Chapter Text
As about a week went by as November got ready to pass into December it got colder and Jumpei ended up sharing more space in his friend's lives. Physically as well, funnily enough. He still laughed a bit thinking about how all the second years had huddled together on the train ride over, as a surprisingly effective defense against the cold. He really was privy to so much more now. He could lock eyes with Yukari and they could make a face at each other whenever Minato and Ryoji got up to some bullshit. He could be there to fuck up an equal amount as Fuuka— if not more— when they all for some godforsaken reason decided to make cookies for their partners. And he could realize belatedly that those random cooking sessions they had in the past were that exact same thing and that he had just been too oblivious to get it. And thus provide a good laugh for everyone once he mentioned it. He was able to actually effectively tell stories about his friends’ gay shenaniganry to Chidori. He could be there for his friends in ways he couldn't have been before. And then, as per usual, his thought process was entirely broken by the sounding of the bell marking the end of the school day.
Junpei swung his bag over his shoulder and immediately set out of the classroom. Akihiko and Shinjiro would no doubt be pleased To hear that he actually had something to do after school today. Not lazing around the classroom, not even waiting at the hospital for visitor hours. An actual honest club to attend. …Well, it wasn't exactly a club. Not yet. This was the first actual gathering of interested parties.
“Yo!” Junpei announced himself as he strolled with probably a bit more ceremony than he had intended into the classroom across from his. But really, could you blame him? Who could have ever have expected that Junpei fucking Iori of all people would end up in the student council room?
“Welcome! I— It’s good to see you, Iori-senpai!” Chihiro was there to welcome him, as expected. She was the one that organized this whole thing, after all. Thanks to her, there was soon to be a new group meeting on days where the general students council was out. Of course they needed a couple more members and principal approval first, but Chidori's venture of establishing a new branch of the council dedicated to student advocacy, diversity, and wellbeing— as was said in the posters— was in all likelihood gonna be a success long term. “Thank you for coming! You can grab a seat with the others while I get the attendance sheet in order.”
“Yeah, no problem. Lemme know if there's anything I can do to help out.” Chihiro nodded at him. He nodded back. Then he walked over and sat down at one of the empty chairs where two other students gathered. Ones which he immediately recognized as being part of Minato's strange and ever expansive circle. He had actually had a couple conversations with Yuko before, but he only waved hello to the other kid once and heard him mentioned in passing. Bebe was what Minato called him. He wondered if they had been recommended by Minato as well, or if they came across this thing individually. Oh yeah, Minato and some of the others were technically a part of the club as well. But most of them actually had shit they had to do after school for the most part, and couldn't make it most days. So when it turned out they would need a secretary (a leadership position!) to proceed, Junpei really didn't waste any time signing himself the hell up. It was a project he wanted to see work, after all. He leaned back in his chair, dropping his bag and wondering if he should start a conversation before he heard the door close and Chihiro join them.
“Only the leaders today, but I refuse to make that an issue!” Chihiro slammed her clipboard on the desk with a conviction Junpei didn't know she had in her, and took the seat next to Junpei. Minato must have been right about her having gained confidence, holy shit. “It's really only important that we have you all here today anyways. First meeting, commence!” She pumped her fist up in the air a bit awkwardly, but it turned more confident when the others joined her. She then proceeded to look around a bit, her eyes widening, before she cleared her throat and tapped a stack of papers against the table. “...It appears I might have forgotten for a moment that it was my job to start the meeting. Anyways! Welcome to the Student Advocacy branch of student council! I figure it would be best to start by outlining what our purpose is so we’re all on the same page, and to do that I’ll open with the story of how I decided to start something like this.”
“You got this, Chihiro-chan!” Yuko threw her a smile, and Bebe followed it up with an overzealous nod. Junpei decided to throw a thumbs-up of his own into the mix.
“Thank you all.” Chihiro smiled a bit, reorganizing her papers and all in all looking a fair bit more composed. “I especially appreciate it since in order to tell the story of the club concept, I do have to relate something that is a bit embarrassing to me. But that's fine! Part of the goal of the club is being able to be vulnerable with each other! And you all might be a year older than me but I’m the leader and I’m going to set a good example!” Junpei was pretty sure he knew some of the details of the story already, seeing as he quite literally lived with the key player in it. But it would be interesting to hear it from her. “Okay! Here goes! For a long while I had been ignorant of a lot of things. Namely how many sorts of people in the world there were, sheltered as I grew up! And I ended up meeting somebody. And against all odds, he acclimated me towards all the differences in the people in the world. Taught me that the differences I had from most people deserved to be respected. And I had thought I was fine with that, until somewhere along the way I developed a— a-massive-crush-on-him. I got rejected, of course. Not because of anything I did, but because of the differences between us. And I thought my whole life would fall apart if a relationship with him didn't work out. But it didn't. We had a long talk after that. And I realized that more than anything I wanted to be able to do the same thing for all sorts of people!” She spoke the last part with conviction, even if her eyes were turned downwards, gripping the fabric of her skirt. It was really admirable, if Junpei was being honest. Her courage and her dedication.
“...Damn, this is the best reaction I've seen from any girl upon the guy she likes telling her he’s gay, like. Ever.” Junpei might have laughed a bit at Yuko’s comment. It was true, in that sort of funny way that only particularly ridiculous things could be true in. Chihiro’s eyes widened a bit.
“How would you know that!? That's not the only reason he rejected me—”
“Ah, the boy was very much in love with another as well. Yes?” Junpei didn't exactly take Bebe as the type to make that same sort of slightly teasing remark. Chihiro was beginning to grow a bit indignant.
“Why— I— how do you know that? And why do you think it's appropriate to speak to your club leader in such a way—!?”
“Sorry, Chihiro-chan.” Junpei ended up interrupting her, with the other two looking at him questioningly. “It's our duty as your upperclassmen to tease you a little bit, right? Plus, it's totally Minato. We all know it's Minato. He's like, one of the best friends we have for all of us, and you weren’t exactly subtle. No offense.” Somehow with his comment a lot of the tension shattered. Chihiro stumbled over her words a bit, blushing, before finally sitting back down and giggling at herself. Yuko smiled a bit behind her hand and Bebe tried in vain to hide his snickering behind his ornamental fan. They all had that level of common ground. And they were all also the type to appreciate the inherent humor in the situation. Which made Junpei think that they were a good match, as a group. Despite a slightly rocky start.
“Right! Sorry for getting so worked up, I just recently unlocked the ability to be openly annoyed at things. I still don’t have the best handle on it. Thank you, Iori-senpai.” She turned to him, and Junpei assured her it was really not a problem. Bebe and Yuko did the same. “A lot of the time, people feel as if they don’t have the right to speak out when they’re troubled. That can often be because the places they live in convince them that they don’t have a right to a voice.” Junpei wanted to applaud her for the smooth transition back on topic, but didn’t want to derail everything again, so he settled for exchanging a knowing glance with his fellow club members. Looked like they’d caught on as well. “This club is here for those people. For those with trauma which impacts their day to day functioning,” Junpei bristled a bit at that. Chihiro stumbled a bit over her words too. Sometimes it felt seriously weird being acknowledged in that way. It almost never happened. “For the students who transferred in and still feel like they don’t have a place,” Bebe grinned at her, openly. “To racial minorities who are often looked down on,” Yuko gave her a curt, supportive nod. “And to those with learning disabilities.” Junpei found his head going to the back of his neck, and smiles admittedly a bit sheepishly as he was being addressed. “Even to people belonging to groups whose existence is still widely taboo today, such as anyone who isn't strictly heterosexual.” Everyone nodded along with that one, reacting in their own little ways. Junpei found himself shifting from foot to foot under the table at the mention of a particularly relevant topic as of late.
“I apologize for pointing out, but I did notice that everyone seemed responsive to the last statement?” Bebe spoke up, slightly gentler than he had times before. His fan was covering part of his face, his eyes averted. “...Am I right in the thinking that I am among friends here?” They all blinked at each other. Once. Twice. They had been talking about Minato's whole thing, but not in any way which related back to themselves. Which meant their relation to the topic and their opinions on it were left up in the air.
“Well, I'm bisexual. So, probably.” Yuko must have been a saint of some kind, with her casual way of speaking about important things and her supportive smile. Junpei figured he totally would have gotten on Minato's case about her if he had even the slightest bit of interest.
“Ah! The most practical yet poetic of the options one could be! Loving regardless of gender. I am vastly appreciating the inherent joy of bisexuality.” Finally! Somebody got it! Junpei had mentioned the same topic to his other friends after talking about it with Chidori but they all just laughed at him! Bebe sighed dramatically and Junpei looked at him with a newfound sense of solidarity. “Unfortunately for myself, the see-saw holding weight of my preference is much more heavy towards the side of masculinity. Few understand the unfortunate-ness of this, my friends.” Oh, Junpei totally understood. In the opposite direction maybe, but he understood.
“I think… preference for me in that way is much harder to pin down. I have to have especially particular conditions met for me to like anyone. I'm still figuring it out…” Chihiro was clutching her books to her chest, blushing a bit. It seemed like that was her first time saying something like that to a group of people, when Junpei looked at it in tandem with others he'd now seen in similar situations.
“Yo, that’s awesome!” Junpei spoke up almost instinctively, the others nodding along. “You got a chance to figure out something exciting about yourself at your own pace. And plenty of experienced senpai to count on if you need it!” Chihiro seemed to perk up significantly at that. Bebe and Yuko also agreed, if their expressions were anything to go off of. All upperclassmen loved being able to be there to support their underclassmen. It was another inherent rule of the world to add to the many more that Junpei had discovered. Maybe he should write them down sometime.
“What about you, Junpei-kun?” Yuko asked, turning to him. “You don't have to if you don't want to, but I haven't seen anyone voice something like that so easily in a while.”
“Oh! That’s all great for you guys, but I'm totally straight.” For some reason they all started laughing at that. Not the disbelieving laughter he'd gotten accustomed to as of late, but the simple sort that came after he said something generally strange. He could fix this. “No, don't worry though! I'm a cool straight guy! Literally the dictionary definition of an ally! All my friends are gay, and I'd be more than happy to add you guys to my gay friends collection! Hell, even my girlfriend’s gay!” Somehow they all ended up laughing harder at that. Chihiro, typically so proper, snorted a bit. Which was probably the start of Kunpei laughing with them. His brain to mouth filter was still lacking, because that was not how he meant to say that. But Chidori always said that was one of her favorite parts about him. And he had noticed that it was what often ended up in him learning new things, and landing all sorts of friends. So maybe it wasn't so bad after all.
The rest of the meeting went back surprisingly quickly, considering the amount of official shit they actually worked on. There was plenty of messing around, naturally, but they had finished up everything that needed to be done for the meeting by the time clubs ended. Junpei had come into this wondering in what world he would be considered for leadership for something so important, but by the time he had left the others had made sure he knew he was welcome and valued. Which was the point of the club, granted, but he hadn't thought it would work so fast! But his reasons for showing up were immediately validated in a way he had never expected. They all had their own reasons. Chihiro had laid out hers, Bebe wanted to make more friends and ensure there weren't any other isolated transfer students out there, and Yuko said that one of the most important parts of coaching and training is being there to advocate for the people you’re there for. They had a really fulfilling conversation about all that. But ultimately they had to part ways, as they had various other activities to get to, which, yeah fair, but it really made Junpeu realize how little he did on any given day. So when Chihiro mentioned having to take care of some paperwork before she left school, Junpei offered to accompany her. He did not expect to be turned down so harshly so quickly. She had said something about he should hurry back to the dorms too, which got Junpei thinking that she absolutely knew something he didn't. But, well, who was he to disobey his new club President, so he tossed his bag over his shoulder and went.
The first thought Junpei had when he walked into the pitch black dorm with the curtains drawn closed and the lights shut off was fear. The next was that Chihiro had absolutely known something he hadn't. And then the third was oh holy suit because the lights were flicked on, a massive crowd of people were standing at the entrance to the dorms and they all shouted in sync upon the lights being turned on.
“Woah! What's all this for!?” Junpei scanned the group in front of him, ranging from all of his dorm mates to Ryoji to Kenji and Kaz to Odagiri and Hiraga while Mitsuru stood dead center, arms shaking slightly as she held up an oversized cake. “No way I forgot some big event again! My birthday's not ‘till January either!”
“It's a ‘thanks for putting up with our bullshit’ cake.” Minato said, smiling a bit in that genuine way while squished on either side by Ryoji and Yukari. “It's rainbow because we thought it was appropriate. We spent all of this afternoon making it.” The cake was, indeed, covered in rainbow swirls. And little rainbow figures on top? And fucking massive. God, Mitsuru looked like she was about to fall over until Shinjiro stepped up and held half.
“Dude! For me!?” This many people had canceled all of their fucking after school activities, gathered around to make a cake, and waited here. In the dark. For him!? “You made this!? How many layers? God, that must have taken forever! And frankly there's nobody else's bullshit I'd rather put up with.” He got a chuckle out of the crowd at that, as Mitsuru and Shinjiro awkwardly shuffled over to the coffee table in the lounge to set the cake down.
“Don't worry. Not all of us helped on the actual baking part.” Fuuka smiled sheepishly, giving him a side hug as everybody started gathering around. He hadn't even had a chance to take his shoes off yet! “Decorating it was a difficult enough task in of itself and I've got art club experience for that. So you don't have to worry about it being burnt and rubbery.” He didn't know what to say so he just hugged Fuuka back, until she gingerly let go a second later.
“Yeah, good thing not all of us were let in the kitchen.” Kenji said, a glint of mischief in his eye. “Odagiri and I don't know shit about baking so we were on shopping duty. Who woulda thought a guy like me would have any chance of getting along with Mr. Head Of Behavioral Hardassery?”
“We did not get along. You kept reading the list wrong and I ended up so frustrated that I ended up shouting that you a fucking dumbass in public! Several times! There were children around!” Odagiri hissed, shoulders stiff and arms crossed. Hiraga leaned into him, sighing.
“That's about as well as how you get along with anyone though, isn't it? At least you’re still on speaking terms.” Odagiri grumbled. Hiraga turned to Junpei with a smile. “The art direction of this project was a lot of fun! Fuuka-chan and I ended up making basic little chocolate figurines of all of us when Amada-kun suggested it! I think they turned out quite adorable.” They did. Even from that distance he was able to pick out the many multicolored figurines on the cake.
“Yeah!” Ken said, bouncing forward, previously obscured by the crowd that was much taller than him. “They did a really good job! There wasn't much detail we could do, so they ended up putting on distinctive features that I got to suggest! I also got to put the food dye in each of the layers of the cake! Shinjiro said it was hard to get the colors right, but I did a pretty good job, I think.” God, Ken was such a good kid. Junpei swallowed down the urge to pick him up and spin him around because that would be mortifying to do in front of everyone for Ken Amada in particular.
“Yes. It truly will be the very best cake you've ever had.” Akihiko said, the very picture of seriousness, even when he lifted a half-heartedly protesting Ken onto his shoulders. “Steel your taste buds for battle. It's a Shinji original cake mix.”
“Indeed.” Mitsuru stepped up, imitating his mock seriousness. Was it an act at this point? Honestly Junpei did not know and he was only slightly concerned. “Prepare to have cake ruined for you for the rest of your life. Nothing will ever compare!” Mitsuru threw her hand out, like she was giving orders for battle. Until Shinjiro appeared, sighing and shaking his head while he pushed her arm down, as if they had done this song and dance before.
“Don't listen to them, it ain't nothing that special.” Shinjiro lied, like a liar. Junpei had Shinjiro’s food. He knew he was lying. “But yeah, don't come crying to me if nothing hits quite the same after. I only bring this out on special occasions, so you better not come askin’ for more.” There was a familiar mischievous glint in his eye. Junpei knew by now that meant that even Shinjiro was excited.
“You’re talking big shit for a guy who said the main ingredients were ‘love’ with a hefty helping of butter. Gotta respect it!” Kaz appeared from the background, grin bright as ever. “I didn't know you had such hard-ass senpai, Junpei! The guy wouldn't even let me have a peak at the recipe even when I did all the mixing! Having secret recipes is awesome and all, but I wanna make a cake like this for my nephew to celebrate going back to physical therapy.”
“He's not trying to keep the recipe from anyone.” Minato said. “The actual main ingredients are love and butter. I speak as the head chef's trusted protege.” Minato fiddled with his bangs, though he was grinning a bit at Kaz's open disbelief and jealousy. “I had to know the recipe to help, after all.”
“Love? To think that only a few moments ago you were joking about your ‘desolate and apathetic’ soul. Yukari cut in, a wide smile on her face. “You're such a fake ass emo.”
“I'm not an emo.” Minato responded, simply.
“Maybe not. I think you're a bit too sweet to come off as one, for the most part.” Ryoji placed himself firmly in Minato's personal space, receiving baffled looks from those that weren't in the know, and a healthy mixture of death glares and eye rolls from those that unfortunately were. “Your hair does say otherwise, though. You're already so pretty as is, but imagine how many more people you could charm if you wore it like this.” He brushed Minato’s bangs upwards, revealing the highly unusual image of his whole face. In return Ryoji was on one end of a highly unimpressed glare. Performed with two eyes. Ryoji promptly pulled his hand back like he had been burnt, even though he was the one flushing like he was suffering from the worst fever that had ever existed. “Haha. Um. What I meant to say is thanks a lot, Junpei. For everything. I wasn't allowed in the kitchen for very long since the head chef banished me to cake stacking land on the dining room table for being a ‘distraction,’ but I hope I was able to show my appreciation for you regardless.” Junpei couldn't help thinking that the best way Ryoji could have shown appreciation for him was finally figuring out his whole deal with Minato, but he could hardly be upset at all when the guy was so kind and so genuine. They were his friends, and they needed time to figure it out. And that was totally okay.
“Yeah, I was also quickly turned into a cake stacking outlaw for the crime of being a ‘slightly less obtrusive’ distraction.” Yukari spoke up again, stretching her arms out and still grinning. She seemed quite self satisfied. “Even though my love in particular didn't make it into the cake, I made sure those were the most evenly damn stacked layers to ever fucking exist. I don't say it much and don't get used to it, but you deserve the effort, Junpei.” God. Junpei could not cry again. And not from words said by Yukari of all the fucking people. But damn if he wasn't cutting it close.
“Arf!” Koromaru made his presence known by bursting forth from the crowd and running speedy circles around Junpei’s legs. God, he loved that dog.
“Koromaru-san says thank you, I love you, and that you had best enjoy the cake in his place since it has too many carbs for safe consumption by a canine, or he will reveal your deepest and darkest secrets to the world.” Aigis translated, stepping forward with a big, genuine smile on her face. Almost bright enough to make Junpei slightly less horrified of the dog obediently sitting on his feet for a couple moments. “I do hope it's up to standards. I had my fair sure of fun making it among the others. I'm beginning to believe being an assistant cook suits me much better than being a weapon of mass destruction does.” Aigis smiled even bigger when the whole group broke down into various states of laughter, in a way that told him between laughs that she had intended it to be funny. It was a joke that would no doubt get her lectured by Mitsuru later for being so careless with her ‘human’ cover, but really that was one of the many moments for Junpei when the illusion of her not being human was fully broken. “We care for you very much, Junpei-san. Your companionship has been critical for all of our development, and I know that is an opinion we share with others.”
“Damn.” Junpei said. Damn did not even begin to describe it. He thought he was so overwhelmed by affection that he was about to fucking burst. It was more than a bit surreal, to have everyone he had spoken to, who had helped him and who he had apparently helped back in the same room. Well. Almost everyone. “This might be one of my favorite days. Like, ever. The only thing I could think of to make this better was if Chidori—” and just then there was a gentle tap on his shoulder. He almost stumbled to the floor in his effort to whirl around to find—
“See, Junpei? I told you that they all agreed. So thank you.”
“Chidori!?” She was standing there, in a simple white dress, a big smile on her face and holding a bouquet of rainbow flowers and here and in person and Junpei did not suppress the urge to pick somebody up and spin them around this time. Or the urge to cry happy tears. The dam broke as soon as he heard her gentle giggling, as soon as she was placed back on the floor, standing there in front of everyone else. “A— are you alright? Shit, I shouldn't have done that, shouldn't you be in the hospital—!?”
“My recovery has been coming along well enough for me to take a small trip outside. Hopefully there will be longer ones to come. Thank you, Junpei. These are for you.”
“Flowers!?” Junpei really hasn't ever anticipated, ever even could have imagined that the day would come for him to be on the receiving end of a bouquet. He may have choked up again. “For me!?”
“You seemed so fascinated by the concept of a rainbow bouquet, but I thought it suited you much better than it suited me. It was a group effort, though. Every one flower was chosen by one person. You should have seen the florist’s face when I showed up with such a mismatched list.” Junpei took the offered bouquet, holding it as if it was the most important thing he had been given in his entire life. “Their meanings are mismatched as a result. But I… I think that suits you. Junpei, let’s keep writing our story together. One flower at a time.” There was a chorus of ‘aww’s, agreements, supportive words, and thanks from the people around him. And it was good. Great, even.
He could hardly tell within the midst of all the chaos, but the crowd dispersed to gather around the table in a tornado of chatter, the flowers were put in a vase, and he was given the biggest knife they had in the dorms to cut the cake. It really was a beautiful cake. In dyed chocolate on top of it there were vague depictions of all of his friends in every color of the rainbow and those outside of it, from Chidori’s bright red to Yukari’s deep magenta. A figure he could recognize as his from the tiny hat brim was the only one that wasn't dyed, left a soft white which contrasted with the rest of the cake. Just by standing on it though, his feet were being dyed with all of the bright colors of the icing around him. And goddamn, it was probably the cheesiest thought he’d ever had, and it was over a goofy ass chocolate figurine of himself on a borderline gaudy cake of all things. But he couldn't help but look at all his friends, in excited anticipation for food whether they tried to hide it or not, and couldn't help but be glad that their color had spread to him too, in a way. His future had never before seemed so hopeful. That was the most amazing gift he had ever been given, and even if everything changed, even if the world was turned upside down entirely, there was nothing in the world that could take that away from him. Junpei did his best to give a grin that even began to encompass how grateful he was.
And then he cut the cake.