I managed to do something productive! Yesterday was rough (I'll explain later… it's a long story…) but I was SO HAPPY when I saw the lineup for the Sexy Matsuri! Sad that Yugo isn't listed, but I know he's busy with school… and Team Sha!! Ahhhh. This is just a short little thing, but… I hope it's enjoyable anyway~
title: Ego-booster
rating: g
pairing: Jinguji/Reia
word count: 992
beta:
yomimashouauthor's note: Inspired by last night's episode of Gamushara! Set after/during Team Sha's first practice with the 'fun-cussion' guys. Written for shiritori @
writetomyheart~
summary: Jinguji hears Matsukura and Reia talking about him through the dressing room door.
"Ever consider not letting Jinguji use you as an ego booster?" Jinguji hears Matsukura's voice through the Gamushara dressing room door as he returns from his trip to the vending machines, and something about the tone makes him halt in his tracks. Not only is he being talked about, but he's being badmouthed, and normally, Jinguji would bust into the room, demanding to know exactly what Matsukura means by that, but somewhere inside of him, he knows that Matsukura must be talking to Reia, and that knowledge somehow makes his feet refuse to move.
"Hmm?" Reia hums, confusion in his voice, and hah! Jinguji thinks, of course Reia would never think that Jinguji was doing something like that, whatever Matsukura had meant, anyway. Feeling vindicated, he reaches for the door handle, but before he can get it open, he hears Matsukura speak again: "You know what I mean. He's an idiot, and you're far better than him at practically everything, but you let him talk down to you and pretend like he's helping you. Why the hell do you do it?"
There's silence for a beat, and Jinguji's breath catches in his throat, his heart suddenly beating out of his chest, because… what?? His mind races to try to understand, because of course he likes helping Reia, because he's Reia's boyfriend…! It's his job to watch out for him and help him, right…? And Reia's always looked happy when Jinguji helps him, always thanked Jinguji and cooed about how smart or strong or talented he was, and well, yeah, maybe Jinguji likes to hear that, but… why the heck would Reia say it if he didn't mean it?? Reia's his boyfriend, too, Reia wouldn't lie to him that way… right??
But then Reia is responding, "…it's not like that, you know," quietly enough that Jinguji has to lean a little closer to the door, and it's weird and uncool, he thinks, to eavesdrop this way, but he can't help himself, not when his heart is beating in his ears and it's somehow hard to breathe. He's about to take tentative reassurance in Reia's response, though Reia's tone worries him, when he continues: "I let him help me because even if I know what I'm doing better than him, I love him, and that's what matters most."
"What?" Matsukura responds incredulously, echoing the confusion that sends Jinguji reeling at Reia's response. He doesn't understand Reia's explanation, really, but what he did understand was clear enough: Reia's been lying to him this whole time. Or… something? He's been making an ass out of Jinguji, anyway, allowing him to carry on for no reason when he's really just been trying to help… how could he have known that Reia already knew every time?? Yet, he doesn't really feel angry… he doesn't really know what he's feeling. He's heard Reia use the word love a few times before, when he thought Jinguji was asleep or was out of earshot, and each time, it's made his heart flipflop inside of him in a way that he doesn't understand. And so everything about Reia's response is mind-boggling, enough so that Jinguji is still struggling to comprehend his own feelings when Reia speaks again.
"He's not just a pointless show-off, you know," Reia replies in a matter-of-fact way, and then there's a soft thudding sound, as if he's setting his phone down on the counter and giving the discussion his full attention-- Jinguji's been around Reia long enough to know that it means business when he sets aside his phone. "He gets nervous that he's not good enough, or cool enough, or significant enough. He starts thinking that he doesn't have anything to offer." He laughs a little, soft and almost inaudible through the door, but Jinguji hears it, and it makes his throat tight, because he's known Reia long enough to know the sound of affection in the sounds he makes. He feels dizzy, but Reia continues, and all he can do is listen as he adds, "I love him, so it's the least I can do to help with that. I don't care what anyone else thinks; he'll always be good enough and cool enough for me."
"You're weird," is Matsukura's only response, but Jinguji doesn't care. His heart feels as if it's going to burst from his chest, and maybe that's really not cool at all, maybe he really is an idiot, but right now, he doesn't care. He bursts into the room with a confidence that's practically radiating from every inch of his being and strides directly over to Reia, ignoring Reia's look of confusion and putting an arm around him assertively and pressing a kiss firmly to his lips-- something that, any other time, he'd have been far too embarrassed to do. But right now, he's riding high on the bubbling sensation that exploded inside of him upon hearing Reia's answer, and so he grins at Reia when he pulls back after a moment before turning to Matsukura.
"Oi, who are you calling weird?" he says, hoping that they don't realize he'd heard more than the end of the conversation and pulling Reia a little closer subconsciously. "You're just jealous of my cute, perfect boyfriend, aren't you?"
Matsukura just rolls his eyes, but when Jinguji looks back to Reia at his side, his heart heart skips another beat when he sees Reia beaming at him, just beaming, his smile so beautiful that Jinguji feels as if he's dreaming. "Jinguji…" he says, his voice breathy and emotional and beautiful, and Jinguji can't help but smile back at him. "Shut up," he replies, because he doesn't know what else to say and he's never been good with feelings and he's too overwhelmed to think straight right now, but somehow, from the way that Reia's smile grows even bigger and prettier at that, Jinguji has a feeling that Reia knows that he means I love you, too.