bakerstreet | Sexting

[Maybe in a different location, he would allow himself to enjoy Takao's touch. Now that they've done the things they've done together, removing that distance and actually touching each other is a possible next step. This would of course take place in an appropriate location, such as his locked bedroom when his parents aren't home, ideally in another country. Right now they are in a public place. The only logical solution is to remove himself, or at least a portion of himself, from the situation. Midorima jerks his leg out of Takao's reach.

Promptly slamming it into a joint under the table, making plates and glasses rattle and drawing all attention his way.]

This is your fault.

[He allows himself this because everyone else will think he means it's Takao's fault for helping to drag him along on this social outing. Possibly that it's Takao's fault for existing. Only Takjao will know what he's truly blaming him for.]

[As soon as there are things rattling, Takao's hands are both above the table, reaching to stabilize what he can. He looks completely innocent, but gives a helpless smile and shrug, as if it's a normal occurrence to be blamed for nothing too specific.]

Sorry, sorry.

[Now with the attention on them, with Midorima's leg having recently hit a table joint, Takao has the excuse to shift just little further away from him, trying to give him some room even in a somewhat cramped seating environment.]

Better?

[Takao knows what he did. Sitting close to him would've been forgiven--would've probably ended up what happened by default in a normal situation. Maybe even the leg pat would've gotten by.

It was just that his hand had been right there and... In Takao's mind it was almost safer to do these things in public. It could only actually go so far there. Limits won't get pushed by being in the wrong state of mind to make sound judgments, mistakes won't end up made.

Of course, it has its drawbacks, such as someone jokingly suggesting that he just move into Midorima's lap to save space. While normally Takao would pretend to consider playing along until Midorima himself shot it down, in this instance, it might be a race to see which of the two of them can voice a protest faster.]

[Takao doesn't look sorry at all. At least he can show it in his actions. It doesn't amount to much when there isn't a lot of room to be had, but Midorima can recognize it's an honest effort.

Just when he's feeling slightly more charitable towards Takao, an idiot teammate ruins it. They wouldn't even be thinking of things like that if the table bumping incident hadn't happened!

Midorima is highly skilled in protesting. It may give him the edge he needs to win the race.]

Don't be a fool! My lucky item is in my lap. That's far more worthy of the space than Takao.

[The sputtering spit-take (kept dry sheerly for the fact that he wasn't actively drinking anything) is at both the suggestion, and Midorima's harsh dismissal. Both of them are worth a laugh, even if at his own expense.]

That's cold!

[But someone points out that the pillow would probably make someone's "bony ass" a lot more tolerable in one's lap.]

Hey! I'm not scrawny enough for it to be bony!

[Which is to say the topic has now become Takao's ass. Which is to say the topic has gotten beyond Takao's own expectations. He's usually not shy enough on these topics to blush easily, but Midorima's right there and if just thinking of licking his fingers and watching him touch himself gets him worked up, any talk of either one's more intimate anatomy is naturally going to scramble his brain.

As Midorima must know from experience with Takao, obvious embarrassment is a surefire way to keep people on a topic. It's not often Takao ends up speechless and mortified in one of these exchanges. Some would see it as divine retribution.]

[Midorima has the urge to defend Takao's not at all scrawny or bony ass, enough to make him even more out of sorts over everything happening between the two of them.

No matter how much Takao deserves the torment, though, it's strangely difficult to watch him become so uncomfortable with the personal turn the joking has taken.]

If this is the quality of the standard after-practice conversation, I see I was not wrong in wanting to stay away.

[They're not offended. It just brings out a lot of groaning and rolling their eyes in response. "That's Midorima for you."

They also turn to another topic soon after. Midorima keeps his focus ahead of him, not giving in to the desire to look for a reaction from Takao. He was just annoyed with the situation. It's not like he was trying to help him out.]

[It's not normally a topic that would get anything other than a laugh out of him. So to be saved by the one whose presence makes it a touchy subject earns an openly surprised stare. It's even more amazing that Midorima has the skills to completely shut down and shift a topic with that kind of ease. Shin-chan is the last person Takao expects to serve as a social savior. It's for the best that Midorima keeps his eyes forward and misses the flash of a warm gratitude on his face before he joins in the newer conversation. It really wasn't meant to be seen; it was just that it became too overwhelming to repress immediately. Shin-chan really is the world's most reliable partner. The lot not appreciating him just because he's a stiff are missing out. He's sure of it. Even though he could be such a weirdo, just now, while they missed it, he was kinda cool. It just went over their heads.

It's a conscious effort not to scoot closer to him and close that space made before, but it's a temptation a lot more pure and a hell of a lot less potentially visible and frustrating than the one he'd been fighting with most of the day.]

[The extra space between them begins to feel pointless.

There's no sudden moving closer. Midorima doesn't scoot. But as he naturally shifts, he doesn't fight it.

By the time they're actually eating instead of sitting around and chatting about whatever foolishness his teammates can come up with, he's settled back in next to Takao. He'll stay there if Takao can behave.]

[Having pushed the boundary once and decidedly finding it, he's inclined to behave. It helps that he uses both hands to eat for the most part. If at first he notices the distance closing naturally and tries to keep his legs closed together to continue to give him room, he eventually relaxes that as well.

It's a stretch to call an after practice group outing a date, but he was serious about paying.]

[When it comes time to pay for their meals, he is a bit surprised that Takao is making good on his offer to pay. It could have very well only been a part of his teasing. Of course, remembering the reason he said he was going to pay makes him want to protest, but there's no way of arguing without revealing details.]

I won't allow you to get out of a promise, but I will insist on paying for your meal at a later time so I'm not indebted to you.

[Says the man who treats him as his personal cab service. He will also not call this future dinner a date.]

Edited 2018-06-01 09:31 (UTC)

Pff--what the hell kind of pride is that?

[Takao will accept dismissing his as not a proper date, but if it's the two of them alone, it's definitely one. Nevermind that they've eaten out together without anyone else often enough.]

Not turning you down, though.

Then there's no reason to complain about it if you're going to accept the offer.

[With the meal paid for, and his throw pillow clutched tight, there's really only one thing left to say.]

Let's go home, Takao.

[It's been Quite a Day.]

[With the group having walked together the cart has been left behind at school. Normally, Takao would milk this for al its worth, including having a perfectly valid excuse for not picking him up in it in the morning. But once they have a few blocks distance from the group, he puts an offer out there, in case Midorima doesn't want to be followed home.]

Gonna want a ride tomorrow morning or's a foot escort good enough then too?

[The urgency to put distance between them has passed, so that doesn't influence his decision at all. In fact, Midorima isn't even thinking of the cart retrieval option as a way to remove Takao from his presence. If he sends him back for it, he's following him to school and getting a ride home.]

I did say the time without extra practice was for rest and relaxation. Naturally, walking back to school when it's not absolutely necessary would go against that goal.

[Between that and some unexpected coverage over the group meeting, despite Takao having used the opportunity to give him a hard time under the table, he can only conclude that Midorima's in an exceedingly good mood, something that puts him in a good mood. Stretching out his arms behind his head and enjoying the rare luxury of not having to propel any weight but his own, he takes to humming on the walk back. It feels best not to mention that the lack of extra practice has him feeling like he still has some energy to burn off, that after dropping Shin-chan off, he plans to find a street court; that'll make Midorima feel compelled to push himself for more after all. It's been a harder day on him. Hanging out with the group was likely more tiring in some ways than a hundred shot streak.]

[Midorima is in a reasonably good mood he would never admit to. Fate had finally smiled on him after some early difficult moments, and walking next to Takao doesn't feel the least bit perilous to his dignity.

It would be an almost perfect walk if it was a quiet walk.]

When I said it was time for relaxation, I didn't mean you had to be obnoxiously relaxed.

[The humming stops with an affronted and nasal grunt, shoulders tensing up as he holds his arms behind his head still, determined to try and force a continued relaxed posture, even with a sour, sulking glower in his direction. It's the dangerous look of one who has gone from enjoying Midorima's company to plotting how to enjoy his easily triggered unease. Takao is a man of such broad tastes, after all. If Shin-chan wants a little more tension, then...]

Might have a hard time falling asleep tonight without being completely worn out. D'you know what I do to wind down at night when I can't sleep?

[After last night, Midorima can guess. Of course, he probably could have guessed where the question was leading on any other day, but this answer comes with audiovisual enhancement he has to try to push back to the far corners of his mind.]

It was a request for silence, you fool. Not an invitation to discuss inappropriate matters in public.

Hnnnnnnn.

[Sharp eyes rake him over, this time decidedly not as openly appreciative. Instead, it is a look of mock judgment.]

I was gonna say I text my friends and stuff. Guess we know what you do if your mind goes to that first.

I was admitting no such thing!

[It doesn't seem wise to focus on the outcome of Takao texting his friends "and stuff" the previous evening, but even thinking about it in passing is one more step away from a peaceful mind.]

It was a leading question.

[At least there's the indignity of Takao daring to judge him for it to think about.]

What was leading about it?

[It's more of a challenge than the usual, incredulous and sincere questions he has about Midorima's oddities.]

I was thinking you could try it too since you're gettin' a little friendlier with the rest of the team now, that's all. Since we all had such a nice wholesome time.

[Says the one who felt up his leg under the table.]

Don't make me out to be the pervert!

[Is he the pervert in this situation? Takao's explanation casts just enough doubt for Midorima to kind of want to scream into the convenient pillow he's carrying.]

"The" pervert? When you put it like that, it's like your saying one of us's gotta be one...

Which one of us brought up what he does to unwind before bed? Where else was my mind supposed to go after last night?

[So much for not focusing on that.]

That did the opposite of unwind me.

[He says it as if that is a full and perfect rebuttal that somehow clears him of pervert status.]

Of course...in the moment you're worked up, but after you should be completely relaxed and in an ideal state for going right to sleep.

[Perhaps spoken too knowledgeably.]

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