Title: Gramercy
Summary: I guess there's always someone else I can rely on.
Pairing: Kanji/Yosuke
Warnings: Slash, fluff

Notes: This one's the first birthday fic for Haru (.net/u/165106/ - she doesn't write any more fanfiction, at least that's what I've been told). She gets two birthday fics because she's that awesome.

Yosuke hovered around the Junes food court menu board, deliberately stalling. His thoughts constantly shifted from Should I get the steak set or the fish set? to Should I get fries or a mash? to Should I get it rare, medium rare or well done?

He felt somewhat guilty for trying to kill, no, brutally murder time like this. Doing so would be less painful if any of his friends weren't being good students and actually studying. The 'feeling guilty' part was that he knew he'd complain about the awful marks he would get to anyone within earshot. But after five days of constant reading and scribbling, he couldn't do it anymore.

Sighing, and his stomach growling, he finally decided to join the queue. It was starting to get a little late, and he supposed he should get to bed a little earlier today for the first exam tomorrow...

Forking over his cash, he drifted off towards a small table near the outer corner of the food court, taking a seat and waiting patiently for his meal.

"Hey, Hanamura!"

An involuntary shudder ran down Yosuke's spine. He only knew two people with voices that shrill and piercing. Sure enough, he turned and saw the two part-time workers who often annoyed him, dressed in garish and revealing clothing. Ugh, so not my type.

They smirked at each other for a minute before Yosuke said, "Oh, it's you two. Not studying?"

The taller one cackled. "I don't need to do anything like. I have it all figured out... what about you, huh?"

"I'm done with study." Yosuke leaned back, folded his arms and let a cool smile appear on his face as though he was trying to seem impressive.

"Oh yeah?" The girl paused and the other one added maliciously: "Well, Saki always said she liked smart guys. Guess that explains a lot, huh?"

Yosuke's expression changed in a flash. Trying to stay calm, he said in a low voice, "What did you say?"

"Don't worry, Hanamura, I'm sure you studied as much as you could. Although... maybe Saki would've gone out with you if you'd studied a bit more. If you were more... accomplished."

Yosuke stood up suddenly, at which they jumped back in shock, then giggled. "You... you keep your mouth shut about Saki-senpai!"

"Oh please, why are you still so hung up over her? She hated you and I mean, she's dead!" Clearly aware of what they were doing, they continued to rile Yosuke up until he couldn't control his anger anymore.

"Why you-"

"Hold it right there." In his rage, Yosuke musn't have seen Kanji approach the food court. "I've listened to this whole damn conversation. Yosuke-senpai, calm down. You two," he glared fiercely at the the girls. "Shut your traps."

"Hiding behind a big tough man, Hanamura? How-"

"What'd I just say, huh?!" Kanji made a lunging motion towards the girl dressed in yellow, who gave a small scream. "Hah. I ain't so low that I'd hit a girl. Especially a pathetic, snivelling, badly-dressed one like you. You ain't worth the trouble. But if you bother Yosuke-senpai again with your bullshit... you'd better watch it."

Clearly flustered and frightened, the girls backed away quickly, leaving Yosuke and Kanji amidst staring faces.

"I, uh..." Yosuke started. "I had that under control. But I didn't expect to see you here, of all places... I thought you were studying with Rise."

"I couldn't be bothered with that crap no more. I'll do ok anyway. But damn, man, I thought you were gonna cry." Kanji took a seat at Yosuke's table.

"You just made yourself look like the bad guy, you know... the police might harass you about this."

"I won't let 'em." Kanji winked. "I'll tell 'em exactly what happened here."

"Well... um, thanks." And for a moment, Kanji swore he saw Yosuke blush faintly. Grinning slightly, he tilted his chin up. "Hey, anything for you."

Yosuke blushed more obviously this time. "I, uh... um... well... how about a steak, huh?"

"That sounds great."

END