Comfortember 2022

Solstice Suffering - Mikado Sannoji/Nikei Yomiuri

9. Day Out

Warning: spoilers for members of Void

***

The bell rang, dismissing the students of Hope's Peak Academy from their classes. The tired students began leaving the building and stumbling out into the sweltering heat, where they were eager to get back to their air-conditioned dorms.

Within the masses, a group of six people left together in a herd to get back to their dorms. Mikado sighed in exhaustion as he looked around at his fellow Voids. Iroha and Nikei were suffering, Hajime and Emma were pretending that they were coping, and his twin, who shared the same tolerance for heat that he did, was leading the way with an enthusiastic demeanour.

Within this group, Mikado needed to get Nikei's attention before he came back to the dorm. In class, the wizard wasn't sure about how to properly format references and citations for a research assignment, nor did he know what kind of sources to use for it. He never got a proper education to learn about these things.

On the other hand, Nikei was well-versed in these types of things as a journalist, using them in his articles on the daily. Mikado needed his help, but the journalist would never cooperate with him at the best of times. He would need to tempt Nikei and calm him down first.

Pulling his backpack further up his shoulder, he fell in step with the journalist. "Mr. Yomiuri, shall we go find an ice cream store together?" he quietly whispered so no one else could hear. "It's unbearably hot today, and I have money to pay for both of us."

Nikei shot a glare at him, but he was too hot to muster up any proper anger. "Fine. Make it quick," he muttered in reply, and Mikado took him by the arm as his mask smiled. 

He called out a lie to the other Voids that they were taking a quick trip to the library for their assignment, and nobody said anything as he began pulling Nikei towards the town outside of the academy grounds. As much as Nikei hated being dragged, he tolerated it only because he was promised ice cream.

As they walked together on the busy sidewalk, Nikei noticed that Mikado still wore his hat and cape in the middle of the summer heat. "Hey, shouldn't you take those clothes off?" he inquired.

The wizard was surprised by that question and began to laugh, "Oh, Mr. Yomiuri! I never thought you'd look at me in 'that' way!" he teased. "You really are a pervert!"

Nikei's face went red as he realized what he had said. "No, you fucking bastard! Aren't you sweltering in those layers?"

"Aw, does Mr. Yomiuri actually care about me?! I'd never thought I'd see this day!"

"Look around, idiot! You're going to get heat stroke!"

Their banter continued as they walked down the street together, and they eventually reached the ice cream store a block over from Hope's Peak Academy. When they entered, Nikei let out a sigh of relief from the blast of freezing air conditioning while Mikado wiped the sweat from his brow. They quickly ordered their ice cream before sitting down at a table together.

"Okay, cut the act," the journalist grumbled, looking up at the other man. "Why did you actually bring me here? I know it isn't because you're being nice."

"Oh, I can't treat you to something once in a while?" Mikado's mask made a fake crying expression, but reverted to normal as he ate more of his ice cream. "Well, you're half-right anyway."

Nikei rolled his eyes and glared into his ice cream. "Half-right... You're giving me this because you have an ulterior motive, plain and simple," he huffed. "You just want to butter me up."

Mikado figured that he should get straight to the point. "I just wanted help on the assignment, specifically with the formatting," he explained. "Is it bad to want to use the resources in my reach? You're right here, so why shouldn't I ask you?"

The journalist bristled at being called a 'resource,' but he was forced to keep calm since they were in public. "You can't ask your goddamn twin at all? Or are you just that much of a petty bastard?" He shook his head with a sigh. "Fine. But it better be quick, Mikado. If it takes too long, I'm leaving."

The wizard allowed a pleased expression, but he internally knew that he wouldn't let the other man leave so soon. But for now, he continued eating his ice cream. Nikei seemed to have started ignoring him in favour of his treat.

Ten minutes later, the two of them left the ice cream store to return to the residence building on Hope's Peak Academy's campus grounds. Mikado brought Nikei up to his dorm, where they sat down at a small desk together so they could go over the assignment.

"The teacher told us to use SIST format for this assignment, so the first thing you'll need to look for- Can you stop staring at my face for two seconds?!" Nikei suddenly scolded. "Look at the damn paper! This is your mark you have to worry about!"

As Mikado turned his eyes from staring at Nikei's pretty face and back to focusing on the paper, he was starting to regret trying to ask for his help after all.

***

Art credit: DG_SBP on twitter