Disclaimer: Yet another story for a BadBadBathhouse prompt! This one got weird on me fast though. Apologies for Yosuke's issues and also for the Queen. Thar be Souji/Yosuke ahead, folks, if you don't like it then leave it alone.
Means of Refuge
"There are two means of refuge from the miseries of life: music and
cats."
-Albert Schweitzer
Yosuke knew Souji fed stray cats. There was a cat on the flood plain that followed his friend around every time he went near it. There was a cat near the Dojima residence that begged for food from anyone who came near, even Yosuke, who usually couldn't convince cats to have anything to do with him. Yosuke was surprised, in a vague sort of way, that there weren't cats hanging around the school (yet). Eventually, there were kittens, and Yosuke started to strongly suspect that Souji was keeping the stray cat population of Inaba alive all by himself.
But this was the first time he'd ever seen stray cats inside the Dojima household.
"Souji?" Yosuke called, easing the door shut, nudging an overly-curious kitten aside with his foot. After the entire Investigation Team had developed a rotating schedule to check up on their leader in November, Souji had finally given Yosuke and Chie, the most frequent visitors (aside from Teddie, who usually came with Yosuke anyway), their own keys.
"In the kitchen," Souji said quietly, appearing around the wall and drying his hands. He inclined his head towards the couch and added, "Teddie's asleep, if you came to collect him."
Teddie had taken to crashing on Souji's couch (or futon, or nearest available bit of floor) a week ago. Yosuke had only made a half-hearted protest- he liked having Teddie at his place, he liked having a 'little brother,' but Souji needed the company more right now.
And it gave Yosuke an excuse to come over whenever the hell he wanted, anyway.
He'd wanted to come over a hell of a lot lately.
"Nah, let's let him sleep." Yosuke tossed his head in the direction of the stairs. "We can go up to your room, maybe, so we don't wake him up. He's a light sleeper."
That got the reaction he'd hoped for, as a smile tugged at Souji's lips. "I know. Every time I turn on a TV he wakes up." Then the smile slid away. "Not that I've watched much TV, recently."
Yosuke grimaced, making for the stairway. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Come on, partner, we're going back in tomorrow. Let's go think about something completely different for a while."
Yosuke made a beeline for Souji's couch as soon as they were both in his room with the door shut behind them, kneeling on it to rummage through his rucksack. He made a noise of triumph as he hauled out a portable CD player, a CD, and portable speakers that matched his headphones. He tossed a grin in Souji's direction. "I love this old CD player, man, even though it's all about mp3s now." He's making conversation just so that the room's not silent, and Souji knows it, but his partner never calls him on it. He does this every time.
This time, once Yosuke's got everything arranged on the table and hits Play, it's an older song in English that fills the room. It doesn't matter what it is, just that it's fast and loud.
All the music Yosuke has is fast and loud.
Music on, stage set, Yosuke vaulted off the bed and flopped onto Souji's futon. He smiles, even though he knows Souji knows him well enough- more than well enough- to see how unsure about all this he still is.
The music swallows his voice, but Yosuke's next statement never varies very much. "Still can't believe you want... me." He curled in on himself as Souji joined him on the futon. "You could have anyone on the team, partner."
"But you're my partner," Souji said gently, before grinning outright. "And there are some things I'm not comfortable doing with the rest of the team. Like this!" And he tackled Yosuke to the bed.
Yosuke squirmed, startled but eager, and was taken by surprise when Souji rolled and yanked him after him.
"Partner...?" Yosuke squirmed again, uneasily this time, as Souji tugged at him until he rested on top of his best friend.
"Want you to fuck me," Souji murmured, voice husky. Yosuke shivered.
But he didn't argue. After all, Souji was his leader, too.
Yosuke's already hard. Souji doesn't say anything about it; he never does, and Yosuke's grateful. His first, and subsequently only, girlfriend had mocked him ruthlessly; who gets hard just from fast music and a good backbeat, anyway?
Who the hell can't seem to keep it up without music?
Except that Yosuke did, and still does, and can't.
Souji's never seemed to mind.
Right now, moaning and squirming provocatively beneath Yosuke, a hint of gentle-but-not-mocking humor in his eyes, Souji seems to mind less than ever.
"S-souji," Yosuke stammers, not used to being in control, "I'm not sure, I... dude, I don't know what the hell I'm doing. What if..." His voice drops, almost below the music again, but it's rolled temporarily onto a newer, slower track. Yosuke's erection is flagging (how embarrassing is that?) and the song's refrain of "Save me, save me, I'm naked and I'm far from home" is all kinds of not helping.
Souji leans up, stilling as the music slows, waiting for it to pick up again. "What, partner?" he says, and Yosuke's sure he's only saying partner so much because he knows the effect it has on the Magician.
"What if I'm bad at it?" Yosuke mumbles, refusing to look Souji in the eyes.
The music's switching tracks again, and though this song starts off slow Yosuke knows it's going to pick up quickly.
"You won't be," Souji assures him, placing his hands firmly on Yosuke's ass and tensing in anticipation of the song speeding up- he can predict Yosuke's music by the reactions of Yosuke's body, by now. "Trust me."
Strangely enough, Yosuke does.
As soon as the song speeds up Souji begins thrusting up and grinding as he pulls Yosuke down into him, always in time to the beat. Yosuke's not in control here, not yet, not really, but he likes the impression that he could be.
"Wish you knew how wonderful you were," Souji said, leaning his forehead against Yosuke's as he kept the beat. It's always driven Yosuke a little crazy how Souji can retain enough mental faculties to carry on conversations in the middle of sex, but so long as he keeps both their bodies moving to the music, Yosuke doesn't think he minds.
"M'not," Yosuke mumbled, thrusting back now, though Souji's hands still guide him. He has to keep moving to the music. "Need music. S'pathetic."
"It's special," Souji groaned at a particularly hard thrust, "Like you."
"M'not, though," Yosuke insists, but he's starting to forget what he's arguing about.
But it's not until the songs skip again and Souji cracks his open, looks at Yosuke, smiles, and starts singing, "Buddy you're a young man hard man shoutin' in the street gonna take on the world some day," that Yosuke comes.
Then he rolls off Souji and buries his face in the pillow, too embarrassed to look at Souji.
But- "Partner," Souji moans, and he always makes the same distinct noise when he comes, and Yosuke flips back over to look at him when he hears it. This leaves him wedged at an awkward angle between Souji and the wall, but he doesn't care.
"But-" Yosuke says, and falls silent, not sure how to continue.
The CD starts playing We Are The Champions, making Souji snort as he cracks one eye open and looks back at Yosuke. "Watching you. Always does it."
"Just by watching me-" Yosuke frowns, but then he shifts his gaze to the CD player and a smile dawns over his face. "Huh." His grin grows. "You're special to me too, partner."
There's a long pause, both of them basking in the afterglow, before Yosuke says, "So what's with all the cats?"
"...They followed me home."
Yosuke shook his head, disbelieving. "All of them?"
"And Teddie, and you, and Chie is due around again soon, and..."
Yosuke hit him with a pillow. "I get it!" His tone was playful, but his expression was... worried and hurt. "I don't get my own category?"
Souji rolled over so they were facing each other and hugged him awkwardly with one arm. "Of course you do, Yosuke. Don't be so down on yourself. 'You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.'"
Yosuke smiled and headbutted Souji in the chest. "What philosopher said that?"
"...Winnie the Pooh."
That got the laugh Souji had been looking for. "Ass. Man, I came over here to comfort you," he mumbled.
Souji's arms tightened around him. "You have."
The CD stayed on Repeat the rest of the night.