Work Text:
Mayoi can still feel his heart beating rapidly. The show ended about 5 minutes ago, but he can still feel the energy of the crowd as they pack up and leave. Along with the other members of Alkaloid, he was getting changed and collecting his stuff.
“I think we did rather well today.” Tatsumi speaks up, zipping his bag shut.
“I think so too!” Hiiro cheers. Mayoi and Aira nod in agreement.
“Do you guys still want to go to that restaurant afterwards?” Aira asks, wiping off his makeup.
“Of course.” Tatsumi replies.
“We wouldn't want to waste our reservation, fufu~” Mayoi smiles. He doesn't deserve to be in a group with such pure people, but it does feel nice to have calm moments like these.
After he finishes packing up, he looks over at Aira, who seems to be frantically searching his bag.
“Aira-san, what's wrong?” Mayoi asks, leaning over to see the inside of his junior's bag.
After a few more moments of searching, Aira speaks up. “I can't find the makeup palette that Narukami-senpai let me borrow! I promise I'd give it back to her after the show! I remember putting it back in here after I used it!”
Hiiro walked over to Aira. “Do you need help finding it, Aira?”
The blond looks up at Hiiro. “Yes please.”
“How about this,” Tatsumi starts. “Me and Mayoi-san will make our way to the restaurant, so that we don't lose those reservations, and Hiiro-san can help Aira-san find the makeup palette. Then, you two can meet us there.”
Hiiro smiles up at Tatsumi. “That works, Tatsumi-senpai! We'll see you there!”
After a moment, the two older Alkaloid members head out of the backstage area, walking towards the new restaurant that opened recently.
“Fufu~ You did very well tonight, Tatsumi-san.” Mayoi breaks the silence. Tatsumi smiles at Mayoi, grabbing his hand.
“Thank you, Mayoi-san. You did as well.”
Mayoi’s smile was slightly shaky, but overall grateful. A bug like him doesn't deserve to be praised by such a holy person like Tatsumi. But… Tatsumi seems so genuine, that Mayoi can't find it in himself to deny it.
The two continue to walk silently, still hand in hand. All that could be heard were the sounds of the early evening. It calms down any adrenaline Mayoi may have still had from the show.
It was when they were about one block away from the restaurant that they heard an excited squeal. Then, a group of 2 girls approaches them.
“Oh my God!! Mayoi Ayase and Tatsumi Kazehaya!!” The first one cheers. “We're such big fans!! We saw the show today, it was amazing!!”
The second one, without any warning, slings her arm over Mayoi's shoulders. Mayoi flinches slightly, but the person doesn't budge. “I’m such a big fan, Mayoi-san! You've been my favorite since Alkaloid debuted!”
He squirms slightly under the fan’s arm, but she doesn't notice. Tatsumi does, and tries to pull Mayoi away from her. It doesn't succeed, and Mayoi notices the first fan look down at the two idols’ conjoined hands.
“Nao, look! I told you they had something going on!”
Now with hands that are starting to shake, Mayoi pulls his hand away from Tatsumi’s. Tatsumi opens his mouth to speak, but the second fan, Nao, beats him to it.
“Oh my god!! I told you, Minako!!” She leans closer to Mayoi, her arm still wrapped around his shoulders. The first girl, Minako, also approaches Mayoi.
“So long has it been?”
“Have you guys kissed?”
“Do you ever plan to tell the public?”
“I've been shipping you two since the beginning!”
Mayoi can feel his hands start to shake even more. The girls are too close, they're asking too many questions, they're so loud. All Mayoi wants to do is to yell at them, tell them to stop.
But that would be rude, would it not? What if the girls told people about it? Wouldn't that bring negative attention to Alkaloid?
So he just stands these, frozen under Nao's arm and the girls’ questions. His breathing shudders slightly as he continues to shake.
“Excuse me, you two.” Tatsumi speaks up. Mayoi can feel the fan’s arm be taken off his shoulder. “Mayoi-san is obviously uncomfortable. Please back up.”
Despite him staring at his feet, Mayoi can hear the fans back up.
“If you have any questions, you can take them up with me instead.”
“Really?” Minako asks, looking over at Tatsumi.
“Yes, I can.” He answers. He looks over at Mayoi, mouthing something at him.
‘Start going to the restaurant. I'll meet you there.’
Mayoi nods, scurrying off. The rest of the walk to the restaurant goes by in a blur, and he soon finds himself in front of the restaurant. He sits on one of the benches outside of the restaurant. He can't find it in himself to go in.
As always, he was totally useless. He couldn't say a single word to those fans. He had to make Tatsumi step in. He shouldn't have had to do that, but Mayoi was just so worthless, so helpless, that he couldn't do a thing.
After a moment (it could have been just a couple minutes, or half an hour, Mayoi couldn't tell), he hears footsteps approaching him. He looks up to see Tatsumi looking at him, brows furrowed in concern.
“...Mayoi-san. Are you okay?”
Mayoi doesn't know how to answer. He's already scum for making Tatsumi worry about him this much, he can't make it worse.
Tatsumi sits down on the bench next to Mayoi, placing his hands on top of Mayoi's.
“I didn't tell them anything, if that helps. I asked them to reconsider their behavior and refused to answer any of their questions about us.”
“...Thank you Tatsumi-san.”
The two sit in silence for a moment before Mayoi takes his hands away from Tatsumi’s, covering his face.
“I'm sorry! I was so useless! I'm sorry you have to be with someone so pathetic that you had to stand up for me! I can't do anythiiing!”
“Mayoi-san.” Tatsumi pulls Mayoi into a hug, rubbing his back. “You were overwhelmed, and those fans overstepped boundaries. You don't need to apologize.”
Mayoi doesn't deserve this comfort. He knows that. But the affection feels so nice. He leans into the touch.
“Would you like to go to the dorms? Those girls already made us late to the reservation, so I could call Aira and tell them to go straight home with Hiiro.”
“...Are you sure?”
Tatsumi lets go of the hug and stands up. He gently helps Mayoi stand up.
“I am. Let's go home.”