Hand Holding

Authors Note: So I originally wrote this because I was going to do the 30 Day OTP Challenge, but after finishing this I realized I wasn't as inspired by the other prompts. So instead I decided I wanted to write some oneshots where Shinji and Yutaka are dating. I've decided to group them all into one place just because I think doing so will make me feel less uncomfortable with the fact that I haven't offered an explanation as to how they're even alive. Anyway, none of these oneshots are going to be connected unless I specify otherwise. Also, feel free to suggest prompts or ideas! Anyway, let me know what you think of this!

Shinji had never been a fan of handholding. Even before he had come to the realization that he liked boys and started dating Yutaka he had found the whole thing a bit, well, gay. It just seemed childish and girly, although the Third Man couldn't really explain why he felt that way about it.

Of course recently he'd had a change of heart. Well, not so much a change of heart. He still thought it was too girly for him. He was just bothered by the fact that Yutaka seemed as opposed to handholding as he felt.

Really it should have been a good thing. He didn't like handholding, and Yutaka didn't want to hold hands. Perfect.

Except that it bothered him.

The issue had come up about a week prior. Shinji and Yutaka had been walking through the park as they often did later in the evening. The park was usually close to deserted once it started to get dark, so it was the perfect place to be alone. Plus, Yutaka liked to make out in the tunnel slide, and who was Shinji to deny him that?

As they were walking they were keeping an eye out for anyone still at the park. In the Republic of Greater East Asia homosexuality was illegal so it was important that they made sure no one was around to catch them in the act.

The boys probably should have just stayed in one of their houses if they were going to get intimate, but neither of them was good with staying in one place for long. They were both adventurous and full of energy, and while the thought of doing something illegal out in the open should have worried them, it simply added an attractive element of danger to the equation.

They had made it most of the way through the park when a couple had passed them. The girl was giggling, and her hand was laced with her boyfriend's as they swung their hands back and forth obnoxiously. The girl was practically cooing at her boyfriend, and he seemed more than pleased with the arrangement. Both Shinji and Yutaka had almost started laughing when they heard the girl refer to her boyfriend as 'Babycakes' and he in turn refer to her as 'Dollface.'

Shinji had waited for them to get out of sight before he'd jokingly laced his fingers with Yutaka's and cooed, "Babycakes, thanks so much for taking me to the park."

Yutaka had laughed as he'd shaken off Shinji's hand.

"Anything for you Dollface," he had replied in a deep voice.

"Oh really? Anything?" Shinji had asked suggestively as he once again laced his fingers with Yutaka's.

"Anything within reason- my reason," Yutaka had amended; no longer mimicking the couple, as he once again pulled his hand away from Shinji's. "That can be done in the comforts of the tunnel slide."

Shinji had thought it was strange that Yutaka kept pulling his hand away, but at the moment he had ignored it in favor of joining Yutaka in the tunnel slide.

However, since then he'd begun trying to hold Yutaka's hand just to see if the smaller boy would let him, and every time he was met with rejection. Every time he tried Yutaka would pull his hand away quickly, whether to point something out, make a gesture, or just to put it in his pocket.

It was driving Shinji insane.

It really didn't matter. He really didn't want to hold hands.

But he'd be damned if he was going to let Yutaka stop him from doing it.

It was the principle of the thing.

They were once again walking through the park. They'd walked through twice, and the park seemed to be completely empty. It was upon that realization that Shinji reached over for Yutaka's hand, only to have Yutaka pull his hand away.

Shinji was not discouraged as he waited a few seconds before he made a quick grab for Yutaka's hand and caught it with no problem.

Yutaka sighed as he once again pulled his hand away from Shinji's. Shinji was more than prepared to try again when Yutaka stopped walking and turned to face him.

"Can you stop doing that?" Yutaka asked in a slightly exasperated voice.

"Stop doing what?" Shinji asked innocently.

"You know what." Yutaka replied, a voice that clearly said that he knew that Shinji knew what he meant.

"Walking?" Shinji asked, feigning innocence.

For a second the two boys stared off, each looking the other directly in the eye. Finally Yutaka caved and sighed.

"Can you please stop trying to hold my hand?" Yutaka asked sounding slightly embarrassed.

"What's so wrong with holding my boyfriends hand?" Shinji asked, wondering why he felt as offended as he did.

"Okay, I don't understand. You don't even like handholding, and yet suddenly you keep trying to do it. What's up with you?" Yutaka asked.

"What's up with you? Handholding is right down your alley, and yet when I try to do it you act like my hand is on fire." Shinji pointed out, successfully evading Yutaka's question.

"I don't think your hand is on fire! I just- I just don't want to." Yutaka finished lamely.

"Why not? I'm your boyfriend, Yutaka. I feel like if I want to hold your hand I should be allowed." Shinji said, ignoring the fact that he knew the argument was stupid.

"Because- Because- God damn it! Because I'm short and when you hold my hand I feel like a little kid who needs help crossing the street. It just makes me self conscious, alright?" Yutaka admitted embarrassedly as he looked down at the ground. It was obvious he hadn't wanted to admit to it.

Shinji smiled as he shook his head.

"Come on." Shinji demanded as he pulled Yutaka along with him as he walked toward a picnic bench.

Once they got there Shinji sat down and patted the seat next to him. Yutaka sat down beside him before looking at him curiously.

"How about this?" Shinji asked as he grabbed Yutaka's hand and held it. "The height difference isn't too bad when we're sitting."

Yutaka stared at him for a second before his face broke out in a grin.

"This was a much simpler solution than I expected. I thought there would be stilts involved." Yutaka joked.

"Nah, no stilts this time." Shinji said with a smile as he rubbed his thumb against Yutaka's hand.

"This time?" Yutaka asked with both brows raised.

"You never know." Shinji replied with a grin.

Yutaka just laughed as he finally curled his fingers around Shinji's.

Shinji still didn't consider himself a fan of handholding, but he had to admit that holding Yutaka's hand wasn't too bad.