Afraid to Jump In
Apr. 29th, 2018 11:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
madimpossibledreamerMain Points:
Persona 4 Average AU
Chapter Summary: Yosuke doesn't want to swim.
Word Count: 920
Rating: teen for yosuke's swearing
Persona 4 Average AU
Chapter Summary: Yosuke doesn't want to swim.
Word Count: 920
Rating: teen for yosuke's swearing
“You never mentioned you didn’t know how to swim,” Souji states in what would be mistaken by the majority of the Inaba populace as a flat tone. It’s actually disapproving. Or maybe disappointed. Yosuke still gets the two confused.
He tries to shrug, casual. When Teddie had insisted (and bought the girls swimsuits, which, you know, he’s not sure whether to be impressed or kind of terrified that out of everything Ted could use his powers for he’s using it to figure out all the girls’ measurements but he’s going to err on the side of disapproving if only because he’s terrified of Teddie giving him a second glance and finding out the way Chie had found out—at least his parents had been fine with giving the dumb bear the spare room which is good because they really couldn’t share the same room given the need for binding and he’s taken to locking his door against disaster until he’s actually up) they head to the beach, Yosuke had freaked out and nearly lost his mind.
Together, he and Chie scoured the internet, but most of the results as to how to go swimming with a binding are in English, and neither of them are good enough with the language to translate, and there’s no way in hell either of them are going to ask for help with this particular question. It’s probably fine, and he’s probably able to swim just fine without anybody noticing, but he’s not about to run the risk.
“Well, you know Ted, once he gets fixated on something, it’s almost impossible to get a word in.” He tries a smile. It’s almost not a surprise when that smile is small and kind of hurt.
“I could teach you,” Souji offers, quiet and supportive, and Yosuke’s brain freezes. On one hand, that sounds great. On the other—no, no, no, bad idea.
He waves it off. “Don’t even worry about it, man. I get to hang out and watch Rise in a swimsuit. At least I tan pretty well.”
Souji, the absolute weirdo, looks him over again, and the way his eyes are moving—nope, go away hope, you’re not invited, at all—
“It’s harder to tan with a shirt on, I’d think.” His voice isn’t judging, at all, but the word choice… Souji’s a master of his words, considering he doesn’t use them often, and so every single little choice he makes in terms of constructing his sentences is meaningful. Crap. “You didn’t learn to swim because of your body insecurity, Yosuke?”
He breathes in quick, quicker than he’d intended, but after something like that why not? “Uhh.” Yes, that’s a good excuse, take it you moron— He glances downward, and crap is he going to cry? No wonder Saki-senpai never liked him if he’s really this useless. “Well, I wouldn’t say that’s the only reason,” is what he manages, and—well.
It’s not entirely wrong.
When he’d been really young, his parents practically had to drag him out of the pool. Or the arcade. Back before puberty started kicking in and he started feeling like an imposter in his own skin, he’d actually briefly been on a swim team. The whole competition thing sucked, but he’d enjoyed it. Besides hanging out in the music store, that was one of the most fun things that happened in the summer. It’d be really hard to pull that off now, never mind that the only place to swim would be Samegawa and maybe it’s the city kid in him but that water looks nasty like it’s harboring all sorts of leeches or other icky things and even if other things weren’t an issue he couldn’t bring himself to do that.
Souji has a hand on his hip, like he does sometimes, and he looks upset. Maybe he wouldn’t have caught that a while ago, but his eyes are narrowed a little and the corner of his mouth is turned down, just a little. If he was mad, he’d be outright glaring at Yosuke, which he’s not, so he’s frustrated that he can’t help, which, well, the guy does seem to have this weird complex of wanting to fix absolutely everything in Inaba. He wants to help. Yosuke thinks his partner’s nuts for wanting that, but the guy does, and, well, he’s also stubborn. It’s not like he’s going to talk Souji out of it. But it’s not like he can tell him about it, though—
“At least I’ve got good taste in clothes!” he blurts, because he honestly thinks that’s true and between them and the binder even if he’s super skinny sometimes he even feels right, like he’s not just a fake.
Souji narrows his eyes further, side of his mouth turning up just a little, and damn Souji you’re such a freaking cat all the time. “That’s true. You’ve pulled off every outfit I’ve seen you in.”
Also, if he keeps acting this weird, he’s going to make Yosuke feel normal. “Does that include all those oddball outfits you make us wear in battle, because I swear, Souji, that kind of crap is just getting weird.”
Souji hums, opting to finally sit next to his partner, which fortunately is both less intimidating and takes pity on Yosuke’s poor neck. “It’s for team morale. Surely you wouldn’t begrudge me team morale, Yosuke?”
“Weird,” Yosuke repeats, poking the guy for emphasis.
“Mmm. I’ll take that as a compliment,” he decides, smile growing slightly at Yosuke’s frustrated huff.
He tries to shrug, casual. When Teddie had insisted (and bought the girls swimsuits, which, you know, he’s not sure whether to be impressed or kind of terrified that out of everything Ted could use his powers for he’s using it to figure out all the girls’ measurements but he’s going to err on the side of disapproving if only because he’s terrified of Teddie giving him a second glance and finding out the way Chie had found out—at least his parents had been fine with giving the dumb bear the spare room which is good because they really couldn’t share the same room given the need for binding and he’s taken to locking his door against disaster until he’s actually up) they head to the beach, Yosuke had freaked out and nearly lost his mind.
Together, he and Chie scoured the internet, but most of the results as to how to go swimming with a binding are in English, and neither of them are good enough with the language to translate, and there’s no way in hell either of them are going to ask for help with this particular question. It’s probably fine, and he’s probably able to swim just fine without anybody noticing, but he’s not about to run the risk.
“Well, you know Ted, once he gets fixated on something, it’s almost impossible to get a word in.” He tries a smile. It’s almost not a surprise when that smile is small and kind of hurt.
“I could teach you,” Souji offers, quiet and supportive, and Yosuke’s brain freezes. On one hand, that sounds great. On the other—no, no, no, bad idea.
He waves it off. “Don’t even worry about it, man. I get to hang out and watch Rise in a swimsuit. At least I tan pretty well.”
Souji, the absolute weirdo, looks him over again, and the way his eyes are moving—nope, go away hope, you’re not invited, at all—
“It’s harder to tan with a shirt on, I’d think.” His voice isn’t judging, at all, but the word choice… Souji’s a master of his words, considering he doesn’t use them often, and so every single little choice he makes in terms of constructing his sentences is meaningful. Crap. “You didn’t learn to swim because of your body insecurity, Yosuke?”
He breathes in quick, quicker than he’d intended, but after something like that why not? “Uhh.” Yes, that’s a good excuse, take it you moron— He glances downward, and crap is he going to cry? No wonder Saki-senpai never liked him if he’s really this useless. “Well, I wouldn’t say that’s the only reason,” is what he manages, and—well.
It’s not entirely wrong.
When he’d been really young, his parents practically had to drag him out of the pool. Or the arcade. Back before puberty started kicking in and he started feeling like an imposter in his own skin, he’d actually briefly been on a swim team. The whole competition thing sucked, but he’d enjoyed it. Besides hanging out in the music store, that was one of the most fun things that happened in the summer. It’d be really hard to pull that off now, never mind that the only place to swim would be Samegawa and maybe it’s the city kid in him but that water looks nasty like it’s harboring all sorts of leeches or other icky things and even if other things weren’t an issue he couldn’t bring himself to do that.
Souji has a hand on his hip, like he does sometimes, and he looks upset. Maybe he wouldn’t have caught that a while ago, but his eyes are narrowed a little and the corner of his mouth is turned down, just a little. If he was mad, he’d be outright glaring at Yosuke, which he’s not, so he’s frustrated that he can’t help, which, well, the guy does seem to have this weird complex of wanting to fix absolutely everything in Inaba. He wants to help. Yosuke thinks his partner’s nuts for wanting that, but the guy does, and, well, he’s also stubborn. It’s not like he’s going to talk Souji out of it. But it’s not like he can tell him about it, though—
“At least I’ve got good taste in clothes!” he blurts, because he honestly thinks that’s true and between them and the binder even if he’s super skinny sometimes he even feels right, like he’s not just a fake.
Souji narrows his eyes further, side of his mouth turning up just a little, and damn Souji you’re such a freaking cat all the time. “That’s true. You’ve pulled off every outfit I’ve seen you in.”
Also, if he keeps acting this weird, he’s going to make Yosuke feel normal. “Does that include all those oddball outfits you make us wear in battle, because I swear, Souji, that kind of crap is just getting weird.”
Souji hums, opting to finally sit next to his partner, which fortunately is both less intimidating and takes pity on Yosuke’s poor neck. “It’s for team morale. Surely you wouldn’t begrudge me team morale, Yosuke?”
“Weird,” Yosuke repeats, poking the guy for emphasis.
“Mmm. I’ll take that as a compliment,” he decides, smile growing slightly at Yosuke’s frustrated huff.
