Nesting (Jetman, Ryu/Gai, #4)
Title: Nesting (1/?)
Fandom: Chojin Sentai Jetman
Pairing: Tendou Ryu/Yuuki Gai
Theme: #4, White
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine
Notes: AU, post series
Re-heated ramen and a warm can of soda was by no means a dinner, but it was all that Ryu had in his fridge, and Gai was in no mood for searching a supermarket for something he would probably wind up burning anyways. He’d checked the carton of milk-- and tossed it out the second he took a sniff. Ryu must have been really depressed if he’d let his milk go bad…
Suddenly missing Raita and his endless supplies of fresh vegetables, Gai snuck a glance at Ryu while stirring the ramen. He was at the table, reading the paper, a model of serenity. And Gai might’ve bought it too, if he didn’t know better.
He poured the ramen in a couple of bowls and shoved one in Ryu’s direction. “Eat it, or else.” Gai was aware that he was slowly turning into Ryu’s mother, but the fact that Ryu probably hadn’t eaten at all in the past week remained.
Ryu was silent… and then he began to eat slowly. “Thank you,” he murmured around a mouthful or ramen.
Gai helped himself to the other bowl. “Eh, don’t worry about it--”
“You don’t have to do this, though.”
“What the hell am I doing?”
“Making sure I don’t go insane with grief again,” Ryu said simply before taking a sip of soda. “But it’s all right.”
“Ryu--”
“I said it’s all right.” Ryu stood up, and then began to rinse out his bowl. “Rie… Rie’s been avenged. I’ll be fine.” He did his best to smile. “Incredibly lonely, but fine.”
There was only so much crap Gai could take in one sitting. He rose as well, grabbing Ryu by the shoulder. “Damn it, Ryu-- did you forget what I said to you, too?!”
Somehow, Gai managed not to punch him when Ryu merely blinked at him. “What are you talking about?”
“You life is in my hands, remember?” Gai’s hand tightened around Ryu’s shoulder. “And I’ll be damned if you throw it away.”
Ryu blinked at him again, but there seemed to be a different light in his eyes this time. “Okay.” He pulled away, clearing the table. “I’ll keep that in mind.” The smile was a little more real this time. Then it turned into a grimace when Ryu glanced at the window. “Geez, it’s already dark out. Sorry to have kept you here this long--”
Gai shrugged as he plopped down on Ryu’s couch. “Forget it. I’m staying here tonight anyways.”
“Oh.” There was no particular tone in Ryu’s voice as he headed for the bedroom. “I… don’t mind, unless it’s a burden for you.”
Gai waved a hand from the couch. “It’s too late for driving halfway across town. You just get some sleep, okay?” It wasn’t until Ryu nodded and shut the door behind him that Gai snuck a glance at his watch. Ten o’clock. Oh yeah, that was real late.
He groaned as he switched the television on with the remote. Maybe he’d find a show stupid enough to make him forget the real reason he wanted to stay.
--
Gai was still channel surfing when he heard a knock at the door. Wondering who’d want to talk to Ryu at this time of night, he opened the door… and Kaori was standing there.
“Hello, Gai.” Kaori’s eyes went to her white skirt, hands trying to smooth out imaginary wrinkles. “I-I guess Ryu’s finally asleep, huh?”
“… Yeah.” Feeling painfully awkward, Gai stuffed his hand in his pockets. “But if you want to talk to him, I’m sure he won’t mind--”
“No, but thank you.” Kaori offered him one of those smiles that never failed to make him smile back. “It’s better if he rests.” She smiled again, but there was something bittersweet to it as she got ready to leave. “And maybe you’ll have better luck with him than I did.”
Gai mulled over her words and he locked the door. What the hell had Kaori been talking about--
Oh. Oh.
Gai slapped his forehead, resisting the urge to scream out every dirty word he knew. Maybe it would be best if he went to bed early tonight.
Fandom: Chojin Sentai Jetman
Pairing: Tendou Ryu/Yuuki Gai
Theme: #4, White
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: Not mine
Notes: AU, post series
Re-heated ramen and a warm can of soda was by no means a dinner, but it was all that Ryu had in his fridge, and Gai was in no mood for searching a supermarket for something he would probably wind up burning anyways. He’d checked the carton of milk-- and tossed it out the second he took a sniff. Ryu must have been really depressed if he’d let his milk go bad…
Suddenly missing Raita and his endless supplies of fresh vegetables, Gai snuck a glance at Ryu while stirring the ramen. He was at the table, reading the paper, a model of serenity. And Gai might’ve bought it too, if he didn’t know better.
He poured the ramen in a couple of bowls and shoved one in Ryu’s direction. “Eat it, or else.” Gai was aware that he was slowly turning into Ryu’s mother, but the fact that Ryu probably hadn’t eaten at all in the past week remained.
Ryu was silent… and then he began to eat slowly. “Thank you,” he murmured around a mouthful or ramen.
Gai helped himself to the other bowl. “Eh, don’t worry about it--”
“You don’t have to do this, though.”
“What the hell am I doing?”
“Making sure I don’t go insane with grief again,” Ryu said simply before taking a sip of soda. “But it’s all right.”
“Ryu--”
“I said it’s all right.” Ryu stood up, and then began to rinse out his bowl. “Rie… Rie’s been avenged. I’ll be fine.” He did his best to smile. “Incredibly lonely, but fine.”
There was only so much crap Gai could take in one sitting. He rose as well, grabbing Ryu by the shoulder. “Damn it, Ryu-- did you forget what I said to you, too?!”
Somehow, Gai managed not to punch him when Ryu merely blinked at him. “What are you talking about?”
“You life is in my hands, remember?” Gai’s hand tightened around Ryu’s shoulder. “And I’ll be damned if you throw it away.”
Ryu blinked at him again, but there seemed to be a different light in his eyes this time. “Okay.” He pulled away, clearing the table. “I’ll keep that in mind.” The smile was a little more real this time. Then it turned into a grimace when Ryu glanced at the window. “Geez, it’s already dark out. Sorry to have kept you here this long--”
Gai shrugged as he plopped down on Ryu’s couch. “Forget it. I’m staying here tonight anyways.”
“Oh.” There was no particular tone in Ryu’s voice as he headed for the bedroom. “I… don’t mind, unless it’s a burden for you.”
Gai waved a hand from the couch. “It’s too late for driving halfway across town. You just get some sleep, okay?” It wasn’t until Ryu nodded and shut the door behind him that Gai snuck a glance at his watch. Ten o’clock. Oh yeah, that was real late.
He groaned as he switched the television on with the remote. Maybe he’d find a show stupid enough to make him forget the real reason he wanted to stay.
--
Gai was still channel surfing when he heard a knock at the door. Wondering who’d want to talk to Ryu at this time of night, he opened the door… and Kaori was standing there.
“Hello, Gai.” Kaori’s eyes went to her white skirt, hands trying to smooth out imaginary wrinkles. “I-I guess Ryu’s finally asleep, huh?”
“… Yeah.” Feeling painfully awkward, Gai stuffed his hand in his pockets. “But if you want to talk to him, I’m sure he won’t mind--”
“No, but thank you.” Kaori offered him one of those smiles that never failed to make him smile back. “It’s better if he rests.” She smiled again, but there was something bittersweet to it as she got ready to leave. “And maybe you’ll have better luck with him than I did.”
Gai mulled over her words and he locked the door. What the hell had Kaori been talking about--
Oh. Oh.
Gai slapped his forehead, resisting the urge to scream out every dirty word he knew. Maybe it would be best if he went to bed early tonight.