heleanor | ♠ ＧＯＬＤ ♥ ＧＵＮＳ ♦ ＧＩＲＬＳ ♣

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?

No, no, it's good! I'm just kinda late, that's all...!

[Yamaguchi's too frantic about being late himself to notice Oikawa's own state of panic. The trader Yamaguchi was on the phone with before might call him back at any minute, or someone might report in with news of Uchizawa, and Yamaguchi can't talk business here. Daichi would kill him, or at least he'd do it if Sugawara didn't take care of Yamaguchi first.]

I'm gonna text you tonight, okay? See ya, Sakeguchi-san!

I'm holding you to that, Yamaguchi-kun!

[He waves him off, waiting until he's scampered out of sight before pulling out his own phone and seeing three missed calls and a string of texts that, when he compares to his mental list of codes, are very terse.

Yamaguchi better text him fast or Oikawa will be a body cooling in a dumpster before he gets a chance to reply.

Reluctantly, he places the call and holds his phone between his ear and shoulder so he can use his hands to change the notification on his other phone to another one so he'll react faster when Yamaguchi texts.]

[Yamaguchi dutifully hurries back to Karasuno and finishes up a long round of calls, papers, explanations for his lateness, and other assorted tasks for the gang before he even thinks about texting Sakeguchi. By then, it's past 1 o'clock, and Yamaguchi hesitates, not wanting to disturb him if he's sleeping.

But...he did promise. Yamaguchi sips on his third cup of coffee for the evening and stews nervously for a moment before he pulls out his personal phone and transfers the number over. Then he opens a text message and takes a deep breath.]

Hi! This is Yamaguchi Tadashi from this afternoon at the university. Sorry for the late text, just wanted to send my contact info along. Good luck with classes tomorrow! [That's innocuous enough, right? Yamaguchi steels himself and hits the SEND button before he can change his mind.]

[Iwaizumi let him off considerably easier than he thought he would, all things considered. He's got a bruise on his hip from a kick but apart from that he's right as rain. Of course, he left off the part about how the guy he was talking to is a member of Karasuno but he's the boss not Iwaizumi and what he doesn't know will only hurt Oikawa and everyone in their family if he fucks up. So it's all good!

He spends the rest of his time before he sleeps, managing his affairs and making a couple of calls to Seijoh members who prefer to act like the sun doesn't exist and lost track of time before his phone buzzes with Yamaguchi's text. He finishes sending off a spreadsheet with incriminating numbers to a contact behind on his payments and then checks his phone with a tiny smile on his lips. Maybe he's grown a heart.]

Yamaguchi-kun! Thank you for texting me, it's so late I was sure I would have to wait until tomorrow to hear from you. Did you manage to finish your things on time?

[Yamaguchi's just sitting down on the couch with a textbook when his phone unexpectedly goes off—he's surprised, not having expected Sakeguchi to be awake at this hour.]

Good evening!
Yes, I finished everything on time. Hopefully you weren't late for anything either, were you?

[Man he misses typing like a teenager. But if Yamaguchi wants to succeed as a professional he has to get in the habit of using PROPER PUNCTUATION NOW]

Nothing I couldn't handle. I should get to bed soon though - Time waits for no one after all. And I'm glad I didn't keep you too long, I would have hated to get you in trouble because I kept bothering you.

[Yamaguchi probably misses his old texting style as much as Oikawa misses his emoticons. He still uses them occasionally with Iwaizumi but it's hard to be a tough mob boss when you add hearts and stars after all your messages.]

You wouldn't have gotten me in trouble. [HE DID THIS TO HIMSELF, AND HE KNOWS IT.]

But have a good night, Sakeguchi-san!

[Yamaguchi...still has some hours' worth of studying to do, both of the legal and illegal variety.]

You too, Yamaguchi-kun! I'll talk to you tomorrow.

[He waits a few seconds then sends another message.]

Well, today I suppose.

[He has to take his sleep where he can get it, he'll be up again at six for a horrifically early breakfast meeting that he couldn't argue into a reasonable hour and he should have at least four hours sleep so his temper isn't an inch away from the surface for it.]

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place your bets which karasuno member catches them hanging out first

fingers crossed for asahi, tanaka or noya, they're the only ones a love story would persuade

first they gotta get through that awk moment of 'holy shyamalan twist he was oikawa THE WHOLE TIME!'

and also prevent oikawa from running the hell away as they try and explain who the hell he is

I LIVE FOR THE DRAMA

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