has been transformed into a bedroom for him, and his parents are starting to give Yosuke suspicious looks when they see Teddie leave his room so early in the morning.
There's no reason to let Teddie creep under his sheets except, dammit, Yosuke wants to cuddle too.
He's trained himself out of it when he stays over at Souji's house, even though it means he never sleeps properly, always jolting awake the moment he feels himself begin to move towards him. He does it because he doesn't want to weird Souji out, because he can't think of a way to bring it up, but he doesn't like it. What he does like is having another person snug against him, the way Teddie thinks he's being sly when he pulls Yosuke's arm around his waist, the way he's allowed to put his face next to Teddie's neck and pull him close and Teddie won't say a thing about it, will just shift until it's comfortable for both of them. He likes the warmth and feel of Teddie's slim body in his arms, the sound of his breathing evening out, and the mutual, reassuring comfort.
He likes not feeling lonely, and being the big spoon.
"Goodnight, Yosuke," Teddie whispers.
"Don't hog the blanket," he says, and sleeps better than he ever has with only a pillow for company.
iii.
He thinks Teddie's been talking to Souji. Either that or he hasn’t been hiding his urges as well as he thought because he can't think of any other reason for the look Souji gives him when he invites him over to his house again.
"Do you remember the first time you stayed over?" Souji asks while Yosuke pulls his bike free from the rack in front of school.
Yosuke nearly knocks down another bike and only barely manages to keep it upright. "Yeah," he says, and curses his voice for shaking. "What about it?"
Souji just smiles and averts his eyes. "It was nice."
Yosuke's half-asleep when he feels his cover being lifted, and faced away from Souji because it's easier to resist the urge that way, though it makes him extra uncomfortable. Extra lonely, like he's building a wall between the two of them so he can keep his hands to himself and risk losing his best friend. He's not sure what's happening at first, too drowsy to do anything but mutter, "Didn't hear you come in, Ted."
Of course, Teddie's never quiet when he comes in, no matter how much he tries to be, always stumbles over the things Yosuke leaves on his floor, and it's not Teddie who answers but Souji, breath soft and warm against his ear.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."
Yosuke starts, goes from sleepy and content to awake and anxious in two seconds flat. "Partner? What are you doing?"
"Teddie told me about it—"
He knew it.
"—and I thought back to when you first came over… Is this okay?" He puts his hand on Yosuke's waist, and the touch burns though his shirt. "Or is it a thing just the two of you do, or can I…?"
"No." Yosuke can't explain everything behind it right now, not when he's been caught off guard. He doesn't think he'll ever be able to explain it, but after a moment he puts his hand over Souji's and pulls it forward until his arm is around him, grips it tightly. "I… It's fine." And then, involuntarily: "Thanks."
Souji hums quietly, presses flush against him with his face hidden in his neck so his words vibrate against his skin. "Don't like it when you put your back towards me."
Yosuke shifts so Souji fits better. "Me neither."
It's a while before he relaxes and stops trembling, before his heart calms down and he can really take in the feel of Souji holding him, warm and secure and protective. He's the little spoon here but doesn't mind at all, and he's never slept better at Souji's house.
i.
It starts happening the first time Souji invites Yosuke to stay over at his house.
"I know things have been busy," Souji says, and the hesitation in his voice catches Yosuke's attention, "and I'd get it if you said no for…well, whatever reason, you don't have to explain if you don’t want to, but do you want to spend the night this weekend? Dojima-san—"
"Yes," Yosuke says so quickly it startles both of them. Souji jumps and Yosuke blushes, but he can't keep the eagerness out of his tone when he continues, "Yeah, sure. That's… Cool, it'll be cool."
Souji smiles nervously, and Yosuke spends the rest of the day hoping he hasn't freaked him out, that Souji won't call him and change his mind. He knows he's more excited than he should be, enough to come off looking weird, but it means a lot to him that Souji would offer.
Yosuke's never been invited a sleepover before.
It starts off a little awkwardly when he arrives – Souji, he learns later, has never had anyone sleep over at his house either and he's not quite sure how to play the host, though he does his best – but after a movie they mock mercilessly and making snacks with Nanako things fall into place and everything flows easier. Yosuke's heart is beating too fast when they bed down for the night, but it's out of excitement and he's more content than he's been in a long while. Souji makes him feel like he fits somewhere, that he's accepted, and he goes to sleep with a smile tugging at his lips, Souji trying vainly to stifle laughter in the dark from an earlier joke.
He wakes up an hour or two later with his arm around Souji's waist, and freezes.
"Yosuke?"
He can't answer. He's in Souji's futon, under the sheets and everything, so comfortable part of him considers drifting back off. That part is quickly drowned out by pure mortification as he takes in the situation.
Souji touches the back of his hand softly. "Yosuke?"
"S-sorry." Yosuke jerks away, crawls to his own borrowed futon, and can't bear to look at Souji. "I don't know—I didn't do it on purpose, promise! I…"
He remembers his dream. He'd been cold or lonely, and he knew there was something warm nearby so he'd gone to it.
"It's…not a big deal," Souji says. "But why—"
Yosuke doesn't want to answer that so he cuts in with, "It won't happen again." He wraps himself in the blanket, back to Souji, fingers clutching it tight, and lying as stiff as a board.
"…Okay. Goodnight."
He knows Souji wants to talk about it. He recognizes that pause, the one Souji uses before he changes his mind about what he was going to say, and he's grateful to hear it now.
"Night," he says back.
He catches himself trying to move back twice more that night after he finally drifts off again, the impulse spurred on by half-dreams and sleepy logic. Once, he merely reaches an arm out and pulls it back cold, but the second time he's kneeling over Souji before he comes to his senses. Souji doesn't say anything as he hurries back to his spot, but he's sure he's awake that time.
In the morning, he knows he's screwed everything up, done one more dumb thing to remind him why he's never been invited to a friend's house, why the guys at the city used to laugh at him when they thought he wasn't around, when he'd linger after leaving in hopes of hearing something nice said about him. This is worse than that ever was, though, and he's not sure what he'll do with himself if he's messed things up with Souji.
Souji walks him home, carrying his stuff for him, and Yosuke lets him because when he offered to do it himself Souji gave him a weird look.
"Last night was fun," Souji says when they reach his house. "We should do it again sometime."
Yosuke's torn between elation and relief and worry that he'll repeat his mistake, but he agrees, maybe a little too fast.
Souji, looking pleased, doesn't seem to notice or mind.
That night, when Yosuke's getting ready for bed, he reaches for an extra pillow and it's not until he's curled around it and comfortable that he realizes what he's done. Thinking back, he sees it happening night after night, and has only the vaguest idea of when he first starting doing it – back in the city, with his phone that rarely rang on his nightstand.
He pushes the pillow away, and tells himself he doesn't care when he tosses and turns for the rest of the night.
ii.
Yosuke's only been in bed for thirty minutes when he feels his cover shift. He doesn't have to open his eyes to know what's happening, and he's so used to it at this point that he's not even surprised.
Ted wants to cuddle. Teddie always wants to cuddle, has since the very first night he spent in the house, and Yosuke let him then because he was scared and only sharing the same futon calmed Ted's frightened whimpers. There's no excuse for it now, not when he's been here for weeks and the office has been transformed into a bedroom for him, and his parents are starting to give Yosuke suspicious looks when they see Teddie leave his room so early in the morning.
There's no reason to let Teddie creep under his sheets except, dammit, Yosuke wants to cuddle too.
He's trained himself out of it when he stays over at Souji's house, even though it means he never sleeps properly, always jolting awake the moment he feels himself begin to move towards him. He does it because he doesn't want to weird Souji out, because he can't think of a way to bring it up, but he doesn't like it. What he does like is having another person snug against him, the way Teddie thinks he's being sly when he pulls Yosuke's arm around his waist, the way he's allowed to put his face next to Teddie's neck and pull him close and Teddie won't say a thing about it, will just shift until it's comfortable for both of them. He likes the warmth and feel of Teddie's slim body in his arms, the sound of his breathing evening out, and the mutual, reassuring comfort.
He likes not feeling lonely, and being the big spoon.
"Goodnight, Yosuke," Teddie whispers.
"Don't hog the blanket," he says, and sleeps better than he ever has with only a pillow for company.
iii.
He thinks Teddie's been talking to Souji. Either that or he hasn’t been hiding his urges as well as he thought because he can't think of any other reason for the look Souji gives him when he invites him over to his house again.
"Do you remember the first time you stayed over?" Souji asks while Yosuke pulls his bike free from the rack in front of school.
Yosuke nearly knocks down another bike and only barely manages to keep it upright. "Yeah," he says, and curses his voice for shaking. "What about it?"
Souji just smiles and averts his eyes. "It was nice."
Yosuke's half-asleep when he feels his cover being lifted, and faced away from Souji because it's easier to resist the urge that way, though it makes him extra uncomfortable. Extra lonely, like he's building a wall between the two of them so he can keep his hands to himself and risk losing his best friend. He's not sure what's happening at first, too drowsy to do anything but mutter, "Didn't hear you come in, Ted."
Of course, Teddie's never quiet when he comes in, no matter how much he tries to be, always stumbles over the things Yosuke leaves on his floor, and it's not Teddie who answers but Souji, breath soft and warm against his ear.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."
Yosuke starts, goes from sleepy and content to awake and anxious in two seconds flat. "Partner? What are you doing?"
"Teddie told me about it—"
He knew it.
"—and I thought back to when you first came over… Is this okay?" He puts his hand on Yosuke's waist, and the touch burns though his shirt. "Or is it a thing just the two of you do, or can I…?"
"No." Yosuke can't explain everything behind it right now, not when he's been caught off guard. He doesn't think he'll ever be able to explain it, but after a moment he puts his hand over Souji's and pulls it forward until his arm is around him, grips it tightly. "I… It's fine." And then, involuntarily: "Thanks."
Souji hums quietly, presses flush against him with his face hidden in his neck so his words vibrate against his skin. "Don't like it when you put your back towards me."
Yosuke shifts so Souji fits better. "Me neither."
It's a while before he relaxes and stops trembling, before his heart calms down and he can really take in the feel of Souji holding him, warm and secure and protective. He's the little spoon here but doesn't mind at all, and he's never slept better at Souji's house.
Poll #6618 Taking Cues from Cutlery
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