Work Text:
Inaba summers can get dreadfully boring, especially for city boys like Yosuke.
Back in the city, his summers involved hitting the arcade, trying out new restaurants, attending underground concerts and hanging out with his friends. Not that he and the investigation team disn't do the others when they had the chance to go to Okina (he's yet to find a good band to watch though), but last one was the only thing he could do out in the sticks.
Which was what's currently happening now, as he watched Yu and the determined look on his face.
When you're living in the middle of nowhere, your partner's invite of late night fishing was better than nothing. Even when you despise fish.
They've been in the Samegawa river for almost an hour now, and Yu's yet to catch anything good. He said something about a guardian, and that he hopes to catch it before the summer ends.
He's currently wrapped in a blanket Yu brought for him, the cloth balancing on his shoulders as he strummed his guitar. Yosuke brought it over, hoping he could get some practice in without disturbing his parents or neighbours. He needed something to do anyway, and Yu didn't seem to mind the noise.
At first he started playing some upbeat music, then even some Muse and Nickelback, humming or singing along at times. Though by the 30-minute mark of Yu still not getting anything, he shifted to slower songs and ballads to match the somber mood of the night.
Speaking of Yu, Yosuke pauses from his playing and shifts his gaze towards his partner who had a look of determination in his face as he watched the still waters. Samegawa cats Yakitori and Soba—Yu named them all after food, because he's weird like that—were nearby, possibly waiting for Yu to catch a fish.
The moon was high up tonight and was basically the only source of light as the nearest lamppost was a bit farther from where they were.
The moon's reflection in the water illuminated Yosuke's view of Yu as the moonlight danced on his silver hair. He looked like a prince right now, like he was the moon itself, gracing Inaba with his glory.
"Why'd you stop?" Yu asked, turning towards Yosuke and awakening him from his stupor.
"H-huh? Nothing. Couldn't think of a song to play," Yosuke lied.
"Hm. In that case, perhaps you—wait, ah-" Yu gasped, feeling the pull from the line.
"Woah! Do you think it's big, partner?" Yosuke stood straighter, setting his guitar down to watch closer.
Yu struggled a bit, pulling hard until—
"Oh."
A trout.
A rather small one too.
"That's a damn strong fish there, partner," Yosuke watched as Yu placed it on his pail, cringing a bit as the fish flopped around.
Yu chuckled as he threw his hook again, determined to continue on.
He soon got some more catches, to which he gave some to the cats who have now multiplied now that they saw food.
"Not gonna wrap yet, partner?" Yosuke asks eventually.
"A few more minutes. Sorry, am I boring you?" Yu turns to him, a guilty look on his face.
"Nah, I got to practice my guitar so it's been fun on my books!" Yosuke grinned, wanting to take away the guilt off of Yu's face. As if Yu could ever bore Yosuke. He hasn't even been playing the guitar for a while now, content on just watching Yu as he fished.
Yu smiled at him and turned back to the river.
Yosuke watched him again. The little furrow on his brow and the small bite on his lip as he silently begged the water to bring him the fish he wanted, his hands, gripping his fishing line, shoulders slumped as his own blanket covers him, and his grey eyes like moonlight, shimmering.
Yosuke remembers a song he played earlier with his guitar, remembers the blush on Yu's cheeks that was obvious even in the darkness as he strummed the chords, and lyrics with the silver moon sparkling.
Inspired, he picks up his guitar again, playing something new.
His fingers were a little clumsy, movements slower than the actual beat, but one could still make out the song.
He hums along, until he couldn't help it.
Oh, the whole world, it is sleeping,
But my world is you.
Yosuke glances up and sees that the blush is back on Yu's cheek, so he continues.
Can I be close to you?
Yu starts to whistle along with him, and they continue doing so even if the song basically ended already.
Yosuke doesn't realise he's set his guitar down and gotten closer until he feels Yu's warm breath near his face, a stark contrast from the cool night air.
The two of them stare at each other for what felt like hours, breaths mingling. Yu looks more like moonlight now that he's this close, and Yosuke couldn't bring himself to pull away.
He notices Yu's gaze move downwards, and Yosuke licks his lips. Yu's eyes follow the movement.
Like a satellite in Yu's orbit, he couldn't resist the gravitational pull.
They're so close, and Yosuke's just about to close his eyes when they're both surprised by Yu's fishing line being pulled.
Yu reels it in while Yosuke watches, red-faced.
Another trout.
Yu puts it on his pail as well, then he stares at it.
"Huh? What's wrong, partner?"
Yu lifts the two trouts he caught and faces Yosuke, who tilts his head in confusion.
"They're about the same size…"
"…Ooookay."
Then Yu tries to flip one, only for it to slip from his hand and flop to the ground.
"Pfft," Yosuke couldn't help it, "what was that?"
"I was thinking…"
"What?"
"Do you think you can fight with these?"
"H-huh?! What are you on about, dude?"
"Do you think you can fight shadows with these?"
"Dude, hell no! The hell are you thinking?! Not to mention how gross fish are, how can someone even fight with those things?"
"Fish aren't gross," Yu frowned, a small pout forming, "they taste good."
He'd look cute if he wasn't so ridiculous right now.
"Uh, yes they are. They're slimy and slippery dude. And they do not taste that good."
Yu pouts even more, "someday… I'll make you change your mind."
"But not today, dude. Put those back in your pail, I'm not touching your trout slimed hands."
"I'll give them to Daidara. Maybe he'll be inspired with something."
"If you make me fight with fucking fish shaped knives, I'll murder you."
Yu only laughed, wiping his hand on Yosuke's shirt to tease him.
"Oh- fucking- dude!!! What the hell!?"
A week later, Yu hands him trout-shaped weapons.
"What the hell, partner," Yosuke stared at him.
"Yosuke, you're my favourite fish," Yu said, placing the weapons in Yosuke's hands.
"Shut the fuck up, man. I'm not using those!"
"But it will help you evade attacks better. Get it? Because fish are slippery, and evade—"
"Yeah, yeah, I get it! Shut up!"
And even if it looks vile and he still hates fish, he couldn't bring himself to say no, not when Yu was giving him that look.
At least they weren't real.