Work Text:
It was five minutes before class was supposed to start and Chihiro still hadn't arrived. When she didn't show up for breakfast that morning, Kirigri just concluded she had gotten wrapped up in a programming project, but Chihiro was always early for lessons. Aside from Chihiro, the last two missing students, Junko and Celestia, filed in at the last moment. Monokuma-sensei stood and shut the door behind them and strode back to his desk.
"Good morning students! Everyone be seated for roll call!" he said in his faux cheery voice.
Kirigri tried to ignore her irrational quickening pulse. Hope's Peak Academy was your average boarding school for elite students; it wasn't plausible Chihiro was any danger. Still, Kirigri stood up.
"Excuse me Monokuma-sensei, I'm going to go check on Fujisaki."
"Please be seated Kyouko-kun, lessons are starting now!" Monokuma-sensei said, giving her his strange half grin. What a strange guy.
She ignored him."I'll only be a moment."
Kirigri strode across the room and left before Monokuma could object. Once she was alone, she dropped her façade of composure and she ran the distance to Chihiro's living quarters. Hesitating for only a moment to catch her breath, she knocked on the door, perhaps with a little more force than necessary.
No answer.
Kirigri forced herself to count to five before raising her hand to knock on the door again. Just then, the door swung open.
"Kirigri-san?" Chihiro croaked.
Ah. So that's what happened. Chihiro's frail body was about ten times paler than usual and covered in a sheen of sweat; there were dark circles under her golden green eyes.
"You're sick," Kyoko stated.
"Oh, yes. I'm very sorry to trouble you Kirigri-san! I meant to come down to breakfast and tell everyone I'd be absent today but...I fell back asleep. I'm sorry if I worried you."
"There's no need to apologize for being sick, Chihiro. Just go lay back down," she said forcefully.
Chihiro nodded and obediently crawled back into bed while Kirigri walked into her bathroom. The bathroom, as expected, was meticulously kept. She pried open the bathroom mirror/medicine cabinet, only to find it was empty, save for an extra tube of toothpaste and an emergency inhaler. She also checked the bottom cabinet which was empty as well, besides some well used cleaning supplies.
"You don't have any medicine." she said, reemerging from the bathroom.
"Oh...sorry, I ran out a while ago and forgot to get more."
"It’s fine, I'll go get some from the school nurse."
Chihiro sat up. "You don't have to! I'm okay like this, please don't trouble yourself!"
Kirigri walked over to her, and gently pushed Chihiro back onto the bed. "I'm not troubled."
"But-"
"If you have a fever, your voice must be sore. Don't wear yourself out." Kirigri grabbed the covers and pulled them over Chirhiro.
"Nngh," she protested softely.
"The heat is uncomfortable, but it will help you sweat it out. Stay here, I'll be back shortly."
Kirigri closed the door softly and hurried to the infirmary. She knocked on the door and a second later Mikan-san was yanking the door open with enough force to knock her on the floor, splayed out obscenely.
"I'm sorry!" she cried out, scurrying back into a standing position.
"It's fine."
"Ah, Kirigri, it's you! What can I help you with?"
"Mikan-san, do-"
"Huh? Oh, you don't have to add -san, I'm only the student nurse assistant. I'm not worthy..."
"Do you have medicine for a fever? Fujisaki is sick."
"Oh, yes! Please wait a second!" Mikan rushed to the back office of the infirmary. A second later she returned with a large plastic case. "Here Kirigri-san! This is everything you need to cure a fever! Inside is medicine, a c-"
"Thank you, Mikan." she paused for a moment. "You've been very helpful."
Her eyes lit up. "Th-thanks! Make sure to take Chihiro's temperature! If it's over forty degrees Celsius, please bring her to the infirmary!"
"I will, thank you," she said, taking the heavy case from Mikan.
Mikan beamed. "Come back anytime!” Kirigri left and walked back to Chihiro's room, still at a fast pace, despite being slightly worn out from walking back and forth. She didn't bother to knock; she simply pushed open the door. Chihiro was still under her covers, but she was propped up on pillows and typing vigorously on the computer.
"What are you doing?" she asked, shutting the door behind her.
"Oh, I though since I stuck in bed anyways, I might as well do some programming," she said quietly, her voice rough.
"No. You need to rest. Shut that down," she said sharply.
Chihiro looked like she wanted to object, but she complied anyways. Kirigri set the case down and pried it open, digging out a thermometer first. She wanted to take Chihiro's temperature herself, but she thought that might embarrass the younger girl. Instead she gave the thermometer to Chihiro and pulled out the medicine. She shook out two pills and got a bottle of water out from Chihiro’s mini fridge: Chihiro handed her back the thermometer.
"Thirty-eight degrees. That's good. Here, take these, they'll help it go down more."she said, handing Chihiro the pills and the water bottle.
Kirigri walked back to the to the bathroom and took a washcloth of its holder to dampen it with cold water. When she returned, Chihiro was still clutched the water and pills.
"I'm sorry to be difficult, and you went to all this trouble, but I-I hate pills. Especially these ones, I used to have to take them all the time when I was little. I know it'll take longer to get better like this but it's okay! I don't mind." Chihiro gave her a small, apologetic smile.
"I do. You shouldn't miss so much of your studies. Please take your medication, even if it's unpleasant."
Chihiro didn't respond but she dropped her gaze and pressed her lips together. Kyoko sighed, set the wash cloth on the nightstand and climbed onto the bed. She'd learned early on in their friendship that Chihiro had a weakness for physical affection, so she gently brushed strands of Chihiro's soft brown bedhead away from her face. With her left hand, she softly stroked Chihiro's hair and with the right, cupped Chihiro's cheek; she let out a soft sigh and leaned into Kirigri.
"Please take your medication. I'll reward you afterwards." she said, using her softest 'Naegi, don't get frustrated,' voice that she usually reserved for studying.
Chihiro's soft brown eyes grew wide with curiosity. "A reward? From Kirigri-san? Like...a good job sticker?"
Kirigri laughed under her breath. "No, not that kind. It's something only I can give you."
If it was possible, her eyes got even wider. Then, suddenly, she screwed them shut and shoved the medicine in her mouth, taking a large drink of water. She gasped hard afterwards, but smiled triumphantly none the less. Kyoko smiled back warmly.
"Was it bad?" she asked, as she took the water from her and set it back down on the nightstand.
"No...I guess it wasn't so bad."
"I'm glad."
"Um...Kirigri-san...m-may I have my-aah!"
Chihiro gasped when Kyoko lightly took her head between her hands and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. Chihiro's forehead was fire hot; she was glad, she wanted to feeling burned into her lips forever.
"Lie down now." Kyoko commanded after she released her.
Chihiro flopped down unto the bed like she'd been struck by lightning. Smiling, Kirigri laid the washcloth across her forehead. Then she pulled a cough drop out of the case, handed it to Chihiro, and closed up the rest of the case. Next, she walked over to Chihiro's dresser and slid open the drawer where she kept the few movies she had.
"We're going to watch a movie now, is this one okay?" she asked, pulling one of the movies out and holding it up for Chihiro to see.
She lit up. "Oh, yes! It's my favorite!"
"I know," she mused, pulling out the mini DVD player and sliding the drawer shut.
"You do?"
"Yes. This movie's cover is more worn out than the other ones."
That was a lie. She'd overheard Chihiro tell Naegi about the movie a few months prior.
"Wow! You're so clever Kirigri-san!" Chihiro graciously scooted over, and Kirigri put the movie in. The movie started off soft and slow, with sweet music draped over a scenic scene. Syrupy romantic movies were secretly Chihiro’s favorite, because ‘everyone always ends up happy at the end!’. A few minutes into the movie Kirigri reached over and took Chihiro’s hand.
“It’s so warm,” she mummered.
“I’m sorry,” Chihiro said, trying to pull her hand away, but Kirigri clutched it tighter.
“Is my own hand cool? Or does it feel too warm against yours?”
“Yes! I mean, no, it feels nice.” She gulped. “But…anything you’d do…would feel nice, Kirigri-san." she mumbled.
Was her face so flushed because she was sick, or? All her rational, logical thoughts seemed to drain right out of her mind at once.
"Chihiro, what are your feelings towards me?"
"Wh-what?"
"What am I to you?" Chihiro squeezed her eyes shut.
"Why...are you?"
"Do you trust me?"
"Yes! Of course I do Kirigri-san!"
“Do you trust that no matter what you tell me for an answer, I’ll remain at your side?”
Chihiro bit her lip and gazed down.
“Why not?” She didn’t answer.
Kirigri squeezed her hand. “You can trust me. And I know that I can trust you, despite how foreign it feels. I promise, I won’t abandon you. So please, tell me what you feel towards me.”
Kirigri felt a stab of guilt. Maybe it was too much; maybe it was wrong to ask such a question when Chihiro was in such a weak state...but it was too late. For months now, the feeling had welled up inside her and now all of it was spilling out, like a dam had broken. Every little thing got to her; Chihiro's dazzled eyes whenever Kirigri shared the slightest observation, her unbreakable concentration when she was programing, the way she hid behind Kirigri slightly and clung to her jacket, but never failed to step up and yell at Togami when he went too far. Even the very beginning of their friendship stirred feelings in her chest she'd never had before.
…
"Kirigri-san...can I ask you something?" She looked up from her book. "Yes." Chihiro sat down, clutched a handful of grass, and took a sharp inhale. "I want to come out to the class...as...as a trans girl...but I'm afraid to do it by myself! Please come with me when I do it, Kirigri-san!" Kirigri blinked, and tilted her head to the side. "I see. You have my support.” “Really? Thank you so much! I’m so happy!” she said with watery eyes. “But why me? Wouldn't Naegi be more comforting? He is very kind, I am certain he'd be happy to help." Chihiro smiled. "Those things are true but...Kirigri-san is so cool! And smart! If you are on my side, no one will oppose me, I don't think." "I understand." Kirigri stood up and held her hand out to Chihiro. "Shall we go then?"
…
Several months later, the instinct to protect Chihiro was still as strong as ever.
“Chihiro? Say something please?”
“Yes! I do like you! I really really like you! You’re so cool and smart and beautiful and even though most people think you’re cold you aren’t! You’re so kind! You always look after me, it makes me so happy! Please don’t think I’m disgusting now, Kirigri-san!” she shouted, her scratchy voice breaking.
Kirigri’s heat skipped a beat. “Chihiro.”
She wouldn’t meet Kirigri’s gaze.
“Chihiro .” Kirigri said again, snaking her hand around Chihiro’s head and pulling her down onto her shoulder.
“Huh?”
“Please do your best to get better soon, so I can give you a proper kiss.”
From out the corner of her eye, Kirigri saw Chihiro’s whole face light up, her big beautiful eyes watery and wide.
“Yes! I promise I’ll do my very best!”