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[He rubs the back of his neck awkwardly and then tucks his hands back into his pockets, trying to come up with something to say. He'd just blow it off but Yamaguchi isn't stupid or Karasuno wouldn't have anything to do with him. In the end, he opts for something like the truth.]

I'm not great with people touching me. Sorry, Yamaguchi-kun.

[It sounds like the worst kind of excuse and Oikawa knows it. The truth always comes out like a lie when he says it which is just one of the many reasons he doesn't tell it often.]

Huh? But–

[Yamaguchi's eyes widen a bit, and he quickly flushes again in horror and bows hastily to Oikawa in apology with a clumsy attempt at actual formality. Oh, dear. That's what it was??]

I'm sorry! I thought–s-since you'd touched my forehead earlier, to see if there was a fever...I didn't realize at all! S-Sorry, Sakeguchi-san! [He's really more embarrassed than repentant, but still, it's not exactly becoming like this for a would-be gangster to fall over himself to apologize...]

[Oikawa forces a laugh and shrugs.] Please don't worry about it, Yamaguchi-kun. How could you have known? I didn't exactly include it with my introduction.

[How is such a good guy in their business? ... It occurs to him that maybe it's an act. If it is, he's a better actor than Oikawa has ever seen.]

[He's not acting—though, Yamaguchi's also not as good a guy as he appears, even if it is an easy mistake to make. More than anything, he's just painfully insecure and desperate to prove himself; always wanting to be liked, to please people, to prove he isn't worthless. That he isn't pathetic. It's always been like that. Yamaguchi has a hard time making friends, and he hasn't got family now either, now that his parents are gone. He'll do anything to hang on to the few people in his life that keep him around after that, and actually treat him like he's a part of something so long as he works hard for it.

He'll do anything to earn their approval. Yamaguchi would (will, someday) send innocent people to prison without a second thought, if it will keep his fellow Karasuno members safe.

And while he's not nearly strong or brave enough for it yet, if he was, Yamaguchi would probably kill for them too. Especially Tsukishima.]

Sorry... [Yamaguchi's voice is cringing and regretful, worried that he might have already ruined whatever shot he had with this Sakeguchi guy. As a new student he might be kind of forward, but he's also charming, and more importantly Yamaguchi's never met someone before that just...liked him. He's halfway smitten already despite himself.]

Yamaguchi-kun?

[He doesn't know exactly what he's asking but every single thing that Yamaguchi says makes Oikawa wish more that he'd just managed to stay put when Yamaguchi touched him.

He could try and go back to his previous demeanour but that wouldn't make sense with how he jerked away before. Yamaguchi might have a fake name for him but he's probably getting a version of Oikawa that's closer to who he really is than Oikawa's shown anyone for a long time. Even Iwaizumi gets a false version of him, he's just had enough experience to know what parts are real.

He wonders if he'd be able to pull off pretending to be a law student. At least until the end of the semester where he can pretend that financial issues require him to drop out and get a job. Which is a little ridiculous but their conversation is the most fun he's had in months and he doesn't like letting go of what enjoyment he can manage. He likes manipulating people and organising Aoba Johsai's affairs but a lot of the the people he deals with have a negative sense of humour to the point where he doesn't even bother trying to get reactions out of them. He almost wishes it was because they'd have him killed if they thought he was disrespecting them but he's too high up now for that to be a concern.]

Hm?

[At the sound of his name, Yamaguchi swallows and refocuses, managing to force a polite smile for Oikawa.]

Ah, sorry, Sakeguchi-san. Let's go on to the Hoshino Building now, okay? [If 'Sakeguchi' asks for his phone number again, Yamaguchi will give it to him. But Yamaguchi's too spooked at this point about upsetting him earlier to make another offer, he doesn't have the guts to try again after messing up so badly the first time.]

[Oikawa's eyebrows pull together in concern. Yamaguchi's other smiles were much nicer than that.]

Of course. Thank you.

[He keeps his hands loose in his pockets and tries to ignore the nagging sensation that he should fix this.

He manages to walk beside Yamaguchi for two paces before opening his mouth.]

Do you like studying here, Yamaguchi-kun?

[Yamaguchi blinks and glances over at him, and tries to think of a response to the odd, but benign-seeming question.]

...Yes? It's a good school. [And my family lives here, he nearly adds, but it's not his place to bring up Karasuno even indirectly in his regular dealings with outside strangers.]

I'm glad! If you like it here then I'm sure I will too.

[... Shit, is he going to have to turn up to classes to keep up this charade? Iwaizumi will kill him if he sneaks out to go to law lectures. But really, it was his fault Oikawa didn't stay in his office in the first place.]

Plus, I won't mind seeing you around at all.

[Yamaguchi's cheeks dust tinge again as he glances over at him.]

...You won't, Sakeguchi-san?

I won't!

[He flashes him a smile.]

Even if you... [he breaks off like he's reconsidering what he's saying.]

It'll just be nice to have you there, Yamaguchi-kun.

?

'Even if I...?' [He tries to look simply curious, but thinks he's probably failing.]

[Oikawa puts on his sheepish act again.]

Even if you don't want to see me around after this.

Me?

[Honestly, Yamaguchi wouldn't have thought twice about a guy like that if he hadn't approached him first. But, after talking to him, there's definitely a strange charisma about Sakeguchi that makes it hard not to want to get to know him more.

And the fact that he still, inexplicably seems to want to talk to Yamaguchi, even after the latter went and offended him...Yamaguchi feels terrible at the thought he might've given Sakeguchi the impression he didn't ever want to see him again.]

No, no, I want to! I'd be happy to, Sakeguchi-san! [He is really not thinking this through at all HE HAS A JOB HE SHOULD PROBABLY REMEMBER ABOUT SOMETIME THIS CENTURY]

Really? I understand if you don't.

[The more he talks to him the more he wishes Seijoh had found him first. Sure, they don't need someone like him but Oikawa would never say no to another pretty face under their employ. And he's fun to bother. Pity he would have objected without his friend, from what Oikawa has found out.]

[It's doubtful Yamaguchi and Oikawa would ever have crossed paths, if Yamaguchi hadn't been at the right place at the right time to be snatched up by Karasuno when he was—namely, with Tsukishima, the day the latter was faced with an impromptu patch job for a bleeding stranger in an unopened shop. Without that encounter, Yamaguchi wouldn't be in 'the business' at all. He'd also be a fair bit lonelier, and more broke, so he counts it as a stroke of good fortune that he and Tsukki were recruited to the gang.]

No, I do mean it! Sorry if it seemed like that wasn't the case, Sakeguchi-san!

[He stalls in his walk and finally pulls his hands back out of his pockets.]

So, if I asked for your number again...?

[He allows himself to look hopeful as his heart races, he doesn't know if Yamaguchi will give it or not but he has a hunch.

This can't end in anything but a huge bother and probably a body count but everyone needs a hobby and for the next little while it's going to be Yamaguchi by virtue of him being the only thing to hold Oikawa's interest in weeks. And if Yamaguchi's smile manages to make him a little happier before it goes down in flames, well, that's a bonus.]

[Already, there's a part of Yamaguchi that knows damn well—has forgotten, perhaps, since the start of this conversation, but still knows—that he shouldn't let himself feel so happy to hear Sakeguchi say those few, simple words. What does he think he's doing, grasping desperately to regain a total stranger's approval like some lost puppy? He has a family now, a job. An important one. He hasn't got the freedom or the time for outside fraternization.]

...Right! Definitely, yes! I-If you wanted it, that is, I'll tell you– [his fingers tighten guiltily for a moment, twitching around on the prepaid business cell phone still in his left hand; that's not the phone number he'll be able to give away] –or, I can get yours and then text you, later?

[Yamaguchi doesn't believe he's ever made a real friend (a real connection to anyone) on his own before. Someone met outside of a group, who wasn't obligated to like him just because they were on the same team. With the obvious exceptions of Tsukishima and Shimada, both of whom Yamaguchi all but had to wear down at first to accept his company...'Sakeguchi Tadeo' may well be it. It's stupid and maybe pathetic that Yamaguchi can't just let it go, but...]

[Yamaguchi should be more careful! 'Sakeguchi' could have noticed that little fumble and drawn awkward conclusions. Luckily, he's more than happy to hand over his own number with a mostly genuine smile and no questions.]

Of course, if you have some paper, I can write it down? [Yamaguchi will be getting the third of his many numbers, the one he uses for more personal contacts that don't have a direct connection to the business so he knows not to answer it with a snap if he's interrupted from something important.]

Ah, I'll just type it into mine! Don't worry. [Yamaguchi smiles apologetically, opening a note in the cell phone he's already holding to type out the number Oikawa gives him. He doesn't label it or file it into his contacts, since this is only temporary. Yamaguchi can always transfer the number over to his personal phone, and say it's new one or the other broke if 'Sakeguchi' notices and asks. But pulling a second phone out of his backpack now would be suspicious no matter how you look at it.]

Right, of course.

[He rattles off his number for Yamaguchi to take down.]

You will use it, won't you? [He's not entirely convinced Yamaguchi has the courage to approach someone about borrowing a pen, much less call someone who's said they want to ask him out on a date and he'd start looking like a stalker if he turned up outside another one of Yamaguchi's lectures without actually attending it.]

[Yamaguchi pauses, staring blankly for a moment as the meaning registers, then gives a high nervous laugh to try and hide how flustered he is at the implication he thinks he's reading out of the request.]

I will! I'll definitely text you tonight, so...you'll have my phone number! If you want to reach me. [He's still not convinced there's going to be a next time, like Sakeguchi said, but he can't help but hope that the guy's not just being polite with him and really means it when he says he wants to talk.]

[He grins and runs his hand through the back of his hair. It'll be nice to keep in contact with Yamaguchi. He's still a little surprised at how easy this was.]

I can't wait. Oh but- [he looks around them, the trickle of people has petered out and the university is looking like it's basically done for the night.] Will there be anyone left to show me around now?

Huh?

[Yamaguchi glances around at the campus, suddenly realizing with a start that the last traces of activity can no longer be seen in students and professors making traffic through the university buildings. Even the workaholic professors that stay late in their offices won't be the type to help a new student earn his bearings over their own research. How long have he and Sakeguchi been talking? Yamaguchi checks the time on his phone with a small yelp of shock.]

Geh, already? It's practically ten o'clock...!

[Oikawa makes a strangled noise. Iwaizumi's going to kill him.]

I'm sorry for keeping you so late, Yamaguchi-kun! You probably had lots to do as well. [He smiles a little as he frantically tries to plan excuses to give to Iwaizumi for staying out of contact this long.] I hope it wasn't all bad though?

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