#trickyfindings

[lynneshobbydomain]

13, saiouma, for the otp drabble please? 👀

(The eyes though Anon. The Eyes. I’m teasing. I hope you enjoy the prompt!)

Confession Disaster 

Rating: G

Summery: Kokichi knows who Shuichi’s crush is. Everyone knows, it was so freaking obvious. Surely, Kokichi can talk sense into the detective about making a move. Right?

Prompt: 

You’re lying, you’re blushing!

Shut up! No I’m not!

It never failed to amuse Kokichi that Shuichi thought he could hide from him. It was so obvious, he was pretty sure the entire class knew. Kaede was a beautiful girl, if you were into blonds who wouldn’t shut up about the piano. Shuichi’s never ending patience with that made him the best boyfriend ever. Then again, his never ending patience meant he was the best boyfriend no matter who it was that had his attention for more than five seconds. Kokichi was just a little jealous. A tiny bit jealous. Maybe a little insecure with the fact that it wasn’t him.

It wasn’t that he didn’t try. He didn’t. He was a liar, a prankster. He was the court’s jester. School was boring and life-sucking and he wasn’t a part of that. He didn’t want to be drowned in classwork for all eternity and it pained him to see the other people in his class wanting that type of path. It was so easy to go with the flow of things, Kokichi found himself rebelling against it with all of his might. Even if it made him look bad, there was no way he would become another face in the crowd. He was Kokichi Ouma...and the boy who was smart enough, challenging enough, interesting enough to be his second in command was...more interested in the boring life.

“Shuichi-chan~.” But that didn’t mean Kokichi wasn’t going to tease him for it. He was sure the space cadet and the assassin girl were being too nice. If they were going to get anywhere, Kokichi knew how to get the pathway wet. That meant, waiting until after school and making sure to crowd him at his desk while he was reading.  ���So when are you going to talk? Huh?”

“Talk?” Shuichi set his novel down and frowned a little at the purple-haired man. “What do you mean talk?” He glanced around the empty classroom, he hadn’t meant to be stuck reading. Normally Kaito would’ve pulled him out before the bell rang. Had he been in that deep or did Kokichi say something? 

“Sheesh. You are really dense.” Kokichi tapped his forehead. “Everyone’s probably bored already, and you’re dragging your feet. Could it be?” Kokichi suddenly gasped. “You’re waiting for the right moment?”

“If I admit I’m lost, are you going to tell me what this is about?” Shuichi asked, blankly. “What are you talking about? Right moment?”

“Playing dumb won’t get you anywhere, Shuichi-chan.” Kokichi glanced at his nails, fidgeting a little. “Honestly, I’m supposed to be the liar here. You’re a terrible one.”

“I can’t exactly be lying if I don’t know what I’m lying about.” Shuichi pursed his lips together. “What are you eve-”

“Aren’t you going to talk to your crush about going out with them? Your crush is preeeettttyy loud. So loud in fact, I’m pretty certain even our teachers are putting bets on you.” Kokichi looked at Shuichi who stared at him, mouth slightly opened. “Seriously? You really thought we wouldn’t notice? Shuichi-chan’s horrible at secret keeping!”

Shuichi stared at him, his cheeks flaming red. “It was that obvious?” He asked, his voice small and timid. “I thought...I thought I was doing pretty well...oh god I made it awkward didn’t I?”

That...wasn’t the reaction Kokichi was expecting. He carefully sat himself down on the chair that was right across from Shuichi’s desk and he placed an elbow on it, chin in his cupped hand. “Not really.” He said after a moment. “It’s painful to watch though that’s for sure. I’m certain that you should bite the bullet. What’s the worst that can happen?”

Shuichi looked up at him. “The answer obviously.”

“The answer’s obviously going to be yes.”

Shuichi paused. “You mean that?”

Kokichi wondered if they were on two different pages of the same conversation. “I know I'm a liar,” he decided to play this carefully, “but this is important for Shuichi-chan. I wouldn’t lie about something everyone else knows is true. If something is true, and I lie about it, it’s not fun. Now if it’s a lie that no one understands or believes is true, that’s where it gets fun. You get me? I only lie, Shuichi-chan, when it’s fun.”

“I feel like that’s a lie. You lie when it’s convenient too.”

“How many times have I got us out of trouble?!” Kokichi gasped.

“How many times have you gotten us into trouble, you mean.” Shuichi replied back as he smiled softly. “I’m...glad then.”

Kokichi tilted his head slightly.

“That you said yes.”

Wait.

Back up.

“Shuichi-chan, now I gotta ask, who is your crush?” Kokichi felt so lost.

“You?” Shuichi frowned looking at Kokichi. “You called me out on it? You didn’t…” Shuichi realized fast what was happening here. His cheeks flamed red. “You didn’t have a clue. You said them. I didn’t catch that.”

Kokichi felt the world spin and then stop. “That’s a lie.” He said after a moment. “You’re lying. You’re blushing!” He slammed his hand down on the desk, startling Shuichi and he felt a little guilty but he grinned at the boy. “You’re trying to one up me! Too bad Shuichi-chan’s a terrible, no good, truther.”

“Shut up! No I’m not!” Shuichi bit his lower lip. “I’m telling the truth, Kokichi-kun. You know that.”

He did know that. Shuichi couldn’t tell a lie even if it meant saving his life. He was too obvious. It always amazed him that his classmates would fall for his lies. They were as cringy as Himiko’s sometimes. Not that Kokichi had a habit of calling Shuichi out on it too much. It wasn’t like Shuichi was lying directly to him after all. 

“I thought you were pining after piano moron.”

“Akamatsu-san? No. She’s with Amami-kun.” Shuichi shook his head from side to side. “I’ve been...talking to her about how I was supposed to confess to you. I wasn’t...this wasn’t…”

He was waiting for the right time. Kokichi blew it out of the water. “Oh.” Kokichi never thought there would come a day where he was lost for words. “Shuichi-chan should go out with me then.”

“I should?” Shuichi was a little surprised, and Kokichi couldn’t blame him. This was a disaster of a confession.

They were both disasters of people so perhaps it all worked out in their favor. “You should.” Kokichi said. “And maybe I can teach you how not to be boring! We should go somewhere.” Somewhere….Kokichi grabbed Shuichi’s wrist and started dragging him to his feet. “Come on. I got an idea.”

“Ah Kokichi-kun my things!”

“Save it!”

They’d grab them tomorrow if they remembered. 

[lynneshobbydomain]

39. For Oumasai?

(Hey Anon, I’m assuming 39 for the kissing prompt yes? Lemme know if this wasn’t what you wanted. I have way too many prompt lists in my tumblr for me to keep track of I’m sorry @_@)

Let’s Play Spin the Bottle

Rated T cuz Miu (God she was so hard to write)

Summery: Shuichi is dragged to a party by his friends and Miu decides that they need to have a little more fun. Who would’ve guessed how the night would turn out?

Shuichi never knew how he managed to get talked into these things. Parties always made him feel like he should be plastered against the wall. He loved his friends dearly, but they were a rowdy bunch when they put their heads together. Even the calmer ones like Rantaro and Korekiyo let loose a little. At the moment they were chatting with each other at the snack and punch bowl. He was pretty sure they were standing there as guards more than just as a place to chat. It wasn’t that it got spiked (though that did happen on occasion, Shuichi still had his suspicions on who) but someone managed to switch it out. Sometimes they were lucky and it was flavored water. Sometimes they were unlucky and they had to figure out what they had managed to drink. Watered down ketchup, for example, had happened once. 

“Okay you fucking dweebs, we’re about to get things spicy up in here.” Miu suddenly called out, holding up an empty bottle. Shuichi felt the color drain from his face and he noticed that most of his friends either looked excited by the prospect, or were dreading it. “You fuckers don’t got a choice in it either! Pooichi! You’re in this too!”

“Whatcha going to do with that whore?” Kokichi asked from the couch, looking at the bottle. “Gonna lock us in the closet for being bad?” Shuichi wasn’t sure he could handle seven minutes in heaven. Especially if it was with Kokichi. Forget the crush, Kokichi would make his life a living hell too.

Miu gave Kokichi a look. “What you don’t want to see if anyone’s brave enough to kiss you Cockichi?”

“Awww and I thought we were going to spice it up a little.” Kokichi mocked her. He glanced over at Shuichi and then shrugged. “Probably for the best anyway.”

What was that supposed to mean? Shuichi knew that there was no way he could get out of this as everyone settled into a circle. “How do we determine who goes first?” Korekiyo spoke softly.

“I’ll go!” Kaito reached for the bottle and spun it before anyone could react. He spun the bottle a little too hard as it skidded a little across the floor. Everyone’s breath held as they watched it land on- “Hey! HaruMaki!”

“Do you want to die?” Maki deadpanned, staring at him. 

“Oooh a kiss of death. Do you put poison on your lips?” Kokichi teased and Miu made an obscene noise.

“Oh for fuck’s sake it’s a kiss. It’s not like he’s gonna strip ya.” Miu paused, “Unless you actually wanted to then there’s a closet and we’d time you-”

Maki’s glare was fast and deadly. Shuichi could feel the malice behind it and it wasn’t even aimed at him. Miu made another obscene sound of a moan. Without further ado, Kaito leaned over and kissed Maki on the cheek. Before Miu could open her mouth to say anything, another glare was shot her way and Shuichi never ever wanted to hear that sound again.

“Boooorrrinnnggg.” Kokichi groaned out. 

The game played on for a while. Most kisses were indeed cheek kisses as a lot of his friends weren’t that close to be on the lips, or knew the other’s comfort level to not embarrass each other.  Miu had been bold enough to get into Kiibo’s lap and kiss him as though her life depended on it. Shuichi had to look away from that scene. Rantarou and Korekiyo had also been brave enough to kiss on the lips, though whether that was to show how the game was really played, if they were dating, or if they just didn’t care was up for debate. Kaede and Rantarou had also been the braver ones to kiss squarely on the lips too. Tenko and Himiko had been the most tame with the forehead kisses. 

Kirumi spun the bottle as she had just been kissed by Ryoma and the bottle landed on Shuichi. “I apologize, Saihara-san.” Kirumi gave the shy boy a kind smile. “But in order to make this comfortable for you, do you have a preference on where I may kiss you?”

Thank god for Kirumi. Shuichi’s cheeks blushed a dark red. “Ch-cheek is fine.” He braced himself as Kiriumi went over to him and placed a gentle kiss on his cheek. His neck and his cheeks were a bright cherry red. He could hear a smattering of laughter and Shuichi reached over for the bottle.

Please let it be someone that he could handle.

It landed on Kokichi.

“Oooooooh!” Kokichi grinned brightly. “Look at that Saihara-chan! You get to kiss me!”

Auta had to fucking hate him or Shuichi had managed to piss off a love god of some kind. He didn’t even know what he could say to this. He saw Kaito’s look of pity from the corner of his eye. Kaito didn’t like Kokichi much, but he knew about the crush and he knew that this wasn’t the exact ideal situation, but here he was. 

He went over to Kokichi and was about to just press a kiss to Kokichi’s cheek when Kokichi’s head moved enough so that his lips landed on his.

Shuichi’s eyes widened. He wanted to run away, he wanted to get out of here, he couldn’t believe it. Did Kokichi guess that he was going to kiss on the cheek and moved on purpose? Was this an accident? He was just about to pull away when Kokichi tugged him closer before pulling away.

“Nice kiss Detective.” Kokichi purred. “Maybe next time though you could aim a little better. You almost got my cheek you know~.”

That had been the point! Shuichi wanted to crawl underneath a piece of furniture and die. He got back to his spot as Kokichi made a happy little humming tune. He spun the bottle and….

Auta really hated Shuichi right now. 

“Awww look at that! I get to return what was so graciously given to me!” Kokichi clapped his hands excitedly.

“We all know you have the biggest boner for Pooichi.” Miu rolled her eyes with a huff. “Stop flinging it around for everyone to see.”

Wait what? Shuichi glanced over at Miu in surprise and Kokichi was giving Miu a look that could burn a building down. “Says the whore who can’t satisfy Kiiboy. You like my dick and you know it.”

“That’s rude!” Kiibo gave Kokichi a look but Miu seemed to enjoy the degrading remark.

Kokichi went over to Shuichi and before Shuichi could react, was kissed hard on the lips. He barely had time to react before Kokichi pulled away and whispered softly. “Now if only we could do this without the game, right my beloved?” 

If that hadn’t been a hint, Shuichi wasn’t sure what was.

After the party, Shuichi managed to grab Kokichi before he sprinted off to the night. He knew that he was probably going to go to D.I.C.E’s hideout and while he had a vague idea of where it was, he didn’t feel like trying to track Kokichi down. “Getting brave on me, Saihara-chan?” Kokichi teased him. “It was just a game you know.” His expression turned serious. “I could’ve been lying.”

So he knew what Shuichi was about to ask. It wasn’t a surprise, but he decided to take his chances anyway. “Would you…” he trailed off. “I don’t think that was a lie.” Kokichi stilled. Since he was still holding onto his wrist, he could feel his heartbeat going quickly. Or was that his heart beat and he was making a mistake in thinking that it was Kokichi’s? “But…”

“Nishishishi.” Kokichi suddenly snickered and yanked his wrist away from Shuichi. “You’ll have to do better than that to get me, darling~” Before Shuichi could stop him, he had already disappeared through the night. Shuichi found himself wishing that the boy had stayed but also found himself watching him leave fondly.

It wouldn’t be Kokichi if he didn’t cause a chase. 

[lynneshobbydomain]

I SAW YOUR MOST RECENT SAIOUMA FIC AND IMMEDIATELY FELL IN LOVE!! please,,,, for the kiss prompt list can we have #11 for saiouma, "I almost lost you" kiss because it made my heart feel t e n d e r 😭💞💕💖💝

((Okay so I admit that I lost track of what I was doing and I apologize so hard Anon for leaving you behind like I did. On the flip side your prompt came just in time for me to rekt a friend. If you haven’t read it already I highly recommend going here to read @nebulaleaf‘s fanfiction called Payphone. I loved it to death, it’s wonderful by itself, I just needed the fucking fluff. That being said, this can be read without reading the said story, it’ll just make a little more sense if you did.))

Almost Lost 

Rating: T (for safety reasons.)

Beep.

What if it had all gone wrong? What if that girl hadn’t been there?

Beep.

The oxygen machine made a soft hissing sound, expelling all of the air into the breathing mask that was around his face. Kokitchi’s hands were tightly clenched against his chin, watching as Shuichi laid there. Eyelashes brushing against his cheeks, mouth slightly open. His chest heavily bandaged.

Beep.

Why didn’t he say something during the phone call? He was a terrible liar, and yet Kokichi didn’t even think, not once, that he was lying to him. They were talking about pizza, but…

The breathing machine hissed. The monitor beeped. Kokichi’s nails scratched lightly against the back of his hands, trying desperately to...to…

Beep.

He had ordered the pizza. He also went out of his way to find a dumb movie that they could watch because Shuichi hadn’t sounded like himself over the phone. Breathless, spaced out, not all there in the conversation. Kokichi should’ve heard it. He should’ve known that something wasn’t right. 

He had been so unconcerned. Kokichi twisted the ring on his finger. He was supposed to be smart. Shuichi was supposed to be smart. How did they wind up here of all places? 

If that girl hadn’t been there….

Beep.

Kokichi’s head picked up as he watched Shuichi’s eyes flutter open. There was a deep haze in his eyes and he knew it was from the drugs and from the sleep that he was getting. Kokichi scooted his chair a little closer to the bed, and gently picked Shuichi’s hand into his. 

Shuichi watched him for a moment uncomprehending before realization began to sink in. The haze was slowly fading away like a moving going into black. The clarity was starting to come forth and Kokichi didn’t have the heart to try to bounce around and make nice.

This was the kind of fear they both knew would happen one day, but it was supposed to happen one day. Kokichi played with the ring on Shuichi’s finger, silent as the machine hissed and relaxed. The beepining of the heart monitor assuring them both tha he was alive. Shuichi groggily took the mask off and Kokichi’s eyes narrowed. “‘M sorry…”

“You said that already.” Kokichi muttered, watching Shuichi bow his head a little. “You lost a lot of blood. They spent a good while trying to get you to not stay dead. You were dead on the table and you kept dying and….you should put your mask back on.” He reached over and tried to get it but Shuichi was faster.

He grabbed Kokichi’s wrist. The grip was weak and easy to break out of, but Kokichi didn’t have the will to defy him when he was already down on the ground. He looked down at Shuichi’s eyes. 

This morning could’ve been the last time he saw them. Golden and brilliant. This morning he could’ve been the last time he teased Shuichi for his long lashes, beautiful and delicate. This morning could’ve been the last time he felt Shuichi touch him, caracess him, kiss him. Last night could’ve been the last time he heard his voice, whispy and deep and…

Kokichi was never able to resist the siren’s song that was his husband. He bent down and gently cupped both of his cheeks and kissed him. He listened to the heart monitor increase in speed, but he didn’t give a flying fuck. He was hyper aware of Shuichi’s hand gently moving from his wrist to his shoulder then to his hair, gripping at strands and pulling him a little closer to him. He was aware of their noses brushing against each other, how the hospital gown and stiff and uncomfortable against Kokichi’s own skin. He was familiar with Shuichi’s struggle to breath, but the stubbornness to continue to reach and press and pull and nip and beg.

“Don’t you ever do that to me or your uncle again.” Kokichi murmured against Shuichi’s lips, unwilling to open his eyes. He wanted to savor this moment, because he was afraid he opened his eyes then everything would go to hell. Everything would start back up. Shucihi would rip a stitch, he would throw himself into a panic he would die on the tab-

“Shhh.” Shuichi’s fingers gently brushed against Kokichi’s cheek and Kokichi blinked when he realized that the world was blurry and irritating and his cheeks were wet. His chest was heaving with sobs that he didn’t realize he was letting out. He was a little upset that his body decided to go and produce tears. “I’m here.” He whispered. “I’m sorry, ‘Kichi. I’m so sorry. I…”

“Should’ve told me you were hurt. I could’ve gotten you help.” Kokichi grumbled as he carefully pulled away from Shuichi. “Now you’re really going to have to make it up to me.”

“I know.” Shuichi murmured, watching as Kokichi sat back down on the chair. He gently held his hand out towards Kokichi and he took it, gripping as though he was a lifeline. Afraid that if he didn’t, Shuichi would drift off and disappear. “I’m sorry. I thought...I didn’t want you to…”

“Grieve?” Kokichi asked, his voice cracking. “Oh Shumai, you brilliant dense detective.” His breath hitched and Shuichi struggled for his own, putting the mask back on so that he could at least have some air. One of them had to be able to breathe and Shuichi lost enough air. Kokichi had enough to sacrifice. “That’s not how that was going to work.”

Shuichi gave him a slight look. Grieving was going to happen anyway, but Kokichi knew what the intent behind it was. Kokichi brought Shuichi’s hand to his lips and kissed where the ring was sitting on his finger. He forced their gazes to meet and the message was sent. Shuichi looked away, looking much like a puppy that was kicked and Kokichi rested his cheek against their hands, unwilling to push for more or beg for more.

“I’m so glad you’re alive.” Kokichi whispered. “But how about we agree that if we need to make things more exciting a near death experience isn’t an option?”

Shuichi huffed a laugh behind the oxygen mask and nodded. It was all they could ever try to ask for.

[lynneshobbydomain]

48. Saiouma? UwU

(How can I say no to that face?)

(I should reblog more prompts….)

Morning Kiss

Rated: G. Mentions the word kink but not really the point here.

Summery: Kokichi was privy to something that no one else in the whole world could ever know.

Kokichi was privy to something that no one else in the whole world could ever know. No, it wasn’t that Shuichi was kinky in bed (they both were come on), and no it wasn’t that Shuichi sang in the shower (Kokichi did). It was something that Kokichi wouldn’t ever, ever not even on D.I.C.E’s acronym would he ever give the knowledge away to. Shuichi Saihara was an affectionate morning bug, and Kokichi liked to take advantage of it.

Kokichi likes to call it a “game”. It starts with a soft press of the lips against his cheek and Shuichi moving behind him, slowly dragging him closer into a warm embrace, holding him securely in his arms. Shuichi’s nose would carefully nuzzle against his neck as he breathed in his scent. Kokichi would hum softly, but would keep his eyes closed and relaxed. He knew how this game was played and while the outcome was always the same he continued to play it.

Shuchi would lie there for a moment, and it would be long enough that Kokichi would start to fall back to sleep when another kiss was pressed against his shoulder, then Shuichi’s lips would move to the juncture of his neck, to the back of his ear. His smile stretched as he felt Shuichi carefully tuck some of his hair behind his ear and kiss the tip of it. His lips would find his jaw, his cheek again, his temple, his forehead. Sometimes it would take more kisses, and sometimes it would take less. Whatever the case, Shuichi would know it was enough when Kokichi to starts to laugh and move so that he was lying on his back. This morning was no different.

“Good morning,” Shuichi murmurs as he gently cups his lover’s cheek and brings him into a full kiss. They didn’t care about the morning breath or about the taste of it. Kokichi melts into his kiss like a cat sunbathing on a warm window sill. He brings his own hand up to gently pull Shuichi down a little more, deepening the kiss a little more. Sometimes, these kisses could get heated if Kokichi was in the mood.

Right now however, it was nice to just let Shuichi part from him only for a moment before coming down for another slow, lazy kiss. Take a breath for just a moment and then go for another one. Kokichi could feel himself both waking up and wanting to melt further into the sheets until he was one with the bed. “Good morning, my beloved.” Kokichi murmurs as Shuichi finally parts from him, eyes hazy and love-filled. “You’re up early.”

“Kokichi it’s eight.” Shuichi didn’t have to glance at the clock for that knowledge. “We should get up.”

“We could.” Kokichi replies as he wraps his arms around his boyfriend and gently tries to entice him to come lie back down. “Or we could just stay here for the morning. Let it pass us by. Wake up at noon. You don’t have work today, do you?”

“No.” Shuichi whispers. Kokichi flutters his eyes, trying to look appealing. It could work. Shuichi sometimes let it work. Instead of coming down to rest next to him, however, Shuichi came down and kisses his lips one more time. “But I’m getting up.”

“So mean.” Kokichi teases, his lips curving into a small smile. “Do we have plans for the day?”

“We could.” Shuichi always spoke so softly in the morning, it was one of Kokichi’s favorite things. Another secret he’d keep to his grave.

“We couldn’t.” Kokichi gently tugs Shuichi to come back down, this time being the one to initiate the kiss. “But okay fine. If you want us to get up and do something, I guess I don’t have a choice.” He mocks a sigh. “And here I thought we’d have a lazy day together.”

“Is…that what you really want?” 

Kokichi thinks about it for a moment. Boring and lazy days weren’t something he usually indulges in. Shuichi was more of the type that has the leisurely pace. Kokichi was more bounce of the walls, do something exciting. “Maybe,” he finally says, “I’m taking a page out of your book this time, Shuichi-chan.”

“That’s a terrifying thought.”

If Kokichi had the energy, he would have burst into crocodile tears and make Shuichi fret, but instead he laughs and drags him down into another kiss. He could give Shuichi more “terrifying thoughts” later. 

[lynneshobbydomain]

oumasai 71??

(I’m sorry that it’s shorter than all the others, Anon but I hope you enjoy anyway.)

Nowhere I’d Rather Be

Rated: T gets kinda steamy.

Summery: Who said a date-night in couldn’t be fun?

“We should stay in for the night.”

Shuichi had already braced himself for a night that would keep him energized for the next fourteen hours and no sleep, so he was a bit jostled when Kokichi suddenly did a three sixty on him. “Uh…Kokichi-kun are you feeling okay?”

“Awww my beloved’s worried!!!! Don’t fret now, Shumai. I’m fine. But you aren’t.” Kokichi’s playful smile disappeared and left Shuichi baffled. Did he do something that made Kokichi upset? “You haven’t been sleeping well.”

Well was an understatement. Shuichi had a bunch of cases, and school work. He could try to fight Kokichi on it and tell him that, but he already knew how this argument went. It could go one of two ways. Either Kokichi gave in and let him go one more day before calling his work and telling them that he wasn’t going to be in, or Shuichi gave in and they spent the next twelve hours cuddling. 

He already knew what he was going to choose. It wasn’t even a question. “If you insist…what do you plan on doing?”

“We’re gonna watch your favorite movie, make popcorn, cuddle, and maybe you get some sleep.” Kokichi listed off, counting on his fingers. “It’s gonna be dull and boring, but I’d do anything for you.” 

“That’s true isn’t it.” He really did do anything for Shuichi. Even if it were things he’d much rather Kokichi not do. The Love Song Ballad Incident was famous enough for it to be a reminder. He stepped away from putting on his shoes to head towards the kitchen. “Okay. I’ll make popcorn. You like it with extra butter don’t you?”

“This why you’re my favorite!” Kokichi grinned, his serious demeanour gone. “I’ll bring down the pillows and blankets!”

Which is how they wound up where they were now. A dark living room that only had the flicker of the movie playing across the screen as lighting. A fluffy blanket wrapped around both Shuichi’s and Kokichi’s waist. Kokichi easily lying on Shuichi’s chest, following his breathing in sync. Shuichi mindlessly playing with Kokichi’s hair, gently combing it with his fingers and playing with the ends. Their eyes never left the T.V screen for a while.

Kokichi shifted against Shuichi’s chest and Shuichi glanced down to see that Kokichi was looking up at him. Confusion colored his expression as he tilted his head. Kokichi’s eyes were flickering across his face, looking at him in the eyes, looking at his lips, drinking him in as though he just became aware that Shuichi was behind him. Shuichi decided to stay silent and see what Kokichi was going to do. 

He seemed to be content with whatever he found and his attention turned back to the T.V screen. Still lost as to what just happened, Shuichi also went back to the movie, his mind whirling on what Kokichi was thinking about. Was he worried that Shuichi hadn’t been getting some sleep? Was he thinking that Shuichi had fallen asleep or was going to pass out and decided to just check in on him? 

Soft lips on his broke his thoughts and he felt himself tense in surprise before Kokichi carefully pulled away.  Shuichi hadn’t notice him shifting and turning around.

Kokichi’s hand gently cupped Shuichi’s cheek and the detective leaned into his hold automatically, looking up at Kokichi through half-lidded eyes. “I love you.” Kokichi murmured adoringly before he adjusted himself over Shuichi’s lap, getting into a better position. He pushed his lips hard against Shuichi’s, slipping his tongue into Shuichi’s mouth when he gasped and played with him. Their mouths moved together with practice, lips closing and opening, their tongues sliding and rubbing against each other. Shuichi’s hands reached and he gripped onto Kokichi like a lifeline.

Loving Kokichi was like loving a tornado, Shuichi had come to realize. Kokichi was loud about his affection. Loud that he wanted Shuichi soon after meeting him. Loud about wanting to be around him. Loud about how deep his feelings went. For a liar, the one thing he never ever lied about was how much he loved. It was noticeable, it came quickly, and accepting that love meant being caught in a whirlwind of never knowing what tomorrow was going to bring. It was living that everything would always be upturned and crazy and there was never going back. 

They pulled away with flushed cheeks and a string of saliva still connecting them. Shuichi licked his lips, his chest rising and falling as fast as his heart was racing. Normally he didn’t play the coy partner, he gently tugged Kokichi a little closer to him and whispered, “You should do that again supreme leader.” It was worth just seeing how wide Kokichi’s eyes went, and how his lips parted in surprise. “I don’t think I got the message.”

Kokichi crashed his mouth into Shuichi’s all over again, kissing him deeper and deeper until he was flooding with love.

[lynneshobbydomain]

“Jinx, you owe me a coke.” - *can’t speak until they buy a soda* (panta or coffee would fit better?) Saiouma? Except they also can't do coupley stuff and Kokichi *really* wants affection and Shuichi *really* wants Kokichi's weird antics. Who will give in first?

(This was an interesting prompt Anon. Especially all of the rules that you gave me. I had to really think on how to write this, so I hope this is to your liking! Thank you for your support as always!)

The Jinx Rule

Rated: T (Miu has a mouth guys and Kokichi is frustrated)

Summary: D.I.C.E made the rules. Miu just perfected them. 

“Again?!” Shuichi and Kokichi asked at the same time, staring at Miu before turning towards each other. “Jinx, you owe me a drink.” They said again and Miu cackled. 

They were about to turn around to leave, when the bell rang across the school grounds. Miu cackled harder and they both turned to face her. Kokichi more out of annoyance and Shuichi more out of curiosity.

“What you think that we’re just going to let your fucking organization have the fun? We’re adding onto that bullshit!” Miu proclaimed and Shuichi’s eyebrow rose higher up. “Until you guys can fulfill that stupid promise, Cockichi can’t shove his dick in your face, Suckihara. That also goes for you too though! So don’t think you can fuck your way outta this.”

Shuichi’s cheeks burned brightly. It was a mistake to introduce D.I.C.E’s rule to his friends for sure. Kokichi’s cheeks were red, and he knew that he had half of the mind to open his mouth and lay on her. Yet, he wouldn’t break a rule that D.I.C.E themselves created, and he was the type that would go all out with the extra challenge.

He couldn’t reach out to try to tug Kokichi out of his thoughts either. All he could do was head into the classroom and pray that Kokichi would get the hint and follow. This was going to be a long day.

                                                          X

It was hell. Normally Shuichi was all in for quiet. He usually basked in these moments when they were forced to stay silent. D.I.C.E only had the silent rule because most of their members were talkative and it was punishment. Introverts like himself, Widow, and Ouverte usually were all in for the silent games. In fact, they would try to prolong that silence as long as they possibly could. Widow had the highest streak of keeping a jinx going. It made Trick and Shuffle suffer since they were the ones that she mostly got in her web. Shuichi had to admire that.

Miu’s rule on the other hand, no matter the implications, were pretty firm. Kokichi couldn’t do his affection routine. He couldn’t talk. He couldn’t hug. He couldn’t do anything. Shuichi wasn’t much of a PDA person to begin with, but it was weird hearing Kokichi behind him, and not getting jumped on.

Kokichi must have put some hidden boundaries on himself to make the challenge “extra exciting” too. Throughout class, Shuichi was able to focus on the note-taking and the lecture. Kokichi by this point would have thrown a love note or something on his desk, trying to get them into trouble, but nothing crossed his desk. He looked over his shoulder to see that he was gnawing at his pen, staring ahead determinedly. Shuichi pursed his lips together as he also turned back to face the front. It was just...weird to not have a distraction.

Shuichi was starting to miss the affection. Normally it was aggravating, a little annoying, and unnecessary. He missed being jumped on as weird as that sounded, even Shuichi was astonished by that thought. He didn’t realize how often or how much Kokichi touched. Whether it was hanging off his shoulders, arms, acting like a backpack, Kokichi was always touching. 

He also missed his voice. The silent game was fun, yes, but Shuichi wasn’t the type to make it go for too long unless he was absolutely trying to concentrate on something. But even then, Kokichi normally ended the jinx by getting him a coffee from the pot and calling it a peace treaty. Sometimes, Kokichi let it go on for longer if he thought Shuichi really didn’t need his voice yelling around in their dorm room, but would lay in his lap. He’d play with Shuichi’s hair. He’s poke at his cheek just to get his attention. 

They weren’t too far from each other. Shuichi might as well admit that he picked up a thing or two about being dramatic, because it really was torture feeling like Kokichi was across the room when he was just a desk away. He glanced over at Kokichi again, and this time met violet eyes.

Kokichi had bit through the pen. Blue ink was staining his lips and mouth. Shuichi’s eyes widened and Kokichi furrowed his brows at him. Shuichi knew that being silent meant not being able to gesture. Kokichi was fluent in sign language for god knows what reason, and that broke the rule of no communication. Shuichi licked his lips and Kokichi mirrored the action before his face twisted comically.

It was the fastest Shuichi ever saw someone run out of the classroom too.

The door slammed catching everyone’s attention and Shuichi turned back to face the front.

He kind of hoped that while Kokichi attempted to wash out his mouth, he’d also try to sneak towards a vending machine.

                                                       X

That fucking bitch was going to have another thing coming to her, Kokichi swore in his brain. He didn’t mind adding more people to the game. That made it fun. What made it suck was that Miu thought she knew how to make a game more exciting. More challenging. Kokichi fucking hated it. Shuichi would go along with it, because Shuichi was gentle and kind and liked to give everyone a chance. Kokichi thought about strangling her.

He wanted to hug his boyfriend goddamn it. He wanted to jump on his back. Kokichi didn’t miss how Shuichi had braced himself when he heard him coming up from behind. Kokichi knew the offer was loud and clear, but thanks to the no PDA fucking rule, Kokichi had to bite his tongue and hold himself back.

He hated it. Kokichi slammed the bathroom door closed behind him as he went to the sink. His teeth stained blue and his lips looked as though he just finished kissing someone with hypothermia, or a corpse. He could taste the ink still on his tongue and it made him wince. Using his elbow to not get more ink everywhere, he turned on the faucet and started running his hands into the water. He brought them up and tried to rinse his mouth out of the taste and of the pigment, spitting out blue water until it was kind of clear.

The silent game he could handle. He knew how to make silence his bitch. This though? This?! Kokichi pursed his lips together as he looked at himself in the mirror. He felt pathetic, but...he loved giving affection. Shuichi didn’t either get a whole lot at home, or maybe just didn’t know how to respond to it, but he was always so flustered when someone just ruffled his hair. Forget how shy he got with a kiss. He liked being the one to make Shuichi’s cheeks flush. All Kokichi ever wanted was to not let one day go where Shuichi questioned if he was loved. 

Kokichi didn’t ask about Shuichi’s past much. They talked about the detective work, about his uncle and his family. They talked about D.I.C.E...but history wasn’t something either of them were willing to impart on each other. Kokichi was fine with that. There wasn’t much of his past that he was willing to look back on, and he was sure Shuichi felt the same. But they both lacked the same thing. Affection and love. Kokichi spent years finding that with his organization. He was willing to spend decades building it with Shuichi. 

It just sucked that so far it’s been three hours since that stupid jinx happened, and Kokichi wasn’t sure if Shuichi knew if he was loved. Shuichi’s insecurity could be the death of the entire class. His humble attitude. His gentle smile. 

Kokichi smacked his cheeks. There was only one way to solve this. 

Screw Miu.

                                                            X

After school Shuichi felt something cold hit the back of his neck and he jumped out of his skin. He turned around, a lecture on his tongue, when he saw what Kokichi was holding. A cold can of coffee. The jinx was broken and Shuichi never felt more relieved. Without a second thought, he took the offered drink and set it on his desk. “Jesus Christ never again.” Kokichi groaned. “That was hell, Shumai. Literal hell. Thousand of burning hells. I’d thought I was going to die.”

“You weren’t going to die.”

“You don’t know that! I need a thousand hugs every hour, otherwise I’ll shrivel up like a houseplant and I’ll fade away into nothing! Nothing!” Kokichi proclaimed loudly as he wrapped his arms around Shuichi’s neck and started rubbing their cheeks together.

“Kokichi-”

“Don’t say you didn’t miss this.” Kokichi replied slowly.

“Of course I missed this.” Shuichi leaned a little into the cheek rub. “But you weren’t going to shrivel up like a houseplant. We could’ve left together to get a drink.”

“You don’t know that, and I wanted to end it now.”

“I do know that.” Shuichi reached up and gently hugged Kokichi’s arms that were draped around his neck. 

“Shumai’s being so mean to me. What did I do?! If anything, you were the one that taught Miu our stupid rule!” To his credit, Kokichi only pulled himself closer, as though he could drape himself like a boa around Shuichi’s shoulders.

“Hey!” Miu shouted, reminding the boys that a few of their classmates hadn’t left yet.

“You went along with it!” Shuichi pouted back, leaning into the hold easily.

“Oh for fucks sake, if I trick you into doing a jinx again, will you two shut the fuck up and stop with the PDA porn? Not everyone wants to see that!” Miu groaned. 

“No.” They both said together before groaning. “Jinx.” They said together in a defeated tone of voice. Kokichi slipping off of Shuichi’s shoulders reluctantly and Shuichi wishing for once he had just shut up himself. 

“FUCK YES!” Miu shouted and the rest of the class erupted into snickers and giggles.

Kokichi flipped Miu off, and Shuichi wanted to bang his head on the desk. At least they’ll be quicker to get to a vending machine this time. 

[lynneshobbydomain]

12 for oumasai!

(Thank you so much @sinfulwonders for your prompt! I hope you enjoy this, because I sure did! Yes I remembered it was the hangover starter XD)

The Only One Sober

Rated: T

Summary: Shuichi was grateful that he didn’t drink.

please be mindful of the tags 

“Out of my way peasant! I need to empty out my guts!” Kokichi shouted as Shuichi was unceremoniously shoved into the wall. Kokichi rushed down the hall and slammed the bathroom door shut. Shuichi winced a little as he heard the sounds of vomit going into the toilet. He had been on his way to check in on him, with a glass of water in his hand, and he was momentarily grateful that he thought that far ahead. He pushed himself off of the wall and headed towards the bathroom. There was really nothing he could do, but he could at least ease a bit of Kokichi’s suffering.

He carefully knocked on the door before gently pushing it open to see Kokichi hunched over, pale with a slight sheen of sweat coating his face. His eyes were watery and red. He reached over blindly to flush the toilet before collapsing onto the tile floor, curling in on himself. Shuichi got onto the floor next to him and carefully pulled his lover’s head into his lap, pushing sweat-damped hair out of his face and trying to cool him off. His breathing was ragged and the sour-scent made Shuichi’s stomach turn slightly in sympathy. 

“Why are you so bubbly?” Kokichi groaned after a moment as Shuichi pressed a cup of water towards him. He took a gulp full to swish around in his mouth before weakly spatting it into the toilet and flushing it again. 

“I didn’t drink.” Shuichi replied easily, and listened to Kokichi moan in response. He carefully set the boy back down on the tile and got the empty cup. He went to the sink and filled it up before getting back into position again. “That’s what you get when you drink like crazy.”

“My pride was at stake Shuichi-chan. They said that I couldn’t keep up.” Kokichi took a small sip before pushing the cup away. Anymore was just making his stomach feel worse. 

“So of course you thought it was best to keep up.” Shuichi rolled his eyes as he set the cup aside for now. He knew that there were only two people in D.I.C.E that actively drank, but not to this degree. Kokichi was inexperienced, despite trying to say that D.I.C.E could out drink Korekiyo. Even Gonta had a hard time keeping up, but he was smart to know when to cut himself off and not get the hangover blues so to speak. 

“That cum heap had it coming.” Kokichi groaned, getting back into Shuichi’s lap. “Saying I was too small.”

Miu. Shuichi doubted she was holding up any better. He wondered how Kiibo was handling her hangover. The last time Shuichi had to take care of Miu in that state, there was a lot less clothes involved and Shuichi saw things he didn’t want or need to see. Kokichi had thought it was both amusing and disgusting. A lot of blackmail material sure, but Shuichi was just as traumatized so it could easily backfire on him instead of affecting the pink inventor. Shuichi was just grateful to have Kaede as a sober friend. They were both dealing with sick lovers at the moment. 

“And you didn’t help me.” Kokichi whined suddenly. “You left me all alone.”

“Kokichi, we talked about this. I don’t drink.” Shuichi sighed softly, carding his fingers through Kokichi’s hair and wiping away the sweat that gathered on his forehead. “I have water, you should probably drink it.”

“Nooo, if I drink it I’ll get sick.”

“That’s probably a good thing.” Shuichi frowned at him. “You’re nauseous still right? You need to eat and drink something, and you need to get all of that out of your system.” 

“Noooo.” Kokichi groaned, “And you can’t make me.”

“Did you have fun at least?” Shuichi asked, curiously. “That headache has to hurt.”

“No. Just my stomach. I think the headache will come later. Maybe. Maybe I’m not affected at all! Maybe I’m making all of this up. Oh god I feel sick.” Kokichi cut himself off as he rolled off of Shuichi’s lap, curling in as though he could block out the nausea by being a tighter ball. 

“Stop talking then.” Shuichi was a little amused, but he rubbed Kokichi’s shoulders and continued to stroke his hair, gathering it out of his face. “I can make something easy for the stomachache.” He murmured to him. “It won’t be pancakes, but it’ll be something.”

Kokichi nodded weakly and Shuichi carefully dislodged himself from the suffering boy. “I’ll be back with some medicine too.” He promised as he left the bathroom.

It didn’t take long to hear another sound of vomit echo through the bathroom. It was going to be a long day.

[lynneshobbydomain]

Dungeon Chaos (KomaHinaNamami Week Day 4)

Prompt: Dungeons and Dragons

Rating: T

Summary: Chiaki’s never played a tabletop roleplaying game before, so being invited to one is both exciting and nerve wracking. At least she knows most of the people there.

“Hey, Onee-chan!” Kokichi landed hard against her desk, and Chiaki barely moved out of the way, her finger dancing across the console. “You play a lot of video games, right?”

“Yes,” Chiaki answered without bothering to look up. She was trying to defeat this boss, and she had it up to the hardest mode that she could play. She also decided to challenge herself and kept her character under level just for the extra amount of satisfaction. She knew that she was reckless, she usually didn’t try to play like that. She liked completing games, a hundred and ten percent of the way, but today was frustrating, and she wanted to have a struggle. It was better than starting a fight with Nagito or Hajime over something stupid. 

“Would you say you’re good at roleplaying games?” 

Chiaki paused the game after hearing that. “Is it the same as dating sims? I’m not very good with personal connections. I never know how to respond to people or how to react to them. The situation always calls for something, and if the wrong choice is made, it lowers the friendship and romance meter. I usually end up getting the no “choice” path because of it. Or the normal route, I suppose.” She looked up at Kokichi, who was comfortably swinging his legs back and forth, leaning into her personal bubble. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, what if I told you you could do all of that in real life, and you’ll know instantly what the wrong choice is?” Kokichi grinned. “Shirogane-chan from my class is hosting a DnD group. Saihara-chan and I joined, and I already asked Fujisaki-chan and Naegi-chan. Shirogane-chan told me that she was looking for more members, and our class isn’t playing.”

“Hmm.” Chiaki pressed a finger to her chin in thought. Nagito and Hajime were out getting food for her since she had been so caught up with her game. It wouldn’t surprise her if they went on a mini-date to eat a bit of lunch before bringing her back something to eat. Either that or Nagito’s luck struck, and they were trying to get out of whatever situation that wound up being. She hoped it was just a stuck vending machine. She didn’t want to go maxim capacity and have it be that a school building fell on top of them. 

Chiaki was hanging out with Nagito too much if that was the first conclusion she came to. “I’ll have to ask and see if they’d want to. Hajime might since he likes playing video games with me. Nagito...he might feel like he’d just bring bad luck and disaster onto the game if he played.”

“Wouldn’t that make it more fascinating, though?!” Kokichi asked, leaning in with sparkling eyes. Chiaki was amused that he acted like her on occasion when she got excited. The common joke around the class was that Chiaki was somehow related to Kokichi, even though they could prove they weren’t. “I want to see Komaeda-chan’s luck in action! I’m always not around when something big happens.” He pouted slightly. “Maybe that’s his luck affecting me too?”

If so, it was strangely good luck. Chiaki shrugged, “When is the game supposed to start?”

“Hm? I was just supposed to get yes or no answers. I have your cell number, so I’ll tell you the deets when I get them from Shirogane-chan.” Kokichi grinned. “Oh, that reminds me. Any preference for a story?”

“You can choose your story?” Chiaki blinked. “Like backstory or…”

“Campaign story. Setting. You know. The background that we’re going to be tossing our characters in. I told her that I wanted to do Dragon Heist because you know. I’m a thief by trade.”

“You’re playing the rouge character than when a background of being a criminal.” Chiaki mused thoughtfully. “I don’t know. I’m not necessarily picky. So long as everyone has fun, I think that’s all that matters.”

“Ugh, well better than Yamada-chan. He told us that he wanted to do The Tomb of Annihilation. Since we have so many beginner players, Shirogane-chan’s not sure if that’s a good way to start.” Kokichi said as he glanced at his nails. “Well, whatever. If you run into your dream team, ask them for their opinion, too, okay? Better not forget Onee-chan. I’ll cry!”

“I understand.” Chiaki watched Kokichi leave. She hummed thoughtfully before going back to her game, losing herself until Nagito and Hajime came back with food.

Vending machine once more decided to get stuck again.

Better than a whole roof falling down, that’s for sure.

X

The conversation about the DnD disappeared from Chiaki’s mind. She was setting up for her weekend stream event when she heard her phone ding from across the room. Ignoring it, she went about getting her console hooked up to the right appliances when she heard a soft knock on the door. “Kokichi said something about a DnD group that’s happening tonight. He’s asking if you forgot to tell us?”

“A what now?” Nagito spoke up, and now Chiaki had to look. Hajime was standing at the door of her office, holding her phone casually in his hand. Nagito was peering over Hajime’s shoulder, clearly reading the text. “Huh. Ouma-kun has a strange way of wording things.”

“Like you don’t use emojis when you talk.”

“Not to that degree. I like to use numbers more.” 

“DnD…” Chiaki trailed off before the lightbulb hit. Guilt flooded, and she looked at her game dejectedly. She was so eager to play the new game that came out too, but..she was curious about the roleplaying setup. She also never played a game with different people in a setting before. “Kokichi asked me if I wanted to come and play it, and I promised him I’d tell you guys. I’m sorry. It slipped my mind.”

“Do you still want to do it?” Hajime asked, his thumb hovering over the phone screen. “I can tell him we’re on our way, we just need the address.”

“This could be so exciting! What kind of hope do you guys think will spring from playing a roleplaying game? I wonder if all our talents are going to shine through. Oh, but that might mean my bad luck may hit unexpectedly. Maybe I should sit this one out.”

“No!” Chiaki and Hajime said together at the same time, startling Nagito into silence. “You’re coming too,” Chiaki replied firmly. “I want to see you play a game with us. You’re always on the sidelines. That can’t be fun.” 

“I don’t mind watching, it’s exciting to see you two go at it.” Nagito grinned.

“Phrasing,” Hajime grumbled as he decided for them and typed out a response. “We should get going now if we want to make the next train and get to where they’re at.”

“They’re not playing at the dorms?” Chiaki questioned.

“Yamada-kun hangs out a comic book store not too far from here. They host the games, so we get the tablespace, and we can be as loud as we need to be within reason,” Hajime explained as he tossed Chiaki’s phone back. Kokichi had typed up the address, and it was clear to see that it was indeed a comic book store. “Let’s go.”

X

Chiaki didn’t typically go into comic bookstores. Still, she had to admit that the atmosphere reminded her of a lot of video game stores. The store was small and cozy with blue and red walls. Their shelves dedicated to different publishers that were all categorized by the title name. There were single-issue comic books as well as graphic mangas that were proudly displayed. The novelty statues that were in some of the display cases showed off some of the more famous superheroes and supervillains. Chiaki could see that there were some video game statues in there as well. They continued to walk until they reached the back of the store where a table was set up, and she saw that everyone was already there and waiting for them. On the table next to them was a tray full of snacks, pizzas, as well as sodas and cups. 

“Onee-chan!” Kokichi didn’t waste time running over to her and body-slamming her into a hug. “I thought you ditched me! You promised that you’d talk to your boytoys about whether or not you’d be coming! I didn’t think I was so easily forgettable!” Tears slipped down his cheek.

“Ah, uh...Ouma-kun I don’t think Nanami-san would forget about you that easily. Hinata-kun just said that she forgot.” Saihara tried to dissuade Kokichi from any more tears. Chiaki was impressed by how fast Kokichi could wipe away the evidence that he had been crying so quickly. 

“Nishishi! Don’t worry, beloved! I was just playing. Come on, sit, sit.”

Everyone was already there too. Chiaki didn’t recognize most of them. Makoto, she knew mostly from running into the halls. The girl that sat at the end of the table was wearing a dramatic looking dress with long silver hair that was braided and had a flower crown. Pointed ears were poking from the strands, and decorated with an ornate silver covering. “So before we begin playing, how many of us already have character sheets made?”

“Me!” Kokichi quickly pulled his out of a thick book and slammed it down on the table, shaking it dramatically. “Behold! Your Phantom Thief as arrived along with-” he grabbed Shuichi’s hand and held it up high “-your beloved Paladin!”

“Oh, awesome! What species are you two doing?” The girl asked, clasping her hands together. 

“Halfling and human.” 

“Oh. I see. How plain.” The girl ignored Kokichi’s indigent screech. “I’m going to assume you got yours done too, Yamada-kun?”

“Of course, I did. I sat down for hours trying to come up with a backstory that will mesh well with any campaign we all agree on. I have decided upon the paladin as well! My chosen warrior will be fighting alongside the Goddess of Sune as well. I may be adding in a bit of bard into the mix later down the road. Do you need my copy of my backstory, Shirogane-san?”

“If you have it,” Tsumugi said. Chiaki watched as they exchanged it across the table. It was starting to feel overwhelming. How was she supposed to keep track of what’s what?

“Psst, Onee-chan.” Kokichi caught her attention and gave her a grin. “Don’t worry about it. Yamada-chan likes to show off that he’s a veteran to this. You and the dream team aren’t the only ones that are new or don’t have a character sheet.”

Chiaki felt a little calmer with the assurance. Makoto spoke up, looking confused. “So how are we even supposed to do this? I tried to do it myself, but my sister laughed at me over the phone and hung up.”

“It’s okay Naegi-kun, I was lost too,” Chihiro replied quietly as they carefully smoothed down their skirt.

“How about all of us pair up with the newbies and help them design their characters and then we can talk about the campaign? Session zero is usually nothing but set up anyway and making sure the rules are understood. If we get a bit of gameplay going, all the better.” Tsumugi said, just as Kokichi immediately bounded over and sat down in between Chiaki and Hajime.

“Okay! I’ll take the dream-team and Onee-chan! Someone else can help the two helpless nerds over there.” Kokichi said as Shuichi reached over and handed Kokichi his handbook. He dragged the three over to a separate table.

“Do you guys have a dice set?” At the shake of their head, Kokcihi turned his head over his shoulder. “Oi! Beloved! Toss me the catapult!”

“The what?”

Shuichi ignored Tsumugi’s surprise as he picked up a dice bag that looked like it was made of leather and rounded into a ball. He tossed it over the table, making Kokichi catch it with both hands. Without another word, he dramatically overturned his bag. The dice spilled out, hitting the table and rolling everywhere on the floor’s surface. 

It took a little bit to help clean it up, but the minute they were able to do that, Kokichi finally sat them down and spoke. “So. What do you guys think you represent?”

Represent? Chiaki frowned deeply as she looked over to see that both Hajime and Nagito were thinking about it as well, taking Kokichi’s words into consideration. “Hope,” Nagito spoke up, and Chiaki sighed. “Luck and hope.”

“Uh...hard work, I suppose? Talent?” Hajime tried.

“Hm...something that has to do with fun, I think,” Chiaki said quietly, pulling her hoodie over her head as she tried to block out some of the noise and light. She hadn’t realized that the group behind her was going to get so loud.

Hajime subtly made her move so that she was sitting in between him and Nagito. Kokichi didn’t bat an eye or ask questions. “Okay, so halfling for Komaeda-chan, a fighter for Hinata-kun, and…” he paused humming to himself before nodding. “I think Onee-chan will make for a good bard.”

“Should I go for a healing class?” Nagito questioned. “Considering that everyone else is fighter types. I recall that Chiaki would have to take the role less played with during her MMORPGs, and Clerics are usually the ones used for that, aren’t they?”

“You sure that you want to stay behind and just cast healing spells?” Kokichi questioned, “It’s fun if you’re up ahead in the battle.”

Chiaki was about to open her mouth to offer, but Nagito was faster than she was. “I don’t want my luck to ruin your guys game. It’s better if my character is a bystander to let all of you shine. I don’t mind.”

“So a halfling cleric. I’ll make this easy for you and say that you should go with Life Domain. Mostly because of your luck, hope, and morales.” Kokichi said. “We’ll roll dice for stats and everything in a bit. How about you Hinata-chan? I said the fighter, but...you want someone to be hardworking, right? Human’s pretty typical, but...I mean, we already have a human paladin. It wouldn’t take us long to weave your backstory with Saihara-chan’s. You two could know each other in-game. It’ll make for roleplaying easier. Because in addition to knowing him, you’ll know me because I cause a lot of trouble around the town.”

“Probably enough that a cleric would also know you?”

“Heard of me sure, unless you’re gonna be friends with the paladin. Oh, if you two follow the same God, that’ll give you something to talk about too.” Kokichi snapped his fingers.

Chiaki hummed thoughtfully as she listened to the conversation, her mind whirling as she thought about what she wanted to be. She peered over Hajime’s shoulder as he flipped through the book, angling it so that she could see. “Are there any uncommon monsters?” Chiaki questioned.

“What do you mean?” Kokichi asked.

“I mean,” Chiaki pulled on her hoodie. “Someone that’ll take a look and think that he’s dangerous, but in the end, he’s actually a good person?”

Neither Hajime nor Nagito could miss what reference she was making out of that. 

“...Tiefling or Dragonborn usually,” Kokichi said slowly, picking his words carefully. “Teiflings are what you want to go with if you’re trying to scare people. Half-orcs or orcs are common ones too, but Teiflings are considered to be people from hell. They’re not exactly looked at well I think it’s a flip of a coin what town would prefer what monster though over the others. Dragons are terrifying in their own right.”

“Why not go with Tiefling?” Chiaki offered, looking up at Hajime. “You’ll get the hardship of trying to win everyone’s favor, and you can work hard at show-casing that appearances shouldn’t be judged on.”

“...Alright.” 

“What about you, Chiaki? You agreed to be a bard, but...are you sure that’s an idea?” Nagito questioned.

“Bards usually are the ones that have the most, though they’re usually played more sexually,” Kokichi said bluntly. “Since Onee-chan likes to have fun, it’ll be interesting for like...a bard to actually be just that. A playful character that doesn’t take anything seriously.”

“Hmmm...I’m a pretty serious person by nature…” Chiaki said slowly, “so playing something that’s a little bit out of my comfort zone will be hard. It should be fun. But what species would be best for me to go with if I’m only trying to do that?”

“Why not a gnome? A gnome bard.” Kokichi offered. 

Nagito suddenly burst into laughter, causing all three of them to look at him. He held his hands up, giggling and trying to control himself. “Sorry, sorry. I just had this thought that...Hajime’s Tiefling will be with the two shortest people in the game.”

“Oh yeah, you’re right! Nishishi! That’ll be hysterical if you three decide to get together in the game!” Kokichi laughed. “Okay, okay. Let’s roll the dice and see what you guys get for stats and equipment.”

X

“I still can’t believe that your luck can affect a fucking roleplaying game,” Hajime stated as they left the store in good nature. They managed to get their characters set up, with Nagito being stupidly powerful for being the first level due to his high rolls and his luck. The campaign they decided to choose was the Tyranny of Dragons. Since no one was a Dragonborn or could speak in dragons, it nearly caused a Total Party Kill within the first mission. It was only thanks to Kokichi’s quick thinking and Hifumi’s foresight for things that could go bad and turned the tide.

“It wasn’t just Nagito’s luck, though,” Chiaki helpfully pointed out as Nagito laughed easily at the accusation. “Did you see how bad Naegi-kun was rolling?”

Nagito was rolling pitiful numbers. It got to the point that most of the table thought Tsumugi was trying to prolong his suffering by fudging her rolls from behind the screen to help them out a bit. Makoto’s dexterity was decent, but the number of times he tripped and caused a problem was...alarming. It didn’t help either that Kokichi thought Chihiro and Makoto were the best people to mess with. He slipped a few things into Makoto’s equipment bag that raised eyebrows and questions when targetted. 

“I have to admit it was riveting that we were facing the Champion head-on!” Nagito held his hands up excitedly. “Did you see how Hajime rolled so high to get so many critical hits? We thought he accidentally picked out Ouma-kun’s trick dice!”

“God, that was embarrassing.” Hajime groaned. “But the champion was annoying. I’m glad I fucked him up when I had a chance. Tsumugi plays a decent villain character. I don’t think I’ve wanted to strangle anyone as much as I do those cultists.”

“It’s terrible that they’re controlling the dragons somehow with the mask, but I’m eager to see what else happens.” Chiaki agreed, “I didn’t fall asleep once, and it was hard!”

Hajime and Nagito both wrapped their arms around her, Hajime going for the waist while Nagito settled for the shoulders. “I’m glad you had fun, Chiaki,” Hajime said softly. “I was worried that it might’ve been overwhelming.”

“At first it was, there were a lot of things to take in, and I wasn’t used to the area. However, as I got used to it, my stats increased, and I was better able to focus. It helped that both of you were on either side of me the entire time and that Ouma-kun was distracting. Poor Saihara-kun, though...he had to bail Ouma-kun out of doing some peculiar things.”

“Yeah...pickpocketing the mayor might’ve not been the best idea in the world.” Hajime agreed.

“I’m not so certain.” Nagito injected. “I still think that Ouma-kun and myself have a good hunch that the mayor isn’t who he says he is. I think that our group is still being used, but I’m not sure how.”

“We’ll just have to rely on our gut instinct for now,” Chiaki leaned into their hold. “My mind is going a thousand miles an hour. I’m starting to get sleepy trying to keep up.”

“Do you want me to give you a piggyback ride, Chiaki? At least to the station?” Hajime asked, already getting ready to get on his knees.

“Yea...I think that might be best.” Chiaki was getting tired, and it was hard to stand. Hajime bent down, and Chiaki allowed herself to fold forward around him. He hooked his arms under her legs as she tiredly clung to his shoulders. 

“Hahaha, I’m a little worn out myself; that was a lot of information to be given all at once.” Nagito rubbed the back of his neck. “So should we plan to tell Ouma-kun that we’ll come next week?”

“Hmm...go for it.” Hajime nodded. “I’ll remind Chiaki when she wakes up.”

“Not...sleep….” Chiaki closed her eyes before she could complete the sentence. She was looking forward to next week too. 

[lynneshobbydomain]

10 for Shuichi and/or Kokichi :D

Oh gosh since you did both for me, I’ll do both for you.

Kokichi is someone that doesn’t usually show whether or not he’s melted romantically, but what really gets him going is when his partner plays along to whatever scheme he has. Whether it’s roleplaying in the bedroom or playing a rock paper scissors game that could end in endless amount of ties, as long as you’re in the game, he’s pleased as peaches. He also likes it when his partner can see through his lies and call him out on it. He wants the challenge because he knows it’s easy to be taken at face value. He wants someone to see him exactly who he is, and have him rise to the challenge. He’s competitive for sure. He has to be since he’s a leader. 

That being said though Kokichi also melts a lot with gifts. He likes gifts that he can use to play with other people. It means a lot to him when his partner gives these kinds of gifts because they want to spend time with him, to play with him. It means a lot.

Of course if their really the type. If they let him be dramatic as possible during a date, or let him choose how the date can go, they just gave him the world.

Shuichi is a little more low key than that. He’s the type that enjoys the silence in between. Whether it means he reads a book and his partner is on the couch, doing something on their phone or also reading, it’s fine by him. He adores it when his partner is resting against his lap or his shoulder, silently doing their own thing. It means that they’re comfortable and feel safe around him. He also likes it when he can converse with his partner and not feel so anxious about overstepping or going over the lines. Also, if his partner plans a date and has it all down to a T, he will fucking adore them because it takes a lot of pressure off of him to impress them.

[lynneshobbydomain]

Prompt #50 for Anon

(This is prompt number #50 for Anon who asked for either KamuKoma or Oumasai. I decided to do both since I was late)

Don’t Tell

Rated: G

Summary: The best kept secrets are usually those laid out in plain sight.

It wasn’t a secret that Kokichi had a crush on Shuichi. Everyone knew that he had a crush on Shuichi. The whole school knew that he had a crush on Shuichi. It wasn’t like Kokichi even tried to keep a secret either. From the nicknames to calling him “beloved”, it was pretty freaking obvious that Kokichi wanted Shuichi’s attention. The bad thing was Shuichi didn’t take him seriously and it was driving him up the damn wall. 

How?! How was he supposed to even get Shuichi’s attention, when Shuichi was dead-set on making sure that it didn’t happen? He put up with the nicknames, barely batted an eye about being called beloved, and all the while in the same breath, would tell people “we’re just friends”. It really made Kokichi want to rip his hair out sometimes.

But that was the price wasn’t it? Kokichi was a liar. Everyone knew that too. That wasn’t a secret. That was the worst secret anyone could possibly keep. He was loud about it, proclaimed about it. There were few people that could call him out on it, Shuichi being one of them, and he was always proud of those people for being able to see right through him. It meant that they were smart, it meant that they were worth his time. Shuichi was definitely worth his time. He made it fun. The problem was that Kokichi backpedaled. 

The problem was that Shuichi didn’t know that Kokichi knew how to backpedal and that was the entire reason why they were in this mess. Loud love confessions that were never treated seriously because someone thought that Kokichi was lying. Kokichi, being the good friend that he was, played along and pretended that it was indeed a lie. All the while wanting to slam his head into the desk and scream into a pillow as to why Shuichi had to choose now to be dense. 

It was painful for everyone. Maki and Kaito could get it through his head, and the only reason why they weren’t was probably because they wanted to see Kokichi suffer. Which okay, fine he deserved that after the many different kinds of pranks and tricks he pulled on the space cadet and the assassin-girl, but he would appreciate it if they’d ended his suffering sooner rather than later. 

It wasn’t that he was going to give up. Shuichi hadn’t outright rejected his advances, so...Kokichi had a feeling he had a chance, right? Right! So he was going to play it cool.

At least until all bets were off.

“Saihara-chan! Come with me!” Kokichi latched onto Shuichi’s arm and started dragging him off before he could even protest.

“Ah Ouma-kun, what-?” Shuichi stammered as he was dragged down the hallway. It was lunchtime so no one was really out and about, mostly sticking with their classes. Kokichi pulled open a janitoral closet and shoved Shuichi in there unceremoniously before closing the door behind him. “Wha-?” 

Without another word, Kokichi pressed a kiss against Shuichi’s lips. Surely if he thought all of his words were lies, this would get the message clear as day. He pulled away from Shuichi and grinned, “Nishishi, got you detective~!”

“O-ouma-kun…”

“You shouldn’t really let your guard down like that, it’s not good for you.” Kokichi was about to spin out of the closet, before Shuichi grabbed onto his wrist and dragged him back towards him. “Yes my belo-”

Shuichi was kissing him.

Kokichi’s cheeks burned a bright red as he felt his beloved’s lips against his own. He hadn’t expected this. He thought Shuichi would melt in a corner, and they’d never mention it again. Maybe the detective would chase him around, try to get him to speak about his feelings. Maybe it would be a dramatic revelation.

It wasn’t like this. A soft acceptance. They parted, and Shuichi moved towards the door. “M-maybe you should take your own advice, Ouma-kun.” He left before Kokichi could say anything.

Kokichi just blinked at him. Kokichi.exe couldn’t compute.

It wasn’t a secret that Kokichi had a crush on Shuichi, but clearly it was a secret that Shuichi had a crush on Kokichi. No one had been the wiser. Now to just figure out how to make that secret public…

Though he wouldn’t mind a few more hidden kisses. Just for fun. 

[lynneshobbydomain]

Vengeance Chapter 11

((Thank you all for your likes and your reblogs. Your support means the world to me. Thank you to @sinfulwonders for betaing this mess of a chapter. I do apologize that it took so long to come out.))

Rated: M

Summary: Amateur Detective Shuichi Saihara knew that searching for the "Usual 16" wasn't going to get him anywhere. The disappearances weren't being tracked in any news outlet, and very few families even tried to come forward to ask for help, let alone to report them missing. Yet, Shuichi can't shake off the feeling that there's a reason behind the disappearances, and he's close to the answer.

He just didn't realize that the answer was going to hit close to home, in more ways than one.

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You can read under the cut or go to my AO3!

Both Shuichi and Kokichi stared perturbed as they watched the hand slowly fade out from existence. Neither of them moved, or breathed. Shuichi could feel the cold sweat break out on his forehead and on his neck, his hand gripping onto Kokichi’s hand tightly enough to break fingers or bone. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the screen. He watched as all the other players were frozen solid with the same expression painted on their faces. Thoroughly terrorized and silently crying as they realized what their fate could be. A killing game. Until now, until seeing that, Shuichi didn’t realize the gravity of the situation. He knew that time was against them, he knew that the votes counted. He knew tha the motives and the murder were all part of it...but seeing it come to life. Knowing that this was the end for someone who decided to try to get out…

Shuichi felt his throat go dry and everything felt too real and not enough. He felt Kokichi try to dislodge his hand from his and he realized that he was making it harder for Kokichi to escape. He quietly detangled his fingers from his boyfriend’s and watched as Kokichi left his room. He didn’t doubt Kokichi was going to go to the restroom and empty out his stomach. It was a brutal execution. It was…

There were really no words for what this was. Shuichi numbly shut the laptop’s cover and placed it underneath his bed, as though hiding it from view would make what he saw disappear from his mind. The room was spinning and blurring in and out of his vision and Shuichi reached up to rub his eyes of the tears that were starting to fall down his cheeks. His shoulders hitched and his stomach dropped another rock into the bottomless pit of anxiety and depression. He curled in on himself, unable to stop the tears or the sobs that flowed. He was scared. He was terrified. He didn’t realize, he didn’t think about how far Danganronpa was willing to go for excitement, for entertainment. He wanted to be sick, he wanted to scream. 

A murder was a mercy in that game, Shuichi was starting to realize numbly. It was a horrible, terrible mercy. Mercy wasn’t supposed to look like violence. A mercy killing usually was quicker, painless. Like knocking someone out with the gas and trying their hardest to slit their throat, despite knowing that it wasn’t going to work. 

The execution wasn’t a mercy. It was torture. It is a punishment, just like Monokuma called it. Just like he had warned everyone ahead of time. Get caught, and it wasn’t a fast death. It wasn’t anything that the students could come up with on their own.

Shuichi felt something tug at him, reminding him that maybe he should check in on Kokichi. He watched it too. He was suffering by himself, but he couldn’t move. He couldn’t find any reason to move. His body continued to shake and he continued to cry and his thoughts were just spinning over the same scene again, and again, and again. Stuck on an endless loop. A repeat. It was probably a mercy that Danganronpa muted the screams of the tortured. 

The door creaked open and Shuichi used what little energy that he had to look up from his knees to see Kokichi coming back. The shadows of Shuichi’s room gave Kokichi’s face a darkened mask. His eyes were clear of haze or any type of emotion, a facade that wasn’t well fitted around his face yet. He quietly got back into the bed, snuggling as close as he possibly could to Shuichi. He leaned his head against his shoulder and mindlessly started to rub circles into his back and shoulders, and then letting his hand trail up to massage the side of Shuichi’s neck. Shuichi could feel how swollen his neck felt from the lingering touch, and he melted into the embrace as though he were a puddle, trying to gather as much warmth and comfort as he could from his boyfriend. He also reached, and gripped onto Kokichi’s arm, reaching for any little hug that he could give.

Neither of them broke the silence that covered them like a weighted blanket. It was hard to find a way to shift around the smothering tension. Shuichi wanted to break the silence and wanted his brain to stop looping Yadori’s skating.

The bears and how they skated, skated, skated.

How she slipped and fell.

How Monokuma prepared for that, using it as a way to turn the thermostat up.

Her falling into the melted ice.

Her being unable to reach the surface because of the weight of her skates, and being froze over.

Her drowning underneath the surface as-

“Stop.” Kokichi whispered and the thoughts quieted just a little. He could feel it in the background noise in the back of his head, but there was a more present sound that he could hear. He could feel Kokichi adjust his hold and Shuichi caught his scent, breathing in soft as he let it relax him just a little. “Breathe with me, beloved.”

Shuichi knew he was hyperventilating but he couldn’t stop the train now that it was going. His chest and shoulders ached. Everything felt too close and real, and too far away and fake. There were black spots that were just at the edge of his sight, and he could only assume it was from the panic and not from the silhouettes clamoring for his attention. He could hear Kokichi breathing, loud and steady. He tried to follow the pattern, but it was...it was a lot. Everything was a lot. It took a few tries, but soon enough they were breathing in and out the same song and Shuichi let it lull him into a state of wanting to fall asleep, and being wide awake.

“Let’s try to sleep.” Kokichi’s voice was still ever so quiet against the thick blanket of doubt and fear. Shuichi held onto it as though it was the only way out of the darkness that was his thoughts, that was reality. The boys maneuvered themselves so that they were lying down, and Kokichi reached over and turned the light off.

Neither of them dared to close their eyes, but neither of them were willing to break the silence again.

                                                             X

When morning broke, Shuichi wasn’t sure if he had been chasing Kokichi through more rooftops that he thought was possible, or if Honor got a little too over-excited about teaching Shuichi how to defend himself. His stomach felt punched. His eyes were irritated and itchy, not enough rubbing in the world soothed the pain and only made the swollen skin worse. His body complained and cried out, remembering that he spent all night in an anxiety attack that just wouldn’t fade. Nothing about the morning felt inviting. He knew for a fact that school was a far away option right now, and he knew that Kokichi was probably feeling the same. He could smell breakfast cooking, but instead of feeling his stomach wake up to hunger, it twisted painfully and reminded him that food was probably not the best idea at the moment. He rolled over to his side and saw that Kokichi was lying on his back, absently staring up at the ceiling, his arms crossed under his head.

Telling him good morning felt like a joke. It tasted like salt and sand in his mouth. Shuichi swallowed it back and decided not to. Instead he reached over and gently tapped on Kokichi’s stomach. Three small, lingering taps. Kokichi didn’t startle, nor was he fazed when he looked over at him. His eyes were as bloodshot as Shuichi’s felt. How long had he stayed up with his own tears and demons? It made Shuichi twist in distress. Neither of them had words. 

What they saw felt like a nightmare, a bad dream that could rival someone's sleep paralysis for a month. Shuichi could still see bright blood underneath a layer of ice and a hand banging against it, pleading for mercy. Pleading for help.

He tried to shove it all to the side. To later sort through it. He couldn’t afford to skip class again, and he didn’t want to rely on Kokichi either. They both had universities that they wanted to get into, if they could. Well, Shuichi did. Kokichi was...very much someone that lived on the edge. Whether or not he was going to go to college was just as up in the air as what dinner plans might be tonight. Never known until the last minute or so. 

Shuichi could barely taste the food that he was eating, let alone keeping track of grabbing his things. Nothing felt real. He wasn’t sure the room he was in was real. He wasn’t sure if he was in or out of his body. Shuichi’s gaze went from trying to get his things together, to the backpack that was still on his chair. His gut twisted uncomfortably. He needed to text his uncle about that. He should have done it yesterday, but had gotten distracted instead. He knew that going to class was important, he knew that he needed to get the grades. He could drop the backpack off afterwards, but…

Time wasn’t a luxury they could afford anymore. Shuichi knew the game would continue to roll now that someone had been brave enough to shed first blood. He abandoned his backpack in favor of grabbing Aki’s. Kokichi had already left. They went their separate ways to school anyway, and even though Shuichi tried to walk him as far as he could, Kokichi knew that he didn’t like to feel late to anything, and tended to leave anyway.

He picked up her bag, feeling it’s weight in his hands. Shuichi wondered how much this was going to help, and how much of this was just going to hinder the investigation. Shuichi wasn’t sure if his uncle was aware of how Danganronpa worked, and since he was voting and actively a part of the chat logs, Shuichi knew that he was guilty by association. 

Being a detective was going to be a far off dream if he got caught, or if someone figured out that Shuichi was a part of the game. Shuichi loved his job but….

It wasn’t worth the secrecy. Shuichi shifted the bag onto his shoulders and decided to go to his uncle’s agency. He could feel the cold sweat against his skin as he headed outside, but there wasn’t time for take backs or second guesses. 

Two deaths were enough. Two deaths were too much in Shuichi’s mind. He should’ve been faster. Not that it would do anything. If all of his theories were true, and Danganronpa really did have a hand in the government or in the police force, then there was a good chance that all of the evidence that Shuichi collected thus far was just collecting dust on someone else’s desk.

Even if it was unethical to do their own search for their own family member, Shuichi couldn’t scramble up a good reason to hand it off to someone else. 

                                                         X

The detective agency was a hole in the wall building that was squished in between two large office buildings that were imposing and harsh. As many people walked by, barely anyone took a good look at the building. His uncle had a superstition that they shouldn’t be found until someone absolutely needed them, and the statement was accurate. More times than Shuichi could count when he was a child, did a woman or a man walk into the agency, never knowing that it had been there for years, requesting a case or a missing person’s file or something. Most of the time it was adultery cases, and most of the time were easy to solve. 

It was easy money, but it was also a challenge. The name Saihara threw weight around, but it also threw grudges. It made Shuichi wonder if Danganronpa held such a grudge. He honestly couldn’t see why. He was the only one working on the Usual 16 and wasn’t getting anywhere at the time. 

He opened the door and blinked at the disarray of the office. Ando-kohai was standing by the door with a steaming cup in his hands. His tie was loose around his neck and he looked flushed and overheated. The A/C was humming loudly in the background and there were plenty of papers and files that were scattered on the floor, covering the dark brown wood like an area rug and taped onto the white walls. No strings yet, which was a good thing. If the strings came out, Shuichi would have to worry if the old method of fanning things out and using the computer for visual aid wasn’t doing enough. 

Ando looked and Shuichi could count new wrinkles that lined his normally youthful expression. There was also a line of grey that was starting to streak through his hair prematurely. There was a twitch to his fingers and Shuichi had a feeling that Ando was going to wind up in the hospital from a heart attack or worse. “Hey Shuichi-kun, shouldn’t you be in school?”

“Ah um...I wanted to talk to my uncle for a bit but uh…” Shuichi glanced to see that his uncle was currently sitting in the middle of this mess. Both office desks were shoved up against the wall and the chairs were stacked precariously against each other. Shuichi had no doubt that it would take one firm slam of the door for both chairs to crash down. The window blinds were open and the sun glared off of the white paper like snow.

His uncle, meanwhile, was staring at the mess as though it was a large jigsaw puzzle that needed to be put together. Shuichi wasn’t sure on how to begin a pathway to his uncle. There was literally no room to step, let alone disturb the papers. Deciding on a different method, Shuichi reached down and tugged off his shoes so that they wouldn’t get marks on the paper, and carefully made his way towards his uncle, trying to mindfully step where he thought he could.

“Please make a walkway.” Shuichi pleaded when he finally got to his uncle’s side. 

“Shhh.” Koji murmured softly. “I think I almost understand this. Maybe.”

Shuichi looked down and tried to make heads or tails of what he was seeing that would cause an explosion of paper. From what he was seeing, it was all the suspect lists that Shuichi had made for the Usual 16, and all of the papers that they were in. He caught sight of the bird sanctuary that Kokai had founded and was a part of, as well as Chatani’s award for her manga that she penned. 

“He’s been at this for hours now, and he said that fifteen minutes ago.” Ando said helpfully from the door. “I got placed over here for being a distraction.”

“You are!” Koji gave Ando a look. “Your theory makes no more sense than pigs flying.”

“What theory?” Shuichi asked, his finger curling against his chin.

“My theory was that these kids all were part of something huge. You know, like the awards and making records, being on Broadway, the works.” Ando explained and Shuichi could follow along that logic. “But with Aki-chan not having that type of exposure, I thought that maybe it was a grudge.”

“But why would Danganronpa have a grudge against you?” Shuichi’s mind was already spinning. Could that really be the case? If so then...was Akamatsu the performer that collapsed the same day of the Smash Tournament? Then where did Aki go that day? Busking? Did someone scout her just by watching her on the street?

The air went still and Koji’s head whipped around to face him. Shuichi felt a little shocked at the expression that shadowed over Koji’s face. He had never seen him so angry before. No, this wasn’t anger. There was a lot more behind the heat. However, Shuichi couldn’t focus on that, already tugging on his hat to try to avoid the confrontation that was going to happen anyway. 

“I know that you got an email from them.” Koji said slowly, carefully. “But what made you connect these 16 kids to that?”

Shuichi took a breath. “I uh...I saved the link.”

“Oh kid, no.” Ando whispered from his spot.

Koji closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “What did you see?”

“The 16 that you’re trying to find. All of that that I gave you? Or sent to you? They’re all in a game called Danganronpa. It’s...it’s a killing game.” Shuichi adjusted his hat, trying to keep his gaze low. “Kokichi-kun and I...we watch it. Aki-chan is in it. She lost her memory. She’s going by Mayumi-chan.” Taking the opening for what it was, Shuichi carefully removed the bag from his shoulders. “Aki-chan knew that she was being followed. She left behind this and a charm bracelet. I have pictures of the crime scene.”

“Why didn’t the police grab it?” Ando mused. “If it was left out in the open like that, someone would have had to report it.”

“Aki-chan shoved her backpack behind the dumpster, unless someone was actively looking for it they wouldn’t have found it. Her charm bracelet was broken.” Shuichi swallowed. “She...either didn’t tell Danganronpa her name and they’re going with the flow of it, or they know exactly who she is, and they’re still going with the flow because she’s not opening her mouth to say who she is. Regardless, Danganronpa relies on the students to lose their memory so that it can be manipulated somehow. As far as I’m aware, Aki-chan -no- Mayumi-chan, has literally nothing to her name.”

“No memory,” Koji mused thoughtfully. “Manipulated into something that they want instead.” He covered his mouth with his hand, looking at the files. “But why these kids?”

“There’s a gimmick that they use called “Ultimates”. Whatever they’re talented for, or known for, that’s what they’re going to use.” Shuichi felt his heart race against his chest, and he felt dizzy. He should’ve eaten more, or he should’ve just called it a day and stayed in bed. He still could… “They force these kids to kill each other. There’s...there’s already been a couple of deaths.”

“Oh fuck.” Ando hissed and Koji bowed his head. “Saihara-kun, who were the two deaths?”

“Chatani-san and Yadori-san. They’re known as the Ultimate Mangaka and Figure Skater.” Shuichi said and Koji immediately started shuffling papers around.

“What was their motive?” Koji asked.

“Um...it was supposed to be a way to get their memory back but it escalated into Yadori-san thinking that she had to protect her classmates from Chatani. I think Chatani was just trying to keep herself armed and ready for an attack on her.” Shuichi explained. “I...don’t know much after that. They stopped recording after showing the execution.”

“......I feel like that only leads to more questions.” Koji sighed, running a hand across his face. “Sixteen…” He mused thoughtfully as he looked at the papers before him. Shuichi could swear he could see gears turning around his head. “And they picked Aki. Why? If anyone made papers, it would’ve been you, Shuichi-kun.”

“It goes with my theory though doesn’t it?” Ando pointed out helpfully, “Aki-chan was the bait.”

Koji seemed to be deep in thought for a moment before a lightbulb went off in his head. “I wonder if it had something to do with the Kamukura technology custody battle that happened a year ago.”

Ando made a soft noise, “Keiko-chan certainly tore them down didn’t she?”

“I’m wondering now if Jabberwock had an inkling this was happening, and that’s why they suddenly started clamoring for their technology back. It was meant to be used in a virtual therapy world so that people could recover from trauma.” Koji mused. “I wonder if that technology and Danganronpa have something in common, but I’m not sure. It wasn’t on a lease or anything...so perhaps it was stolen and recently resurfaced? I’ll have to see what the details are from her.”

The back and forth of the conversation left Shuichi feeling as though he didn’t have all the cards in his hands. Jabberwock? Kamukura technology? Just what did those two things have to do with Danganronpa? He didn’t remember his aunt taking on a case like that, but then again...Shuichi didn’t usually pay attention to his aunt’s cases. It was less about puzzle solving, and more about having the better argument.  “Unless Jabberwock gave that technology over fifty years ago I doubt it.” Shuichi frowned, he wasn’t sure anymore what sort of wavelength was trying to get on. “This is their fifty-second season of doing this.”

“That can’t be right can it? Fifty years?” Ando spluttered. “That’s before the-”

“We’re looking at fifteen years max.” Koji cut through. “But I honestly doubt that Jabberwock would leave their technology behind like that. I think that there’s something more that’s happening. Five years is my max. I’m willing to gamble that it’s been closer to three.”

“Keiko-chan should know when the technology was brought over…” Ando mused. “That should give us a relative timeline, right?”

“If I can get her to fork over the papers, we might get somewhere. But then if that’s the case, then...why didn’t they pick Keiko-chan or myself?”

“You’re not a kid.” Ando waved it off. “Sounds like to me this Danganronpa group has a niche. I mean who's going to be horrified at an adult doing a murder spree? A teenager forced to kill another kid sounds much more terrifying.”

Shuichi thought about Chatani’s slit throat and how Yadori tried to make it as painless as she possibly could. He thought about the blood water. His stomach twisted and looked away, feeling nauseous and ill. Kids killing kids would make for a more entertaining show, wouldn’t it? Adults killed each other all the time, doing the littlest, reckless thing. “They want to make a statement.” Shuichi said, “Either that or they’re testing something, but I just don’t know what either of those could be.”

“You shouldn’t be watching.” Ando paused. “Um...that actually makes me want to ask...why did the invitation get sent to you, Saihara-kun? Instead of Saihara-senpai?”

“I feel as though that was a deliberate choice.” Koji mused. “Make the adults fret and wonder and perhaps they thought we wouldn’t believe Shuichi-kun or Ouma-kun for coming forward about it.”

“I also think it has something to do with my other theory.” Shuichi tugged his hat. “...What are you doing with the evidence, Uncle?”

“When I think I have something, I send it to my colleagues that are in the police force who have a criminal detective on board, why do you ask?”

“I think you might want to change tactics. Danganronpa has a hand in the police force. Why else can sixteen kids go missing without so much of a warning? Especially when they made local papers?” Shuichi pointed out. 

The silence was deafening and Shuichi let out a low breath. Koji let out a low breath. “I hate calling in favors.”

Shuichi felt lost, but Ando looked over at the phone. “She’s gonna yell at you, or she’s gonna tell you told you so.”

“Her and Keiko-chan are going to say something.” Koji sighed. “Shuichi-kun...you should go to school. I...have to think.”

Understanding that his presence wasn’t needed anymore, Shuichi nodded. “I’ll see you soon Uncle.” He promised before running out of the building.

                                                         X

A bento was gently set before Shuichi and he looked up to see Takahashi was sitting across from him. Shuichi dealt with the anxiety of being at school late. Thankfully his teacher was understanding that he was trying to recover from a missing person’s case and decided to let him off the hook, but Shuichi wasn’ relying on that to happen every time. 

Takahashi didn’t say anything as he opened his own bento. Shuichi knew that he shouldn’t feel surprised. Takahashi occasionally brought an extra lunch. Whether he had a knack of intuition that told him if Shuichi forgot his, or if it was just because he was waiting to share it with someone that needed the food, Shuichi never had the heart to ask. He knew that there was no way to refuse it too. The last time he tried didn’t end well, and he knew that Takahashi never meant any insult. 

“Thanks.” Shuichi doubted that the bento would taste like anything. He barely could remember breakfast and school was dragging along at snail's pace and his energy levels were about in the negatives. Too many people staring, too many questions buzzing, everything just felt like it was too much and too loud.  He pulled the bento apart and he was greeted with an array of colorful food and rice. “Thank you for the meal.”

“It’s really nothing.” Takahashi responded as he took his apart as well, showing the same arrangement. “Did something happen last night?”

Shuichi blinked, “Why specifically last night?”

“You were with us the other night and you seemed okay...I mean...as okay as you can be.” Takahashi clarified. “Last night...something must’ve happened. Ouma-kun made us worried with his messages in the D.I.C.E text group. He just said to be kind to you is all.”

“O-oh.” Shuichi looked away. “It’s nothing.”

“I won’t pry, this isn’t pancake night.” Takahashi promised. “Just...I’m here if you ever want to talk.”

God how to explain the craziness that was his life? Shuichi gently nudged his chopsticks against a sausage roll and watched it shift back and forth in place as he tried to gather his thoughts. His stomach grumbled, irritated that he was barely eating anything. Yet when he placed the food in his mouth, he barely could taste the flavor. His stomach whimpered, as though begging to change his mind, but Shuichi knew he needed to eat...even if he didn’t feel like it was a good idea.

He couldn’t talk about the case, that was confidential and he wasn’t sure how much he should be able to share. Now that he...thought about it...Shuichi looked over at Takahashi who was calmly eating, not breaking the silence between them for any superficial reasons. “Takahashi-kun?”

“Hm?”

“Who...was Aki-chan to you?”

“Did Ouma-kun put you up to that question?” Takahashi teased as Shuichi raised his hands up defensively. “I’m kidding. He’s been bugging me about that too. I mostly ignore him, he blows up my phone and then probably comes crying to you about it.”

That must’ve been half of the time Kokichi only vaguely said that D.I.C.E was bullying him. Shuichi shook his head. “I was just...trying to figure something out.”

“She’s a good friend.” Takahashi said simply, “and like I told her...I’m not really looking for a relationship.”

“You told her that?”

“She confessed not too long before this happened,” Takahashi pursed his lips together. “I didn’t say anything to anyone about it because I didn’t want to look as though I had something to do with it. Before I realized it was a kidnapping, I legitimately thought she took my words to heart and decided to do what she wanted to do for graduation.”

“To...what?” Shuichi blinked.

“To see Japan for what it was worth without anyone to hold her back. Not that she thought you or her family were hindrances. I think she just….wanted to be someone that could be free for a little while. Not worry about the Saihara name...and all that comes with it.” Takahashi shrugged. “You know, just a couple of days ago, Ouma-kun asked me what I’d do if I found out Saihara-san lost her memory.”

“Ouma-kun doesn’t hold back his questions, does he?” That was...a little harsh. 

“I didn’t mind it. He knew that I already lost someone to memory loss once, so…” Takahashi nonchalantly took another bite of his food. “I suppose this time I came prepared. I mean, Saihara-san is still a treasured friend. She’s been good to us, good to Ouma-kun. You both have been. To abandon her when she can’t remember us is...well...expected if we don’t adjust. My grammy lost her memory. It was...rough. My parents thought she was selfish for forgetting them, for forgetting me, but...at the end of the day I think maybe I was the selfish one instead.”

Shuichi could only tilt his head in confusion, waiting.

“I stopped thinking of her as grammy and started to learn about her as Mei.” Takahashi replied. “I learned that her favorite color was purple, and she liked having the blinds up because the sunlight hit just right and made her room look bright and cheerful. She liked porcelain tea sets more than cast iron because it’s prettier and more welcoming. Cast iron was more for businesses and for formal tea ceremonies.” He looked up at Shuichi, chopsticks hanging slightly from his fingers. “My grammy hated having the blinds up, she thought that’s where all the dust came from and didn’t help matters. Grammy was also very strict. She was the type that was always after me for my grades. She was kind of disappointed that I decided on this high school when I took my entrance exams.” 

He wasn’t lying about anything that he was saying, but he also wasn’t in any sort of distress talking about it. It was though he was talking about the weather. Shuichi wondered if that meant he was good at hiding that his question bothered him, or if it meant that this was...something that happened a long time ago and was easy to talk about now. 

“So in short, I would start from square one and build back up again. Maybe that means we’re friends. Maybe we’ll want nothing to do with each other. Maybe the pain will be too much for me this time, and I’ll have to say goodbye. Maybe she will.” Takahashi shrugged, going back to eating. “There’s really no telling how that’d go until it actually happens. But it’ll be harder for you, because of all the little things you two would have between each other. The inside jokes, what annoys her, the small things you guys used to do for fun. It all can be so drastically different and you’ll hate it. You’ll get frustrated. She’ll get frustrated. She’ll get upset. Just...start from square one. All of you started like that at one point in your life.”

“You make it sound easy.” Shuichi was a little...in awe of him. “When...did all of this happen?”

“Two years ago. It’ll be the third year come Christmas.” Takahashi replied simply. “It sucks my present was a dead grammy and a friend but...well...both Mei and grammy liked Christmas so...they had something in common at least. It wasn’t easy. Believe me, it sounds easy but it’s really hard. You want to compare and contrast. You want to dig and try to find just a little something that means she’s not completely gone or completely disappeared.” He looked at Shuichi. “Don’t. It’s not worth the torment. Again easier said than done, but...you’d thank yourself for it later.”

“Right...I am sorry for your loss.” Shuichi murmured.

“I’m not.” Takahashi smiled lightly. “Who ever said death was the ending to life anyway? It doesn’t make sense when you think about it.” 

Shuichi wasn’t sure if he could share that sentiment, but he was grateful for the optimism all at the same time. He just wished that he could follow that advice, come whatever ending was to come.

[lynneshobbydomain]

*GASP* ...79,72 for saiouma,,, sleeby koki

(Thank you for the prompt!!!!!! God, I’m not very good at crack, I don’t think myself as funny, so let’s see if this makes you laugh. @just-a-random-shipper-passing-by)

Sing Me A Lullaby

Rated: T Kokichi has a mouth tonight

Summary: Shuichi’s trying to finish an essay when Kokichi starts talking. What he requests isn’t something Shuichi’s in favor for. 

Prompt Sentences: 

Are you high? -I’m just so fucking tired 

Tell me what I can do to help?- You could sing me to sleep.

“Do you ever think of what would happen if the bitchlet ever got together with the masked creep?” Kokichi asked as he stared at the ceiling. “I don’t know if I can handle that.”

Shuichi paused in his typing. The room was completely dark save for the desk lamp and the computer light that basked the room in soft yellows and bright blues. He could have sworn Kokichi had gone to bed already. Shuichi was trying to get the last of the essays for his college course done so he wouldn’t have to worry about it for the next three days. He spun around in his chair, waiting for Kokichi to continue with his thoughts. It wouldn’t be the first time Kokichi slept while talking. 

“Like.” Kokichi continued, shifting on the bed and pushing the covers off him slightly. “Ran-chan would make a better pair with him. They’re both cryptids from the Mummy.”

“Kokichi…” Shuichi stared at him, should he try to wake him up or let him continue?

“Also that vine or TikTok or whatever that app thing was,” Kokichi continued, “still has me thinking. Where would you feel pain if the pain wasn’t in your leg? The legs are gone.”

“Kokichi…” Shuichi bit his lower lip, Kokichi wasn’t sleep-talking. This was way too coherent for that. Well, if anyone could call this coherent. 

“I get phantom pain, but...wait a freaking moment. Wouldn’t you feel the pain in the thigh?!”

“I feel like that’s a Tsumiki-san question.” Shuichi watched as Kokichi suddenly had a light bulb and Shuichi had to move from the desk chair to grab Kokichi’s phone. “You are not texting her at-” he glanced at the phone. “Three in the morning?” He stared at the screen in disbelief. 

“Oh my fucking god it’s three.” Kokichi groaned. 

“Are you high?” Shuichi couldn’t help but to ask as he handed the phone back to him. “You’re hardly ever up this late.”

“It’s Shuichi-chan’s fault. I’m just wanting to go to bed and he’s up. I’m so fucking tired but I can’t sleep.” Kokichi whined as he looked at him.

The lights. Shuichi’s amused smile curved downwards. “I’m sorry. I thought the lights wouldn’t bother you-”

“It’s not the lights. Geez, Shuichi-chan, who's missing in my bed?”

“My bed.” Shuichi answered before blinking. “What do you mean who's missing? You’re in it!”

“Shuichi-chan...honey no. Are you high?” Kokichi stared up at him. “You gotta use that big brain of yours.”

“My big brain is currently trying to finish an essay and I’m alarmed that you’re still awake.” Shuichi answered as he placed the phone back where it belonged. Kokichi made a muffled noise that sounded like he was in pain of some sort. “Tell me what I can do to help? You’re going to be dead tomorrow and...it is my fault you’re awake. I should’ve studied in the living room, I didn’t think.”

“You’re still not thinking.” Kokichi stared up at him before glancing away. “You could sing to me.”

Shuichi blinked slowly. “I’m not a singer.”

“I hate liars, Shuichi-chan.”

“I’m not lying, I’m not a singer.”

“You’re so lying. You’re hurting my feelings.” Kokichi’s expression went blank, and he was starting to get a little upset. There was an edge to his voice Shuichi recognized when he was talking to Miu.

“What in gods name makes you think I can sing?” Shuichi surrendered. Maybe if he could dispel that, Kokichi would believe him. 

“You sing in the shower.” Shuichi froze and his cheeks burned a bright red. Kokichi glanced over at him and his mouth dropped slightly. “No way. Shuichi-chan...I live here! I live here! I can hear you. The walls aren’t that thick! Why do you think I offer the gag-”

“Please stop talking!” Shuichi scrambled to cover Kokichi’s mouth, his heart throbbing in his ears as he covered his boyfriend’s mouth. He felt something wet up against his palms, and he knew what happened, but he kept them there for now. “Oh my god no wonder the neighbors look at us funny. I thought it was because of your clothes.”

“RUDE!” Kokichi snatched Shuichi’s wrists and yanked his hands off of his mouth. “That’s so rude!”

“Kokichi-”

“I look adorable Shuichi-chan. It’s not my fault no one here cares about fashion.”

“Wearing a panda onesie isn’t fashion.” 

“It was cute.” Kokichi groaned. “But we’re getting off track. Your Supreme Leader has been up for…” He reached around blinding and grabbed Shuichi’s phone. He turned it on and stared at the screen. “A long fucking ass time and I’m tired as hell. Please for the love of god, end my misery somehow.”

“Dramatic?” Shuichi asked, his blushing only going down some. “I don’t...what do you even want me to sing?”

“What about that lullaby Chicane-chan mentioned to me?” Kokichi asked slyly. “You know the one.”

“That’s fine with me, but…” Shuichi shifted. “I’m really not a good singer, Kokichi-kun.”

“That’s for me to decide isn’t? Go turn off the lights, close the laptop and come here.” Kokichi waited patiently for Shuichi to do what he asked. When Shuichi approached the bed again, he grabbed onto what he could and forced him to come closer. “Lay down next to me like this and sing. I promise I won’t say anything to anyone. You have my vow.”

“Does it really mean much?”

“So mean.” Kokichi teased. “Now sing, peasant.”

[lynneshobbydomain]

Vengeance Chapter 10

((Thank you so much @sinfulwonders for betaing this chapter for me. You’re always so kind. Also thank you all for the reblogs and for the likes. Just a heads up, not only is this chapter long, but it does contain two deaths that may be disturbing to you. Please be advised.))

Rating: M (Violence)

Summary: Amateur Detective Shuichi Saihara knew that searching for the "Usual 16" wasn't going to get him anywhere. The disappearances weren't being tracked in any news outlet, and very few families even tried to come forward to ask for help, let alone to report them missing. Yet, Shuichi can't shake off the feeling that there's a reason behind the disappearances, and he's close to the answer. He just didn't realize that the answer was going to hit close to home, in more ways than one.

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You can read this underneath the cut or at my A03

Shuichi knew that the tranquility wasn’t going to last, but he did his best to milk it anyway. He let Kokichi drag him out of the house, in clothes that would make anyone do a double-take. They hung at the ice cream parlor for a little bit, Kokichi smearing a bit of his ice cream on Shuichi's cheek when Shuichi sniped at him too much and didn’t let him get away with any of his lies. He let Kokichi sneak him into a movie theatre without paying, trying to ignore how his hands sweat with nerves and how his heart continued to pound and race even though he knew that there was little to no chance that they were going to be caught when the movie started. He let Kokichi drag him all over the city, trying to find an arcade that Trick wasn’t at so that they could have some fun.

Shuichi played Yu-Gi-Oh at home, and bartered with Kokichi to go up against him with Smash. Kokichi bantered with Koji, with Keiko, and tried to fill as much light and laughter in the living room as he possibly could. For the first time in a long time, Shuichi had forgotten about the case that he was working on.

It really didn’t surprise him when they were in his room, sitting on the floor, playing slap jack when his phone went off. It wasn’t just his phone either, Kokichi’s phone also went off at the same time. Both of them looked at each other and they both dived for their respective cellular devices. Shuichi half-expected it to be D.I.C.E. He thought that Shuffle might’ve already found a building to hop into, and was going to send the GPS coordinates with a “don’t be late”. He would’ve preferred it honestly to the Danganronpa email that was staring at his face. It’s Voting Time!!!!

Shuichi felt his stomach twist and the room spin uncomfortably. His throat squeezed tightly as he opened the email.

Pick a Death!

Falling?

Drowning?

It was...vague. Shuichi pursed his lips together as he read the question again. Both of them sounded painful, and neither of them sounded quick. Shuichi could imagine the fear and panic from both of the deaths. He knew from his time at the agency that both of those were common suicides. Most of the time those who decided to jump usually picked to jump into rivers, or off of buildings so that there was little to no chance of second-guesses or take backs. The worst suicides were those who decided that it was best to jump in front of a train. Plenty of people went into Aokiagahara Forest because it was quieter, secluded, and less people around to try to talk them out of it. Of course Shuichi knew there were people who constantly wandered the forest to see if they could offer their assistance, their shoulders and ears.

This didn’t sound like a suicide however. Shuichi was certain that the death was going to have to do with a murder of some sort. Falling would be the quickest, but the luring would be hard to do. That person would have to trust the other a lot, especially if they were being coaxed to the edge. Shuichi doubted anyone in that group could call themselves that close. Yuya might fall for it, because she was hyperactive and friendly. Shirogane might, just because she would want to fit in. If Aki wanted to exploit her friendship or if Kokai thought that he could kill Aki or Rantaro, he might be able to convince them to get close and personal with the edge of a building.

He was very certain that Oda would laugh in someone’s face if they tried. Everyone else was too paranoid and not willing to trust anyone with a ten foot pool.

That meant that the most likely way to die was to drown. Shuichi didn’t recall anyone mentioning a pool or a body of water that was nearby the school. The courtyard had a fountain, but...the water would be too shallow for a proper drowning. Shuichi pursed his lips together. It meant a stronger chance of survival. At the same time, Shuichi could easily be misjudging how deep the fountain was.

He didn’t want anyone to die. He didn’t want anyone to suffer. He looked over at Kokichi who was staring at his phone, his thumbnail being bitten between his teeth. His eyes were focused on the small screen, and his brows were furrowed. He was distressed and Shuichi worried for a moment that something happened at home. Kokichi’s parents rarely ever reached out to him in worry or in care. They pretended that he didn’t exist, and Kokichi...well...he tended to like the idea that he didn’t exist. It meant less problems for the three of them, even if Shuichi wished otherwise.

It didn’t mean that his parents didn’t surprise him. Sometimes, Shuichi knew that they’d reach out, only if they thought they could manipulate him to go back home for whatever reason. He sincerely hoped that wasn’t the case. He looked back at the email, and his heart stuttered. How was he going to watch this when Kokcihi was with him? He couldn’t. He couldn’t risk Kokichi looking at it either. No it was best to vote and it was best to delete the email. It was best to pretend that the episode wasn’t happening…

He wasn’t sure he could watch it, knowing that it could be Aki’s murder that he was actively voting for. He wasn’t sure he could watch it thinking that Aki actively murdered someone. He doubted both of those routes, but they were in a killing game. The two day deadline was up.

Someone was dead and he knew it.

Someone was going to pay for it, and he knew that too.

“Shuichi-chan?” Shuichi jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked up, trying to hide his phone away from Kokichi’s gaze. He knew that outed him as suspicious immediately. Kokcihi’s gaze flicked, Shuichi wondered what exactly crossed his mind, before a smile played at his lips. “You spaced out there for a minute, beloved~. Did something happen?”

Shuichi had his suspicions on Loki being Kokichi, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to go down that rabbit hole yet. Especially since the voting was actively trying to goad people into picking someone’s demise. There was no right way to respond to the email. Someone was going to die in whatever the majority decided on, and as much as Shuichi loved and wanted to protect his cousin, he wasn’t sure he could vote for someone else’s death too.

Aki wouldn’t want him to. Shuichi knew that this could bite him in the ass later, but...Aki wouldn’t want him to vote. Not this. Motives? Probably a way to help. Murder? He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t find a reason. Danganronpa wanted him to be an accomplice. He wasn’t going to push someone into hell. He wasn’t going to do that to the victims or their families. With that firm resolve in mind, he gave Kokichi a slight smile. “Danganronpa.” He admitted. “It uh...it was a weird email.”

“I bet...you okay?” Kokcihi pursed his lips tightly. “What did they want?”

“Something I couldn’t give.” Shuichi wished that he had more confidence in his words. He knew that sounded shaky and false, even to him. “It’s okay. I just...it was...a lot.”

“Okay.” Kokichi murmured quietly. “Let’s forget about it for now then. Come on beloved!” He suddenly grabbed Shuichi’s arm and started to pull on him. “Let’s go annoy Keiko-chan in the kitchen.”

“She’s going to hit you with a spoon if you annoy her while she’s cooking, Kokichi-kun.” Shuichi admonished as he let himself be tugged out of his room and out towards the kitchen.

“Then it’s all in good fun!”

                                                              X

Later that night, Shuichi woke up. Being a light sleeper that he was, he was used to being woken up at strange times in the middle of the night. Sometimes, Aki couldn’t sleep and suddenly would start playing music as softly as she could in her room. Sometimes, Kokichi would have nights where he tossed and turned and would accidentally kick him awake. Sometimes, Shuichi’s brain just decided to randomly go on high alert and remind him that he was alone in his room and that for whatever reason something was amiss. Shuichi glanced over to the side to see if it was the Kokichi situation when he registered that the boy wasn’t even in his bed.

He reached over to the side and felt the sheets. They were slightly warm, which meant that Kokichi had left and his side was starting to become cold. He must’ve been up for a while. Shuichi carefully pushed himself up into a sitting position and reached over to his bedside table to turn the lap on. The room immediately flicked into soft yellows and irritated Shuichi’s eyes and head as he rubbed the sleep away from the corners of his eyes. Kokichi wasn’t anywhere in his room. Did he think he would be too much of a disturbance and decided to go out into the living room?

Shuichi looked over at his desk and noticed that his laptop was missing. Shuffle mentioned last night that Kokichi would take his laptop and would drag it down to the living room and watch it. Feeling as though he was about to step in on some private mystery, Shuichi walked out of his room with his heart pounding in his ears. This could be his chance to figure out once and for all if Kokichi actually watched the show. He had his suspicions, he had some of the evidence to back up his claims, but nothing would be as concrete as this. He kept his footsteps light and attentive, making sure to keep his back against the walls and keeping note where the shadows are. It was easy to slink into detective tracking mode, even in his own home.

He could strain to hear the little things that the house hid when no one was paying attention. Keiko was asleep down the hall. The small creaks and groans the house made as it settled down into the earth. The small noises that were made outside, the humming of faraway traffic. He noticed that the living room light was on. The table side of it anyway, since the glow didn’t reach too far towards the hallways or the kitchen. Shuichi peered over the corner, and saw Kokichi on the ground cross legged, his laptop up.

There was an investigation that was happening. Shuichi’s eyebrows furrowed as he decided to let his presence be known. “Danganronpa?”

Kokichi jumped six feet in the air and he scrambled to find some way to save his face, despite that there was no way he could recover from the jumpscare. “Shuichi-chan!” He hissed, pulling his headphones off. Shuichi hadn’t noticed that they were missing or that Kokichi was wearing them. He was still a little shell-shocked that Kokichi was watching the show. “What are you doing?” He whispered. “Go back to sleep, beloved. I’ll-”

“You watch Danganronpa.” It wasn’t meant to sound like an accusation. He didn’t want Kokichi to look at him like that. His neutral expression was just breaking enough that there was a hint of fear that was in his eyes. He was thinking that this was going to be a showdown of some sort. Shuichi didn’t want a fight. He didn’t want a confrontation that didn’t mean anything. “I do too.”

“I know you do, beloved.” Kokichi sighed, his shoulders relaxing only a fraction. “I see you in the chat logs.” He looked at Shuichi and Shuichi could see the anxiousness. The fear. He was just as afraid of this game as Shuichi was. Yet he was watching it by his lonesome. Shuichi wondered if it was because Kokichi thought he needed the sleep, or if he was worried about the same thing he had been worried about previously. About whether or not Aki was the murderer or the victim. “Aki-chan’s still alive.” He paused the recording and stood up, taking the laptop with him. “We should move this into your room. We can talk there.”

Shuichi nodded and they headed back into his room. They got comfortable on his bed, Kokichi placing the laptop between them and tossing the headphones to the side. Shuichi gave him a small glare for it, those were his good noise-cancelling headphones but Kokichi wasn’t paying attention or caring. He quickly adjusted the volume so that it was comfortable before hitting play. “Should I go back to the beginning?” He asked, hovering his mouse over to the replay button.

Shuichi shook his head and Kokichi took his hands off of the computer, and instead found Shuichi’s under the covers. Rantaro was looking around the crime scene and Shuichi’s throat bobbed when he saw the body of the mangaka on the floor. A scalpel lodged deep into her throat. It looked like someone had tried to slit her throat, but either changed their mind last second, or didn’t realize there was a proper way to do it without getting the weapon caught.

“So Shinigami-san was wrong in thinking the chemist was the murderer.” Kokichi mused softly. “I don’t think this would be her thing.”

“Could be the doctor since I’m sure that’s one of his supplies.” Shuichi mused thoughtfully. “Oh they found the bottle of the chemicals used to knock someone out...or kill them.”

“I think it was a knockout. If it was a killing proportion, then why get stabbed in the neck?” Kokichi theorized as Rantaro started to badger his classmates about alibis and where they were. Shuichi noticed that Aki was looking around the room too, casually going over to Rantaro when she found something to help move the case along.

The scene of the crime was interesting too. It was in an abandoned classroom. If the mangaka was going to die somewhere, Shuichi would’ve thought that her lab would’ve been the prime spot. Someone wanted to have a chat. “Did they figure out the time of death or anything?”

“So far, we don’t know much.” Kokichi murmured. “Apparently this is something new they're trying out.”

“What do you mean?”

“According to some of the backlogs that I was reading before the recording showed up,” Kokichi gestured vaguely to the screen. “Monokuma used to tell the students the time of death, type of death, and little other factoids. This time, Monokuma is giving students free reign. I suppose it’s because they have a doctor on their talent team.”

“How do you feel about the talents?” Shuichi asked softly.

“Hmm...nothing really. It’s just a gimmick isn’t it? I bet that’s why Monokuma isn’t exactly being helpful. If the doctor does a botched up job, well...that means that everyone gets killed besides the blackened riiight?” Kokichi drawled softly. The violinist, Akamatsu if Shuichi remembered her name right, came back with Yadori and gave Rantaro a slip of paper that merely said the words midnight on it.

“So they were meeting up in the classroom.” Shuichi concluded. “To talk probably.”

“About what? Did someone know something? Kind of pointless to start having secret meetings now.” Kokichi scoffed a little. “Honestly some of these kids have no clue what they’re doing.”

“You don’t either, Kokichi-kun.” Shuichi winced a little as Kokichi gave him a mock offended look.

Bing. Bong. Bong. Bing sounded through the computer’s speakers and both of the boys’ shut their mouths as Monokuma appeared in the monitor, looking pleased as the cat that got the cream. “It’s now time for the class trial!” He sounded overly gleeful, like this was the best part of the game. The murder was just the cherry on top of it all. He directed the students towards the elevator, and Shuichi watched as fifteen students climbed into the cage like device and go down deep into the underground.

The trial room wasn’t like anything Shuichi had seen before, and he and Kokichi both had been in court rooms. The podiums were like witness stands, all in a circle facing each other so that there was no way to try to hide anyone’s expression or their actions. Everything was for everyone to see. There was one podium in particular that had Chatani’s death portrait, a large X painted in a bright red substance that looked suspiciously like blood.

The room itself was a little insane looking too. Black and white tile reflected a blue light that came from the ceiling, bouncing off of stained glass windows and mosaiced down to the ground. On a red and gold chair sat Monokuma and down in front of him like jury members waiting to hear the deceivsiness of the trial were the loudmouth Monokubs that Shuichi rarely paid attention to.

The rules were simple. Discuss until there was nothing left to discuss. Vote and pray that it was the right answer. If it was wrong, everyone but the blackened would die. Vote correctly and the blackened would die and everyone else would live.

“Usually in trials everyone’s on the witness stand has to say their name and their ultimate.” Aki suddenly spoke up. “And since we know that this is being recorded, we may want to do that just for it to be on the record.”

“Didn’t realize you were the Ultimate Lawyer, Mayumi-chan.” Oda teased.

Aki paused. “My name is Mayumi. I don’t have a last name. I’m the Ultimate Guitarist. I’ll also be bold enough to say that I’m pleading innocent too.”

Everyone in the trial froze. Kokichi let out a high pitched noise that sounded like he was trying to hold back a snicker or a laugh. Shuichi watched as everyone looked at each other, a little nervous. A little less thrilled with the idea that they might be recorded, that someone could actually use this in an actual trial.

“My name is Maeji Sena. I’m the Ultimate Cheerleader.” Shuichi remembered her credits being fun. Her background was usually a gym of some sort with a bunch of people in the stands. He knew about the cheerleader part though mostly because her yellow and blue pom poms that she carried with her gave her away. She was a nice looking girl too. With a side ponytail and a couple of the same colored ribbons. Her uniform supported the color theme. “I’ll also be bold and say that I’m pleading not guilty.”

“Wow. This trial is going to go by so fast.” Shimahara stated, looking completely bored out of his mind. The sparkles of his shirt caught the light of the stained glass, making it shimmer brilliantly. The looks that his classmates were giving him however, were enough to make him shrink. “Fine, fine. My name is Shimahara Yuji. Ultimate Dancer. Ultimate bored out of my fucking mind. I’m not a part of this. Can we move on?”

“Dick.” Yuya grumbled, flapping her sweater sleeves nervously around her body. “Heyo. I’m Yuya Chika and I burn things for fun!”

“Innocent.” Everyone said together at the same time.

“Yuya-chan can’t be a murderer because we’d have a burnt body instead.” Yadori giggled, though there was something off in her posture. Shuichi noticed that she was too tense for that to be genuine. The laugh also sounded shrill, like a panic. “Okay, okay. I’m Yadori Miki. I’m the Ultimate Figure Skater. I’m pleading not guilty.”

“Yeah maybe we should all just agree that we’re all going to say not guilty and maybe not do that.” Oda sighed, taking out a monocoin and flipped it. He watched it fall down to the ground and bent to pick it up. “So you all know me-”

“Pretend we don’t.” Aki cut through quickly.

Oda gave her a small look. “Okay I’ll humor you. Oda Touru. Ultimate Thief. I’ll steal anything so long as it benefits me somehow.”

“Annnd there’s our jackass.” Yuya happily gestured.

“Maybe not everyone’s not guilty after all.” Ajishi gritted her teeth. “Ah, right. Forgive me.” She cleared her throat and adjusted herself and her posture. Shuichi had to admire how quickly she threw on her persona. “My name is Ajishi Misa and I’m a chemist.”

“Ougai Eiji.” The doctor quietly murmured next to her. “I’m a doctor. We should try to remain objective while we’re on trial.”

“We’re not...always going to go around the circle introducing ourselves right?” A boy asked. He wore the same sort of uniform the thief did, but his had a bit more of a flair to it. It was fitted loose on him and Shuichi felt like all he was missing was the cape. “I’m only stalling, I'm sorry. My name is Nakaji Katsuji. I’m the Ultimate Actor.”

“Ultimate could be murderer got it.” Shimahara deadpanned.

“Now, now.” Rantaro quickly held his hands up. “Let’s not get into a fight. We’re all in the same boat here. My name is Amami Rantaro. I’m the Ultimate Adventurer.” He looked over at Kokai. “Your turn.”

“I’m Kokai Seijo. I’m a falconer.” Kokai nervously adjusted his gloves. “I’m na a murderer eider.”

“So now it’s my turn right?!” Shirogane asked. “My name is Shirogane Tsumugi. My talent is being the Ultimate Cosplayer. I’m not surprised if no one remembers me.”

“You’re right. No idea who you are.” Shimahara deadpanned.

“Well you didn’t have to be so mean about it...but I get it.” Shirogane winced.

“Why didn’t anyone think to kill you off is a mystery.” A girl with blonde hair spoke up. Shuichi really did try to rack his brians, the familiarity of her just bothered him sometimes. “My name is Akamatsu Kazue. I’m the Ultimate Violinist. Let’s solve this mystery together.”

“Horrible catch phrase.” It was a teasing tone and a gentle smile that graced that sentence. The boy had on a heavy utility belt and it was full of different kinds of equipment. His hair was all over the place, and he looked to be in the same boat as Yuya when it came to burns. “So formally I’m Gonoji Yoshitaka, but you guys can call me Yoshi-kun. I don’t care.”

“That leaves me. I’m Kai Yako. I’m the Ultimate Singer.” Kai mused, shifting on his feet.

“Oh. Right I was supposed to say that I was the Ultimate Electrician. Sorry.” Yoshi rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

“Now that we got that all squared away, and it’s on record.” Rantaro spoke up, “We should start by talking about the obvious.”

Ougai straightened his tie. “To slit someone’s throat effectively, you would go from ear to ear with the head tilted downwards to expose more veins. Tilting it up, you expose the knife to different obsticals and instead of making a fast clean death, you made the victim suffer and you fuck up the kill. You don’t look dramatic. You look like an amateur. We can rule out myself and Ajishi automatically for it if that’s the case.” Ougai paused. “Also there were some defensive wounds that were on Chatani-san’s body. Indicating that there was a struggle.”

“Okay so we’re dissing the culprit before we even start, cool.” Oda drawled. “But sorry doctor and chemistry teacher, but I think you two shouldn’t count yourselves out just yet. We know the murder weapon was a scapal. Therefore it was one of yours. I’m thinking the doctor did it. Anyone else?”

“What would the motive be? The flashback light?”  Yuya tugged on her sleeves nervously, winging and flapping them around, nearly hitting her peers that were next to her. “I mean, we don’t even know if it’s real or not. Monokuma could’ve just said to throw all of us off.”

“Yes, but that does not mean that someone else would believe the lie.” Ajishi adjusted her goggles over her eyes. “Let’s hypothesize that someone’s motive is the flashback light. Let’s hypothesize that they believed that there was a memory in there that they wanted back.”

“If we’re accusing me first, I can easily say three things. One, I have an alibi. Two, if I’m going to murder someone why would I pick the most obvious weapon that can be pointed out to me? I know more ways to murder someone and get away with it than to do a botched job and leave my own work too behind. Three, I don’t care about the flashback light. I don’t care about my lost memory. If anyone should be worried about their memories, it’s Mayumi-san who doesn’t have a single thing to her name.” Ougai gestured over towards Aki, who was mindless chewing on her finger.

She froze like a deer in headlights, and bit at her nail a little harder, but otherwise stayed silent.

“Why woul’ she go af’er Chadani dough?” Kokai frowned, tugging on his gloves and keeping his gaze down. “We dun dalk da her much.”

“If she was going to go after anyone, it’d be Oda-kun you’re right.” Akamatsu said, as she held her pointer finger up in the air. She had another hand on her hip and she immediately turned the conversation. “So we need to start looking at people who are close to Chatani-chan and who would want to hurt her.”

“So basically all of us and none of all all at the same time.” Oda rolled his eyes as dramatically as he could. “Because none of us are really all that chummy with each other, violin.”

“She’s the weakest member here though, isn’t she?” Yadori asked as she was redoing her hair, trying to pull it back into a nicer looking bun. Her hands were trembling, Shuichi noticed. She wasn’t trying to meet anyone’s gaze. If anything, she was trying to distract, but why? Shuichi covered his mouth with his hand, gazing on Yadori as though she could hold all of the answers. Maybe he was wrong, but...she was acting not herself for certain.

“Where was she during the investigation?” Kokichi murmured and Shuichi felt his heart plummet down into his stomach, icing his veins in the cold realization that Yadori was a suspect. She had acted weird when Ajishi confronted her classmates about her missing things too. Too stiff. Too afraid. Oda was too calm, too certain. He didn’t care that he was an accomplice. Only the murderer was going to get punished. He could do whatever he wanted and help whoever he pleased.

It made Shuichi wonder if Oda had a bigger part to play than the “Ultimate Thief”.

“Wow.” Tsumugi drawled, looking insulted. “That’s just plain rude right there. Chatani-senpai’s a strong person. Both inside and out. You didn’t know this, but when Chatani-senpai writes any kind of manga, she does her research. From experimenting with eating disorders to actually going to the gym and working out to be as buff as she can as a female, and asking male bodybuilders to pose for her to practice the anatomy. She isn’t someone that’d just lay down and take a hit.”

“Eating disorders aren’t exactly what you’d consider strength here.” Shuichi muttered, mostly to himself. He heard Kokichi snort beside him and he felt his cheeks flush. He was used to being by himself while he watched the show. He forgot that sometimes he mumbled to himself to get the gears rolling in his mind. That being said though, Tsumugi had a bit of a point. Her determination and perseverance would be considered a strength. If she hadn’t died, she would’ve made it a lot longer than she had, that was for certain.

“Is anyone else disturbed that she actually goes that far for her writing or is that just me?” Oda asked, looking around at the trial circle.

“I mean, I’m a performer.” Nakajima said, picking against his tie as he undid it and was re-doing it. “I also have to determine what weight I have to be if I’m going to be an accurate representation of my character. I destroyed my body in many ways and I recovered it in many ways.”

“I’m not much but a singer, but even my appearance gets me a side-eye every now and then.” Kai rubbed his neck.

Maeji shifted in her stand, “I mean, I was once told to lose some weight if I wanted to be caught easier during the pyramids or any of the tosses, but I never took them into too much consideration. It was a...thought though I’ll...admit that.”

Shimahara just sighed, “Yeah. All of us have body issues. I did the same. It’s stupid. Can we press on now?”

“Dear god, please get therapy, all of you.” Oda’s complexation paled.

“One of us cannot, she’s dead.” Ajishi frowned at Oda. “And also please stop being so insensitive.”

“We’re getting off topic.” Rantaro quickly intervened. “We’re not getting anywhere if we get sidetracked. So we know that whoever killed Chatani-san didn’t know how to slit a throat. We know that they managed to get into Ougai-kun’s lab and get the weapon. We also found a bottle of the mixture Ajishi-san told us would make a knockout gas rather than a poisonous one.

“To be on the safe side,” Ougai commented, “My lab is never locked.”

Everyone stared at him. Rantaro folded his arms and gave him a small look. “You mean to tell me that anyone can go in and grab what they can from your lab?”

“My lab is a medical facility. For me to close it could be hazardous to anyone. I want there to be free reign in case someone gets hurt or needs something and I’m not awake to provide. That being said, I do normally keep my door unlocked too.” Ougai explained. “So that if someone does have a need for me, they can get me as fast as possible. I’m used to not sleeping a lot, so I’m easy to alert.”

“Do we know when Chatani-chan died?” Aki asked, her voice wavering as she tore another piece of skin from her nails. Shuichi watched in muted horror as blood dripped down between her fingertips.

Ougai also looked pained, “Please stop chewing your nails, Mayumi-san, you can’t play guitar like that. Also...I can only give an estimate. I’m no way a coroner. My theory is that Chatani-san met her demise around twelve ten or twelve thirty.”

“So a thirty minute chat.” Oda mused, “What would they be talking about that could take so long?”

“Girls are like gossips. They never shut up.” Shimahara shrugged.

“I knew Oda-kun was a dick, but you, sir, are an asshole.” Yuya frowned, putting her hands on her hips. “Maybe you two should go find a room after this is over and get some of that aggression out.”

“Fucking ex-”

“We’re getting sidetracked again!” Rantaro snapped. “Will you guys cut it out, this is serious. If we don’t figure it out, all of us are dead.”

“Is that really a bad thing though?” Yadori asked, looking apprehensive. “I mean…we’re forced to die anyway. Isn’t this...quicker?”

“Wow.” Yuya stared at Yadori. “You have no balls.”

Yadori spluttered.

“I’m kinda sad really. I thought we were friends.” Yuya pouted, kicking at the stand and placing her hands behind her back. Her eyes looking downcast and her expression clearly betrayed. “I thought that you liked hanging out with me.”

“O-of course I do! I just…”

“Would rather want us dead than alive is all.” Aki muttered. Her finger was bleeding profusely now and she was already going on to the next one.

Shuichi couldn’t remember a time where Aki actively bit her nails. She was always so careful to make sure that they were short, but...had that been to resist the temptation of biting them? He was going to have to figure out how to ask about that habit to his uncle and his aunt. He couldn’t imagine Danganronpa being able to implement new habits, but at the same time, he wasn’t sure what this game was capable of.

They stole everyone’s memory and forcibly removed Aki’s for everything including her name. He couldn’t imagine it just stopped there either.

“Da no’ said dat dey were gonna mee’ up a’ midnigh’.” Kokai broke the conversation, his voice a slow thoughtful drawl. “We know dat dey had da abli-lie da use da chemical da knock ou’ Chadani-san.” He pulled the gloves. “We know dat dey dun kno how da kill eider.”

“You know I don’t know if this would help but here’s my theory.” Ougai suddenly snapped his fingers. “The culprit and Chatani-san both agreed to meet up at the classroom at midnight. The culprit already knew that Chatani only had few friends and therefore wouldn’t be missed. They used the knockout chemical mixture to make the death painless as possible, only misjudged on how to properly slit a throat. The throat is slit and the dead is done.”

“So we’re thinking the chemical was used on Chatani-san. Okay so we’re thinking that this was a mercy killing.” Akamatsu mused, coming back some of her hair as she looked to the side. “God, my sister’s much better at figuring out mysteries like this. I just can’t come up with anyone that’d go out of their way to hurt her.”

“Alibis then.” Rantaro nodded, “We should get those cleared out so that we can figure out who we need to start looking at.”

“Hold on a second.” Oda broke the conversation, looking at Rantaro with a deep frown on his face. “Why aren’t we questioning Mayumi-chan?”

“What do you mean?” Rantaro deadpanned.

“She’s the one with the lost memory, right?” Oda gestured. “We know that the flashback light would be the motive. Why are we ruling her out?”

“I never said that she was ruled out.” Rantaro frowned at Oda, his arms tightly folded against his chest. “What I can determine though is that Mayumi-chan wouldn’t go after Chatani on the mere fact that neither of them are close.”

“We’re stuck in a killing game. Should closeness really be a reason here?” Yadori frowned.

“Then why hasn’t anyone gone after Kokai-kun? Shirogane-san? Mayumi-chan if she’s such an easy target.” Rantaro gestured. “It’s because they’re all connected to someone yeah? A little bit of a threat. Shirogane-san and Chatani-san were probably the only friends that actively hung out all the time.”

“I don’t recall anyone asking me to hang out as of late besides Amami-kun, Mayumi-chan, and Kokai-kun.” Shirogane nodded. “As plain as I am, I’m not surprised that I’d be ignored in the background, but it was nice to see that Chatani-senpai saw a fellow fan and was willing to let me pick her brain so to speak.”

Kokichi let out a suffering sigh, “They’re going around in circles.”

“Yadori-san isn't helping that fact and neither is Oda-kun.” Shuichi murmured, watching the trial dissolve back into disaster. “Amami-kun’s on the right track though. Killers aren’t likely to kill strangers. They’ll kill people they’re familiar with because it’s easier to figure out routine. Getting trust means it’s easy to get them to do what you want them to do.”

“What’s your big detective brain thinking then?” Kokichi asked and Shuichi could feel Kokichi’s gaze on him.

“I think that it’s weird that Oda-kun stole the chemicals. I think it’s weird that Yadori acted strangely in the breakfast hall.” Shuichi murmured. “I wonder...Chatani-san had the chemicals in her possession. She had it there that night when she met up with her killer. I bet it was a struggle and a fight to get both murder weapons away from each other. Chatani-san isn’t strong physically and was most likely overpowered. She was easy to knock out and kill after that.”

“Psychology says that memory and personality are one in the same. If the brain is tempered with in any direction, the personality can change with it.” Aki agreed, speaking around a bleeding middle finger. Shuichi and Kokichi both stared at the screen as everyone else looked over at her. She continued to chew as she spoke, her words muffled against skin and blood. “Closeness isn’t a factor, I agree with Yadori-chan. We can’t rule any one of us out. If we were out in the real world then yeah, it’d be weird for a stranger to go up and murder someone, but that’s not what’s happening here.” She took her finger out of her mouth, blood lingered on her lips as she looked at everyone. “So here’s my thought. I find it weird and strange that Chatani-chan’s body has defensive wounds. While I know some of us are performers and have skills in makeup, I think that we should all offer our own bodies to show whether or not we have the bruises or scratches. Of course, I can always out you now if you’d prefer.”

“What do you mean “out”?” Oda asked, folding his arms.

“We know that Chatani-chan wasn’t late for the meeting, she was right on time because the murder took place around twelve ten to twelve thirty. Without an actual coroner to say anything about it, we can only go by a guess or two. I’m sure Shirogane-san can confirm that Chatani-chan wouldn’t be late to any kind of meeting because mangaka’s are always under strict schedules. Right?”

“That is right!” Shirogane proclaimed, looking excited. “Mangaka authors are used to working towards extreme deadlines, very rarely do they miss. Therefore, the meeting went exactly as planned.”

“What does this have to do...with anything?” Kai asked, looking perplexed. He wasn’t the only one that was lost. Even Rantaro was giving her a mild look.

“Because if the murder was about the flashback light, we would’ve found it in either Chatani-chan’s lab or her room. Both were negative.” Aki explained, looking at Yako. “Which means that’s not the motive. But...if I recall from all the meetings we had. Chatani-chan would always mention that a murder could happen. In particular, the conversation about the chemicals.”

“Now that you mention it,” Rantaro placed his hands on his hips, looking peeved. “I do recall Oda-kun getting upset with you about calling him out for stealing it.”

“Now wait just a-”

Aki barreled on, ignoring Oda’s protests. “Who else acted weird during that conversation, Amami-kun?”

“Yadori-san.” Shuichi breathed just as Rantaro spoke the name. The figure skater was always antsy around the mangaka. Especially when Chatani would mention that there was a method of killing, or that the chemicals and the imbalance of them would be a waste to use. “That makes sense.”

“You and Aki-chan go like seven different hoops and I feel like I’m stuck on level one world one.” Kokichi pouted a little. “How did you get Yadori from all of that?! There’s literally no proof unless…”

“Kokai-kun probably has it. Either that or Aki-chan is hiding her own piece of evidence. This isn’t a real court. Not everyone is going to want to show things off. They’re going to want to put the killer to the back of the wall and force them to see the truth of their crimes.” Shuichi gripped Kokichi’s hand. “This isn’t a game of who's going to go to jail. This is whether or not they survive for the next several hours.”

“But I never really spoke to Chatani-chan so...why would it be me?” Yadori frowned. “How was I acting strange to get the suspicion?”

“Because every time Chatani-san mentioned the flashback light or the chemicals, you tensed up as though you were waiting for her to act on it.” Rantaro continued. “You also keep looking away from us. I mean all of  us aren’t exactly thrilled at looking at each other in the eye and accusing each other of killing one of our classmates, but you also said something that threw all of us for a loop. You thought it was a good idea for all of us to suffer and die.”

“I...I was only thinking-”

“That’s some balls right there. Really big cajones.” Shimahara narrowed his eyes at Yadori, and Shuichi watched her cower. “Because if it was the other way around and someone else had said that would you agree?”

“I just…”

“So we weren’t friends.” Yuya sounded tearful. “You wanted us dead so that you could go and get the flashback light, is that what you were after?”

“Chika-chan no, please.” Yadori begged, looking at her friend, tears springing to the corner of her eyes. “That’s not true. None of what they’re saying is true. I have an alibi. I was asleep like everyone else, I promise. I promise. I didn’t hurt anyone. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I was just trying to protect you. I swear.”

“So you did hurt someone.” Rantaro watched Yadori freeze on the stand. Horror started to carve itself around her face as she realized that she dug her own hole trying to assure Yuya that she wouldn’t go out of her way to hurt someone.

“You don’t get it.” Yadori whispered. “You don’t understand. You guys don’t…” She took a deep breath. “If you think you’re so clever, then come out and accuse me. You don’t have any proof. Everything you're saying is speculation. THIS IS BULLSHIT!” She suddenly screamed, gripping onto the stand like a lifeline. Shuichi felt himself back up a little away from the laptop, staring at her in surprise. The composure that she was was breaking at the seams. “I’D NEVER HURT CHATANI-CHAN. NEVER EVER. Yes I was worried about her being a murderer. Yes I went to check on her to make sure that never happened. BUT DIDN’T DO A DAMN THING TO HER! IF ANYONE SHOULD BE WORRIED, IT WOULD BE WHOEVER CHATANI-CHAN WAS GOING TO GO AFTER! SHE HAD THE BOTTLE OF THE MIXTURE IN HER POSSESSION!”

“But how do you know that?” Rantaro demanded, not daring to let Yadori escape his gaze. “None of us knew who had the chemicals in whose possession. You were there that night.”

“IF I WAS THERE THAT NIGHT THEN WOULDN’T MY CLOTHES BE BLOODIED?” Yadori shrieked. “HOW ABOUT YOU ACTUALLY GIVE ME SOME PROOF BEFORE YOU START COMING AFTER ME?!”

“Oh is that it?” Oda asked casually as he decided to fling a piece of fabric into the middle of the circle. Said fabric, Shuichi noticed, was one of Yadori’s leotards. The bright blue soaked in red. “Oops. My bad. I guess I should’ve been a little nicer and handed it over to everyone before this whole trial.”

“Where did you get that?” Yadori hissed. “You’re trying to set me up you-”

“I don’t like it when people try to toss me under buses. I don’t particularly care that you went off and killed Chatani-chan, but I thought it was cute you decided to try to assure us that you wouldn’t “hurt” anyone at the time very clearly admitting that you did. Also, I thought it’d be fun to watch you sweat a little. You almost got away too. Shame.” Oda taunted, looking completely smug. “Maybe next time I’ll team up with the investigator squad. They make things so much more interesting than you trying to act innocent.”

Shuichi watched Yadori’s expression break, and he knew there was no way for her to recover from this. Rantaro took a deep breath in and let it out slowly, “Here’s how this all went down.” Rantaro mused. “Yadori-san got concernend after the fifth or so time Chatani-san mentioned a murder happening or taking place or even hinting that a murder could have occured. She decided to ask Chatani-san to come meet her in the classroom at midnight. Yadori-san knew she might be dealing with an unstable individual so she snuck into Ougai-kun’s infirmary lab and stole a scalpel from his place. Considering that Ougai-kun does plenty of patrols around the campus, it wasn’t hard. She waited until midnight and at first tried to resolve things peacefully.”

Rantaro looked each of his classmates in the eye as he tried to sum up the case. “But Chatani-san was prepared too. She was paranoid that she might be the next victim or that someone would find her as an easy target. Using the chemicals that she asked Oda-kun to steal, and listened to Ajishi-san’s advice, she was going to knock out her supposed culprit and get help. Somehow someway, it became a struggle. Whether Chatai-san saw the scalpel or had an idea that Yadori-san might be her culprit, or that Yadori-san assumed the bottle and the cloth held the lethal amount of chemicals inside, we don’t know for sure and maybe won’t ever know.”

He folded his arms tightly as he stared right at Yadori. “But it became a struggle, didn’t it? You guys fought and you managed to get the cloth first. You could have left her there, and continued on, but no. You used the scalpel, and tried to slit her throat. Either you were too overzealous, or you really had no idea what to do. You ran off after the deed was done. You weren’t at breakfast this morning because you were trying to find a way to discard the bloodied clothes. However, while everyone was trying to find Chatani-san, Oda-kun came across your dumping grounds and decided to hold onto it for whatever reason. You joined up later and helped us find Chatani-san. All in all, the clues point to you, Yadori Miki, the Ultimate Figure Skater.”

“Was that….accurate?” Kokichi whispered breathlessly.

“More accurate than I can say.” Shuichi agreed. “Yadori-san was the murderer.”

“Jesus.”

“You were the murderer of Chatani Shinko, the Ulitmate Mangaka.” Rantaro concluded. “It was...you this entire time.”

“.....I thought she was going to kill me.” Yadori sobbed quietly, falling apart in the witness stand. “I didn’t know what to do, I panicked. I thought about getting help, but I was afraid to turn my back. What if she was faking. What if, what if…” She trailed off. “You guys wouldn’t get it. I have so much waiting for me at home. I...I was going to be in the Olympics. I was….I was going to be someone. Someone famous. Someone that no one could look down upon ever again! I worked so hard...I worked so hard…”

“Yadori-san…” Yuya whispered.

“I killed her. I stabbed her in the throat and then realized I could have slit it and I was trying to fix that mistake only it was too late.” Yadori whimpered, covering her eyes in shame, still sobbing. “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry.”

Monokuma cackled from his stand. “Well now it’s voting time! Don’t go picking the wrong one now!”

Shuichi held his breath as he watched the votes get counted. He looked over at the chat log, seeing how many people were commenting about how they were kind of disappointed that Yadori didn’t make it through. Many of them were poking holes in the discussion that was happening, making fun of everyone for one mistake or another. Yet that wasn’t why most of the people in the chat were there. The trials were just like popcorn. A small snack to the bigger finale.

Monokuma hit a red button with a small hammer and everyone paused with a breath as an old fashioned 8-bit screen appeared. A small miniature Yadori standing in the middle of Monokuma’s path before being dragged off. The loading screen disappeared just as a metal grip attached itself to Yadori’s neck and physically hauled her onto a skating rink.

Everyone stared in shock as Yadori was in the middle of an ice rink. A spotlight flashed on top of her in a darkened room. At first it was peaceful. Yadori skated as fast as she could towards the exit door and yanked it open. At first she was greeted with a dark hallway that was still covered in ice. She was just about to move when she was suddenly shoved to the side and a bunch of monokuma bears appeared onto the rink, skating and recreating some of the twirls and catches.

She was about to try to skate through the herd of many Monokuma cubs, but she lost her footing and slipped onto the ice rink. Everyone watched in muted shock as she was being run over and sliced by ice skates. Her screams were muted, but if they were anything like the one she let out in the trial, Shuichi didn’t have to use his imagination. While the monokuma bears were busy tearing her body apart by thinking she was part of the ice rink, the camera momentarily disappeared and showed the real Monokuma at a thermostat, turning the heat up so that the ice rink would start to melt.

Soon enough the monokuma bears got bored and disappeared back into the hallway. She was left on the rink, bloodied and cut. She slowly got herself up on her knees, blood splattered onto the ice as she started to get up onto her feet. Her clothes were torn in a way that looked a bit fanservicey for Shucihi to be comfortable with. She was holding herself up as blood continued to spill down her body. She wobbled and tried to skate towards a different area, trying to keep towards the wall of the rink, a trail of blood following her wake. Whatever she was holding must have had an electrical current going through it, because she was zapped and was forced to let go.

Uncertain where to go, and thinking the other side might be safer, Yadori slowly started to skate her way painfully towards the otherside.

“Oh no.” Kokichi whispered.

She got to the middle of the rink. The ice was thin enough that it cracked ominously underneath her weight. She was in too much pain to try to skate faster and she fell into the water. Monokuma quickly turned the thermostat down…

All anyone could see was red blood going to the surface of the ice, and a small fist banging at the bottom of the ice for a while before sinking downwards.

[lynneshobbydomain]

60 for Oumasai!🥰

(Oh my gosh, @sinfulwonders thank you so much for the prompt! I know which one you’re talking about so don’t worry! I thought it was funny to get the second ask right after this one XD. You’re doing so much for me so this is the very least I can do for you)

A Promise One Keeps

Rated: T (Kokichi’s fault I swear)

Summery: Kokichi wasn’t traditional. Shuichi was.

Prompt: Is it greedy to say that I never want you to leave my arms?

It was on the tip of Kokichi’s tongue, but for once in his life fear and uncertainty made him want to swallow his mouth. Shuichi hadn’t picked up on any clues or hints, and he was grateful for that really. He wasn’t trying to bounce around and make his beloved’s head spin, but he knew that Shuichi was the type to get easily flustered over the smallest of things. It didn’t bother Kokichi much that he was the one that had to ask the questions. To pester Shuichi to love him in Hope’s Peak, and to barge into his life completely by moving in when they were in college. 

In return Shuichi stood by him through times Kokichi never thought was possible. D.I.C.E grew! It already had 10,000 members, of course, but he never thought he’d see the day when it would grow to 100,000 members! He told Shuichi that, completely stunned and trying to figure out where all of these people showed up. Of course, he was lying about one thing in that, but who knew where the lie was. Or was he lying about both? Shuichi himself took over his uncle’s agency. His uncle finally took that retirement like both boys had pestered him to do for ages, and now Shuichi was the one that was solving the cases and saving the world! Of course there were times it got a little bloody. It got a little sad. Kokichi made sure that his arms and shoulder were ready for those days, and he would plan for at least five days worth of fun. He’d shoot for five weeks, but Shuichi was a natural born workaholic and someone had to be a party pooper. Honestly. 

It wasn’t just the work. Kokichi watched Shuichi bloom. He was still shy, flustered, easily to tease. He doubted that would ever change. Shuichi had confidence though. There were times when he would speak to a client and something would switch on and there was a mode. Kokichi couldn’t describe it. He sometimes showed it back in Hope’s Peak, but it was so little. So very little. Now, it just took a well timed jab and a playful smile to get the ball going and Shuichi would just…go into that mode. Kokichi tried not to abuse it too much. It was like a delicacy. 

Now Kokichi was sitting on their bed, all of these thoughts going through his head as he fiddled with a ring box. He could go all out with a grand gesture. He could make Shuichi’s life miserable before presenting this. He could take him out on an adventure, on a date, on something, before all of this. But this was too important for all that. Kokichi knew when things were delicate. Asking Shuichi to be his beloved in Hope’s Peak wasn’t as important as this.

Kokichi didn’t do this kind of thing. Being with Shuichi was natural as breathing, but this was different. This…came with implications. Kokichi wasn’t traditional. Not in any sense of the means. Kokichi was as conventional as one could get. Marriage? Proposing? If he was going to do any of that, it would be direct, in your face, loud. Like he was. Like he did anything.

But this wasn’t about him this time. Kokichi took a breath in and swallowed, feeling his tongue thick against the back of his throat. He had this ring for months. He had been planning this out for days. He really should have done it yesterday, or the day before that or the day before that, but he kept faltering. Shuichi deserved this. He wanted to make sure it was right. 

He even asked his uncle if this was okay. Of course he had been brash, dancing around the subject, and wearing the old man down, but he was caught. The man was a detective after all, he saw right through him. Gave him permission on the spot, which…in honesty Kokichi wasn’t sure if that was a testament to how crazy the Saiharas actually were, or how insanely patient they could get. He immediately got a instant invite to the nonexistent wedding that wasn’t happening because someone couldn’t get their mouth to fucking work.

He heard the door open from the bedroom and he closed the ring box, taking a deep breath and he slipped it into his pocket. It was now or never and he knew it. He quickly got out from the bedroom and saw Shuichi taking off his shoes in the foyer. “I missed you!” 

Shuichi barely had time to look up before he was tackled into a hug by a hyperactive Kokichi. He hugged him back and he let out a groan, “When do you think I’ll not fall for that?”

“Never ever.” Kokichi pulled away to rub noses with him and then jumped back on to the higher ground. “Hard day?” He noticed the redness in Shuichi’s eyes. Whether it was from a crying fest that he had in the bathroom or if it was from rubbing them raw out of sleeplessness, Kokichi didn’t know.

“Ah. No. Today was a pretty good day. It’s just from lack of sleep.” Shuichi promised.

“Then do I have a cure for you!” Kokichi pronounced suddenly. He grabbed Shuichi’s arm and dragged him further into the living room and gently pushed him into the couch and crawled on top of him. “The best cure for not getting any sleep, Shu-chan, is to get some sleep.”

“I would if I didn’t have something hard poking me.”

Kokichi blinked and he glanced up at him. “Well I’d never. Who-”

“I was talking about your pocket! I know what I said, and it came out wrong and I just-” Shuichi stammered and Kokichi felt his blood drain from his face.

That fucking ring box.

He had been so concerned about Shuichi, he completely forgot he put it back in his pocket.

Kokichi could recover from this. He hoped that his expression stayed playful. He hoped that Shuichi didn’t see any cracks or anything on his face. “Is it greedy of me to say that I never want you to leave my arms?” He asked as he took the ring box out and held it out to Shuichi.

“Kokichi.” Shuichi’s curious smile turned into a shocked expression. Golden eyes wide as he stared at the ring box that Kokichi had in his hands. “No. It’s not greedy at all.” He said after a moment. “Kokichi you could’ve just asked me directly.”

“What?” Kokichi blinked.

“To marry you. That’s what this is, right? You’re asking me to marry you.” Shuichi pressed, and Kokichi felt as though he was being pushed back against the wall. How Shuichi was able to do that when he was happily sprawled out against the couch, Kokichi didn’t know. “You could be direct. Like…you normally are.”

“Shuichi is a traditionalist.” Kokichi felt as though he was speaking far away. He could have gone and done something grand? “I didn’t think you’d appreciate me asking you in front of our friends or…”

Publicly. 

“We-well no I wouldn’t like that.” Shuichi reached and pulled Kokichi close towards him. “This is…this is perfect. It’s just that it’s a really old tradition, Kokichi. My uncle proposed to his wife like that.”

“Your aunt is a saint because I don’t think I would’ve understood if someone was proposing to me like that.”

“To be…honest I was thinking of doing that.” Shuichi admitted, rubbing the back of his neck and Kokichi stared at him. “I didn’t get a ring or anything, but I was going to ask…anyway. I didn’t know if that was…something you would want. The ring I mean.”

“Why the fuck wouldn’t I want a ring?”

“Kokichi last time we talked about whether or not we’d get married and how we’d do it you mentioned everything from handcuffs to collars. What was I supposed to think?” Shuichi gave his boyfriend, no…Shuichi gave his fiance a look. 

“How vague of a question were you going to give me?” Kokichi asked.

“I was honestly just going to ask you if you wanted to marry me.”

Kokichi stared at him for a moment. “You mean to tell me that I went through all those freaking romance movies-” 

“Oh so that’s why we were on a romance kick.” 

“-trying to find a romantic way of asking you to marry me only for you to be like “yeah this is fine”?!”

“Yes?” Shuichi bit his lower lip, clearly amused. A long time ago, he would’ve been flustered. A long time ago, he would’ve apologized endlessly for messing up somehow. Kokichi was grateful he could take a joke and see a lie when he saw it, and instead of just calling it out, play along.

“But it’s still a yes?” Kokichi asked timidly. 

“Kokichi I would be stupid to say no to you.”

“That is true.” Kokichi beamed. “That is completely a hundred percent true. Wow, my Shumai is so smart.”

“Okay, but you still haven’t given me the ring yet.”

“Oh. Right yeah that part. You could put it on yourself you know, but that’s a lie because I want to do it for you. You belong to me, Shumai.”

“Yes.” Shuichi laughed as he held his hand out for Kokichi to slide the ring on his finger. It felt so strange to see it there, and to know that it was only a matter of time before it was more permanent than this. He immediately fell on top of his boyfriend, no his fiance, and kissed him.

Shuichi, as always, followed his lead. 

[lynneshobbydomain]

Danganronpa Fanfic Alert

Hey guys, chapter two of Vengeance has been posted early due to finding out that my class may be another month of hell. I do have things pre-written thankfully, so I’ll be able to update, I just don’t know when I’ll be able to get around to actually updating. If everything goes well, I have tentative plans to try to update Chapter 3 on Saturday, 3/7, but I can’t hold any promises right now. 

Thank you guys so much for your patience and I’m happy that you guys like the story so much. 

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22940308/chapters/54962953

[lynneshobbydomain]

Vengeance Chapter 8

(Thank you all so much for the reblogs and the likes, you guys keep inspiring me to create this story. It’s a very intense and taxing story, and I still admire those who can write thrillers and mysteries. If you have any comments or suggestions, I’m always thrilled to listen.

Thank you @sinfulwonders for betaing me. You always manage to reign me in and point out when I get to excited and go down a plot hole I can’t get out of!)

Rated: Mature (Themes of kidnapping)

Summary: Amateur Detective Shuichi Saihara knew that searching for the “Usual 16” wasn’t going to get him anywhere. The disappearances weren’t being tracked in any news outlet, and very few families even tried to come forward to ask for help, let alone to report them missing. Yet, Shuichi can’t shake off the feeling that there’s a reason behind the disappearances, and he’s close to the answer.He just didn’t realize that the answer was going to hit close to home, in more ways than one.

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You can read this under the cut or at A03

[Seeker: Shinigami-san, I have a question I’d like to ask you, if it’s at all possible. ]

[Shinigami: I can attempt to answer. ]

[Seeker: Is it common for them to forget their names in the game? ]

Shuichi held his breath as he watched the chat log fly through different people’s opinions. He had managed to get into a DM with Shinigami, and somehow Loki managed to invite himself into the chat as well. He supposed that while he had been watching the recorded episode, something must have changed between the two users. He wasn’t about to press and pry however, he had bigger fish to fry.

[Loki: Yeah I was wondering that myself the other day. I thought it was common, so I didn’t ask. Haha. ]

Shinigami did call out Loki as a person who was new, but Shuichi wasn’t too certain about that. Maybe not new in the sense that he just got into the game, but maybe new in the sense that he had been in and out and was just recently back in? It was hard to tell. Some of these users had been around for years. Some of them griped about how different the chat log was, and how the rules were stupid about not complaining. Of course that instantly got them banned. Shuichi glanced over at the episode that was playing. Currently, Rantaro was making his rounds, checking in on the other players.

Currently, Rantaro was conversing with Yadori as they walked down an overgrown hallway. “I got into it when I was really small. I guess I just liked that I felt like I was flying, I could do anything! Every single spin and twirl, I always want to try to go higher, last for longer.” Yadori explained, as they turned a corner. “One day, I hope to be in the Olympics!”

“Sounds like you have a lot of work cut out for you, Yadori-chan.” Rantaro gave her a lazy smile, but it was full of pride. A type of smile a brother would give to a sister. “When we make it out of here, I’ll be sure to swing by one of your performances. I bet watching you would be a treat.”

“Mhm! Yes!” Yadori beamed. “I’ll have to make sure to save you a ticket.” She tugged on a strand of her hair as she smiled shyly. “It’ll be nice to have a friend support me in the stands. I’m used to it just being my parents, and people who I thought were my friends.”

Rantaro frowned, folding his arms as he spoke. “That’s not cool.”

“Yeah, I didn’t think so either. I broke off with them a long time ago. Still...it hurts thinking that they were hanging around me for my fame. Rather than because they actually cared about me. I tried teaching one of my friends how to skate once.” Yadori tugged her hair sharply. “It didn’t work.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Yeah.” The silence was heavy between them for a moment. Shuichi could feel the tension between them. Awkward and tight. If he could leave that situation, he would’ve, but the cameras were still rolling. Clearly there was either more to say, or they were waiting for some sort of bombshell. “You know...I admire Yuya-chan.”

“Yuya-chan?” Rantaro was  bit taken aback, and Shuichi couldn’t blame him. “Why?”

“She’s fearless.” Yadori gave a nervous giggle, pulling her hair and then twirling it from left to right between her fingers. “She has this “I’m going to do what I want” type of personality. All you can do is watch her go after it. I got to go into her lab the other day. I never saw so many explosives and different fire hazards in my life. I told her she could burn that lab down so easily...she said that she knew.”

“I’m going to have to keep an eye on her.” Rantaro mused. “Last thing I want is for her to get hurt.”

“I think she’s very used to getting hurt.” Yadori commented. Rantaro sent her a look and she wilted a little. “I’m not saying that’s a good thing, Amami-kun. But I am saying that she’s used to it. Probably a bit too much.”

“Like an addiction?” Rantaro frowned. “I wonder…”

“You two!”

Both Yadori and Rantro looked away from each other to see that Ajishi was coming towards them, looking fierce and red. Her hair was a mess, her ponytail was falling apart. Her goggles were slipping off of her head and her mask was down and under her chin. “I would like to ask you to meet me in the dining hall ASAP.”

“Uh...why?” Yadori blinked.

“Just do it!” She snapped before she turned on her heel and walked off.

Shuichi blinked slowly. That wasn’t typical Ajishi behavior. Rantaro folded his arms against his chest, his eyes narrowed at Ajishi’s retreating back. “Something has her twisted.”

“That was terrifying.” Yadori pursed her lips together. “I wonder what happened...do you think everyone’s going to be there?”

“If it has something to do with the killing game, we probably should go.” Rantaro agreed. “I doubt anyone wants to go up against her wrath right now.”

“Oda-kun might.”

“Oda-kun’s reckless in his own right.”

Shuichi turned his attention away from the conversation and looked over at the chat log. He knew that when Shinigami had a lot to say, it was best to let him type it all at once, rather than trying to get a word in edgewise.

[ Shinigami: I understand that I should probably keep this brief as there is a character limit and it took me sometime to figure out what facts I should omit. Allow me to preface this with, it is not uncommon for Danganronpa to want to do something new with their series. Like I have stated before, they usually change it up by themes, but they also change it up by talents. There has been a case where a class has effectively stalled the game, only for them to wind up dead. But that is not the question you’re asking and I’m digressing. ]

[ Shinigami: Usually the gimmick is that there is a person within the group that does not know what their talent is. Their memories are usually a little more jumbled than the rest of the groups, but other than that they are in the same boat. No advantage, but plenty of disadvantage. Many times, those who have that gimmick are treated like the “mastermind” of the game. The entire reason that they are playing. Of course that has only been done once and with success. Other times, it has not been done, due to its predictability. You can imagine the ratings went down. ]

[ Shinigami: Most people again who have this gimmick can remember basic memories. Some of them can remember if they had family and friends. Some of them can remember nothing. It really depends on the person. That being said, this is the first time where they have done a gimmick where the person has no idea of their identity, but knows their talent. Not only have ratings gone up, but a lot of people are speculating over the fact that she may be the next one to die, or the next survivor. As everyone likes an underdog to win. ]

More entertainment. Shuichi frowned deeply as he read Shinigami’s words.

[Loki: We’re still not going to get a TLDR version of that are we? ]

[ Shinigami: I believe Seeker-san was the one that asked the question. ]

[ Loki: I’m calling favoritism. ]

A loud slam startled Shuichi into looking back over at the episode, jarred out of his thoughts. Everyone was seated at the long table, besides Ajishi who was looking livid standing at the front of the dining table, her hands flat on the surface. “I have a strong hypothesis as to what this is.” She said darkly, “But if you confess now, your sentence will be light, I assure you.”

“Oh no!” Oda spoke up. “Whatever are we going to do?! What’s our punishment, Ajishi?” His school uniform, aside from Shirogane’s, was plain as it possibly could be. Easily mistaken for a popular middle or high school depending on his age. The emblem of Danganronpa was on his left breast pocket. The only thing that seemed off about him was his actions and his words, they were far too comfortable in a killing game.

“I have yet to decide but it will not be pleasant.”

“I think we should know what it is we’re about to be punished for.”  Yadori spoke up, leaning back and staring at Ajishi. “You can’t just accuse people and tell us that we’re going to get hurt.”

“No that is accurate I cannot.” Ajishi took a deep breath. “Who broke into my lab to steal a valuable set of chemicals? Specifically, chemicals that if you use the wrong proportions, will turn into a hazardous gas that can kill us?”

Everyone froze.

[Shinigami: Oh that would be a new way to murder someone. I don’t think anyone has attempted a gas as of yet. Though then again, the victims are usually limited to one person until Monokuma gets bored and gives a daily double, so to speak. ]

[ Loki: Sooooo the gas would be technically breaking school rules. Right? ]

[ Shinigami: Depends on how they use it. They can use the gas and lock a room. They can use the gas in someone’s lab. It’s not illegal until someone spills their plans to Monokuma. ]

“What’s this? A gas? Wohohoho! How exciting!” Of course, speaking of the devil would make him appear. His kubs weren’t trying too hard to be a part of the show, then again, Shuichi had a feeling that they were a recent gimmick and they were trying them out slowly. Introducing it to the crowd, gauge the audience's reaction to them, before adding them more and more. “That is a way to cause a murder!”

“That is if they use the wrong proportions!” Ajishi cried out, slamming her hand against the table violently. “If you use the chemicals correctly and with care, you can knock people out instead.”

“That is interesting. So someone’s wanting to knock someone out then.” Oda spoke up. “Who here has something that they want so badly in the outside world, that they’d straight up try to kill all of us all at once?”

“Hahaha! If that happens, that’d be too boring. You’re only allowed to kill one person. One murder for you!” Momokuma spoke up. “After all, we can’t have a class trial if no one’s there to point fingers and accuse each other. That would make me a very sad bear.”

“So we have to kill one person, survive being accused, and we get out.” Chatani spoke up, her pen up against her bottom lip. She looked among her peers. “So then getting those chemicals was a worthless idea.”

“Getting, Chatani?” Oda echoed. “Do you have something to hide, sweetheart?”

“Call me that again and I may just ask whoever stole them to use them on you.” Chatani replied, her eyes narrowed at Oda. Shuichi shrunk in his chair at her gaze, knowing full well it wasn’t at him, but still feeling it’s effect. Oda, on the other hand, laughed as though she was just making a joke.

“Pupupupu! Looks like you all are in trouble! Don’t forget that you’re all underneath a time crunch.” Momokuma teased, but clearly knew that his presence was no longer needed, and disappeared as fast as he reappeared.

Shuichi pursed his lips together as he watched everyone else look at each other, or stare absently at the table. “M-maybe you should tell us how the chemicals work?” Maeji offered hesitantly, her usual chipper demeanor was subdued and hesitant. “That way if someone did grab them, and were going to use it correctly...they know how?”

“I’d much prefer to get them back.” Ajishi frowned deeply. “It is irresponsible for me to just leave it like that.”

“Don’t you think it’s irresponsible to let us play with them without knowing the instructions?” Oda asked lazily. “Because that’s what I’m thinking is happening here.”

“Well now you’re just making me hypothesis that you are the one that stole the items.” Ajishi snapped at Oda. “Where did you take them, thief?”

“I admit I am a thief, you got me there.” Oda grinned, all teeth and too wide for anyone’s comfort. Shuichi wanted to back away from the computer and away from him. He was a dangerous individual. “But giving something back ? A little naive of you don’t you think? Consider them a loss and move on. Just tell us how to use them properly so we don’t accidently kill everyone here.”

“Unless, was that the point?” Rantaro questioned and the room went still. Not a single person wanted to open their mouths, everyone once more were looking at each other with suspicion and with hesitance. Anyone could be a murderer, and now someone had the means to become one.

Ajishi whimpered, falling back away from the table. Her earlier sign of aggression disappearing at the admission. She looked around at the table, her eyes welling up with tears and her cheeks turning a bright red. “You are all awful people.” She finally said, her voice cracking. “Using chemistry to hurt people rather than to save.”

“We are in a killing game.” Ougai spoke up, his voice cold and distant. He leaned back, arms folded against his chest as he leveled his gaze at the chemist. “Not a single person here can be considered innocent. Not even a doctor. Not even you.”

“I would never kill!” Ajishi shouted.

“Says the chemist who doesn’t know that her own little hobby’s being used.” Oda taunted. “It appears that she doesn’t-”

“Half of the blue. A couple of drops of the pink!” She suddenly held her head, gripping at her strands. Tears streamed down her face as her shoulders hitched in time with her sobbing. “Just...please don’t use them to kill people! I’m begging!” She whimpered. “You don’t need a lot to knock someone out. A fast...a fast dab on a cloth will knock them out for approx-approximately ten minutes.”

“See?! Was that so hard?!” Oda beamed.

“I hate you!” She screamed. “I hate all of you! I hope you all rot in hell!” She suddenly stormed out of the dining room, slamming doors behind her as she went. The echoes rang against Shuichi’s brian.

[ Shinigami: So I was wrong in my assumption that she might be the murderer. Unless that was an act. Then that was well performed. ]

Shuichi didn’t have any words to describe how he felt about that. He was positive that Ajishi so far wouldn’t commit a murder. If she was going to, then she would clearly stay away from her hobby, which was smart. It would cast a lot of doubt off of her, and she might be able to buy herself some time. If she was good at framing people, her chances of survival just might increase.

“So.” Rantaro spoke up. His tone and the way he spoke was casual and laid-back, but Shuichi could hear the sharpness in his voice. “Does anyone really want to confess who took that set of chemicals, or are we going to be playing hard to get?”

“She might’ve misplaced them.” Yadori shifted in her seat uncomfortably, her gaze turning to the table. She didn’t look like she wanted to be there any longer than she had to. “I don’t know why she thought accusing us was going to get anywhere, or threatening us. Punishment? That’s just too cruel. We’re already being punished enough, aren’t we? Just by being here?”

“We didn’t ask her where they were stolen from.” Aki’s finger curled against her chin. “We didn’t ask her if it was from her lab or from her room.”

“Oh? And why does that matter?” Oda asked, a languid lit to the words.

Aki didn’t spare him a look. Instead, she turned her attention to Rantaro. “I think that her chemicals are taken from the lab. Her lab has a lot of ventilation going through the ceiling, so if anyone knows the pathway up in the ceiling, or even knows the keycode that she has on her door, it’s easy to get in. I know that Ougai-kun has unlimited access, but he wouldn’t steal.”

“Already striking him off from your-”

“You would though.” Aki’s attention turned to Oda. “You and I both know the air ducts. I know because I saw you go through them.”

“....” Oda’s face went carefully blank.

“I don’t know what you plan to do with them,” Aki said slowly, “or if someone begged you to steal them out of a dare. But I hope that you can live with yourself with whatever comes next.”

“Are you threatening me, pretty bird?” Oda asked, his voice low and quiet.

Shuichi’s attention turned towards Yadori who suddenly had frozen. Her eyes were wide with shock, and she was quietly trembling. He wouldn’t doubt that she was squeezing her hands into fists against her skirt underneath the table. She was sweating at the accusations that Aki was flinging. He leaned back slightly in the chair, pursuing his lips. If he didn’t know better, Oda got those chemicals for a reason. Yadori somehow knew something, or she was afraid that she was going to be the next victim. He didn’t recall Oda and Yadori conversing much through the few episodes that he saw, but at the same time, Shuichi didn’t catch most of the live-version. The edited version probably snipped all of that out. Trying to make it look more exciting than it was.

“No one is threatening anyone.” Rantaro quickly interfered. “Knock it off the both of you.”

“I dink y'all need da cool down,” Kokai said, folding his arms against the table. A lot of energy looked as though it was being drained from his very being. He slumped over the table and Shirogane who was sitting next to him this time patted his back kindly.

“I think that we all need to settle ourselves too. This is just like Detective Conan! We just have to retrace our steps and everything will work out. Besides, I don’t think any of us really have it to murder anyone.” Shirogane agreed cheerfully. “We should keep our heads up high and beat this game using peaceful measures.”

“Well. I’m done being accused of doing something I didn’t do.” Oda snipped as he stood up. “Later losers.” He walked out of the dining hall, and little by little everyone trickled out besides Rantaro, Shirogane, Aki, and Kokai.  The four of them sat in the dining hall, silent.

“What are your guys thoughts?” Shirogane asked. “I’m thinking that we should do something to lighten the mood. It’s a bit heavy right now. I wasn’t expecting that sort of confrontation. I thought I was being forced back into an EVA.”

“I have no idea what that is, but you’re right we can use a bit of a break.” Rantaro laughed. “You know a lot of anime don’t you?”

The conversation dissolved into nothing but chatter, and Shuichi’s mind was still swirling around the mystery. He knew that there was really no point in trying to solve it right now. That was their mystery. He couldn’t go through the screen and tell Aki whatever answers he came up with, even if he wanted to. God did he want to. This wasn’t her forte, this wasn’t...she wasn’t like her dad or like him. She stayed away from detective work.

Yet somehow, Dangaronpa took one look at her and thought that she was a good candidate for whatever that they were planning. He glanced at the clock in the corner of the screen and saw that it was starting to get late. Soon enough the school announcement would come on and say that it was nighttime.

[ Loki: Mayumi-chan sure has some balls on her doesn’t she? To call him out like that? Oda-chan wasn’t expecting that much was he? ]

[ Shinigami: I may have to revise my thought process on who the two survivors are going to be. She’s smart, as though she hangs around thieves often. She also explored the air ducts, something that not very many participants ever do. No one ever sees any reason to go up there unless the riddle tells them that’s where the next flashback light could be. ]

[ Loki: Want to ramble on what a flashback light is? ]

[ Shinigami: How about I make you suffer instead, and you get to find out for yourself? We’re almost at the crescendo. I have no doubt that tomorrow morning, we’ll be looking at our first class trial. Most people are probably already calling in to work as we speak, only if to get to be a part of that glory. Humanity is beautiful when faced with an adversary and I have yet to be disappointed in how the participants of the game react to it. I wonder how they will fare when faced with death and uncertainty? ]

[ Loki: Not sure, but I bet Mayumi-chan has a few tricks up her sleeve to keep her alive. ]

[ Shinigami: I see. So if you were someone that took gambling pleasure, your money would be placed on her, yes? ]

[ Loki: I’d go a bit farther and stick my life on it. ]

It was a bit strange to see that exchange. Shuichi didn’t really get the hunch as to who Loki could be. At first he thought it was Kokichi, but he again decided against that theory. It could be Takahashi, taking on some of Kokichi’s traits in hopes of throwing off suspicion, but he doubted that too. He didn’t want to bring attention that he might know someone in the chat, as he knew too well that it could be used against him.

Just because Danganronpa went after people in newspapers and local celebrities, didn’t mean that they didn’t look at the chat logs. It didn’t mean that every word Shuichi typed was a step closer to them thinking about using him, or him getting closer to Danganronpa. This was the closest he ever had gotten to closing a case. He just needed to keep his cousin alive for a bit longer, and to figure out where Danganronpa’s headquarters were.

He had to figure out how Aki went missing. Where they picked her up, and began the trail where her’s ended.

Without saying too much of a goodbye, Shuichi closed the website, and leaned back against the chair, trying to gather his wits. One thing at a time. The mystery that was happening in the school couldn’t be solved right now. That was on the participants to figure out.

Right now, Shuichi got up from his chair and grabbed his hat from the bed, tugging it down harshly. He had a trail to track.

                                                       X

The city at night was always a strange sight to be around. There were little to no people that lingered on the sidewalks or walked down the streets. The white noise of different conversations blending in together was absent, making every noise amplified. Shuichi could hear the sounds of a cat running through an alleyway, knocking things over. He was certain there were raccoons as well trying to make some mischief. The police might’ve already scoured the area that Shuichi was heading down, but he didn’t care. If his theory was correct about Danganronpa, then the investigation wasn’t as thorough as it could have been. He stuffed his hands into his pocket, unfamiliarly familiar with the route that he was going down on.

He only walked Aki to school a handful of times. Each time was strange to him, like he was going against his nature. It was new, shiny, and it made his heart race despite that there was nothing that could harm him. It went against his routine and his nature, so he was always struck dumb at the twists and turns that the path took. His school was more heart of the city, while hers took shelter away from the main streets, nestled in the outskirts of residential areas. The apartments and houses that lined the streets showed off a different spirit than the neon signs and the flashing lights of main streets and shops.

The silhouettes that were cast by the buildings made the streets feel empty and abandoned. There were some houses and apartments that still had a soft yellow light glowing from their windows, but with the curtains drawn so that no one was looking outside, and Shuichi couldn’t look in. He didn’t mind that all that much, but he still felt as though there were eyes that were lingering on his back, watching his every move as he walked through the streets, trying to keep his mind focused on what he was there for.

The moment he got to the intersection, he looked around. It was a tight spot where the cars could only go in two lanes. There were usually more people riding bicycles going down this way. He had seen cars have a few jams because of how slow the lights were to change from red to green. He watched the walk sign turn on and he ignored it.

Shuffle told him that Aki didn’t make it to school, and he knew that this was where they would have met. Shuffle just lived down the road if he turned a hard left. Widow was in the opposite direction on the right. Widow didn’t usually go their direction for school, she normally took a different route. However, with the cars going by and Aki was paranoid, he didn’t doubt that Widow woke up early to walk her and her girlfriend to their school.

Which told him that she didn’t make it to the intersection. That was fine. It was good to get familiar with the old route. To get familiar with the surroundings before he decided to dive in. He walked back towards the beginning, right where he and Aki would normally split off. He closed his eyes, he took a breath, and then he started walking, his hands still stuck into his pockets as his eyes stopped taking in the sights, and starting taking in more of the nooks and the crannies. He let his feet carry him to where he needed to go while his mind sharpened, trying to think of what could have happened that day. Aki didn’t make it to school. She had no idea that she wasn’t going to see the gates. Which means that wherever she had been taken, it was quick and it was somewhere along this stretch.

Every alleyway that he crossed, he stopped momentarily at the mouth of it, peering in the darkness like he could peel back the layers and see what happened. Usually nothing. A dumpster if he was lucky. Usually it was just clean with some vandalism that wasn’t D.I.C.E’s doing. He made mental marks that they might want to hit these spots a little more than the outlandish “let’s vandalise near a hospital” plans Kokichi sometimes put up with.

He walked up the street and then pretended to freeze. If anyone was going to be following, they would start soon after the third or fifth alleyway that he passed if not just randomly turning from a storefront or from around the corner of the houses. Instincts were ingrained in both of them to be aware of their surroundings. To check in with their vibes. A gut reaction of “something is wrong”.

Aki would use a compact mirror. She’d pretend to fix her hair. She probably saw the black car, or someone behind her that immediately turned alarm bells on. Shuichi glanced over across the street. There could be a way to get to school from that direction. He didn’t know. Aki might’ve thought. She could have taken out her phone, plugged in her school address and tried to find a new route that way, or she could have gone on whim and prayed for the best. He looked to the side, a convenient alleyway, with a turn.

She would run down here, she’d toss her bag because she would want some piece of evidence of her disappearance somewhere. The bag would land somewhere against the wall. The pursuer already knew of that plan of action, probably knew that she was going to bolt. They had been silent, trying to stalk, but she’s too observant and they took notes on that. She was going to make it hard on them if she was just kidnapped off the street. It was easy to herd someone to go down an alleyway. It was easy as making them feel as though it was their only option of escape.

She didn’t even make it to the cross section. His eyes dropped to the ground to see a broken charm bracelet. Before he picked up the charm bracelet, he took out his new phone and got to the camera section. He snapped a few pictures of the charm bracelet and the location before he bent down to make sure that it was safely back in his possession.

He looked around the alleyway, trying to envision the scruffle. Shuichi wouldn’t call himself paranoid, but Aki had her moments. She lived looking over her shoulder. Whether she was trying to run a shoplifting heist with D.I.C.E, or was dragged into tagging a wall or a building with Deuce and Kokichi, she was always on alert. Kokichi complained about it sometimes, about how she didn’t let herself go and have fun. Like everyone else was supposed to. Shuichi never saw her relaxed unless she was playing on a stage, or...if she was in the killing game.

Which was why he decided it was odd that there was no caution tape around the area. Which made him suspicious about why he found the charm bracelet, when the police should have easily spotted it first. Spurned with that idea in mind, he walked over towards the dumpster, not needing to pull it open to verify his thoughts. Aki wouldn’t throw away anything. She would hide it.

He got on his hands and knees, mindful of any glass that was shattered around him and looked to see that there was a backpack wedged tightly against the wall and the dumpster. It was being squashed, the fabric wrinkled and looked as though it was tempted to tear. He scooted himself up close against the wall and weedled his arm through the opening. His fingers brushed against the fabric a few times before he managed to catch a bit of it. With careful and patient pulling, he coaxed the backpack out from its hiding place. He could hear the wall catching onto the fabric, scraping it loudly against the silence of the alleyway. It made him wince at the sound, but he didn’t want to get distracted and lose what grip he had on it.

It popped out after a while and he made a soft noise in the back of his throat as he looked at the backpack’s fate. There were some holes, some tears. The backpack was scruffed up, the brown leather didn’t want to hold up against the weight of a heavy dumpster and the wall. He carefully unbuckled the backpack and upturned it to see that her things were still in there. Her phone, her D.I.C.E scarf that had been hastily thrown in. Sheet music scattered about along with her homework packets and notebooks. Pencils threatened to roll back underneath the dumpster, but Shuichi caught them in time. They were cutesy and usually disallowed in school, but Aki was careful to keep her head down low. Her notebooks were covered in stickers that she didn’t care for or wanted to keep. Her student I.D., her wallet with a bit of money still tucked in, it was all there.

Shinigami said that it was a gimmick. Shuichi covered his mouth with his hand thoughtfully before adjusting his hat, unsure. There were too many possibilities. He wanted to believe that it was just a gimmick, that Danganronpa was just having a little too much fun with the idea of having someone not know who they are. The other possibility is that they were using that as a cover. Just because he was having a hard time figuring out where they heard of her didn’t mean anything. Chances were, they knew exactly who they took. Whether it was to appease the police force that they were so tied up with, or whether it was for saving their own necks, they thought it was best to conceal her identity, and with it, anything that she might’ve held dear.

The second thing was that since Aki was so paranoid, she clammed up. She gave a false name to Danganronpa. She told them that they got the wrong person, and without her student I.D, they couldn’t confirm or deny her claims. Shuichi couldn’t really buy into that theory, but...if she was paranoid...she might’ve stuck with the idea to stay silent about herself anyway. He covered his mouth as his mind spun. He closed his eyes, trying to get a clearer, better picture.

It could have been all three events. Aki staying silent, Danganronpa decides to go her route because of entertainment value and it would keep the police off their back. Aki didn’t know that they were going to do that, and accidentally helped them create the perfect alibi. Her stuff was missing, which was no skin off their nose because “Aki” was missing. Everyone else in the world would look for “Aki”. With the blouse, the clean jeans, who spoke her mind but was mostly quiet.

They weren’t looking for Mayumi, with the messed up hair, the mismatched arm warmers, the torn jeans, the quick to accuse.

How much of that was Aki acting? He never thought his cousin could act, let alone keep up a facade. Kokichi could. Kokichi was a master at it. Most of D.I.C.E were. Maybe she picked it up from them?

How much of that was Danganronpa trying to make a quick buck? What was the purpose of taking these kids and putting them into a killing game? A snuff film sure, but Shuichi had his own suspicions that there was something more deep in the rabbit hole too.

There was a soft throbbing that was starting to hit just behind his right eyebrow and Shuichi winced. There were too many unknown variables, and there were too many questions that were starting to surface again. He could only go with what he knew, and that meant taking the bag with him. It meant telling his uncle what he knew about Danganronpa and seeing his thoughts about it.

Shuichi carefully gathered up the papers and the pencils and placed them inside the backpack with care. He made sure to fold the D.I.C.E scarf as well as he could and tucked it in there as well. Once he was certain that he didn’t miss anything, he slipped the charm bracelet into the bag as well. He shifted onto the balls of his feet and hauled it up and over his shoulders, putting it on. He left the alleyway behind, knowing that he was going to have to come back to it another day and see if he couldn’t figure out what direction they might’ve taken her.