Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Kaito focused on the rhythmic crunch of the gravel beneath the carriage wheels, trying his best not to panic over the upcoming event his grandparents made him go to. Typically he was able to face things head-on with a bright grin of confidence; however, this specific trip had him leaving his kingdom for the first time ever. His home, the Space Kingdom, was a land filled with beautiful night skies of shooting stars, famous for its studies in astronomy. There were many times when he was a young child that his grandfather would take him out to stargaze. He’d regale tales of the constellations to Kaito while they munched on star-shaped cookies his grandmother had baked for them.

The memories of home caused a soft ache in Kaito’s chest as he let out a shaking breath. He clenched tightly on his cape, a deep purple with tiny glittering sparkles, in an effort to settle his nerves. Honestly, he wasn’t sure why exactly he was so nervous! Although his heart belonged to his kingdom, the prospect of exploring foreign places had greatly excited him—even if it’s only to discuss an alliance between their lands. The Space Kingdom and the Dice Kingdom in recent years had tentatively begun to form a bond. But in order for it to be official, a marriage between them had to be held. Thus, the reason for Kaito’s visit was to speak with the Dice Kingdom’s prince to see if they were a potential match. His grandparents had conveyed the importance of this task to Kaito…which now that he considers it, is most likely the cause for his intense nerves.

He barely knew anything about the prince! Well, except that they were about the same age and both heirs to the throne. What did he look like? Was he kind, funny, brave, loyal? For galaxy’s sake, he wasn’t even aware of the guy’s name. Kaito just needed one piece of information to grasp onto. People of the Dice Kingdom are thought to possess remarkable intellect with clever minds adept at strategy and puzzles. It wasn’t enough to go off of; for all he knew, they could be exaggerated stereotypes. Kaito wanted to know the prince. It seemed his desire would be soon satiated as the carriage came to a halt in front of a large black and white castle. The flags were checkered print with a theatrical mask in the form of a diamond: a red smiling half and a white crying half. The symbol served to confuse and slightly unnerve him.

One of his coachmen hopped down to come open Kaito’s door for him, and after forcing on a wide smile, he stepped out. A small group of servants and guards was waiting to escort him into the castle, so he wasted no time in heading forward. He tried not to show just how rapidly his heart was beating as he entered the large, ornate throne room. His eyes flickered to the gleaming lavender gems dangling from a chandelier, the sight reminding him of the orrery that hung down from the ceiling in his own castle. A cough rang out in front of him, and his eyes snapped forward to meet those of Dice’s royal family. He hadn’t even noticed his servant introducing him and his royal title. “My bad,” Kaito quickly amended, “your castle is just very beautiful! Got a bit lost in it there.” With a slightly awkward grin, he rubbed the back of his head. The king and queen didn’t look very amused but refrained from any snide comments. His gaze caught onto that of the prince—wow, he’s pretty cute—who was smirking behind his hand. The dark plum strands nicely contrasted his soft pale skin.

The rest of the royal formalities seemed to go by in a blur, with Kaito absentmindedly answering in the traditional fashion he’d grown up being coached to do. His focus was kept solely on the cheekily smiling prince, who kept throwing him sly looks. He had learned the prince’s name was Kokichi, which had stumped him, as he’d thought a land notorious for being good at games wouldn’t have one of their royal’s names mean ‘little luck.’ And yet, there was some unknown charm to the guy he couldn’t help but be allured by. Perhaps it was his eyes, so full of mischief and youthful energy. Finally it was time for dinner as Kaito and Kokichi left to a private balcony together, a way for them to cultivate their relationship in a secluded setting. There was a small table where a servant had just finished setting up two plates of food and a bottle of low-alcohol wine for them to share. As soon as the servant exited, Kokichi spun to face him.

“Soooo Kai—can I call you Kai?” Kaito's face exploded in a flush at the nickname but was interrupted before he could protest it. “Anyway, tell me all about your kingdom! Do your people really study all the constellations and planets and space stuff? Do you guys seriously believe in aliens? Oh, oh, are you guys actually aliens?!” His eyes glittered brighter than the stars Kaito had spent years admiring. “W-wha?! No, of course not; that’s stupid!” He shouted, unsure if the prince was joking or not. Kokichi let out a shrill giggle that sounded exactly like a horse. Oh god, it was absolutely adorable. “I’m only messing with you! You guys are probably too boring to be cool galactic creatures.” Kokichi gave a look of pity mixed with teasing amusement. Kaito sputtered indignantly, “We are not! Space is a super exciting world of research. There are lots of interesting subjects like meteors, black holes—" “Yaaawn~. Don’t you have anything fun?” Kokichi burst out in more equine-like laughter as Kaito’s face morphed into a deep pout, his bottom lip sticking out. He couldn’t stay pouting for long, though, as the sweet sound forced him to smile.

“Fine then, what’s so fun about you guys, huh?”

“Well, my dear Kai, our kingdom is full of entertainment like clowns and circus performers and a bunch of games!”

“Circus, eh? Our kingdom doesn’t have many of those, but we do have a lot of plays and opera shows.”

“I bet all your plays are about your beloved space, aren’t they?” Kokichi taunted with a finger in front of his lips.

Kaito huffed and shot back, “We’re more than just space you know!”

“Nee-hee-hee~, you could’a fooled me! What with all the space imagery. Even the inside of your cape is space themed!”

Indeed, Kaito’s cape had a detailed design with an accurate display of the constellations shining in the night sky. His grandparents had given it to him on his 16th birthday, quite a wonderful night with an extravagant banquet.

“Hey, my cape is awesome! Besides, your outfit isn’t much better,” he pointed accusingly at the checkered print inside of Kokichi’s white tailcoat.

Kokichi smiled with a shrug, “Fair enough.”

The two princes continued their lighthearted conversation as they ate their meal, sharing easy laughs and learning more about one another. After a while of back-and-forth banter something starts to nag at Kaito’s mind.

“So wait, I've got a question. If the Dice Kingdom is so filled with enjoyment then how come your parents seem like such sticks in the mud? Ah, no offence.”

Kokichi blinks before letting out a snicker. “None taken! They are pretty stiff. Honestly, my parents view carnivals and other similar events as ‘frivolous peasant activities.’ The only type of fun they take part in is sophisticated, things like poker.”

“Wait, then how do you know so much if your family doesn’t go to them?”

“Well, who said I went with my parents?” He responded with a coy smirk. “Let’s just say I’m pretty good at sneaking around~.”

Kaito had a scrunched look on his face as he thought over Kokichi’s words. On one hand, he couldn’t imagine going behind his guardians’ backs to do something they’d disapprove of. But on the other hand, sneaking out just to go see a carnival wasn’t harmful. If his parents were so strict, then it wasn’t a surprise there’d be some rebellion.

Kokichi twirled the small amount of wine that was left in his glass, a small smile on his face as he seemed to be considering. Suddenly his gaze shifted upwards to look directly at him.

“You know… Your—” He cut himself off with a cough. “This…this has been a lot more fun than I thought it would be. To be honest, I was expecting you to be some nerdy scientist talking about calculations and philosophy and whatnot. Since you’re from, ah, the Space Kingdom and all.” His cheeks had a slight blush to them as he spoke, and his eyes were gentler than they were earlier in the night—perhaps in part due to the wine. The sight of it made Kaito’s heart skip a beat as he fought back his own reddening hue.

“Ye-yeah, it’s been pretty sweet hanging out with you too! I was a complete wreck on the way here. Wasn’t really sure what to expect.”

Hints of playfulness shone in Kokichi’s eyes as he dramatically swooned, a hand coming to his forehead. “Don’t you see, Kai, it’s destiny that we’ve crossed paths!~”

“Destiny?! No way! I don’t believe in that stuff, no matter what the sacred stars say.” His arms came up to lightly hit his fists together in a show of conviction.

“Sacred stars? Are you saying some stars spoke to you, because that sounds like a hallucination to me.”

“Wha—no! They don’t actually speak. The great astrologers in my kingdom are able to read the stars for divine messages. My people have a prophecy that a person’s fate can be read through the constellation they were born under.” Kaito’s finger pointed upwards to trace a pattern resembling his own constellation. Kokichi’s eyes followed along, entranced by the idea.

He gave a wide, beaming grin. “But although I do respect them, I don’t believe in it! I think you have the power to shape your own destiny.”

“‘Shape your own destiny,’ huh? What if the fate you want is impossible?” Kokichi asked with a raised eyebrow.

“That’s easy, the impossible is always possible! All you gotta do is make it so.”

It was quiet for a few moments as they locked into a deep stare. His expression was unreadable; Kaito wasn’t sure what the other prince was thinking at this moment. Slowly he began to shift nervously, worried he had accidentally said something offensive before Kokichi shook his head. “You’re a weird guy Kaito,” he stated in affectionate bemusement.

He puffed up and crossed his arms. “What’s that mean? I’m serious! If you sit around worrying about something being impossible then you’ll never try it. With enough hard work you really can do anything!”

"Is that right? Then I suppose you’d be up for a little challenge, hmm?〜”

“A challenge? What kind of challenge?”

Kokichi grinned with sinister mischief. “‘Only one of the most extreme high stakes games ever!”.

Kaito gulped, a drop of sweat rolling down his forehead. Yet, he stood tall, ready for whatever the game would be.

“You’ll have to beat me aaaat…chess!”

Kaito froze for a moment before letting out a squawk of protest. “Chess?! How is that a high-stakes game? There’s no danger in it at all!”

“I never said it would be dangerous! Chess can be plenty high-stakes,” he teased with a horse-like giggle. His face morphed into a low smile. “You said anything is possible, right? If you really think so, then you'll have no problem beating me in a game.”

Kaito froze as he digested the idea. Chess was one of, if not the, patron games of the Dice Kingdom. It was why so much of their decor was checkered black-and-white. Trying to beat the crown prince no less… He lifted his chin high as he next spoke.

“Hell yeah, I'll definitely beat you! Like I said, the impossible is possible! All you have to do is make it so, and a real man never goes back on his word.”

Kokichi sent back a look of excitement, lighting up as if he were a child on Christmas. “I was hoping you’d be dumb enough—I mean, brave enough to agree!”

Before Kaito could argue his intelligence, Kokichi continued, “Oh, we should do a reward for the winner! If I win, then you have to be my slave forever and ever! Sounds fair?”

“That’s not fair at all! I’d never agree to be someone’s slave.” He growled with a raised fist.

“Nee-hee-hee~, but I thought you said you’d definitely beat me? Are you scared you won’t?”

“Grrrr…fine. I know for sure I’ll beat you, so I don’t care what prize you pick! What do I get when I win?” Kokichi smirked and blew a short whistle. “Cocky aren’t we? Well I suppose if you win, thhheeenn…. I’ll agree to marry you!”

“M-Marry me?! I mean, yeah, that’s what we’re spending time together right now to figure out, but do you really want to base the decision on a game?” He furrowed his brows with hesitation.

“Oh don’t worry, I'm not. I already know I'll win so I have nothing to fear.”

“That’s it, let’s play now so I can beat you already! Just don’t go crying over it during our wedding.” Kokichi laughed and called for a servant to bring them a chessboard.

Predictably, as anyone besides Kaito could’ve guessed, Kokichi ended up being the winner. After some pleading Kokichi humoured Kaito by playing another round. Then another. And another… and another.

“Jeez Kai, I knew you’d be easy to beat but I didn’t think it’d be this easy! I mean really, it’s like you want to be my slave.” He boasted with a highly amused chuckle.

Kaito gripped his hair as he looked upon the chess board where he had, once again, been cornered and defeated.

“No that’s not it at all-”

“T-then you just hate the sound of marrying me th-that much?...” he lamented, eyes instantly watering with crocodile tears.

“N-no, I think it’d be great to marry you-”

Both of their eyes widened at the slipped confession. He debated diving off the balcony railing as Kokichi burst into delighted cackling. With a wheezing breath, Kokichi wiped a tear from his eye as he mused, “I’d ask if you’d want another round then, but I think it’s getting a bit too late. Despite how effortless these games have been, I've gotten rather tired. Buuut, if you want to play again so badly, then we can tomorrow.”

Kaito looked up to see the pitch-black sky, the stars sparkling down at him with a soft glow. He let out a defeated sigh. “Alright, we can end it here. But it’s not over yet! Tomorrow let’s have a rematch, and I’ll beat you for sure!”

Kokichi quietly looked at Kaito. The other prince was so determined, still not giving up after losing so many times. As foolish as it was, it was also kind of admirable. He was also pretty funny… It truly had been incredibly enjoyable to spend time with him.

The two bid each other a goodnight, exchanging one last smile before they parted to their separate rooms. Tucked cozy in his plush bed, Kokichi couldn’t fight back the lingering feelings of warmth and fondness. His hazy, exhausted mind had one last thought before he finally drifted off to sleep:

‘Maybe…it wouldn’t be so bad if I lost tomorrow.’

Chapter Text

Renjiro wasn’t sure exactly when he had woken; all he could focus on was the painful ringing in his ears. His head felt like it was stuffed with cotton as he tried to open his heavy eyes. After a few minutes to adjust to the dim light, he blearily examined his surroundings. He wasn’t too sure what to make of the cramped room he found himself in. It had to be a basement due to the stairway leading up. There were many boxes stacked against the wall and a small desk covered with messy sheets of paper and a tiny lamp. The text was illegible from this far away, not that his headache would’ve allowed him to read it anyway. Around his neck he could feel something thick but couldn’t tell what it was. From what little else he could gather, there seemed to be some kind of artificial scent—like that of…hair dye? Now that he was focused on it, he thought he could feel a light, itchy dampness on his scalp. Instinctively he went to run a hand through his hair, yet something stopped him. Looking down, Renjiro finally noticed that both his wrists and ankles had been tied tightly with thick black tape. 

In a panic he began to wiggle, trying to loosen his bonds. He flinched when his shoulder bumped against something beside him, the thing letting out a soft groan. His head swiveled to find a tied-up boy around his age with short hair that had clearly been amateurishly dyed a dark purple. The boy wore a black hoodie with skeletal bones for the ribcage/arms and a black collar strapped around his neck. It seemed the bump had jostled him into consciousness as he shuffled about. Slowly he cracked open his eyes, blinking with a confused look on his face. His eyes suddenly widened when he saw Renjiro, hurriedly glancing around to make sense of things. Eventually his eyes shifted back with a questioning furrow of his brows. 

“Where—” his voice cracked with a harsh cough from his dry throat. “W-Where…where are we? Who are you?? Why are we tied up???” With each question his voice grew higher with rising alarm. 

“I dunno, man; I only woke up a few minutes before you did. My name’s Renjiro…ah, what’s yours?” He awkwardly asked in return. This whole situation was fucking wack, like something straight out of a horror movie. Hopefully it didn’t end like one—

“Masaki…” came a hushed reply. The boy, Masaki, didn’t say anything else after that. 

They both stayed in strained silence while they took everything in. The two of them jumped when footsteps thumped from above, trailing towards the door to the basement. A soft click and creak rang out as a shadowed figure entered. Renjiro tensed and could feel the way Masaki subtly leaned into his side. The person reached up to turn on the overhead light, flashing them with the glaring brightness. Once the black dots had faded from his vision, he finally saw the figure’s appearance. It was a girl with a long, untidy dark brown mop and a sort of crazed look that instantly made his hair stand on end. The room was engulfed in an atmosphere so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. The girl looked between them, her smile stretching wider with each second that passed. He could feel Masaki’s shaking exhales against his neck. The stillness was abruptly broken when she clasped her hands together with an excited squeal. 

“Oh my gosh, I can’t believe I’ve finally found you two! I’ve been searching for so very long.” She stared at them expectantly but quickly grew annoyed at the lack of a response, only receiving baffled looks. Her face scrunched into a deep pout. “Well? Aren’t either of you going to say anything? Don’t you realize just how much work I put into this?! It’s not easy to kidnap people, you know. You could at least show a little bit of gratitude,” she huffed, crossing her arms with a stomp.

"Why the fuck would we thank you for kidnapping us, you psycho bitch!" The words had snapped from Renjiro before he could even think about it. Masaki trembled beside him, tilting his body so that he was turned away from the girl. 

Her eyes narrowed with an unreadable expression. “That wasn’t very nice of you, Kaito. Heroes shouldn’t talk to people like that. Apologize.” Each sentence was clipped with restrained anger. He could feel the other boy freeze and suck in a choked gasp. The terror pulsating off Masaki wasn’t enough to pull Renjiro out of the rage he had sunk into.

“APOLOGIZE?! Fuck you! I’m not apologizing for shit. And my name isn’t Kaito, so you’ve got the wrong guy.” His face bloomed in shades of red as he shook in fury and animalistic fear; his fists clenched so tight the knuckles paled white. 

The girl’s face was blank for a few moments before she gave him a pitying smile. “Ah, right, you don’t know. I’m sorry, I got way too ahead of myself! But don’t worry, I'll have you both remembering yourselves in no time!”

They looked at her with matching bafflement, as if she had grown a second head.

“What the actual fuck are you talking about?” Renjiro muttered with a disbelieving shake of his head.

“It’s the reason I brought you guys here! Your past lives are desperately trying to break through these false masks you call identities. Like you,” she pointed straight at Masaki, “Stop your cowering! Kokichi is supposed to be confident even in stressful situations. Not blubbering like a little baby.” Her words were sneered with contempt before easing into a smile. “But with my help, I can connect you to them! All we need to do is remind you of who you truly are. Kaito Momota and Kokichi Ouma!” She clapped in excitement, bouncing on the heels of her feet.

Silence returned once more, tension thick as her words hung in the air. 

Masaki’s meek voice tumbled out in shock. “Kaito…and Kokichi? A-aren’t they from Danganronpa? That’s just a TV show; they don’t actually exist.” 

Her mood quickly changed back to frustration as she narrowed her eyes at him, causing him to recoil backwards to press against the wall. 

“They are not fake, not just mere characters but actual people! I know them better than anyone; that’s how I know you both are reincarnations.” Switching abnormally fast back to cheerful, she cooed, “So, from now on I’ll make you look more like and act more like Kokichi and Kaito! You won’t have to live as these worthless, pathetic shells of your former selves any longer, mkay?~”

Renjiro’s vision went red as his pent-up feelings burst into violent action. He swung his bound limbs to lunge at her, aiming to hurt her in any way he could. And yet, as soon as he had moved, a blinding whiteness overcame his vision. His throat wretched out a horrid scream of pain, his body writhing in agony as something cruelly shocked his frame. After what felt like an eternity of suffering, he collapsed with a heaving chest. 

The girl proudly showed off a small remote as she smirked down at them. “Ah, ah! I wouldn’t do that if I were you. This handy little thing controls the collars around your necks. With one press of a button I can make you regret defying me.”

Masaki stared down at him with horror. "Renjiro?" he whimpered out as a soft whisper. He dared not move to check on him in case the psychotic girl targeted him next.

She twirled her hair with a satisfied hum, turning to leave upstairs. “I’ll be back later with some food. I suggest you get comfortable and consider your future behavior. I promise that complying will help you recover your memories! Then we can find your friends and help them too.”

With that chilling final message, the door closed shut, and the two boys were alone again.

It took a while for Renjiro to ease back up into a sitting position, heavily leaning against the wall as he panted; the memory of recent pain still sang through his skin. He tilted his head slightly to see how Masaki was holding up, wincing at the sight of him starting to hyperventilate. 

“H-hey man, are you ok?” Admittedly a very stupid question, but he wasn’t sure what else to say.

“Ok? ...OK?! You absolute goddamn idiot! Why would you trigger her like that?! How did you think it was a good idea to provoke a crazy kidnapper like that, especially when we have no way to defend ourselves? I mean, what would you have done if she decided to hurt us or kill us?!” 

Masaki’s hands tugged at his roots, staining his hands with purple dye as he let out a keening whine. Tears bubbled up and threatened to roll down his cheeks as he held back panicked sobs. “Oh god, we’re going to die. I don’t want to die! Please, I—I don’t want to die. I don’t want to—I c-can’t, please—” The last word was cut off as he broke down into choked cries, his breath coming out ragged as he devolved into a panic attack.

Renjiro felt his heart ache with guilt; he hadn’t meant to make the girl lash out and terrify Masaki so badly. Hesitating for only a few seconds, he reached out to place a hand on the other boy’s shoulder. “Hey, it’ll be ok! This situation is really fucked up, but at least we’ve got each other, yeah?” His head was lowered to try and look Masaki in the eyes through the gap in his shaking hands.

It took a while of deep breathing for Masaki to slowly lift his head to face Renjiro. The immensely awkward smile forced a miserable, humorless laugh from his trembling lips. “Ye-yeah,” he stuttered out with a sniffle. “I…I suppose that’s a bright side to this.” His words held a minor amount of hope to them.

They sat huddled together for comfort, quietly dreading what tomorrow might bring.

Chapter Text

As far back as Kaito could remember, he had always strived to care for others. It had been so deeply ingrained into his very identity that he could no longer tell if it was natural instinct or just a habit he couldn’t shake off. It had started at a young age with his grandparents, as they were at such an old age they had a hard time doing labor around the house. Kaito had felt so much love and gratitude towards them that taking chores off their plates had been an easy decision. Bending down to retrieve stuff from the lower cupboards, fetching the newspaper for his grandfather, and carrying the laundry basket for his grandmother. At first they had showered him with such praise that his heart practically burst with happiness. Yet, as he grew older, the help had slowly ebbed from being a thing to appreciate to an expected behavior. Once the novelty had finally worn off, so did the praise he craved with a fierce want. He started helping more with harder and longer tasks. While other children were outside playing, he would be outside mowing the lawn and tending to the garden. Kids would indulge in hobbies such as sports, music, and science; Kaito would be desperately seeking any chore or work that would make his grandparents proud enough to give that oh-so-addictive praise. There was one time, long ago as a young boy, that he had been enraptured by the stars above. But fantasy and wild imaginative dreams were for those who held control over themselves.

Eventually the meager approval he received wasn’t enough. He found out a much more generous source one afternoon at school. There, sitting alone at recess, was a girl from his class. Kaito had noticed her in the corner of his eye as he worked on his homework. She was one of the ‘weird’ kids, labeled that way due in part to her dirty, smelly clothes and her missing lunches. He wasn’t sure why, but her tears made his heart throb with a feeling he couldn’t quite describe. After he approached her with open kindness, sharing his own food and company with her, he had gained the soaring high he thrived on. It became a new obsession of his to help his fellow classmates. He’d help the academically struggling kids with their work, offer snacks to kids who forgot their lunch, and even mediate conflicts before they could grow into arguments. Every smile, word of appreciation, or just a gleaming look in someone's eyes would soothe some of the gnawing anxiety that bubbled in his bones. This continued into high school as he became a leader to his classmates, the person everyone looked to when they needed help. Although it got tiring sometimes, their relieved faces when he solved their problem were enough for him. It had to be.

Kaito knew he had succeeded in his goal when he received an ultimate title for all his effort and devotion: The Ultimate Supreme Leader. The moment he had been informed of his title, he knew this is who he was: a hero to guide people from darkness into a light that shined bright with hope! His new identity didn’t leave room for rest; no, he was as dedicated as he had ever been. Though, if he let himself rest for even a brief second, he could feel exhaustion nipping at his heel like a phantom haunting him. Any time not spent supporting others was time spent being plagued with a dreadful guilt that was all-consuming. But he was fine; he could manage anything! It’s what a hero does for the good of the group. Buried deep in his suppressed thoughts, Kaito sometimes wished he could simply be a follower of the group.

Perhaps that was one of the reasons that he found this death game to be so daunting. While usually he’d be able to put on a grin and tell people that everything was going to be alright, here, faced with so much fear and distrust and death, there was only so far those reassurances could stretch. But despite this, he had tried his best to still be of help! He had helped lead the group to fight against Monokuma as the time ticked down—only to end up failing as Rantaro was murdered and Kaede was brutally hung to death. Okay, so that was an awful tragedy that Kaito regrets not preventing, but he was able to befriend and take on Shuichi as a sidekick! The poor guy was clearly in need of help, or else his insecurities would stop him from being the best he could be. Maki was another person he had supported, as the group feared her for the famous murder she had committed. Though he knew she wasn’t a cruel or inherently violent person! This had been further confirmed to him during one of their training sessions when she told him and Shuichi why she had murdered those men. After she had won a tennis tournament that she had been warned to lose, the Mafia boss who lost the bet against her had ordered his men to burn down the orphanage she grew up in. She had loved those children and workers dearly; they had been a family to her. The loss was so painful that it drove her to enact revenge, uncaring of the consequences that would put her in jail. Her eyes shone with pained tears that night, and Kaito had wished with his whole heart for a way to help her. 

Unfortunately, there was one person who, no matter what he said or did, he could never succeed in reaching out to: Kokichi Ouma, the Ultimate Astronaut. Just as his name suggested, Kokichi had been so beyond his touch that he was a complete enigma. When Kaito would offer his support, Kokichi would laugh at him. When he’d lend a listening ear to his worries and stresses, he’d receive an insult in return. The floating figure was so far from his world that it seemed impossible to ever connect with him. And yet, Kaito found himself still so badly wanting to help him, to be his shining star in the black void of space. But how could he? How could he pull someone out of a hole if they’d rather be buried alive than take his outstretched hand? Eventually he gave up. There was only so much he could try before he finally acknowledged that this task was a brick wall he couldn’t climb. So, he focused all his attention on his two sidekicks and ignored the lingering tug that always led him back to that little lonely astronaut.

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Kokichi had always yearned for the stars. On the roof of the rundown orphanage, he spent most of his childhood gazing at their glittering forms, the soft moonlit glow like a comforting blanket on his heavy shoulders. Space had provided a fantastical allure that distracted from the aching loneliness in his chest. Scorching daylight only brought out people with their deceitful lies, their selfishness, and their harsh expectations that he’d never be good enough for. Over time he had developed a stitched-together facade of chaotic, mischievous energy. An image of wittiness and confidence that would keep the circling wolves at bay. There was only one specific place that he’d let his shields fall. When nowhere else provided relief from the mask he forced upon his face, the night sky was always there to witness his muffled cries and whispered thoughts. And so, he kept looking up and up until he had wrapped himself in a tight bubble of whimsical safety. Kokichi had always favored looking up to the skies rather than around at the crowds he could never fit into. One day, he hoped to go to space and finally be free of earth’s tethering restraints. 

As someone who didn’t care for society’s rules, it didn’t take him much consideration before taking the astronaut exams early by falsifying his age. Gathering the fake documents had been the hardest part. Acting the part of a lie was a natural talent of his, one that he used to full advantage as he charmed the examiners into letting him stay as a trainee. Pretending came so easily to him that at times he could even trick himself into believing a lie. Although at first he was cautious of the adults training him, with each new lesson he slowly grew to enjoy their company. The crew was made up of ten people, all differing in personalities and roles, yet all he trusted enough to view as family. They taught him how to play cards, chess, and even a few dice games. Spending time with them was one of the only places he felt that he belonged. With this family, the vastness of space didn’t feel like such an urgent need. 

Thus, when he was abruptly shoved into a killing game only imagined in nightmares, his guard was firmly sealed back up. In a place like this there was no room for trust or belonging; to thrive in a pack of wolves, you had to become one. All he had to do to prove this was look at Kaito, who pranced around like some ripoff superhero. His words were so cliche that the hollowness sickened Kokichi. Kaito didn’t treat him like an individual but as another weak citizen in need of rescuing. Despite that, buried under all the false bravado, he could see someone starved for real human connection. In better circumstances he might’ve given the guy a chance just for how much he could relate to that feeling. But not now; now vulnerability left you open for betrayal.

And yet, even with this reminder ringing warning alarms in his mind, he couldn’t help but grow attached. Gonta had just made it so hard to distrust him. So genuinely, openly kind, and innocent. His naivety, while unbelievably stupid, held a disarming softness to it that he couldn’t help but be lured by, like a child seeking out comfort after a bad dream. The Ultimate Artist had spent so much time with him, patiently showing him how to paint natural wildlife with beautifully lush greenery. Every piece was so detailed it made him feel as if they were really in the scenes. It had been more painful than he had ever felt in his life when he was helpless to stop Gonata’s execution, especially when he knew it had been his fault. The death of such a caring person, whom he had almost called his friend, was all his fault. It didn’t matter if Miu had used her abilities as the Ultimate Robot to hack into the simulation with intent to kill him. It didn’t matter how desperately he tried to claim that it was Gonta’s choice or that he shouldn’t have been so easily manipulated. In the end, his blood was on Kokichi’s hands. Now more than ever before he longed to drift mindlessly in the endless void of space.  

He supposed the immoral act made him just like the murderer he had insistently warned everyone about. Kokichi held no respect for that cold-blooded killer. Though he didn’t know much of Maki’s reasoning for her crime, as all she’d told the police was ‘revenge,’ he knew it wasn’t justified enough to kill multiple people. No one deserved to die; murder was abhorrent! Isn’t that hypocritical since he planned Miu’s murder? But no, that doesn’t count because she had planned his first. She even deceived Kiibo into using his skills as the Ultimate Inventor for her plan! Didn’t you delude Gonta into thinking he was killing for the sake of his friends? Shut up, shut up! He had to. It was necessary for his plan. His sacrifice would be worth it when Kokichi was able to end the killing game. As he wrote in his large script for the plan, he couldn’t stop his paranoid glancing at the feeling of a gentle yet sorrowful gaze. Now more than ever before, he longed to hide amongst the stars. 

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The clothing he’d been carrying had dropped to the ground from the jittering tremble in his hands. Kaito hurriedly picked the small pile back up and rushed to flush them down the toilet. The hangar was already set up for the crime scene he’d been instructed to create, only needing a few finishing touches before it would be ready. One of those ‘finishing touches’ was… Kaito gulped as he gazed down at the broken form of Kokichi, who breathed so shallowly that his lips had tinted blue. The sight sent a stabbing guilt through his heart despite his mixed feelings on the astronaut. He had been a menace, so heartlessly manipulating Gonta for his plot and then mocking the sweet giant after his death. Kaito really wished he could hate Kokichi.

The panting boy slowly shifted and shot him an expectant look. “W-well? What are you waiting for? Just hurry up and start the camera already.” The weak mutter only caused his already nauseous gut to twist even worse. 

“Don’t you want to at least say something before I…” 

“Before you kill me?” Kokichi finished for him. 

Kaito gritted his teeth and slammed a fist onto the side of the hydraulic press. “God damn it! Can’t you just be vulnerable for once in your life? I know you’ve gotta be terrified right now.” 

Kokichi let out a humourless laugh with a painful grimace. “Nope, n-not scared one bit.” The words held a stubborn edge to them, yet his blurry eyes couldn’t mask his genuine fear. 

 It was rather silly of him, but somehow those words had triggered a visceral pain deep within himself. It started slowly with a muffled whine as he bit his lip before cut-off cries forced through his clenched lips as tears trickled down his sunken cheeks. Soon Kaito’s composure shattered as his frame heaved with shaking sobs that he frantically tried to hide with his hands. He apologized over and over between his wretched wails, chanting, “I’m sorry,” as he begged for forgiveness. Kokichi froze at the sight, staring dumbly like a deer in headlights. He wasn’t sure just what Kaito was apologizing for. The apology seemed to be beyond the idea of killing him. Hesitantly Kokichi reached to lay a weak hand on the weeping boy’s cheek with a soft murmured “You did nothing wrong.” 

Kaito was struck silent by the soothing voice and the hand so tender on his tear-soaked skin. He leaned forward to press against the soothing contact, breathing out in tentative relief. In that moment his thoughts drifted all the way back to when he was a child receiving affection from his grandparents. It had been so long ago that the memories had been corrupted over time. But now in a new clarity, he could remember the knowledge that their love had always been unconditional. For once in his life, Kaito thought that maybe he didn’t have to be a strong leader. Gazing into Kokichi’s soft purple eyes, he considered that perhaps this story wasn’t a tale of a valiant hero fighting against evil but of two scared teenagers just doing their best to survive. And suddenly he was no hero, and the other boy was no misguided victim for him to save or some wicked foe for him to overcome. They were only Kaito and Kokichi. Finally he was close enough to reach out to the astronaut drifting alone in space and offer him a form of companionship, one on equal levels. Kaito placed his own hand over Kokichi's and squeezed it with a smile, conveying all of his thoughts and feelings. 

The contact sent sparking shivers through Kokici’s freezing body. The icy poison flowing through his veins was replaced with a warmth that comforted him better than the night sky ever could. His walls that’d been built so high had been gradually eroding with the stress and paranoia of this killing game and now were torn down by this guiding star. Just as he had felt with his makeshift family, he didn’t need to be among the emptiness of space to shed his mask. His wish of a sparkling, vast paradise in the far beyond galaxies didn’t seem so enthralling when he held Kaito’s hand. The stars above didn’t shine as bright as the glittering tears streaming down Kaito’s cheeks as the boy gazed mournfully into his eyes. It took Kokichi a moment to realize what exactly Kaito was mourning. He wasn’t sure how to feel about it. He knew his familial group loved him—or, at least, he thinks they do if they really exist. But knowing someone like Kaito, so pure and kind and warm, would gravely miss him despite their past conflicts… Kokichi choked on a cry that tried to escape his throat, desperately digging his teeth into his bottom lip until he tasted iron. Kaito reached up to gently stop him from further hurting himself as if he were something precious to be taken care of—and suddenly the dam Kokichi had painstakingly built up and maintained for years burst as he wheezed out thick sobs. 

His arms finally reached out, and silently Kaito took him into his arms with a tight, soothing squeeze. The embrace reminded him of Gonta with his all encompassing compassion and forgiveness. Gonta had forgiven him, right? He had tried to block out the memory in order to harden his heart for this grand performance. Gonta’s words came back in flashes, carrying the gentle patience that Kokichi had so strongly gravitated towards. 

Once their eyes had run dry and their emotions numbed, they separated from the hold to continue the plan. Kaito helped ease him into the hydraulic press in a final act of care. Ironically, the comfort of darkness now loomed over him with a promise of death as he stared into the shadow of the press. In his mind’s poisoned and exhausted state, he could trick himself into thinking he saw twinkling stars in the inky depths. Kokichi closed his eyes as the whirring started, his breath relaxed as he waited for his voyage into space.

Chapter Text

The punch in his hand had a tangy taste as he took occasional sips from the red Solo cup. Kokichi casually leaned against the wall in a more isolated spot of the small party. Usually he’d be out causing mayhem with his mischievous pranks, but tonight he had something weighing on his mind. Honestly, he had almost not come to the gathering, but Kaede had insisted he join. It was a party being held in the office to celebrate the night before filming of the last scenes of the movie they had spent a whole year shooting. Though not made by a professional well-known studio, their group had put so much time and effort into it that he felt somewhat obligated to join. Thus, why he was here, surrounded by cheerful faces talking amongst each other. 

Yet, his eyes were only focused on one face in the crowd. His main partner when acting for scenes; Kaito Momota. They had been set up as the main couple in the movie for their ‘matching personalities,’ as the scriptwriter Shuichi put it. The last scene they had left to film was the big love confession where they would share a kiss. Kokichi gulped at the thought. It wasn’t that he was nervous per se; he’d of course kissed people before. But those past experiences had been fleeting moments with people he barely cared to remember. He had never kissed someone he actually liked, and god did he like that energetically optimistic oaf. The mentioned loudly grinning man was happily chatting away with their co-actor Maki. He could see the pout on her face as she played with the end of her pigtail in a flustered manner. His empty cup crunched in his hand as he squeezed the plastic into a mangled form. Chucking it into a nearby bin, he skipped over to them with a teasing smirk. 

“Hey there, supporting cast! The star of the show has arrived to grace you with my presence~,” Kokichi teasingly winked with a hand on his hip. 

Kaito raised his fist, squawking in offense. “Hey, I’m not a support! I’m literally the main lead.” 

“What do you want?” Maki glowered with a scrunched face as if she had eaten something sour. 

"You might have the most screentime, but I'm obviously the fan favorite! And can’t I come over just to spend time with my coworkers?” He fluttered his lashes with a sugary sweet smile.

Maki scoffed, crossing her arms as she looked down her nose at him. “Nothing is ever that innocent with you.” 

“Ok, ok! Let’s not have any fights during the party. Don’t want Kaede to scold us,” Kaito placatingly raised his hands with a good-natured look. “You enjoying the party, Kich’?” 

The nickname made his stomach fill with butterflies. “Yeppers! I’m having the time of my life. Well, at least I did until I caught a whiff of your smelliness from all the way across the room~.” 

“I’m not stinky at all! I put on tons of deodorant and body spray, thank you very much.”

“Ew, your musky Axe body spray? No wonder I’m struggling to breathe!” Kokichi grasped his own neck, pretending to choke on the air. 

Kaito’s face erupted in a red hue as he growled back, “You jerk, you’re the one who smells like grape soda all the time with how obsessively you drink it!” 

As the two boys squabbled back and forth, Maki boredly drifted off to go talk to the other, more calm guests, leaving them to bicker alone.

Suddenly Kokichi wore a wicked face as he exclaimed, “Why, you’re so stinky that I should rescue your poor jacket from your putrid odor!” He then swiftly snatched Kaito’s jacket from where it had been hung over his shoulder and darted off.

It took Kaito a second to process what had happened before he hurriedly ran after the little gremlin, calling for him to return his precious jacket. It didn’t take him long to find the empty room Kokichi had ducked into. The party was taking place in the lounge room, so these smaller office rooms were all currently unoccupied. Marching in, Kaito caught sight of Kokichi splayed across a chair as he examined the stolen jacket with a scrutinizing gaze. With a hum he teased, “Wow, Kaito, the inside of this thing is actually kinda cute! In fact, it’s so cute, I think I’ll keep it~.” He hugged the material close to his chest, letting out an exaggerated sigh. 

Kaito tugged back the clothing from his arms to gently swipe away imaginary dust. “Why are you always picking on me, huh? You don't nearly mess with the others as much as me.” 

Kokichi tapped his chin as he pretended to think. “Hmmm. I suppose it’s because you’re my favorite, Kaito!~” He cheered and shaped his hands into a heart. 

“D-Don’t say things like that!” Kaito sputtered with an embarrassed blush that reached all the way to his ears. 

“But it’s true! Besides, you’re one to talk with the way you always smooch up to Shuichi and Maki. It’s like you’re in love with them or something!” He puckered his lips with obnoxious kissy noises. His chest betrayed him with a painful ache at the idea of Kaito having a crush on them. 

“Ew, no way! They’re my best friends, you jackass; of course I'm going to be friendly with them.” Kaito’s words betrayed a sense of humor as he tried to restrain a smile. His eyebrows then furrowed in curious confusion. “Why do you even care anyway?”

Kokichi froze and quickly blurted out an “I don’t!” that sounded far too forced to be convincing.

Kaito stared at his carefully neutral face before his eyes widened. “Wait a minute… You’re jealous.”

“Jealous?” He repeated in a scandalized tone. “Kokichi Ouma doesn’t get jealous; he makes other people jealous!”

“Mhm, I totally believe you, man. Not jealous whatsoever. That’s why you interrupted me and Maki, right?” Kaito japed, giving a knowing smirk as Kokichi began to pout. 

“You’re just mixing up real life with the romance from the movie, you big dummy! Just because we’re gonna do a kissing scene doesn’t mean I’m suddenly interested in you.”

Kaito raised an eyebrow as he inquired, “Why were you thinking of the kiss? If it’s bothering you, then I can talk to Kaede about—” He was abruptly cut off as Kokichi let out a panicked, “No! It’s fine; I'm not bothered by the kissing scene.” 

The air filled with an awkward tension as the two lingered in silence, unsure of how to proceed. Finally Kaito quietly murmured, “It doesn’t have to mean anything. It’s just a movie after all.” 

Kokichi’s shoulders sagged as he replied, “Yeah… you’re right. It doesn’t have to mean anything.” His voice rang hollow of the reassurance he tried to put into it, which the other instantly caught onto. 

He hesitated before gathering his confidence. “It doesn’t have to… but it could, if you wanted it to.”

Eyes shot up to meet Kaito’s gaze as they held eye contact. “...What do you mean?”

“Well… I mean, I wouldn’t mind if the kiss was more than just acting.” Kaito ran a hand through his hair as he gave a sheepish but hopeful smile. 

Kokichi stared in stunned silence. Slowly a smirk curled onto his face with coyly lowered eyelids. “I suppose it wouldn’t hurt to get a bit of practice in for our final act.” 

With a soft chuckle, Kaito leaned down to connect their lips in a playfully sweet kiss.

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Shuichi anxiously tapped his foot as he scanned the group for any sign of Kaito. His usually boisterous friend had been nowhere to be seen or heard from in a noticeably long time. Though it was just a party, he found himself starting to grow nervous at the man’s absence. 

“Hey Shuichi! What’s up?” Kaede asked in a bubbly voice, her eyes shining in delight at how great the party had turned out. 

“Have you seen Kaito around? I haven’t seen him for a while.”

“Let me think… I remember Maki mentioning something about him and Kokichi ‘arguing like annoying kids again’, haha! Though, now that you mention it, I haven’t seen Kokichi in a bit either…” Her brows creased for a moment before she gave a bright grin. “Let’s go find them! They’ve probably just wandered off to hash things out. We can bring them some snacks while we’re at it.” 

Shuichi agreed, and they both went off in search of the missing party guests with snacks in tow. It didn’t take long before they heard shuffling in one of the rooms. Kaede opened the door with a cheerful, “Hey guys, whatcha up to—” before having the words catch in her throat at the sight of Kokichi straddling Kaito’s lap as they made out on an office chair. The armful of snacks dropped from her grip. Shuichi walked right in beside her and froze. His jaw dropped as his eyes went comically wide, unable to comprehend what he was seeing. The two lovebirds jumped in their seats, Kokichi tumbling to the floor as he lost balance. Kaito hurriedly began sputtering excuses about “practicing”. Kaede and Shuichi turned to stare at each other before silently leaving, shutting the door on their way out for more privacy. 

“... Sooooooo….. That was some pretty good practice, eh?~” Kokichi wiggled his eyebrows, his swollen lips coiled in a satisfied beam. Kaito burst into laughter, clutching his stomach from the intensity of his giggling fit. 

In the end, they decided to go on a date. For practice, of course. After all, who knows if the movie will get a sequel!

Chapter Text

When Kaito had received a letter offering him a job at the research facility for space and extraterrestrial beings, he had honestly thought it was a joke. Sure, he may be the leading prodigy in the study of astronomy, but a professional government-level job seemed far too good to be true. Yet here he was, the first day of his new job, being given a tour by the leading scientist. He’d already pinched himself three times to check if this was a dream. 

“Now that you’ve gotten a tour of the general rooms, I'll be showing you your main assignment. Please keep in mind the non-disclosure agreement we had you sign. But, we’ve recently come into possession of a being we believe to have originated from a faraway solar system or perhaps even galaxy. We’ve heard much praise of your knowledge in alien life forms, so we’ve assigned you the task of creating a bond with it. It needs to be kept socially content while we conduct our research. Are you up for this task?” The tall man turned to look at Kaito, imposing in his form.

Suppressing a gulp, he forced on a confident grin and lifted a thumbs-up. “You can count on me! I didn’t earn the name ‘luminary of the stars’ for nothing.” 

The man seemed satisfied with the answer and moved on to show where the alien was being held. Inside the containment room was a large holding container made out of reinforced glass. A little body was pressed against the back corner of the tank, huddled with its knees against its chest. It eyed them warily with hints of cautious fear. Kaito felt sorry for the poor thing.

The scientist cleared his throat and began explaining how it had been discovered, Kaito’s responsibilities in interacting with it, and some other information that was probably important but was drowned out by his focus on the alien. The first thing he’d used to describe how it looked was “pretty.” It had some cliché elements of typical depictions of aliens, like green skin and antennae that had rounded balls at the end. Though there were many unique aspects that intrigued his curiosity: the bottom of its limbs was purple and faded outwards, its eyes were different shades of purple in a checkered pattern, and it had short messy black hair with purple tips. Not to mention its hands and feet only had four fingers that were tipped into points like claws. The only thing ‘normal’ about it was the medical gown it was wearing. 

“Do you understand, Mr. Momota?” The man suddenly asked him expectantly. 

Kaito was jolted back into awareness, not having heard the last of what was said. “Huh? O-oh yeah, definitely! Got it. No problem at all.” Thankfully the words were convincing enough, as the scientist nodded and left him to attend to duties.

Once he had left, Kaito let out a breath of relief. He excitedly turned to further inspect the alien but frowned when he remembered just how frightened it was. Slowly he moved closer and crouched in front of the tank, trying to set it at ease with a soothing tone of voice. “Hey there, lil’ guy! I’m not sure if you can understand me, but I’m not going to hurt you, ok?” He waited for any sign that the creature understood his words, only to be met with silence. However, Kaito didn’t give up as he introduced himself and continued trying to communicate with the little alien. Eventually it had uncurled from its tightly wound position, though it stayed in the corner. Still, he considered even that small amount of progress a success as he clocked out at the end of the day.

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Kaito returns the next day with an optimistic attitude! Unfortunately, it soon turned unsure as he made almost no headway in coaxing the creature out from the safety of its corner. He had tried offering snacks and asking questions about its home or culture. The only thing that gained a positive reaction was cracking a few jokes that caused it to smile, one of them even causing it to let out an adorable giggle! But, no matter what he said or did, the creature still wouldn’t come any closer. After hours of attempts, he gave up and decided to take a break by playing on his phone. He had downloaded a riddle app last night and wanted to try it out. 

The first couple riddles were pretty easy, but the fourth one had him stumped. He spoke the words aloud to try and glean some sense from them. “What grows when it eats and dies when it drinks?” It really wasn’t a hard riddle; he wasn’t sure why he couldn’t think of the answer! As he stared intensely at the screen, he noticed something in the reflection of his phone. The little alien could be seen gradually crawling towards him with a curious look on its face. Kaito bit his lip to hold in a cheer lest he startle it. Instead, he carefully tilted his head to look at it with a soft smile. It instantly froze in place, one claw pausing in its step. He pitched his voice to sound gentle despite his naturally rough voice. “Sorry, didn’t mean to spook you. Would you like to help me with this puzzle? I could use a hand. Or, uh, claw?”

The creature blinked before smirking with a small snort at the term "claw." It nodded and then continued forward, though still keeping a firm distance between them. Kaito repeated the riddle, and the alien scrunched its face in thought before beaming with a snap of its claws. Reaching to touch the glass, it used the tip of its claw to draw out a shape. It took a moment to figure out what the little guy was trying to convey. “Oh, it’s a flame! You’re saying the answer is a flame? Shit, that actually makes a lot of sense. It eats fuel and dies out when it's doused with water. How did I not get that?” He shook his head with a laugh at his own blindness, the creature snickering alongside him. 

“Hey, I kinda feel bad just thinking of you as ‘alien’ and ‘creature.’ Do you have a name? What about gender? Do aliens have genders???” Kaito had gotten lost in the wonder of the alien’s ideas around gender as a social construct when his focus was grabbed by more claw-spelling. “That’s the symbol for males. So you’re a guy, yeah? Good to know! You don’t have a name, though?” The alien—er, he shook his head in response. 

“Hmmm…” Kaito rubbed his chin in thought. “I know! How about ‘Kokichi’? Because you’re my little luck for helping me with that riddle.” ‘Kokichi’ enthusiastically nodded his head in agreement, liking the name a lot. “Great! Then from now on I’ll call you by that name. Now then, do you want to help me solve more riddles?” He received another nod, and so that’s how the two spent the rest of the day.

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It had been a few days since Kokichi had warmed up to Kaito, and in that time they’d tried out different games, though limited by the barrier between them. Today, Kaito had a new idea for entertainment. 

“I’ve got a game I think you’ll like! Do you know what rock paper scissors is?” Kokichi tilted his head before shaking “no.”

“Don’t worry, it’s pretty easy. First I'll count down, saying ‘rock, paper, scissors, shoot!’ Then on the shoot, we’ll form one of three hand shapes: rock, paper, or scissors.” Kaito performed each of the symbols as he said them. “The winner is decided by these rules: paper beats rock, rock beats scissors, and scissors beats paper. If we end up choosing the same thing, then it's a tie. Got it?” The alien’s answer was a grin as he lifted his claws to play. Most of the beginning rounds ended randomly, but after about 5 or so games, Kokichi began to win every round.

Eventually Kaito pointed accusingly at Kokichi, “Ok, you’ve got to be cheating. How are you winning every time? Don’t tell me you can read my mind!” He only received a mischievous smirk in return. “Fine, don’t tell me! It doesn’t matter because I'll just work extra hard to beat you," he proclaimed. He then challenged Kokichi to multiple rematches only to lose over and over again. Despite sucking all the losses, he couldn’t be mad from how adorable Kokichi looked so smug over his victories. 

Kaito noticed the purple eyes sneaking glances at the checkered scarf wrapped around his workbag. He only really used that scarf when gel wasn’t enough to keep his hair out of his face. “Hey, you keep looking at my scarf. Do you like it?” The alien’s antenna shot up, his cheeks blushing a light purple at having been caught. He gave a small nod and gazed back at the scarf. Kaito untied the scarf and sent it through the opening that allowed objects to enter Kokichi’s glass room. “Here, you can have it! I’ve got other ones at home.” His eyes lit up with awe as he inspected the gift, rubbing his claws over the material to feel its soft texture. Kaito instructed him on how to tie it around his arm. 

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The very next day Kaito brought in another gift for Kokichi: a simple but comfortable pair of black shorts and a t-shirt. Since the alien was so small compared to Kaito, the clothes ended up being a little big on him, though he didn’t seem to mind. There was also a pair of fluffy socks that matched the checkered print of the scarf; these Kokichi especially loved, as he chirped in delight when putting them on. He looked so cute that Kaito could only affectionately smile at the sight of him dancing around in his new outfit.

“I’m glad you like it! I thought you would.”

Kokichi rapidly nodded and let out more excited chirps. They were slightly high-pitched, sounding almost like a bird. 

Kaito laughed and nodded approvingly. “They look really nice on you. The checkers really suit your eyes!”

With a flush, the alien tried to hide his smile behind his hand, his eyes crinkling in joy.

Struck by a sudden desire to be close to Kokichi, he placed his hand against the glass in an invitation. Kokichi stared for a while, then hesitantly placed his claw over Kaito’s. The two stayed like that for a while, just basking in each other’s comforting presence.

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Kokichi wasn’t like his usual bubbly self lately. Kaito had noticed the signs instantly with how much time they had been spending together. The alien’s skin had begun to dull with hues of grey, his eyes were sunken and hazy, and his antennae were almost always limply deflated. He seemed to be sapped of all energy, as he only weakly responded to Kaito’s words and was never in the mood for games. Recently he had started randomly falling asleep, and the lengths were growing longer with each passing day. Needless to say, Kaito was getting very worried for his friend. Currently he was trying to coax Kokichi into a conversation, but he was unresponsive with his eyes glazed over in an unfocused gaze. 

“C’mon Kokichi, talk to me. I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s wrong! Does the food not have the right nutrients for you? Is the temperature too hot, or too cold? Please just tell me!” Kaito was practically on his hands and knees begging. Yet, he didn’t get any reaction besides the tiny twitch of an antennae. 

His eyes filled with tears as he saw how empty his dear friend had become. He tried to wipe them away, but they only came back stronger until he couldn’t stop them from falling. His voice broke as he let out a desperate plea, “Please Kokichi. I don’t want to lose you!”

Another twitch of the antennae and finally he slowly tilted his head to look at Kaito. The man could’ve jumped for joy at the pure elation he felt at the display of life, letting out a choked laugh. “Oh god, Thank you! Please, you need to tell me what you need. How can I make you feel better?” 

Kokichi stared blankly at him for a long moment that made Kaito fear he’d go back to dissociating, but thankfully the alien painstakingly lifted a claw to draw a group of stars.

“Stars? ...Stars… Do you need to see the stars?”

The only confirmation Kokichi could give was a slight tip of his head, but it was enough for Kaito to recognize it as a nod.

Kaito wasn’t sure what to do. He knew he’d never be allowed to take Kokichi outside, and if he tried to sneak Kokichi out it would definitely be found out eventually. It would risk his job, his reputation, any chance of advancing in his career and his whole financial stability- 

When he gazed into his little alien friend’s eyes, he knew he’d never forgive himself if he left Kokichi to die. With a reassuring smile he places his hand on the glass. “It’s going to be ok. I promise.”

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Late in the night, far past when he was supposed to have gone home, Kaito sneaks around the hallways looking for the generator room. He didn’t have much of a solid plan, but he figured once he cut off the main power supply, he’d be able to figure out the rest from there. The lack of energy will disable the locks on Kokichi’s holding cell so he’d be able to snatch him and make a run for it through a back exit. As for the security cameras, he used a can of black spray paint with a long nozzle to cover them while keeping out of sight. It definitely wasn’t well thought out by any means, but there wasn’t much time to waste. 

Soon he had reached step one of the plan as he navigated to the generator, and with a fire extinguisher he had taken from the wall, he smashed it into the power core. Kaito covered his face to protect against the sparks that were sent flying as the electricity shuttered off, leaving the facility in total darkness. Kaito hurried out towards the containment room as the emergency light flicked on to provide dim illumination. He ignored the shouting and footsteps behind him as he pushed his legs as fast as he could go. 

Reaching Kokichi’s cell, his trembling hands fumbled to open the door. Kokichi had been spooked awake by the blaring alarm, chirping out terrified squeaks. Kaito wrapped his jacket around Kokichi to cover his head. “There you go,” he smiled warmly. “I told you it’d be ok. Look, the inside of my jacket had stars, so if you’re scared, just look at that.” The stars seemed to help calm him down a little as he was scooped into Kaito’s arms, rushing for the back exit. They were slowed down as they hid behind walls to avoid scrambling scientists but eventually made it outside. He rubbed Kokichi’s shaking form, the poor guy having clenched his claws into Kaito’s arms. 

His car was parked a little way off in the cover of the thick forest. It only took them about a ten-minute jog before they arrived at the spot. Kaito gently maneuvered Kokichi into the front passenger seat and adjusted the jacket to lay over his shoulders. “Are you doing alright, little luck?” His voice was softened in a comforting tone. Kokichi nuzzled into the coat, rubbing his eyes with a yawn as he gave a light nod. It looked like the dissipating panic had made him sleepy. Kaito chuckled at the adorable sight, his shoulder sagging as he too felt his rapidly beating heart lowering into a more relaxed tempo.

The two rode for a while to create good distance between them and the research facility. Kaito knew the higher ups would in time grow suspicious of him when he didn’t show up for work, but all of that risk was worth it when he looked at Kokichi peacefully sleeping next to him. 

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Soon they had stopped at a large, open grass field that would provide an expansive view of the stars. Kaito carefully carried Kokichi over to a nice spot, sitting him down on the plush ground. The alien stirred awake, blinking rapidly with curious wonder at the sudden energy he had already gained.

Gazing up, his eyes widened at the night sky he had so desperately missed, letting out excited chirps as he beamed in delight. Kaito watched, eyes filled with amazement at the sight of Kokichi’s form letting off a purple glow. His checkered eyes shone in the dark, and his antennae lifted upwards as if reaching for space. His once-dulled skin replenished its vibrant colors, and his body had gained back its vigor as he absorbed nutrients from the stars above.

Once he’d had his fill, the glowing dimmed to a barely noticeable luminescence. He turned to face Kaito with a look of pure appreciation and affection. He let Kokichi take hold of his hand and heard a voice speak directly into his mind. ‘Thank you so much, Kaito. You’ve not only saved my life but also freed me from my imprisonment. How can I ever repay you?’

Kaito’s jaw dropped, eyes widening as he sputtered, “W-wait, you can speak?!” The amused alien let out a giggle as he smirked. ‘Of course I can! My species communicates with telepathy through physical contact. The only reason I didn’t do it back when you held me was because of my diminished energy reserves.’

“Ah, yeah, that makes sense. I guess I just thought you were mute or something. But anyway, you really don’t have to repay me! I couldn’t just leave you there. You…you mean a lot to me.” His voice had lowered to a whisper as he delicately squeezed the other boy’s hand. Kokichi’s grin sweetened into a smile before he abruptly leaned in to softly connect their lips into a kiss. Kaito was shocked at first but eased into it, pulling them into an embrace. After a few moments of passion, they broke apart, though they were still cuddling. ‘You mean a lot to me too. If it would be alright… I think I'd like to stay here on this planet with you.’ His antenna shifted to lie in Kaito’s hair for comfort and further closeness. “I’d love that. I really would.”

The rest of the night was spent cuddling and stargazing until they finally fell asleep in each other’s arms.

Chapter Text

Kokokichi woke to an empty classroom. His eyes furrowed in concerned confusion as they roamed around the filthy, run-down room. Vines grew over the walls, which had missing chunks that filtered in sunlight from outside. Pieces of the ceiling were broken off and hanging dangerously down. Even the metal legs of his chair squeaked from rust when he pulled out to stand. The grime-smeared desk had a clean outline from where he had been lying on it, and thankfully, though confusingly, he himself was not dirty.

Despite his hesitation, he thoroughly explored the rest of the school. He had to be careful of the weakened floor so as to not fall through, and used the cuff of his sleeve to avoid touching anything nasty. In his search he had found a cafeteria that he couldn’t step too far into without risking throwing up at the rancid scent of rotten food. He couldn’t head further up than the third floor as the stairs to the fourth floor were caved in. The outside courtyard was a relief, as it was free from the musky odor indoors. However, the sight of a large glass dome surrounding the school made his heart drop.

It had slowly faded into night, and Kokichi dropped onto the ground panting from exhaustion. He had tried multiple ways of breaking the dome using various tools he had found, but nothing even scratched it. It was starting to seem like the material wasn’t even glass but something completely impenetrable. At least in his search for tools he had stumbled upon a supply shed that has nonperishable food, so he won’t starve. The shed also provided blankets, water bottles, and other useful items, even if they needed to be cleaned before using. Weakly, he lifted one of the less dirty blankets over top of him before passing out right outside on the grass. 

The next day held little luck for Kokichi when he hadn’t found anything very useful. There was a pool that he’d hoped could be used for cleaning, but the water was a murky, smelly green that quickly squashed that idea. The most interesting thing he’d found was some broken robots resembling bears in an odd trial room. He was nervous of the elevator breaking with how creaky it sounded, but it remained intact both times he used it. Eventually he gave up exploring the school, lying outside on the grass as he stared up at the fake starry sky. Two days of complete isolation had feelings of loneliness burrowing into his mind and festering there. Before ending up in this strange, dilapidated place, he had been used to the constant company of his DICE members. Already he found himself deeply missing socialization. He wasn’t sure how long he’d be able to handle being alone.

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Kokichi wasn’t certain when he had fallen asleep, but he was abruptly woken up by the closing of a door and heavy footfalls approaching where he lay. He scrambled up in a mix of panic and hope at the thought of another person, looking up to see a boy moving towards him from the direction of the school. This fact puzzled him, as he was sure he’d checked every accessible part of the school. So where did this stranger come from? He stood up, his body warily guarded in trepidation from not knowing the guy’s intentions. For all he knew, the other person could pose a threat. Though as he came closer, Kokichi could see their faces lowered in a pitiful frown and their hands loosely hung at their sides. The relaxed state only marginally decreased his suspicion.

Soon they stood only a couple feet apart, and he could now get a full look at the boy. He had spiked-up purple hair with a ridiculous goatee, and a purple jacket hanging off one shoulder that showed off a galaxy design on the inside. At first glance he looked like a wannabe anime protagonist, but the way his deep purple eyes uncomfortably bore into Kokichi’s very being made him rethink this impression. It was silent for a few moments before Kokichi broke the tension with a forced grin. “Well, hi there! I haven’t seen you around at all, which is kiiiinda suspicious since I searched this whole place. Do you know what this is, besides a nasty abandoned cesspit vaguely resembling a school?” The guy’s face tightened, though he wasn’t sure why. He appeared to be in careful thought. 

“To save us both time I'm just going to get straight to it. This is going to sound crazy, but I swear I’m telling the complete truth. The school, the world beyond the dome, this whole dimension? It’s not real. Both of us are in a simulation.”

Well, that’s definitely not what he was expecting. On one hand, the concept of being in a virtual reality sounded insane. He could feel the hunger from his lack of food. The grass under his skin, the look of everything around him—every little detail was far too realistic to be fake. And yet… This situation did seem very unrealistic. Trapped in an unbreakable dome with no memory of how he got in. The strange areas that seemed unfit to belong in a school, such as the weapon and makeshift trial rooms. The rundown atmosphere that showed it had been abandoned for a very long time. His brain felt like it was buffering as he struggled to comprehend the information.

“Woah!” The guy shouted as Kokichi’s trembling legs buckled in, catching him before he could fall. “Are you alright?” 

All he could do was slowly shake his pale face in a ‘no.’ He was gently pulled down to sit on the grass as the boy squeezed a comforting hand on his back. The two sat in silence while Kokichi took time to mentally recover from the shock of what he had been told. Eventually he had calmed down enough to get his analytic side running again. 

“Who are you? Do you know how I got in here–Why I’m here?” 

The boy took a deep inhale to prepare himself. “I’m Kaito Momota. I already know you’re Kokichi Ouma, so you don’t have to introduce yourself. We were both part of a show called Danganronpa, where we took part in a killing game.” Kokichi’s stomach sank in dread. “We were forced to murder one another in order to escape. It was…” His face was contorted in a painful grimace as he whispered, “It was awful.” 

Kaito cleared his throat and continued. “Once you died, you were supposed to be logged off the simulation and back into reality. However, there was a supposed ‘glitch in the system’ where the log-off requirement was changed. Instead, you needed to kill someone else.”

“You emphasized ‘someone else’...”

“Yeah. Killing yourself won’t work. It’s…” He could feel Kaito’s stare burning into the side of his head. Kokichi stared at his scuffed shoes to avoid looking him in the eyes. “It’s been tried.”

Kokichi didn’t want to, but he could instantly assume what the other meant by that. “That means I never killed anyone?” He tried to make it sound uninterested, though he could tell Kaito noticed the underlying hope. 

It took a while for Kaito to respond, and each second felt like a weight added to the pressure on his consciousness.

“Not technically. But you certainly have gotten your hands bloody.” The tone wasn’t harsh and didn’t necessarily hold any bad judgement. Kokichi flinched anyway. 

He could feel bile bubble up his throat as he shakily asked, “What… what does that mean?” 

Kaito looked both angry and also sorry for him. “There were a few times that you manipulated or worked with people to murder.” It seemed like he wanted to say more but held back. 

Kokichi blankly stared in front of him, unseeing as he imagined himself in a state cruel enough to… God, he couldn’t even bring himself to think of his own actions. It didn’t matter if he held no memories of it. He had still condemned others to death. 

“Kokichi,” the other murmured as he lifted a hand to the other's cheek. Something damp smeared across his face, and only then did he realize he’d started crying. Slapping the hand away, he wiped at his own stinging eyes and sharply turned his head away. His voice was a wet snarl as he snapped, “Why are you here?”

Kaito inspected him for a moment. “The team behind Danganronpa was unsuccessful in getting you out, and with each of your… resets, the simulation was only getting worse. Eventually they…” He could hear him suck in a breath. “They wanted to cut off your life support. No one was willing to come in to try and help; they weren’t willing to risk both of you getting stuck or to sacrifice themselves for you.”

Kokichi smiled wryly, a numbness filling him at the thought of no one caring enough to save him from death. Though, considering what he’d heard of his immoral deeds, he couldn’t blame them. Yet, something about that didn’t make sense. He peered at Kaito with an uncomprehending look.

Kaito only gave a sad smile. “Shuichi and Maki told me not to come; they said it was too dangerous and that you weren’t worth it. But I couldn’t leave you here. Even if I didn’t agree with your behavior, even if I risked my own life… I’ve condemned you to death once. I couldn’t do it again. Not when I knew there was a way to save you this time.” 

Kokichi watched him swallow back his tears. The words registered to him, but he wasn’t sure how to feel. He didn’t think he deserved their kindness.

“It felt selfish of me to abandon you. Even if you did some shitty things, I knew you were never evil. You always had the final goal of ending the killing game and were willing to use your own life if it put a stop to it. Even back in the very first game I felt selfish living while you were dead.” He stayed silent as the tears finally fell and Kaito’s voice grew more passionate with grief. “Then after seeing you so alone that you resorted to suicide over and over just to escape the isolation, all while I was free surrounded by friends.” Kaito shook his head as if physically repulsed by the thought. “It wasn’t right. Honestly, I didn’t want to do it. I hated the idea of coming back to this place when it carried so much sorrow and despair. But I knew that I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t.”

The messy purple locks shielded Kokichi’s expression from view. His hand shook as he clenched it into a fist. “So I'm just a pity rescue, is that it?” He spat the word ‘pity’ as if it were coated in venom. 

Kaito shrunk back at the accusation. “What? Of course not! That’s not what I meant—” He was cut off with a shove as Kokichi stood to stand over him. 

“Shut up! You only wanted to be some big-shot hero, rescuing a poor lost soul!” His voice was mocking, edged with frustration and hurt. 

A vicious grin stretched his lips as he pointed straight at the other boy. “Admit it, you don’t give a single shit about me! You’re doing this to save yourself from the guilt, nothing more.” 

Kaito gaped at him in shock before gritting his teeth. “For fuck’s sake, Kokichi, even now after all this time you’re STILL shutting people out?! I’m not doing this for pity, damn it; I’m doing this because I want to help you!”

“Don’t lie to me.”

“I’m not lying! Look at me; do you honestly think I’m lying?”

Kokichi frantically searched Kaito’s eyes only to shake his head with a grimace at what he’d found. “It doesn’t matter! Just go back to your friends and leave me here to rot.”

At that, Kaito stood up and marched over to snatch Kokichi up by his scarf. “Are you serious?! I already told you I'm not leaving you here alone, so get that through your thick skull!” 

“You’re the one with a thick skull! I told you to leave me here! Be the hero and finally kill off the big bad villain.” Kokichi hissed the words through his teeth as he struggled in the strong hold. 

“Why are you so hellbent on punishing yourself?!” 

“Because I deserve it!” The words came out as a wretched scream as Kokichi’s thinly held composure broke. 

Kaito faltered as Kokichi’s frame began to heave with choked sobs, breath coming out as shallow gasps for air. He hadn’t meant to make the other break down, but his temper had taken hold of him. Just as it had many times in the past. His anger was replaced by guilt as he carefully pulled Kokichi into a tight embrace.

“You don’t deserve to be punished like this.”

“Yes, I do!” He shouted between winded breaths. “I killed people, multiple people! And I was too cowardly to even do it myself.” He cackled, and Kaito tugged his hand back from ripping at his own hair. “No, of course not; I had to make other people do my dirty work for me!”

“That doesn’t mean you deserve to die—”

“I deserve to be put down like a rabid dog!” Kokichi interrupted, becoming almost hysterical as he thrashed in Kaito’s arms. He desperately tried to pull away, but the other’s grip would not relent. Soon Kokichi fell limp, only letting out keening wails. His limbs weakly reached to return Kaito’s hug, desperate for any amount of comfort. Kaito cradled his head and gently maneuvered the crying boy onto his lap as they sat back down. 

It took a long time for Kokichi to calm down. It was so long that Kaito almost thought he’d fallen asleep until he heard a soft whisper. 

“I know I deserve to die in this hell.” 

The voice sounded so small and full of pain. He squeezed the body against his chest and firmly shut down the words. “No, you don’t. I swear you really, really don’t, Kokichi.” 

The boy lifted his bloodshot gaze to stare perplexedly at him. “I killed people. I manipulated others to kill people. Why don’t you hate me?” 

“All of us in the simulation have killed people. I’ve killed someone… I killed you.” He murmured with regretful eyes, though he knew back then it had been needed. “I don’t hate you because I know those actions aren’t who you are. They were states of fear and panic. No one can be expected to act calmly in a place like that.”

It was quiet for a moment, and before Kokichi could speak up to stubbornly reclaim his fault, Kaito had stopped him. 

“I forgive you, Kokichi. You just need to forgive yourself.”

Those words snapped his mouth shut. He tightened the embrace, burying his face into Kaito’s chest as he forced himself not to start crying again. He was tired. Although he couldn’t remember any of the previous games, he could feel their combined exhaustion sapping at his energy until his emotional walls were running on fumes. Kokichi didn’t want to fight anymore. He didn't want to be alone anymore. 

“Don’t leave me.” He whispered.

“I won’t.” Kaito promised back.

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The day had shifted to night by the time Kokichi had gathered enough strength to ask about their next steps.

“Well, uh… I’ll be honest, I didn’t really have much of a plan when coming in here.” Kaito nervously laughed as he scratched his goatee. 

Kokichi stared at him. “You’re an idiot.”

“Hey! I didn’t exactly have much time to come up with one. They weren’t going to wait that long.”

“I’m not killing you.” 

Kaito let out a huff, smiling in amusement. “I wasn’t really expecting you to. You’ve always been good at coming up with plans, so I trust you’ll come up with one.”

He couldn’t help but blush at the praise, giving an exaggerated pout as he playfully hit Kaito’s stomach. “You meanie! Making me do all the hard work. You’re lucky I’m such a nice person, or I’d order my minions to ship you off to Antarctica!” 

Kaito positively beamed at the return of Kokichi’s silliness. He laughed and ruffled the boy’s hair, causing Kokichi to let out squawks of protest, batting away Kaito’s hand like a cat.

“That’s the spirit! Now c’mon, I know you’ve got to have something brewing in that smart noggin of yours.” 

“... I might have a concept of a plan.” 

“There we go! Let’s hear it.”

Kokichi couldn’t help but smile even as he explained his risky idea. 

“Keep in mind this might be pretty bad if it goes wrong, but if we can trigger the log-out requirement at the same time…” He smirked as Kaito caught onto what he was implying.

“You mean if we can murder each other at the same time, it might be able to log us both out?”

“Again, it’s not guaranteed! There’s a lot that could go wrong. If we don’t die at the same time, or if they cancel each other out…”

“... Then only one of us would get out, or we’d both be stuck here with our memories reset.”

“Exactly. So, I wouldn’t blame you if you'd rather sacrifice me instead—”

Kaito bopped Kokichi on the head. “Hell no! I’ll take those chances with you.”

He smirked with a lifted eyebrow. “So you’re my ride or die, is what you’re saying?”

“Ride or die. We do this together.”

Kokichi bit his lip and hesitantly asked, “Does that continue out into the real world?”

“Of course. I’ll be right by your side no matter what happens next.” With an affectionate grin, he took hold of Kokichi’s hand.

Although the consequences of failing were frightening, they didn’t seem so scary when he felt Kaito’s warmth.

“Then we better get started.”

Chapter Text

There was a time in Kokichi’s life that he dreaded. It came every month, far enough apart that he could live in blissful ignorance until it would inevitably pounce upon him. In that hellish time he’d go through agony and a brain fog that made him want to stay home and bitch out anyone who angered him. That time had once again returned.

“God fucking damn it…” Kokichi swore at the sight of blood, signaling he had started his period. Already he could feel his abdomen clench with a horrible cramp, nausea bubbling up his throat. It seemed this time was going to be extra painful. His frustration doubled when he couldn’t find any pain meds, and of course he had forgotten to buy a new heating pad after his last one broke. “Please at least let there be—” There was no ice cream in the freezer or any chocolate in the cupboards. He let out a long groan as he settled for a half-empty bag of chips instead. His stomach gurgled in hunger, but he was far too tired to cook, especially with the building headache. 

Once his chips had been absolutely devoured, he decided that some sleep was in order. Flopping into bed, he gingerly arranged the sheets to coddle him into a cocoon-like nest of warmth. Before he eased into a nap, he made sure to text Kaito for a request.

‘Heeeeey babeee, could you pick up some pads before you get home? Just got my period and we’re almost out ;c Thxxx!! <3” 

After a few seconds Kaito replied to his message. ‘No prob baby <3. Need anything else while I'm out?’

Kokichi tried to think but was having difficulty through the haze. ‘Idkkk maybe something sweet and some pain meds pls?’

He smiled at the thumbs up and hearts Kaito sent back. Setting down his phone onto the nightstand, he snuggled into the blankets and drifted off to sleep. 

It was almost two hours later when he was woken up by the front door closing. He wanted to go out and greet Kaito, but his body protested, so he settled for calling out, “Welcome home, Kai.” His voice was low with sleep and slightly muffled by the blankets. 

Absentmindedly he heard shuffling before footsteps headed towards the bedroom. Dim light poured into the dark bedroom as Kaito entered with a soft grin. “Hey love, you doing alright?”

“Mm,” was his only reply as his face was smushed into a pillow. The other boy laughed and gently ruffled his head, to which Kokichi leaned into the touch with a pleasant sigh. The coolness of Kaito's hand on his face felt very soothing. He cracked open an eye to see his boyfriend holding a basket.

“Is… Is that a gift basket?”

Kaito flushed with a sheepish smile. “Yeah! I wanted to surprise you with something nice since I know you feel really shitty on your periods. Here, let me show you what I got!” The first item he pulled out was an adorable little raccoon plushie that he set beside Kokichi to inspect. The fur was silky soft when he brushed his fingers through it. “I saw this lil’ guy and was reminded of you, so I had to get it.” 

“Awww, he’s so cute! I’ll name hiiiiim… Dumpster, and he shall serve as my evil minion!”

“Dumpster? Isn’t that a little mean?” Kaito asked with an eyebrow raised in amusement.

“Nope, because raccoons love trash! If anything, it’s a compliment to him.” He proudly stated as he cradled Dumpster close to his chest. 

Kaito gave a fond snort and pulled out the next stuff: a box of pads and a bottle of pain meds, the exact brands Kokichi liked. “I made sure to get the types that you usually use, so I hope they’re alright. I didn’t want to bug you to check, but if you don’t like them, I can head out to get different ones.” He seemed a little nervous, though he had no reason to be. 

“No, no, those are perfect.” Kokichi reassured, already touched by how thoughtful Kaito had been. However, that didn’t stop him from teasing. “I do wonder if you stalked me to find out how I liked this kind best, though. Secret cameras in the house?”

“You brat, I didn’t stalk you! We literally live together; of course I would’ve seen you use them.”

“You’ve seen me use pads?” He further jested with a mischievous smirk.

Kaito’s face erupted in red. “What?! That’s not what I meant, and you know it, you little shit!” 

Kokichi cackled as the other cuffed him over the head and let out a huff.

“Anyway, I also got you a new heating pad since your last one broke, right?” 

His eyes widened in slight surprise. “You remembered that? It happened months ago.”

Kaito playfully scoffed, “Of course I do. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t remember something like that? I didn’t think you ever got around to buying a replacement, so I figured I’d get one just in case.” “Makes sense.”

Lastly, in the basket were different sweets: a container of mint-chip ice cream, a mixed collection of candy bars, and his favorite chocolate-covered pretzels. 

“Figured you’d want a bunch of stuff to satisfy your large sweet tooth—” Kaito was cut off with an oomf as Kokichi pulled him into a hug. 

“You’re the best boyfriend ever! I love you so, so much, Kai~.” Kokichi gratefully declared as he rapidly kissed all over his face. Kaito chuckled at the affection and did his best to kiss back at the affectionate attack, wrapping his large arms around Kokichi’s form. 

Once they had settled down, Kaito gently rubbed Kokichi’s lower back. “You probably haven't eaten anything actually filling, have you?” He snickered at Kokichi’s guilty look and offered to make some of his grandmother’s chicken noodle soup to the other boy’s extreme delight. And being the wonderful boyfriend that he was, he not only came back with the soup but also a water bottle with ice and one of his fluffy sweaters freshly warmed from the dryer. At that moment, Kokichi knew he was most definitely going to marry Kaito one day. They ended up spending the rest of the day binging a comfort show (that Kokichi whined to watch and Kaito pretended to hate relenting), and they snuggled under the blankets as they simply enjoyed each other’s company.