entranceway | 12th side [video]

Hey there birdy, hey...

[Yousuke is interacting with a bird in a cage. A little yellow parakeet. It cheeps and chirps and whistles, saying "hello!" several times in a little birdy way.]

Whatd'you eat, little guy? Seeds? Souji's gotta keep 'em nearby-- there!

[He tries to take the empty dish out of the cage to fill it back up. The bird flies about it's cage and chirps incessantly as he tries to get it.]

Yeah yeah, I know. I'm putting it back, just give me a sec!

[Success. The bird goes right about eating as soon as it gets the chance.]

Sheesh. I knew Souji liked animals, but I thought all the birds he kept we're of the paper variety.

[Chirp. Yousuke puts his finger through the bars to tickle the top of the parakeet's head. It seems to enjoy it.]

You're friendly too.

[...Nobody's looking. He opens the cage door again and tch tch tchs at the bird to try and get its attention. It turns its head about sharply, sizing Yousuke up.]

[And it flies out without a moment's notice.]

Augh no! Wait! Shit!

[And thus began the great parakeet hunt of May, 2012 in the Mansion.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[VERY SAD.]

[...But that's true. He knew Souji would like it. Even though Souji liked everything he did for him, that sort of thing especially.]

It's a matter of pride, okay?

[Yousuke. :(]

Why are you letting pride get in the way?

[Just curious.]

It's not "in the way", it's just something guys have, you know?

[Double standard: if Souji were a girl, he'd be fine with giving him a plush to taking him birdwatching. He's still a little scared of being gay openly.]

[Minato smiled a little.]

So tell me more about guys, Yousuke.

[~~Now he's just teasing.~~ But aw, that's still sad. He shouldn't be so worried about it!]

[Yousuke narrows his eyes a bit.]

What are you getting at?

No one's going to judge you for things you do for him.

[Yousuke opens his mouth and makes a sound like he's going to retort, but stops, and slowly closes it again. Minato's actually making him think. Wow.]

[He's quiet for nearly a whole minute before he speaks again.]

...People do judge. I used to judge. [He probably still judges and doesn't even know it.] And I guess it's hard to get used to.

Damn. That's bad.

It's okay. I think everyone does.

[Everyone did to some extent, but in varying degrees.]

So if everyone does judge and it can't be helped, does it matter what they think? You love him, right?

[It shouldn't stop him from doing what he wanted to do for him.]

[For one fleeting second, Yousuke wishes Kanji were still here. He knew a thing or two about this subject. But only for a second, of course.]

I do love him. [He blushes a little when he says it. If it were someone he wasn't as close to, it would be even harder. It's simply out of affection though.] More than anyone. He's the most special to me.

[The warmth that brings into his heart helps him to remember that it's worth it.]

[Just hearing that was enough for Minato too. He smiled, happy for both Yousuke and Souji.]

Then it's okay to show him that you do, right?

Yeah. [He closes his eyes. Thinking about how fond he was of Souji often helped him to get over things.] It's kinda scary, but it's okay.

Isn't it part of feeling that way anyway? [If it wasn't scary or a bit uncertain, then it wouldn't be right or true.]

You mean like... If you don't have to fight for it, how would you know it's worth protecting?

That, and a little bit like you're worried about it so you want to protect it. Keep it the way it is.

Yeah, I do.

You're happy now with him. It should stay that way.

12th side [video]

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