artisticliberty | [nope's peak trash squad post-game psl: the first meeting]

[back in tokyo, it takes a few weeks for things to settle down back to semi-normalcy. yusuke, having for the first time in his life been flush with money, has no idea how to be financially responsible and nearly blows it all on buying extravagant works of art and an albino lobster he saw on the internet. fortunately, all of his friends immediately realize that he needs guidance in this area and convince him to spend it on more wise investments, such as an actual studio apartment he can live in when he graduates from kosei. makoto and futaba's arguments are very convincing in particular. another term one might use to describe them is "threatening", but hey, whatever works.

he doesn't forget about the people he had to leave behind, though. he moves his larger paintings into the apartment for the time being before he has to move out of the dorms, and it's there he keeps his many portraits of tatsuya and sudoh. it's already been too long since he's seen either of them, yusuke thinks, and as soon as winter break hits, yusuke bids a brief farewell to the phantom thieves, akechi, and shuichi--he has a world to hop over to.

rin's world is not that different from his own, on the surface. yusuke recalls the steps everyone took to ensure that a meetup would be possible: rin's house as the base of operations would be able to provide others with messages passed between missed connections, and help people get acclimated to the environment. yusuke, at the very least, takes the opportunity to catch up with rin and sonia. he and tatsuya had agreed to meet up around this time, but still... there was the worry that time would be a factor in world-hopping, or that something would go wrong with the watches, or any number of things. yusuke will leave a message for him if he doesn't show up, but there was a big part of him that longed to see the boy that yusuke gave half his heart to.

for now, all he can do is wait. yusuke takes the opportunity to get more drawing done, often spending his evenings sitting outside rin's house with his sketchbook, even on a chilly winter night like this one...]

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[ It's cold outside, colder than it had been when he'd left home for this world. Tatsuya shivers slightly, wishing he'd grabbed a scarf before he'd headed out. But he hadn't wanted to take the time, had been concerned about any number of factors— would it even work, would he end up in the wrong year (1999 as opposed to 2018), would he miss Yusuke entirely...? But Tatsuya isn't the type to let his fears paralyze him, so he'd come regardless.

A quick perusal of a newspaper had assured him that the year was correct, at least. The coordinates given weren't just for the world, then, but oriented so he could visit the right time, too. That's good. Time travel is a headache, but he'd hate to miss everyone because of that.

Presently, Tatsuya is consulting a map as he walks along. He already misses the tablet from Nope's Peak, but a paper map works just fine in trying to find his way to Rin's house. He takes a moment to pause, looks at where he thinks it should be— and his breathing hitches.

Yusuke. ]

[yusuke is sitting on the front porch, his knees drawn up to his chest with his sketchbook balanced on them, sketching idly a scene of snowflakes against a moonlit night sky, his breath visible in the air. he's considering going inside, the chill in the air is starting to get to him. he hears footsteps though...? slowly he lifts his head.]

Yusuke.

[ He breathes the name out loud like a prayer, his feet moving him forward almost without his permission. ]

[yusuke's eyes widen when he sees who it is, and he almost stumbles as he gets to his feet, sketchbook immediately set aside, moving to close the distance between them]

Tatsuya--

[he's reaching for him as though he could disappear at any moment]

[ Tatsuya is real to the touch— and he's reaching for Yusuke too, grabbing Yusuke's hands with his own. ]

I thought... I might never see you again...

[yusuke squeezes tatsuya's hands tightly, his own chilled by the air and probably tatsuya's too, but not caring at all]

... you really came. You're real. You aren't some vision I dreamed up. Are you?

[ Tatsuya lets out a chuckle. ]

I should be asking you the same thing.

[yusuke brings tatsuya's hand to his cheek, still cold but starting to warm up]

I am real. Is this proof enough for you?

I wouldn't mind more convincing.

[ He leans in to give Yusuke a quick kiss on the lips. ]

[--! yusuke's breath catches in surprise, and before tatsuya can pull away he seizes the chance to kiss him again, grabbing the front of his jacket and pulling him in]

[ Tatsuya makes a surprised sound but he leans into the kiss, his eyes fluttering shut as he rests his hands lightly on Yusuke's upper arms. ]

[carefully he deepens the kiss, shifting closer to tatsuya so he can wind his arms around his neck. the relief and joy he feels from seeing tatsuya again, from touching him again, all comes bubbling up at once and he wants to hold him like this forever]

[ It's a very long moment before Tatsuya separates— not far, still sharing breath with Yusuke. ]

I missed you.

[yusuke isn't willing to let go either, his forehead resting against tatsuya's, their breaths mingling]

I missed you, too. But... did I not say we would meet again? Even across the universe.

[he smiles]

We have bested the odds, and made our own reality. That we are here together, now, proves it.

We're here.... you and me.

[ He slips his hands into Yusuke's. ]

Despite time and space and infinite possibilities.... We're together again.

[yusuke squeezes tatsuya's hand]

Come inside. The others are waiting.

[he leads tatsuya into the house by his hand, letting go only once they're past the threshold. yusuke wants to give tatsuya a good chance to spend time with the other people whom he met at nope's peak. they'll possibly stay the night, as there are guest rooms available, but yusuke wants to take him somewhere special... though, that can wait. they have time.

he can be found later, having dispersed from the group, to just lean against the wall and watch tatsuya and co. while making finger frames.]

[ Tatsuya smiles softly to himself before raising his hands and making a finger frame of his own— one focused on Yusuke. ]

[yusuke beams at him through both their finger frames, and then gestures for him to come closer]

[ Tatsuya walks closer to Yusuke, capturing Yusuke's hands with his own as he gets there. ]

Hey.

[yusuke squeezes his hand and links their fingers together]

I had a proposition for you. While I don't wish to separate you from the others just as you've arrived, I would like it if we were to spend some time together, just the two of us.

I don't mind going away to spend time with you.

[ The others are nice, but Tatsuya's gotten used to being mostly alone.... It's almost overwhelming. ]

Would you allow me to take you to an onsen, then? There is one that isn't far away, just a short train ride. I've heard it's quite popular to visit them this time of year, and truthfully, I have always wanted to.

Oh yeah?

[ Tatsuya nods. ]

I'd love to check it out, then.

Let us go tomorrow night, then. Forgive me, for I fully intend on monopolizing you by then.

[teasing, maybe? he sounds a little coy, anyway]

You say that like you think I'd mind.

[ Two can play at this teasing game, Yusuke! ]

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[nope's peak trash squad post-game psl: the first meeting]

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