They’ve always hugged, but lately those hugs linger just a beat too long
“Tell me to go, and I will. Please—say something before I do something we can’t take back.”
2yu, Maybe college or modern au :3
[ too close for 'just friends' prompts. ]
It's been... a difficult road to get here.
Even though most people have been supportive of his re-debut over the last couple of years, the negative voices were few but loud. Adding all of that onto the sheer work required of him-- practicing all hours of the day and night, pushing himself and his body to do better, endure longer, and just the knowledge that he's in the public eye weighing on him...
It's been so rewarding but so, so, hard-- and more than once he's considered giving up and retiring.
But he's lucky to be surrounded by people who care about him. His fellow artists, fans, and...
Yuichi is quite sure he's had a little bit of a crush on Yuji since the day they met. But over time... he's been a little mortified to realize that it's not a crush anymore. He's in love.
He's in love, but... surely he couldn't just freely say that to him?
Would it be a scandal if anyone found out? Does Yuji even feel the same?
He doesn't know, but he can't bear the thought of losing him, so he doesn't say anything, but...
Yuichi's not as good at hiding it as he thinks he is.
Hugs linger a little longer than really necessary. Yuichi stays close even when there's nobody around for Yuji to have to handle. He stops by Yuji's room to ask him questions he already knows the answers to. He watches him, a lot, when he thinks Yuji doesn't see.
If he realizes Yuji feels anything like this for him, he's buried that deep under a hefty pile of denial.
Yuji had walked him back to the dorm room tonight, since it's empty, and Yuichi had had to fight himself to let go of Yuji in an appropriate amount of time. He'd expected to head back inside, but...
"Tell me to go, and I will. Please-- say something before I do something we can't take back."
Oh, there goes that-- dissolving so much of that denial.
If they do this wrong, it could be a disaster, but...
Yuichi can't bring himself to tell Yuji to go.
He takes Yuji's hand and tugs him inside to shut the door behind them. It pains him, but he lets go of the hand.
"I... If... If you're sure," he almost-whispers, as if he's worried that someone might hear them even alone here. He's got his hands clasped together tightly, clearly holding himself back from reaching for Yuji. "Then... I won't tell you to go anywhere."
