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TW/CW: Anxiety Attacks || Comfort || Guilt || Hints/Mentions of Suicide Attempt(s)
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BACK TO PRESENT DAY [Year: Early Feb. 2025]
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Everyone just stared stunned at what the emo just let out to everyone in the room - but Kokichi just stared at the ground. Their breath was shaky and barely even audible with the silence that even followed.
"I..." Kokichi spoke, unable to complete the sentence due to what they were just told. They were just told they almost killed their own fucking boyfriend back then without realising - heck, they were friends then too!
Thankfully, the detective seemed to have heard the supreme leader speak and gave a sympathetic sigh.
"Kokichi, listen–"
"SHUT UP!" The grape shrieked, before stumbling to the ground as they held their own hands to try and calm down.
It didn't work.
Nothing was working - and they felt themselves losing more and more oxygen. They couldn't look at the detective, they couldn't look at anyone. They felt ashamed for what they did - even if it seemed like the detective forgave them, but Kokichi couldn't really forgive themselves.
They weren't even able to then and that was prior to the knowledge of that person being Shuichi! The detective rushed towards his Lil' Grape and did his best to hold the supreme leader up the best they could with just one arm.
"Makoto, is there a quiet room around?" Shuichi immediately asked the brunette instantly - only for the boy to nod in response and beckoned the two to follow him, and despite being hesitant thanks to everything - Kokichi let the poor detective guide them to the room Makoto was taking them to so they could be alone and relax for a bit. Possibly even talk too.
While those three went off - it only left Nagito and Byakuya in the room with the crime scene. The blonde just looked towards the stunned ultimate luck and just huffed in frustration.
"I know this situation will be difficult but I fear–"
"Take Shuichi off this case." Nagito demanded abruptly as they turned to face the affluent progeny with seriousness in their grey looking eyes. Togami just blinked before pushing his glasses up as a nervous form of habit.
"Why should I do tha–"
"Because if he is part of this case - he has a high chance that he will die." Nagito spoke bluntly, yet there was care in those words. The fluff-ball wanted to make sure Shuichi would be safe, and didn't want to see their fiancé's best friend be practically murdered by a green haired demon child.
"Well what else can we do?" Byakuya huffed, "There isn't really another 'Ultimate Detective' as I doubt Makoto would want Kyoko to take part."
"There... is one person." They responded as they continued to think, and Byakuya's eyes widened before he responded professionally.
"I believe I know who you are talking about. Just head back to the get together and try not to alarm everyone. We want to keep things calm for now till tomorrow when I will announce what happened." The affluent progeny spoke without any emotion waving in between - initiating for Nagito to do a salute hand signal and walking past, but only stopped at the door and sighing.
"Don't be too harsh on the detective. He has insecurities too - worse than your own. Just don't push it, otherwise you will be somewhere you wouldn't want to be." They said in a whisper to their boss - only to then walk off without hearing his remark to what they just told him.
Byakuya just stared in the location of where they stood, before grumbling to himself and taking off his glasses to think for a bit. As he had to admit, he's been a bit harsh on Shuichi because he knows he can do better. He is probably one of the best detectives they had (aside from Kirigiri) - but perhaps... there needs to be a chance of an approach.
The affluent progeny took a deep breath, before turning his back onto the crime scene and walking out - locking the door tightly behind him as he walked off to where the get together was going to be.
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While everyone else was enjoying the party, which was being hosted by Makoto himself, Shuichi was still in a room with Kokichi alone. He was thankful that his boss Naegi gave them some privacy, and even said that if they don't turn up, he would text them the announcement instead. It was a fine arrangement, especially after what Shuichi just let out towards the lot.
The two were now on Floor 14 and sat in Makoto's office where it was mostly peaceful other than the odd sound of partying from a few floors below. Kokichi had been silent the entire time, but it was expected.
Shuichi didn't even say much either to the Grape as to not overwhelm them from what's going on. Surprisingly though, the supreme leader was the first one to break the silence in the room after being sat for around almost an hour on the office sofa.
"I-I'm sorry..." They spoke through a shaky breath. Shuichi only sighed with a frown slowly forming as they turned to face them.
"There is no need to–"
"S-Shuichi..." They sniffed, wiping their own nose onto the now dampened sleeve from the tears they've been letting out. "...W-Why d-do you still c-care...?" They then asked out of the blue, startling the poor detective.
"W-Wha!?" He exclaimed in shock, moving himself in front of the supreme leader so they could look them right in the eyes so they could see what sort of emotion the grape was showing.
All Shuichi saw was the poor things heart breaking in two from guilt.
"Y-You don't d-deserve me..." Kokichi continued shakily, only for Shuichi to cup their cheeks into his own hands to try and shut them up. All it did was cause more tears to form in the grapes eyes - and more prominent too. Shuichi just sighed as they let go slowly and stood up.
As Shuichi walked away - Kokichi eyed up a bit to see what on earth their beloved detective was doing - only to see that the detective was... TAKING HIS SHIRT OFF!?
"W-What sort of m-messed up kink is this!?" The grape couldn't help but ask in confusion - only to hear Shuichi lightly laugh from the implication and turn around to face them as they took the final layer off.
"Well..." Shuichi started as he started trailing around his back a bit, before turning around so that Kokichi could take a look - only to see various scars from abuse to most likely moments during the war where he got injured. He then managed to continue when he located the deep scar that Kokichi gave him,
"This didn't do any serious damage to me, Kokichi. All it did was give me a scar that I can barely see on a day to day basis. It doesn't hurt at all - and I don't regret what you did funnily enough.
"Y-You don't?"
"No..." Shuichi sighed, before sitting back down beside the supreme leader who was now looking at him curiously with a hint of being worried shown in their eyes. "...If I had to be honest. I think it saved me in a way."
"S-Saved you?"
"There... was a specific reason as to why I continued to practice sparring and chasing with the girl I mentioned - Raven." The detective sighed, placing his own arms around his stomach as if to comfort himself for what he was about to say. Even the baby inside tried to comfort to the best of their abilities too, and that just caused the emo boy to let out a sigh but he didn't even manage to say anything.
"...it has to do with what you did back at Hope's Peak - right?" Kokichi brought up curiously, but instantly nailed it on the head as they looked closely at the detective only to see a bit of truth in them, yet sadness all at once. The supreme leader just sighed as they leaned against him lovingly with a frown.
"In a way..." Shuichi gave a weak pathetic smile - prompting the grape to look up slightly from where their head was. He then continued, "...you have practically saved my life four times now."
"F-Four!?" Kokichi shrieked alarmed, staring shocked at the detective. "I knew about the one at Hope's Peak, and the one from after the killing game. I kind of just assumed about the other thing, but... most people did that–'' They rambled on, till Shuichi rested his head on top of Kokichi reassuringly.
"Breathe Lil' Grape..." He soothed calmly, earning a light smile from the supreme leader as they managed to get back on track.
"What... was the fourth time?" The grape asked as delicately as possible - earning a mournful type of sigh from the detective and he took a while to respond - probably struggling to figure out how to even bring it up...
"When I woke up from the simulation." Shuichi sighed, earning a rightfully horrified look from his Lil' Grape. Shuichi just continued speaking,
"You... saved me that day by just visiting me. The nurses back then, told me you were the one that kept sneaking into my room to check on me. Even admitting that you did it more when I was suffering from a coma after the killing game."
"Well duh...!" Kokichi lightly pouted like it was the most obvious thing in the world "It sucks to suffer alone - especially in that matter. Besides... you were the one who told me that back in Hope's Peak."
Shuichi couldn't help but give a small chuckle at the irony of that - and just decided to slowly lay down on the sofa instead just so he could process what he was about to continue saying,
"Koki, I didn't even tell you I was transgender - female to male - back then and you still looked at me like I was human and not... a freak of nature..." Shuichi smiled a bit, feeling happy tears form in the corner of his eyes. He just wiped them away before Kokichi looked at him with pitiful eyes that was joined by a light smile that made them practically adorable at this point,
"...I really saved you just by making sure you weren't alone...?" The supreme leader then asked as the smile continued to grow ever so lightly, gaining a nod from the detective in response.
"Your kindness back then Kokichi made up for all of those moments. I wouldn't trade any of it for anything else." Shuichi told them as he held onto their hand lovingly and placed it over his stomach gently,
"Besides - we are starting a family of our own, and honestly - I wouldn't ask anyone else to be the– fath– mother?" Shuichi tried to sound sweet, only to get a bit confused near the end.
Kokichi only giggled and leaned up towards the detective and cuddled up to him the best they could - as if to indicate that they didn't really care before closing their eyes to try and relax themselves. They then spoke once again,
"I'm still sorry for hurting you back then Shuichi..." Kokichi muttered quietly enough so that Shuichi was the only one able to hear. Not that it mattered, as nobody was in the room anyway.
"Already accepted Lil' Grape..." The detective smiled, as they held them close - till a ping of a message was heard from both Shuichi's and Kokichi's phone. The detective just located the grapes and checked the message. His eyes widened in surprise before smiling,
"Now I understand why Makoto was a nervous wreck a few weeks ago." Shuichi couldn't help but giggle, causing Kokichi to peek at their own phone to see the message.
"Kyoko is expecting too!?" The supreme leader shouted, although it sounded more shocking than anything. "Well looks like you won't be the only detective starting a family then!"
"Hmm..." The emo detective thought for a bit, before kissing the supreme leader's forehead and gave a smirk, "...but they don't have a sexy Non-Berry as a partner."
"S-Shuichi!" Kokichi flustered bright, grumbling. "I feel as if I should be offended but I am not." They huffed, only to see the detective trying to hold back laughter the best he could at the reaction they made. "Bully!" Kokichi pouted instantly, only for the detective to laugh out loud and cradle them closer to the point that Kokichi was laying gently on top of Shuichi.
"I love you too, my sweet Lil' Grape." The detective chuckled, earning a kiss on the cheek from the supreme leader who looked up at him with loving eyes this time before closing their eyes to hopefully be able to sleep for an hour or so to forget about the events of earlier that day.
Thankfully, nothing disturbed the grape the entire time, and Shuichi just held Kokichi as close as he could with a smile on both of their faces as they each relaxed. The detective eventually then fell asleep as best as he could.
The sofa wasn't really comfortable in the first place.
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After an hour of sleep - Shuichi could feel a hand be placed on his shoulder, easily stirring him awake from his slumber. He expected it to be Kokichi trying to wake him up to go home - but he came face to face with Makoto shaking him. The poor boy seemed to be a mess - but mostly seeming as if he fainted.
"E-Evening boss–"
"Let's keep things informal here Shuichi..." Makoto sighed as he sat on the floor below the detective. He was now confused, staring right at the boy in confusion before nodding.
"Erm... sure?" The emo responded, unsure on how to even speak at this point. Makoto could only sigh before speaking,
"Is what Kokichi indicated correct?" The ultimate hope spoke carefully and calmly towards the other - making sure to say it calmly as possible to not awaken Kokichi who was still asleep on top of Shuichi.
"Y-Yes..." Shuichi stuttered, almost ashamed. Makoto only nodded before giving a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry about it. I assume you were trying to hide it because nobody knew you were transgender right?" Shuichi just nodded carefully, and the boy on the floor nodded back as they pondered. "Have you thought about taking maternity leave?" Makoto then brought up, causing the detective's eyes to widen and shake his head rapidly to decline. The brunette just huffed as he folded his arms and thought a bit more. Shuichi just sighed, before responding,
"I can maybe do more work at home, stuff...?" He offered as an idea, "...I have been doing that the best I could lately or Kokichi called in sick on my behalf." Makoto however couldn't help but chuckle before trying to lighten up the topic.
"I assume you try to fight them every single time to not do so?"
"...Why do you always get it right?" Shuichi raised an eyebrow as if to confirm that the boy was correct. The ultimate hope couldn't help but giggle silently,
"Lucky guess I suppose!"
Shuichi just rolled his eyes in response, before moving slightly so that he could get comfortable. The detective then just smiled as he turned to face Makoto once again,
"Congratulations by the way - although... never expected you to be this of a mess for the announcement you already knew?"
"Ahh..." Makoto's face went a bit pale, but quickly showed a bit of colour when he relaxed a bit before eventually continuing, "...she is... expecting... twins..." He said slowly so that he wouldn't overwhelm himself. Shuichi couldn't help but feel as if he just spat on his own saliva - accidentally awakening Kokichi who glared at the two in disapproval.
"You two owe me more beauty sleep..." The supreme leader huffed, before seeing their bosses face go pure white. They couldn't help but raise their eyebrows in confusion - but Shuichi filled them in on the details. Kokichi's eyes only widened, now understanding why Makoto's face was in pure shock. The Ultimate Hope & Ultimate Luck was prone to fainting over shocking factors, so it wasn't really that surprising.
"Err... We should probably get out of your hair then." Kokichi nervously laughed as they got themselves off of the detective and stood up - lending the emo their hand to help them up. Makoto just blinked when realising that Shuichi was shirtless - causing the two to remember, and rush out of Makoto's office in a totally-not-so-suspicious-way. The brunette just continued to stare stunned, before sighing.
"I... hope they just slept in my office - otherwise I think I'm going to need more therapy sessions..."