[He wasn't sure how 'Leave me alone' could be misinterpreted as 'Follow me around relentlesly' instead, but apparently that was what ended up happening after his run-in with the kid who claimed to be part of the Phantom Thieves. Eisuke had no intention of joining them, had even told him so, so he's not sure why he can see a familiar blond blatantly sneaking a peek at them at practice.
He tried to ignore him at first, pretend he didn't exist. Maybe if he did that, the guy would take a hint and go away. Except, he sucks at being stealthy for a phantom thief, so bad that everyone not only noticed, but Fuwa had the gall to grab him around the shoulder and whisper loudly about what they should be doing about the stalker. Do they need to report them to school? No, he's not a pervert, ugh, just ignore him, no I'm not your mother what the hell--
In the end, no one can hit their targets, and everyone kept looking at him and the guy in hiding. He's not sure why everyone thinks this is his fault, but he can't have this bastard ruining his practice each time when regionals was so close.
So he does the first thing that comes in mind when he approaches him.
He slams a hand on the wall next to his head, glowering at him as he corners him against the wall of the storage building he had been hiding behind.]
[ Now, Ryuji didn't mean to start stalking Nikaidou after their run-in in the metaverse. But he shared with the other Phantom Thieves what happened and got tasked with trying to at least get the guy to come talk to the others, even if he didn't want to join up. They couldn't just let another metaverse user run around without knowing the dangers of the metaverse, right? It all seemed reasonable at the time.
Except then he didn't know how to approach the guy and started to get nervous so just lingered around the outskirts of everything. When his practice started up, it seemed kind of cool so Ryuji found himself watching, ducking back into hiding whenever someone spotted him. He didn't realize how distracting he was being either, just wanting to get some time alone with Nikaidou.
Of course, then Nikaidou disappears from the practice and Ryuji is a little startled, trying his best to figure out where he went when instead — he's cornered by the other boy and Ryuji has to give it up. ]
I — I was just — I mean I didn't want to bother you — so I was just — uh.
[He looks unimpressed, like he was staring at a bug and not another person, but that might just be Nikaidou's default expression. It certainly looked more natural than the sharp smiles and the overly cheerful laughs he would display in school at times. At least, to people who knew him.]
[ God. Ryuji thinks briefly that Nikaidou was nicer to him in the metaverse, but then again that might just be rose colored glasses because he had a bit more control in that situation than this one. This one has him on the backfoot and feeling a little silly for his acitons so far. Ah, fuck. ]
I just — I wanted to see you again!
[ Which is not a lie, but the way Ryuji phrases it definitely is a bit suggestive. Ryuji realizes it a moment later and then he's blushing a little, feeling stupid. God, why does Nikaidou make him so tongue-tied? ]
[Well, to Ryuji's credit, that actually takes him by surprise. It certainly sounded suggestive, and the sudden blushing after isn't helping.
He blinks owlishly, some of that harshness leaving, but he doesn't pull away. Much.]
... You what?
[Wait, that didn't matter. He shakes his head, sighing as he closes his eyes.]
We agreed not to meet outside that-- metaverse, was it?
[Or well, Nikaidou probably said that and ran off, but unfortunately there's only one guy with a pale hoodie in school and that was the same one he wears everywhere, even when he returned to his normal clothes. It wasn't like Ryuji wouldn't easily track him.]
[ Ryuji decides to do the mental math on if it's better to make Nikaidou believe Ryuji has a crush on him or be honest and tell him he's trying to recruit him for the Phantom Thieves. He thinks the second one is going to end in abysmal failure because Nikaidou seems determined to be a lone wolf, but maybe the first one will work...? He can't quite predict Nikaidou yet but he kind of thinks that maybe the guy will take pity on him if he thinks he has a crush on him.
So, that's the plan. Operation: Get Nikaidou to believe Ryuji has a crush on him, it's in the works. This is totally a normal and reasonable plan and not going to backfire on him at all.
Which means that Ryuji is immediately objecting to what Nikaidou says. ]
You're the one who said that! I didn't agree. I told you I wanted to keep tabs on you and — and — how was I supposed to just not see you again after that?!
[ Again, he didn't mean to phrase it like that but it seems like his brain to mouth connection is offline. He's just fucking talking and hoping things make sense as it goes, apparently. ]
[If Ryuji was planning to skirt around the topic, it probably wasn't going to go well with Nikaidou asking point blank. He doesn't like ambiguity, unless he was the one being ambiguous, since it doesn't sit well with his need to be in control.
He is really glad Fuwa is watching from a distance and not standing next to them, or else he'd be laughing at this predicament.
Keeping tabs? What did he even mean?]
Stalking isn't going to impress me. What happened to writing letters these days?
[ Insistent and immediate in response! Which doesn't really help his case because it sounds more like a denial than any actual truth. Hm.
But then Ryuji is caught a little speechless because he has no idea what direction to go from here and just keeps thinking about the idea of actually having a crush on Nikaidou and how that'd go. Would the guy be open to dating him? Does he even like boys? Wait, no, he doesn't actually have a crush.
He's confused his own self now and makes a sputtering noise in response to Nikaidou's accusation of stalking. ]
I'm not stalking — I mean I was a little but it's not like that! You're so frustrating. Why don't you want to see me?
[ Suddenly, he finds himself bothered by the idea of not seeing Nikaidou again for real. No, that won't do at all. ]
[He says bluntly, sighing at the lack of progress. Did he really just follow him because he had a crush on him? He suspected originally that it was with the whole Phantom Thieves thing, something he did not want to get involved in when they seemed to be making a name of themselves on online forums. He wasn't really following it, but he does have to socialize in class and it does come up, so he knows enough.
But he hasn't brought it up, and he seems more offended that Nikaidou was avoiding him versus Nikaidou not being interested in the thieves in general.]
Since we don't have a dojo, I can't just kick you out.
[He wasn't even the club president, but not having a building to kick Ryuji out from was inconvenient. His club president was a space case who looks like he wasn't even paying attention anymore, staring blankly into the unknown, so he wasn't going to be helpful.]
So talk.
I'M BACK .... sry for disappearing, work was kicking my ass ;;
[ Talk... right. He needs to talk. But not about the Phantom Thieves because Nikaidou doesn't want to join them! He has to... build up to that. How can he build up to that if Nikaidou won't see him though? But he wants to see him. He wants to hang out with him. He wants to get to know him. So... that's... what do you call that? ]
We can be friends, right? Even if you won't join up, like, we can... be friends. And spend time with each other and shit. That's totally reasonable!
[ He swallows, mouth going a little dry. Shit. This sounds flimsy even to his own ears. So, before he can help himself, he's asking with a bit of a whine — ]
How am I distracting? That can't be the whole reason why you won't see me.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
He tried to ignore him at first, pretend he didn't exist. Maybe if he did that, the guy would take a hint and go away. Except, he sucks at being stealthy for a phantom thief, so bad that everyone not only noticed, but Fuwa had the gall to grab him around the shoulder and whisper loudly about what they should be doing about the stalker. Do they need to report them to school? No, he's not a pervert, ugh, just ignore him, no I'm not your mother what the hell--
In the end, no one can hit their targets, and everyone kept looking at him and the guy in hiding. He's not sure why everyone thinks this is his fault, but he can't have this bastard ruining his practice each time when regionals was so close.
So he does the first thing that comes in mind when he approaches him.
He slams a hand on the wall next to his head, glowering at him as he corners him against the wall of the storage building he had been hiding behind.]
What do you think you're doing?
no subject
Except then he didn't know how to approach the guy and started to get nervous so just lingered around the outskirts of everything. When his practice started up, it seemed kind of cool so Ryuji found himself watching, ducking back into hiding whenever someone spotted him. He didn't realize how distracting he was being either, just wanting to get some time alone with Nikaidou.
Of course, then Nikaidou disappears from the practice and Ryuji is a little startled, trying his best to figure out where he went when instead — he's cornered by the other boy and Ryuji has to give it up. ]
I — I was just — I mean I didn't want to bother you — so I was just — uh.
[ Uh. ]
no subject
We're practicing. You're a distraction.
[He points out, leaning forward.]
So what are you doing?
no subject
I just — I wanted to see you again!
[ Which is not a lie, but the way Ryuji phrases it definitely is a bit suggestive. Ryuji realizes it a moment later and then he's blushing a little, feeling stupid. God, why does Nikaidou make him so tongue-tied? ]
no subject
He blinks owlishly, some of that harshness leaving, but he doesn't pull away. Much.]
... You what?
[Wait, that didn't matter. He shakes his head, sighing as he closes his eyes.]
We agreed not to meet outside that-- metaverse, was it?
[Or well, Nikaidou probably said that and ran off, but unfortunately there's only one guy with a pale hoodie in school and that was the same one he wears everywhere, even when he returned to his normal clothes. It wasn't like Ryuji wouldn't easily track him.]
no subject
So, that's the plan. Operation: Get Nikaidou to believe Ryuji has a crush on him, it's in the works. This is totally a normal and reasonable plan and not going to backfire on him at all.
Which means that Ryuji is immediately objecting to what Nikaidou says. ]
You're the one who said that! I didn't agree. I told you I wanted to keep tabs on you and — and — how was I supposed to just not see you again after that?!
[ Again, he didn't mean to phrase it like that but it seems like his brain to mouth connection is offline. He's just fucking talking and hoping things make sense as it goes, apparently. ]
no subject
[If Ryuji was planning to skirt around the topic, it probably wasn't going to go well with Nikaidou asking point blank. He doesn't like ambiguity, unless he was the one being ambiguous, since it doesn't sit well with his need to be in control.
He is really glad Fuwa is watching from a distance and not standing next to them, or else he'd be laughing at this predicament.
Keeping tabs? What did he even mean?]
Stalking isn't going to impress me. What happened to writing letters these days?
no subject
[ Insistent and immediate in response! Which doesn't really help his case because it sounds more like a denial than any actual truth. Hm.
But then Ryuji is caught a little speechless because he has no idea what direction to go from here and just keeps thinking about the idea of actually having a crush on Nikaidou and how that'd go. Would the guy be open to dating him? Does he even like boys? Wait, no, he doesn't actually have a crush.
He's confused his own self now and makes a sputtering noise in response to Nikaidou's accusation of stalking. ]
I'm not stalking — I mean I was a little but it's not like that! You're so frustrating. Why don't you want to see me?
[ Suddenly, he finds himself bothered by the idea of not seeing Nikaidou again for real. No, that won't do at all. ]
no subject
[He says bluntly, sighing at the lack of progress. Did he really just follow him because he had a crush on him? He suspected originally that it was with the whole Phantom Thieves thing, something he did not want to get involved in when they seemed to be making a name of themselves on online forums. He wasn't really following it, but he does have to socialize in class and it does come up, so he knows enough.
But he hasn't brought it up, and he seems more offended that Nikaidou was avoiding him versus Nikaidou not being interested in the thieves in general.]
Since we don't have a dojo, I can't just kick you out.
[He wasn't even the club president, but not having a building to kick Ryuji out from was inconvenient. His club president was a space case who looks like he wasn't even paying attention anymore, staring blankly into the unknown, so he wasn't going to be helpful.]
So talk.
I'M BACK .... sry for disappearing, work was kicking my ass ;;
We can be friends, right? Even if you won't join up, like, we can... be friends. And spend time with each other and shit. That's totally reasonable!
[ He swallows, mouth going a little dry. Shit. This sounds flimsy even to his own ears. So, before he can help himself, he's asking with a bit of a whine — ]
How am I distracting? That can't be the whole reason why you won't see me.