aibou | Protective Measures

Summary: Yosuke's recent behavior is catching Souji's attention.

Yosuke was starting to pop up in strange places. Granted, his chances of being in Junes were higher than most other spots, but Souji was still surprised to turn around in the produce section and find Yosuke in front of him. He hadn't been anywhere in sight a few seconds ago.

"You're like a magician," he said, suitably impressed with Yosuke's newfound ability to track him throughout the store. Next to him, Nanako looked similarly affected.

"What?"

"The way you just appear like that. How'd you know I was here?"

"I don't know, maybe I've got a sixth sense." Yosuke rocked back on his heels, smug. "Cool, right?"

"Very," Souji said, but he wondered if it didn't have more to do with Teddie peeking at them from around a corner.

Yosuke smiled and leaned down so he was closer to Nanako's height. "So what are you two looking for? Snacks? Dinner? We've got a sale on kitchen appliances if you need a new blender."

"I don't think we need one of those," Nanako said, and Souji shook his head when she checked with him. "We're looking for dinner."

"Well, there's some good stuff on sale here, too." Yosuke straightened up, glancing around. "I don't see Dojima-san. Is he waiting up at the house?"

"He's working late so it's us tonight. Unless you want to come over for a while?"

"I wish, but Dad's got me working late. Actually, I should look busier." Yosuke grabbed what appeared to be a green vegetable from a stack next to them and flourished it. "Can I interest you in making a purchase? As a health conscious customer like yourself is surely aware of, this is a perfect addition to any meal."

"I don't know what that is."

"It's a zucchini, read the sign." Yosuke pushed it forward until Souji either had to take it or be poked. He dropped it in his basket, where it rolled around awkwardly. Nanako peered over the edge to examine it. "Don't give me that look, it'll taste great."

"How do you cook it?" Souji asked, but Yosuke was already switching topics.

"By the way, I could use a favor."

"I already took the zucchini."

"Not from you," Yosuke said, "from Nanako."

Her eyes widened. "Me?"

"Yeah." Yosuke put his hand together pleadingly. "I need someone to play with Teddie until I get off from work tonight."

"Again?" Souji asked. Yosuke had been pushing Teddie off onto him a lot lately. He was starting to feel like a babysitter.

"I could do that!"

"You could? Because I'd really appreciate it."

"I could but, um..." She toyed with her dress. "I don't know if it's okay with Big Bro."

With the two of them watching him, Souji couldn't have said no even if he wanted to. "It's fine. But next time," he told Yosuke, "some more notice would be nice."

"Sorry, but it's seriously a huge help. He gets off earlier than me and I don't want him sitting around the house bored. Now where's—" Teddie stumbled into view, already pulling off his apron. "Good timing. You're going home with—"

"I heard!" Teddie tossed his apron at his face.

"You must have been close then," Souji said.

"I was hiding between the cereal boxes."

Souji smiled. "That's a good spot."

"It doesn't matter where you were," Yosuke said quickly. "Don't worry about your hours, I'll clock you out, and if anyone asks, you're going home sick. I'll try to pick him up before Dojima-san gets home, but don't be mad if I'm late, okay?"

Souji stared after him as he left. "He's been acting a little strangely lately, don't you think?"

Nanako and Teddie didn't pay him any attention, busy greeting each other. Souji shifted the basket so the zucchini rolled and hoped they were in the mood for salad.

-

Yosuke'd started following Souji around Junes a few days ago, around the same time he'd started walking him to and from school. As much as Souji liked this, he knew it was out of Yosuke's way, but his offer to meet at Yosuke's house instead was turned down.

"It's cool," he said as they walked to school. "I got you."

Souji didn't bring it up again, but he still felt guilty when he watched Yosuke rush to make his shift at Junes on time.

Now, he'd apparently adding another activity to his schedule: following Souji home late at night and frightening Nanako. Generously, Souji chalked that up as an unintended consequence.

"There is someone out there, isn't there," Souji said, looking around the curtain of his bedroom window. On his couch, Nanako sat partially distracted by the envelope he'd placed in her hands after she'd come to him, worried about the strange man who hadn't moved since she'd spotted him. "But I don't think you have to worry."

"No?" she repeated, visibly relieved.

"No." Normally, Souji would have checked that the doors and windows were locked and called Dojima at the office, but the person outside was loitering near the streetlight and Souji was able to notice a few things about him. One, he was a boy; two, he looked uncomfortable, standing out alone when most sensible people were already getting ready for bed; and three, it was obviously Yosuke.

This was confirmed when Souji called him and Yosuke picked up. "You're outside my house."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are," Souji said. "I can see you, and you look cold."

Yosuke squinted up at him. "You can?"

"I can." He pushed the curtain further aside and waved. After a moment, Yosuke did the same. "What are you doing out there?"

"Walking."

"You seem pretty stationary to me."

Yosuke huffed into the phone. "Can't a guy take a break?"

"I guess there's nothing wrong with that, but why don't you do it inside? I'll make you something warm to drink."

Yosuke hesitated but ten minutes later he was between Souji and Nanako on the couch, a mug of coffee between his hands, watching as Nanako demonstrated how good she was at folding envelopes.

"Couldn't you teach her a more useful skill?" Yosuke asked, low enough that she wouldn't hear.

"It is useful," Souji said. "You should learn it. Anyway, don't change the subject. Why are you out so late? You could have tripped and hurt yourself."

"What are you, my mom?" Yosuke sucked his teeth dismissively. "I figured since it's pretty nice out, I'd get a few minutes to myself. There's nothing wrong with that."

"You scared Nanako."

"I said sorry twice already." But he did it again and praised her work when she gave the crooked envelope to him. Souji watched them approvingly.

"I'm glad it was you," she said. "But you didn't have to wait outside, you could have knocked. I would have let you in."

"I guess I should have, huh?"

"It's a good thing Dojima didn't suddenly come home," Souji added, and Yosuke squirmed. "You're lucky no one called the cops."

"I know, can you stop rubbing it in?" He hunched his shoulders. "I won't do it again."

Souji let him worry a few seconds more before leaning against him and saying, in a carefully causal tone, "Of course, I can't make you stop, if you don't want to. Just be more discreet about it."

Yosuke tried to get a better look at him. Souji hid his face by taking a sip of his own coffee. "What are you doing?"

"You're freezing." He wasn't, but a little exaggeration never hurt. "Stay here a while longer so we can warm you up."

"I'm not that cold," Yosuke said, but Nanako took the hint and cuddled up on his other side and, really, it'd be silly for Yosuke to do anything other than sit back and relax. Which, Souji was pleased, he did without anymore fuss.

-

None of Yosuke's new behavior bothered Souji much, not last minute requests that left him entertaining Teddie for hours until Dojima came home, or coming back from Junes with yet another item Yosuke had shoved at him in an effort to look like he was working while they chatted, or even coming downstairs one morning with bed hair and finding Yosuke and Nanako busy making boiled eggs on toast. He wasn't getting much time to himself, true, but it was comforting to know that, somewhere, Yosuke was probably nearby. Flattering, even.

Oddly, Dojima failed to see it that way. "Can you tell me why that boy's been hanging around the house at night?"

"Is he out there again? Don't let him know you've noticed." Souji and Nanako had been doing their best to ignore Yosuke the past few nights, and that seemed to make him happy enough. Unfortunately, he hadn't gotten much better at hiding, and, assuming they'd all been that bad, Souji could see now why Kanji'd realized they were following him so quickly.

"Why not? What's this about?"

Souji stopped searching the fridge and pulled his head out. "I'm not completely sure, but I think he's flirting with me." Dojima rubbed his temples. "Headache?"

"I'm getting there. Look, whatever he's up to, he's making the neighbors nervous, so tell him to stop. If this keeps up, I'm gonna need to have a talk with him."

Souji made a vague sound he hoped Dojima would take for an answer and used taking the trash out as an excuse to leave before he could ask for a proper response.

Outside, his breath turned white The weather was only going to get colder; at this rate, they'd have to start leaving a thermos out for Yosuke so he didn't catch a cold. It wasn't that he didn't understand the neighbor's worries but this was Yosuke. He wasn't hurting anyone.

The trashcan lid shifted as he neared, clattering back down and falling into place, but he was used to finding stray cats hiding inside for warmth and the chance of leftovers. He lifted it up without a second thought.

"Hello, Sensei!"

Maybe Dojima was right. After all, hiding in trashcans couldn't be good for Teddie's health.

-

Souji waited until Yosuke finished and set his lunch aside before bringing the topic up. "I found Teddie in my trashcan last night, and he told me you sent him. Please don't do that again."

"You—what?"

"I cleaned him up before he left but if he does it again, he'll get sick."

Souji refrained from mentioning it was irresponsible but it must have shown on his face because Yosuke crossed his arms defensively and said, "I didn't tell him to hide in a dumpster, I said to keep an eye on you without being seen. He didn't have to be all weird about it."

"It's Teddie, what'd you expect?" Souji leaned back on his hands and regarded Yosuke seriously. "I think it's time you told me what's up. Teddie isn't all - Dojima and the neighbors are starting to notice."

Yosuke sat in silence for a stretch but eventually he sighed. "It's that stupid letter."

"The letter," Souji repeated slowly.

Yosuke stared at him in disbelief. "Did you seriously forget?"

"Of course not." It'd just slipped his mind, what with daily life, and Yosuke, and the school getting ready for the culture festival. "You're talking about the one with no return address that I got the other day. How does that..."

"You get it now?" Yosuke went red and didn't look at him. "No one else has mentioned it so maybe I'm thinking too much and freaking out over nothing, but I don't like that some creep is leaving weird stuff at your house. I'm worried about you."

The past week or so suddenly made a lot more sense. "You're stalking me."

"I'm not stalking you, I'm just making sure you're never alone. Ugh, that doesn't sound right." Yosuke gestured at him. "I'm watching out for you."

"And Teddie?"

"I couldn't be around all the time; I needed some help, and he was the only one I could ask who I knew wouldn't have anything to say about it."

Souji was touched, so much so that he couldn't come up with a good reply. "This is actually nicer than what I thought you were up to."

"I know it's stupid," Yosuke said, "no one else is freaking out—"

"It's not. Actually," Souji admitted, "I think it's the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me."

Yosuke wasn't convinced. "I bet you weren't even worried."

"Well, no, but that's because I was so busy focusing on you, I didn't have time to worry. And now that I know you and Teddie are watching out for me, I don't have to."

He looked hopeful. "You're not just saying that?"

"No, I mean it. You're great."

"Heh." Yosuke went red. "So, uh, what did you think I was doing?"

"Hitting on me."

"What?" Yosuke laughed, checking his face to see if he was serious. "How does that make sense? And even if I was, who'd like someone who acted like that?"

"I would, and it's not my fault, you were giving off all these signals, what else was I supposed to think? I'm a little disappointed now." Souji nudged him until Yosuke shoved him back. "It must have been inconvenient doing all this. Sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?" Yosuke shrugged. "It's you so it's not like I minded."

"Ah." Souji smiled. "You're good. Are you sure you're not hitting on me?"

Yosuke's blush spread to his ears. "Be quiet already. And don't mention this to the others, okay? I couldn't handle the embarrassment."

Souji couldn't help bringing it up one more time as they got ready to go back to class. "I'm going to miss seeing you outside my window late at night."

"You're a weirdo," Yosuke said without any bite. "Anyway, you said I didn't have to stop, right? Maybe I'll pop up every once in a while and surprise you."

"I'd like that."

Yosuke held the door to the stairway open for him. "Just make sure you explain it to Dojima-san, will you? The less I'm on his bad side, the better."

Poll #8771 Protective Measures

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