Destined for Greatness - A Togiri Fanfiction

Chapter Four - Pointless Endeavors

     The days came and went and Byakuya had, to his surprise, not completely dreaded them all. He was well aware of the horrid circumstances he was in. But still, he was put at ease to have something to distract him from that reality. He would go into the library every morning to research and soon after he would be greeted by that mixed scent of lavender perfume and morning black coffee. Kyoko would sit away from him, usually on the couch, while he would occupy the file closet. She wasn't too far away though to where he couldn't be aware of her. And if he focused enough he could hear her slight moving breath as she would read softly to herself. 

     It's not like their time together went completely unspoken. Occasionally they would discuss certain theories of the supposed school and what exactly they think really happened here. Byakuya learned to really admire the way Kyoko spoke. The way she would speak in a quiet but intense tone. Or how she would use her words so carefully as if she were worried that any misplace of a phrase might lead to the world crashing down. And how she would just so slightly, furrow her brow every time he would challenge an opinion of her's. -He realized how interesting it was that she weighed every option of a problem instead of sticking to her own opinion. It confused him and made him think about how he made the habit to do just the opposite of her. While he would defend his ideas to the very end, Kyoko made sure to find the truth instead of trying to always be "right". Although, he had to admit that usually, she was "right".

      That day, completely hypnotized by his thoughts, he sat on that couch without thinking of the consequences. They were still separated by so much space, but he just had an urge to talk to her more. To witness those strange but still, compelling mannerisms. 

     In the back of his head, he wondered why he was acting the way he was that day. Lack of sleep? -Or maybe it was the killing game finally breaking his composure? He couldn't quite say. He just thought that talking to her would curb some kind of impulse within him. It would end after this. Just one conversation is all I need. He thought.

     It was obvious that Kyoko felt a bit strange with the new seating arrangement but for some reason, she didn't question it.

"...Did you have your coffee this morning?" She said looking down at her own cup.

     He couldn't put his finger on it but there was some other emphasis in her voice other than just simple question. Puzzlement, maybe?

"Yes, I did... Why?" 

"It's nothing really, you just seemed a bit different this morning. I presumed It may have been a lack of caffeine." She lifted her eyes at this.

     He held eye contact with her for a moment before saying, "I found some data last night and I wanted to discuss it with you-"

"-Do you think this is all pointless?" She interrupted suddenly looking across the couch to him.

    What did she mean? She was definitely more talkative today than usual.

"Excuse me?" He said.

"Well, it's just that-" Byakuya was surprised by her sudden lack of control with words. "-well, I've just been pondering our circumstances a bit more recently, and I'm honestly quite surprised Monokuma hasn't interrupted our attempts yet."

     He understood what she meant.

"You mean that if he hasn't stopped us yet, it means our research is no threat to him...?"

"Well... yes." She admitted.

"I've been thinking that too actually..." -And he truly had been, but for some reason, he didn't want to stop with the data searching just yet.

"Why didn't you say anything then?" she asked. 

     She must've thought I would have said something immediately.

"I'm- I thought we should still continue with it regardless..." He knew that was a feeble excuse, and he knew she thought so too.

"I don't understand your standpoint." She said plainly.

     I don't either. He wanted to say

"I thought that maybe I would be wrong." He said with obvious uncertainty.

"Togami, you never think you're wrong." 

"Okay well, why is it so strange that I did this time?"

     He suddenly realized that he raised his voice. Kyoko's face grew darker.

"What are you doing?" She asked pointedly.

"What do you think I'm doing?" He said it a bit too loudly again.

     She didn't answer. Byakuya took a breath.

"S-sorry," he said. "I lost my composure."

     She then moved closer to him across the sofa. The floral aroma grew thicker and his head grew misty with the scent.

"Please tell me what you're thinking. If you don't, there will be consequences for the both of us. Your actions do not line up with your previous behavior. If you do not convince me of the cause of your inconsistency, I cannot keep trusting you anymore and we cannot continue to work together." She said this all with the most deliberate expression on her face.

"Okay." Byakuya noticed he had been holding in his breath. "I'll tell you."

     Kyoko's expression eased.

"I-well, I wanted to keep spending time on this research because it-", He knew he was stuttering and it mortified him. "I noticed that having this routine, and meeting up with you every day, was letting me somewhat ignore how bad our circumstances are. It was almost something that could distract me from everything, and I didn't want to stop."

     Kyoko's body relaxed for a moment but then tensed back up after she processed his words.

"You wanted to see me?" She asked in her signature quiet, serious tone.

     Byakuya said nothing and only looked at her again.

"I, um, enjoy talking with you as well." She said even quieter.

     Byakuya's heart jumped. She wants to see me too? She enjoys my presence? -He thought but instantly retracted them.

"Would-", she started again, "you like to keep meeting up in the library then? Regardless of our predictions?" She asked.

     Byakuya could only manage to say the word, "Yes.", to her.

     She nodded and then gathered herself to stand and Byakuya instinctively followed her actions. She looked up at him puzzled and he realized suddenly how close they were standing next to each other. So close that he could have so easily lifted his hand to touch her hair and sift her intoxicating scent around the two of them. He didn't.

     Clearing her throat, she stepped away from him and took her empty coffee cup from the low table.

"I'm going downstairs to get some lunch now." She paused as if expecting something. "I'll come back in a bit."

     Byakuya nodded to her and turned back to the sofa but instead of sitting, he went to one of the large bookshelves in the back and slid out a leather-bound novel from the middle shelf. It read, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn". An American novel  -he presumed. It's been a while since he had read any form of classic literature. He had always been more suited to non-fiction. Nonetheless, he moved back over to the couch and started reading.

...

- To be continued -