Chapter Text
“Wh-what…?”
“Look, I know it sounds weird!” Kokichi added. “But I’ll explain it again, you pretend to date me so that you’ll make Iruma jealous, and I’ll make Shuichi jealous! It’s foolproof! Or is it too hard for a robot like you to understand?”
Kiibo ignored the comment and seemingly thought it over.
“Okay… Yeah, let’s do it!” He decided.
“Yay! Nishishi, let’s go to Shumai first, beloved.” He mocked. Kiibo just rolled his eyes as Kokichi snatched his hand and started dragging Kiibo along with him.
“W-We don’t have to… kiss, or anything, do we?” Kiibo asked quietly. Kokichi snorted.
“No, I wanna save that for Shu. If this works, I mean. We just have to call each other dumb pet names and be all love-y dovey ‘til it works!” Kokichi grinned. Kiibo nodded to himself, seemingly more assured now.
They approached the library, where Shuichi, as Kokichi predicted, was reading the new book Kokichi had gotten him. It was a collection of all of the Sherlock Holmes stories in one book so that Shuichi wouldn’t have to go looking for them all over the internet. Kokichi wouldn’t soon forget the sugar-sweet grin, the pure excitement in his eyes, or the light giggle that came from Shuichi upon being given the book.
“Shuichi! Guess what!” Kokichi exclaimed casually. Shuichi peered up from his book - rather cutely, Kokichi would add - and looked at him and Kiibo’s interlocked hands curiously.
“What is it?” Shuichi asked calmly.
“Welllll, I got a boyfriend! I’m not gonna die alone! I know, I know, I can’t believe it either.” He snickered easily.
Shuichi, contrary to how Kokichi thought he would react, smiled brightly. “That’s great, Kokichi! Seriously, I’m really happy for you!”
Kokichi held back a frown, instead smiling wider. “Welllll… I suppose my darling and I must get going, right, Kiibo?”
Kiibo flushed and nodded. He was a good actor, Kokichi noted. Though he may have had the ability to make himself flush. He’d ask about it later.
“Ah, um, have fun...Use protection…!” Shuichi smiled, though his hands trembled. Kokichi didn’t notice.
Kiibo grew flustered and sputtered. “Wh-What!? No, nonono, you misunderstand! We aren’t - “
“How scandalous of you, Shuichi!” Kokichi snickered. “But no! We will go have very passionate - “
“Kokichi!” Kiibo cut him off. “How about we go see Miu now.” Kokichi rolled his eyes playfully and nodded.
“Okayyyyy. Later, Shuichi!” Kokichi sprinted off, dragging Kiibo behind him.
“It didn’t work!” He whined as they walked away from the library. Kiibo sighed.
“Perhaps he just needs more time. Saihara-kun does not seem like the type to immediately get angry. He may not even realize it yet.”
Kokichi paused.
“...what if he doesn’t even...like me that way? What if he just sees me as a friend and I’m being stupid…?” Kokichi questioned.
Kiibo looked at him. “I’m sure that that is not the case. You may not see it now, but I am positive he has feelings for you!” Kiibo smiled.
Kokichi shrugged and tried to bounce back. “Annnywayyyy! Let’s go tell the slut, nishishi!” Kiibo sighed and merely followed the now running trickster.
***
A couple hours later, Shuichi was laying on the bottom bunk and staring up, his mind running in all directions.
He had a headache.
Kokichi was softly humming one of those musical songs Shuichi had seen him blasting through his earbuds numerous times, and that was able to bring him a tiny bit of comfort. At least one thing hadn’t changed.
One thing…
He shook his head. It didn’t mean anything, nothing at all. His best friend, someone he was closer to than even his own parents, had gotten a boyfriend. That didn’t change anything. Kokichi was still dorming with him, he was still the same person, he was still Shuichi’s best friend. Nothing changed!
Right?
Shuichi let out a breath through his nose and tried to forget about the way Kokichi had leaned on Kiibo, had sat next to Kiibo instead of Shuichi, had blown Kiibo kisses, called Kiibo his beloved, looked at Kiibo with that look usually reserved for Shuichi.
It meant nothing.
Shuichi inhaled and exhaled again calmly, blocking out the thought of Kokichi wrapping his arms around Kiibo, leaning into Kiibo the same way he used to do with Shuichi, doing that weird snort horse laugh at Kiibo’s jokes, booping Kiibo on the nose before he went home, climbing onto Kiibo’s shoulders and snickering as he shouts for Kiibo to ‘go onwards, my noble steed!’, getting so close to Kiibo their noses were touching and breathing gently against Kiibo’s lips, kissing Kiibo gently and tasting like the Grape Panta he constantly chugged -
Shuichi bit his bottom lip and cracked his knuckles, a habit that he , Kokichi , was always trying to break him of. He didn’t care. He couldn’t care less as to what Kokichi did with his boyfriend. It wasn’t his business.
He rolled onto his side, forcing away the thought of Kokichi holding Kiibo’s hand as he skipped away.
He flipped onto his back, not thinking about Kokichi’s glittery smile directed at Kiibo.
He adjusted his pillow, wondering anything other than what it would feel like to be able to have Kokichi lean into him like he did with Kiibo.
He pulled the blanket up higher, not wishing Kokichi would look at him the way he looked at Kiibo.
“What the fuck are you doing down there, Chi!? Jesus, do that shit in the bathroom, dude.”
Shuichi’s face burst into flames.
“I-I-I-I’m not d-doing anything l-like that!” He spluttered. “I-I-I was just t-trying to get comfortable!”
Then came that one laugh.
“Are you sureeeee? You were moving a lot down there.”
Kokichi’s smirking face swung down the bunk, and then Shuichi was looking directly at...him…
“Hm… I suppose I’ll believe you and therefore spare your life for now… Of course, only the best for my second in command!”
Shuichi just hummed and laid down.
“Shuichi doesn’t think he’s my second in command?” Kokichi inhaled sharply, and Shuichi shot up, almost bashing his head against the top of the bunk.
“Kokichi Ouma, if you start fake crying you’re going to wake up entire dorm flat and I’ll be forced to deal with them again.”
“So?” Kokichi’s face flashed back to a smug expression.
“So, if you do that, I’ll hide your entire Panta stash.” Shuichi glared.
Kokichi’s grin fell. “Fineeee! Ugh, Shumai, you’re so boring sometimes!”
“That’s a lie,” Shuichi half-smiled fondly.
Kokichi stuck his tongue out and giggled that sugar-sweet giggle again and Shuichi wanted so desperately for that giggle to be directed at him all the time and just him and not Kiibo -
“You good? You were spacing out, Chi.”
“I-I’m fine, Ki.” said the detective.
“Welp, I think you’re too tired for this, Chi. Bedtime.” Kokichi smiled softly and dragged his head back up.
Shuichi couldn’t help but notice the lack of the addition of calling him ‘beloved’ or ‘dearest’.
Shuichi let his head fall onto his pillow and shut his eyes.
It doesn’t matter, Shuichi. You know that it doesn’t.
He lied to himself.
…
. . .
Kokichi smiled at Shuichi. Softly, softly, he entwined the two’s fingers and leaned his head on the young detective’s shoulder.
Shuichi just smiled back and continued reading his book aloud. Quietly, of course. He wouldn’t want to bring too much attention to them, after all.
About a half hour later of Shuichi’s voice, a bit weak from talking so long, and Kokichi’s occasional advances of brushing his hands through Shuichi’s hair, Shuichi finished the book, and Shuichi’s research lab slipped into a warm silence.
“My beloved detective?” Shuichi looked up and tilted his head.
“Hm?” He hummed.
“I love you.” Then came such a genuine smile from Kokichi that it took Shuichi’s breath away.
“Y-You d-do…?” He stuttered.
Kokichi giggled and leaned into Shuichi. “I love you, Shuichi.”
Shuichi went silent in disbelief.
“Don’t overthink it, stupid head.” Kokichi whispered against Shuichi’s lips. “I love you.” He repeated.
“...prove it.” Shuichi whispered, with the confidence he only had around Kokichi. Kokichi simply chuckled, and Shuichi’s cheeks went a rosy red.
“I can do that.”
And then Kokichi’s lips were on Shuichi’s and it was so warm and Shuichi was shivering and everything felt so perfect especially when Kokichi looped his fingers around each other and hid them in Shuichi’s hair and it was all so wonderful and Shuichi never wanted this moment to end.
Kokichi pulled away for just a beat, only for air. “I love you, Shuichi. I love you with all of my heart. ”
And then Kokichi was kissing him again.
I love you too, Kokichi. I love you too. I love you. The words repeated in Shuichi’s mind. Please never leave me again. I want to be here with you forever.
Shuichi pulled away this time. “I love you, Kokichi. I love you so much. I love you so much I can barely breathe when you’re gone.”
Kokichi looked up at him with those gorgeous violet eyes and then his arms were around Shuichi’s neck again, and his lips were pressed to Shuichi’s.
“I love you.” Kokichi breathed when they pulled away again.
Shuichi looked around as he caught his breath and found that they didn’t… they didn’t have any surroundings. It was all white, as if they were in some sort of...void?
Wh-what… what is this?
He looked down. There wasn’t any solid floor beneath him, rather a bright, eye-straining white. It was like he was...floating…
Oh… I’m… I’m dreaming.
“What is it, my dearest?” Kokichi smirked, stepping closer to Shuichi.
“You’re...not… You’re not real.” Shuichi’s voice cracked. “This is - j-just a dream. You don’t - don’t like me this way.” His eyes burned at the thought.
“How do you know, darling detective? Perhaps this isn’t a dream, Chi.”
“I know that it is. You - You d-don’t… You’re a lie, Kokichi. You d-don’t - you don’t love me…” His voice cracked.
“Mmmm… I love you here.”
“The real you doesn’t.”
“How about you just enjoy this, my dearest detective?”
“I-It’s fake.”
“Then pretend with me…”
“I d-don’t want it to just be pretend!”
“It’s better than nothing.”
“N-No, b-because then I’ll...know what it’s l-like…”
“You already do , remember? You kissed me earlier…”
“I th-thought you were real… I don’t want a - a fake version of Kokichi. I-If the real one doesn’t… doesn’t think of me that way, then I d-don’t want to… I want to move on.”
“You know that it’s not going to happen, my dearest. How long has it been…? Three years? Three years of useless pining, three years of a heart panicking every time he so much as touches you, three years of telling yourself you’d confess and failing? You know you won’t, Shumai… ”
“I-I-I - m-maybe I...Maybe I won’t…” He whispered.
“Then pretend with me… Let’s have a lot of fun together, baby… ”
Shuichi stumbled back, stuttering all the while.
“ What , don’t you like it? That’s a lie. I know you liked it. I’m inside your head, after all!”
“I can’t… This is wrong. He - he… Kokichi likes Kiibo. Kokichi has a boyfriend .”
“Maybe the real Kokichi has a boyfriend… But I don’t… I’m simply a product of your fantasies, sweetheart. ”
A pang went through Shuichi’s heart.
“Y-You’re a copy of him… I can’t - I can’t do that to even a-a fake version of him.”
“You know you want to. I wouldn’t be here if you didn’t, my love. ”
“I-I - “
“Or… I could wake you. Boooooring… Don’t you want to have some fun, cutie? I could be anything you want… I could be your childhood friend, the one you know… Or I could be…” He slipped closer to Shuichi with a devious smile. “Your boyfriend…” Kokichi tilted his head innocently and took Shuichi’s right hand. “Or, if you’re feeling extra… special , I could be your husband, hubby .” He whispered. A golden band appeared out of thin air, and suddenly, it had managed to slide onto Shucihi’s ring finger.
“I guess that answers my question, hm?” Kokichi’s eyes lit up. “Well, sweetest, won’t you give your lonely husband a kiss? I know you want to…”
“A-Are you sure that you… want...to…?”
Dream Kokichi simply giggled. “Of course, my only love.”
“But you’re not - “
“Kiss me, you idiot.”
…
…
Shuichi leaned in and kissed him.
It was intoxicating. If he closed his eyes, or focused on Kokichi’s face, he could float in this heaven forever.
“I love you, Shuichi Saihara.” Kokichi whispered against his lips when he pulled away for oxygen.
“Sh-shit, Kokichi… I love you too. I love you.”
“I love you , Shuichi. Just you. ‘Kay?”
Looking here at Kokichi, Shuichi allowed himself to believe it, if just for a moment .
Kokichi initiated the kiss this time.
A few moments later, they pulled away again.
“It’s time to wake up, love.” Kokichi said, a twinge of sadness in his voice.
“Wh-what? No, n-no, I don’t… I don’t want to go. I don’t want to go back, K-Kokichi!” He felt tears prick at his eyes.
He knew that once he woke up, he’d have to cope with his actual Kokichi being in a relationship with someone else. He knew he’d watch Kokichi lean on Kiibo, hug Kiibo, giggle at Kiibo, possibly kiss Kiibo -
“I don’t want to wake up! I-I want to - I w-want to keep d-dreaming…! Please, I don’t want to go back!”
“You need to wake up, Shuichi.” Kokichi tugged the ring off of Shuichi’s finger.
“P-Please, Ki… I don’t want to - to see you with someone else.” He pleaded, reaching out for Kokichi’s hand. “Please…”
Kokichi simply frowned.
“Goodbye, Shuichi.”
The world went dark.