Chapter Text
Kazuichi was affectionate with everyone on the island.
Since they only had each other, the former remnants grew closer than before. They worked for the Future Foundation on the real Jabberwock Island, helping to repair the damage they had caused. They lived in small cottages, not dissimilar to the ones in the Neo World Program, but a bit larger and more suited to a permanent living arrangement. The work wasn't easy, physically demanding, and mentally difficult to come face to face with consequences of actions that were theirs, but that they didn’t quite remember. It was as though it had happened in a dream at this point, if they had any memory of their despair days it was as though they were outside of their body, watching someone else use and abuse their talents to bring despair to the world. It was hard to reckon with. For all of them.
Kazuichi turned to small affectionate acts to show love and appreciation to his friends. It was simple but it built camaraderie between them. It was proof they were not alone in going through what they had to. Sonia had been one of the first people who opened her arms to him, after some very genuine apologies from Kazuichi and a discussion about boundaries. Having both survived the Neo World program they’d spent a lot of time together, there was no romantic potential between them, but Sonia’s hugs were a calming, grounding presence on those very bad days, and he was happy to be there for her too. The bad days had eased up but their bond was strong and they could be open with each other, near each other without freaking out. He still called Hajime his "soul brother" and they still spent a lot of time talking. They could easily lounge together on the same couch, arms touching, a hand on the shoulder while walking, and around each other's shoulders during a casual hangout. Through Hajime he'd also gotten closer to Nagito. After designing and building his robotic arm there had still been some awkwardness, but they hung out as a trio when Kazuichi had to do maintenance on his arm. There was a forced closeness there, and they came to understand each other a bit more, and bonded over styling Nagito's hair on particularly unruly days. It wasn't that Kazuichi was particularly great but that he understood the issue, and soon Nagito's thin arms around his shoulder were as familiar to him as Hajime's. Fuyuhiko was a bit prickly upon leaving the program, he’d suffered the most loss of them all, but when he was ready to be around others he clung to Kazuichi more than the others. Neither of them was sure exactly why, only that they’d quietly been looking out for each other all this time. When Peko and Fuyuhiko started dating almost as soon as she woke up, Kazuichi tried to take a step back, until Fuyuhiko called him out and they returned to their brotherly bond, ruffling each others’ hair, leaning against each other when tired, it's just that Peko was there too. She was less into the physical touch but glad Fuyuhiko had a friend, opting for smaller greeting gestures, fist bumps and the like. Ibuki and Kazuichi became fast friends and were very comfortable with each other. She'd grab his hand to drag him off to participate in whatever idea she'd had that day. Usually ridiculous, but usually fun. They'd fall over each other cry-laughing by the end of the day and have some little in-joke to reference to set it all off again. Hanging out with Ibuki meant he got closer to some of the other girls. Mikan had grown more confident, but after going through some of the more intensive rehabilitation seemed like she always needed a hug. She was happy to receive them, even more so now understanding nobody had ulterior motives. Hiyoko and Mahiru were less receptive but had fun making up a new secret handshake for Kazuichi to learn on a near weekly basis.
Kazuichi was nowhere nearly as affectionate with Gundham.
It was not for lack of trying on Kazuichi's part. He’d tried to treat Gundham like everyone else, but then he mentioned that his skin was “poisonous to the touch” and Kazuichi stepped back. Not because he believed Gundham’s statement to be true, but because he knew better than to push his limits; It was quietly understood that Gundham’s claims of poison were a way to ask people not to touch him. Kazuichi had a proper conversation with Gundham, that if he truly didn’t want any contact he’d honour that, but this was how he showed appreciation for his friends, and he didn’t want Gundham to feel left out or less than anyone else. Gunham did genuinely consider this, and decided that touching his coat was okay, that way there was a layer of protection from the poison, but not for too long otherwise it might seep through. Kazuichi obliged, tracing his hand across his back if he walked by, or a quick pat on the shoulder to say hello. It was nice. If Kazuichi lingered too long Gunham shot a look at him and he knew to disengage.
It worked for their friendship.
Except for the fact that they both wanted more.
It was no secret to anyone on the island that they had feelings for one another. No secret to anyone other than the two men in question.
Kazuichi was fearful of coming on too strong, too pushy, he’d been there before and it was both embarrassing and unsuccessful. This situation would be better. He could not deny he looked forward to those small touches, sneaking them in wherever possible. Planning routes so that he had an excuse to walk past Gundham. Otherwise he was constantly sneaking glances at the man, he still kept up his gothic aesthetic on the island, but left his hair down. Something about Gundham's strong eyes, enhanced with smudged eyeliner, combined with the bleached hair falling over his face sent butterflies flying around Kazuichi’s stomach every time he saw him.
"Why doesn't he like meeee?" Kazuichi whined, lying on his back, legs flung over the side of Hajime’s couch.
"I'm pretty sure he does," Hajime called back absent-mindedly from his desk. He'd been preparing some documents for the Future Foundation. Being the leader of the group they’d been training him for a leadership position.
"He keeps brushing me off though,” Kazuichi continued.
"Dude, he barely lets anyone touch him in the first place!" Hajime didn’t know for sure if Gundham was into his friend but it was getting kind of obvious something was going on, and Kazuichi was not picking up the hints on his own.
"Maybe he doesn’t want to look attached to me while he waits for someone else," Kazuichi mumbled.
"Yes, maybe he has a whooooole scheme," Hajime said very sarcastically, rolling his eyes, then turning to face Kazuichi, "Look we're all very supportive of your feelings, we think it would be very cute if you got together, but you're going to have to make a proper move one of these days. I’m not going to take that from you, it’s your decision to make. I won't interfere, but Gundham might just need to have it spelled out for him."
Gundham did, in fact, need it spelled out for him.
"I cannot let him get any closer for I fear it would plunge my kingdom into ruin," Gundham was having a similar conversation with Sonia on the floor of his own cottage. They had picked up their friendship where it left off, their shared interest in more dark and macabre subject matter bringing them together once again. Gundham felt most safe with her, he still considered her to be his Dark Queen, albeit platonically.
"He is just trying to feel connected to you Gundham, that is all" Sonia gingerly patted his forearm with her own gloved hand. Gundham smiled and accepted the gesture.
"He is connected to so many, his displays of this are abundant. Why would he need my companionship? My cold touch would be inadequate,” his eyes were fixed to the floor, brows furrowed.
"It is not about need,” she responded softly, “the ways of the heart are not so logical.”
"I want him, my greatest desire is to love him, to accompany him during every sunset and sunrise. Yet I fear that feeling. If his fingers so much as graze my skin the touch will be imprinted on me forever, and I fear he won't even feel a spark while my icy heart is on fire."
"If that happens then I promise we can sit in the walk-in and eat ice cream until your heart freezes over again," Sonia giggled but the sentiment was sincere.
Gundham knew he had friends now, but it was a nice reminder that there really were people looking out for him, other than himself. There was no malice or bullying when people played along with his phrasing now. People understood him, they wanted to understand him and he wanted to be understood, but the walls he’d built around himself could not topple so easily. They were there for a reason, they kept him safe and comfortable. They were like a fortress. Maybe he had a drawbridge for friends now. Maybe he was letting people in a little, behind the first wall, but his heart was fortified. He didn’t know if those walls would, or even if they could tumble down, unless Kazuichi showed up with an emotional sledgehammer.