Subdued

[madimpossibledreamer]

Main Points:
Persona 4 Average AU
Chapter Summary: Chie's going to make this right even if she has to kick everyone to do so.  ...Pretty much still accurate, with Souji POV though.
Word Count: 445
Rating: Gen?

         When Yosuke returns, he just…doesn’t talk.  To anyone.  He’s even more absorbed in doodling random things in his notebook than usual.  He flat-out ignores the concerned note Souji passes him, and Yukiko stewing in her own rage right next to him.  Between subjects he slips on his headphones briefly.  A minute or two is enough, apparently, though he’s also so just done that surprisingly even the teachers don’t call on him (other than Kashiwagi, who gets upset that he doesn’t respond, but Chie asks her about herself and subjects them all to a fifteen minute lecture about how popular she’d been ‘just a few years ago’ when she was in a class ‘just like theirs’). 
         He’ll at least meet Chie’s eyes, though.  And while he’s a little annoyed, Souji’s mostly just thoughtful.  Chie had known exactly what was wrong and how to talk Yosuke into at least returning.  And she’d been furious at her best friend, who was also sulking, all the more deadly because of her lack of understanding as to the why, on the behalf of a guy friend who supposedly wasn't as strong a friend as the one she’d known for years.  On prodding she, too, insists that they’re not dating.  All indications suggest that they’re dating, but, well.
         It’s not like every single one of their classmates don’t think they’re dating.  If they were trying to have a secret relationship, there would be no reason to continue to try to hide it, considering how badly they’ve failed.  Yet they continue to insist.  And even if Souji disapproves of how Chie keeps practically stealing Yosuke’s wallet and beating him up, all signs point to Yosuke not actually minding, considering how he’d acted just now.  Chie was the only one who could get to him—not Souji, not Teddie.  He’d wonder if their Shadows didn’t pull them closer together if not for the fact that Chie didn’t actually see Yosuke’s Shadow in the end.
         Something in Souji says that they’re not actually dating.  Something in Souji also says that they don’t have enough information to solve the mystery.
         When class ends, Yosuke stands with a sigh and waves at Chie as he dashes out the door.  “Laters!”
         “I’ll talk to Naoto-kun and text you the where and when!” she calls cheerfully, and Yosuke winces, but he waves again before he disappears.
         Chie’s cheer almost instantly disappears, the second Yosuke disappears from sight.  “We are not talking about this here.  The Samegawa Flood Plain.”  She starts heading out of the classroom, not stopping, even once, to check if anyone was following.
         Rise and Naoto join them silently when they’re downstairs, like they’d expected this.