Saioma Month 2023

Tell me about Shuichi

Kokichi asks Kaito to tell him about Maki, just as a way to waste the time - of course. But Kaito can be intuitive, and he recognizes that Kokichi needs to talk as well. About someone in particular.

Or~ Kaito talks about Maki, and then makes Kokichi talk to him about Shuichi.

Prompt : Last Breath

"Tell me about Maki..."

"Huh?" Kaito turned around suddenly, frowning, "I thought I was killing you? What do you want to know about Maki-roll?"
"I dunno." Kokichi shrugged, looking around the desolate hanger, "We've got almost an hour, y'know. Maybe. Depends on the poison Maki-roll used."
"Can you not call her that?" Kaito snapped, still next to the hydraulic press, "So... I just need to turn this on, right?"

"Awww, c'mon," Kokichi could feel his voice slipping away because of the poison, but he still put his signature teasing tone into it, "I'm about to die, y'know. My last wish is to talk. Are you realllllly gonna deny me?"

"I-" Kokichi could hear the gears turning in Kaito's brain as he thought. Before he answered, "-Fine. What do you want to talk about?"

"Weren't you listening?"

"Right, Maki-roll. My bad," Kaito sounded sheepish, and he made a noise of thinking and consideration, "She's just... great, y'know."
"No, I don't," Kokichi said flatly, "She tried to kill me."

"She- she didn't..." Kaito's voice trailed off as he thought again. "Maki isn't the type to kill without reason, you know? It may have been wrong - but I'm sure she thought she was doing the right thing."

A small weight settled in Kokichi's stomach. It could have been the poison, that was beginning to really hurt, but he thought it might be acceptance. He really was that good at being the villain, huh? Instead, he let out a small laugh, "Geez, Kaito. That's realllly reassuring."

"Huh?" Kaito almost seemed confused for a second, and Kokichi could imagine his sudden wince, "Oh yeah. My bad, sorry Kokichi..."

"Well, I am the villain, y'know?" Kokichi frowned under the press, knowing Kaito wouldn't be able to see it, "But I don't want my last conversation to be too depressing. Aren't you supposed to be stupidly cheerful, Kaito?"

"It's not stupid!" Kaito protested, "You've just gotta believe in yourself, and know things will turn out ok."

"Will this turn out ok?" Kokichi asked bitterly, sarcastically. Then he immediately added, "It will. Don't answer that."
"So..." Kaito sounded awkward, "Maki-roll, huh?"

"What do you see in her?" Kokichi asked, wondering if Kaito would realise his question was genuine.

"She... always tries. And she cares so much about me and Shuichi - y'know!" The grin that was accompanying Kaito's words could be heard from his speech, "And... I don't know Kokichi, it feels weird talking about this shit with you."

"Why?" Kokichi asked, "Cause I'm a big bad villain who can't fall in love?"

"No - not at all," Kaito seemed genuine in his statement as well, "I'm sure you've found someone, I just don't think it's Maki... I don't think it's her you want to talk about."

"Neeheehee," Kokichi tried to make his laugh still sound fine, "Whatever do you mean?"

"I think you have someone you like!" Kaito declared.

"Geez, you really are an idiot." For once, Kokichi didn't have to control his blush, but he still put scorn into his voice, "I'm the villain, remember? Who'd like me?"
"I didn't say they had to like you," Kaito answered, "I just think you like someone here."

"Really?" Kokichi was still putting scorn into his voice, "Who?"

"I..." Kaito trailed off, "That's the part I'm unsure about - but I'm pretty certain of everything else!"

"Well, you're pretty wrong."
"Says you!"

"Yeah, I'm the person it's about. Besides, I hate liars!"

"Then don't lie to yourself, man."

"I'm not-" Kokichi broke off, swallowing, "-I don't like anyone."
"You know," Kaito said suddenly, "I think I've worked out who it is."
"Really?"
"Yes; really!" Kaito's voice became fuller again, more confident, "You like Shuichi!"

"No." Kokichi immediately said, before realising he shouldn't have answered so quickly, "I like... Himiko."
"I'm right, aren't I?"
"Geez, I just wanna die in peace y'know," Kokichi didn't feel guilty about using that as an excuse, "Will you not grant me that dying wish?"
"You need to acknowledge your feelings, man!"

"Fine." Kokichi didn't mean to snap, and instead he took a deep breath, "I like Shuichi. Happy?"

"Are you?" Kaito countered.

"Hmph."

"Tell me... tell me about him," Kaito asked.

"Isn't he supposed to be your sidekick?"

"Supposed to? You mean is-" Kaito broke off, realising what Kokichi had done, "I meant your feelings about him, dumbass."

"Why do you want to know?"
"Talking about your feelings is the first step to accepting them!" Kaito exclaimed, "And a true man accepts his feelings."

"Can't believe I'm doing this," Kokichi half-mumbelled, before taking a deep breath, "He... I can trust him. He makes me feel safe, and he makes me feel... happy, whenever he's around. I feel noticed, it makes me smile. I feel he gets me better than most other people. Than any other person..."

Kokichi paused to smile, before feeling a sudden stabbing pain, "Ack. I think I'm about to die, lower the press."
"But- you hadn't finished!"

"Do you want Maki to be the blackened?"

"No..." Kokichi could hear Kaito's sigh, and then the noise of the press.

He knew the video camera didn't record sound, so he kept talking, "I... just find him interesting. Fascinating."

He couldn't see anything other than the press now.

"I love Shuichi Saihara."