[ The encouragement teases out the tiniest of smiles from him, but even that is an accomplishment given the news and events of the last couple of days. Yusuke is, again, more thankful for Akira than he can ever properly express.

He isn't hungry anymore, in fact there's a harsh anxiety-driven gurgling in his belly, but he takes the lunchbox off the table anyway and resolves to choke it down, cold or not. ]

I will finish this before I get started on anything else. If you don't mind, I would like to be by myself, just a little longer.