Brats & Brains (Shuichi x Kokichi)

8 - Harmless Bruises And Deadly Rituals

~ Kokichi

I follow Shuichi to his room, but he doesn't realize that I'm behind him until he opens his door and sees me slip past him. He flinches in fear, but relaxes once he sees me and he closes the door behind him. I admire how much he trusts me—if only I could trust myself and the others the way he trusts me.

I flop onto his bed and stretch out my limbs like a starfish. "I almost stayed in the dining hall," I say after letting out a heavy sigh. "I wanted to see if Miu would actually punch Angie."

Shuichi sits down next to me and chuckles lightly. "I doubt it. Miu seems to be an all bark, no bite kinda girl," he says.

I sit up and wrap my arms around Shuichi's torso from behind, making him gasp in surprise. "Yeah, you're right," I say.

I feel his hands grasp mine and he tightens my grip on his waist and hot blush covers my cheeks. Has this boy cast a spell on me, reeling me to him like honey reeling a hive of bees? From the moment I laid my eyes on him, I haven't stopped thinking about him, and every time his skin makes contact with mine, I'm overwhelmed with euphoria.

I sneak some kisses on Shuichi's neck and I hear him groan happily, so I leave some kisses on his ears and the nape of his neck, hoping he'll react more. But instead, he stands up and heads for the door, leaving me sitting on his bed, disappointed and confused.

"Where are you going?" I ask.

He locks the door and returns to the bed, and a flirtatious smirk creeps up on me. Shuichi sits back down on the bed and I curl up in his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck. Finally, some undisturbed peace with Shuichi—during the day, that is. There's rarely any outside activity at night, but that's when I get my precious sleep. 

I leave kisses along his jaw like I did earlier and he hums happily with each kiss I leave on his face. I tilt my head to kiss his neck again, but he places his hand on my chin and gently pulls my face to his, our lips sinking into each other like they always do when we kiss. Shuichi hugs me closer to him, kissing me with more passion than anything I've felt from him before—which isn't a whole lot, but it's the perfect amount. His hands grip my shirt with so much desire that I melt into his arms, feeling physically unable to part from him. Not that I'd ever want to.

Shuichi parts from my lips and I unintentionally lean into him, our lips brushing together but not connecting. He starts laughing softly at me as I hide my pink face under my checkered scarf in embarrassment.

"Sorry," I say, laughing along with him. I reveal my face again and look into Shuichi's beautiful, golden eyes—golden like the warm glow of the sun, golden like a sunflower. Golden like true gold itself. Gold that I don't deserve.

"No need to apologize," Shuichi says, brushing my wispy hair out of my eyes. He glances down at my lips, into my eyes, then back down at my lips. Butterflies flutter around in my stomach, making me feel sickeningly lovestruck.

Shuichi darts his eyes all over my face before practically ramming his lips into mine again, startling me with his confidence and passion. I cling onto him like I'll die if I let go, and I kiss him back with the same energy. Shuichi moves his lips down to my neck as he desperately tears off my scarf. Without realizing, his lips land on the bruises from when Maki choked me this morning. I gasp out in pain and Shuichi reels back as quickly as he can with guilt painted on his face.

"Shit," he whispers. "I'm sorry... I wasn't paying attention."

"It's no big deal," I say. "Just be more gentle, please."

Shuichi smiles as he lightly and affectionately kisses my aching bruises, and I feel myself smiling as he continues to leave kisses on my neck. We lay down on Shuichi's bed, Shuichi hovering over me with his hands holding my waist, still giving me gentle kisses. This is the most vulnerable I've ever been with anyone (that I can remember, anyway)—the most exposed I've ever felt while still being fully clothed. I haven't felt this safe in a long time... Safe in the familiarity of his touch and his presence, yet I can't still seem to fathom how I'm feeling this way.