Chapter Text
1. soulmates au; togami/kirigiri
When the feed from the game
(the final game)
cuts, Togami absentmindedly rubs his wrist. He didn't even see Kirigiri, and even though Naegi was able to look him in the eye — Naegi can't know, not like him.
He knows his internal scrimmage would end with just a small peek on the timer. Maybe the moving numbers have changed again so they could stop sooner than expected, a sign that Kirigiri has— But that's just a possibility. Perhaps, she's still fighting, and the time had been elongated. Or...
(nothing has changed)
He shakes those thoughts off and starts commandeering his subordinates, and barely realizes how many hours have passed when he jumps out of the helicopter and stares up, up at the building brimming with unnecessary slaughter. His fists shake, but that doesn't matter. Not that, nor Kirigiri
(his soulmate)
with her crew. Once again, Togami loses himself — in interviewing Hagakure and trying not to show his worry, in strategizing, in trying to figure out how to keep his promise. It exhausts him, sure, but, just for a few moments he doesn't have the time to think about how the timer inked on his skin had started when he first locked eyes with Kirigiri, all those years ago, and how his heart was fluttering in chest, and he still remembers how he thought to himself, so, is this love? Is this what is love supposed to be? And why her? Why was it
(me)
her?
Putting away this old, unanswered question, Togami strolls into the lobby.
The robots explode, and he barely manages to escape from the groaning building. A spare plank hits him in the head. He falls, falls down. Blacks out.
Wakes up in a tent, his jacket thrown on the folding chair. His wrist is bared, a series of black numbers stark on his pale skin. Togami feels himself fall, once again.
There are only zeros. Kirigiri, Kyoko Kirigiri, his
(soulmate)
(never-to-be lover)
has died.
2. childhood best friends au; gonta/angie
Birds of a feather flock together — something in Gonta dislikes this saying, but the most rational part of him has to agree with it. Empirically — his mother taught him that words — he had to learn it when his classmates refused to talk with him. With a giant, a misfit, a weirdo. Such an ugly word, Gonta has decided, wrinkling his nose as he sat by himself in the schoolyard, watching the ants navigate over roots of a hunched birch. He envied those small insects — they managed to work together without being forced to.
But maybe because they were so similar to each other? While Gonta was the only... weirdo. He still hates this word.
A few months after that realization, something's changed. A new girl joins the class; she's tanned and white-haired and with a foreign accent pitching her syllabes. The cool kids call her a witch, a grandma ("she's not seven, she's seventy!" they laugh, "what are you doing here, nanny?"), pull on her ponytails and then flee when they see Gonta's face scrunch into a displeased frown. He stomps to the befallen girl and offers her his pudgy hand. She raises her eyes to him and—
Her smile is bright and untroubled.
"Hiii," she sing-songs as her fingers tangle with his. "Wow, that was so awesome, like, oh my gosh! Sir, you're Angie's hero!"
"A-ah, thank you, but that's... I didn't do much! That was really nothing unusual." Gonta flushes pink. His mother always reminds him to be a gentleman, making his mom roll her eyes and chide her that he's just — a kid.
However, Angie — that's her name, right? It's really pretty — allows herself to be pulled up, but doesn't pull away, standing on her tiptoes and grinning. There's a smear of pastel-pink paint on her cheek.
"Aww, don't be like that—"
"Gonta!" The boy bites on his lip nervously.
"Gonta-chan. You're, like, super duper cool. God says that I gotta befriend such a cool person, you know."
No, he decides. Angie isn't a weirdo. But, even so, he'll try to listen to that... God of hers.
3. teacher/student au; kaede&kokichi
Teaching a literal monkey would be easier, that's what Kaede thinks during the better days. During the worse ones... Well. She's too busy trying to keep her calm facade to think anything — except, well, somehow finding the time to curse Ouma-kun inwardly. Because, let's be honest, the boy cannot be real. Even if he is an actual human being, his obnoxiousness must be... something else.
"No, that's— That's the wrong key," Kaede says for the third time this day. "Ouma-kun, you were supposed to hit C, not— not D."
"Sorry, guess I can't keep up with Kaede-chan," Ouma laughs and hits keys at random, making the piano let out a sound reminiscent of a dying cat. Holding back a wince, Kaede rubs the bridge of her nose and says,
"How about we wrap this out earlier? I think we, um, have made progress today, you earned your rest." The smile plastered on her face falters a bit when she pushes the stool back and stands up, Ouma-kun's warmth still lingering on her side.
"Kaede-chan?" he whines, flapping his fingers around and sticking his lower lip out. "I can't feel my hands... Kiss them better?" His eyes water as he chokes on a oh-so-sincere sob.
Barely sparing a look at him, Kaede turns back and sets to making two cups of blueberry green tea, pulling all the necessities from the cupboard she set in the piano room specifically for that. After she clicks the switch on the old kettle, she faces Ouma-kun and sticks her hand out.
"Would you mind showing me the damage?" she asks calmly. Ouma-kun blinks at that, then shoots her a smile and lets his palm rest over hers.
"Sooo, will I get those kisses?"
Gently kneading the pale, small fingertips, Kaede shakes her head.
"Those are only callouses, nothing special." She meets his eyes and adds with a smirk, "If you tried just a bit harder, you'd have them much earlier."
"Kaede-chan, you wound me!"
4. teacher/single parent au; jin/koichi
"Kyoko, come here for a moment, could you?"
Taking off his reading glasses, Jin folds the note and gives his nonplussed daughter a stern look.
"What is going on, dad?" the girl asks warily, playing with the end of her braid as Jin tries to find the correct words (and promptly gives up on that).
"Your homeroom teacher informed me that you bit your colleague," he simply says.
Kyoko shrugs. "I didn't do it without reason," she says calmly. For the love of god, sometimes Jin feels as if she's much older than him, with her pale hair and pale eyes and stiff lip.
Then he reminds himself that she... did what she did.
"What was your reason, then?" he inquires. Kyoko blinks at him, then raises from the floor and leaves the room. Find it yourself, she means by that, and the proud smirk she gives her dad on her way out makes him sure of it.
Well.
Jin reaches for his phone and, swearing under his breath, searches for Kyoko's teacher's number. He had a funny name, didn't he? Kiza-something. Hell, who would've thought that Jin would have to use it so soon? Barely a week into the school year.
He initiates the call, turning on the speaker and once again rereading the note. The teacher picks up after a tenth ring after Jin already starts to regret his idea of calling the man at... six pm? It's not that late, but who knows—
"Kizakura speaking," a raspy voice says with an audible smile. "With whom do I have the pleasure?"
"Kirigiri, Kirigiri Jin. I'm the father of your student, her name's—"
"Ah, Kyoko-chan!"
Kyoko-chan? Jin blinks at the screen. Last time he called her that, she was about five and still had her mother.
"Yes, about that." He clears his throat. "I heard that she—"
"Ah, no, no no no. Sorry, Kirigiri-kun, but let's talk about it face to face." When a strangled noise escapes from Jin, Kizakura-san chuckles. "Don't worry, it's nothing that bad. But I would like to talk to you."
To his own surprise, Jin agrees. Thene ends the call. Then he stares at the note.
"Thanks, Kyoko."
5. one night stand and falling pregnant au; togami/kirigiri
The woman standing before Togami could dang well be one of his subordinates — sharply dressed, in an immaculate dark-grey suit and smooth lavender hair tied in a tight bun, with a boredom carefully painted on her pale face. She really could be — well, if it weren't for the document she hands him without any proper explanation. Briefly focusing on her gloved hand, Togami takes the paper, too befuddled to call for security or ask the woman to be a dear and enlighten him about her presence here.
He takes one look at the impersonal print and chokes on his coffee.
"We met a month ago," the woman says tartly, and she's inanely close to inspecting her nails, judging by her disinterested expression. "Remember? That party in Mandarin Oriental. You went overboard with sake, spilled everything about your tragic backstory to me, and somehow we ended up with this predicament." She taps the script with a wry smirk.
"But I—" Togami clears his throat. Wait. "So I presume you don't remember as well? Why would I be the father of y— this child?"
"Because, do believe me, I do not partake in sleeping around." She sits in the chair on the other side of his desk, crossing her long, well-muscled legs. "This child can only be yours."
Togami takes one more look at the pregnancy test, then rubs the bridge of his nose. God, he'd love a— no, no more drinks for him. Look what his beloved Akita Homare got him into.
"How did you find me?" he asks tiredly, quickly typing a note to his secretary about cleaning his schedule for the entire day.
"You left your comb," the woman says with a self-satisfied grin, "Togami-kun." His name sounds strange in her mouth. Togami pulls on his collar, then stands up, circles the desk and looks at her closely.
"What do you plan to do?"
Her smirk disappears.
"I want to keep the baby. If you want a paternity test, I have no problem with that."
Shrugging, Togami offers his hand to hers.
"Then I will help you..."
"Kirigiri." Her grip is firm. "But feel free to call me Kyoko."
6. meeting at a coffee shop au; maki/shirogane
Whenever Maki finds herself awake at three am, aware she won't sleep anymore, and with about five hundred yen she won't have to surrender to the piggy bank, her options dwindle to just one: a particular all-night open cafe. The cheapest one in the campus, crammed with scratched ceramic mugs and shabby bean bags. No wonder it's usually bustling with zonked students—
At least it is during more reasonable hours. Now, when Maki pushes the creaky door open and inhales the scent of old coffee, she only sees the barista — a pale-haired missy who's cursing at her phone — and a... Hm. Ordering her coffee and trying not to wince at barista missy's lack of proper manners, Maki subtly looks at the...
No. No way she's not an art student. With her turquoise locks falling around her bare shoulders and a patchy sweater hanging off her thin body, there's no other way. Maki absentmindedly plays with her ponytail, then, telling herself she's a freaking adult, sits by the girl and says, awkwardly,
"Hey."
"Mm?" Miss Art Student tucks her pencil behind her ear and raises her eyes. Maki sees her reflection in the oval spectacles. "Oh, hi! Is there anything I can help you with?" She tilts her head and grins. Whoops. Maki conspicuously wipes her hands on her jeans, then tries to return the smile.
"No, not really. I just haven't seen you here before."
"Neither did I!" Miss Art Student laughs. "And I'm pretty sure I'd notice you!"
"Likewise," Maki replies, wrapping her hands around the lime-green mug. Then her brain catches up to her. "Wait. What."
"Oh, sorry!" Miss Art Student covers her mouth, her sea-blue eyes widening. "I was being weird, weren't I? Creepy? Ugh!" She tugs on her hair. "In mangas I've read, pick up lines like this always work!"
"No, don't worry." Maki gently grabs her wrist; this time, smiling feels quite comfortable. "I'd notice you too."
Miss Art Student relaxes.
"Thank you," she says.
"But... wait. Pick up lines?"
7. fake relationship au; sonia/kyoko
"Excuse me?" Sonia presses a hand to her lips — as if she somehow didn't get Kyoko's words right away. Figures.
"All right then, once again." Kyoko tucks her braid behind her ear, then says politely, "During the traditional Novoselic spring ball, there'll be a hostile spy mingled between the guests — at least according to my... friend. Yeah." That's one way to put it. She suppresses a scowl. "Anyway, if you could get me an invitation, I'd be eternally grateful, Nevermind-senpai."
"Sonia-senpai, if you may," the girl corrects her without missing a beat. She's frowning a bit, but more in confusion than outright denial. "Or simply Sonia, Kirigiri-san. I do not mind the lack of honorifics..."
"I. I see." Trying to gather her thoughts, Kyoko looks around her room. She doesn't remember it being this clean before — but, after all, were Sonia to see the usual mess, she'd never fulfill Kyoko's request.
"I'm sorry, Kirigiri-san," Sonia says meekly. "I can't quite fulfill your request."
Wait. What.
"Do forgive me," she adds, "but the rules of this aforementioned dance say that only the family, friends and their partners are to be let in." She casts her eyes down. "If I were the one in charge, I'd surely do my best to help you with this grave matter."
"Then allow me to be your plus one," Kyoko says — certainly doesn't blurt out. Certainly.
"But... we aren't, what was the correct word, dating?" Sonia blinks owlishly, a small smile tugging on her rosy lips.
"We could pretend." Reaching out for the pot, Kyoko pours them a cup of jasmine tea. "It'd be more believable, considering there are a few more months left till the event."
"Mm, my parents would be indeed enthralled with you." Sonia takes an elegant sip of sweet-smelling liquid, then allows her grin to blossom fully. "I'm freakin' in!"
Taken aback by that sudden boisterousness, Kyoko steeples her fingers on the table. Then shakes it off and touches Sonia's hand.
"Thank you."
8. roommates au; mondo/kirigiri
"If someone asks 'bout me, you don't know shit, right?" was the first thing Owada-kun said to Kyoko after they moved together. She vaguely thought that he should have scared her a bit, with all his muscles and tattoos and leather coats... But. But, to be entirely honest, Kyoko just felt a bit amused.
"Give me a reason to cover your back, first," she struck back. Owada blinked, then grinned and clapped her on the back heartily.
"Alright then," he chuckled. "Didn't take ya for such a tough chick."
And, yeah, despite them being on the different sides of the law — Kyoko has the prefectural police officer on a speed dial while Mondo keeps coming back to their apartment with black eyes and/or bruised knuckles — they kind of get along. Okay. Better than that. First eating pizza at three am when both of them had long (and violent) day, then Owada giving Kyoko a massage after sitting in her office for ten hours straight gave her a terrible backache, and, three years into sharing two rooms with a kitchen and half of bathroom, a private party ended up with them falling asleep on each other.
"What the hell," Kyoko says upon waking up. "Mondo, you twat."
The man grumbles something into her lap. She flicks him in the ear.
"Giddof," he adds helpfully. Kyoko pinches him.
"You get off. I need twenty liters of water and our entire supply of painkillers, and I can't get up."
Mondo promptly mutters out yet another quip. Kyoko rolls her eyes, kind of regretting her proficiency at hungover-biker-asshole-ese.
"Yes, my hangover is killing me. And yes, it's your fault." Hm. She could push his head off herself. "You told me this is typical vodka, not some Russian... mix of engine oil and pure ethanol." But then he'd fall off onto their carpet and hit himself. "You piece of horseshit."
"Love ya too," Mondo adds, and Kyoko happily shoves him.
9. meeting online au; ryoma/gonta
You are talking with a stranger!
Stranger: Hello!
Stranger: Hello?
Stranger: Are you there?
You: yeah, yeah, i'm here. sorry, kid, had to feed my cat
Stranger: Oh, you have a cat! What's its name? Gonta would love to have a cat, but he's afraid it would harm his bugs...
You: well, yeah, i have a cat. even three. they're named omelet, stella, and ball. p nice guys, this bunch
You: so your name is gonta right? kid, be careful with this stuff, you never know who're you talking to
Stranger: Oh, that's correct, I'm sorry! Gonta isn't very smart with things like this...
You: nah, don't worry. name's ryouma, by the way, nice to meet you and all that jazz
Stranger: Pleased to meet you too, Ryouma-kun! And Gonta really means it, he does appreciate bumping into such a thoughtful and polite person like you!
You: wow, thanks. you're pretty cool too, i guess
You: at least better than all those people interested in only one thing
Stranger: What thing?
You: all this "female 19", "male 20" stuff, y'know
Stranger: Forgive me, but I still don't know...
You: really? but ya had to happen upon people like that before finding me
Stranger: Gonta did, but when he introduced himself, they just disconnected... I am worried this was my fault. Was it?
You: no, believe me, it wasn't
You: listen, sorry but i have to go. talking with you was fun, so, if you want to, i can give you my skype
Stranger: What is skype?
Chuckling through his quick explanation on how to get a Skype account, Hoshi hops from his chair, pauses to pet Ball and check if his little fellas have enough water in their dishes to last till he comes back, then shrugs on his coat. His phone buzzes in his pocket, and when he checks it, he sees a friend request.
gonta_g: Hello, Ryouma-kun, it's Gonta here! Have a nice day at work!
A small smile appears on his lips. Maybe this wasn't such a crappy idea, finding new mates online — but he ain't gonna tell Seia about this.
10. high school popular kid/nerd au; togami/makoto
Can you miss something you never had? If someone were to ask Togami, he'd only scoff at such ridiculous notion.
The point is — when it turns out that him attending a Japanese high school won't result in being more popular among his peers than during his jolly time in a German secondary school, Togami doesn't feel very surprised by that. And, besides... Hope's Peak's so-called cool kids weren't of his particular interest, this loud and overbearingly optimistic lot of brightly colored yahoos didn't make him envious — merely pissed off.
At least they aren't stupid enough to bully me, Togami allows them as he takes his usual place in the school library, a business law textbook held by the spine in his slender fingers. Untangling the headphones, he taps the icon of the music app and lets the smooth sounds of inoffensive jazz wash over him as he goes back to his studies. For the past few days, he has been poring over how EU's directives are applied in the—
Suddenly — he hears something crash.
Fantastic.
Stopping the music, Togami whips his head up, ready to glare at the idiot — and pauses. The idiot in question is one of the popular kids — Naegi, yes, Togami does remember his name. A few weeks ago he was wondering how such a timid child became so... well-known.
"Sorry," Naegi says, getting to his feet and shooting Togami an apologetic smile. "I stumbled."
"Of course you did," Togami says flatly. "Now, are you going to shoo or—?" He raises his brows.
"Uh, about that. We haven't talked before, and the school year is already a month old..." He laughs awkwardly. "Sorry. Anyway, my name's—"
"Naegi." He points at himself. "Togami. We know that. Anything else?"
"Actually, yeah." He sits by Togami's side and nods at his book. "I tried to read it but didn't understand much. Would you, uh, mind...?"
Ah. That explains the fingertips' marks on the pages. Giving Naegi an approving look, Togami decides he needs to reassess this funny little boy.