Chapter Text
"Gundham, are you okay?"
Gundham opened his eyes and met the concerned gaze of his consort.
They were both lying on the bed in Kazuichi's room in the -cursed- Strawberry House. Gundham had been concerned about the well-being of his paramour and had come to give him some comfort, in his own way, of course, which was to hold him while Kazuichi slept to ignore the deep pain in his stomach and the growing weakness of his mortal body.
Gundham only admired his consort's face for a few seconds before closing his eyes again and hugging him to his chest, listening to how the stomach of the love of his life growled at the lack of food, which made Gundham feel frustrated at not being able to do anything to help him.
"I'm fine, you should keep sleeping." He lied.
Kazuichi frowned, not entirely believing his explanation.
"I don't know, I feel like there's something off about you, are you sure you're okay?" He pressed him again, trying to get some information out of him but he should know better than anyone that Gundham was pretty stubborn.
Gundham sighed, "Instead of questioning my well-being, you should be more concerned about the weak state of your mortal body."
"Eh?" Kazuichi blinked in confusion and shifted slightly to look at his boyfriend's eyes, "Are you worried about me?" He asked, chuckling softly as he watched Gundham's cheeks flush red.
"It's-...It's normal for a Dark Overlord to worry about his consort..." Even though Gundham tried to make his voice sound haughty as usual, he couldn't help but end up stuttering.
Kazuichi's -beautiful- eyes twinkled at his boyfriend's confession and a goofy smile played on his lips.
"Yes, you are right. Thank you for worrying about me, my lord." He laughed sweetly for a moment until the sharp pain in his stomach made his smile disappear and was replaced by an uncomfortable grimace.
Seeing that, Gundham's face darkened. He lifted one of his hands from Kazuichi's waist up to his hair and made Kazuichi lean his head against his chest again.
"You should rest, your mortal body does not have enough energy to support staying awake." He murmured, resting his chin on Kazuichi's head and returning his hand to his waist.
"Yeah, you're right..." Kazuichi sighed, "But you don't have to worry so much, you know? I'm sure this won't last long."
Gundham frowned, "How are you so sure, my paramour?"
"Just think about it, I doubt very much that Monokuma is going to let us die so easily. I mean, he is very obsessed with us killing each other but if in the end we all die because of him then he would be left without his precious game, right? So, I'm sure if we hold out a little longer, eventually he'll get bored and let us out." He proudly said, "Trust me, my gut never fails!"
A small smile settled on Gundham's lips upon hearing the last sentence, but that smile only lasted a second before it disappeared.
Gundham didn't say it, but he couldn't believe Kazuichi's words no matter how much he wanted to.
"Okay, but you should still return to the Dream Realm before the remaining energy in your body runs out."
Kazuichi sighed, "Okay." He murmured, closing his eyes and letting his body rest somehow, ignoring the deep discomfort he felt.
Gundham waited a few minutes, caressing his waist over his clothes and after a while he pulled away from Kazuichi just a bit to look at his sleeping face, feeling guilty for having lied to him.
Gundham wasn't one to lie, but in this case he couldn't let Kazuichi know that he wasn't okay at all. Although it wasn't for the fact that he hadn't eaten for several days thanks to Monokuma's evil incentive.
No. It was because Gundham had made up his mind right then and there as he held his precious consort to his chest and tried to give him some comfort at this darkest time in their life.
Gundham had decided that he was going to murder someone.
He had never thought about the possibility of taking the life of a mortal being, much less one of his allies. But he had no other choice. Monokuma's cursed incentive was gradually destroying all his allies and among them was his Prince of Darkness, his beloved Kazuichi.
Gundham is able to bear the loud rumbling of his stomach and the growing weakness of his cursed body, but what he couldn't bear is watching his beloved get weaker day by day, to the point where his body was almost unable to move.
He knew that if this continued... Kazuichi could die.
That thought was what prompted him to decide that he should give Monokuma what he wanted so that he would finally stop all of this and let his consort and his allies be free from this hell.
It was not an easy decision to make, but there was no turning back. Gundham was determined to sacrifice himself and another of his allies to ensure the survival of the others... Even if it meant that this would be the last time he would have Kazuichi in his arms.
"..." Gundham pursed his lips.
He'd be lying if he said that thought wasn't painful, because it was. But he couldn't afford to be weak now. This was all for Kazuichi, for his Prince of Darkness, for the love of his life.
He pressed the body of his paramour against his with a little more force, burying his face in Kazuichi's soft hair, getting intoxicated with his sweet fragrance for the little time they had left. After this, he will never be able to hug Kazuichi like this again, he will never be able to see his bright smile or feel his sweet lips against his. All of that will end.
They had been a couple for a while, but none of their mortal allies was aware of that, for them they were nothing more than rivals fighting for Sonia's attention.
But the reality was different, they were a couple who had decided to unite their paths and be together through better and worse.
Until death do them part.
Gundham's eyes darkened and he slowly pulled away from Kazuichi, careful not to wake him. His Four Dark Devas of Destruction approached Kazuichi and rubbed their heads against his cheek as a farewell before going over to Gundham who took them in his hands and let them climb up his arms until they were nestled inside his scarf.
Admiring for the last time the sleeping face of his paramour, Gundham leaned down and gently kissed the forehead of the love of his life for the last time, then he separated and went to the door of the room but before opening it, he turned his face to look once again to Kazuichi.
'I'm sorry.' He thought, remorsefully.
'I'm sorry for lying, for not being able to trust you, for not being able to stay by your side, for abandoning you.'
He turned and left the room, carefully closing the door behind him. He adjusted the scarf around his neck and walked towards the stairs, feeling how his own soul leaves him with each step he takes.
It's okay, everything will be fine.
Gundham will end this.
Kazuichi opened his eyes once he heard Gundham's footsteps leaving his room. He sighed deeply and then cursed under his breath, "Agh! Fucking Shit!"
If you were to ask the -current- Ultimate Despair, Kazuichi Souda, how he felt about going a few days without food, with all the grace of someone with his title he would say... It's a fucking shit! How the hell could other Despairs go through this hell without wanting to die?
Ah yes, the pleasure of despair, of course. What a fucking shit.
He let out a loud sigh followed by a growl that he didn't know if it came from his mouth or from his stomach.
"Dammit..."
This was the worst idea he had in his life... Well, the second. The first one was having started this Killing Game to begin with.
Kazuichi looked towards the door where Gundham had left a moment ago, probably to his own room. Seeing that he was completely alone, he decided to curl up on the side of the bed where Gundham had been just a few moments ago, enjoying the little warmth that was left.
When Kazuichi started this Killing Game after being captured by the Future Foundation, he thought that everything would be simple, that he would do an excellent job as The New Ultimate Despair, one even better than that bitch called Junko Enoshima. He wanted to show the world what true despair was by sabotaging Makoto Naegi's plan, and making The Remnants of Despair suffer the same despair as class 78.
Yep, that's what he thought.
The truth is that Kazuichi is aware that his plan failed the moment he began to hesitate about wanting to continue with this game.
He doesn't know exactly when he started having that thought, maybe it was during the party that 'Togami' organized or the fun but terrifying concert that Ibuki did or maybe... It was when he fell in love with Gundham again and discovered that the feeling was mutual.
His cheeks began to burn and he felt his heart begin to beat like when he was a teenager and had not yet succumbed to Junko's despair.
Gundham didn't remember and Kazuichi doesn't know if being the only one who remembers everything that happened is a blessing or a curse. The two had been dating since they were at Hope's Peak Academy, and they remained a couple even when they fell into despair and committed various criminal acts together until they were captured and locked up in the Neo World Program where Gundham's and the other's memories were erased.
As far as Gundham knows, they had been dating for a short period of time, but as far as Kazuichi knows, it was several years that now only he remembers.
The first time he saw him -without that giant snake surrounding him- it was quite surprising. Gundham looked a lot less scary than when he was a Remnant of Despair and somehow, he was really adorable, it was like seeing the Gundham he had fallen in love with in the Academy and Kazuichi couldn't help but fall in love with that version of him again.
He thought that nothing bad would happen if they got back together, he believed that it wouldn't ruin his plans.
And he was right, his relationship with Gundham didn't ruin his plans, but it was one of the reasons why he began to hesitate about continuing this game.
Not only did he fall in love with Gundham again, but he realized that this life wasn't that bad. When he celebrated at the party organized by 'Togami' or at Ibuki's concert, he found himself wishing that those moments filled with joy and without despair would never end.
Then the murders started and that happiness ended. Kazuichi thought he would finally feel the pleasure of despair again, but what he felt was a heartbreaking pain that grew stronger when he had to execute the ki-... No. His classmates that he himself had tortured until they had no choice but to kill.
It was then that he realized there was something wrong with him.
What was it exactly?
Has the Neo World Program affected him in any way?
Why did he no longer feel the pleasure of despair?
Why did he only feel pain and fear every time he thought another murder would happen?
Yes, there must definitely be something wrong with him. He should be reveling in his own misery and his classmates as he looks forward to the next murder but that is not the case.
He was terrified.
'I need to stop this game.'
'I need to stop this game.'
'I need to stop this game.'
Over and over again that thought flooded his mind and he couldn't take it anymore.
At that moment, he remembered the way Gundham had taken care of Kazuichi just moments ago.
Kazuichi knew, Gundham was possibly in as much pain as him and the rest of his classmates but he still pretended to be fine and hugged Kazuichi while he slept, taking care of him and supporting him despite the fact that he was suffering.
Contrary to how he was before entering the Neo World Program, this Gundham was just how Kazuichi remembered him when they were at the academy. He was loving towards Kazuichi and always did whatever it took to make sure he was okay. Of course, this doesn't mean that he didn't love Gundham when he was a Remnant of Despair. It's just that this version of him is more... Authentic. As if this was the real Gundham.
And maybe it is. That was why Kazuichi felt too guilty seeing him suffer and couldn't take it anymore.
"I need to stop this." He muttered to himself.
With what little strength he had, he got up from the bed and went to one of the room's walls, placing his hand on a specific part of the wall that caved in after a couple of seconds. At that moment, the wall parted, revealing a large hidden elevator. He stepped into the elevator and pressed one of the countless buttons that led to different parts of the island.
He sighed as the doors closed and waited patiently as the elevator move until it finally stopped and the doors opened revealing a large room filled with various computers and countless screens showing each and every corner of the Jabberwock Island, the most eye-catching thing was a door with Monokuma's design that was in the middle of the multiple screens.
He walked to the door and opened it, the room looked like something out of a sci-fi movie, with a large control panel that split in two, the panel on the left controlled the multiple Monokumas hidden throughout the island, and the panel on the right controlled...
With all the grace of a Mastermind, Kazuichi flung himself against the swivel chair and got closer to the panel on the right. He pushed one of the buttons and immediately heard a noise behind him, as he turned he saw one of the walls of the other room open, revealing another Kazuichi... Well, a robot very similar to him.
Smiling with pride, he once again admired his greatest creation, the only one in all the universe. It was an exact replica of himself that he had created to use in those moments that he needed to control Monokuma and be on the island at the same time to prevent his classmates from suspecting him.
He turned his gaze to the panel and pressed another of the buttons, this made the screen of the panel light up and he could see what Robo-Souda was seeing, which was nothing more and nothing less than Kazuichi sitting in his chair while he controlled it.
Oh for Atua's sake, his hair is a mess, when he comes back to his cottage he must do something about it...
'No, now is not the time.' He thought to himself, shaking his head slightly.
He started to control Robo-Souda and easily made him take the elevator back to his room in the Strawberry House and made him lie down on his bed, pretending to be sleeping in case someone decided to come in.
He put Robo-Souda into Stand-by mode and sighed deeply as he left the Control Room to go to the other room and sit in front of a random computer.
Alright, now he should come up with an excuse to stop this incentive, get his classmates out of the Funhouse and then end the Killing Game... Yes, it was certainly easier said than done.
The problem wasn't the excuse he would use, since for him Monokuma is like a capricious child who gets bored with a toy and then throws it away. Kazuichi wasn't lying when he told Gundham that it was a possibility that Monokuma would let them go out of sheer boredom. The problem was his classmates, even though Monokuma is a bastard -this is funny coming from the person who controls Monokuma- he doesn't lie but still his classmates don't trust him at all so just say he wants to finish the game and leaving will possibly only make them paranoid.
He sighed in frustration and got ready to think of a quick solution to this problem when he suddenly noticed a strange movement in one of the cameras.
"Mmh? That's weird, it's not time for Monokuma's Tai-Chi yet, who's up so early?" He wondered, turning to see where the constant movement was coming from and realized it was coming from the camera in the Final Dead Room.
But as soon as his eyes locked on that camera, his blood ran cold.
"Gun-Gundham...?"
Seeing Gundham in the Final Dead Room gave Kazuichi a bad feeling.
His hands began to shake as much as his body and he suddenly felt like he couldn't think straight, he didn't even remember to activate Monokuma to give Gundham the student profiles when he completed the Final Dead Room, he couldn't do anything but watch in panic each of his movements.
In his anxiety, he thought.
'I need to stop this game.'
He quickly shook that thought off his head.
"No... Gundham, he-... He wouldn't murder anyone... Hahaha, that's right, he would never hurt anyone!" He tried to convince himself.
'I need to stop this game.'
But Kazuichi underestimated the damage he himself had caused.
'I need to stop this game.'
He couldn't do anything but watch in horror at the consequences of his own actions.
'I need to stop this game.'
No matter how hard he tried, his body didn't move and his mind couldn't think straight as he watched absolutely everything through the camera.
He saw with his own eyes how his boyfriend murdered Nekomaru Nidai.
It was then that Kazuichi realized that there was nothing wrong with him, just that he was finally feeling what true despair was. Until now, he always believed that despair was a feeling similar to pleasure but it was not like that, it was a horrible, heartbreaking and painful feeling.
As painful as knowing that in a couple of hours he is going to have to execute the love of his life with his own hands.
"No!" He yelled, feeling his throat ache as much as his chest at that moment, "I'll stop the game, I promise-...I promise I'll stop it! Just-...Please..."
Tears fell down his cheeks non-stop and the pain in his chest made it harder and harder to breathe.
It was all his fault, he was the one who started this stupid Killing Game in the first place and even though he knew he should have finished it a long time ago, he waited too long to make the decision and now it was too late.
Suddenly, a thought crossed Kazuichi's mind.
"No, it's not too late yet... I can still do something to stop this." He muttered to himself shakily as he tried to control his breathing.
It's okay, everything was fine.
Kazuichi will stop this game once and for all.