heleanor | 【ＲＰ】ＯｐｅｎＰｏｓｔ

[That's a tricky road you're going down, Yamaguchi. Comparing the guy he's on a date with to the guy he has a crush on, plenty of relationship guides would tell him it's a bad bad idea.]

Of course not! I don't know what they do to it but it's amazing. I suspect there are illegal activities behind it because I asked them once how they made it and they got terribly cranky. [Or they want to keep people coming and buying it rather than making it at home, but he likes his illegal activities idea better.]

[There's a guide!?]

Eh? Illegal activities? [That sounds like something Yachi might say, but hearing it out of Oikawa's mouth is somehow scarier because there's no way to know if he's actually kidding.]

Have you ever heard of a strawberry shortcake this nice, Yama-chan? It's the only explanation!

That doesn't mean there's anything illegal about how the cooks made it!

It doesn't mean there's not! [What a counter. Foolproof argument right there. Oikawa picks up his fork and reaches over to cut off a corner of the shortcake, popping it into his mouth in a smooth motion. Definitely an illegal baked good.]

Hey! [Yamaguchi's used to sharing food with Tsukishima, but not really anyone else, so his instinctive reaction is to yelp in protest. Then he catches himself, relaxing again with a patient sigh.] ...Did you want some cake, Oikawa-san?

[He smiles and takes another mouthful, swallowing delicately before replying.] Yes.

It really is very nice, isn't it?

[He pauses, he shouldn't, it will make Yamaguchi turn red again when he's only just regained his normal colour but now the idea's occurred to him he has to. He slices off a mouthful of shortcake and holds it up to Yamaguchi and waits expectantly.]

[Well, that certainly gets the desired reaction: Yamaguchi snaps back to attention from where he'd been absently watching Oikawa eat, to find the other boy's fork hovering right in front of him.]

...!!

[I have my own spoon, though? is all Yamaguchi can think stupidly to himself as Oikawa holds out the bite of cake for him, smiling. The expectant look on Oikawa's face makes Yamaguchi shiver for some reason, though it may have to do with the familiar red flush already crawling up the skin of his neck and making his face too hot to stand. Yamaguchi's all but paralyzed in his chair from the awkwardness of it.]

[He continues to hold it, patiently. Yamaguchi will either have to eat it or say something if he keeps holding it up. Both of which are outcomes that Oikawa will enjoy. Though, he could also take it away, and feign hurt that Yamaguchi didn't eat it but that would be too cruel - it would lose him a mouthful of his shortcake after all which Oikawa already plans to have more of than he probably should.

Yamaguchi is turning as red as Oikawa thought he would. Who knows how bright his blush would get if Oikawa tried to kiss him goodbye - which isn't something Oikawa should contemplate doing because he kind of wants to. And not even to make Yamaguchi embarrassed.]

O...Oikawa-san!?

D-Did you want me to...?? [uh, yeah, he obviously sort of DOES want Yamaguchi to eat the shortcake off his spoon. but what yamaguchi's really aiming at here is to get some kind of explanation provided that will let him get through this trial without dying of confused, soul-crushing embarrassment before he eats the damn cake]

Of course. What else would I want, Yama-chan?

[He cups his free hand under it like it wouldn't already have dropped any crumbs it's going to drop.]

It's...um... [please don't make him do this what are the implications if he does this–

but he's wavering, actually, as it's probably easier just to give up and humor oikawa on stuff like this than try to argue with his tongue tied in knots]

Yes, Yama-chan?

[He starts to look concerned, without even meaning to. He should... stop doing this kind of thing if Yamaguchi is going to hesitate beyond his ability to retain his confidence. He won't, of course. But He should.]

[Screwing his eyes shut, Yamaguchi grimaces and leans forward, reluctantly taking the bite of cake off the other boy's spoon so he'll stop. Yamaguchi draws back with what he hopes is an annoyed look and starts in with a reprimand before even he's finished chewing.]

D-Don' make me do tha' again, Oikawa-san... [He swallows the bite down, still avoiding his eyes and looking very red in the face.]

[Oikawa nearly drops his fork when Yamaguchi leans forward.]

Right. Okay, Yama-chan.

[He puts his spoon down and pointedly ignores it as he goes back to his milkshake. He's not as red as Yamaguchi but there's definitely a pink tinge over his cheeks.]

[Yamaguchi's still avoiding looking at him—or else he'd probably get even more flustered, at the sight of Oikawa blushing too. The other boy's been so sure of himself up to this point that it doesn't even occur to Yamaguchi that he could get embarrassed.

For the moment, Yamaguchi quietly eats his cake, trying to think of something to say to break the silence. Maybe it isn't necessary? It isn't with Tsukishima, but Oikawa is different in that seems to talk a lot more when he's happy. Yamaguchi hopes he hasn't done anything wrong to make Oikawa go quiet even for a little while.]

[Sometimes (rarely!) Oikawa is an idiot. Sometimes he says or does things he doesn't mean just to see what response his actions get and that lands him in trouble about five seconds down the line. Most of the time when he does that he has Iwaizumi to call him out and let him know that he's an idiot but Iwaizumi is still there to call him an idiot again next time. Borderline codependency has its benefits.

But he has to deal with Yamaguchi on his own and he really feels like he might have fucked up. That Yamaguchi might not want to be here any more. He glances at him as he quietly eat his cake.

Oikawa swallows.]

I'm sorry, Yama-chan.

[Yamaguchi jerks up, looking confused. The words grip him with anxiety. Is this a precursor to something? Is Oikawa telling him he actually thinks this was a bad idea, doesn't want to hang out?

Yamaguchi swallows nervously, stammering a bit when he speaks.]

Sorry—f-for what, Oikawa-san?

[Oikawa shrugs, unsure of exactly how to say "for making you eat off my spoon".]

For making you uncomfortable.

[He'd add "I won't do it again" but he doesn't actually like lying and up until just then it was fun to make Yamaguchi blush and stammer.]

Oikawa-san!?

You...um...you didn't!! I'm okay! [This is a blatant lie, but what's true is that Yamaguchi's way more uncomfortable seeing Oikawa act serious like this.]

[Oikawa raises an eyebrow, because there's no way even the most oblivious person could miss how completely uncomfortable Yamaguchi was.]

Yama-chan, I'm older than you. I have to take responsibility for these things.

[And he'd rather Yamaguchi was happy. He's cuter that way.]

Huh?? ['These things?']

I'd feel terrible if I made you cry.

[A statement about how much Oikawa thinks of himself as an asshole rather than about how much he thinks Yamaguchi cries.]

What? [Yamaguchi looks stunned. Not least because where is this coming from? They've been texting for a couple of weeks now, and in all that time Oikawa hasn't let up on his silly, difficult-to-distinguish-from-flirtatious teasing. And that's certainly embarrassing, and frankly it sometimes makes Yamaguchi uncomfortable in his own skin, but even that's not Oikawa's fault. Yamaguchi has no one to blame but himself for not being sure if he likes guys (and being too chicken to find out).]

Yeh...uhh...you wouldn't, Oikawa-san!!

I haven't cried, or anything like that! I'm sorry!

Yama-chan! I simply won't allow you to be sorry.

[He picks at the corner of his bread. Doesn't eat any but what can you do.]

People as cute as you shouldn't apologise. Take what the world owes you with a smile! [Which would be more convincing if he could make himself smile properly again.]

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