Yu/Yosuke/Naoto - September 2014 - Study Party

[shiroganeheir]

College was going just about as well as Naoto expected, however, after dumping Medicine and biology quickly for a much more comfortable sociology and criminal justice, she was at least less inclined to hide in her apartment and ignore the world.

This day, however, she was going to Yu and Yosuke's for a probably late-night study session over an annoying math course. Shifting her bag to another shoulder, she stood outside, and rang the buzzer for their apartment.

Comments

[fillintheblanks]

Yu takes the remote and gives Yosuke an odd look, his partner suddenly looks not that happy. "You alright?"

[shiroganeheir]

Naoto shoots Yosuke a concerned look. "Was it something I said, Yosuke? I did not mean to upset you, I was simply teasing."

[magiciansluck]

"No, no!" Yosuke shakes his head, holding his hands up defensively. "I'm fine, I promise."

He figured he'd be called on these moments eventually, but he never came up with an excuse for them.

[fillintheblanks]

"You only say you're fine when you're not."

It's a subtle thing that you have to know him well enough to notice, but if he actually is okay, he uses other words.

[shiroganeheir]

"Have you forgotten that I question people on a weekly basis, Yosuke? You are not fine. There is something bothering you. Granted you do not have to tell us, but we do care about you."

Her face is concerned, and she reaches over, putting a hand on his arm.

[magiciansluck]

"Bleh," Yosuke says.

Even if Naoto will not keep persisting, Yu will do so when she's gone. A lot. The guy was good at getting his way, so it was going to come out eventually. Why not get it over with?

"I'm jealous and it's stupid and I'm stupid."

[fillintheblanks]

"Oh," Yu says, "I see."

But he doesn't, not really.

[shiroganeheir]

"You are going to have to explain slightly better than that, Yosuke. What are you jealous of, and why is it stupid?"

She looks at him, confused. "I do not understand what you are trying to say."

[magiciansluck]

"It's stupid because I'm jealous of you guys, and your relationship, and I don't know why!" Yosuke sounds very frustrated with himself. "I love you guys together, you're great, so why would I be jealous?"

[fillintheblanks]

Yu has no honest idea what to say to that. "Perhaps you want something like this for yourself?" he suggests, but it feels like an incomplete answer.

[shiroganeheir]

Naoto looks at him for a minute, and when she finally speaks, her voice is a bit shaky. "Are you jealous of us because we have a relationship, or that we're dating each other?"

She glances over at Yu for a moment, judging his reactions to her question as well.

[magiciansluck]

"....are the two mutually exclusive?"

Yeah, he's going to hell for being a terrible friend.

[fillintheblanks]

Yu has no idea what to say to that. He's simply stunned.

[shiroganeheir]

"No, they are not." Naoto pauses for a moment, still trying to read Yu's expression.

She falls silent for a moment, not exactly sure what to say either.

[magiciansluck]

Yosuke stands up, ready to flee at the drop of a hat. "Yeah," he says, "So that's why I suck. I knew it wouldn't be great to share."

[fillintheblanks]

Yu grabs Yosuke's arm, trying to pull him back down to the couch. "Don't you dare leave," he says sternly. "Not after that. You do not suck."

[shiroganeheir]

"Yosuke, no!" Naoto's voice is a bit sharp, a slightly higher pitch. "Have you ever thought of asking us what we think?"

She glances over to Yu for a moment, then takes a breath, diving in. "Perhaps we'd share."

[fillintheblanks]

"Perhaps we would," Yu agrees. "It's something to talk about, rather than just assume."

He tries to keep all confusion out of his voice and speak on an even keel.

[magiciansluck]

"But that's not even how dating works," Yosuke says, his voice squeaking a little before he pauses. "....is it?"

[shiroganeheir]

"Why can it not work that way?" Naoto is trying to get her voice and expression under control.

"Dating is between the people who wish to be in a relationship. No one need know the exact nature of the relationship outside of those in it. And if there is attraction among multiple people, why could it not work?"

[fillintheblanks]

Yu takes Naoto's hand in one of his own and Yosuke's hand in the other. "Naoto is right," he says. "You can't just back away from something because you haven't seen it done before."

[magiciansluck]

"I just didn't want to lose either of you," Yosuke frowns. "Not the two best friends I've ever had."

[shiroganeheir]

"Even if we would not choose to do something, you would not lose us, Yosuke."

Naoto reaches over and takes his other hand. "We've been through worse than trying to figure out how three people would work in a relationship."

Leaning over, she kisses him on the cheek.

[magiciansluck]

He blushes and kisses her back on the cheek, looking much happier than he had even a minute ago.

"Then... we should all talk, I guess."

[fillintheblanks]

"I want to try," Yu says, hesitantly because he doesn't know what Naoto thinks yet. But one of them has to volunteer an opinion and he can be the first one. "I'm okay if either of you don't, but I want to."