Work Text:
Takahashi stares at the canvas in front of him. He was practicing his art skills by painting some observational pieces in the small room of his. He fixed his posture as he stopped to observe the strokes he left on the canvas.
"What am I missing… ? " he mumbles to himself.
His thought process was interrupted by a simple notification noise. "Huh?" Takahashi said to himself. The only reason he never left his phone on silent while drawing was because he never got notifications from people.
He gingerly picked up his phone and wiped away any paint that smudged onto his fingers with a dirty cloth. He curiously checked the notification and saw that it was a message… from Yatora.
Takahashi shook his head and closed his phone immediately. There was no point in answering that idiot. He put away his phone and picked up his paintbrush again.
No matter how hard Takahashi tried, he could not force himself to focus on the task in front of him. It was starting to irritate Takahashi to the point of wanting to pull his hair. Not that he would. His eyes just kept leading to his phone and his thoughts kept straying to the message.
Why does this have to be a big deal anyways. Just answer the message.
He set down his paintbrush and picked up his phone once again, telling himself that it was just to make sure it wasn"t anything important.
He opened the message.
Yatora Yaguchi
Hey! Are you, by any chance, free rn?
Takahashi huffed. What did he want? Takahashi wasn"t sure. Yatora usually just sent him pictures of cats and asked questions about art. Takahashi typed a quick reply. "Why? "
Yatora responded immediately, as if he had their conversation open on his phone the whole time.
Yatora Yaguchi
Oh um
Yatora Yaguchi
Do you want to go out with me?
Yatora Yaguchi
Cause I just got back from an outing with my friends and I knew you lived nearby… sooo I was wondering if you wanted to get some ice-cream.
Yatora Yaguchi
It"s been really hot outside lately, and I wanted to catch up with you again!
Yatora Yaguchi
WAIT FUCK
Yatora Yaguchi
I WASN"T ASKING YOU OUT EARLIER I JUST MEANT IT LIKE
Yatora Yaguchi
U KNOW!!!
Takahashi read each message as they were sent without typing a response. He just thought of how his chest seemed to fall into itself when he saw the "do you want to go out with me? " message. Takahashi knew what it meant because of all the romance manga he read. Thankfully, Yatora didn"t mean it in that sense. He didn"t know what he would"ve done if Yatora was actually asking him out.
Takahashi didn"t want to think about it, so he typed a simple response to Yatora after thinking hard. He could paint more later. His mom would be happy Takahashi was going out to take in some air. She"d be overjoyed to hear that Takahashi was meeting Yatora too. She has taken a liking to Yatora ever since that day they met at the museum, so she"d like to hear that Takahashi was keeping in touch.
Me
Ok.
"There, that should be enough" Takahashi thought to himself. He closed his phone and stared at his reflection on the dark screen. Surely enough, Takahashi"s phone lit up again with a new message.
Yatora asked for Takahashi"s address details so that he knew where to meet Takahashi. Takahashi reluctantly told Yatora where his apartment complex was located and started to ready himself.
There was no need for Takahashi to change clothes because of how he never wore pyjamas in the house when not sleeping, and all his other clothes were clothes he wore outside.
He left his painting to dry in the middle of his room and headed to his mother"s bedroom. It was around 7pm so she would be resting at this time. She was getting older, which Takahashi didn"t like thinking about, since she was the only person in his life that hasn"t left him behind.
He creaked open the door carefully and made sure she was awake before letting her know about his plans.
"I"m going out to meet Yatora."
She smiled warmly. Clearly this seemed to cheer her up. "Ok, have fun! Be back before 10."
"I doubt I"ll be out that long, but ok." Takahashi responded with a small smile.
He left the door just the tiniest bit open, so that his mother could easily open the door if she wished, and then headed to the coat rack in front of his door. He opted not to bring a jacket because it was Summer and his long sleeved dress-shirt would keep him warm enough if it got cold. Takahashi grabbed his keys from its place on the coat rack. It was time to head out. Takahashi was already starting to regret ever agreeing to see Yatora.
Well, there was nothing he could do about it now. He took the elevator down and turned away from the mirror, not wanting to give himself something else to fret over. Takahashi didn"t care much for his appearance, but he cared about how neat he looked. He thought things that were too out of place were annoying, which reminded him of a certain someone.
The elevator doors opened and Takahashi was greeted by a familiar face. They stared at each other for a few seconds, a huge smile appearing on Yatora"s face, making Takahashi"s chest feel a bit warm. It must be the weather.
"Hi Yotasuke." Yatora said, smiling through the words.
Takahashi frowned and stepped out of the elevator, making Yatora follow him outside the building.
"Why were you just waiting for me outside the elevator? " Takahashi asked.
Yatora quickly caught up to Takahashi, which of course would be an easy feat for him and his long legs. "Ah- you make me sound so creepy!" Yatora complained.
Takahashi raised an eyebrow and slowed down, there was no point in trying to overtake Yatora in speed. "Are you?" He asked as he opened the main entrance door and exited the building with Yatora.
"Of course not! Some lady let me in the building. She thought I was loitering actually, but I explained to her that I was meeting a friend," Yatora finally explained. "I thought I could escort you from your door, like a gentleman, you know?"
"I don"t think you could ever look like a gentleman," Takahashi pointedly said, "And I didn"t even tell you what floor and door I lived at. "
Yatora paused for a few moments. "I didn"t think that far, I confess."
"Hm, I can tell. "
They continued walking in silence for a bit, the sound of the city getting more noticeable the more they walked away from Takahashi"s home. Takahashi wasn"t sure if Yatora even had a plan but he was enjoying their casual banter. Maybe more than he would like to admit.
"Do you even know where we"re going? " Takahashi asked.
Yatora responded quickly, "Of course I do! What do you take me as?"
"A delinquent who is planning delinquent things? " Takahashi asked while trying to hide a faint smile.
Yatora laughed at Takahashi"s statement in such a way that fills Takahashi"s ears and eats at his brain. His favourite part about Yatora might be his laugh; or his smile, maybe his vibrant colours too. Although, Takahashi remembers how annoying and excitable Yatora is and immediately forgets all those nice things that make up Yatora. (At least, that"s what Takahashi wants to believe. )
"No, no. Actually, I found this nice ice-cream parlour a year or so ago and their ice-cream is really nice. There"s quite a lot of options to choose from as well. " Yatora explains. He starts to lead the way to this unfamiliar street Takahashi hasn"t been through before.
The street was small and didn"t have too many people wandering around, which Takahashi greatly appreciated. He spotted what was probably the ice-cream parlour that Yatora was talking about. Sure enough, Yatora stopped in front of it and opened the door for Takahashi to enter first.
"I can open the door myself you know?" Takahashi complained quietly, now that they were in the small shop.
"Yeah, yeah of course. Now choose what you wanna get. "
Takahashi brought his attention to the display of ice-creams in front of him and chose his favourite; chocolate mint. Usually he goes with something simple like vanilla, but if he wants to try something different he always chooses chocolate mint. It had a reliable taste, while not being very boring. He could not say the same for the other options… like chocolate extravaganza supreme. Takahashi has no idea what it means but he eyes the array of chocolate mixed in the ice-cream. Whoever buys that probably has a death wish.
"One chocolate extravaganza supreme, please. And oh- what do you want Yotasuke?" Yatora asked, looking away from the cashier to wait for Takahashi"s answer, who was busy staring at him with a peculiar expression on his face.
This guy is out of control.
"I"ll pay for myself, it"s fine… " Takahashi says as he starts to reach for his wallet, which would usually be in his pocket. "I forgot my wallet at home. " he says in a matter of fact tone. A slightly annoyed expression was noticeable on his face.
Yatora chuckled and with his wide grin, shook his head. "I kinda guessed that. Now tell me what you want."
"Mint chocolate chip. "
Yatora paid and thanked the lady working at the shop for being patient with them and then waited for Takahashi to open the door while he held the two ice-cream cones in his hands.
They decided to sit near the shop on the footpath. Yatora promised it was fine and wasn"t loitering, or so he thinks. Takahashi let it pass because he wanted his ice-cream and didn"t feel like walking around anymore.
They quietly sat next to each other, just feeling the other"s presence while starting to eat.
Yatora looks at Takahashi with a confusing expression on his face that Takahashi didn"t understand. He thinks this moment would make an interesting painting though. It would have everyone wondering about what emotions the piece was trying to express.
"What do you want? " Takahashi finally asked.
Yatora"s expression disappeared like it was never there in the first place and he started to say something stupid, "How can you like mint? Isn"t that just like eating toothpaste?"
Why did I ever agree to meet him again?
Takahashi"s blank, disappointed face pretty much answered Yatora"s question. Yatora eventually turned his head to look at the people walking by, with a smile on his face. Just as Takahashi was about to do the same, Yatora bit into his ice-cream. Without even flinching.
"What are you?" Takahashi asked with the most emotion in his voice he has ever had. The look of disgust and shock on his face was enough to make Yatora burst into laughter after glancing at the shorter boy.
After Yatora"s laughter died off, and Takahashi"s expression melted into one of warm comfort, Yatora replied, "I"m Yatora Yaguchi! Remember?"
"How could I forget. " Takahashi quietly said, mostly to himself. Yatora"s small smile proved that he heard it too. They said nothing about it but Yatora got closer to Takahashi at some point.
After a few moments, Yatora pointed his ice-cream cone in Takahashi"s direction and asked, "You were staring at this ice-cream in the shop for a while, wanna try it? "
Takahashi between the ice-cream offered to him and Yatora"s warm, affectionate expression. He licked Yatora"s ice-cream and decided he wasn"t going to tell him how he thought the ice-cream flavour was ridiculous. The intense chocolate flavour took over his taste buds and Takahashi wasn"t sure if he liked that. It wasn"t bad though, just slightly overwhelming, much like a certain someone.
Takahashi then leaned away from the ice-cream and tried to avoid Yatora"s intense expression. What does he want?
Takahashi looked the other way as he pointed his ice-cream in Yatora"s direction too. "Try some of mine too, if you want. "
Takahashi was expecting Yatora to immediately decline. He didn"t seem to like the idea of mint, after all; but Takahashi was surprised to feel Yatora"s hand brush against his as he took his grip on the cone. Takahashi turned to look at Yatora and immediately regret it.
Stop looking at his mouth.
Thankfully, the illusion was broken as soon as Yatora bit into the ice-cream. Once again, Takahashi felt disgusted. "You imbecile. "
Yatora burst into laughter for what felt like the millionth time. He let go of his hold on Takahashi"s cone and Takahashi felt that he missed the casual touch it brought, weirdly enough.
"Where"d you learn such big words, Yotasuke? " Yatora asked jokingly while elbowing Takahashi"s side softly. Takahashi scoffed and rolled his eyes, the ghost of a smile showing his real emotions at the same time.
They took their time eating their ice-cream, occasionally sharing their ice-creams too because it had become an ordinary activity for them. As much as Yatora liked to complain about mint flavor ice-cream, he still continued to take bites from Takahashi"s ice-cream every chance he got. Takahashi found that he didn"t mind. I wouldn"t be able to finish all of this on my own anyways.
They discussed art techniques, and people they knew. At one point, they got up and started to make their way back to Takahashi"s place. Yatora insisted on bringing him home, and Takahashi didn"t have enough fire in him left to complain.
They were waiting for the elevator to arrive on the ground floor and Yatora hummed to himself. When the doors of the elevator finally slid open, Takahashi told Yatora, "You can go home now, you won"t be finding out my floor and door number just yet. "
He stepped inside and turned to look at Yatora"s puppy-like expression for the last time. Looking at Yatora was like looking at the sun for Takahashi, so he looked to the ground as he said, "Goodbye, Yatora. "
"Have a good night, Yotasuke. " Yatora responded quietly as the doors slid closed.
-
When Takahashi was sitting down in front of his canvas again that evening, he got a message again. This time Takahashi didn"t think as much about it when he opened it.
Yatora Yaguchi
By the way, you had paint on your face.
Me
And you decided to not say anything?
Yatora Yaguchi
Forgive me!!!
Yatora Yaguchi
You looked cute!! So it wasn"t a problem!!
Me
I am going to block you.
Yatora Yaguchi
Nooo!
Me
I"m joking
Yatora Yaguchi
I know
Yatora Yaguchi
I have to catch the train
Yatora Yaguchi
Bye Yotasuke.
Me
Bye.
This time, Takahashi smiled as he put his phone away. Maybe later into the night, when he"s in his pyjamas and in his bed, he will analyze the new feelings that only appear when he"s around Yatora; but for now, he will bask in the comforting feeling of having a friend.