Chapter Text
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Shuichi should have known something was wrong when Kokichi had been suspiciously quiet for almost fifteen minutes, because silence from him usually meant that something much worse was about to happen.
He sat at the edge of his bed, carefully sorting through several case files while the sound of Kokichi’s footsteps wandered aimlessly around his apartment.
“Kokichi,” Shuichi finally said, without looking up from the papers in his hands, “what are you doing?”
“Nothing.”
Shuichi immediately stopped reading.
“That sounded suspicious.”
“Wow, Shuichi-chan, I’m hurt that you would accuse your incredibly trustworthy boyfriend of lying.”
“You literally just said you were doing nothing while you’ve been walking around my room for ten minutes.”
“Maybe I’m practicing walking.”
“You’ve been walking in circles.”
“Exactly, I’m very dedicated.”
Shuichi sighed quietly before setting his papers aside, because he already knew there was no possibility of concentrating while Kokichi was acting like this.
When he finally looked over, he found Kokichi standing beside his desk with his hands behind his back and an unusually innocent expression on his face.
“What are you hiding?”
“Nothing!”
“Kokichi.”
“Okay, fine, maybe something.”
Shuichi stared at him suspiciously while Kokichi slowly brought his hands forward, revealing a small paper bag decorated with badly drawn purple stars.
“What is that?”
“A present!”
“For me?”
“No, for the ghost haunting your apartment.”
Shuichi blinked.
“Oh.”
Kokichi immediately burst out laughing.
“You actually believed me!”
“I knew you were joking.”
“Liar!”
Shuichi couldn’t stop the small smile that appeared on his face as Kokichi dropped the bag into his lap.
“Open it.”
Shuichi carefully pulled the tissue paper aside and discovered a small plush keychain shaped like a detective’s magnifying glass.
His expression softened immediately.
“You bought this for me?”
“No, I stole it from a detective-themed criminal organization.”
“Kokichi.”
“Fine, I bought it.”
Shuichi turned the little plush over in his hands, noticing the tiny purple ribbon tied around the handle.
“It’s cute.”
“Of course it is, because I picked it.”
“You usually don’t buy things for other people.”
“I do when they’re important to me.”
The words came out so naturally that Kokichi seemed to realize what he had said only afterward.
For once, he didn’t immediately cover it with another joke.
Shuichi looked at him quietly.
“Kokichi.”
“What?”
“Thank you.”
Kokichi’s cheeks turned slightly pink.
“Don’t get all emotional on me now.”
“I wasn’t going to.”
“You were totally about to cry.”
“I wasn’t.”
“You’re such a crybaby, Shuichi-chan.”
Shuichi smiled and gently reached for Kokichi’s hand.
Kokichi looked down at their intertwined fingers before glancing away with an exaggerated pout.
“You’re getting clingy.”
“You’re the one who gave me a present.”
“That doesn’t mean you get to hold my hand.”
“Then I’ll give it back.”
Shuichi loosened his fingers.
Kokichi immediately tightened his grip.
“No.”
Shuichi raised an eyebrow.
“No?”
“I’m allowing you to hold it.”
“That sounds suspiciously like you’re the clingy one.”
“I can let go.”
“You won’t.”
“I absolutely will.”
Kokichi stubbornly held his hand tighter.
Shuichi laughed softly.
“You’re cute.”
Kokichi froze.
His face turned bright red.
“Take it back.”
“No.”
“Take it back right now!”
“No.”
“I’ll lie and tell everyone you’re secretly obsessed with me.”
“You’re my boyfriend, Kokichi.”
“That’s completely unrelated!”
Shuichi laughed again, and Kokichi eventually gave up trying to hide his embarrassment, resting his head against Shuichi’s shoulder instead.
For several quiet seconds, neither of them said anything.
Then Kokichi spoke quietly.
“Hey, Shuichi?”
“Yeah?”
“Do you really like me?”
Shuichi looked down at him.
“I really do.”
Kokichi smiled against his shoulder.
“Good.”
“Why?”
“Because I really like you too.”
Shuichi’s heart skipped.
Kokichi lifted his head, grinning mischievously again.
“But don’t tell anyone.”
“Why not?”
“Because then I’ll have to admit that I told the truth.”
Shuichi smiled.
“Then I’ll keep your secret.”
“Good.”
Kokichi leaned closer and pressed a quick kiss against Shuichi’s cheek before immediately pulling away.
Shuichi’s face became completely red.
Kokichi grinned triumphantly.
“Got you.”
“You planned that.”
“Obviously.”
“You’re impossible.”
“And you love me.”
Shuichi looked at the tiny plush keychain sitting on his desk before looking back at Kokichi.
“Yeah,” he admitted quietly, “I do.”
For once, Kokichi didn’t make a joke about it.
He simply smiled and leaned against Shuichi again, quietly enjoying the warmth of being somewhere he didn’t need to pretend.
And Shuichi decided that, despite all the lies Kokichi told, there was one truth he would never have trouble believing.
Kokichi loved him.
And, somehow, that was enough.