heleanor | 【ＲＰ】ＯｐｅｎＰｏｓｔ

[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.]

[There it is again--Oikawa calling him 'cute.' Yamaguchi wants to argue that some, but he hesitates.]

...Is something the matter, Oikawa-san?

You don't...seem like your usual self...

Of course I am, Yama-chan. [He says too quickly and does take an actual bite of his bread rather than continuing to turn it into crumbs.]

[Yamaguchi isn't sure he's convinced, but he also isn't confident enough to press the issue.]

I just thought...well, if you're sure...

I am sure. [And shit, that was very nearly a snap, wasn't it? He didn't mean that.]

Do you want some of my milkshake? [Because going back to that topic will absolutely help.]

[Yamaguchi involuntarily winces at Oikawa's tone—though he may not know Oikawa well, there's definitely a difference between his words just then and those of a person that's totally fine and not upset. In someone playful and teasing like Oikawa, the change is more stark than most.

Yamaguchi's anxiety doesn't settle at all. In fact, it's worse now for being totally devoid of any subconscious reaction toward flattery or gratitude, at the stuff Oikawa says, or a desire to hear more.]

I-It's fine, Oikawa-san. [Yamaguchi withdraws a little as he eats his shortcake, which isn't really natural for him, but he isn't sure how else to fix Oikawa's mood. Yamaguchi wishes he hadn't pressed the issue with him when he had the chance.]

[He shouldn't even be upset like he is. And he can admit to himself that he is upset. He's getting crabbier by the minute - if he wasn't eating already he'd force a chocolate bar down his throat to see if that helped.

The problem is knowing he's upset and stopping himself from showing it are two different things. A sign of how much he does like Yamaguchi in the first place is that he's getting upset and not making sweeping statements about Yamaguchi with just enough truth in them to hurt and push Yamaguchi away.]

Suit yourself, Yama-chan.

[He bites back on the urge to apologise again, tears off a piece from his bread and eats that instead.]

Have you been busy lately?

[Starting up conversation will help, surely. Even though he knows most of what Yamaguchi's been up to from his texts.]

[Yamaguchi must admit he's grateful for the opportunity for distraction, even if he's still worried the words will only be an annoyance to Oikawa. It's better than trying to pass the time in suffocating silence.]

...Yeah, I'm pretty busy! There's practice every day with the team, and then I spend extra time working on the jump float serve with Shimada-san...

It's different from junior high, you know? I'm not totally confident yet about balancing my time between homework and club activities. Especially in the future when I'm not a first-year. But...I'm glad I'm able to do both.

[...]

Oh! How 'bout you, Oikawa-san? [He wonders belatedly if he's talking too much—without Tsukishima there to tell him when to shut up, Yamaguchi can never be sure.]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject