Chapter edited 18th April, 2016.

Yamamoto couldn't have been happier when Gokudera sat across from him in his family's sushi restaurant, even if the silver-haired teenager was scowling at the fact that right now, he was forced to acknowledge that the one he had tried so hard to ignore actually did exist. He was trying so hard to keep his temper in check, and he knew he had to do his best; Tsuna wanted them to get along.

I'm only doing this for the Tenth, the smaller teen thought grudgingly to himself as he slid rice around on his plate. Just tolerate him, Hayato... Tolerate him...

The black-haired male was focused on the television attached to the roof as he watched the baseball game. His friend – or the angry teenager whom he wanted desperately to at least be friends with – ignored the game and was focusing instead on the phone he was idly playing with, contemplating on whether or not he should leave.

This is rather boring... Gokudera scowled to himself as he slipped his phone back into his pocket. I could have had better amusement in class... He's not even paying any attention to me...

Just as these thoughts passed through his mind, the smaller teenager snapped back to reality as Yamamoto spoke in a voice as cheerful as ever.

"Yo, Gokudera!" Yamamoto's eyes sparked with joy as he looked into green ones. He grinned, having finally gathered up the courage to speak to his long-time crush. "I heard from Tsuna you have a cat."

Gokudera's frown furthered at these words; was this Yamamoto's attempt at making small talk? What...? Does he seriously think...? "...Yeah..."

"What's its name?" Yamamoto seemed interested as his attention drifted from the baseball game to focus on Gokudera instead. It came as quite a surprise to the silver-haired student; baseball was his most favourite thing in the world.

"...U... Uri..." Gokudera mumbled in confusion; why, of all things, was Yamamoto finally showing an interest in his life? Was it because... it seemed as if he was finally letting the other in...? Was Yamamoto finally feeling comfortable enough to try and get to know him better...?

I thought... he didn't care much for me... Green eyes blinked as Gokudera tried to understand what was happening. Had I been wrong all along... to treat him like this...?

Yamamoto laughed upon hearing the cat's name. His usual dopy smile was plastered on his face, and his eyes sparkled even more. "Kinda strange name, isn't it?"

"S-shut up!" Gokudera flushed as he hunched together defensively, bristling like an angry cat would.

"Oi, I have a dog." There was that happy-go-lucky smile once more. "A bird, too."

For the first time since he had arrived here, Gokudera felt interested in the younger male; he always had preferred animals to people. He avoided eye contact as he hesitantly asked, "...What kind of dog...?"

"An Akita. His name is Jiro. Want to meet him?"

Gokudera nodded. He stood up when Yamamoto did and followed the taller teenager out of the restaurant and into the backyard. He fumbled with his hands as they stepped outside, but his anxiety quickly disappeared when a fluffy brown and white dog approached with a wagging tail. It briefly stopped to lick its owner's outstretched hand before it sat in front of Gokudera and tilted its head in curiosity.

Gokudera knelt down and clapped his hands together to encourage the animal to come to him, and when it did, he patted its soft fur as a genuine smile crossed his face.

"I didn't know you liked animals." Yamamoto couldn't help but smile as he watched his friend hug his dog.

"...Well, I do..." Gokudera grunted as he tilted his head away from the dog's tongue that was trying to lick his face. He couldn't help but laugh. "Don't lick me, Jiro."

"He plays baseball." Yamamoto's chest puffed out proudly.

Gokudera blinked. What...? It... It plays baseball...? "How...?"

"He plays fielder. He also carries my bats in his mouth."

"No way." For the first time since being introduced to the dark-haired teenager, Gokudera felt as if he wanted to know Yamamoto; he was sincerely interested, and he wanted to know more. "He fields?"

"He's smart." Yamamoto leant over to pat Jiro on the head. "Do you like him?"

"..." The silver-haired male nodded, not ready to truly acknowledge the fact that he was starting to enjoy knowing the younger. He gave the dog one more pat before he stood up and said, "...My cat, Uri... He's pretty mean... It's nice to pat a gentle animal and not be used as a scratching post."

Yamamoto laughed heartily. His grin never faltered as he replied. "Well, they say animals take after their owners, Gokudera."

Gokudera was flustered once more. He put his hands on his hips in a rather snobbish manner as he attempted to rebut the accusation. "He only scratches me."

Once again, Yamamoto merely laughed. "Hey, this is pretty fun. Can we hang out more often?"

As much as Gokudera wanted to say no, after seeing the hopeful, almost pleading look on the younger's face, he reluctantly nodded, looking at the ground as he did so; for some reason he didn't want to be the one to wipe that expression from the taller male's face. "…"

Yamamoto felt as if he had just died and gone to heaven; he had waited so long for Gokudera to accept him, and now... He wrapped his arm around the smaller teen's shoulders as he already started to plan things out. "How about next weekend? I'm free then. We can go see another movie together. Or we could go watch the baseball game together. Maybe we could even play baseball. Or perhaps –"

Gokudera pushed the other away and scowled. "—You're making it sound like a date, baseball freak."

Yamamoto blushed, knowing he had gotten ahead of himself already in his joy. He scratched his cheek with one finger as he smiled uneasily, hoping his crush didn't notice. "Y-yeah, I... I guess I did..."

Wow, he actually sounds disappointed, Gokudera thought to himself. It's almost as if he was hoping it was a date. What a – wait... D-date...? Does that mean...

Green eyes widened in horror as Gokudera shoved at Yamamoto to get the other away from him. Yamamoto complied, not wanting to distress Gokudera when they were just starting to get along. He understood that his friend had worked things out and, from the silver-haired teen's reaction, his affection was not returned.

W-what the – I... Gokudera had never felt so panicked before. He felt as if he were about to throw up, as if he had been cornered by something he didn't want to face, like he had no way out of the situation he was in. His heart pounded against his chest as thoughts flew by in his head like cars on a busy street. I-I don't even... I'm not... I don't... I have no idea... Why does it feel strange...? I...

"I..." Gokudera turned on his feet and sprinted from the backyard as fast as he could, shouting over his shoulder, "...I have to go!"

The silver-haired boy didn't want to look back, not wanting to see the look of heartbreak he knew the younger would be donning. He didn't stop running until Takesushi was out of sight and, resting against a fence along the busy street, he pulled his vibrating phone from his pocket.

'I'm sorry for making you so uncomfortable' was Yamamoto's text. 'I swear I didn't want you to know because I just want us to be friends.'

It's not that, Gokudera thought to himself as he slipped the phone back into his pocket, not knowing how to reply, it's the fact that, for the first time in my life, I'm now questioning my sexuality – and I don't like what I'm feeling.

Could it be... that for all this time, I've... been attracted to him, too... Is that why I treated him so badly...

Fuck... What the hell is wrong with me...?