(A/N): Basically, this is a scenario of what could have happened if Hajime got the Depair Disease instead of Nagito.

So original, I know; but I wanted to write this, so I did.

Warnings: Mentions of sickness, self negativity, implied PTSD, dirty thoughts, language

Nagito awoke to the usual morning announcement, ready for another day among the hopeful Ultimates that he was lucky enough to be trapped on an island with.

He got up, getting ready for the day as quickly as he could.

But when he got to the hotel restaurant, he was... confused, to say the least.

Akane was loudly sobbing for seemingly no good reason while Hyoko was screaming at her to "get a grip". Ibuki ran into Fuyuhiko, who told her to watch it, and she actually provided an unsettlingly compliant response. But that wasn't what bugged Nagito the most. He couldn't see Hajime anywhere.

He was about to leave and start searching for the brunet when the boy in question suddenly burst through the door.

"Oh! Good morning Hajime!" Nagito greeted brightly.

Hajime's face seemed much more flushed than usual, and he was sweating too much to be considered normal. The divergence from his usual appearance made Nagito slightly nervous on the brunet's behalf.

"K... Komaeda?" He looked conflicted.

Nagito gasped. "Oh, my mistake! I didn't mean to seem so familiar with a shining symbol of hope like you. My deepest apologies!" The white haired boy hastily added, realizing his verbal mistake.

As his clouded over, hazel eyes slowly met Nagito's gray-green ones, he beamed, sprinting over and tackling the other boy in a tight hug that sent them both crashing to the floor. "NAGITO!"

Nagito wasn't sure whether to be happy or concerned. He decided on both. "H-Hinata-kun?!"

Hajime's eyes widened as he scrambled off of Nagito. "Oh! I almost forgot!" He slapped the white haired boy, making his head whip to the side from the impact. "There we go!" Hajime laughed.

Meanwhile Nagito was having a mental freak out session on the floor. Hajime had hugged AND slapped him! In the same day! Was he supposed to be elated or offended at the emotion evoked from such a hopeful person?

"What w-was that for?" He gingerly touched his cheek where he had been hardly slapped.

Hajime shrugged, grinning widely. "I don't know!" He announced with a laugh.

"W-WAIT!" Mikan burst into the hotel restaurant, heavily panting. "THEY'RE-"

"Puhuhuhu!"

Oh great... Nagito internally cringed.

Everyone froze.

Hyoko, being the first to recover from the unwanted entrance, scoffed as she noticed who the visitor was. "Who invited the sadistic teddy bear?"

Monokuma glared at the blonde. "I'm in a good mood right now, so I'll pretend that I didn't hear that." His cheery attitude jarringly returned. "Any who! I've come to announce your new motive! Aren't you excited?!"

"No." Hajime glared at the murderous bear. He seemed to be fighting against himself as he said it, holding himself back from charging at the bear. "You're the worst, Monokuma. We all hate you."

Did Hajime just tell Monokuma off to his face? Was that hopeful or stupid? Nagito couldn't decide.

Monokuma huffed frustratedly. "Well, I'm excited! Your motive is a little something called the Despair Disease!" He announced proudly.

"W-w-what? I've never h-heard of that s-sickness before..." Mikan said nervously.

"That's because it's native to this island! It's carried by tiny bugs and-"

"Yeah, yeah; we get it." Hyoko said dismissively. "Just get to the point. Is it contagious?"

"Yup yup! Suuuuuuuper contagious!" Monokuma replied brightly.

"Of course it is." Kazuichi grumbled under his breath, pulling down on his beanie like it would protect him.

"So basically getting the Despair Disease affects you based on what strand you have! Akane, here, has the Coward Disease! Ibuki has the Gullible Disease and Hajime had the Transparent Disease!"

"Tr-transparent?" Mikan repeated timidly. "W-wha-"

"It basically makes everything he feels exaggerated and unable to be held back!" Monokuma informed them. "Welp! This disease isn't leaving until a murder happens! Happy killing, losers!" And with that, Monokuma took his leave.

The remaining students looked at each other uneasily, the more wary ones inching away from the infected.

"Soooooo..." Kazuichi started, hoping to ignite a discussion.

"We should make a plan of what to do with the sick... I think." Chiaki yawned.

"I-I think w-w-we need to quarantine th-the infected..." Mikan squeaked.

"A splendid idea, but who shall sacrifice their freedom and tend to the ill?" Gundam inquired.

"I'm not going anywhere near those psychos!" Hyoko rudely announced, scurrying to the other side of the restaurant.

"I don't mean to sound impolite, but perhaps those who physically contacted with the sick should stay with them, since they have already been in contact, the likelihood is possibly greater for them." Sonia suggested thoughtfully.

Nagito nodded. "That's obviously me."

"I'll go too. Ibuki ran into me, so I guess we technically touched." Fuyuhiko grunted.

"So Komaeda-kun, Kuzuryu-kun, Tsumiki-kun and the sick, right?"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Great! Let's-"

"Wait. One last thing." Chiaki unintentionally cut the mechanic off. "The disease is carried by insects invisible to the eye, right? So we should stay somewhere outside of our cabins in case they're infected."

"There's a motel by the hospital." Fuyuhiko remembered. "That's probably the best option; it's far enough away, so that we'll all still be separated."

"We'll stay there and figure out a way for us to communicate over the distance."

"Then may all of us receive good luck in our endeavors!" Sonia cheered as they parted.

***

"Hinata-kun... you're still hugging my arm." Nagito looked away in an attempt to hide his blush.

The brunet frowned. "What happened to Hajime? I liked it when you called me by my first name."

"I wouldn't dare address an ultimate like yourself so inf-"

"I don't like it when you put yourself down, Nagito." Hajime's tone darkened, turning serious. "You're not trash. You're not any less than the rest of us."

Nagito stared at him with wide eyes. When Hajime said it, he could almost believe him. Almost.

"Y-your fever must be affecting you... we should get you to the hospital so Tsumiki-san can look you over."

Hajime sighed loudly, but didn't verbally object. He did drag his feet to show his reluctance; Nagito found the childish action to be slightly... cute (in a platonic way, of course!)

"We're heeeeeeeeere!" Hajime grinned at the taller boy supporting him.

"O-oh! Th-there you are! I was get-ting worried." Mikan exclaimed, rushing over to lead Hajime to his room.

Nagito subconsciously followed them. He didn't realize what he was doing until all three students were entering the hospital room.

Mikan suddenly squeaked and scurried over to Nagito, who was still standing in the doorway.

"C-c-can you help h-him ch-change into a hospital robe? I'M SORRY; I-I'M A GIRL A-AND HINATA-KUN ISN'T, SO-"

"Of course I will." Nagito replied automatically. "There's no way I can refuse helping an ultimate." He wasn't really thinking of what exactly he was agreeing to.

"Thank y-you so m-much! I'll go ch-check o-on the oth-thers!" She rushed off, mumbling apologies to the lucky student as she left.

Hajime was sitting on the hospital bed and smiling widely at Nagito. The brunet's legs were swinging back and forth like those of an impatient child.

After a few seconds of quiet, Nagito realized that Hajime was probably expecting him to say something first.

He cleared his throat awkwardly. "We... should get you into a robe..."

Nagito was oddly flustered at the thought of potentially seeing Hajime's body... it must just be because he's an ultimate full of hope, right? Yeah, that had to be it.

Hajime suddenly frowned scooting away from the white haired boy. He shook his head rapidly.

Nagito paused. "Hinata-kun?"

The brunet bit his lip, his demeanor suddenly shifting as he began shrinking in on himself. "I wanna get out of here..." He admitted quietly. "I just now got a really bad feeling... like I need to leave."

Nagito blinked. "Why? Is something wrong?"

Hajime said nothing for a few moments. He looked hesitant... wary.

He still must not trust me. As I should have expected as much... "I won't tell anyone, Hinata-kun. What you say will stay between us." Nagito assured the sick teen.

Hajime seemed to begin to give in, or at least, he began to. "It's stupid..." He muttered.

"I'm sure it's not." Nagito sat beside him, gingerly giving him a shoulder pat. "I don't believe in stupid confessions from symbols of hope."

Hajime looked at him, his hazel eyes uninsured by his edgy, tsundere facade for once. The brunete's eyes held so much vulnerability and unfiltered emotion... they made Nagito blush for some reason.

"I... don't know why, but being here makes me scared... like I had something bad happen in a hospital that I can't remember." Hajime admitted, shifting uncomfortably.

"Something bad? Do you have any idea what?" Nagito inquired curiously.

Hajime thought for a minute. "... No, I don't remember anything like that." His tone was apologetic.

Nagito nodded understandingly. "That's fine... hospitals certainly aren't my favorite either. But even though you can't remember, I'll make sure that you're okay." What am I doing?! He internally screamed. I get that he's an ultimate, but why do I care so intimately about him?!

Hajime stared at him. "Nagito..." His face reddened, beginning to undo his tie and unbuttoning his shirt.

Nagito's brain pretty much imploded, his eyes involuntarily focusing on Hajime's partially exposed pectorals. "I-H-HAJIME! WE'RE SO YOUNG! AND I CANNOT POSSIBLY DIRTY A HOPEFUL BEING LIKE YOURSELF IN SUCH A WAY!"

The brunet's eyebrows raised innocently. "What are you-" His eyes widened. It dawned on him what Nagito was talking about. "I'M NOT DOING THAT! GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER, WEIRDO!" The brown haired boy screeched, his cheeks red.

"THEN WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

"TAKING OFF MY CLOTHES!"

Nagito could practically feel his soul exiting his body. "WHAT?!"

"SO I CAN WEAR THE HOSPITAL ROBE, YOU IDIOT!"

"WHAT'S WITH ALL THE F*CKING YELLING?!"

Hajime and Nagito both froze at the sound of the yakuza's voice.

"Fuyuhiko..." Hajime began to laugh nervously. "I can assure you that there's a perfectly logical explanation for this."

(A/N): I'm in a weird place mentally right now. I really want to keep writing because it's a good cathartic release for me, but I have a few looming issues that I'm going to be worrying about for a few months. So, if my writing seems different or not quite as good for the next duration of time, that's why.

Thank you in advance for your understanding and thank you so much for reading!