Work Text:
Mayoi sat in one of the many vents of the dorms next to an opening, knees nearly pressed to his chest from the cramped space. In his hands sat a plush toy that resembles himself. Cheap fabric cut up and sewn together to make a doll with messy, purple braided hair and almost sickly pale skin. Blue machine embroidered eyes stared back at his own. The tag was still on the doll, the words 'Mayoi Ayase' written in bold text next to the company that produced the toy. He cupped its cheek, rubbing his thumb over the embroidered beauty mark by its lip. The texture was comforting for his nerves.
It was pretty ugly if you asked him his thoughts. But at the same time, it was a little cute, he supposed.
Something perfect for Midori's tastes.
The two have known each other for a bit, getting to know each other from Shinobu and the Motor Show their units worked together at. All of that combined with a shockingly regular passing in the hall at Yumenosaki resulted in some small conversation between the two that turned into frequent hangouts.
Or at least frequent by Mayoi standards.
Frequent hangouts somehow managed to turn into a date. A small movie night where they watched an old horror movie together when Mayoi had the dorm room to himself. They were awkward, sure, but they were happy and made it work. They liked keeping it somewhat quiet, mostly to prevent Chiaki from loudly declaring how proud he was of them to all of Ensemble Square.
Midori warned him that it would happen and wanted to prevent it. He felt the sentiment to a degree.
Now, Mayoi's set to graduate from Yumenosaki in a month or so. Something he's happy about mostly, the hustle and bustle of the crowded hallways being draining on the mind and soul after a while, but things will be different than they used to be. Sure, they can see each other whenever they want in the dorms, but stopping in the middle of the crowded and packed halls to have a talk between classes won't happen anymore.
He hated the crowds, but always he loved the little bubble they'd carve out in the middle of the hallway.
He’s going to miss finding himself standing there flustered, stammering, and stomach fluttering like a highschool girl with a slightly obsessive crush. Sue him.
Gripping the plush a little tighter in his hands, he glanced at the vent opening. He counted two heads, one with straight pinkish hair and a clipboard in their hands and one with super curly brown hair waving their hands around animatedly and talking loudly about something that didn't matter to him. All Mayoi knew was that people were still in the room, and he wasn't here to pull pranks or to listen for gossip.
He let out a silent sigh that shook his thin frame from nervousness. He hopes they leave soon.
He turned his attention back to the plush. His grasp of the poor thing caused it to look more misshapen than it already did. One eye was slightly higher than the other and his braid stuck out to the side wildly. Delicately, he loosened his grip and slowly attempted to push things back into place to the best of his degree. The plush looked a little off to begin with, there was only so much he could do to fix it.
Him and the entirety of ALKALOID had been gifted a small plush of themselves, each as ugly as the rest. Due to their popularity, Eichi only saw it fit for them to get plushies like the other popular units. Tatsumi loved his immediately, holding it in his hands and moving it around to appreciate it. Aira was gushing about finally having his own to show Kohaku, apparently they were popular in idol fan groups. Hiiro wanted one of his brother after learning other units had them, and began pestering Aira about it.
As for Mayoi? He knew what he wanted to do with his immediately.
The sound of a door opening and closing pulled him from his thoughts, peering over the vent opening again he took note of the room. The now empty room.
Perfect.
With nimble fingers, he slowly unscrewed the cover after putting the plush in his pocket. Turning them left, pulling them out, and putting each screw in his empty pocket with practiced ease. Lifting the cover off he set it to the side, leaving it in the vent, and maneuvered his body so his legs dangled out. With a small push his body slid out of the vent and he landed with a crouch, the faint tap of his shoes hitting the wooden floor being the only sound made. Standing up straight with a little wobble, he scanned the room.
Four beds, and no people. This room must normally be packed when everyone was there. No wonder Midori always wants to be at Mayoi's dorm when it was only him and Tomoya there.
At least it was easy to tell his bed apart from the others.
One bed had black and grey sheets giving a sleek and modern look. It was neat, the pillow cases put on cleanly and the fitted sheet tucked perfectly flat. Barely any wrinkles in the sheets. It would look unlived in if it weren't for the few decorations around and the heavy blanket being slightly unevenly folded likely from the morning. Probably Ibara's bed.
To its right was a plain looking bed. It was simple, ordinary, and didn't have much going on. The plant at its side brightened up not only the small living space, but the entire room a bit. It was a nice touch, and you can't go wrong with simplicity. Likely, it belonged to Tsumugi if the other was Ibara's.
The bed pressed to the other wall was unmistakably Mitsuru's. It was messily made, like it had been done with little care and the knowledge it would just get messy again later. Black and white flannel sheets were visible, something very cozy but a bit childish with mature flare. What made it obvious though, were the pillows and plushies that resembled different types of breads. A very large pillow resembling a loaf of bed sat on the floor, too large for the bed. He didn't think someone could love bread this much until now.
That left the last bed tucked in the corner between Mitsuru and Tsumugi’s had to be Midori's. Its baby blue sheets were messy and unmade, possibly from a rushed morning since not even an attempt was made to make it. Slowly walking over, it was even more obvious that it was Midori's. A corner shelf sat above the bed, decorated with various mascot figures and smaller plush toys. His bed had a few larger plushies of vegetables with small faces and pink circles under the eyes for rosy cheeks giving a cuter appearance. Pulling out the plush in his pocket, he looked at it before looking at the bed again.
He had an idea.
Putting the plush back in his pocket, he picked up the toys on the bed and gently set them on Mitsuru's bed. He wouldn't mind for a moment right? It's not like he would really know anyway. He hoped not at least. Pulling the bedsheets forward and then back, he made the bed neater. He propped the pillows up as well, giving it a more relaxed and homey feel. Making sure everything was on properly, he grabbed the plushies and sat them up neatly. Leaning against the pillows, making sure their faces were facing the world and not laying down or appearing to be a regular food related plush like what Mitsuru had. He felt like a bit of a housewife doing all of this, making the bed for his partner. But really, if Midori ever asked him to do that he knew he would bend over and do it in a heartbeat.
Standing back a bit, he admired his quick work. He wished he could've done more, but he didn't know where things were kept in this room and he didn't want to risk being accused of snooping should things be out of place.
Ibara would probably know after all. He didn't want to find out what would happen if he did. The man was scary.
Only thing left was the final touch. He pulled the plush out of his pocket one last time, and stepped closer to the bed. Mayoi gingerly placed the plush on the bed in front of one of the pillows between the various vegetables, making it sit down with that lifeless smile on its face. He lifted his hands up and walked away as if he was prepared to catch something falling and let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.
It fit perfectly.
He covered his face and squealed as he felt his cheeks heat up, he was bouncing up and down in place with his dress shoes tapping against the floor. He was so happy and excited to see if Midori liked his gift. All Mayoi could think about was how happy he would be and how lucky of a person he would be to bask in that joy. The joy of the youth always got to him one way or another, even if said youth was a year younger than him and they were already dating.
God he was a bit of a freak wasn't he.
He calmed himself with a quick pat of his cheeks, now wasn't the time to get worked up like that. He had to leave since he didn't know when people would return to the room. He only memorized Midori's routine after all. Hastily, Mayoi ran back under the vent he opened up. With a quick jump, he grabbed the opening and pulled himself up as fast as he could, his legs flailing a bit as he struggled slightly. Eventually, he managed to pull himself inside and he chose to lay on his stomach for a moment to regain his breath.
He really always hated that part.
Especially now when his nerves were catching up to him. His hands were shaking wildly and he could feel a thin veil of sweat forming on the back of his neck. He sincerely hopes Midori likes his gift and doesn’t think of him as weird for entering his room.
* * * * *
Midori was exhausted after today. RYUSEITAI practice had started early to practice for a random live they had been invited to. It wasn't a major event, but it was an event they had to practice some older songs and choreography for anyway. Chiaki had talked his ear off the entire day like usual, and all he wanted to do was shove his face in his pillow and sleep.
Unfortunately, he had to run into Mitsuru along the way.
He liked his roommates, honest, but they were all a bit much sometimes.
Well, aside from Tsumugi at least. Tsumugi was pretty calm, if a bit clumsy and overworked. Midori hopes he gets a break soon.
Ibara could be loud, though usually when he's on the phone. His strict morning routine thankfully doesn't bother him most times. He just wished he'd stop saluting at every other request sometimes.
Mitsuru had an energy Midori could never match. Fun sometimes, but other times a bit much. Tonight it was just too much for Midori's tired mind to keep up with. It took everything to not cover his ears, the talk bordering on overstimulating. He settled on simply tuning out the words. Mitsuru was mostly just talking to use up his leftover energy and would carry the conversation on his own, if you could call it a conversation at least. Thankfully, they had reached their dorm room meaning Midori could properly tune out the world.
Mitsuru opened the door first, and said something that caused him to tune back in.
"Hey, is that a new plush you got? It wasn't there this morning when I left with Saegusa-senpai!"
Midori stopped at the doorway, staring at the other as Mitsuru continued walking in to sit on his bed. He hadn't gotten anything new, and wasn't expecting a shipment at all. Even if he was, it's not like his roommates would open the package. They all knew better than that.
Looking at his bed though, he saw the new plush sitting on a neatly made bed. Seeing what it was answered all his questions.
He felt the corner of his lips tug upward and walked over, picking up the new plush with both hands under its tiny arms. It was a bit ugly, but also held a lot of cuteness to it. It looked somewhere between cheaply made and expensively made. The fabric was cut a little poorly, some bits of glue visible. But at the same time, the embroidery of the blue eyes and nervous expression were well done as was the stitching on the face and body. Even the mole was accurate and well embroidered.
"It was a gift," he answered the question.
Mitsuru poked his head from around his shoulder to get a closer look, "Oh I remember getting these last year! Ra*bits got their own when we started getting popular. I kept mine at home for safe keeping. I think Nazuna bought all the others for himself after they were released to the public. RYUSEITAI got some too around then, right? I wonder who gave you that one!"
Midori was widely smiling by now, the others' multitude of questions and energy not bothering him as much anymore. He only chose to answer one though, "It was from Mayoi."
Mayoi had come in at some point, made his bed after he had left it unmade in his morning rush, and left a small plush of himself on his bed. He could feel his cheeks warm slightly, though he chose to keep his eyes on the plush.
It must have been noticeable, either with the tone of his voice or how Mayoi’s given name fell from his lips without a honorific, but Mitsuru could pick up something. He nodded to himself with a small hum and crossed his arms, "Midori-chan has a crush on Mayo-chan-senpai."
Midori sighed and brought the plush to his face as he lowered his forehead to the toy's stomach and gripped it a bit harder. He could feel how his face was beet red as he muttered to himself, "This is so embarrassing...I want to die." If it was obvious to Mitsuru, how obvious was it to everyone else?
He wasn't ready for that.
Mitsuru patted him on the back comfortingly, "Don't worry! If he gave you that gift he has to like you back!"
He was so confident, it was endearing to know he cared. Granted, Mitsuru cared for just about everyone in his corner. Midori looked over at him and smiled despite how red he was. "Y-yeah...something like that."
Thank god, they weren't that obvious. He didn't want to deal with the rest of RYUSEITAI being overbearing right now. Especially not Chiaki. That would be another day when he was ready.
When they were ready, at least.
Mitsuru, ignoring his visible internal struggle, just tried to continue cheering him up. "It can't be that bad! I see you two hang out in the hallways all the time when I'm running to track after classes! He looks happy to see you all the time and a lot less nervous than normal."
Midori took a deep breath and steadied himself internally, standing to his full height again and stared back down at the plush. Glancing back at his bed he put the plush back down in a similar spot to where it was before. He smiled softly, putting his hands on his hips, "You're right, it can't be that bad."
Bedtime would feel even less lonely tonight with a tiny version of Mayoi there with him.
He should make sure Mitsuru doesn't tell anyone about his apparent ‘crush’ though. Extra precaution.
* * * * *
Classes were finally let out for the day, with the school year nearing its end each day somehow manages to feel longer than the last. Mayoi stood nervously in the corner of one of the hallways, the one that he and Midori would always meet at. He stood there waiting, bouncing on the balls of his feet and fidgeting with his uniform tie. Midori always came a good bit after the bell, usually trying to pry away from his classmates. Today though, he was taking longer than normal. He knew the other had arrived to class, they walked together. Had Midori left early in the day due to illness? Does Mayoi have to get things to take care of him? He can play nurse if needed. A sickly face wouldn't suit his partner. Mayoi wrung his hands together as his anxiety began to spike, twisting his fingers around and hearing the joints satisfyingly pop. People were probably thinking he was weird for standing there by himself. Maybe Midori had finally left him and-
“Sorry I’m late!” Midori’s voice broke through his thoughts, he was running over from the 2-A classroom waving his hands in front of him, “Didn’t mean to keep you waiting like that. I had to organize something for RYUSEITAI practice with Tetora-kun and Shinobu-kun.” Stopping in front of Mayoi, he reached out and grabbed the other’s hands gently. Running his fingers over scarred knuckles, untangling his fingers from each other and slotting his own hands between without much thought. “How was your day?”
Idle talk, Mayoi could do that. “I-it was good!” Midori’s casualness always got to him, leaving him a flustered mess without fail. He tried to look everywhere but the other, eyes darting around the hallway for any prying eyes. Instead, he noticed a familiar plush attached to the side of his backpack, “Hey, i-is that?” He pulled one hand out of the other's grip and pointed to it. The purple hair and pale skin of the plush stood out against the black of the bag.
Midori jumped a bit, turning his head to look at what he was pointing at. “U-um, yeah it is.” Midori was just as flustered as Mayoi was now, “I saw you put it on my bed. And I uh-” he stuttered and pulled his other hand away. Swinging his backpack around and kneeled on the ground, putting his bag in front of him. He unclipped the plush from the side and held it in the air in front of him by the small stretchable rope in its head. “I saw that you put it on my bed at some point yesterday when I was at practice,” he slipped his bag back on his back and stood up, holding the plush properly in his hands, “I wanted to bring it with me today to class.”
Mayoi just stood there with wide eyes. Words were failing him, and in a way he felt honored. Midori clearly liked the gift more than anticipated. He was nothing but adorable in his eyes. But his silence was making the other feel stressed and a bit awkward, “Is that okay?”
Mayoi felt himself snap out of it and began to stammer out a response, hands waving in the air wildly, “I-it’s okay! Good, great even! If anything I’m just surprised you would keep the toy of such a vile creature like me on your bag!”
Midori just let himself smile, used to Mayoi’s self deprivation being his instinctual natural response by now. “Why not, you gave it to me after all. And besides,” Midori looked at an invisible spot on the ground, “It reminds me of you. I like keeping a piece of you with me sometimes, I guess.”
And if that didn’t send an arrow from cupid straight through Mayoi’s heart, he didn't know what ever would. He felt like he had died and had been taken to heaven, not the hell he expected.
Midori quickly stuttered after the fact, “I-I mean why wouldn’t it! It is you after all! God what am I saying...I should die...”
“Wait no! Don’t die on meeeeee!” Mayoi trailed his plea into a whine as he slapped his hands over his face in embarrassment, “It’s r-really sweet that you think that. Gah you’re too pure and radiant for someone like me!”
Midori could only giggle in response, “God, we aren’t good at this are we.”
His laugh was contagious, Mayoi found himself laughing along as he lowered his hands, “We really are, aren’t we.”
Midori calmed down first, “Ah right, that reminds me. I have something for you as well.” He clipped the Mayoi doll back onto his bag before opening the top of it. Pushing around various folders and textbooks he pulled out a plush. It was similar to the one he had of Mayoi, except with a new face and outfit. It had dirty blond hair, green eyes and a mostly green uniform.
It was undoubtedly Midori in his old RYUSEITAI uniform.
Mayoi couldn’t help the squeal that escaped him as he reached out to grab it, Midori just smiling and watching the other. “I figured I could return the favor and give you the one of me. That way we can both walk around with a piece of each other. ...Or something like that?” He paused and rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, “I won't ever be good at this...”
Mayoi kept looking between Midori and the plush version of him, he was happier than words could describe. A little piece of his Midori with him everywhere. He had to say something as a proper thanks. “I could kiss you.”
That was not the thing to say.
He felt his face erupt in the pink that previously dusted his cheeks, watching as the same happened to the other. “W-wait I didn’t mean that!” He had to backtrack as fast as he could, “That was probably too fast! You shouldn’t want to kiss someone like me especially in a crowded place like this! I’m sorry I should just leave-”
Well, that was one way to shut him up and halt all of his thoughts.
Midori was in front of him. Eyes closed. Against his lips.
And just like that, he was gone.
He was left a stuttering mess, his eyes darting everywhere worried that anyone would see. Midori however, seemed far more confident than him, “Don’t worry, I made sure nobody was looking.” Clearly the shift in RYUSEITAI’s dynamic has done him wonders. Mayoi can’t help but be a little proud. “Did I do a good job at least?”
“T-thank you. It was, um, nice?” He paused, “That sounds mean, it was good I promise!”
Midori just laughed it off, shrugging his shoulders to make sure his backpack was on properly. He reached out and grabbed one of Mayoi’s hands, “Come on, let’s go back to the dorms. I want to take it easy today, everyone was too loud. We can watch a movie or something.” Mayoi just nodded enthusiastically, his other hand holding onto the plush he was gifted tightly. “Oh and also a word of advice,” Mayoi cocked his head to the side like a confused dog waiting to see what the other would say, “Try to make it a little less obvious when you come in and leave things. I’m not opposed to it, but Tenma-kun saw the plush you left and accused me of having a crush on you.”
Mayoi spent the whole trip back home red in the face and apologizing for a nonexistent inconvenience.