A Dɪғғᴇʀᴇɴᴛ Kɪɴᴅ Oғ Lᴏᴠᴇ

Recovery

The first sense that returns is definite, piercing pain. He winces, pulling his hand up to the spot.

"Good, you're awake. How are you feeling?"

Confused, Kokichi opens his eyes to see Shuichi, on a chair, a book in his hand. He starts trying to sit up, but his vision starts to swim. Saihara must have seen a sign, because he lies him back down.

The smaller one sighs. First of all, he got an emotional attachment in a killing game. Now, he has to deal with being injured? Great. Just great.

"Do you remember what happened?"

Kokichi thinks back. A dark figure, he can't remember what they're like, over him. Pain, and fleeing.

"... I think someone tried to kill me." His voice is raspy, in the I-just-got-attacked-and-passed-out-and-am-now-just-figuring-out-I-nearly-
died kind of way.

"O-oh..."

There is a silence. Kokichi closes his eyes, the headache getting more painful. He gives a small groan of pain.

"Are.. you okay?" He asks, gently. Ouma nods, lying on instinct. Shuichi can see through that lie easily.

He puts a blanket over Kokichi. The other boy opens his eyes, confused.

"What-"

"Sleep. I'll make sure whoever it is doesn't come back."

The liar turns over to hide his slight blush. He pulls the blanket over himself more.

I am so dead...

***

A dagger sticks out of Maki's chest. Ouma staggers back, mouth wife open.

I killed her...

He runs back out of the room, only to crash into his classmates. They stare at the body, then at Kokichi, and his bloodied clothes.

"I didn't mean to!" He cries out, nearly in tears.

"Don't lie to us, Ouma." Saihara says, now laughing.

***

Kokichi bolts up, panting. His head swirls with the headache, but he's too alarmed to lie back down. He takes deep breaths, telling himself it's just a dream.

"Ouma..? A-are you alright?" The nervous voice of Shuichi pipes up. He flicks his head around suddenly.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry-" He says, clearly panicking. Saihara gently hugs him. He stops his chanting, clinging onto Shuichi.

The two stay like that for a while, giving Ouma enough time to calm down.

"Do you want to talk about what that was about?" The detective asks quietly.

"No, not really..."

"Okay."

They continue to sit in silence, apart from the occasional sniff from the shorter one.

Soon, a soft snoring comes from Kokichi. Shuichi laughs quietly to himself.

He's so... Cute in his sleep for someone so manipulative...

The detective grabs a pillow and blanket, before lying down on the floor. The door was locked, but he figured Kokichi wasn't in a state to kill him.

He is about to drift off, but a voice murmurs softly.

"You don't have to sleep on the floor, y'know... There's plenty of room on the bed..."

Shuichi's face flushes slightly. He didn't really want to sleep on the floor, so instead, climbed into his own bed, next to Kokichi.

The two both drift off into a calm, dreamless sleep.

Word count: 525