Chapter Text
“Ah-hahaha! Shu-chan is so funny when he gets all flustered like this… B-but hey! Stop distracting me! I really want to read this story with you.”
The teal-haired boy, despite blushing deeply and trying to pull his nonexistent hat down, smiles fondly. His boyfriend is so dead-set on reading him a picture book. The book is about sea animals, mostly sharks and dolphins. After hearing about how much Shuichi likes that dolphin plushie, Kokichi has decided to buy many dolphin-sea animal related things for him - even more plushies, a matching onesie set for them, word and picture books like this, and etc.
It’s very thoughtful of him, really. Shuichi feels teased but also cared for, so he can’t really tell Kokichi to stop. They’re just sitting under a tree at their schoolyard. Kokichi’s back is facing the older boy’s chest, so it’s really comfortable, too.
They start examining the pictures together, and all the time, Shuichi has this embarrassed-touched blush on his cheeks. After a while though, Kokichi’s voice starts to falter. It’s like his smile is missing from his voice - so suddenly, too. The boy shifts on his lap, and continues reading- “…It says that ‘shark’ actually means ‘the dog of the sea’ in many languages-“ But Shuichi stops him with a knowing look on his face. The older high school student turns his boyfriend around, and looks down at him.
Like nothing’s happened, Kokichi’s still smiling. “What’s wrong, beloved?” He even asks. But Shuichi can really feel him get stiffer by second, and he frowns. He feels the boy’s forehead with the back of his hand. “You don’t have a fever,” he whispers to the boy. “What’s wrong? Please tell me. Is it the… stomach pain again?”
After this, Kokichi looks around for a second- probably to see if there’s anyone familiar in the yard. He confirms there’s no one, and then his façade breaks only by a little. He squeezes his eyes shut, then opens one slightly. When he’s expressing his pain, Shuichi can most-likely tell that he isn’t lying. Because Kokichi doesn’t really like the type of “Sick and needs to be caretaken” kind of attention. In fact, it makes him feel physically ill when people show signs of pitying him.
Shuichi sighs and grabs his hands with his bigger one. Kokichi caresses Shuichi’s hand with his thumb, but he really - really looks like he’s trying to hold a cry in. A few days ago, and actually - more than just once in the last few weeks, Kokichi has been getting these strange stomach pains. They have no idea why and Kokichi is refusing to see a doctor. Shuichi assumes it’s because he’s scared of actually getting diagnosed with something, or he doesn’t really take his own pain serious.
… Well, Shuichi has to do that in behalf of him. This can’t really go on like this. He gets up and Kokichi looks up at him, puzzled. He pulls the boy to his feet too, gently, and wipes both of their pants to clean them off grass. “What’s wrong?”
“We’re going to the infirmary.” Shuichi claims firmly. Kokichi is about to open his mouth, but Shuichi signals him no by squeezing his hand. “No. Look, I see that you refuse seeing a doctor, but you trust Tsumiki-senpai, don’t you?”
“But still-“
“No ‘but still’!” Shuichi insists with a slightly louder tone. He won’t get mad at Kokichi. There’s no point, he tells himself. “I should’ve brought you to a doctor the second I saw you crying from pain last week, Kokichi! Do you remember the last time you cried?”
He cracks one eye open again. “Uhh… no.”
“Exactly. I can’t even imagine how much pain you were in - and are still in! Even if you’re unnerved by hospital’s- Tsumiki-senpai is kind, and she won’t judge you! We’ll just take our leave after she prescribes you whatever you need. I promise it won’t take long. Please don’t make me any more upset, Kokichi.”
It’s a low blow, but it stops him rejecting. The younger boy’s shoulder’s slouch and he sighs quietly. Shuichi looks down at him, also having a gentle and understanding expression. He stops Kokichi from walking the same pace as him for a second and kisses his forehead. “I’ll be by your side.”
“…”
They arrive at the nurse’s office. They’re supposed to be at class right now, but the teachers would understand if Shuichi asks Tsumiki to write the teachers a note for them when they’re leaving. Shuichi doubts there’s something really wrong with Kokichi. There… can’t be. Shouldn’t be. Kokichi has been adjusting to an a lot more healthier lifestyle lately. And that’s for real. Shuichi makes him go to sleep early, and encourages him to not skip breakfast, and they take walks sometimes. Kokichi… just has to be experiencing some trivial issue. Still, remembering how he cried last week, makes Shuichi clutch his own chest in unmasked agony.
“A-ah! Ouma-san, S-Saihara-san! What b-brings you h-here? What h-happened?”
“We just wanted to see our favorite nurse~” Kokichi sings, but Shuichi puts a reluctant hand on his shoulder to pull him against himself. He looks at the sweet, pale mauve-eyed girl. “H-hi, Tsumiki-senpai. Kokichi has been experiencing really bad stomach crumps lately.”
“O-oh?!” She makes a loud, high-pitched sound. She quickly gestures Kokichi to sit down so she can take a better look. “H-how severe is it? Ouma-san, c-can you tell me t-the exact symptoms?”
“Nope! I don’t really want to talk to you until you brush your teeth!” The boy grins, swinging his feet as he sets on the examination bed.
“B-but I did-“
“Kokichi!” Shuichi calls, exasperated. “She’s just trying to help! Don’t make this so hard, please.”
Tsumiki wears a mask she pulls out from her pocket even though Kokichi tells her ‘he was just joking’. “N-no no, I t-try to brush m-my teeth often but- m-maybe I’m just… naturally bad-smelling… I-I understand.”
“Geez, you’re no fun.” Kokichi falters with a nonchalant expression, a bit intimidated by the look Shuichi is giving him and guilty by Tsumiki’s gullibility. The ultimate nurse examines him for around half an hour, says she might need to take a test and this might be a lot more important than it seems. The words are like blades to Shuichi’s heart, and he starts to pace around the room anxiously when Tsumiki goes to run the blood tests. After she leaves, while holding his bandaged arm, Kokichi groans in pain and holds his lower belly with another hand. Shuichi quickly walks to his side.
“Is it really that bad?” He asks, but he knows the answer. He brushes Kokichi’s hair out of his eyes and kisses his bandaged arm. Thankfully Kokichi isn’t afraid of needles, or he’d have thrown a huge tantrum - Shuichi knows he would. He kneels so the boy sitting on the bed is looking down at him, his legs are at Shuichi’s both sides. The taller boy also caresses his leg affectionately. “Shu, I promise you it’s not that bad! Here just goes Tsumiki-chan b-being dramatic again…”
Shuichi smiles sadly. A few minutes later, Tsumiki comes back in the room. She’s holding some documents on her left hand and some liquid thing in a container on her right hand. The detective quickly rushes to help her because, well, it really looked like Tsumiki was about to trip right at that second and he wants to learn what’s with Kokichi without any more delays.
“S-so, what did the blood test say, senpai?”
Tsumiki looks defeated and like she’s about to cry. She is radiating very, very much stress in the room. “I… I-I don’t know…! T-there seems to be something wrong, w-with Ouma-san, b-but I can’t fathom what it is! A-actually, Ouma-san s-shouldn’t e-even be sitting u-up right now! H-he needs to start his treatment i-immediately!”
“Wait, what?” Shuichi doesn’t understand. He looks over at Kokichi and his boy looks just as confused. He puts a hand on the boy’s knee. “I don’t get it… He’s in a state where he shouldn’t even sit or stand up, but you don’t know what is it? What treatment are you even going to give him if you don’t know what is wrong?”
“I-I-I’m sorryyy!” Tsumiki cries out. Her cheeks look red with distress, and she looks like she’s about to break any second. “I’m g-going to call t-the ultimate d-doctor later, s-so she can also take a look. T-there’s some kind of… tumor? S-something alarming? I-it was like… I can’t e-explain it! L-like Ouma-san’s blood was poisoned- but not w-with actual poison!”
Shuichi is flabbergasted, he is feeling so many emotions but the top ones are anxiety and worry. S-still, if he is this worried, Kokichi must be feeling awful right now. The boy’s face doesn’t reveal anything, but Shuichi knows - who could stay calm at a moment like this? Things happen so quickly, Tsumiki gets Kokichi into hospital clothes and lays him down. There are some tubes going inside of him and having absolutely no idea what they are only makes Shuichi’s anxiety worse- but he trusts Tsumiki, and he has to trust Kokichi! He’s strong. T-there’s nothing… nothing serious. (He tries to tell himself.)
Tsumiki renews the IVs often, and Kokichi is just laying down on the hospital bed, chatting with Shuichi like there’s nothing wrong. After a few hours- Shuichi can swear Kokichi’s skin looks a lot less healthy- and Tsumiki did say his blood was basically like it was poisoned!
“The dorms are like a three minute distance from hereee!” Kokichi exclaims with exaggeration. “I’m not going to die if I’m separated from Shu-chan for a few hours! Go sleep on your bed and don’t make me tell you twice!”
“B-but you look awful!” - “Gee, thanks!” - “How can I leave you in this state? Y-you… you have an undiagnosed illness, and the said it might be terminal! Oh my god, I’m going t-to lose my mind…”
“Shuichi-chan.” The boy says with a voice so much calmer than his boyfriend’s. He just looks at him, undisturbed, until Shuichi stops fidgeting around nervously and makes eye contact. “Like you said, it’s the ultimate doctor and the ultimate nurse who are treating me. No matter how terminal is it, I’m sure they’ll be able to cure me. Come on, I won’t die overnight!”
The older one bites his lip to stop himself from shouting. Not at Kokichi though, he just wants to… scream, do something, do anything. If he agrees to go to his dorm now, then they’re going to convince him to go attend his classes while - while Kokichi is suffering here in agony! Will they expect him to accept? How can he accept? What if the boy gets worse- what if he dies?!
He hears Kokichi exhale. Then the boy opens his arms, a-and Shuichi might be magnifying it but even Kokichi’s wrists look smaller than usual to him, and he really doesn’t want to leave. Sobbing, Shuichi leans into the boy’s neck and let’s the smaller one hold him. Kokichi clumsily pets his head. He looks weak. He is weak. Wh…
“How about… you give me your shark? What was her name, uh… Yacchi?”
“Yes.” Shuichi sniffles wetly. “She’s Yacchi. And of course I’ll bring her to you.” He wipes his eyes with the sleeves of his jackets and tries to regain his composure. “Is there anything else you want, love?”
Love. “Uuuuhh… There’s one more thing but I’m afraid you’ll reject…”
Shuichi looks deadly serious. “Tell me. Anything you want.”
“Nishishi, you’ve dug your own grave! I want grape soda! And not just one can, I want a few cans that can at least accompany me until the sun rises!”
“I should’ve known.” Shuichi takes his nose between his fingers in mock annoyance but then laughs. “Sure thing, but I’ll have to ask Tsumiki-senpai first to make sure you’re allowed fuzzy drinks.”
“Ugh!”
“Hey…” Shuichi closes his eyes. “You like grape juice too, don’t you? I can bring you some of that. I’m sure senpai will allow it.”
The younger boy pulls the covers on himself. “Well maybe she’ll allow soda too! Also, if you’re getting me juice, I prefer apple to grape!”
“Noted.” He smiles warmly, and after kissing his forehead for one last time, Shuichi leaves the room.
…
He comes back with Yacchi and a few cartons of apple juice in his hands. He’s also brought a backpack full of Kokichi’s favorite snacks (healthier ones, unfortunately), music player, and some comfier clothes. In exchange, Kokichi gives his bracelet to Shuichi- he wanted to take it off because it made him itchy anyway, he says. Shuichi takes it happily but the ordeal makes him feel so wrong, and he just hopes his instincts are wrong.