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Yosuke sighed deeply as he leaned into Yu's touch.
The two were curled up in a puddle of blankets on the Dojima family couch, half-watching old Featherman R reruns to avoid the blistering cold outside. Yu was warm as always, and took Yosuke's ice-cold hands in his own, absentmindedly toying with his fingers.
He let out another small sigh. "This is nice."
Yu chuckled, a low, fond sound that Yosuke felt against his chest.
"I'm glad, Partner," he said, moving his hands up to thread through Yosuke's unruly hair.
Yosuke felt himself go red to the tips of his ears at his rare use of the nickname. He knew exactly what he was doing, the jerk.
"You ass," he mumbled against Yu's skin. "Stop making me all flustered."
"But you're cute when you're flustered."
Yosuke groaned, elbowing him. "I hate you."
"You love me."
"Yeah, yeah, I do..." he grumbled. He pulled Yu in even closer, their arms and legs tangling together and his face buried in his partner's chest. Yu took the movement as an invitation, closing the tiny gap between them and pressing a soft kiss to Yosuke's head.
"Love you too, Yosuke."
Yosuke blushed furiously. Even after nine months he still couldn't quite believe that perfect Yu Narukami loved him out of everyone. Especially when he did that... that... thing he did, where he would catch Yosuke completely off guard with some random romantic gesture that left him red-faced and stuttering.
Once, Yu walked up to him after a tough battle in the TV, all casual and leader-like, and then grabbed him by the collar and kissed him. For no reason. Then he'd just smiled and walked away, leaving Yosuke standing there alone, dumbstruck and a little dizzy. It was hard enough already keeping their relationship a secret without Yu spontaneously making out with him while everyone's backs were turned. Despite that, though, Yosuke would be lying if he said that his heart didn't nearly beat out of his chest when Yu did those sort of things.
Not that he would ever admit that. Nope, never.
The lingering touches and unexpected kisses were just a small reminder that Yu really did love him, even if Yosuke was still having trouble processing it himself.
Yu shifted against him. Yosuke glanced over. He had fallen asleep, his silver hair falling over his eyes and a peaceful expression on his face.
Holy shit, he's cute.
He glanced at the clock. Nanako and Dojima said they wouldn't be back for another for three hours. Plenty of time to stay like this with his unfairly attractive boyfriend. Besides, it wasn't like he'd fall asleep. Just until Yu wakes up. Yosuke couldn't help but grin a little as he curled up against his partner. He really was a lucky guy, huh?
Not even minutes later Yosuke drifted off to the feeling of Yu's slow and steady breathing, arms wrapped tightly around him.
"Big Bro's gonna be so happy, Dad!"
Nanako happily bounced up and down on her heels as Dojima struggled, with three full bags of Junes-brand sushi, to walk the rest of the way home. Trailing behind him was the huge line of teenagers that made up the Yu's circle of friends, dressed to the teeth in their heavy winter coats.
"Yeah, I'm sure he will, sweetie - hey, Tatsumi, hold this."
Kanji took the bag shoved into his hands by Dojima. "Man, it's been a while since we saw Senpai in person!"
Chie nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, I bet he'll be so surprised to see us. Maybe we can train at the riverbank like old times!"
"It's only been three months since we last saw him, everyone," Naoto chuckled, self-consciously keeping a respectable distance between herself and Kanji.
Teddie was practically over the moon, waving his arms dramatically. "Oh, Sensei! How bear-y long it's been!" (Every day Dojima wondered how the Hanamuras lived with him.)
"By the way, Teddie, where's Yosuke-senpai?" Rise asked, looking over at him. "I thought he'd be looking forward to this the most."
Nanako answered instead, looking equally as excited as Teddie. "Big bro Yosuke already came over this morning. Don't worry, we didn't tell him about the surprise either!"
Yukiko hummed thoughtfully. "I guess that's not surprising, considering how close they are."
"They're probably playing video games or something right now," Chie agreed. "Guy stuff, y'know."
Everyone was in high spirits, talking excitedly about their plans. Nanako was ecstatic to be around the whole group again, playing around with Teddie and chattering to her father about all her big plans for her big bro's visit. Once they arrived home she rushed in first, chomping at the bit to reveal the surprise.
"Big Br—!"
She stopped mid-sentence with a surprised look on her face, gesturing for everyone to come closer with a finger pressed to her lips. All of the massive group filed in curiously, Dojima still balancing the bags of sushi as he shut the door behind them.
"What's up, Nanako-chan?" Chie asked, following her gaze to the couch.
What she saw she had to admit was pretty cute, even if it was those two. Yu and Yosuke were sound asleep in each others' arms. Yosuke was sprawled on top, face firmly curled into Yu's neck. Yosuke looked calmer than she'd ever seen the guy; Yu had his hands tangled in his partner's hair. It was a decidedly more... intimate position than just-best-friends ever found themselves in.
"Alright everyone, pay up!" Chie exclaimed, gesturing to the two on the couch. "I told you they were together! My six hundred yen each, please!"
Several groans rose up from the IT. Dojima chuckled in the background. "You kids are just finding out? Those two have been together for months, you know."
"Yu-senpai and Yosuke-senpai really are dating...? Aww." Rise pouted a bit as she fished around in her purse for her wallet. Her crush on Yu was no secret, and she looked more than a little forlorn. "Well, as long as they're happy."
"Indeed," Naoto added, tipping her hat with a small smile on her face.
Yosuke stirred in his sleep, only half-awake and not quite registering that everyone was there. Yet.
"Partner...?" he mumbled. His eyes fluttered open as everything besides Yu came into focus.
...Like Chie, standing a foot away from them smirking and collecting hundreds of yen from their friends.
...Or Teddie, jumping up and down chanting "Yosuke finally scored!" while Nanako giggled.
Just as Yosuke was about to jump away from Yu and start denying harder than he'd ever done in his life, he felt his partner stir behind him, sitting up. Suddenly he was acutely aware of just how close together they were.
"Everyone?" Yu smiled, wriggling out from underneath Yosuke and sitting up.
Yosuke took it as an opportunity to position himself firmly on the opposite side of the couch. He was going redder than Teddie's costume, he could feel it.
"Yo, Senpai!" Kanji said.
Yu's smile grew. "It's great to see you guys. We've got some catching up to do, huh?" He tried giving Yosuke an encouraging smile, but Yosuke was trying desperately to avoid looking at him.
Chie grinned. "Yup." She turned to Yosuke, who was pointedly avoiding everyone's eyes. "I'm glad you got over yourself, Yosuke," she said smugly.
Kanji raised his eyebrows and looked at Yosuke. "Pretty funny after all those cracks you made at me, huh, Senpai?"
Yosuke cringed. "Y-Yeah...I'm, uh, sorry about that, Kanji."
"S'cool. I won't hold it against you. Figurin' yourself out is damn hard, man—but I better not hear any more shit from you, we clear?"
Yosuke let out a strained, nervous laugh. "Yep, crystal."
"Hey, if you don't hurry the sushi's going to go bad." Dojima said from the kitchen, already unloading the bag onto the table.
The rest of the team turned their attention over to the sushi trays, leaving the two of them sitting on the couch. Yosuke was still trying to process what just happened as Yu leaned over and intertwined their fingers, giving him one of those little smiles that made him feel a bit dopey.
"See? I told you they would be fine with it, Yosuke."
Yu gave his hand an encouraging squeeze.
He was still nervous having everyone know, and half-expected Kanji to change his mind and deck him across the face for all the shit Yosuke had given him before. But as scary as it was being in a relationship with another dude in a tiny, judgemental town like Inaba where half the population already hated him, they would always have each others' backs -- that's what partners are for. After all, defeating a literal goddess and saving the world was probably a hell of a lot harder than pretty much anything else Yosuke could think of. He shot Yu a grin, squeezing his hand back before standing up.
"Yeah. Let's get some sushi. I'm starving, man."
Yu gave him another fond little smile, catching Yosuke off-guard as he pulled him in and kissed him on the corner of his mouth.
"W-Woah, hey! You've gotta stop doing that without warning, Partner! Jeez," Yosuke spluttered, sending his boyfriend a dark look through his blush.
"I'm just glad you're okay with this, Yosuke," he said, looking at him with such undisguised fondness that Yosuke had to look away before he did something embarrassing. He couldn't stop the stupid grin that appeared on his face, though.
"...Me too, Partner. Now c'mon, let's stop talking about sappy stuff and eat some sushi!"
Yu chuckled and followed him into the kitchen, where the rest of their friends were gathered.
"I never would have guessed that Yu-kun and Yosuke-kun would get together," Yukiko wondered aloud.
With Nanako and Dojima in bed, the former investigation team was sprawled all over the Dojima living room, having eaten too much sushi to move.
"I guess it is a little surprising. Especially since Yosuke's such a perv about girls sometimes," Chie agreed.
Yosuke made an offended noise from his spot leaning on Yu's shoulder. "Hey, come on, I wasn't that bad!"
"I still remember how cold the water was the day the girls pushed us into the river. And King Moron's puke..." Kanji shivered.
"Ugh, don't remind me."
Rise looked over at Yu and Yosuke curiously. "How did you two get together, Senpai?"
Yu smiled. "He told me he loved me at the floodplain."
Rise grinned. She had gotten over her crush in record time, or at least was skilled in hiding it. "Aww, that's so romantic! I bet it was sunset too, wasn't it?"
"Yeah. It was very sweet."
Yosuke groaned. "Shut up, partner. You're making me sound like some kind of...girl or something."
He was grateful that he left out the part where Yosuke cried his eyes out about Saki-senpai in Yu's arms, though. Chie would never let him live that one down.
"Really? I never knew you were so romantic, Yosuke!" Teddie chimed. "Teach me your ways!"
He almost dodged the pillow Yosuke chucked at his head. Almost.
"I must admit, that is quite surprising from you, Yosuke-senpai. You certainly don't seem like the type for romantic gestures," Naoto said. "I rather expected something a bit more bare-bones."
Chie snorted. "You've got that right, Naoto-kun. I'm surprised he didn't just waltz up and hit him with a, 'Hey man, wanna make out?' The whole confession on the floodplain thing is super sweet for you, Yosuke!"
"Wow, thanks for having faith in me," he replied sarcastically. "At least Partner believes in me, right?"
Yu deadpanned, "You're very romantic, Yosuke. And a fantastic lay. Especially when I bring out the nurse cos—"
"Dammit, Yu, what the hell!"
Yosuke was bright red as he gave his cackling partner a hard punch to the arm, knocking him onto his side. He could hear Yukiko laughing uncontrollably at them in the background, and Teddie innocently asking Naoto what his Sensei had meant. When Yu tried to get up, he pushed him back down childishly.
"Stay down, dammit!"
Yu was still laughing as he pulled himself upright. "I-I'm sorry, Yosuke, I couldn't resist." He gave him a peck on the cheek in apology.
"Hmph," Yosuke said petulantly, although when Yu pulled him back to his side, he didn't complain.
It was hard to stay mad at Yu for long—and he most definitely didn't complain after everyone else went home, when Yu grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him upstairs for a proper apology.