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Things were supposed to be normal today.
Things were normal today.
Yoshida gave the tiniest smile thinking that. Humored by even his moment of thinking things were off here. After all, when did a day pass that Denji wasn’t getting into some kind of trouble? This was to be expected, and in a way they were expected.
Walking up to the collapsed form of Denji, who was crouching down and covering his eyes on a corner, Yoshida surely wouldn’t say he was shocked. Something had clearly happened, something had made Denji upset, but that wasn’t really what Yoshida was interested in here. No… and why would he be?
It was amazing, or no, not too much, that Denji didn’t seem to notice that Yoshida was even here until he found the other boy right in front of his nose. Staring right into the black slacks Yoshida wore, close enough to him it could be brushing against Denji’s nose. It made Denji have to crane his neck uncomfortably up to actually be able to see Yoshida’s wry smile.
“Hey, what the fuck are you doing here?” Big talk, a little bird puffing up its feathers when its voice was still all gravelly from crying. Sadly an attempt to sound all threatening really didn’t work when you still had red raw eyes and a huge pout from some sort of breakdown. Yoshida wondered what this one had been over for him to look so beat up. Old memories?
“Hello Denji, you seem pretty upset.” The way Denji’s nose wrinkled up into some kind of disgust was cute. So flighty, so scared. Always suspicious about what was being asked. Or no, not suspicious, more… defensive. Scared of what would happen if he answered. At least scared when Yoshida was involved.
“Yeah well I am. Of course I look it.” Rough gross words spat out with cute sassiness… Denji rocked back on his heels to stand up. Even straightening up all tensely so he could get rid of as much of their height difference as possible. Puffing up again. Yoshida would make fun of him if it weren’t for the fact it made sense to be so defensive when you had been through as much as Denji had.
“Yes. Well I’m happy we’re on the same page then. Glad to hear it.” Closing his eyes in an innocent smile Yoshida didn’t need to be able to see to know Denji was going to blow up in a firework over that response. He was going to, and Yoshida felt that palm coming to push him away… catching it by Denji’s wrist and holding on with more pressure than necessary.
“I’d feel bad leaving you alone while you look so rough, would you like to come eat with me?” Yoshida wanted to laugh at the utter despair and conflict that began flashing behind Denji’s eyes as he heard Yoshida’s offer. They both already knew Denji wasn’t going to reject, that he could be bribed into almost anything by food… and he did.
“Fine. You’re paying right?” There could certainly be something said about Denji’s constant assumption there. After all, one rarely paid for the meals every single time when going out in this age. Yoshida might’ve actually been offended if it was anyone but Denji expecting such a thing from him. In fact he certainly would’ve been if it had been anyone but Denji doing such a thing.
He really let Denji get away with a lot, didn’t he?
“Of course.” Immediately Denji perked up, some of his tension falling away at the promise of something nice, knowing Yoshida would not be interested in going to some crowded fast food place. It was cute. Yoshida actually bit the inside of his lip, so softly, so quietly. No one could possibly see that he was doing it, it was too controlled… At least until he ripped some of the skin straight off. Ah.. well. It’d be nothing but a cold sore he supposed.
“So where? Where?” It was clear Denji hadn’t meant to repeat himself there and pursed his lips into a tiny frown. One that disappeared in an instant anyway. How great at moving past things he had become. Yoshida could tell all of this was wearing on him now, making him so tired… but not too tired. Not at all.
Denji started walking on his own, looking around for places to eat and clearly expecting Yoshida to follow. Which he did, but only for a bit. Catching up with only two strides and placing his hand atop one of Denji’s shoulders, Yoshida made the boy stop and freeze up. Yoshida still didn’t understand why Denji always did that, why he was so scared of Yoshida touching him. Was it all the trauma the past years have been sending him through?
“Not so fast, I have somewhere special I want to bring you. And I also want to ask you something.” The fear that came over Denji’s face was absolutely delicious, but also certainly wouldn’t last all that long. There wasn’t anything all that important Yoshida had to ask, but with Denji’s attention span, he’d certainly forget this was even said after eating.
“What is it…” Heavy unsurety. Yoshida didn’t need to ask to know Denji was assuming the absolute worst here. Always getting ready for another tragedy. What Yoshida wouldn’t do to hear all those fearful paranoid thoughts, the things Denji was the most scared of, what in his shattered life he was still worried about…
“Not here. We can talk about it when we’re eating.” The hesitant nod Denji gave was so sweet, and he let Yoshida easily turn him around and steer him in the direction they were supposed to go… for a bit.
“Hey, get off me. How is it even comfortable to walk with your arm like that?” The gruff irritable voice was back and Denji shrugged Yoshida’s hand off his shoulder. Expected, but regardless disappointing. Yoshida’s hand flexed for a second, deciding what to do for the briefest of seconds before coming back down casually.
“I guess you always walk stiff as a board though, probably one of your locked positions huh tin man?” The insult didn’t land even though Yoshida found praise for the creativity of it. Still he wondered how Denji expected people to walk. As slumped over as him? Not everyone wanted to destroy their spine so soon.
“Perhaps it is. Here, go in this one.” Pointing to a door they were coming up to, Denji obeyed. Not a word, not a peep out of him. This time Yoshida dared the smallest lick of the corner of his lips.
“Over here.” Directing Denji over to a pair of seats he was pleased once again to see Denji completely obey him again. He sat down at attention, more ready to see what was going to be offered here and what he was going to get to eat. Yoshida took off his coat and handed it to one of the servers before sitting down himself, smiling at how much like an impatient kid Denji looked like right now.
Denji must’ve caught his staring because he got all stiff and cranky again, glaring back at Yoshida’s serene face with something that looked like a little dog daring to bite. As if the boy would ever make that mistake. Denji was certainly not the brightest in the world, but even he knew better than that, even if just subconsciously.
“So what kind of place is this? Looks cramped.” It was truly amazing how Denji always had no problem with being so rude. Lack of a filter, was that what this was called? Certainly felt that way at times. Although he could brighten up at times… they were so rare though. Yoshida still couldn’t find how to get more smiles than through food.
A tragedy but also something that at least made Yoshida happy to feed the poor thing.
Watching Denji order so much that Yoshida wasn’t sure who, if anyone’s, stomach could hold all of it, he gave another bit of a smile at how excited Denji was. Sometimes he wondered how Denji hadn’t gotten refeeding syndrome when first coming here. He went from having next to nothing to eating like a pig… shocking that didn’t cause a seizure…
Although, he was being watched by someone else at that point, wasn’t he? Someone who lived with him. Yoshida hadn’t ordered any food but the preset silverware allowed him to curl one of his hands around the knife in a way that was as threatening to others as it was to himself. The blade digging the pads of his fingers just the slightest bit.
Well they were dead now, so that didn’t really matter too much. Maybe they had made sure Denji hadn’t eaten too much at first. Denji had certainly been here long enough now to have healed his shrunken stomach, Yoshida supposed that was what was to thank for this binging.
Something that, if Denji didn’t make such a mess with, Yoshida would be perfectly happy with. He certainly didn’t mind being the one to feed Denji whatever he wanted, but he did find himself looking down in disgust at someone shoving food into their mouth with their whole palm.
Luckily things seemed to be a bit better this time. A bit better. Not by much. Not as much use of hands this time, finally learning some manners from someone out there. Or maybe just from observation, Yoshida hoped for that one. He wasn’t too thrilled with the idea of someone else teaching Denji manners… That was something he’d like to be doing himself.
When the waiter came back with a refill of Denji’s drink the boy immediately reached for it… but Yoshida beat him to it. He grabbed the rim of the drink with all the speed in him and slid it away from Denji, getting it just out of his reach. There was a small ‘what the fuck!?’ from Denji, but he quickly quieted, looking over to Yoshida with an expression that demanded he answer what this was. Yoshida obeyed himself this time.
“I had a question, remember?” Denji blinked for a second, but then just reached out for his drink, leaning over the table and whining when Yoshida moved it further away. Not even letting go of the top of it.
“Eh? Yeah I remember, why can’t you ask me while I’m eating? Why we gotta stop?” There was another cute little reach for it, but then Denji stopped, knowing it’d be easier to just wait for the question. Knowing they’d probably just spill his drink if he kept this up.
“Because it's a very important question.” Denji stiffened up again. Expecting the worst like always. Almost shaking for it. Yoshida let him sit in the stress for a while, long enough for it to hurt but not enough that Denji would get suspicious or annoyed by it.
“I wanted to know about your new friend.” Yoshida couldn’t decide if he was pleased or annoyed by the confusion on Denji’s face. If it meant that Denji didn’t consider them a friend, that was delightful… but Yoshida was worried that the face was just more confused at the question in general.
“What? Who?” Taking a moment to take a calming breath that sounded more humored than stressed, Yoshida leaned his chin on his knuckles. Staring down at Denji with a sharp smile that didn’t do a great job at seeming as innocent as Yoshida would’ve liked.
“Asa, of course.”