Work Text:
Today marked five years exactly since the destruction of Hope's peak academy. The world had recovered, the best way it could. It hadn't been truly destroyed, nor wiped clean. That was yet another one of the Mastermind's lies. The outside world was filled with people who believed the people suffering in the killing games were only actors. In a way, that was true. Kokichi had been an actor in those 'games' all of those years ago, as had the man sleeping beside him. They had recovered together, and gotten very close. He and Shuichi were both light sleepers, so he was easily stirred awake by the sound of him waking up.
"Hey! You're never up at the same time as me!"
Shuichi didn't respond right away, sitting up in bed and coughing, whimpering at the pain and irritation it caused to his throat. Kokichi sat up in alarm, wrapping his arms around the other man's waist. He quickly realized his boyfriend wasn't choking, however. So he settled for hugging him from behind instead. His breath was wheezy, and his hands felt cold and clammy to the touch.
"You sound like shit. Don't tell me you're going to work like that."
"Sorry, Kokichi. I can't miss it today. I have to.. Ugh.."
"You definitely can. Stay right where you are, I'll call your boss."
"No. I can't call out today, I've been working on this case for months, and the forensic team found new evidence today! I need to be there to look over it... I'm the senior detective!"
"Yeah, that sounds very important and all... But you're conveniently ignoring that you are literally five seconds away from death. Can you at least sleep for a little longer? You're up an hour early. This is disturbing. Why do you like working so much, Shuichi?"
Shuichi chuckled at his partner's malaise from him going to work. Kokichi, ever the sensationalist, was utterly deadpan unlike usual. Not even a hint of a smile made it onto his face.
"I don't know, I've always been that way. I just feel bad if I don't go... I'm going to set a timer on my phone. Please wake me up if it doesn't, okay?"
"I will, you just get some sleep, okay?"
"I promise. Are you sure you're okay with me going to work?"
"Oh, totally! Someone needs to make money around here! I'll even drive you."
That was enough to make him close his eyes. Then, and only then did Kokichi start grinning from ear to ear. He quietly left the room, taking Shuichi's cell phone and replacing it with a similar sized object. He shouldn't have bought that excuse, and would never have, had he been healthy. All the more reason for Kokichi to follow through with his plan. It was easier than he previously anticipated to mimic Shuichi's voice, and much harder to think of a reason he would personally call off work.
"Um.. Sorry, I know it's late to call out, but... I'm so sick I can't even get out of bed. Is it okay if I stay home? Haha.. Yeah, I know, I never take a day off, but.. I'm just not feeling like myself today... Oh, thank you. You'll give h- me the whole week off? Oh, thank you so much, really.. See you soon 'kay? goodbye.."
He knew he was being a little greedy asking for the entire week off, but Shuichi would simply have to forgive him. Kokichi learned through that small phone call that he'd never so much as taken a holiday off, choosing the extra pay over his free time. He opened the other man's phone just to shut the alarm off before it went off on its own, and put it back where it belonged.
Of course, Shuichi immediately stirred, opening his eyes. He tried to disguise the hand still under his head as a loving gesture, but Kokichi had been caught red-handed. The detective looked out the window, and then at his partner again.
"You called my boss, didn't you?"
"Yeah. Sorry. No, I'm not actually. I got you two days off, you're welcome~"
"What? A week? I can't be gone that long... The whole department will fall apart. I'm the only senior detective on the team!"
"Shuichi. You sound insane right now. Your job doesn't need you when you're sick... And you are sick. You can't lie to a liar."
"Okay? well... I can't just sit around, no one has time to look after me.."
Kokichi stopped in his tracks before responding, almost appalled. He gestured toward himself as if offended by what Shuichi was implying. When Shuichi didn't appear to understand, he pretended to cry. His words were punctuated by pouty lower lips and fake sniffles.
"I guess I'm nobody then... ugh.. ahuhu.."
"You have to work, too. Did you call off from your own job?"
"Oh. Shit."
He feigned surprise perfectly, calling the number and listening to the voicemail. "Oh, I forgot, I only work when there's an election coming up!" "You're going to be working again in a few months, right?" "Nah. They only let you work one season." "Really? Seems inefficient." "It was a lie, silly. How were you planning to go to work in your sorry state? Of course I'm taking care of you." "I don't know.. I was just gonna push through.. Didn't know I'd be so... Tired..." Shuichi awoke many hours later to find the house seemingly empty. He was less exhausted now, and had slept off some of the fever. It was still too high to make any plans, however. He sighed as he took the thermometer left by the bed out of his mouth and read the screen. Shuichi wrapped himself tightly in a blanket, curling up on the couch to watch some television instead. He was nearly about to doze off again when Kokichi finally returned, with multiple shopping bags. He beamed at Shuichi as he took his shoes off and walked into the living room.
"Aww.. Good morning patient zero~ Still mad at me for making you stay home? You're all red in the face..."
"No. I didn't wanna go anyway... Thank you for stopping me.. I would have felt terrible if I went to work."
"So you admit it!"
"Yes, you were right. Sorry."
"It's nice when it happens... Nihihi. But, anyway, more important.."
He took the back of his palm and pressed it to Shuichi's forehead.
"Du- babe, you're burning up... You need to lay back down."
"Did you just almost call me 'dude' instead of babe?"
"Yes. No. You're having auditory hallucinations. I'm stressed, okay? My evil organization members never get sick... Now I've quit that rotten life, and my dear little country-mouse husband is ill.. You need to go back to bed, and sleep it off."
"I want to watch TV, though.."
Kokichi sighed, clicking his tongue in joking disapproval.
"Fine. These are if you get a headache."
He tossed a bag at the couch, and it landed near Shuichi's feet. He picked it up, untying it. He sneezed and coughed a few times before being able to, but was delighted to find it was filled with all kinds of goodies. Not just snacks he'd regularly buy for himself, but things he'd offhandedly mentioned liking only once, or only while sick. Almost immediately, he tore into the bag of his favorite cough drops. Kokichi seemed to be proud of himself thanks to his reaction.
"I.. didn't know you remembered I liked all these things, Kokichi. Thank you."
"How could I not? You're always telling me you like things. I've gotta remember what you like, since I gave up being evil to be with you and all.."
"I wouldn't say you gave up. Your evil is just a little nicer now."
"Aww, thanks babe... It means a lot to me that you notice the way my evil has changed. I'm so happy you're my insane sycophant~"
He seemed genuinely happy, but Shuichi wasn't sure exactly where the lies were. Over the years, he had tried to learn. Kokichi just found joy in giving him endless codes to crack, and mysteries to solve. It baffled and often enraged him in the killing game. But now, it was just an endearing quirk about his longtime boyfriend. He found it a strange dichotomy to parse, but a welcome one. He smiled.
"I like the new evil you've got going on lately. Is this part of it? Am I evil, too? Since we're together."
"Aww, you like it? Let's change that. Here. Drink this torture serum."
Kokichi gave him a small kiss on the forehead before presenting him with a cup of daytime cough medicine. Shuichi drank the entire thing without questioning what it was, and unsurprisingly, found himself completely unharmed. When he came back from rinsing out the cup and putting the syrup away, Shuichi asked a question. .
"Is it torture serum because it tastes terrible?"
"Maaaaaaybe. Is that your final answer?"
"What?"
Kokichi covered his hand with his mouth, laughing. He took something out of his pocket, covering it with both hands to keep it obscured.
"Sorry, sorry. I didn't have a good entrance. I got you a gift."
"A gift? But you got me all of this stuff.."
"I used your card. And it's not a gift if you need them."
Shuichi was alarmed for a moment, until he realized his wallet had been sitting on the coffee table since before Kokichi came home. He sighed.
"I... Think you're devaluing your own efforts a little. It means a lot that you're taking care of me. We don't have to unpack that right now, though. What did you get me?"
"Uh... It's super special. No. No- um.. I mean. It's nothing special, I just... Got myself a soda and they had that kind you like."
"The one that was discontinued?"
"No.. The regular one. And.. Don't mention it. It's no problem for me."
Kokichi was giving him mixed signals again. He seemed bashful about the gift. Shuichi wondered to himself why. 'Is he worried it's not special enough for me?' It seemed like an odd thing for someone like Kokichi to be worried about. His confidence and bravado was almost infectious, sometimes emboldening Shuichi too. He found it strange that a man like that would fear inadequacy. He smiled as the cold can was pressed into his palm. Kokichi had lied about what kind it was. The pear flavored drink had been discontinued last week, and people frantically bought the last cans in a panic. But it was in his hand anyway. He wanted to hug Kokichi, but didn't want to give him whatever he had. Instead, he set the can down and took both of his hands.
"You found me one?"
"Y- no. Yes. Don't ask what I had to do to get it."
"Why not?"
"Because it's not funny, or interesting. I just bought it 'cause I thought of you."
Shuichi leaned down, kissing the air above Kokichi's forehead. He looked in the bag again, finding two facemask with puppies printed on them inside. He offered the purple one to Kokichi, taking the black one for himself.
"I guess you get a day in the life of a wicked, tyrannical leader... What do you want to watch? I don't want you to even touch the remote."
"Why can't I touch the remote? What if you're not there to press it for me?"
"You're filled with diseases, and you may well be terminal. And I feel like it. Take advantage of favorable circumstances sometimes, why don't you?"
"Oh, alright. But I won't be a tyrant. You're the one making you do all of this for me, Kokichi. You know that, right?"
"Nope. That's not possible. Tell me what you wanna watch."
"Hmm.. Sitcoms, please. How's it not possible?"
"How can I not want to? I mean, look at you? You've got that irresistible pathetic sickly guy charm! And that voice~ My goodness.."
Shuichi looked at him strangely for several minutes, trying to tell whether he was being serious or not. He shook his head softly, not understanding the appeal. He remembered that coveted soda on the table, and cracked it open. It was still good. He placed a straw inside and slid it under the face mask to take a sip. It eased the discomfort in the back of his throat that the medicine hadn't yet touched.
"Are you messing with me?"
Kokichi gave him a stunned deer-in-headlights look for a moment, face reddening quicker than he could cover it. He laughed softly and looked away, forcing himself to laugh harder as if it was a joke. It was very subtle to anyone else, but Shuichi had known him for long enough to tell. Deciding to torment him a little, Shuichi put his drink back down, wrapping an arm around the other man's waist and speaking in an intentionally husky voice.
"What? Do you think I sound hot when I'm sick? Don't lie~"
"I'm supposed to be taking care of you!! Sir!!!"
Shuichi laughed until there were tears in his eyes, coughing and curling up into a ball in his blanket. Kokichi pouted at him until he couldn't keep himself from laughing anymore. He sat back down on the couch and watched TV with him for a while.
"You never answered, though. Do you?"
"Wouldn't you like to know, under-the-weather boy?"
"C'mon, please? I wanna know."
"Never. Sorry."