"I ran into Yamada the other day," says Subaru, failing to sound casual. Tōkan hasn't said anything about it so Subaru assumes that Yamada must not have told him for one reason or another.
"He called me a low-life omega with no respect for his betters and told Tōkan that if Tōkan wanted a piece of ass to get his dick wet his dad could find him one of better breeding."
"I almost bashed his skull in but Tōkan humiliated him and it was very satisfying." Blush. "And after his dad left I tried to convince Tōkan to pair me."
Harutsugu seems oblivious to the implications as he washes his hands. "I believe I need to have a chat with Kokonoe Tochima. 🙂"
"Haru, don't get into a fight with one of the most powerful alphas in the country," Kuroji sighs, before turning back to Inori. "Go on."
"He said the same stuff Haru was saying, that it was special, and then he said he wanted me to like him and I didn't know if I did but I do but now that I know I can't just tell him and I don't know why."
"Inori-kun, I think you're skipping over some important steps. Tell me more about your conversation with Tōkan-kun."
"...he said we should talk about it rather than me trying to just get him to do it, and... I said that that was stupid, it's just hormones, who cares about hormones, and he asked me if I liked having sex with him," (strangled dying cat noises from Harutsugu), "and I said yeah and then he asked me if it felt like just getting off and getting it over with and..."
"Having a relationship isn't just about sex but the sex is important, it's good and healthy and it brings you closer. He told you that, didn't he?"
"That he... was afraid he'd hurt me or push me away and if he did that after we were pairs he'd have taken something important away from me that I couldn't have again." That note of discordance is back. "And he told me he wanted me to like him... and I didn't know what that meant so that's why I asked you and Haru."
"...Inori-kun," says Harutsugu, drying his hands off and walking over to the kitchen counter. "I think maybe you... aren't as sure as you thought you were, that this is really the best decision."
"Your father fell in love with me," Kuroji says quietly, "when he saw me fight off this alpha who was harassing a girl in heat. And then he took three weeks to say anything or even introduce himself, not until I did it again to someone else." Kuroji is flushing slightly and Haru's gone bright and perky and smug.
"Love can find you in strange ways that you wouldn't ever expect. Tōkan isn't the only person you could like, there are others."
"And that's good! A healthy relationship is one where you want to be together! But the world isn't always so kind as to give us what we want. Each new day you spend with him gets you to know and understand him better. You don't know everything there is to know about Kokonoe Tōkan and he doesn't know everything there is to know about Yamada Inori. And the best world is one where you both love everything new you learn and always want to be together, but there's still a chance.
"So maybe the reason you're waiting is that you want to wait. That there's a part of you that noticed that this could still go wrong."
"...I promised myself that I would never give up on your father's happiness," says Harutsugu, "and that I would do my best to be your father's happiness. And I got it. So you shouldn't give up on your love. But not deciding right now about the rest of forever isn't giving up."
"...'kay. Thank you." He hops off his stool and sidles off. Then sticks his head back into the kitchen to say, "And call me when the pie's ready," before running back upstairs.
Kuroji walks around the counter and smiles at his husband. "Want any help?" but Harutsugu looks down at him and hugs him and starts bawling.