the world at large

[masukukunai]

Yousuke had a spare room. It wasn't really much, just enough to have a bed and a dresser and a couple of other things, but it was serviceable. He always meant to clean out his boxes from initially moving into the flat from the space, and then maybe nab himself a roomie. Split the rent, you know? He was just as stingy as he always was and half of

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[masukukunai]

The surgery was scheduled for New Year's Eve. Yousuke liked to think of it as an auspicious date-- you know, out with the old and in with the new and whatnot. But the truth of it was that most of the doctors were taking off for the first few days of the New Year, like the rest of the country did. They were just gonna squeeze him in right before. Like Souji, that felt really weirdly casual to him, but hey, he wasn't a doctor, and he supposed they needed days off too.

It was a good thing. It had been four... no, closer to five months since Souji started his chemotherapy, and it was taking it's toll. The poor guy was worn out all the time and didn't rouse himself to do much of anything. Yousuke couldn't blame him. Living through five months of what was basically poisoning himself was beyond his scope of understanding. Maybe after this surgery they could cut back on the chemo and let him start to actually feel better. It would be so good to see. Nothing would make him happier.

Here they are, the night before... the night before January 1. Yousuke had been able to take the next couple of days off, since even Junes closed for the New Year. A part of him only wanted to drink his feelings and get plastered, but that wouldn't be good to Souji. So he sits around and nurses a beer, and thinks about what has happened. It's snowing outside, and it reminds him of when he and Souji and Naoto stood outside in the cold when the fog was so thick they couldn't see it falling. The future was just as uncertain now.

[eatsyourscience]

Half asleep beside Yousuke on the couch, Souji's thinking of the same time. He thinks about that time a lot, really. He doesn't have much else to do but think lately.

He's been in Inaba for months now, but something's been missing.

He shifts on the couch and opens his eyes, looking at the ceiling.

"I miss fog."

[masukukunai]

With Souji laying down, Yousuke has his feet in his lap. There's no way he'd fit otherwise.

"Yeah?" he looks up at the ceiling as if it will help him understand what Souji was thinking, "why's that?"

[eatsyourscience]

"In my head, Inaba and fog go together."

[masukukunai]

"I'm pretty sure that was Izanami doing that crazy fog thing," he replies, rubbing at the crust in his eye with the heel of his hand, "but I guess I can see why you'd think that. Most of the time you were here it was that way."

[eatsyourscience]

"I liked it, before it got really bad."

[masukukunai]

"Why?"

[eatsyourscience]

Souji shrugged and closed his eyes again. "It helped me keep track of time."

[masukukunai]

"...It was weird how it happened, like, once every month or so? Rain, and then fog."

[eatsyourscience]

"I liked other things here, too, but none of those are gone."

best icon (souji you are risking your life there)

[masukukunai]

"Yeah, that's the nice thing about Inaba. Nothing changes a whole lot."

Once in his life he looked down on Inaba for that very reason, but he'd come to like it in time. It was nice to have something you could count on. Something you could trust to still be there when you need it.

it is really not his best idea (and I am not sure why Yousuke's shirt is tucked in)

[eatsyourscience]

Especially when life took you away from it.

Souji shifted, then sat up, swinging his feet out of Yousuke's lap and onto the floor.

"Do you think you've changed?"

for us to all appreciate his ass better

[masukukunai]

"Me? Uh..."

Wow. That's a question for you.

"I guess I'm different. I was kind of a-- I don't know what you call it. Not a brat, but uh-- an attention whore. That's it. In high school I was like that, with all my half-brained ideas. It was fun but it got me into so much trouble. I think I'm more of a straight shooter now. I'm an adult, and there's responsibilities and stuff, so you kind of have to be."

that is the only legitimate reason to do that. or if your job makes you

[eatsyourscience]

Souji nodded. That sounded reasonable. Not that Yousuke didn't still have the occasional half-brained idea, or hadn't been responsible as a teenager. He'd done a lot for Junes back then, more than he probably needed to.

it is usually not very attractive but yousuke does have a rather nice bottom

[masukukunai]

"What about you? You think you've changed any?"

Yousuke didn't think so; not much anyways. Souji was timeless. As solid and with as much swagger as the day they met.

Agreed.

[eatsyourscience]

"I have a home now."