Day 2: Performance/[Honesty]

Tired Kokichi: the-not-witch-time-forgot Tumblr

Thank you to Dana/@hallucinatinghetalian for proofreading!!

The bell rang out in the room, the chairs scraping and students' feet shuffling as they put their things away and got out of their seats, speaking with the friends for plans later that day.

However, a green-haired male stayed in his seat, looking at the empty desk in front of him. The boy who usually sat in the chair was gone once again and he was beginning to worry.

It wasn't uncommon for Kokichi to skip class. He sometimes just didn't show up if he didn't feel like it. Attendance wasn't important, so he wasn't required to - as long as it wasn't an exam - but his boyfriend had been gone longer than he normally was. It was usually a day or two, and Rantaro would see him outside of class in those cases.

He hadn't seen him in the past week.

The male bit his lip as he looked at his phone, all the unanswered texts he'd been leaving. Not even read, only delivered.

This wasn't like him, at all. No matter how many times he disappeared, he always texted him.

Always.

As he was deep in thought, he felt a presence talk behind him, making him look back in curiosity. He saw long, dark green locks, and immediately got an idea.

He normally wouldn't invade his privacy. But he needed to see what was going on.

Quickly, he grabbed his school bag and hurried to the larger male before he left. "Gokuhara, wait!"

The entomologist stopped at the mention of his name and turned, smiling his usual big smile to the other. "Amami! What can Gonta do for you?" "Hey, Gokuhara. I just...I wanted to ask about Ko- Ouma."

He tilted his head a little. "What do you mean?" "Well...he hasn't been in class. I know he usually skips, but...well..." Gokuhara put a finger on his chin before nodding. "Amami is right. But Gonta hasn't seen Ouma at all. He knows he's in his room sometimes, since he does eat food Gonta bring for him sometimes. But only a little. And besides that, Gonta doesn't see him."

So was he just locking himself in his room? Why? And why wasn't he eating? He was already a small, frail boy, he couldn't afford not to eat.

"Why does Amami ask?" The adventurer tensed up, chuckling nervously and scratching the back of his neck. "I was just worried...but that does make me think. Would it be possible if I went to see Ouma for myself? Check on him if he is in his room."

Gonta frowned slightly. "Gonta don't know..." "Please. Maybe he'll talk to me if I come. Not that he wouldn't talk to you!" "No, Gonta think he understand. Amami a little closer than Gonta. Gonta just want Ouma to be okay."

The male couldn't but smile and bow a little. "Thank you, Gokuhara."

The two left and made the walk to the dorms silently. Rantaro had to keep himself from walking faster so he didn't look too eager. No one else knew about them and while Gokuhara probably wouldn't immediately guess their relationship, he didn't want to give him reason to suspect.

He just thinks of him as a worried friend. Which he was.

But he was also a worried boyfriend.

They finally made it to the dorms and hurried up to Gokuhara and Kokichi's dorm, Gokuhara saying a quick hello to others they passed. Rantaro usually would too, if he wasn't preoccupied.

Once they got to the dorm, the taller male opened the door for him and held it open. When the other walked in, he realized he was alone. He looked back at the male. "Aren't you coming in?" "Gonta has meeting with Idabashi and Iruma. Iruma come up with a way to look at bugs close and Idabashi say he take pictures for Gonta!" The adventurer smiled and nodded. "Have fun then." "Yes sir! And good luck with Ouma."

With that, he closed the door, leaving him in the small living area.

The Hope's Peak dorms were nice, a small living area, a bathroom, and two separate bedrooms for private living spaces.

But Rantaro wasn't here to admire their room. He was checking on his love.

He took his shoes off and left them at the door, walking over and setting his school bag on the couch near where he came in, before making his way to the bedroom with a sign on it, a dice on it.

He sure loves his black and white.

Taking a deep breath, Rantaro knocked on the door, patiently waiting for a response.

"Just leave the food, Goku-chan." "Koki, it's me...Rantaro."

There wasn't a response. He waited there to see if he was going to open the door, but after a while, he realized that wasn't happening. After saying a quick prayer for Kokichi to forgive him, he slowly opened the door, which was luckily unlocked.

An awful stench hit his nose, making his face scrunch up involuntarily. It smelled like Kokichi, but a bad version. Body odor, in fact. The room itself looked fine, messy in the way Kokichi was, the bed on the right having a big lump under the blanket, a purple mat of hair sticking out from what would usually be the foot of the bed.

Making his way through the mess, making sure not to step on anything that could break, the green-haired male moved some clothes before kneeling next to the bed, looking at where Kokichi's face was. And the sight made his heart break.

He looked so, so tired. Face slightly pink, eyes faintly bloodshot, dried tear streaks on his cheek, and an expression that made him look done with everything.

Rantaro unconsciously moved some hair out of his boyfriend's face, making him recoil a little. "Kokichi...are you okay? What's wrong?"

The male looked to the side, which was down at his pillow, which he could tell was moist from what he could only assume were tears.

"I'm fine, Amami-chan. You can leave now."

He clearly wasn't alright. He looked visibly stressed and worn out. Rantaro had seen him upset before, seen him cry, but this felt different. Something much deeper than he was letting on. But he couldn't force him to say anything without hurting him more.

"I don't believe you...but okay." The male looked down for a moment, his eyes focused on a sweater he'd given him once, which he never returned, not that he mined. "But just know that I am here for you. I know not everything or everyone is perfect, not even you, but that's okay. I still love you - all of you, flaws and all. I'll wait for you forever if that's what it takes. I won't leave you, no matter what."

After he said that, he heard a small whimper, making him look up, his heart breaking even more.

Kokichi's face was scrunched, like he was trying not to cry, his face turning pink from keeping it in as tears formed in his eyes. "Kokichi..."

That broke him.

The liar broke down into tears as he cried, not loudly or ear-piercing, but definitely much louder than he'd heard from him before. Rantaro carefully scooted over and pulled Kokichi over, who scooted over and cried into his chest, fists gripping his chest.

The adventurer gently shushed him as he rested his head on his, his cheek on him as he rubbed the back of his head with his thumb, trying to sooth him, letting him know it was okay to cry.

He didn't know how much time passed, but Kokichi's cries faded as he backed away a little, looking up to his boyfriend, tears still falling as he tried to form words. "I-I'm so sorry, Ama-Amami-chan...I just..." "Sh sh..it's okay, Kokichi. Take a deep breath, gather your words."

He looked up at him as he nodded, taking deep breaths slowly, staggering a little from his sobs, letting himself calm down enough to talk.

"I'm sorry...I know I should've told you, I just...I just couldn't" "It's okay, Kokichi. You aren't obligated to tell me anything. I just want to make sure you're okay." "I know, I just..I felt like I needed to tell you."

Rantaro gave him a soft smile, rubbing his arm soothingly. "If you want to tell me, you can. But you aren't required to."

The liar looked into his eyes, relaxing a bit from the softness of his beautiful eyes as he nodded.

"I ran out of medicine...I've been out for a few weeks now. I've been unable to get an appointment to renew my refills, and Granny wasn't answering to help me. Then the stress of the exams coming up wasn't helping, I've been questioning my leadership abilities for a long while now, since I got here. I was starting to slip...and then the thought of me being weak in front of you...not wanting you to see me like this, scared of what you would do or say...I fell...I fell hard...and I couldn't get up or out..."

The leader looked down at his pillow again, refusing to look at him. He had spilled his guts out to him.

After a moment, he felt soft lips on his head, making him look up. Rantaro was still there, kind eyes and a soft smile. He wasn't disgusted, he wasn't annoyed. Kokichi couldn't tell what emotion it was, but he could tell he wasn't going to love him.

Kokichi had never laid it all out for anyone to see before, except with Granny, hence how he was able to get the medicine to begin with. The boy in front of him had eyes just like Granny. He was kind, sweet, and smart, just like her.

No wonder he fell in love with him.

"Thank you for trusting me, Kokichi. I promise, I'll stay as long as you need me to, and do what I can to help. I can't do anything about the appointment, but anything else is up for grabs."

The purple-haired male looked at him for a moment before sniffling and smiling a little. "Can you lay down with me for a bit? Cuddle for a little while?" "Of course, but only if you promise to take a shower and eat later. I'll help you if you want me to."

He giggled a little, his voice a little groggy from the crying. "Maybeeeeee." "Kokichi Oumaaaaa." "Okay, fine. I will." "Thank you."

Rantaro carefully stood up and moved the blanket up. Kokichi moved back a little and allowed his boyfriend to get into bed with him. Once he was laid down and situated, he immediately hugged him, snuggling into his chest, Rantaro following suit with wrapping his arms around him.

"Thank you, Amami-chan..." "You're welcome, Kokichi." "I love you, Amami-chan." "I love you too, Koki."

Kokichi had been under his blanket for days now, but Rantaro's warmth made him feel safe and relaxed. His crying took a lot out of him, making him a little sleepy.

A small nap couldn't hurt, right?

And so, the leader fell asleep in his boyfriend's arms, the sound of his heartbeat soothing him into his dreams, the first nice ones he'd had in a week.