The Vision Of A Mad Man - A Danganronpa Mastermind AU

Chapter Ten

How am I suppose to do this? The guy hates me.

Gundham stood idle outside of Kazuichi's room, contemplating on how he should approach this situation. The Devas squeaked words of support from the man's scarf in order to calm his nerves. He glanced over and looked at them, a small smile forming on his face. "Thank you, my loves." He hummed, gently pating Cham-P on the head with his finger. With that, he managed to bring himself to knock on the mechanic's door.
It eventually opened, Kazuichi staring at the man for a few moments as his face shifted into a confused anger. "What happened to- wait no, I don't care about you, you're a fucking dick." Looking away slightly, he played with the door handle. "What do you want? I'm kind of in the middle of something..." He motioned back into the room with his head, still avoiding eye contact.
How do I do this? Being blunt probably isn't the best idea.
"The Overlord wishes to express his apologies to you, dear rosefinch..." Honestly, that was the best anyone was probably gonna get out of him. He really did seem sorry, averting his eyes with a flush of embarrassment washing over his face. Tanaka then let out a soft sigh and shifted his weight on the cane he was using to support himself. "Do you accept?"
"Rosefinch...?" He mumbled. It wasn't a phrase he'd ever heard before, but he quickly shook off that confusion. "Sounds like a pretty half-assed apology. Do you even get what you did wrong?" Kazuichi huffed, crossing his arms and leaning against the doorframe. Staring at the ground, he thought for a moment, his facial expression softening. "...it's...not like I- want to stay mad at you. You just act so self-centred sometimes and it's infuriating!" His grip tightened, looking back up at him.
"I know!" Gundham snapped suddenly, looking up at him with pure sorrow. His hands on the cane soon gripped tightly as he tried to hold back tears. "I didn't know what to do when Sonia died and knowing the man that let her still walks these hallways without a care in the world..." the breeder sighed, loosening his hands before backing away. "I'm not purposing charity or lord's work...I've just come here to admit my wrongdoings, alright? I don't expect you to forgive me but know I'm trying."
"...I know. I just- don't get how getting Shirogane executed wasn't enough for you. You got her killer, hooray, now we can move on. But you're just pushing that hatred onto everyone-! ...and I don't think it's healthy for you." Soda ran fingers through his hair, looking away as he thought. "I want to forgive you, but- do you understand any of this? What that means to me?" He sighed, hand hanging from his neck as he looked back at him. "I don't know. I don't want your forgiveness if it's purely to be a good person or to get something out of me. I only want it if you mean what you say."
"I wouldn't of taken time out of my day to bother you with empty words. I mean what I say." Gundham shifted, turning away as if he was ready to head back to his room. "Shirogane's death did ease the pain, but not all of it. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the mastermind. I'm tired of the bickering and yelling I'm receiving as well...I know the wrongs and rights."
"...I get it. You're getting yourself in a lot of trouble right? I mean- damn it man, you're walking around on a stick." He motioned towards the other slightly, pushing himself off the door frame with a sigh. Kazuichi stared for a long moment, seeming to just think, before he latched himself onto Gundham's back, giving him a tight hug. "I'm just...so scared. Everything was fine, it could've been fine, but- it feels like the walls are getting smaller and smaller every day. I don't want to die. I don't want to watch more people die, god damn it, look at you, you almost died!" He buried his face in the man's shoulder, tears being soaked up by the jacket. "I don't know what to do anymore. I just want it all to stop already..." Soda didn't get a reply. What was he suppose to say? It was all going to get better? In reality, that was nothing more than a lie unless they managed to expose Kiyotaka to everyone for who he really was. The idea of a plan to do such a thing was yet to be set in motion, however, as Gundham had been severely injured and he was less than liked amongst everyone else. "I'm not exactly sure why I'm alive," the breeder admitted softly, turning around and pulling Kazuichi into his embrace, "but nevertheless it is a grand opportunity to seize success. I can't promise no more murders or hardships, but we will achieve our freedom." He didn't bother explaining what he truly meant by that - freedom in death or physically leaving this horrid building. Kazuichi continued to sob into him, leaning into the contact and gripping onto Tanaka as if his life depended on it.
He needed this.
He wasn't sure if his words were at all comforting or not, but he accepted them nonetheless, graciously taking whatever he could out of them. After a while, Soda was able to calm himself down, taking several shaky breaths before he was able to speak again. "...if you die on me I'll fucking beat your ass." He sniffled, still keeping his face up against the other. "You've done too much for that. So don't you fucking die!" His grip tightened as he said that, letting more tears fall. Kazuichi had already seen so much loss because of this chaos, he could hardly bare it. Most days were a distraction at this point, even now he wasn't stable enough to face the truth.
Maybe he didn't want to.
He just wanted to feel like he wasn't alone.
"Since when were you so fond of me?" Gundham chuckled softly as he stood there, holding Kazuichi in his arms. He looked down at the mechanic and gently lifted his head with his hand. Using his thumb, he wiped away the man's tears before giving him another reassuring squeeze from the hug. "Are you going to be alright?" The breeder tilted his head with the question.
He stared at him for a moment, sniffling as he looked away. "I...don't know. I'll be alright when this is over..." Kazuichi hugged him for a few more seconds before he loosened his arms, moving to look at him properly. "But...thank you." He tried to keep the eye contact, but it ultimately faltered due to embarrassment. "For everything...it means a lot." He cleared his throat, wiping away the already newly forming tears.
"You're welcome, dear mortal." Tanaka gently gave a smile to Soda as he too pulled away from the embrace. "I shall leave you alone now unless you require something of me. If not, I'll be in my quarters...that star mortal is probably waiting for me there." He then turned towards his room, but kept his attention on the other. Part of him didn't even want to leave, and plus Kaito would be fine without him. Similarly, Kazuichi wasn't sure if he needed anything. He enjoyed the comfort of having someone around, but wasn't about to ask someone in Gundham's physical condition to stay. He pulled at his sleeve, internally debating. "So...we're friends, right?" His gaze switched between the fabric in his hands and the other man. "For real this time? Actually...friends?" He felt so stupid for even asking something like that, but he couldn't help it. A small flush of red came over the breeder's face.
Friends?
He never actually truly thought about the idea of a friendship with another person. Most people just thought he was an animal freak and labeled him with names such as beastiality or furry, but that wasn't happening right now. Using his scarf to cover his embarrassed expression and averting his eyes, he gently pet Kazuichi on the head before he spoke. "Yes. I'm not used to such a concept but I shall accept it nonetheless..." The shorter male stared at his hand, a wide smile spreading on his face.
"Wow..." he let out a soft laugh, a hand dragging its' nails over his arm. "I'll be the best friend I can be for you! Promise. No matter what, I'll help you, alright?" Kazuichi stared with stars in his eyes, a small blush spreading over his face. He may have been more excited than he should've been, but anything to get away from their reality was welcome. Flattered by the mechanic's words, Gundham smiled through his scarf and softly chuckled.
"Ease your mind, rosefinch. You are too hyper." He sighed and retracted his hand from him. "Rest well tonight. I plan on us conversing sometime after morning breakfast to discuss important matters at hand...I'll assist you if you have troubles." Gundham gave a small bow before he started to walk off towards his room, slowly of course but much faster than before. Soda simply watched and listened for a moment, still a little star stuck by the encounter.
"Alright!" He managed to call out. "I'll see you later then! Bye Gundham!" Despite not even being seen by the man anymore, Kazuichi still gave an enthusiastic wave, slowing his motion down to hold his face in reassurance.
He...apologised to me. And he touched me! Gundham Tanaka doesn't do those things!
Retreating into his room, he looked around his personal space as he tried to go over everything happening in his mind. The breeder was being overly friendly to him, not that he could complain. It meant so much that he could achieve that with someone like Tanaka. It just felt a little overwhelmingly surreal.
Calm down Kazuichi. It's cool, it's chill...focus that energy into finishing this shirt.