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Kokichi laid still on his bed, his eyes growing heavy and weak. Yet he kept his eyes open and trained on the clock. His face contorted into a deep scowl that would leave hundreds of little wrinkles, his calendar was hung on the opposite wall.
“Go back.” he grumbled again under his breath. Time however, was an unforgiving mistress. His eyes becoming too heavy for him to keep open anymore, he finally let himself fall into an unwilling slumber as the clock continued to tick off.
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Kokichi hopped out of his bed with a bright smile on his face. He barreled out of his small room, past his toys and random books and papers, careful to avoid a few odd legos and action figures. He pulled the door open, and ran down the hall, almost slipping on the hardwood floor.
He made it to his parents door, standing on his tippy toes, before grabbing the door handle and leaning forward as it creaked open. Kokichi let it go, skipping over to his father’s side of the bed, his back facing him, he brought his small hands up and shook his shoulders, “Papa, mama!” he yelled, hopping up on the bed, his mother groaning as she sat up, rubbing her eyes.
“Yes, Kokichi?” She looked at him through tired, dark lined eyes. Her hair being a mess from the little sleep she had gotten, before the ball of energy that was her son barreled in with a mission.
“It’s my biwthday!” he laughed. His father sat up too him rising from his slumber.
“Ah right,” he looked down at the beaming little boy in front of him, “Sorry buddy, but me and mama have a lot of work today.” he ruffled Kokichi’s messy hair with a half asleep smile. “We couldn’t get any time off in time, sorry..”
Kokichi pouted, but didn’t protest. “But hey, that means you get to order some pizza today, and when we have the chance will make it up to you!” His mother smiled softly at him. He nodded in response, “Okay…” his voice came out small and quiet.
“But now, we need to sleep a little more before we leave, okay?” she asked. The tiny boy nodded again, slipping back out of the room with an “Okay.”As he left the room, he closed the door gently behind him and went back to his own room.
He let tears stain his cheeks as he sat down on the floor. He took one of his toys, “Next year will be better!” he whispered as he messed with his plush cat’s limbs, “Right Pipo?” its head flopped to one side he nodded smiling as the tears streamed down.
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Kokichi smiled as he teetered on the edge of his chair in his middle school class;his teacher rattled off names, “Ouma, stop. You’re going to break the chair,” she shot him a sharp glare, he rolled his eyes but stopped all the same. He impatiently waited as the teacher spoke the remaining names, “-And Saihara Shuichi?” said boy raised his hand. He sat right next to Kokichi in every class, and kept his head low. Kokichi enjoyed his presence well enough. He looked up at the teacher, and slowly reached into his school bag a medium sized bag of gummy candies.
“Now everyone take your books and turn to page 64,” he froze looking up at her with slightly widened eyes, he raised his hand slowly, “Yes Ouma, you can go to the bathroom to check your blood sugar.” Kokichi sighed and pulled out his blood sugar meter and stood up slowly, his eyes felt too dry, he turned to leave.
Bump
Crackle
Kokichi looked back, Shuichi was holding a Snickers bar. He smiled, nudging him to take it. The shorter boy nodded, smiling, taking it before he left the room. He kept his lips tightly sealed as he walked to the bathroom, he slipped into one of the many stalls locking it behind him. He braced his back against the door looking down at the snickers in his hand, it was soft, clearly melted from the summer heat and smashed under books. His eyes burned as he stared at it, lip quivering as he opened it and took a bite out of it.
He felt his cheeks grow wet, he quickly wiped it off, sighing, as he looked down at the chocolate bar, “Happy birthday to me…” he whispered as he closed the toilet lid. “Happy birthday to me.” he continued sitting on top of it taking another bite, “Happy birthday to meee.” he sighed as he finished it, Kokichi wiped his cheeks before leaving the stall.
Maybe next year?
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Beep
Beep
“Agh!” Kokichi slammed his hand around blindly as alarm clock blared at him, “Shut the fuck up, you little hunk of shit!” he threw it across his room, glaring at it as it shattered against the wall; its pieces clattering to the floor.
“Ah, shit.” he groaned, getting out of bed and walking over to the remains of his alarm clock. He rolled his eyes and walked over to his dresser, leaving its corpse where it lay. He took a plastic bag and brushed in the pieces before tying it tightly.
He dragged his feet as he went over to school. It was all a blur as he went and dropped off the remains of his alarm clock. Miu’s taunts and insults were more of static than words. When Kokichi had returned to his senses, it was hours later, “Hey, shit nugget you paying attention?” he rolled his eyes nodding, “Yeah yeah I got it,” he took the clock back from her, “So what favor do I owe you this time?”
She groaned rolling her eyes, “I get to call you to be my lab rat,” she crossed her arms over her chest squishing her breasts together in a way that was nowhere near comfortable. “Regular tuesday,” he shrugged as he left her lab, he returned to being on autopilot making his way to class.
“Oh good morning Kokichi…” Shuichi waved, his voice trailing off as Kokichi passed by him not even noticing him, he followed him with his eyes, the boy just taking a seat at his desk before staring at nothing. Shuichi bit his tongue and took his seat at Kokichi’s left, he looked at him closely, his expression was blank and bored, completely relaxed, “You’re staring.” he snapped his head away pulling his hat in front of his face.
“Sorry…” he glanced back, Kokichi’s expression remained unchanged, “Whatever.” he rolled his eyes resting his head on the desk. Shuichi continued to stare, “Is something-” “Nothing is wrong I just slept shit cause the ac broke.” he lied, his ac was actually set too high that night on purpose, “Hard to sleep inside satan’s asscrack.” he chuckled moving his hand around to the side of him.
“Well you are right, but didn’t you say you had it fixed just a few days ago?” Kokichi blinked a bit before giggling, in a manner that sounded so forced the densest person in the world would know he was faking it, “Nishishi! Yup! That was a lie!” he kicked his feet about swinging back on his chair. “It was actually too good! It was so cold it was almost like mid december!” he forced a weak grin onto his face as he looked at Shuichi.
“I see.” he leaned over reaching into his bag, “I was starting to worry that you might have also been low,” he pulled out a smashed granola bar, Kokichi eyed it closely, “Did you eat this morning? You’re trembling a lot,” Shuichi offered it, for the liar to snatch it from his hands before he could even say anything, “Are smushed snacks the only thing you have in that thing?” he spat as he tore into the bar like a rabid animal.
“I also have a few books,” Shuichi shrugged, reaching into his bag again, “Did you eat breakfast today?” he asked not even looking at his bag, “I did! Why you being all caretakery on me!?” he whined pouting and puffing up his cheeks, “I don’t need no caretaking!” Shuichi rolled his eyes smiling, “Sure you don’t,” he pulled out a random book and started to read it, periodically looking over to Kokichi who seemed to have lost all interest in him.
Kaede clapped her hands, “Alright everyone!” she grinned looking at them, “So we were talking about the coming festival in a council,” she started going on, though Shuichi tapped out of the discussion very quickly, looking at Kokichi from under his cap’s bill.
Hours passed of little different things, well outside of Kokichi being more snappy and quiet, it was starting to really bother Shuichi. His mind was in a mess of twisted thoughts that were all tattered and lost, he started pacing in his lab, “What is up with him?” he muttered a hand over his mouth.
“Come to think of it…” he pulled out his phone checking the calendar, 19th of June. “He does get like this every year, only after the 22nd does he act really like himself again…” he stared at the calendar, his eyes catching onto each number, “He stopped showing up on the 21st.” He looked up staring at nothing.
His mind set the last piece into place his eyes growing wider, “It’s his birthday.” he slapped his forehead with such force his hat fell off of his head, “How didn’t I notice it?” he sighed looking at his bag, “It was all basically a normal day without anything different happening.” he sat down in his office chair leaning back.
“Should I tell Kaede about this?” he mulled running his hand through his hair, “She is class president so she could find a way to get something done for him,” he pulled at his hair mid thought, “She does it for everyone, so he’d be no different.” Shuichi shook his head looking at the ceiling as if it held any answers to his dilemma. “But she’d mention any plans like that if she knew,” he picked up his mug from his desk, his brows tightly knit and eyes narrow.
“But this isn’t a story I have the right to tell.” he drank what remained of his cold bitter coffee, “Does he even want this? I mean he’s upset vaguely about it but what would he even want?” he continued to ramble as he placed the cup against his forehead in a poor attempt to calm his new pounding headache.
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Shuichi’s thoughts were not letting him rest in the slightest, ranging from solutions to beating himself over the head with a stick. He took glances at Kokichi yet the words in his throat died before they made it out, he just kept his head down on the desk, his face stuck in a permanent worried expression, which wasn’t out of the norm but it was much deeper than usual.
“Is it just me or does Shuichi seem a little down to you?” Kaito asked looking over to Kaede, “Yeah but he wouldn’t tell me about any of it, he wouldn’t say anything.” she sighed looking at him, “Maybe he just solved a really bad case or a case ended badly?” he asked, scratching his head. “I mean it makes sense right?” Kaede nodded looking at Kaito.
“Yeah I think so too,” he shut his eyes for a moment before snapping his fingers, “Well maybe if we throw him a party he’ll cheer up?!” he looked at Kaede with a bright smile, practically beaming, “Y’know to get his mind off it?” she nodded a grin spreading across her cheeks, “Yeah! And we can do it tomorrow!” she chirped, clapping her hands together.
Kokichi glanced at them from around a corner, he rolled his eyes and turned on his heels, “Next year. Next year will do.” he hissed as he made his way down the hall, his heart beating out of his chest and his eyes starting to burn with unshed tears. He made his way home a permanent scowl on his face as he made it there, once inside he was greeted by an empty dark and near abandoned apartment.
The lights were long left off and the curtains drawn, despite it being scalding outside the inside was freezing. Kokichi just kicked off his shoes and walked to the kitchen, a note and envelope being left behind, he knew exactly what it was despite not reading it. “Maybe they’ll be free tomorrow?” he took the note skimming it over, he paused at the last few sentences reading them over again, “Not even tomorrow?” he scowled looking at the week old sticky note as if it had personally wronged him.
He crumpled it up and threw it at a wall as tears slipped through his eyes, “No fair.” he hissed, picking up his phone and ordering some food, his mind blanked on what exactly he ordered but he did it.
Once he had finished he just sat at the kitchen table in the dark, he shut his eyes resting his head on the hard marble. He pulled out the bills from the envelope counting them, “5000, alright.” he shrugged and started to scroll mindlessly through his phone as he heard rain start to fall.
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Shuichi walked alone, he was just aimlessly walking around, rain started to hit him, coaxing him into a random shop with a sigh. He looked around in silence, it was a small tourist shop, countless little souvenirs and little gifts from magnets to shirts and everything in between. It was quite empty outside of the cashier at the front, he looked at the many shelves before his eyes caught on the keychain display stand. There were quite a few different kinds, showing anime characters, having some simple words and others just being flags and the basic ‘I love Japan’ ones.
He slowly turned it, his eyes catching on the selection of stuffed animal keychains, a small light blue bear was close to the bottom, it was fuzzy and looked like it was wearing a hood. Shuichi kneeled down and took it off the hook and flipped over its price tag, “Only 350 yen,” he whispered as he stood. He pulled out his wallet looking inside, there were only four 100 yen coins inside.
“Alright.” he took out the four coins going to the cashier, putting the keychain and coins on the counter. He looked away as the cashier processed the transaction, “Thank you for shopping with us today.” Shuichi nodded, taking the keychain, change and receipt showing them into his bag haphazardly before going back to wait by the door.
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Kaede set up the last of the decorations looking over to Miu, “Have you seen Kokichi?” she asked, Miu looked up from her phone, “He said he was sick and gonna stay home,” she looked back returning to her monogram puzzle cursing under her breath, “Fucking hell lost the coin bonus.”
Kaede sighed looking at the others clapping her hands, “Well then! Kaito’s bringing Shuichi any minute now!” the door creaked open slightly, “Come on dude I promise it’s going to be great!” Kaito chirped looking at Shuichi with a bright grin as they walked in.
The room was decorated in bright colors and had many snacks somewhere, but Shuichi didn’t let himself take in more details as he shut his eyes turning on his heel, “Shu-” “Kaito, everyone, this is great but… not what I need.” he muttered before running out through the lobby, he was moving on instinct only breaking out of it to grab his bag and change into his outdoor shoes.
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Kokichi sighed as he stared at Tsumugi’s most recent instagram story, “Flashy.” He grit his teeth putting his phone into his pocket and slipping on his shoes, the air felt stale and was too cold to bear for another minute.
He walked through the streets and made his way into a local park, the morning leaving it abandoned yet it was also in the shade of multiple trees. Kokichi snorted a bit as he took up one of the swings lightly swaying on it, “So cliche.” He rolled his eyes, the small smile he had before dropping.
His heart was heavy in his chest and his eyes burned from unshed tears. Being in a sweater in summer was not a good idea either as the muddy heat only made him sweat buckets. He grit his teeth, his brow tightly knit as he felt his phone buzz in his pocket, he pulled it out looking at the front, a few notifications were on the front.
Two being some game notifications stating his regained materials and hearts while one was an instagram notification.
Luniray-of-the-stars!: Kokichi do you know where Shuichi went?!
He blinked a bit typing back his own response, doing his best to ignore the aching disgusting feelings in his gut.
Diceguy21: no?
Diceguy21: why would i know that i’m not the shuichi keeper.
He looked up from his phone as he heard stomping not too far away, usual joggers were long since at work already and it didn’t sound like a jog more like a panicked sprint of someone attempting to outrun a bear or murderer. “What the fuc-”
“Kokichi!” he froze up as his eyes started to just register what he was seeing before he was thrown back onto the ground. The pain of hitting the gravel was however dulled quickly by a hand rubbing the spots, “I’m sorry I’m so sorry I didn’t notice I don’t know how I was so blind.” Kokichi blinked quickly, moving his arms slowly around him.
It all finally registered, Shuichi was hugging him close and whispering apologizes into ear before he pulled back looking at him again. “I-I actually got something for you,” he moved away, doing his best not to acknowledge how awkward it felt to have the swing hitting against his back.
It all finally registered, Shuichi was hugging him close and whispering apologizes into ear before he pulled back looking at him again. “I-I actually got something for you,” he moved away, doing his best not to acknowledge how awkward it felt to have the swing hitting against his back.
Kokichi sat up looking at him, Shuichi fumbled around in his bag before pulling out the keychain, he turned back to him smiling moving his hand out to him offering the keychain, “Happy birthday Kokichi,” he stared looking at the keychain slowly picking it up looking at it closer. He bowed his head, his heart felt like it both sped up and slowed down all at once, his cheeks turning bright red.
“K-Kokichi? Do-” “You remembered…” he slowly looked up holding the keychain close to himself as he started to smile, his lips quivered as the tears streamed down his cheeks like rivers. “You really remembered,” he broke out into a fit of giggles as he looked at the small keychain in his hands, his finger slipped into the ring smiling as he moved the little toy in his hand.
Shuichi smiled nodding, “Of course, I was trying to figure out what to do with it and just sorta…” he bowed his head, his own cheeks growing red, “Panicked?” he shrugged, scratching his neck. “I didn’t think you wanted your business aired out to anyone and everyone without your permission so I just-” “Imploded?” Kokichi giggled, wiping his eyes.
“Yeah.” he chuckled nervously as he looked up to Kokichi, who only smiled looking at him with puffy red eyes and dried tear tracks still evident on his face. “Thanks Shuichi-” he was cut off by the abrupt sound of “Astronaut in the ocean” . They looked to their right to find Kokichi’s phone vibrating and screeching out the tone.
“That is your ringtone?” “For Kaito yeah,” he picked it up and accepted the call smiling, “Poyo-” “Did something go down?? You just stopped responding without saying anything!” Kokichi rolled his eyes and looked at Shuichi, “Anyway here’s Shuichi,” he passed Shuichi the phone without a second thought smiling as he held it fumbling slightly.
“Heyyyy Kaitoo,” he dragged out his words, he could hear everyone moving around in the background, “Shuichi what happened? Did we do something wrong? What has been bothering you?” he sighed as Kaede’s voice was sorta muffled, “I’m fine I just uhhh…” he looked at Kokichi who looked up from the keychain nodding. “Didn’t want to just air out Kokichi’s dirty laundry as some would say.”
The other line went silent as the two of them got up from their places on the floor, “How exactly is Kokichi related to this?” Shuichi looked at him again, Kokichi just took his phone back before yelling into the phone. “It’s my birthday! No one remembered it for years though!” he laughed as a cacophony of gasps and ohs came from the other side, “Well fuck dude sorry about that, happy birthday though!”
Kokichi rolled his eyes, chuckling, “Thanks. Now you might see why in the fuck I didn’t show up.” there was more awkward silence on the other side when Ryoma cut in, “Rantaro you owe me a thousand yen.” Everyone paused, possibly looking over to him before Rantaro sighed, pulling a single bill from his wallet.
“Remind me never to make a bet with you ever again,” Ryoma shrugged, smiling, “Free money is free money.” Kokichi smiled like a mad man, “Did you seriously bet on my absence?!” Rantaro chuckled quietly, “It did seem a little out of the blue y’know?” he rolled his eyes and his finger hovered over the end button to hang up only to pause at the last second.
“How about we make it up to you?! I mean we can change things up here!” Kaito spoke almost mindlessly as he threw out the suggestion, Kokichi blinked a bit looking at Shuichi then back at the phone, “Didn’t you make it for Shuichi though?” he said as he started to mindlessly walk, Shuichi following behind him like a little puppy.
“I mean yeah but-” “Kaito I’m pretty sure that is insulting by Kokichi standards.” “Did you seriously use my name as an adjective?! You’re so mean!” Shuichi sighed smiling fondly as he looked at him, Kokichi put on his crocodile tears for a moment, “It wasn’t even used as an adjective!” someone screamed on the other side, he huffed pouting and puffing up his cheeks.
“Oh shush! Anyway byeeee!” “Ko-” he hung up and silenced his phone putting it into his pocket looking back at Shuichi, “Wanna go to mine and get take out?” he blinked a bit before nodding, “Yeah sounds good,” he smiled as they made it up into the apartment, Shuichi recoiled instantly as the frigid air hit him.
“Kokichi how the hell can you- why the fuck did you turn the ac up so high?!” he rolled his eyes and walked in, “I’ll have you know I am very sensitive to heat thank you very much!” Shuichi sighed walking inside, shutting the door behind himself, “Don’t you wear around six layers when it’s only negative three degre-” “Oh shush you!”
His cheeks lit up red as he puffed up his cheeks, “If you don’t like it you turn it up then!” Shuichi rolled his eyes and turned the temperature up to a normal room temp, he smiled as the painful cold came down. He kicked his shoes off, placing them neatly by the door, “Whatcha wanna order?” Kokichi asked, taking a seat on the table in the kitchen going onto his phone ignoring the near never ending stream of messages.
“It’s your birthday, why are you asking me?” he asked, placing his bag on the floor taking a seat at the table next to him, “Eh I dunno what to get,” he shrugged looking through random pictures on his phone. “Pizza then?” he suggested looking at him, a light blush coming onto his cheeks as his eyes etched in every detail of the vitamin D defiant boy in front of him.
“Hey Shu, anything specific you want on the pizza?” his brain had yet to properly catch up with him so he ended up blurting out the first vaguely food word he could, “Potato?!” The second the words left his mouth he covered his face as he went bright red, regretting ever being born. Kokichi giggled a bit, “Can you put potatoes on the pizza?” He looked at Shuichi with an evil grin on his face.
“Kokichiiiii,” he whined hitting his head on the table, “Oh you do? Put it on a fourth of the pizza,” Shuichi wanted to die right then and there as he heard Kokichi continue to make the order. “Alright, thank you!” he chirped, petting Shuichi’s head and playing with his hair, “It should be there in an hour, I’m taking a nap.” he hopped off the counter stretching his arms. “Right now at 11-?” “Yes, wake me when the pizza is here,” he walked away and into the living room plopping himself on the couch, a few minutes of silence went by before Shuichi heard light snoring.
He sighed, getting up and looking over the couch, there Kokichi lay out like a light, his pale skin did him little good in hiding his almost racoon-like eye bags as he was curled into himself. Shuichi smiled, taking a stray blanket off the floor and draping it onto Kokichi, who smiled and snuggled into it.
He took a few deep breaths before returning to his bag and pulling out his wallet, he snatched one of the house keys by the door and slipped on his previously discarded shoes. He quickly made his way into the nearby supermarket, he searched shelves for only a brief moment before he pulled a refrigerated set of grape panta and a small cake, he took a little longer to locate where the candles were having to sift through many scented and large ones.
Shuichi went into the self checkout and struggled to carry the items back into Kokichi’s apartment and not drop anything but he succeeded after a few minutes. He carefully placed the items in the kitchen and started to wait the remaining minutes. He set up the cake but left the candles unlit in the meantime.
He opened Kokichi’s fridge to put the panta in to be met with what could only be described as a barren wasteland, outside of two tupperware boxes of what he could only wish was just green curry. Shuichi gulped and put the case in the fridge returning back to the living room, he peeked around the corner and smiled, Kokichi was just as he left him, sleeping on the couch albeit now more spread out as if in his state he was making himself king of the couch.
The pizza took less time than he had expected but he placed it on the table and lit the candles, “Now to wake him… Atua have mercy on my soul.” he whispered, walking around the couch in front of Kokichi, his hand on top of his mouth.
He slowly moved down to Kokichi’s level and placed a quick kiss on his forehead, a small whine escaped the boy as he started to stir, “Kokichi, wake up,” Shuichi hesitantly put a hand on his shoulder shaking him just a bit. “Noooo.” he whined, turning over, he sighed and left him on the couch before coming back with a can of panta.
Shuichi pulled the tab, the light sound of fizzy bubbles filling the silent room. Almost as if a switch had been flipped, Kokichi shot up wide awake, “You are a goddamn cat.” Shuichi chuckled as he handed him the can, “Oh shut up.” he stood up, taking sips of his soda as they walked into the kitchen, “Pizza’s here right…” his voice trailed off as he saw the cake placed on the counter.
A few mismatched colored candles were stuck into it at uneven angles and were in varying levels of burnt down, Shuichi only nudged him into a seat before he started singing completely without pitch or any kind of rhythm, “Happy birthday to you,” he chuckled as he went on.
“Happy birthday to you,” Kokichi looked from the cake to Shuichi, “Happy birthday dear Kokichi, happy birthday to you.” he smiled, nudging him slightly. Kokichi quickly took the hint and blew the candles out, smiling ear to ear, he started to giggle only for it to turn into a small cry.
“Hah?! Kokichi are you o-” “Thank you,” Shuichi froze up blinking a bit his face contorted into mild confusion and shock. Kokichi just grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him down to his level, “Whaaat? Can’t believe a simple thank you?” he giggled as Shuichi continued to gawk like a fish.
“You still in there?” he giggled letting him go, both of their faces being bright red, Shuichi nodded nervously laughing, “Let’s just cut the cake already,” he walked around Kokichi’s kitchen pausing and looking back at him. “Second cabinet on your right,” he opened it blinking a bit as he saw a wide array of knives, “Are your parents assassins?” he looked over his shoulder as Kokichi started to laugh, having to pause in his task of taking the candles out.
“Fuck if I know! But you’d think they’d hide their weapons better if they were!” Shuichi chuckled as he took a smaller knife from the rack returning to Kokichi and shutting the cabinet door, “Well you’d be surprised how many criminals don’t hide their murder weapons well when they are mundane enough,” he tossed the knife in his hand feeling its weight.
“Seriously?” he rolled his eyes as he pushed the cake to him and hopped off his seat going round the table, Shuichi started to cut it carefully, “Yeah, most don’t realize they need to put hydrogen peroxide on it so that it can’t be picked up by black light.” Kokichi picked up a random plate from the cabinet, Shuichi followed him with his eyes as he moved around the kitchen.
“You walk around with a black light in your pocket all the time?” Shuichi chuckled, pulling a tiny black light keychain out of his breast pocket, flashing it in his face, “Hey!” they laughed as they continued on to plate up the cake. They sat together and ate smiles on their faces as a comfortable silence fell between them, “Wait did they actually put potatoes on the pizza?” Shuichi looked at the pizza with narrow eyes glancing at Kokichi who almost choked on his piece of cake laughing.
“Did you not check?!” he yelled laughing as Shuichi’s face lit up a bright red, “No…” he bowed his head hoping his face didn’t resemble a tomato too much. Kokichi pulled the box over and opened it. On a fourth of the pizza was a handful of french fries clearly put on after the pizza was cooked, they glanced at each other, “Dang they barely put an effort in!” Shuichi shook his head rolling his eyes, “Or remembered only last minute,”
They looked at each other for another moment before they broke down laughing, the air around them almost felt like laughing gas as they couldn’t seem to stop, their stomachs started to hurt but they could care less as they leaned on each other and the table in front of them.
“H-how about we actually eat this before it’s gone completely cold?” Kokichi giggled looking at Shuichi through the light tears that dripped from his eyes, Shuichi quickly nodded looking at the other toppings blinking a bit, “You eat pizza with tomatoes and mushrooms?” Kokichi giggled while picking up the side of ranch out from next to the box, “And ranch!” Shuichi blinked quickly, staring at him as if he had a second head, “What? It tastes great!” He took a slice and dumped a large blob of ranch spreading it onto the slice before taking a large bite looking at him.
“I guess Miu isn’t winning the pizza bet-” “The what?” Shuichi shrugged taking one of the plain cheese slices, “I dunno, she and a few others made bets on who liked what,” he rolled his eyes moving his free hand around next to himself, “She bet you ate pizza with pineapple,” Kokichi faux gagged, “Ew disgusting! It’s too sweet for pizza!” the detective rolled his eating slice.
“She sucks at guessing other’s preferences.” Kokichi laughed, finishing his slice, “She guessed I liked olives.” Kokichi paused, looking over at him swallowing whatever remained in his mouth, “Aren’t you allergic to olives-?” “That’s what I said!” they laughed and took another slice, “Why don’t you try my combo?” he blinked a bit looking at the ranch drenched mess. “Sure? I mean it wouldn’t hurt-”
Shuichi almost choked as the slice was basically shot into his mouth, he bit down and only then did Kokichi pull it away giggling, “So?” he purred as he continued the same slice, “It is actually not as bad as I thought,” Shuichi wiped the corners of his mouth with the back of his hand, his face lighting up red.
“What pizza do you like actually anyway? I doubt it is actually potatoes,” he giggled looking at the yet to be touched sector, Shuichi cringed a bit looking away, “I actually like onion and egg-” “Egg?!” he sighed, eating his slice not meeting the purplet’s gaze, “Yes.” Kokichi giggled more while eating his food. “Well better than pineapple and anchovies or something,” Shuichi chuckled, “Oh lord who could tolerate either separately let alone together?”
They laughed more, eating most of the pizza before they made it to the potato section, it was three slices but it appeared odd still, they glanced at each other. “Should we try it?” Shuichi shrugged taking one of the slices, Kokichi took the other, “Yeah, on the count of three?” they nodded looking at their slices.
“One…” they started holding it carefully so the fries didn’t fall off, “Two…” they took a deep breath and brought the slice up, “Three!” They took bites into the pizza and pulled away blinking a bit looking at each other. They chewed the bite Kokichi swallowed, putting the slice down while Shuichi went and spat it out into the trash can, “That’s…”
“They really don’t go well together.” Kokichi chuckled looking over at him, “Is it the texture or the saltiness?” Shuichi took his slice and threw it in the trash bin, “Yes.” Kokichi laughed, handing him the remainder of the pizza in the box. “Well then what’s next on the agenda?”
He took the box and threw it out looking at Kokichi raising a brow, “What did you really think I’d be doing all the heavy lifting today?” Shuichi rolled his eyes, sighing, “Well then how about we play some games in your room?” He offered a smile at Kokichi who’s cheeks lit up a light red. “Aww you trying to seduce me detective?”
Shuichi’s cheeks instantly went a bright crimson and his heart skipped several beats, “Wha-?! No-wha- I- ye- ha?!” he seemed to malfunction for a moment as Kokichi broke into a fit of giggles, “Come on let’s go I have Mario kart,” he stood up going out looking back at Shuichi.
“May my little pet bring the panta to my door like a good boy?” he giggled as he spoke in one of the most teasing turns of voice he had ever spoken, Shucihi slapped his cheeks a few times before going and getting the remaining case of panta. “Aww do you like being praised and called a good boy?” Kokichi teased as he leaned against the door frame.
Shuichi wanted to die as he walked past him and into the leader’s room, Kokichi giggled following him with a smile. The two stayed in a comfortable silence as Kokichi set up the game, Shuichi glanced at him every so often doing his damnedest to be subtle with his glances.
His attempts were in vain as everyone in a ten kilometer radius could tell he was(albeit shamefully) eyeing Kokichi, and Kokichi could very much tell, he was starting to feel all bubbly and giddy from the attention. He took one of the switch controllers tossing it to Shuichi, who scrambled a bit before getting a hold of it much to Kokichi’s amusement.
“You good there detective?” he giggled, Shuichi nodded sitting down on the floor, “I’m just fine,” Kokichi sat next to him and looked through the options screen. “Hmmmm,” he looked at Shuichi, “Rainbow road, I dare you,” Kokichi perked up grinning. “Oh you’re on!”
The two put together a random set as their characters and started the first race, “Son of a bitch!” “Toadette what the fuck?!” they screamed at the screen as they continued to play. The other races followed a similar pattern of them getting their asses beat by Toadette over and over again. “No fair!” Kokichi cried as they lost to the ai.
Shuichi groaned, “New goal, beat Toadette in the next race?” Kokichi nodded, looking at him, the two nodded again, a look of burning determination being shared as they started another race.
They worked away going through round after round, cursing and screaming each time they saw the pink character grace their screen. It was a few hours past dark when they finally beat the character and were above her in placement.
The two looked at each other grinning giving each other a fist bump, smiling tired and out of breath, “Nice.” they put their controls down looking at each other. Kokichi brought his hand up slowly to Shuichi’s cheek as Shuichi mirrored him, they looked at each other for a moment before closing the distance left between them.
The kiss was short and soft but it rejuvenated them after their hours of war, they pulled away smiling tiredly, “You taste salty,” Kokichi giggled smiling. Shuichi chuckled looking at him, “Well of course,” they fell into another bit of comfortable silence before exchanging more quick soft tired kisses.
Each kiss filled them with a little more energy, “I like you Shuichi, romantically specifically,” Kokichi bit his own lip as he looked at him. Shuichi smiled at him looking him in the eye, “Well I feel the same,” he pulled Kokichi into another kiss smiling. “So will you be my boyfriend then detective?” Shuichi nodded quickly, smiling more, “Yes, yes I will.”
They eventually moved to the bed laying together, Kokichi’s head on Shuichi’s chest, “Happy birthday Kokichi,” he smiled petting his head. Kokichi giggled and hugged him, “Thank you Shuichi, for all of today, this is the best birthday I’ve ever had.” Shuichi smiles, kissing the top of his head.
“I’ll make next year even better,” he promised as the other giggled, smiling, “We’ll see,” he cuddles up to him yawning. “Night Kokichi,” he smiled as the other shut his eyes, falling asleep.
Shuichi smiled as he held him close, he didn’t even notice how his phone was ringing in his small piece of heaven.
To say the least Shuichi was grounded for a week for scaring his uncle half to death by not answering his fucking calls.