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"Hey."
Sousuke's probing voice garnered no response from his silver-haired boyfriend. Ai was resolutely turned away from Sousuke, reading a book at his desk. His jacket had been removed and was slung over the back of his chair, but Sousuke hadn't yet removed his. He hadn't had the chance. Hands stuffed deep into the warm pockets of his jacket, Sousuke frowned.
"You're not even going to talk to me?"
"There's nothing to talk about," came Ai's cold reply, not budging an inch. He turned a page of his book disinterestedly.
"I have to disagree with that. It's pointless if you don't at least tell me what's wrong."
"Uhm…" From behind them on the top bunk, Momotarou watched the odd exchange in confusion, one of his arms hanging over the side of his bed. "...Should I be here for this, or…?
"No," Sousuke and Ai chimed in unison.
"Give us a minute, would you?" Sousuke asked Momo with a sigh, and Momo's eyes trailed to the back of Ai's head for an added affirmative. When none came, he sighed and hopped off the top bunk.
"Okay, but this is my room too! I'm coming back in ten minutes!" he warned as he left the room.
Sousuke sighed and rubbed fingers through his short hair. Ai still refused to look at him. The silence was maddening.
"Are you really giving me the silent treatment?" he asked heavily. Ai's chin tilted up only slightly. He turned another page.
"I seriously can't think of what to say." he answered finally.
"Do I need to apologize? Because if so, then I'm sorry. I didn't think something like that would upset you the way it did." Sousuke said seriously.
A frustrated sigh escaped Ai's lips, and he finally turned, face set in a scowl, eyes shining with angry tears.
"You don't even know why I'm upset!" Ai exclaimed, more angry than Sousuke had ever heard him. Ai rarely even raised his voice. It was jarring to see him so upset.
"I would if you told me!" Sousuke shot back, feeling his own frustration rising. He couldn't understand why Ai had gotten so riled up. "That guy was being an asshole. What he said to you was unacceptable. Why are you mad at me for putting him in his place?"
"Because no one asked you to!" Ai snapped, pushing his chair away from his desk so that he could stand up and face Sousuke. "You punched that guy, right in the middle of the park, literally in the middle of our date-"
"He called us-"
"I know what he called us!" Ai's voice cut across Sousuke's rebuttal like a whip crack, dissolving into silence. Despite the tears currently gathering at Ai's bottom lashes, his expression was resolute. "By responding with violence, in the end you're no better than him!"
Sousuke frowned. "That's why you're mad? Because I stood up for you against some homophobe?"
Ai let out another sigh. "You seriously don't get it," he said, his voice suddenly more deflated. "No one asked you to stand up for me. I'm not some damsel in distress who needs a big strong man to defend him. I may not look like it, but I can stand up for myself if I need to. And I certainly don't need you swinging around your fists to prove to me that you're some big macho guy."
Sousuke felt his indignance swell up. "I wasn't trying to prove anything to anyone. I just thought…" he trailed off, realizing he was talking himself into a corner. He supposed if he thought about it, his actions had been a little rash. He hadn't considered Ai's feelings when he'd decked that guy at all. He'd fallen firmly into the 'macho boyfriend' trope that he always used to scoff at in movies.
The two of them fell into another silence, Ai sniffling back tears.
"Hey," Sousuke gently broke the silence, placing a hand tentatively on Ai's shoulder. Ai gently rolled his shoulder to buck him off, but Sousuke touched his shoulder again, a little more firmly. Tears immediately dribbled down Ai's cheeks and he inhaled a sharp breath, rushing unfalteringly into Sousuke's arms. Relieved, Sousuke wrapped his arms around Ai's smaller body, hugging him tightly as Ai quietly cried into his chest.
"I'm sorry…" Ai's voice was muffled against the material of Sousuke's jacket. "You were just trying to do something nice, and I…"
Sousuke pressed his mouth against the top of Ai's head. "No, you're right. I'm sorry. I acted like a neanderthal. I should have just ignored him. That would have been the mature thing to do. Because of that asshole, I ruined our date."
Ai shook his head adamantly against Sousuke's chest but said nothing, his shoulders still shaking with sobs. Sousuke nuzzled the crown of Ai's head gently, inhaling his scent, letting his eyes fall closed.
They stayed like that for a few more moments before Ai's tears subsided. Sousuke rubbed his back comfortingly, feeling his boyfriend's breathing become even and calm.
"I don't like fighting with you," Ai whined, his voice less muddled than before. Sousuke laughed through his nose.
"I honestly didn't know you could get that angry," he admitted amusedly. Ai laughed a little, pulling away enough to wipe his eyes on his sleeve.
"I shouldn't have gotten so mad," he said sheepishly.
"No, you had every right. I didn't take your feelings into consideration when I should have. I know that you can take care of yourself, I know you're more than capable, and I'm sorry for acting brutish."
Ai glanced up at Sousuke with a grin, his face rosy, his eyes still wet. "You're not brutish," he remarked with a giggle.
"I kinda was, before," Sousuke pointed out with a sad smile.
"You're not a violent person. The you that's holding me right now is the Yamazaki-sempai I like."
Sousuke pulled Ai closer, eliciting another giggle from the silver-haired boy. "How about we re-try our date next weekend? Same park, more date-stuff, less of me making an ass of myself?"
Ai smiled warmly, invitingly. "Deal."