-

Kaito looked at the new medicine dissolve in the water, trying not to feel wary because… this was literally the thing that Seiko had been working on to better help Kokichi with his heart. Kaito could trust it. His eyes glanced up to the saline drip, Kokichi thankfully not really capable of fighting the needle in this state, which had been wrapped carefully into his arm. 

“Lift his head for me, please,” the healer instructed, and Kaito whispered soft soothing platitudes as Kokichi whimpered when Kaito helped the healer make him drink. Kokichi spat it up a little, but the painkiller that had been injected into him was starting to really take effect, Kokichi settling down as they waited a moment before feeding him the rest of it. 

With that down, they had laid Kokichi back out, a wet cloth over his eyes, Kaito warily looking over his husband before looking around for a dry cloth. He was still so sweaty… his poor ‘Kichi. Never got a break…

Finding one, he started to pat at Kokichi’s neck and chest, cleaning him up a little.

As much as he wanted to be, Kokichi wasn’t asleep yet. 

He would certainly be there soon, if the slow, deep, calming blanket going over his body was any indication, but he wasn’t quite there yet. But, still, he could only lay there, cold but not quite shivering anymore, aching but easing. Kaito was there...Kokichi was positive. Little gentle touches over his body...Kaito was there. 

Kokichi turned one of his hands slightly, offering it to his husband. 

...Shuuichi was gonna kill him…

(After he was done freaking out, Shuuichi was going to kill him, and if he didn’t, it was only because Maki beat him to it. And the only reason she wouldn’t would be because Alter Ego beat her to it, cutting in line while Kokichi was sleeping...even if he so desperately didn’t want to be conscious in any way. He was so tired…)

(...he’d overdone it.)

“...m...so t’rd…” Kokichi just barely whispered out in a slur, trying to tell Kaito. Both apologizing for not being able to be there for Miya, and scaring everyone, and pleading that...please. He just needed to go to sleep for a while. He was so tired…

“I bet.” Kaito said softly, feeling a strong sense of dejavu and realizing immediately, nope. Not dejavu. Just… this again. Kokichi in terrible pain in medical, his body fighting violently against itself, Kaito trying to make it just a little better by cleaning him up and speaking softly to him. Again…

Kaito felt his eyes burn a little and frowned at himself. Fuck that. No tears right now. Kokichi still needed him. And after that, he needed to check on Shuichi, and talk to Maki, and he needed to send word to the kids that training wasn’t happening that morning, maybe ask someone to take them to the park so they could just go play…

No time for tears. That was a later thing.

Kaito noticed the hand and, cleaning off Kokichi’s temple and hairline, he put the rag aside and took Kokchi’s hand, kissing the back of his palm and rubbing circles into his palm as he said, “My sleepy ‘kichi… everything’s okay. Go to sleep. Everything will be better when you wake up. I promise babe… you’re okay...”

The warmth was just warm now...even if he still felt so cold. It was nice…

...maybe not better. But there were still things he needed to do when he woke up. Going to sleep now was putting them off, but...he really needed the rest. He wouldn’t be able to do anything if he didn’t rest. 

...hopefully he’d be able to use his arms when he woke up...when he was able to go back to their room. He wanted to hold Miya and show her everything was okay. Daddy was sick, and it could be scary, but it was okay. He’d always be there for her. 

He vaguely remembered screaming...poor Miya. He needed to hurry up and get better for her.

For the sad terror in Kaito. For Maki’s expectations. For Shuuichi’s security.

Letting out a little sigh, Kokichi let himself fall back into the waves, his body relaxing with him. It was time to rest...and when he woke up, he’d make things better.

-

It was not directly after he had fallen asleep, but it did happen eventually.

The golden cat, stopping by to inquire about, oh, ya know, just ANOTHER massive shock of power that had come from Kokichi last night, looked around at the jumbled, frayed landscape. Everything was still there, the circus, the room, Kokichi… but it was all too hot. And fuzzy. Like trying to see through a room full of steam. A room plagued by violently burning open wires.

Kokichi’s mind was hurt and overworked. 

Alter Ego’s tail twitched in agitation, jumping onto Kokichi’s bed, where Chibi Kaito was fruitlessly trying to fan Kokichi, who was curled up on top of the blanket. Alter Ego sighed at the little construct, who was trying to do repair work in the brain but wasn’t built for it, and told it softly, “He’d be better off with some comforting memories. Find him something soothing.”

Chibi Kaito nodded, putting the fan down and jumping off the bed, heading under it, off to search Kokichi’s mind. Alter Ego, in turn, went and tucked himself into Kokichi’s chest, purring softly. Letting his consciousness expand within Kokichi’s, his own energy a salve. Taking some of the heat onto themselves.

He was sleeping, but...even totally unconscious, Kokichi had been expecting this. So as he felt that soft furry feeling against his chest--in his mind--Kokichi sighed softly, slowing coming to feel the sweltering room, his sweat soaking into the bed. Turns out he could project sweat…

“S like mid-summer came early…” he mumbled, not bothering to open his eyes yet. Feeling just as lethargic and useless as he did in the real summer heat. Though...Alter Ego curling up to him, instead of feeling stiflingly hot, felt like getting a melon soda delivered to you right in the shade… 

“...I know I fucked up… Shuu-chan and Maki-chan won’t even be able to yell at me properly, since I won’t know what I did… And trying to talk to them when I do would just have them yell at me more.”

“...” Alter Ego considered their words carefully.

“...the goal is, and has always been, to get you to a point where you can learn to use your powers without hurting yourself.” They said softly. “You cannot do that without practice. Or experimentation. Or testing your limits. Moments like these are inevitable.”

“...but. We have all already talked about, and agreed, that this is not the time for you to do so. That this is not the time to strain yourself, or test what you can do. You have other responsibilities.”

“It’s only been half a year, and you’ve made so much progress,” Alter Ego said softly, pressing themselves closer to Kokichi, ignoring their own uncomfortable heat as they soaked more from him, “And you have the rest of your life. Which will be long… so long as you don’t endlessly abuse yourself. This was always going to be slow going. Your powers developed by inches of progress, not miles… don’t rush ahead. Patience. Restrain yourself. Trust in the decisions you yourself made to slow down.”

“Someday, I really believe, you will not only be able to do all these things effortlessly, but at a magnitude that the empath community has never seen before. You will be capable of great things that it’s never even occurred to us is possible. And you will be able to do it at will, without destroying yourself. I really, truly believe that… but you have to be patient. And you have to go slow.”

“...Please tell me you understand.” Alter Ego said softly. “You’re my friend, but you’re also my charge… I feel responsible.”

It’s why they were taking a break from their experiments. The very thing Kokichi had said with a grin before wanting to flex a little. But it ended up running all of his muscles to the max instead…

Kokichi was powerful, but he was inexperienced and...only human. His power would take him far, but it was only careful experience that would let him get there safely. Without his body and mind falling apart on him. Without frightening his whole family and letting them down…

Kokichi sighed and opened his eyes, looking down at Alter Ego sadly, a good amount of shame in his tired purple eyes. “I do… Some of it...I was excited to challenge myself a little. It felt...more like doing one of our thought experiments, rather than...you know, something really difficult…”

He pressed his head into his pillow, the fabric sticking slightly to his face. “...I got so excited… Shuu-chan and Maki-chan are so… It’s a lot for them, I know, and I know I’m not...doing the best at explaining everything… But they’re still so eager...and I got excited to...do things I wasn’t thinking about, and thought were no problem. But...they’re really difficult.”

“...and then when I got the call from Saint Madison… It’s not like if it happened in the physical world. It’s not just about their feelings… I don’t know if I would’ve been able to help Kai-chan as much without their help, but...it was so much on me to bring them there… It wasn’t just helping someone in a dream. It was...like, juggling five extra things on top of that and...it was too much. I shouldn’t have done it.”

Alter Ego knew it was astounding that Kokichi had done it at all. That he hadn’t felt the effects of the effort immediately from trying it. If Alter Ego let themselves think about it too hard, they knew it would be… a little terrifying, the task they had volunteered themselves for. The empath community had been wrong about Kokichi once, and then were wrong again.

He wasn’t a low level empath with bouts of random power surges.

But he wasn’t a power level equal to Alter Ego either.

Kokichi was… well beyond Alter Ego’s abilities. Was capable of doing things that Alter Ego felt ill at the idea of even attempting. The patchwork spirit had gone into this with the knowledge of the empath and magical world that Hiro and Chihiro had provided, and the leadership and maturity of Mondo and Taka, and with all of that had hoped he’d make a useful mentor for Kokichi, but… Alter Ego was scrambling to find and learn the information Kokichi would need. To be someone the prince could reliably look too for guidance.

Alter Ego wasn’t willing to give up. But he knew that this was a much bigger task then he had ever really understood. He hoped he wasn’t going to let Kokichi down…

For now, he just had to convince Kokichi to slow down. To not rush ahead, not only for his own sake, but so that when Kokichi encountered problems from this higher power level, Alter Ego had half a chance of having already learned something about it and could actually, truly help Kokichi through it. He was constantly learning. He was constantly reaching out to others for information and advice. But guiding Kokichi was going to be a race the entire time.

“...moving one non-empath to another non-empath’s mind isn’t just a matter of bringing a memory of them and sustaining it. You’re helping support the weight and space of an entire other mind as it tries to mesh and fill in the spaces of another entire mind. All while maintaining the bridge back to their original mind perpetually. You weren’t just visiting Kaito’s mind, you were maintaining three different doors, were putting a protective bubble around both Shuichi and Maki so that didn’t overwhelm Kaito’s own consciousness, and still maintaining your own consciousness at the same time. It’s… a lot of work.”

“You shouldn't be ashamed of accomplishing it.” Alter Ego gently advised, “But the damage to your body should still have been accounted for. You’re just not ready.”

Coming from out of the bed, Chibi Kaito came up with a small, doll-like cup of iced pink lemonade, displaying it to Kokichi and, making a motion like he was going to pour the toy cup into Kokichi’s mouth--

{It had been a hot summer already, but that made the cooling moments of the sun setting its own sort of special experience, Kokichi sitting at the window seat and letting the breeze whistle through his hair. He sipped at the lemonade that one of the staff had brought up from the kitchen for him, and while sometimes Kokichi resented the way the staff babied him on warm days like these, today he felt more appreciative of the gesture rather than exasperated by it. It could be nice, sometimes, to know someone was thinking about him…

He closed his eyes and felt himself relax, music starting to rise and fall with the low summer sun, the plaza filling up as the band began to play. The sun dipped and fell below the horizon, and the stars started to twinkle out as the music swelled, people laughing around the front of the castle. Kokichi enjoying the peace of the moment as the clear night's moon started to climb, his pink lemonade finished and sucking on the flavored, melting ice…

Yeah… things were nice…}

Kokichi nodded slightly, though hearing it explained like that… He frowned. “...I was telling Shuu-chan that it was hard. But...I don’t think I really even understood how hard myself… Bringing him to Maki-chan was...so difficult… In some ways, like when we went to Kai-chan, Maki-chan made it easier...it was almost like walking with another Empath. And she has a lot of control of her mindscape, so there’s not much I have to maintain.”

“...but on the other hand...she can be really scary, and trying to do anything that she doesn’t know how to, or that she might even be fighting against...it feels impossible. So…’knocking on her door’ while she’s still awake?” Kokichi closed his eyes with a sigh. “...that should’ve been a warning enough. How horrible it felt…”

{But Shuu-chan had talked about how excited they were for that plan…}

Kokichi hadn’t really meant to express that, but...there wasn’t much he truly wanted to hide from Alter Ego, and right now keeping anything in his train of thought concealed was more of a task than he felt up to doing. 

Opening an eye as he felt Chibi Kaito climb up to him, Kokichi felt the toy cup and…

He let out a slight sigh of relief, the air leaving him feeling cooling. He smiled and reached a hand up to caress Chibi Kaito’s head gently. “Thank you…”

“...in some ways, I’m glad that they haven’t had a chance to ask about you yet, but...I’m glad you’re here.” Kokichi glanced over to Alter Ego with a grateful look. “Both of you.”

Chibi Kaito preened under the caress, swaying happily back and forth beneath Kokichi’s fingers. He wasn’t sure how exactly to feet about being Kokichi’s little secret from his family… beyond finding it kinda exciting. Even if he knew it was only because he embarrassed Kokichi a little, still! Kaito could choose to view it as him being, like… some sort of outlaw on the run, that Big Kokichi was hiding from the feds! Because even though Chibi Kaito had made a decision that put him outside the law, Kokichi was still charmed by his rugged, bad boy attitude and handsome physique, all hiding a heart of gold.

And… and then! When they were racing away from the sheriff on a single stolen horse, the sun setting dramatically at their backs, Chibi Kaito on the reigns…Big Kokichi would look at him, excited and a little nervous, but happy because he knew in the end it was all gonna be okay, so long as they were together… and then...

 ̑̑♡(•‾⌣‾•) ̑̑♡ They’d Kiss.

“...you know, sometimes I wonder what’s going through its mind.” Alter Ego admitted, as they  watched as the small construct flush and sway back and forth, eyes closed and happy little bell sounds sighing out. “What a… strange little creature we’ve made.”

Turning back to Kokichi, the cat sighed, “That’s enough scolding for a day. Go back to resting, Kokichi. I will be here if you need me.”

Kokichi, despite the sweltering heat and residual weakness, could only grin as he watched his tiny husband preen and be filled with absolute joy. However weird it was that he had a doll-like version of Kaito in his head...Chibi Kaito just made him really happy. And Kokichi wouldn’t trade him for another construct. 

Sighing, Kokichi let himself relax back into bed. “...alright. Thank you, Alter Ego.”

-

Kaito went to check on Shuichi. 

No, no, he’s fine, you’re fine, you didn’t do anything wrong handsome… thanks Maki… oh! Ikou! Didn’t see you there, thank you so much, did she cry for long? Oh, well, I guess there’s not much we can do about that, thank you so much for… yeah, no, he’s fine. He’s just sleeping. I can watch Miyako a bit, Shuichi, if you want to go with Ikou to check on him, but he really is just asleep, and you probably need some rest too…

“...are you okay?” Maki asked, as they waited for Shuichi to come back up. Maki didn’t technically have to wait with Kaito, but… “Any headaches on your end?”

“What, you think it's something in the air?” Kaito laughed dryly, rubbing Miya’s tummy as she snoozed. She seemed to like tummy rubs… she looked more still and relaxed when he did that. Little tummy rubs for little Miya… “I’m fine. The kids stop by?”

“They did. I told them not to expect training today. They’ll keep themselves busy… the girls were fussing over Miyako.”

“Oh noooo… I missed that?” Kaito groaned, grinning tiredly at Maki as he asked, “Was it cute?”

“Cali really wanted to pick her up. I told her she’d have to wait till Miyako was a little older. That the baby needed a chance to get a little stronger before dealing with a bunch of kid germs.” Maki huffed, “Cali seemed outraged at the idea she had ‘germs’. Seemed to have no idea what I was talking about. Then Timothy said ‘microorganisms’ and it was suddenly, ‘oh, of course, totally understandable’.”

“Kids are weird.” Kaito said sleepily. “Little baby microorganisms… doesn’t quite roll off the tongue. Just call them ‘germs’, Cali, no need to be so extra about it.”

“Cooties,” Maki suggested, “Also seems acceptable.”

“Little baby cooties…” Kaito sighed, rubbing his eyes, before saying, “I should insist Kokichi take less shifts with Miyako or something. Or… maybe have him sleep somewhere else at night so we don’t keep waking him up…”

“Why?”

“Cause he woke up shivering and vomiting all over the floor, Maki. It’s, like… important for him to bond with Miya, but not to the point where he destroy his health… Shuichi and I can handle it…”

Maki rolled her eyes, “You shouldn’t assume you know why he got sick. And he’ll be offended if you tell him he can’t handle taking equal share of the workload. I wouldn’t recommend it.”

“Then what am I supposed to do, Maki? You saw him… I can’t just--”

“What would you recommend Aiichi do?”

“....uuuuuugh,” Kaito groaned, “Do you have to do that to me?”

“Yes.”

“...I’d tell him to… let it be Kokichi’s decision and trust Kokichi to make good decision for himself…” Kaito grumbled. 

“There you go.”

“....nnngh.”

Eventually Shuichi came back, looking sad and tired, and Kaito asked Maki to stay to ensure Shuichi got some rest. Then he headed back downstairs, sitting with Kokichi, until…

Kokichi woke up.

He really did need more rest, he could already tell, but at the moment his body had decided it was time to be conscious at least for a little while. Maybe it was the aching feeling in his stomach, or the scratchy feeling behind his eyes, but whatever it was...he was awake. 

Groaning softly, Kokichi shifted minutely in the cot, his headache thrumming quietly in the back of his head and his body feeling a bit feverish, though not to the point of sweat anymore and...that probably meant his painkiller was running the end of its cycle. Tensing his lips, trying to wet them, Kokichi tried to urge his sore throat into forming speech, trying to call out for...whoever was near him.

Kaito startled briefly… before grinning, going for the water he had waiting, straw in hand, and coming back with it as he said lightly, voice low, “H’eeeeey, there’s my ‘Kichi… let’s get some water into you before anything, then I gotta go get the healer and let them take a look at you, beautiful. Here we go…”

Ah, Kaito… Comforting, though Kokichi hoped that he hadn’t been by his side the entire time. Puckering his lips, Kokichi felt around for the straw before weakly sucking, the cool water acting like some sort of miracle growth on a barren lawn in his mouth and throat, which Kokichi softly cleared when he was done. 

“Wha’s...on my face…? What happened? I feel like I was...hit by a carriage this morning…”

“Face…? Oh, the rag.” Kaito chuckled, holding the cup steady in case he wanted more, as he said, “Just a wet rag, babe. Should probably change it, actually, it’s probably dried out. Lights not your friend right now, my Light of Dicea… is that enough water for now? You were sick this morning, ‘Kichi, we’re just gonna have a healer confirm it was a migraine. Hold on…”

Kaito brought back a healer, and went about changing out the rag as the healer checked Kokichi’s vitals, his temperature, told him to keep his eyes closed and tell them how this felt, before shining a light at his closed lid. At his violent jerk, they stopped, before taking a lighter dose painkiller tablet and putting it in his water, instructing Kaito to have him drink it before he went back to sleep. Advised that Kokichi would probably be light sensitive for another few hours, at least, and to not expect improvement until the morning.

Kaito listened as the healer explained Kokichi would probably be weak for the next few days, but would improve with rest and nourishment. Other than the migraine, his heart sounded good and his lungs clear. He’d be fine.

“Thank you,” Kato murmured as the healer left, putting on a new, warm rag over Kokichi’s eyes, before saying, “She put medicine and painkiller in the water, ‘Kichi. You ready to drink some more of it?”

That’s probably why the skin around his eyes didn’t feel like absolute death. Good call…

And extra good, since light not being his friend felt like the understatement of the century. Even with his eyes close, seeing what was presumably a pencil light shined at his eyes sent a rocket of pain through his skull and down his spine and… (He’d overdone it.)

...a few days of being down and out kind of sucked...but he was just glad it wasn’t more. And at least he didn’t have an IV in anymore. That meant he could probably go back to their room soon. 

Sighing softly, Kokichi offered a small smile to Kaito. “Gimme a sec? I don’t feel nauseous, but after the first I just...need a sec for my stomach to settle.”

“...how’s Miya?”

“She’s alright. Think the strange big new noise gave her a little scare, but Ikou and Maki came to the rescue and helped settle her down. But everything is a-okay.” Kaito grinned, deciding to keep Shuichi’s panic attack to himself. Shuichi wasn’t hurt or in any danger and it felt like adding unnecessary stress to an already stressful day for Kokichi to tell him now. They’d let him know later, if it was even worth bringing up. 

Kaito reached out and said, hovinger just before they made contact, “Can I hold you hand, babe? You had a real rough morning… not gonna lie, I think that’s the worst migraine I’ve seen from you yet. I know the answer isn’t ‘good’, but how do you feel?”

“Good… I think I remember her crying… That must’ve been awful, feeling everyone suddenly panic. I’m glad that Dad and Maki-chan were able to help.” It wasn’t fair to Miyako, that his body would suddenly fail him. It would never be fair, no matter what age she was, but right now when she couldn’t understand anything and was so reliant on them for everything… He hoped to get back in the rhythm soon. 

Smiling slightly, Kokichi mustered his strength to turn his hand over, flexing his fingers gently. “I’d love that… But you can’t stay here all day just to hold my hand,” he cautioned, but left it at all. “...I feel like crap. I feel like I have a fever and I just climbed a mountain and there’s a drumline in my head...and even then I can tell it’s way better than it was earlier. I think I might’ve had worse, but this is pretty damn bad…”

He sighed. “...I forgot to ask… Can I come back to our room, soon? I don’t want people to worry so much, and I know that you guys can’t help it when I’m stuck down here.”

Kaito took Kokichi’s hand, murmuring, “I haven't been…” without explaining himself any further. Gently rubbing Kokichi’s fingers, warming the joints, before bringing it up to kiss at the back of his hand.

“...Maybe… I mean, just until you’re better… maybe it might be a good idea for you to rest in a guest room.” Kaito said, glancing uncertainly at Kokichi, “Or… with Ikou or Maki… maybe not where a baby can wake you up every three hours, and will sometimes randomly scream… just until your head is better.”

Kokichi smiled again at the sensation of lips against his hand, enjoying every point of affection. Kaito was always like that, saying ‘I love you’ over and over in different ways. In every kiss and every pause at his joints. He hoped Kaito knew that the way Kokichi tried to curl his fingers around his hand meant ‘I love you’ too.

Even when his face fell. 

...Kaito had a point. While, right now, Kokichi didn’t feel like sound was ripping his head apart, historically migraines weren’t fans of loud noises either. And while Miyako didn’t start fussing at every feeding, it was frequent enough that all three of them tended to wake up at least once when they weren’t on-duty. 

“...I still want to be around her,” Kokichi softly admitted, not quite making an argument yet. “Even if I can’t take care of her well right now...I still want to be able to spend time with her, and you guys too. But...I don’t want to be a burden either...or even just stress you guys out like you have to be really quiet…”

“...tomorrow, can I come back to our room?”

“You can come back to our room whenever you want to, Kokichi.” Kaito said gently, “I’ll never tell you no. I just… wanted to suggest some cautions, for you to consider. That’s all. I could never deny you anything.”

Kokichi’s hands were so cold... Kaito put both hands around Kokichi’s, trying to warm the hand up a little, thinking idly of where the heating bags were as he said, “If you feel comfortable coming back to the room tomorrow? Hell yeah. And tonight… who do you want me to ask? A sleepover with someone you love, in the quiet without a fussy baby… come on.” Kaito grinned, kissing at Kokichi’s arm, still trying to warm his hand, “That doesn’t sound a little appealing? There’s nothing wrong with taking a night off when you’re not feeling good… my ‘Kichi works too hard for us…”

It was true… There were only a few things that Kaito genuinely asked him not to do, and they were things Kokichi personally agreed with. But other than that...the only reason Kokichi got frustrated was because Kaito’s cautions were right. Pointing out things that too often Kokichi wanted to ignore or power through, often to his own detriment. 

The healer said he should be seeing improvement tomorrow. He could come back to their room tomorrow, and use that night for rest. 

“Of course I want to pull my all in for you,” Kokichi gently said, trying to close his hand a little more firmly around Kaito’s, really wanting to hold it, even if Kaito was starting to get a little too warm again. “You all mean the world to me...it doesn’t feel right to not do my best.”

“...the problem comes when I put in a little too much,” he sighed. “I’ll be okay spending the night on my own. Are you and Shuu-chan gonna be okay splitting the night in half? If you wanna insist on someone staying with me, then I’m gonna insist on...I dunno. Asking Maki-chan to stay the night too. Or having someone help out in the evening so you guys get extra rest.”

“...I worry about you, you know? We’re all trying to adjust. I’ll take a step back to heal, but...look after yourself too.”

“Your Kaito is a-okay~” Kaito grinned, “I’ll definitely sleep more later when I can, because wow, I am tired, but not to the point where it’s actually a problem yet. Kai-chan’s got a lot of fuel left.”

“Though, that said? I will ask Maki for help.” Kaito admitted, taking one hand to run a hand through his hair a little, which was just… everywhere right now. “Shuichi kinda took your fall really hard. I think he felt responsible, which is silly. He’s been taking his shifts, he didn’t exhaust you. He was just worried, I’m sure, but I think it might be a good idea for him to get a full night too… oh!” 

Kaito lit up, “You and Shuichi should sleep together in a guest room! And Maki and I will take care of Miya tonight. You guys can keep each other company, get some sleep, and me and Maki can handle the baby no problem.”

Mmmmmm… Kokichi wanted to trust Kaito’s word, but...generally, when he was talking about needing to rest… If he was even admitting he was tired, it was pretty bad…

Though Kokichi was distracted from that, his face falling as he heard about Shuuichi and… “...he had a panic attack, didn’t he… Oh, Shuu-chan…” 

(It wasn’t his fault at all. Kokichi was the person with the power and experience there, and he’d pushed himself too hard. Shuuichi had just been there, learning about all the craziness in the world that he never asked for just because he wanted to make things easier on Kokichi. He wished he could tell him, but...going to Shuuichi’s mind and holding onto his surface level consciousness was more than he could handle like this…)

...it would be good for Shuuichi to rest, then.

“...I’d like to spend the night with Shuu-chan, but...seriously.” Kokichi squeezed Kaito’s hand ever so gently, about as much pressure as he could manage at the moment. “Make sure you can get some decent rest. Don’t burn yourself out fussing over us, because that’ll leave Miya with three dads who need some recuperation time. You might have a big fuel tank, but you shouldn’t have to exhaust yourself.”

Kaito winced, before laughing lightly, “Heh… you’re so perspective, ‘Kichi. Yeah, he did, but again, Maki and Ikou totally took care of it, and he’s fine now. Just a little tired. He was even down here for a while, so he’s moving around and stuff, he’s fine… just needs some rest.”

“Ya know what? When you and Shuichi are both back on your feet? You all can pay me back.” Kaito grinned, grabbing the cup and bringing it over to Kokichi again, saying, “Annnnd, so you can get to the point where you can give a poor big beefcake a break, let’s get some more of this medicine in you, kay? Seriously, ‘Kichi, this is all fine. It’s nothing we can’t all handle. It’s just a couple of days you’ll need a little more rest, no big deal.”

He couldn’t imagine what was going through Shuuichi’s head while he was sitting by him. How awful it was, sitting by a loved one’s medical cot and believing it was your own fault… Hopefully he would be able to reassure Shuuichi more that evening. It wasn’t his fault, no way…

Sighing, Kokichi puckered his lips again, waiting for the feel of the straw to start sucking. “I know… But I’m your husband. It’s my job to worry about you, same as you worry about me. One of these days...I’ll make a situation so cozy you won’t be able to resist getting a full, deep eight hours of sleep. And then I’ll keep it up so you can get enough sleep consistently.”

Kaito gave Kokichi a mildly startled look, before… well, of course Kokichi had noticed. It had been better the last week! He hadn’t been waking up in his sleep the last week… he just also still barely felt like he had actually slept. And, well, waking up once or twice wasn’t that bad…

But it was still sweet that Kokichi had noticed. And it was sweet his husband wanted to help. Kaito grinned softly at him and said, “Looking forward to it, babe.”

-

Shuichi had been a little skeptical of Kaito’s insistence that he sleep somewhere else, but had felt remarkably better when Kaito had explained that Kokichi was already going to be sleeping in one of the spare rooms, and he was going to be so light sensitive, and tired, and it’d be a good thing if someone was looking after him…

And Shuichi was already starting to fuss as he brought Kokichi some miso soup, and grapes, and bread in case he was up to harder food, and was already worried it wasn’t going to be enough, or too much? Or not the right thing as Shuichi warned him as he walked in from picking up the platter that one of the housekeepers had brought to the door and said, “So, if this isn’t going to be… right… um, sorry, I should have asked Kaito what he would bring… or, no, asked you, but you were asleep, so…”

Shuichi didn’t trust in his own ability to take care of people. He just wanted to… be open with his mistakes.

Thankfully being vertical hadn’t brought any major issues, and Kokichi could even maneuver himself a bit, clearly differentiating this from one of his attacks. By the evening, he even had a bit of color returned to his face, fair as he still was, and Kokichi had relented into having a light blanket draped over him, his temperature starting to regulate again. 

And so...while he averted his eyes from the hallway, Kokichi could still look over at Shuuichi warmly with a smile. “I smell miso...honestly I couldn’t ask for a better comfort food. It’s perfect, Shuu-chan, thank you.”

Looking at Shuuichi a little more, though the room was about as dim as they could make it without taping the curtains to the wall, Kokichi sighed softly. “I really appreciate you helping me out, too… Even if you’re feeling better now, I know how much gets taken out of you. Really...for the both of us, I just wanna sit with you. And eat some of that soup. Iffy stomach or no, I’m pretty hungry by now,” he laughed softly.

“I’m okay…” Shuichi said softly, fidgeting in his maternity pajamas, which were now far too big on him but he still liked well enough, taking their plates to the bed and adjusting them on the dinner tray set up before sitting with Kokichi. “...I was a little embarrassed more than anything.” Shuichi admitted, taking off his hat and placing it on the naked nightstand beside the unfamiliar bed, “You were sick, Miya was literally in my arms, Kaito was asking me for help… and I got entirely in my own head. I knew I needed to calm down, and usually I can make myself do it if I catch it happening in time, but… I just…”

After spending the night pressuring Kokichi to show off a bunch of his abilities-- not to mention all of the new (Gods? Dragons??? Maki???) information he had been flooded with-- and then waking up to hear Kokichi violently retching and whimpering in pain… 

Shuichi had felt so guilty. So guilty. Maki kept telling him it hadn’t been his fault, but Shuichi still felt responsible. Kokichi didn’t even remember he was an empath most of the time. Shuichi had, apparently, decided at some point he was going to learn about all of this to help Kokichi. And what did he do? Within the first week, make Kokichi violently sick. For what? To experiment? To see what Kokichi was capable of? Out of pure curiosity?

Kokichi was counting on Shuichi to help him in the waking world with things he didn’t remember. How was Shuichi supposed to help Kokichi through a crippling migraine? That he himself had basically caused? What was the point of Shuichi in this context?

...he hadn’t even been able to keep it together to help their screaming daughter, who likely had been able to feel Kokichi’s sickness. Kaito had been right to make him put her down, but it had just made Shuichi feel more guilty, and the panic to hit harder. Maki had been more useful than Shuichi…

Shuichi gave Kokichi a sad look, before offering, “Are you sure there’s nothing else you need? Medicine? I could get you more medicine, or water, or… I’m so sorry, Kokichi… you’ve…” Shuichi tried to think of how to word it in a way Kokichi would understand, “You’ve put in more effort than I have when it comes to taking care of Miya, and I saw how tired you were getting, and I didn’t step in to stop it. I didn’t mean to exhaust you…”

Kokichi looked at the food, a little amused not to see an entire plate filled with vegetables, though it made sense. That was purely Kaito’s MO, and for most people, all the vegetables in the soup were enough to consider it a balanced meal. Kokichi was fairly hungry, but...he was glad. Soup and bread sounded kind of perfect, and anything more...well. He’d see later. 

Popping a grape in his mouth, Kokichi sighed softly and reached out to put a gentle hand on Shuuichi’s arm. It must’ve been so awful, knowing that this was a time to step up and just...not being able to. “Even if you can stop it sometimes, you can’t always… I’m just glad Shuu-chan’s alright--you can’t help your attacks any more than I can help mine. And our family knows this. No one got hurt so it’s alright.”

Kokichi did mean all that but...it felt kind of weird. He remembered thinking that Shuuichi was going to decimate him for...not getting sick. That didn’t make any sense. But...it was something close enough to that that Kokichi wasn’t really sure how else to put it. So to be comforting Shuuichi instead...it felt wrong. It wasn’t Shuuichi’s fault. 

Squeezing his boyfriend’s arm gently, Kokichi accepted his sad look with a sympathetic one. “I’m happy with you here. I just had a painkiller, so I’m fine on that, and I’m already starting to feel better, you know?” He sighed, shaking his head. “...you’ve just gotten off of bedrest, Shuu-chan. No one’s expecting you to hop right back into action, and it’s not...you’re not the only alarm for when I’m pushing myself, you know? I appreciate you guys looking out for me, and it keeps me honest with myself, but I need to pay attention to my body most.”

“...and I didn’t think it was this bad,” Kokichi softly admitted. He hadn’t thought he was getting so exhausted from caring for Miya at all, really, but...that’s what everyone kept saying. It still didn’t feel right but...maybe it was part of it, at least. “I was tired yesterday, sure, but...I thought I just needed a good night’s sleep. And you and Kai-chan did make sure of that. Sometimes...I just get sick, and it sucks. This wasn’t your fault.”

Shuichi nodded, though he couldn’t help take it all with a grain of salt. Kokichi didn’t remember…

“...” Shuichi sighed, sliding closer to Kokichi, not trying to crowd him but pressing his arm against his boyfriends as he thought, ‘I didn’t think to ask Kaito if he slept any better last night. Did we help? It felt like we helped in the moment, but…’

He wished he could ask Kokichi what he thought. 

He knew it wouldn’t matter if Kaito had slept better, though. Because if Kaito knew they had risked Kokichi’s health to deal with a bad dream? Kaito would be furious. With all of them. He wouldn’t see it as worth it, and right now, Shuichi agreed with his hypothetical argument. Though… the last thing Kokichi had said last night…

“...I think we need to bring up Kaito’s anxiety issues in therapy.” Shuichi said softly, “I think he’s getting worse, and… I mean, I know we’re not planning to go back to group therapy yet, but we might want to insist Kaito start going back to Miss Crystal and telling her about it.”

He could tell Shuuichi didn’t feel any better from that, but...well. They’d get through this. Kokichi would get better and they could talk together about their schedules, and try and talk more about when any of them were getting worn out. 

Any of them. 

Tearing a bit of bread apart, Kokichi dipped it into his soup, letting it soften first. His expression only momentarily surprised before he nodded sadly. “...he’s seemed so tired lately… To a point, I think we all are from Miyako, and we expected it, but...still. I’ve been so tired when it’s my turn to go back to bed I haven’t noticed, but I doubt he’s stopped getting up in the middle of the night…”

Kokichi’s eyebrows drew down, his lips pressing together. “...he’s been doing it for months. A few times when I’ve caught him, he’s barely aware he’s even doing it, but...that’s still such a disruption to his sleep. I was always hoping it’s something he’s been talking to Miss Crystal about but…” He sighed. “...You’re right. It’s worth a conversation now. To see if he has...or ask about bringing it up if he hasn’t.”

“I doubt he’ll fight us about it,” Shuichi said, laying back on the pillows and chewing on some bread, relaxing a little now that he had fulfilled Kokichi’s request, “But I also doubt he’ll take it seriously. Kaito’s invincible right until he isn’t. He’s like Maki that way, but it’s always a little less obvious on him because he doesn’t do all the risky things she does.”

“...You know, sometimes I wonder…” Shuichi smiled lightly, “I don’t think he’s done it in a while, but you remember his ‘Luminary of the Stars’ thing? He started giving people that title when we were young, and I think it came from some games he and Maki used to play together. I think that whole persona was literally based on Maki… or, the version of her Kaito saw when he was eleven. Indestructible, heroic, brave, able to do impossible things… what did Maki call herself? It was something so ridiculous and edgy, like Saint Killsaw, or… Rampage or something. I think she liked those games more than she ever let on. I was too shy to ever stick to a character, I think I just called myself The Detective or something, but she and Kaito played them together far more than I ever joined in.”

“...sorry, I just got a little nostalgic, I suppose.” Shuichi realized, laughing self-consciously. “They seemed like such intense personalities when I was little, but in retrospect, they were probably very cute kids.”

Kokichi sighed softly as he chewed on his soup-soaked bread. It really was such comfort food… Made him wanna curl up next to Shuuichi and doze, though there would be plenty of time for that later.

“Yeah… I tried calling him out on how tired he’s been earlier, and...well, I don’t exactly have the most bargaining chips right now, do I? He said that we can pamper him when we’re feeling better, and I am gonna insist on that, but...yeah. Invincible until he isn’t, his cup is full until it’s all the way empty.”

Carefully plunging his spoon into his soup, Kokichi blew on the chunks of tofu and carrot that he fished up as he listened fondly to Shuuichi recount their childhood, recognizing bits of the story. “You think? I can see that… Man...I think her name started with an ‘M’ too? Maybe Malice or something… Maki-chan told me months ago.”

Maybe a year ago Kokichi would’ve agreed that those games sounded intense, but after looking after Tim, Cali, and Kimiko, it turned out that kids were just Like That. Little weirdos in their own right, but the whole thing was just endearing. 

Laughing softly, Kokichi gently pressed against Shuuichi’s side for a moment. “...it would be cute if they brought that game back for Miya when she’s older, wouldn’t it? I can tell we’ll all be pulled into her games at least at some point. I can see her charms even being able to counteract Tim’s teenage ‘I’m too cool for that’ vibes.”

Shuichi rolled his eyes, but only barely, clearly just teasing as he said, “Tim already thinks he’s too cool for everything. He’s lucky to have two friends so willing to drag him into having fun. One day he and I can bond over that. Being the ‘too stoic’ ones of a loud, intense group.”

Sipping down his own soup-- Shuichi hadn’t brought much for himself, as he didn’t really feel hungry-- he said, “I’m sure you had your own little games. Everyone does… the DICE group. Your whole… ‘clown’, ‘circus’ thing. You were actually very into that, huh?”

Kokichi chuckled softly, agreeing with that. Tim very much was a ten-year-old (nearly) and he had a mischievous side, but he was very serious for his age, and took after his parents to a concerning degree when it came to matters of responsibility. But...it some ways, that just meant they didn’t have to worry as much about striking a balance when laying out rules or explaining things--Tim would automatically assume the responsible side, and they could focus more on explaining the fun sides. And his friends definitely made sure he wasn’t missing out on fun hijinx. 

Nodding amicably, Kokichi’s eyebrows raised a little in surprise as Shuuichi brought up his childhood dream. Had they talked about it recently…? Sort of, but it was long enough ago that Kokichi was amused that Shuuichi was bringing it up now.

“Oh yeah,” he said anyway, not ever overly surprised that his detective boyfriend was keen-minded. “I mean...my dad was an acrobat. DICE and other circus groups...traveling around is part of their thing, and the whole point of clowns is to make people laugh. To be entertaining and give people a good time. It sounded like the best thing in the world to me.”

“Sure, I played pretend like I was actually in a big top or performance arena ‘n stuff, but I took it all kinda seriously for a while,” Kokichi chuckled. “I told you Lake-nee used to play with me like that, right? Sometimes she’d sit in the ‘audience’ with all my stuffed animals while I put on a show--usually just cartwheeling around a bit and running around as I mostly described other acts--and she’d clap and cheer, giving the animals voices and having them comment on stuff…”

Kokichi’s face softened in nostalgia. “...it was a lot of fun.”

Shuichi smiled at that, able to imagine it a little bit. And, it was fun knowing that he probably had a good idea what the circus actually looked liked to a smaller Kokichi’s mind, if it was anything like the lobby thing he had dreamt up. Shuichi still didn’t entirely understand how lobbies worked, but that circus area had seemed too detailed to him for Kokichi to not have spent quite some time thinking it through.

Shuichi wondered what his own mind might look like. All he knew was waking up in his memory dreams… maybe it didn’t work like that though? Maybe only empaths got… ‘places’? In their minds outside of whatever they’re dreaming or currently thinking about. They had been able to see where Maki was, when she was awake. Maybe that was just the rule, for a non-empath.

Shuichi was so curious… but he sighed and let it go. He’d hold back on all of that. He supposed he could ask Temp, but he really wanted to hear all this stuff from Kokichi, and Kokichi wasn’t in a position to talk about it. Not any time soon. Ah well.

“That’s very sweet sounding.” Shuichi laughed, eyes lazily looking around the unfamiliar guest room. “We should make an effort to see a real circus performance. I get the impression the one put on at the museum was more… ‘artsy’. I imagine? It wasn’t what I imagined a circus might be like. We should find a proper… ‘big top’ circus. I’m pretty certain that’s the phrase…”

Kokichi returned Shuuichi’s smile before focusing more on his food. Now that he’d eaten a little, he was painfully aware he’d only had water that day. None of his nausea from that morning had returned, so hopefully he’d be able to keep this down too. 

Though, he was in no way checked out of the conversation. “Yeah, DICE is...more of their own thing, than a true circus, I’d say. I don’t think they always have a theme, like how the show we saw was a water show, but...it’s like, they plan out the specific performance, you know? Rather than having a consistent act that they take on the road. I think that’s how it is, anyway… I always heard people talking about DICE shows in a different way.”

“Big top circuses though…” Kokichi sighed dreamily. “They almost never come to town--we already have theaters and venue halls and people coming on tour for various things all the time. A circus...they make their own world, usually renting out, like pasture fields that aren’t being used for a bit, or finding other open, empty spaces. It’s like making a whole little town with tents and acts everywhere and cool animals and special foods… I went to one for a little bit, years and years ago, but I’ve always wanted to do a proper visit. Spend a whole day watching tightrope walkers and clowns and hawk shows and a mermaid performance and getting your fortune told and seeing a strength competition and eating so much cotton candy it makes you sick…”

Kokichi laughed a little bit, awe in his voice. “I’ve read stuff from people talking about the burnout and how stressful it can be to set up shop and not get the returns you were hoping, and how bad things were before animal protection laws, but...it’s never lost that magic for me.”

“Nothing is perfect,” Shuichi said indulgently, shifting in the bed slightly as he said, “I imagine Luminary has circus’s too, you see them appear in stories all the time, but I can’t recall ever so much as hearing about a real one actually traveling, let alone one nearby… I’m a little surprised to hear that you have visited one once. I imagined things like that were out of your reach, growing up. I suppose it was the same mentality as the festivals though? A sort of ‘nearby special event’ sort of thing?”

Shuichi didn’t ask if maybe Kokichi was just… remembering more times leaving the castle now. He knew there was a lot of things his boyfriend was sort of working through, when it came to his views of his past, and unlike Kaito, Shuichi didn’t feel any pressing urge to really understand. Kokichi would tell them more about his life when it occurred to him too. There was no hurry or urgency in knowing about it all ‘now’.

“What was it like? Did you see anything in particular?” He asked.

“I was surprised to go,” Kokichi huffed softly, dipping more bread into his soup, though he shook his head when Shuuichi asked if it was like the festivals. “There had been other things, like pop-up amusement parks or fairs like the one we went to by the coast, and just...other cool event stuff, you know? But other than festivals, I didn’t think I was allowed to go, and even when I started sneaking out I was too scared to check much out. But...I really couldn’t fight the temptation for the circus.”

“It was actually in town, which was probably why I went at all,” he started to recount. “There was major reconstruction about to go on on one of the bigger factories, so it was just a big plot of land, and the circus managed to haggle time to rent the area to set up there for a few weeks. That’s how I found out about it--I was looking over the permits, learning how that kind of thing was done.”

Kokichi then sighed in regret, sipping the broth from his soup. “...I didn’t even go see any main stage acts. I just walked around the grounds and peeked into things here and there before I left. It was incredible...but it felt really forbidden. Like...I really wasn’t supposed to be there, even more than what it felt like going into town normally. I spent the rest of the time it was in town pouting at windows and just kinda being a moody asshole.”

A line appeared between Kokichi’s eyebrows. “...I really regret not even trying to talk to someone about it. I probably could’ve gone and had a fun time.”

“You were sick.” Shuichi said softly, “For being sick? You were doing the best you could… at least I believe so. Maybe that’s just the sort of thing Dr. Mariah would say. That child pretending to have a doctorate is starting to get into my head. But… we can’t really help the delusions we have when our brains are troubling us. Especially if we don’t realize anything is wrong in the first place…”

“I mean, obviously, we both found ways to cope with it, outside of being helped.” Shuichi shrugged, eyes far away, “I’m actually rather proud that I’m still here at all, considering everything. Considering how hard my brain was trying to kill me for a long time there, I found some coping mechanisms that got me through it… but if I had never even realized something was wrong with me to begin with?” Shuichi frowned, huffing a little as he said, “I really don’t want to give the beating Kaito gave me any credit, because that was ridiculous and I almost wanted to kill him for it. Seriously considered it at one point. But… his perpetual concern about it afterwards kind of was my wakeup call that my thoughts weren’t normal, or rational. If I had never been challenged at all on them? I might have ended up just… killing myself because I was convinced it was the logical thing to do. I didn’t feel crazy. I just… wanted to die.”

“But I made it. And so did you.” Shuichi said, sighing softly, “I think it’s okay that you weren’t able to cope with everything going wrong inside of you. You had… a lot going on. You did well enough for the circumstance.”

Kokichi’s eyes lowered, though he snorted a bit at Shuuichi’s dig at Dr. Mariah. It didn’t feel great, but Shuuichi was right. Kokichi had been really, really sick, and he hadn’t been getting help. Had refused help. The fact that he was still there...was a monument to his effort.

Sighing, Kokichi cuddled to Shuuichi’s side, food forgotten. “I’m glad you made it. I’m really happy you’re here. And...thanks.”

He looked to the side, the room friendly, but impersonal. Though even if they had been in their own room, Kokichi doubted he’d find whatever it was he was looking for. “...I think Kai-chan’s had questions, but I’ve never found a good moment to tell him. I don’t know how to tell him.”

“...I was 10, the first time I tried to kill myself. And...it wasn’t me pulling back at the last moment, or rethinking it… I was saved only because of other people.”

“...I know.” Shuichi said softly, “At least, in general, I know. It was noted in your medical jacket. Though, it left out specifics… may I ask what happened? You don’t have to tell me. It… really only matters as much as it matters to you. I never have to know.”

Kokichi nodded gently and was quiet for a moment. “...I do want to tell you. Both of you, someday… I just...don’t know how to say it…”

“...I tried to drown myself in the bathtub,” he said, just above a whisper. “It was only luck… Everyone knew how much of a wreck I was after Ikuo left… Hideki came to check on me, since I hadn’t come down to dinner. He wanted to make sure I was eating…”

“I don’t really know how they figured out I was in the bathroom,” he sighed. Tired and regretful thinking about that horrible memory. “But he...he and my other uncle tried breaking down the door, and they were making enough of a racket, pretty much yelling out to anyone that would hear… Aiichi came and,” Kokichi huffed a sad laugh, “He dislocated his shoulder breaking down the door, but he got it open. I had already stopped breathing… All of my family was there, watching them run me to medical, dripping water all through the halls…”

“I don’t really remember it either but...I think they thought I had just fallen asleep in the bath or something.” Kokichi’s eyes squinted, the remorse pulling even more at his heart. “But I removed all doubt when I woke up. I was so weak and so sick...my lungs couldn’t take something like that. But I still screamed at them about...why couldn’t they have let me die. I tried to thrash myself out of the bed and all the equipment on me...they had to hold me down and tie me to the bed.”

“...and I just remember being...so miserable. Wishing I wasn’t there… Alone, trapped on a medical cot…” Kokichi let out a stuttered breath before sighing. “...then my uncle gave me Ikuo’s letter that had just come in and...everything just went out of me. I let people treat me...I was sick for months and months because of that. And I think people visited as much as they could, but...it was the first time Ikuo wasn’t there to be by my side the entire time. It felt so lonely and quiet, and people didn’t know how to care for me the way I liked...and people didn’t know what to say. I wouldn’t know what to say either if someone I loved tried that violently to...go away.”

“Ten years old?” Shuichi confirmed, shaking his head a little, “What a waste… I imagine they would have hoped you’d grow out of it. A child acting out, sort of thing…”

Shuichi tried to imagine it and really couldn’t. Kokichi would have been so small, so young… he tried to imagine it for Timothy, Cali or Kimiko, and while Cali and Kimiko were incomprehensible, trying to imagine them in that situation, Timothy…

Perhaps they should send Timothy to therapy too, actually. They might be making the same mistake with him that Kokichi’s family had made with him. Just assuming his alarming, suicidal event was a folly of youth, rather than something they needed to keep an eye on. Shuichi would bring it up with Maki and Kaito.

“... Maki would have called you foolish, and told you to come to her about it if you really wanted to die so much.” Shuichi mused, thinking of his own ‘attempt’, “And then she’d be annoying about it and just call you an idiot again when you did. Kaito… probably would have destroyed the tub. And screamed at you. And basically would have tried to scare you out of it. And I… don’t know what I would have said either.”

“That’s the sad part about being on the wrong side of it.” Shuichi said, eyes lidded and sad, “You’re distinctly aware that there isn’t actually a ‘right’ thing to say. If there was, you would have said it to yourself. There’s no… word or speech that makes it better. You either survive the moment or you don’t. And after you survive, sometimes you feel better and then you’re ready to hear those things, but… it’s so hard to take what other people say seriously, when you’re in the worst of it. Some of the most viscous, mean spirited thoughts I’ve ever had, were against people who were trying their best to get through to me. To help. And in my head, I just mocked them for it… it’s hard to get better, in that mentality.”

“...may I ask how many times over all you tried?”

Kokichi nodded sadly. His issues had definitely worsened as he got older, and he heard that was the case for a lot of people, but while it was horrible for anyone...there was just something so...infinitely sad about a child feeling suicidal. They had barely started life, and already their mind was trying to end it. Never letting them have the discovery and peace of growing up. 

On their road to reconciliation, his family had pretty much out and said that. It was serious, what his anger and grief over losing Ikuo had driven him to, but...so many of them thought it had been a one-time thing. That he had just done the most dramatic thing he could think of in the throes of his anguish, and that the terror of doing it would’ve put him off. And, like...he could only lose Ikuo once--and it was true, since his father hadn’t died in the war. 

They knew he was moody and prone to closed-off sadness and had a fireburst temper, but...they hadn’t realized how deep it all was. Because he was very good at being closed-off, and...with a normal teenager, generally the harder you pushed, the further they ran. 

And when you were starting a new, consuming career and an unconventional lovelife, when you were trying to work past your own horrible issues, when you were dealing with your own all-consuming grief, when you were just a kid yourself and desperately didn’t want to be pushed away…

When you were too distracted to look at your own kid?

Then you took the locks off his door and made playful banter, thinking he’d come around when he was ready. Thinking he was alright, but just like that, and that he’d grow out of it. 

Kokichi sighed. 

“...I think I said something like that to Kai-chan once. And...he said he didn’t really get it. That people hadn’t said that stuff to him, so...it didn’t feel as caustic. I think...even just trying to reach out, even if you say the wrong things, helps much more than anyone realizes…”

Closing his eyes, Kokichi nuzzled into Shuuichi’s shoulder. “...it’s kind of hard to say. Because all the times I’d try to...when I would stay up for nights at a time, or I’d miss out on meals ‘n stuff...that’s all trying to kill myself too. To punish myself, at the very least. And it’s hard to count those.”

“But for what you mean… Four. The others I really did scare myself out of, though. The first time...it was the only one I went through all the way.”

“Mmmmm… lucky five times then.” Shuichi observed, “Well… with those odds, we should take you to a casino. You and Kaito will balance each other out, we might come away with a profit.”

Kokichi smiled wanly, before he snorted. “...you know that night hike we had before Miya was born? Kai-chan and I ended up at this bar...they had a pool table we could play for free. You would’ve cried, seeing how bad we played… But Kai-chan beat me. He said I broke the curse, so...maybe that’s even more luck on our side.”

Shuichi laughed lightly at that, before lightly scolding, “That’s assuming pool is a ‘luck’ based game. It’s not. You literally just point the stick and move the balls into the holes. I really don’t understand why anyone struggles with it.”

“And Kaito won? Not… entirely unheard of, but very rare. His bad luck in games is borderline supernatural. ‘Curse’ is obviously the wrong word, but honestly, not by much. He’s just terrible at them. You get to the point where, even when he’s ahead, it’s still better to bet against him, because it’s just a matter of time before some bad turn demolishes him all at once. Like clockwork.”

“...I feel like this probably goes without saying, but I’m glad you’re still here.” Shuichi said softly. “Five times lucky for you, five times lucky for me… five times lucky for everyone, really. Aren’t we lucky.”

“It’s all maaaaaaath,” Kokichi groaned, tipping his head back, the pillows not quite as bouncy as the ones in their room. “I hate math. I point the stick at the ball and then it’s up to the humidity in the air and how many cracks in the ground I’ve stepped on to determine where it’ll go. With us matched in that regard, I’m calling it that Kai-chan’s luck stepped in.”

One was a bad sample size but...Kokichi didn’t know. It just felt right to say that Kaito’s curse was broken. 

Laughing a little more, Kokichi calmed, putting his arm around Shuuichi after a moment. “Incredibly. I wouldn’t trade being here for anything, and I feel like the luckiest person in the world that you’re here too. That Kai-chan and Maki-chan are here. We all made it.”

Shuichi smiled, snuggling in closer to Kokichi. “Yep,” he said, resting his eyes, “We all made it.”

-

“Watch this, watch this. Fussy...” Kaito said tiredly, leaning his hand down into the crib and putting it over his baby’s stomach, “...no fussy…”

He pulled his hand back while Maki blankly watched, as he said, “Little baby wiggles…” he put his hand back, “No little baby wiggles… like magic…”

“You’re gonna wake her up again if you keep doing that.” Maki warned him, as Kaito put hs hand back on her stomach, murmuring ‘little baby sounds… no little baby sounds…’, “A lot of my siblings were like that too. You could only get them to stop whining if someone was actively holding them, or had their hand on them. I guess they like the heat or pressure or something.”

“...I will… cut my hand off and just leave it on her.”

“Mmmmmm, no. Your hand would eventually become rigid and cold. Not a useful long term solution.”

“Darn… fussy baby…. Non-fussy baby…”

“...w’eeeegh??”

“Told you so.”

“Oh, shoot… sorry Miya…” Kaito sighed, reaching down to pick Miyako up, who wasn’t quite wailing yet but did look annoyed and upset and-- though maybe he was projecting this one-- betrayed as Kaito picked her up and laid her against his chest, trying to let his heartbeat sooth her back to sleep as he said, “Maki, why didn’t you stop me?”

“How else are you going to learn? Also same with my siblings. They allllll wanna play with the baby, right up until the baby starts screaming. Now who’s gotta soothe the screaming baby? Cause it's not gonna be me. Gotta learn not to be flippant with the infants the hard way.”

“Maki the Child Caregiver.” Kaito said sleepily, patting the still whining Miya gently on her back, “And you said that was a stupid cover. Look at how good at it you are.”

Maki rolled her eyes at that, “I was terrible at it. I avoided those kids as much as I could. I was in theory supposed to be nannying Timothy since we got the border, and I barely knew his name. I actually thought his name was Tim-Tim.”

“Oh yeah… I forgot that was his nickname. Tim-Tim the drummer boy. Kinda on the nose, huh… you think he liked that nickname?”

“He’s never asked us to go back to it, so I’d say ‘no’.”

“Mmmm… you ever wonder what happened to the other kids?”

“Not really.” Maki admitted, “Perhaps it’s cruel, but if I had felt any responsibility for anyone in the Luminary Party, I’d have probably gone to look for them by now.”

“...do you think we should have--”

“They stopped being ours when they left, Kaito. Their fate isn’t our responsibility.”

“... they’re my people, and they disappeared in Dicea. Shouldn’t I have at least tried--”

“You don’t have a people, Kaito.” Maki said softly, “Beyond your family? You’re not responsible for anyone. It’ll only hurt you to think otherwise.”

“...” Kaito looked away, now just rubbing Miyako’s back as she slept against him. “...you’re really cruel, Maki-roll.”

“I don’t mean to be.” Maki said, tucking her hair behind her ear, “I’m trying to be kind. Trying to take responsibility for a tragedy you had nothing to do with or a people who specifically do not defer to you is madness. An exercise in futility.”

“You did it.”

Maki shrugged, “A different person in a position of power made use of me and my needs and ensured herself a greater position of power through it. To free my siblings and those like us, I traded one devil for another… like I said. Trying to force other people to bend to your will when they don’t already defer to you is an exercise in futility. Or extreme cruelty. There are few alternatives.”

“Bet Dicea did all the alternatives.” Kaito grumbled. “I can’t even take care of a hundred people. I can barely take care of us.”

“No one defers to you. Of course you can’t do it.” Maki sighed, leaning against the crib as Kaito risked putting Miyako back down. “The hundred people thing, I mean. What could you possibly have done?”

“...gone to look for them or… I dunno… I don’t know.” Kaito shrugged, staring at Miyako as she slept peacefully. Thank goodness, “Something heroic. A hero could have done it. Could have found out what happened to my exes before that cult killed them… could have gone looking for the party… could have done something.”

“I didn’t even try.” Kaito whispered, tears starting to run from his exhausted eyes, “I was their friend, and their prince… I didn’t even try.”

Maki sighed. Heading over to Kaito and taking his hand, drawing him away from the crib and to the window seat, the two just taking a seat, each leaning on their respective walls. Maki went to open the window, letting in some air from the warm night. Kaito just sort of continued to quietly sob. 

Maki didn’t say anything for awhile. Just letting Kaito sit there in his feelings, just being… around. It was eventually Kaito, and not Maki, who continued, wiping his eyes with his arm as he muttered, “Sorry…”

“Don’t be.” Maki said simply, “It’s hard feeling responsible. And stupid. It’s driven me crazy. I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to do it again. I feel like eventually I will. It’s my nature. But instead of feeling proud or inspired, I just think of the next ‘big task’ with… fear. Honest, naked fear. It takes so much to change things… it takes all of you. And it never actually turns out how you imagined it. And you fail. More often than you succeed. And no one is thankful. Or loves you for it. You gain a thousand enemies for life and a thousand people who will forget your name in a year. And you will still, still, still… never feel like you did enough.”

“...but I didn’t do anything--”

“You took care of a little boy, you took care of your sick husband, and eventually you took care of your sick boyfriend and your… me.” Maki’s forehead pinched, before shrugging, looking out the window, “It’s enough. I know you don’t believe it. But it is. Even if I didn’t feel that way a few months ago… now? I do. So take it for what it's worth.”

“...thanks Maki.”

“Mm.” Maki said, still staring outside, “It’s late. One of us should sleep eventually.”

“Yeah.” Kaito said softly.

Neither of them did. They just spent time together, taking comfort in each other. Listening to the sound of wind through the gardens and talking of things that didn’t matter and things that did. It was the most rested either of them had felt in a while.

-

It was amazing, what a full night’s sleep could do. It was by no means a full recovery, but Kokichi felt exponentially refreshed when he woke up the next morning. There was still an underlying scratchy fatigue in the back of his head, but...it was manageable. The kind of thing that Kokichi would brush off and go right back to things, one, but this time he simply felt relieved that he would feel comfortable enough staying awake and chatting, or even able to do simple hobbies without his head screaming at him. 

And while he still felt weak, Kokichi did insist on walking back to their room...with some assistance. Shuuichi had an arm around his shoulders, and while they didn’t have the quickest pace, Kokichi wasn’t exhausted or breathing heavily by the time they made it. 

In fact, he didn’t really want to sit back in bed for breakfast, since he’d likely be there for the rest of the day, but...it really was hard to argue against the worry in Kaito’s eyes. Eating a soft, eggy omelette over rice, his back supported with a menagerie of pillows, he asked how the night had been, a little eager in his glances over at Miyako’s crib.

“Considering Kaito was insistent on trying to show me the power of tummy rubs?” Maki mused, eating her own breakfast, having gone to check on Timothy and the girls when they went down to collect presents. “It actually went surprisingly well. Miyako slept through most of the night without much incident.”

Haneda was taking them to some sort of museum that the woman had whispered to her that the museum part itself was kinda dull, but apparently had some sort of truly phenomenal playground areas that she planning to surprise the kids with. “There’s a massive alligator head that you can make talk and stand in its mouth. They’re gonna lose their minds on that thing. It’s like it was custom made for their weirdo games.”

Maki was a little disappointed to miss it, actually. She had considered tagging along, but considering the day they had had before, she felt like it was probably more responsible for her to be here, rather than watch the kids all pretend to be eaten by a giant alligator.

Kaito lit up at the mention of the magical tummy rubs, sitting in the desk chair beside Kokichi as Shuichi sat with Maki at the window seat, swallowing his food quickly as he said excitedly, “It’s like magic, babe! She gets so chilled out when you put your hand on her stomach and chest! It’s like a heavy blanket!”

“That’s the point of the wraps, isn’t it? Making her feel warm and having a sense of pressure all over her?” Shuichi mused, “...wait, did you leave her out of her wrap?”

“Only for tummy papping! ...so yes, a little bit.” Kaito admitted sheepishly, “She just seemed so okay with it! We did wrap her up again eventually though.”

“That’s great,” Kokichi sighed, pleased. He hadn’t expected it to be a horrible night, but it was still really relieving to hear that Miyako had slept through the night without a hitch, and that Maki and Kaito didn’t need extra backup. It was great that they had so many people willing to help out! But it was nice when they didn’t need that help. 

Considering the new-ish information of a Miyako-Off button, Kokichi hummed, mixing some of the runny bits of his omelette in with the rice. “It’s probably okay, if you were keeping an eye on her the whole time… She’d certainly let you know if she had an issue with it,” he lightly chuckled. Every problem Miyako faced was a massive upset, and she was not shy about letting people know. Important for babies, really. 

Chewing on his lip a little, Kokichi decided to just go for something he’d noticed since he and Shuuichi walked through the door. “...you look a little less tired too. I’m guessing the shifts worked out for you guys?”

“....uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh--”

“We didn’t sleep.” Maki confessed immediately, watching Kaito’s wheels spin uselessly in his head as he tried to think of a less damning way to say it, “But it was still nice. We just spent the night talking and looking out the window. It was relaxing.”

“Yeah, I am definitely on that, like… second wind high?” Third, fourth, it didn’t matter. Kaito grinned at Kokichi, leaning over to steal a kiss from his cheek as he said, “I feel super awake right now. Like, you know that feeling where all of your brain feels kinda… lit up? Like nothings foggy or weird? That’s how I feel right now. It’s awesome!”

“How are you both feeling?” Maki asked, glancing between Shuichi and Kokichi, “I know Kokichi should still be out of it, but Shuichi?”

Shuichi nodded, “Back to a hundred. I feel fine. And Kokichi managed to walk here, which is a good sign… the rest was good for us, I think. Kokichi?”

At that, Kokichi’s face fell a bit, and it only tightened into worried suspicion when Kaito explained more. It was good that they had a relaxing night. Honestly, that was probably better for Kaito than some of the paltry sleep he did get some nights. But...he did still need to sleep. Preferably before his body decided that for him. 

Maybe he could coax Kaito into cuddling with him later…

Sighing a little, Kokichi’s expression lightened a little when Shuuichi asked after him, and Kokichi tore his gaze away from Kaito, nodding to the group. “I feel a lot better. I can still feel that my body’s telling me not to push it, and I’m not about to go running anytime today, but...it’s good. I feel more like I can lounge and rest in the way that can get a little boring, rather than needing to sleep the whole day.”

Looking down, Kokichi gently rubbed the inside of his arm where the IV catheter had been. “...I’m sorry for having such a scary morning yesterday. I’d felt a little tired the day before, but I didn’t realize I’d been pushing myself so much. I’ll try to be more candid and attentive to when I need breaks. Thanks for holding everything down, guys.”

“Awww, nah, babe, that snuck up on ya.” Kaito reassured him, now kissing his shoulder, because Kaito had had a full night of not getting to touch Kokichi and that was a travesty, “I mean, yes, do tell us when you need breaks. But I don’t think any of us can claim we saw that coming. You really did seem fine. None of us could have guessed.”

Shuichi’s shoulders fell and Maki’s eyes narrowed.

“I’m half convinced maybe something you ate didn’t sit right with you.” Kaito confessed, putting his hand on the back of Kokichi’s neck and idly massaging the muscles a little, “Maybe those mango’s weren’t totally ripe yet? Turned your stomach? I thought those mangos didn’t seem totally ripe yet, personally…”

Maybe. Kokichi shrugged a little, though Kaito starting to kiss and massage him were thoroughly convincing in smoothing out his questioning frowns and general doubts. Kokichi melted a little bit, leaning over towards Kaito though he was careful to adjust his plate, not about to dump a bunch of food on the floor for the second day in a row.

“I mean...food poisoning can really dehydrate you...but I kind of doubt it’d be just one bout of vomiting, then. And the mangos were really good! Really, I can’t wait to get street mangos whenever it is that someone’s sellin’ ‘em, and that I’m out and about. It’s a Kai-chan-approved snack, since it’s literally fruit, rather than, like, fried dough of some sort.”

For a moment, Kokichi just enjoyed the light massage before, even through the bliss, he glanced over at Kaito, worry coming through in his eyes. “...this can be, like...an ongoing conversation, an’ all. But...Kai-chan? Shuu-chan and I were talking about something last night and...I wanna ask you about some therapy stuff, if that’s alright?”

“Oh! Are we talking about the fact that Shuichi missed his appointment with Dr. Ford and now we need to reschedule it?” Kaito said, grinning brightly over at Shuichi, who gave him a withering look back as he cheerily said, “Cause that’s already taken care of! Trying again friday! You’re welcoooooome~”

“...thanks.” Shuichi grumbled. “It’s not like I missed it on purpose.”

“I know, I know… but that doesn’t mean you’re getting out of it.”

“I think they meant something with you, Kaito.” Maki said, sipping at her water.

“Me? What, I mean… I thought it might be a good idea to wait a little longer before going back to therapy...or do you mean like relationship therapy? Do you guys already feel up to going back?”

Kokichi’s eyes widened slightly, and his heart, if just for a moment, sank with guilt. ...that had been yesterday? Shoot. It...certainly was enough of a family emergency but...still. Shuuichi would really benefit from the sessions, Kokichi thought, and it was because of him that he’d missed one… 

But they were rescheduled, and it would be alright. 

Sighing, Kokichi reached up to cup Kaito’s hand gently. “I mean, I think it would be helpful, but I’m not comfortable declaring us to go back to regular sessions yet. I still get too nervous being out for long, and that’s even knowing you guys are here to look after her. So...I think we should wait a little longer.”

“But…” Kokichi chewed his lip a little, his brow furrowing with the concern he felt for Kaito, and he wasn’t quite sure how to say it… “...are you talking to Miss Crystal about...getting up in the middle of the night all the time?”

More imploringly, Kokichi leaned in more towards Kaito. “...it’s been kind of concerning for a while but...it’s been going on for months. That’s beyond just getting a little restless at night, especially when you seem so exhausted and sometimes you’re barely even awake when you do it.”

“...it really looks like compulsive behavior, hun, and I’m worried you aren’t getting the support you need.”

Kaito gave Kokichi a slightly bewildered look, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly as he said, “Oh… uh, I mean, I think I’ve mentioned it, yeah. There’s always just, uh, ya know… I mean… uh… is this something you’re worried about, babe?”

Kaito knew that was a dumb thing to ask the second it was out of his mouth, because Kokichi had just said it was concerning, and also he was doing that worried, big eyed thing he did when he was talking about something he was a little nervous about. It had clearly been on Kokichi’s mind.

And Kaito was… pretty sure he understood what ‘compulsive behavior’ was supposed to mean. He knew what ‘compulsion’ meant after all. Mmmm… “I mean, I’m never awake for long, it’s never felt like that big a deal, but… I don’t mind bringing it up with Miss Crystal if you’re worried about it babe.”

Kokichi nodded slightly, feeling a little more assured in bringing it up, knowing that Shuuichi was on the same page too. Though...he didn’t really need to be nervous. It had been a long time since Kaito retreated from something like this, and his husband was a reasonable guy--if Kokichi was concerned (and he was) then he would at the very least take it into consideration. 

And...he was. His shoulders relaxing in relief, Kokichi offered a smile. “I would appreciate it. It might not be making a huge impact or anything, but...you’ve been doing it for months. There might not be anything to talk about, but I really appreciate you being willing to start that conversation.”

“Not a problem~” Kaito grinned, leaning in to steal another kiss from Kokichi, before leaning back, scratching his cheek, “I mean, I can’t really bring myself to go back to the diners right now, even just going with Tim once a week makes me a little nervous… I can ask Miss Crystal if she wouldn’t mind doing it here. It’s nice out now, we could sit outside, we don’t have to hide in diners to not trigger my weird… thing.”

Kaito didn’t know how to classify his weird ‘closed off spaces’ thing. He wasn’t claustrophobic. He didn’t mind those environments, like… usually? He had no idea why he got all weird and skittish and closed off trying to do therapy in them. But it very much was a thing, even he could recognize that now. Hell, Dr. Mariah had basically had to invent a whole new office for their group because of it. So had Miss Crystal, in hindsight. Kaito had gotten so used to going to the diner that he had kinda forgotten why they did that.

“I’ll send out a message to her today. You don’t have to worry about me babe, I’ll get this taken care of.” Kaito promised, grinning at him.

Shuichi and Maki glanced at each other. They hadn’t really needed to help push, which was good. That was one more thing… not necessarily ‘solved’, but at least they were making some progress on.

“With that, if Shuichi is feeling okay, and Kokichi and Kaito are back to being that couple.” Maki said, rolling her eyes as Kaito ignored her, stealing another kiss from Kokichi, “Then I feel okay going and watching Timothy for a bit. Apparently there’s a giant, child-eating alligator I have to see. Let me know if you all need any more help today.”

Kokichi nodded understandingly, feeling about the same about leaving home for extended periods of time right then, though he smiled into the kiss. It might not be addressed today or tomorrow, but he knew it wouldn’t be Kaito just avoiding it. As long as he agreed to talk about it, Kokichi would trust him to talk about it. 

Honestly...made him feel kind of foolish, just expecting Kaito to eventually bring it up on his own. No mind reading, no expectations. 

Giggling softly as Maki expressed her disgust at his and Kaito’s affections, he gave her a soft wave. “Enjoy yourself! I hope the kids have a great time at the museum too.”

“...it’s not an actual child-eating alligator at the museum, though, right? Maki? Okay, bye Maki.” Kaito pouted, Maki not answering him as she headed out, the door closing behind her. “...it’s probably not a real alligator. They wouldn’t keep it around if it ate children.”

Nodding with a snort, Kokichi settled back against his pillows. “That’s a kind of job for animal control to bring it out of the city, if it was a real alligator that ate people. Even in game reserves they make real clear not to approach any animals.”

“...kinda wanna pet an alligator, though,” Kokichi hummed. “They look so cool and smooth.”

“Okay, I know I’ve told you I’d never deny ya anything, but petting a gator is pushing it, ‘Kichi.” Kaito said dryly, shaking his head. “Why do all my loved ones want to love on weird, dangerous animals?”

“Nini isn’t dangerous.” Shuichi said, rolling his eyes a little. He was thinking of picking up a book and reading a little. He’d go to his study, but he wasn’t about to leave Kokichi alone on bedrest. If anything, his boyfriend would get bored. Worst case scenario, something would happen and Kaito would be left to try to manage it by himself. Lots of reasons to stick around the room today. “And there’s no part of me that doesn’t think you’d pet an alligator if given a chance.”

“...well, okay, maybe. But, like, I’m way harder to swallow than Kokichi.” Kaito pointed out, “Like, I’d at least choke the thing on the way down. Kokichi’s a snack. Eat him up, immediately get hungry for more ‘Kichi.”

Kaito paused, mentally going over what he just said…

“...how did you manage to make yourself flustered on that?” Shuichi asked, bewildered, as Kaito turned red and covered his eyes, the taller man just shaking his head in response.

“It’s a human instinct to want to pet things, I think,” Kokichi mused. “Unless you’re scared of it, one of the first things people tend to want to do when faced with an animal is pet it. Doesn’t matter if it’s a tiny dwarf hamster or an elephant. You know what I’m talking about, hun; you like to pet fish.”

And, for a lot of them, animals liked to be pet back. It was a sort of bonding, he supposed. Though, while he might desire to touch more exotic animals...Kokichi thought he’d be happiest with a cat curled up on his chest. 

Kokichi raised a bit of an eyebrow as Kaito insisted on the lack of substance Kokichi provided as a meal...and let his mind take him away on some doubtlessly sexy tangent. Shaking his head, he reached over to pat Kaito’s back. “Wouldn’t really matter, anyway. Gators don’t swallow their food whole. They clamp on with some of the strongest jaw strength in the world, then do this thing called a death roll, where they spin in the water really fast, disorienting and drowning their prey, then they eat in bites. S’ why clever carrion birds can sneak some food from gator catches.”

“...that’s worse. You get that that’s way worse, right?” Kaito said, looking a little strained around the eyes, his forehead wrinkling, “That’s so bad… how do you know that?”

“Kokichi is well educated.” Shuichi defended, leaning against the wall a bit, smiling as he added, “And they have documentation on just about every random thing you can think of, in this castle. If Dicea has an alligator population? There’s a file dedicated to them somewhere. I’m honestly surprised their archive rooms aren’t larger than they are. I imagine they outsource storage somewhere for things that aren’t useful or are out of date.”

“Why not just shred them?” Kaito questioned, scratching his chin, “We shredded things all the time… well, not me, but--”

“They shredded documents still within the castle?” Shuichi asked, raising an eyebrow.

“...yesssssss?”

“Then anything you saw getting shredded was being destroyed illegally.” Shuichi explained, sounding amused by this, “While it can vary depending on the document type, by default, Luminary has a twenty year storage law for official castle documents. When they’re out of date, they get moved to storage, and when the time limit is up, are destroyed via furnace. Anyone shredding documents in the castle didn’t want those documents archived, for whatever reason… usually to cover up mistakes they had made.”

“...huh.” Kaito said, “Weird, I saw it all the time. Maybe it was just an ‘understood’ thing? Laziness winning out?”

Shuichi shrugged, looking unconvinced, “Maybe.”

Kokichi shrugged a little. “It might be a little gruesome, and it’s definitely not a process I’d want to personally see, but...that’s how it is in nature. And by knowing that, I can take my desire to pet an alligator and tell myself that it’s just going to be a fantasy, because if I went up to a real gator, it’d kill me.”

“...and I know ‘cause I did a report on ‘em for school once,” Kokichi grinned, looking over at Shuuichi fondly. “I did a whooole bunch of research projects over the years, but there were a ton of science ones, since kinda the whole point of science is exploration and discovery. Hideki did his best teaching me the kinda common or useful knowledge kind of stuff, but it wasn’t like he was gonna do lessons on, like, every animal ever, or histories on every invention. So...I got to choose stuff I was curious about, and taught us both.”

He’d nodded a bit to Shuuichi’s question of storage--it was an evergreen issue, and only got more pressing as time went on--but Kaito’s suggestion was so out there that Kokichi could only stare at his husband in bewilderment. 

...and then pale and look a bit stricken as...to his family, it wasn’t such a strange suggestion apparently. “...even with the lawful ones...they transferred relevant knowledge into new documents...right?” Kokichi pleaded, not sure if he had it in him to hear how Luminary’s administration just...systematically erased their records.

Shuichi looked a little confused at that, “Um… maybe so? I’m not sure, I only know about our archive system at all because I was always sent to try to find old information for our cold cases, as part of my training. If it’s things like birth certificate copies and land contracts and such, I believe the prior are kept indefinitely, and the land contracts are kept for a hundred years past the change in ownership? Though, a lot of that is handled from archives town to town, not necessarily within the castle. If you needed specific information on specific residents or properties, you have to go to their local archives…”

“What, does Dicea keep everything?” Kaito asked, looking tentatively curious. Kokichi had that ‘look’ on his face. These days it was his ‘Oh, Kaito’ face, but Kaito used to see it all the time back when they first met just… talking about Luminary in general. 

Well...that was at least good. Confirmation on two types of information… And it made a lot of sense for personal information to be kept in town archives, they did that in Dicea too, but...copies were always sent to the castle. Because…

With wide, surprised eyes, Kokichi gave Kaito a nod. “I’m sure some things have gone missing, and it’s not like we have tons of documents from hundreds of years ago…” Kokichi’s eyes slid to the side. “...though, we do have a lot, and a lot more are kept in museums. But for useable information, there’s, like...a master index? For things? So what initially might be several pages of documents for something will one day be maybe a paragraph on a page among others.”

“But, I mean…” Kokichi shrugged, still looking a little bewildered. “I could go and tell you how often Usott’s sewers had to have any kind of maintenance going back since they were first made. And, like...well, treaties and agreements are DoHS, so most of the originals are in museums, but it’s important to keep the firsthand accounts of those things, so people writing histories or doing research have undeniable proof to refer back to. But...practically anything that led to an action is preserved in some way. And people tend to keep more personal heirlooms like old letters too, even if those aren’t a part of any official archive, most of the time.”

“Oh… huh.” Kaito rubbed the back of his neck, before shrugging a little, “That makes a lot of sense. I dunno, I think I’ve told you this before, but our personal history doesn’t… go back very far? Like, a lot of things up to the Oligarchy period are common knowledge, but anything before that is basically… uh, I don’t know--”

“Word of mouth.” Shuich filled in.

“Yeah, word of mouth. Rumors and stories and all that. Like our history books and stuff don’t go that much farther back than the Momota line. That said, I… well obviously I don’t know about converting new information for long term use, since I didn’t even know we weren’t supposed to be shredding things in the castle.” Kaito grinned awkwardly, shrugging, “But… maybe we do something like that? By now? I mean, it sounds like it makes sense.”

“I think information and education and history would look very strange to you, Kokichi, if you saw how it was practiced in Luminary,” Shuichi admitted, “We don’t have any real sense of scope for details when it comes to the past. I’ve noticed in your libraries that when you talk about inventions and theories and discoveries, you usually mention some facts around when it was first worked out? We don’t do that. It’s just a thing that exists. Our information is very ‘present day focused’.”

...he really couldn’t imagine it. Not having at least some idea of what life in the past was like, the trends of how people thought and what their needs were. Not knowing about all the smaller nations that came before Dicea, at least to some extent, and what their thoughts and needs were, and the process of them agreeing to a coalition, and how things had slowly changed until they resembled the present day…

“...huh…” Kokichi softly said, really...trying to wrap his head around it. “...I suppose that informs some of the differences in culture too… My uncle always used to say that the usage and structure of a language determined how the people who spoke it thought, and...the usage of how you view the past is a pretty big thing, I guess. Luminary is more present focused, Dicea is more past focused…”

After a moment, Kokichi shook his head softly. “...I can’t even imagine trying to make big decisions without all the data of the past… It must be terrifying.”

“...well, well, maybe we do? And Shuichi and I just don’t know about it!” Kaito said, looking uncertain but still grinning, his hands playing with his joints, “We’re not experts on, uh, like… that sorta stuff! Maybe there’s a whole system of information they just don’t tell ya about if you don’t need it?”

“What, like secret libraries?” Shuichi asked, giving Kaito a softly amused look.

“Yes! Secret libraries! Bet you anything Luminary has secret libraries! ...or, wait, no, that would also be bad…” Kaito paused, trying to make a workaround in his head, before trying, “Relatively unknown libraries.”

“Did you ever hear Byakuya or the rest of your family or the secretaries…” Shuichi paused, trying to think of anyone else who might get access to a ‘unknown library’ and added in, “Or the priestess’s talking about anything that could be that? Because I only ever heard about the archives. Considering how nosy and intrusive my upbringing was to all things Elite, I’d be surprised I never heard about secret libraries.”

“...no.” Kaito admitted, “But come on, that doesn’t say a lot by itself. You think anyone would have told me about something like that? Especially if it was meant to not be widely known?”

“Maybe? You knew about the ‘Indentured Contracts Not Ending’ thing.” Shuichi pointed out, expression suddenly stony.

“...” Kaito had nothing to say to that, at first. Suddenly looking uncomfortable, “...I didn’t… I wasn’t… trying to hide that or anything, I…”

Kaito hesitated, the silence pregnant, like Kaito was sorta hoping Shuichi would give him an out from trying to explain this right now. When Shuichi just continued to stare at him, Kaito eventually started back up again, “I don’t… have a good explanation. No one told me that information, I… overheard it,” That wasn’t really the right word, but it was the best Kaito could offer in the moment, “During some of our lessons in the study and… I wasn’t really listening? And sometimes it was… hard to think about things that I wasn’t listening to… I just didn’t think about it after I had heard it for a long time. I wasn’t hiding it on purpose… I didn’t even really know if it was true.”

Shuichi kept up the stare for a moment… before sighing. “I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and say it was more conditioning effects. I don’t like to think you’d hide something that important from us, so… if you say you didn’t because you couldn’t, I believe you.”

“Thanks, handsome.” Kaito said quietly, still messing with his joints.

Kokichi chewed on his lip, his heart sinking as Kaito back-tracked like he had whenever Kokichi had tried to talk candidly about Luminary, but...it wasn’t as hard as he sometimes did, and Kokichi refused to let it scare him off again. There were going to be uncomfortable conversations like this, and they couldn’t avoid them at all costs, or shut each other out. 

He hadn’t meant to say it like an indictment. Really...Kokichi had said it in slight awe. Trying to keep hold of a whole country without all the information you could ask for of people trying similar or adjacent things, and the knowledge of how it all turned out? It was risky, and terrifying, and...it was really amazing that people did it anyway, knowing that they had to take that unknown chance. It gave more perspective towards some of the decisions Luminous leadership made, and while it wasn’t an excuse for some things...it just made others make sense. 

And it made the revolution all the more impressive in Kokichi’s eyes. If people didn’t know their past, it was so much easier to just accept things as being ‘the way things are’. The courage needed to step up out of that, when you didn’t have a history of seeing people stand up against things they found unacceptable, when you couldn’t learn from their tactics, was immense. 

That’s what Kokichi meant when he said it was terrifying. It was terrifying, and all the more incredible that you kept moving forward anyway. 

(...now, he probably would advocate for Luminaries to start preserving their history now, but...it wasn’t his country to shape. They’d figure it out.)

While Kokichi fretted about that, though, his partners had moved onto something new. And something even more painful. 

He glanced between Shuuichi and Kaito’s, taking in Shuuichi’s frigid facade, Kaito’s wilting, dodging nerves, and...he kept himself from interfering. Not until they could truly work it out themselves. 

...Kokichi felt like it was very significant for all of them that Shuuichi referenced Kaito’s conditioning directly, and that Kaito didn’t refute it. 

Sighing, Kokichi leaned back a bit, a frustrated frown on his face. “...that’s something I do wish gets lost. If they could just burn all of the information about how to condition people...ugh.”

Shuichi, briefly, got a conflicted look on his face about that. Not sure if he liked the potential extremes trying to ‘lose’ that information would cost… certain kinds of people…

But Kaito lit up, saying, “Oh, oh, I’ve put some thought into that, and I really think just not having the facilities themselves will do most of the work there. Like… like, okay, I know…” Kaito got uncertain for a second, collecting his thoughts, before saying, “I know my situation breaks the rule, but, but, I think I’m the exception that kinda proves this thought? Cause… I mean, Shuichi, I know you said you don’t really remember what happened in the compounds--”

Shuichi’s brow furrowed at this. A quietly confused expression shadowing over him.

Kaito, not noticing, went on regardless, “But, if it’s actually the same thing that happened to me? Then I remember what it takes, and… okay, I still don’t actually get how they shortened the timeframe, but it takes so much one on one regular alone time with the person to get it to work, right? Like, it’s not just knowledge, you have to have the time and resources at the same time. And, outside of government approved buildings and contracts you can enforce for imprisonment not just the first time around, but getting them to come back, and housing and feeding and all of that… it takes a lot of resources to do it! Like, I probably got a way less extreme version in my own childhood, but I think the payoff there is that it took foooorever to get it done. Which means that even if that information gets out, or regardless of who knows about it, I just don’t see how people could get away trying to do it in secret, ya know? Especially a lot of people… it only worked because it was publicly and legally recognized. Now that it’s illegal? I just can’t see how anyone would pull it off.”

“...ya know, other than how it happened with me, which, like… isn’t useful, I don’t think.” Kaito frowned, “Not a lot of reasons to do that to anyone, I think.”

Kokichi mellowed slightly, seeing Shuuichi’s discomfort and confusion, and...Kaito did have a point. It had been a government sanctioned process and that made a hell of a difference. It was still dangerous knowledge to spread around, but...for anyone trying to actually put it into practice? If they were engaging with people on any kind of level, it would be extremely difficult to get away with. 

...and it wasn’t his law to enforce. That was for the new government to decide. 

Still… Huffing, Kokichi looked to the side. “Couldn’t give you good reasons to do any of it to anyone. ...just glad it’s illegal now.”

...it was tough, talking about the program now. And for how outraged it made Kokichi felt, he would’ve never felt how bad it actually was. He could see how it affected his loved ones, so it did affect him a little, but...he would never really get it. It wasn’t reason to avoid talking about it, though. And Kokichi had promised not to shy away. 

Sighing, Kokichi grabbed one of the spare pillows on their bed and hugged it to his chest, thumbing around the edge of the pillowcase. “...I’d think people are still getting settled, but...do you guys have friends you’d wanna reach out to? And have visit? It’s...not really something we’ve talked about, but...I mean, if you wanted to invite people, I’d be overjoyed to host ‘em.”

“Oh, um… hm.” Kaito hummed, finally easing up on his hands and now playing with his goatee a little. Ugh, he could feel it splitting. He needed to do his hair… “People to invite to visit wise, not a lot of names come to mind… hmm...Roady?”

“No.” Shuichi said simply.

“...okay, yeah, maybe not Roady. Um…” Kaito looked at the ceiling, thinking about it, “...ya know, I lost track of him after he had his kid, but Conner? He and his wife Lidia? They sent me birthday wishes, so I know he still thinks about me from time to time.”

“Would Lidia be okay with that?”

“Sure! Come on, I was, like, super chill with her after the breakup. She doesn’t have any reason to be weird with me. I was just keeping Conner warm for her until they were ready to start dating.” Kaito grinned, smirking a little. “I dunno, anyone you knew spring to mind Shuichi?”

“Yuta’s already coming, so that’s a big one right there.” Shuichi said, “...Fuyuhiko? Him and Peko?”

“Uhhh… I don’t think he’d come. Not sure how well he and ‘Kichi would get along either.” Kaito said uncertainly, before looking over to Kokichi, “Dudes kind of an asshole. I think I told you about him once. Dangerous too, honestly. Comes from a pretty well-established crime family. Like, the sort of crime family that’s successful enough that they became their own sort of Elite, even if they’re not technically recognized.”

Kokichi knew about a few of his family’s friends but...honestly, it had never occurred to him before to ask about inviting people over. It wasn’t like there had been many people Kokichi would’ve wanted to invite to Luminary if their positions had been switched. But...especially with friends who might be free now? Kokichi would be happy to open his arms to them. 

Most of the names Kaito and Shuuichi bounced around Kokichi hadn’t heard before, but, well, of course he knew about Yuta, and Fuyuhiko and Peko were names he’d heard many times. 

So it was a little surprising that Kaito didn’t think that he and Fuyuhiko would mesh well. Especially when the Oumas and the Kuzuryuus had been in contact for quite a while, even if Kokichi had never spoken--or written--to Fuyuhiko personally before. 

“Really?” he questioned. “All your stories about him and Peko make them seem pretty cool… Kinda the same intense wavelength as you guys. Considering his work, I’m not gonna, like, pester everyone to get together, but…” Kokichi shrugged a little. “If you ever did want to invite them to something, I’m not gonna say no. They seem like interesting people.”

“Uh, maybe… Fuyuhiko is cool, but the guy would much rather be feared than anything else, especially by people he doesn’t know well. Like, he gets kinda sweet if you can get past the wall, but… damn, that’s a big if. Honestly, he was…” Kaito looked uncertain, before chuckling, “I wanna say we were ‘rivals’ back in school, but it’s more accurate to say he was a bully to us for a long time. Peko and Maki had this really fierce rivalry, he held this massive grudge against me for an incident that happened when we first met, and honestly I think he just didn’t like I was a Momota to begin with… it was actually him bonding with Shuichi that kinda bridged our groups. He and Shuichi became friends, and things just kinda rapidly got better from there.”

“But, that said? It only got better because Fuyuhiko let it get better past that point. That guy gives no chances otherwise. You either have to have some big event to get close to him, or someone he already likes has to vouch for you… and that’s just to get a chance. Probably toughest friendship I ever had, in terms of ‘becoming friends’.”

“Peko was nice though.” Shuichi mused, “When she and Maki weren’t fighting.”

“True… what about Rantaro?” Kaito asked… before sighing, rubbing his face, “Actually, nevermind. That’s a bad idea. I dunno, either way, it’s a long trip. Can’t imagine too many people ready to take months out of their lives to come see us, friends or not. And, well, you already said you don’t want to go back, Shuichi, and I’m definitely, uh… well, I’m not spending winters there anymore. That’s off the table… for the best, really.”

“It will be nice to see Yuta.” Shuichi said softly. 

Kaito grinned, “Hell yeah. Baby detective time! Swimming champ time! Damn, it’s too late to teach Kokichi how to swim before he gets here, huh? He’s absolutely gonna want to see what the local swimming situation is.”

That was an interesting alteration to the story… Kaito had talked about them being school rivals with a sort of nostalgic pride before, Maki and Peko going at it through physical competitions and...well, Kaito had never mentioned what it looked like for the rest of them, beyond supporting the two women. 

It sounded like Fuyuhiko was the kind of person who wasn’t looking for friends, and it was completely up to the effort of others to attempt any sort of relationship… Already that rubbed Kokichi the wrong way, so...maybe Kaito was spot on in his assessment. Oh well. 

And Rantarou… It took Kokichi a moment to fit the name in his head, and he internally winced when he did. They really had never gotten around to writing the guy, between the changing plans and the advent of the phone. Kokichi hadn’t heard anything about him since that time but...he supposed it made sense to assume he had been supporting Kaede through everything. 

Maybe one day that would be a relationship to salvage, but...not now. 

Looked like Shuuichi really was getting his wish of them being cut off from Luminary. 

Though, they had brought brighter parts to them. 

Kokichi chuckled lightly, brightening at the mention of Hina’s brother. “I really doubt a few days would be enough for that, yeah. I’m excited to meet Yuta, though! He’s gotten nothing but a glowing endorsement from all of you. I know everyone is probably going to be exhausted and just wanting to go home, but I’m a little tempted to try and set up a big welcome dinner when they all come back,” Kokichi laughed, huddling into his pillow.

“Oh, no, we should at least give them a few days.” Kaito laughed, a tired look growing on his face as he said, “Trust me, if there’s no reason for ceremony? Don’t push for it, the final day of a caravan trip is just… you smell and you're dirty and tired and you’re kinda cleaned up? But whatever ya manage to find, if you find anything, doesn’t equal a shower. We spent days outside of the city just trying desperately to get everyone in the caravan not looking like a mess when we entered the city. Everyone trying to find their ‘good’ clothes, laundry, scrubbing down in buckets...ugh, man, all of that shit was a nightmare. And I doubt they’re going to do all of the things we did, so it’ll just be them smelly and dirty and tired. Kindest thing we could do is give them, like… ready to go meals. Set up something for the weekend, maybe.”

Shuichi’s eyes were trained on the closet, and he seemed to barely be paying attention to the conversation, tuning back in towards the end of it as he said, “...yeah, Kaito has a point. The end of a long trip like that can be difficult. I’m sure they’d enjoy a dinner, but even if they enjoyed it, it would still be fairly rough.”

“Mmmm…” Kokichi hummed. The longest carriage ride he’d ever been on was when they went to the coast, and...at least getting there, he had been bursting with energy, excited to see the beach and ocean for the first time. Not comparable at all to a multi-week journey through borders and a ton of people trying to fit into as little space as possible to make travel quicker. 

He only knew about the misery of it through second-hand accounts, and so if Kaito and Shuuichi, who had done an even longer and more dangerous version of the trip, said that the kindest thing would be to make food available and let people skedaddle? Then that was the proper hospitality!

Snorting, Kokichi rolled his eyes a little. “Bet my father’s already been in talks with Isabella and the others then, setting up a bigger meal than usual to prepare take out for ‘em. He is better at planning things ahead of time when they’re not routine, than me.”

Pausing, Kokichi looked over to the closet, having noticed Shuuichi’s gaze drifting, but...it was just their closet. “...something on your mind, Shuu-chan?”

Shuichi’s eyes darted to Kokichi, golden and intense… before they softened, “It’s nothing. Just have a few momentos I have boxed up that I should probably pull out before Yuta gets here. I'm sure a few of them will want to see Miyako at some point, so we should tidy up the room a bit.”

Kaito briefly looked confused, before lighting up, “Oh, right! The trophy! I mean, I’m sure he’d understand why it's in storage, but you’re right, you should have that out and proud if he’s coming up for a visit!”

Shuichi smiled, though there was something a little hollow in it, “Yes. Exactly.”

Kaito, in turn, noticed this look, and thought it might be some of Shuichi’s tiredness catching back up to him. Looking around, he said, eyes catching the milk puzzle-- covered in fun and loving messages from everyone who had come to visit Kokichi during that period of time-- on the wall, he said, “We have another puzzle tucked away somewhere, don’t we? We have a quiet moment, you guys wanna start putting another one together? Just relax a bit?”

(...

...hm.)

“Ah, cleaning for guests...that’s a thing, huh,” Kokichi dramatically sighed, though there was a smile on his face. “Gotta make sure we haven’t left clothes out on the floor, then. And display all we wanna display.”

Looking over at the crib, Miyako peacefully sleeping away, Kokichi smiled a little softer. “...she’s been pretty good, meeting people so far. She mostly seemed unimpressed, but I think that’s about as much as you can ask from a baby as young as she is… It’ll be nice, getting to introduce her to Hina and Sakura and Yuta, and anyone else.”

Kokichi didn’t think that getting a puzzle table set up was exactly cleaning up their room, but his eyes lit up in interest at the suggestion. Something he could do and get out of bed for? Sign him up! “Oooh, that sounds fun. There should be some puzzles...yeah, on the top shelf over there,” he pointed to one of their bookcases. “I’m putting in a vote for the cats having a tea party.”

“Eh, I’m up for cats and fancy cups. Shuichi, any counters?” Kaito asked, heading to the shelf in question. 

“It’s fine with me. Lots of little details in the picture, which should help quite a bit.” Shuich said, relaxing a little as Kaito started to set up. 

Everything was fine. Everything would be fine. He had shown Hina it already, it’s not like it… looked any different or anything. It was fine. Shuichi shouldn’t even think about it. He’d rather just relax with his boyfriends, putting together a puzzle. It was fine. He wasn’t even worried about it.

… he might just wipe it down one more time.

For dust.

-

Kaito wondered if Kokichi would ever be a little weirded out, by how much Kaito loved to watch him sleep.

He was always just so peaceful looking. Sometimes his body might twitch a little, or shift, and his face might make a small, half expression, something almost a smile, something almost surprised… but even when that was happening, or, hell, even when Kokichi was moving around actively, usually seeking out his partners to clutch at them in a new way, sometimes twisting his body in little ways that eventually has him wandering the bed as he shifted from position to position… even when he was straight up just chewing on things. Or looked a little like he was sipping at something?

He always still looked peaceful. His body relaxed and light. Looking at ease with himself.

“...having good dreams, ‘Kichi?” Kaito whispered, playing with Kokichi’s hair, as his husband shifted and clutched at his arm, smushing his face in Kaito’s hand, like he had managed to snag Smug Rabbit in his sleep. Sweet… Kaito couldn’t wait until Kokichi could snuggle with Miyako like that. They would be so cute, napping together…

Kokichi had started to nod off in the middle of puzzles, and while his husband had been in the ‘murmuring and head drooping’ phase, Kaito still counted it as a win that he had managed to get Kokichi back to bed before actually managing to pass out on top of the puzzle pieces. It had been around the same time to fed Miyako, and while it was technically Shuichi’s (well, more technically, Kokichi’s, but as far as Kaito was concerned Kokichi was off Miya duty for a bit) shift, Kaito had still volunteered to do it, since he was around anyway.

Shuichi had given him a thankful look and had said he wanted to freshen up and clean some things in the bathroom anyway. Kaito told him to take his time, he wasn’t going anywhere.

Miyako had been a perfect little princess for her feeding this time, and when she had filled her diaper immediately after, Kaito had gotten excited because she had briefly looked like she was smiling. Gassy was the actual answer, and Kaito had burped her and let her spit up on his shoulder a bit before starting to clean up… all of it. But gassy or not! He now had an idea of what his baby would look like smiling! It was exciting! 

She was beautiful. Just like her daddy. And, Kaito would say, she was also handsome like her dada. You could be both! His daughter was multi-talented!

And still waiting for Shuichi to come back out of the bathroom, Kaito had gone back to… well, just gaze at his husband for a bit. His sleepy ‘Kichi… such a sweety ‘Kichi… fuck, he loved this guy. Look at him. 

...ow, ow, alright, the nibbling thing was the least cute part of his adorable husband. Kokichi must dream about eating a lot. Maybe he had been hungry before he went to bed. Oooookay, let’s take his hand back, there ya go…

Kaito grinned, leaning over and giving Kokichi a kiss at his temple. Still worth it. More than worth it.

… the shower had been off for ages. What the heck was Shuichi doing in there?

Getting up, Kaito headed over to the bathroom, calling through it in a lowered tone, “Handsome, you uh… good in there? ...you taking a shit, bud?”

“Did you really just ask me that?” Shuichi said back through the door, his voice thankfully amused. 

“I dunno, the thought occurred to me after I called in, didn’t wanna, uh, hurry you or anything… am I hurrying you?”

“A little. But I’m not on the toilet, no.”

“Can I come in?”

“Are you already lonely? It’s been twenty minutes, Kaito.”

Kaito didn’t want to say it had definitely been longer than that. Long enough to to feed and burb and change Miyako and her be back asleep already. He wasn’t sure how long that took overall, but it hadn’t felt like twenty minutes.

“...looooooonelyyyyyyy--”

“Yes, you can come in.”

“Yes.” Kaito cheered, opening up the door and heading in. 

Shuichi was using a thin rag to wipe down the trophy, glancing up at Kaito to give him a raised eyebrow before returning to his task. “I’m not done, so if you’re lonely, settle in.”

“Okay~” Kaito grinned, going to sit on the tub edge, giving his boyfriend a fond look as he said, “It got that dirty?”

Shuichi’s hands, briefly, stilled… before he nodded, “I think it got dirty on the trip here. Just getting some dirt out of its edges. I might polish it with some of that stuff you use on your rock, if you don’t mind.”

“Yeah? Uh… sure. You know, Yuta probably won’t mind if its not perfect, though.”

“I’m doing it because it makes me happy.” Shuichi said simply, before moving on, “Miyako go alright.”

“She smiled!”

“She didn’t.”

“Okay, she didn’t, but she made the facial expressions that were… close! To smiling! And then she laid a massive dump. Which is something to smile about for her, I’m sure. Just like her dada~”

“I… wasn’t shitting.” Shuichi said again, giving Kaito a brief bewildered look. 

“What, ever?” Kaito grinned snarkily, “If our little princess is allowed to shit, so are you, Shuichi, no shame handsome.”

“I’m not ashamed, I’m…” Shuichi frowned, that coming out more aggressive than he had meant it too. He knew Kaito was just making a joke. “... sorry, yes, obviously I shit.” Shuichi said, rolling his eyes.

Kaito frowned, some of the playful mood gone. He hadn’t meant to make Shuichi actually uncomfortable, he had just been teasing. Crossing his leg, ankle catching his knee, and resting his elbow on his other knee. Giving Shuichi a more appraising look.

...Shuichi was sure putting a lot of time cleaning this thing. Maybe he was trying to distract himself from something?

Well, might as well just ask. “Everything alright, handsome?”

“Of course, why wouldn’t it be?” Shuichi said, unscrewing the top a little and cleaning out the space between the statue and its base. Practically scrubbing at it with the rag.

“I dunno. You just seem a little off--”

“What, do I have to seem happy all the time for you to not leave me alone?”

“Geez, man, do you want me to leave you alone? You could have just said--”

“Well, what was I supposed to say when you’re literally whining ‘lonely’ at the door?”

“I just wanted to check on you, you’ve been in here for a while--”

“I literally could have just actually been taking a shit, Kaito, what? Do I have to do it on some sort of timetable for you? Am I back under house arrest, do I have to check in every five seconds--”

“Fuck, well, I guess now I know you’re in a bad mood. If you wanna stop being an asshole for a minute, I’d love to hear about what’s bothering you man.”

“Nothing has to be bothering me, I was just fine in here cleaning this before you decided you just had to have my attention.”

“Yeah, like I’m crazy and am totally misinterpreting you fucking deep cleaning a cheap school trophy as you already being upset, that’s obviously not a sign of something being wrong--”

“What!? I’m not allowed to just want to clean my items? Yuta’s going to be here in a few days, and he might want to see this, and I’m just supposed to let him see it in this condition? He gave me this to honor me. I should be doing my best to take care of it--”

“It’s taken care of! It looks great!”

“It’s dirty!” Shuichi hissed. Not shouting, not that far gone, he didn’t want to wake Miyako or Kokichi, but hissing as he said, “It’s not clean and I just want it to be ready or I’m going to embarrass myself with Yuta and, and…”

Kaito watched in alarm as something snapped in Shuichi’s expression, and-- crash!

Kaito jumped up, “Hey, hey, holy shit, what are you--”

“Th-there,” Shuichi sniffed, eyes swimming with tears, the smashed trophy at his feet, “Now I can’t show him because it’s broken. So there.”

“...”

“...”

“...”

“...oh no, why did I do that--?”

“Shhh, it’s okay, it’s okay, hey, it’s okay.” Kaito said quickly, going over and, taking a second to judge the situation, kicking the trophy pieces aside and pulling Shuichi into a hug, rubbing his back as Shuichi sobbed into his shoulder. “...forget the trophy. The trophy is stupid.”

“No it’s not it was really important to me.”

“Yeah, well, for now it’s stupid, and later, when I put it back together with my figurine glue, it can be cool and important again. But for now, let’s just… take a seat, alright? Let’s sit down…”

“...I’m so stupid…”

“Nah. My Shuichi’s never stupid. Maybe a bit tempermental, but never stupid.”

“I don’t even know why I’m angry with you, I just… I thought I was over this…”

“...” Kaito didn’t know what ‘this’ was, but… he wasn’t going to push. He just held Shuichi for a bit, letting him lean against him, holding him tight as his cries lessened into his shoulder. 

Shuichi didn’t say anything for awhile. He just stared at the broken trophy on the ground, before rubbing his face into Kaito’s shoulder, cleaning his face.

“...I’ve been wanting to smash it for awhile.” Shuichi admitted. “I think I just wanted an excuse.”

“...okay. I mean, I don’t have to glue it back together..”

“No. Please. I just… I don’t want it to be broken. I just wanted to smash it.”

“...”

“I’m not making any sense.”

“I am trying my best here, handsome.”

“...” Shuichi closed his eyes, “...I want to talk to you about it, but I can’t.”

“...um… can I ask why?”

“You’ll get angry. You’ll do something stupid.”

“...for the usual thing I get angry about, or something new?”

“...usual…”

Kaito frowned… “Heh… well… fuck, handsome, I don’t know… will it help if I promise not to get angry?”

“...no. Cause I don’t believe you.”

“... what if… okay, you can just be sad and stuff now, and I’ll put your trophy back together, and that will all be fine. But in the future, you and I are gonna figure out how to talk about this, okay? We’re gonna work on it.”

“...yeah.” Shuichi sighed, “Okay.”

-

“Okay, remember, it’s only going to be a month!” Cali said, gripping her fists, her face a little red but determined as she smiled with all of her teeth, “So, I already noted it on your calender, the day we’re getting back--”

“I have a calender?” Tim asked, looking bewildered.

“We got you a calender~” Kimiko sang, reaching over to hug Timothy again, who patted her on the back, “And we hid it in your room! Surprise!”

“You bought me a calendar?”

“We stole it from my dad!”

“Oh, okay. Thanks for the calender.” 

“We wanted to be certain you’d know we were really coming back.” Kimiko said, leaning back and pouting now, looking super sad as she said, “You can count down the days, Timothy. I stole a marker from my mommy, and that’s what she does with her calendars.” 

“I probably won’t do that, but okay. Thank you for stealing from your parents for me.”

“We would do it again! ...are you gonna be lonely? It’s okay if you’re lonely! You’re allowed to cry!”

“I mean, I don’t think I’ll be lonely, no…”

“What!? Why not! We’re your best friends! Love us!”

“...oooookay, Cali’s starting to strangle Timothy, so I think I’m gonna go interfere.” Kaito decided, him and Maki having been trying to give the kids space as they did their goodbye. “Wish me luck.”

“Mm.” Maki said, watching as Kaito rushed over, Kimiko looking five seconds from dramatically ‘fainting’. She called it ‘swooning’, but it was definitely just fake fainting.

They were outside the front gate, Kimiko and Cali just stopping by to say their goodbyes before making their trips to camp. Kaito had wanted to be here for ‘support’ and Maki had thought it would be fun to watch. So far both of them had been correct, as Kaito started to try to pry Cali off of Tim, who looked undisturbed by the whole thing.

Katsuki had been thinking on Kaito’s advice. 

She still didn’t really understand it, but...if what she managed to gather was correct, then to push towards a positive relationship with Maki, Katsuki needed to instigate more opportunities for interaction. And apologize for her reticence during that conversation, if that had indeed been the spur for their relationship souring. 

It seemed like Timothy was saying farewells to his comrades, and not like the family was about to head into town, so Katsuki surmised that she wouldn’t be interrupting to walk towards Maki. 

“Maki,” the guard said bluntly, approaching her with her regular grin, if slightly relaxed. “Greetings. It doesn’t seem like you’re heading to town--would I be correct?”

Maki glanced up at Katsuko, narrowing her eyes slightly, before huffing, returning her gaze to the kids, “Didn’t hear you coming. Hello, Katsuki. No, we’re just keeping an eye on the kids while they do their goodbyes. The girls are going to camps for a month, so of course as far as they’re concerned they’re never seeing each other again.”

Maki was leaning against the outside wall, her hair pulled back into a small, awkward, barely there ponytail. She was wearing a sleeveless workout shirt and, inexplicably, far too fancy pants that were too big for her, held on by a too tight belt. She had stolen some of Kaito’s nice pants. He was too fun to steal from.

“In a condensed time span of a child, it certainly feels like a valid concern,” Katsuki nodded, turning her iron gaze over to the children, regarding their antics for a moment as Kaito tried to make sure none of them gave another a long-term injury to remember each other by. 

There were some things, like that, that Katsuki could understand. Maybe one day she would come to understand Maki better too. 

Turning back to her, Katsuki bowed slightly, having observed the gesture from the Luminaries. “I would like to apologize to you. Kaito and I recently had a conversation, which included the subject of the last time we had spoken at length before your long-term departure. It was no secret that you were displeased, but I was not aware that it had been an argument, creating a schism to halt any advancement of a positive relationship between us. That is undesirable to me, and so I apologize for misjudging our interaction.”

Straightening, Katsuki regarded the younger woman with a slight warmth in her gaze. “I consider you a comrade, and I admire you both in physical and spiritual prowess. I do not in any form consider you to be foolish or incapable of understanding difficult subjects. My answer back then was not to any of those strains.”

There, though, Katsuki paused, her smile dimming a bit. “...however, this is where I falter. I did not understand Kaito’s advice on how to rectify our argument, a prompting about why you did not believe my insistence that I was telling the truth. I still do not understand that. But I would like to learn how, if you are still amenable to our continued interactions.”

Maki didn’t interrupt any of that. She didn’t really react to any of that, beyond occasionally glancing up at Katsuki when she saw her looking in her direction in her peripherals. Otherwise she just watched Kaito and the kids, the girls having started to walk away, before Kimiko suddenly ran back, throwing her arms around Chase, realizing she hadn’t told her goodbye and now both of the girls were hugging and loving on the dog, who was very excited for the attention.

When Katsuko finished, Maki sighed a little… before shouting, “Kaito!”

“What!? Yeah!?” he called back.

“Stop trying to fix my relationships!”

“...what?” Kaito called back, before glancing between her and Katsuki, “...no!”

“Do you wanna die!?”

“You need more friends Maki!”

“Make your own friends!”

“I have friends!! You make friends!”

“I’m gonna go gossip about you to Waku!”

“What!? … sure, fine! Me and Waku are solid, do your worst!” 

“You better get ready to dance later!” Maki shouted back, before huffing. Shaking her head and leaning back against the wall again. “What an idiot…”

“You don’t have to ‘rectify’ anything with me.” Maki said after a moment, “I was upset and acted childishly. I’ve thought more about what you were saying, and the best I can figure is that you were trying to tell me you were using ‘intuition’ to find them. That’s hard to explain and impossible to teach. Beyond that, you leaving without me… it was an urgent situation, and you made a choice. I’d argue it was the wrong choice, but the reality was it wasn’t. You handled them and Kokichi just fine on your own.”

“...” Maki shrugged, “I’d be pissed if someone held my competence against me. You don’t need to apologize.”

Katsuki watched Maki and Kaito yell at each other across the entryway with placid amusement. It was clear that Kaito was more in tune with sentimentality than Maki, who seemed to openly resent it, but Katsuki was still glad she chose to heed his words. Should there have been something to resolve, this would’ve done it, and in the current situation it opened up a new conversation for Maki and her to have. No detraction. 

“I am still glad I have,” Katsuki voiced. “Even if there was no infraction, it is still a mode of emotional exchange to acknowledge that there were feelings hurt. And you are correct--we were working as a team to cover security. I had trusted you to make the right decisions for the rest of the group, but communication is important for planning and positioning. While it worked out that time, I should endeavor not to rely on the same tactic in future applicable situations.”

For a moment, Katsuki just quietly regarded Maki. “Would you like to spar together again at some point in the future?”

Maki gave Katsuki a small look, before just nodding. She agreed with all of that, and didn’t see a reason to harp on it any further. Katsuki didn’t seem the type to need a lot of reassurance, so Maki didn’t offer any. 

As for her question… Maki seemed to consider it, before saying, “I’ve been thinking about going back to the dojo. I havn’t yet, the kids and the guys keep me busy enough, but now that the girls are heading off I thought Timothy might enjoy doing training there, rather than in the yard. We can spar there, if you’re around and up for it then.”

“I would enjoy that. I have not been to Susanoo Shime’s dojo before, but it retains a positive reputation for those who frequent. If my work schedule aligns, I would like to work with you once again.”

Katsuki had never really been one for small talk. She would answer it from others, but her mind rarely found a need to grasp for subjects. If she had nothing to say, she didn’t. 

So, with a grin, Katsuki gave Maki a nod. “I will look forward to partaking in your presence more frequently once again. Have a good day, Maki.”

Maki nodded. Again, Katsuki didn’t seem to need more, and Maki was fine with that. She watched her go for a moment, before turning to see Kaito and Timothy heading back, the girls heading out. 

“Tough to say goodbye to your friends?” She asked Timothy.

The kid paused, seemed to consider it… before nodding, “Yeah.”

“Let’s go get some ice cream.”

-

“L~ is for the way you look~ at me~

O~ is for the only one~ I see~” 

Kokichi grinned as he slowly spun around the room with Miyako in his arms, the baby seeming utterly baffled, but not upset by the smooth melody and gentle sways trying to calm her down from a pretty outrageous changing session. 

“V~~~ is very, very~ Extraordinary~

E~ is even more than anyone that you adore~”

He wasn’t even embarrassed that Shuuichi was in the room, for once. Instead, he caught his boyfriend’s eye and gave him a soft, yet flirty look before he turned once again in his little waltzing dance. 

“And love~ is all that I can give~ to you~

Love~ is more than just a game~ for two~

Twoooo in love can make it, take my heart and please don’t break it

And love~ was made for you and meeee~”

Shuich didn’t know the song, but he knew a finale when he heard it, and he clapped appropriately, putting down his book to do it as he smirked a little at Kokichi’s flirty look. “Miyako, you should clap. It was a good performance.”

Miyako stared at Kokichi like he had grown a second head. Babies had terrible taste in theater.

There was a small knock on the door, before Kaito opened it up, announcing cheerfully, “Guuuueeesss who has ice cream?”

Shuichi perked up, sitting up in bed as he said, “Really? What kind?”

“Strawberry. Timothy got to pick the flavor, but we get to eat the left overs. Maki bought him a box as, like, a sort of reward for handling the girls leaving today so well.”

Kokichi’s eyes glittered--not put out by the lack of whistles and thrown flowers for his performance, and in fact just glad that Miyako had stopped crying--as he turned, and it was only to his credit as a father that he didn’t immediately head over to put Miyako in her crib. But, oh, the promise of sweet, sweet ice cream…

“Aww… That’s sweet. I’m guessing it was equally heartfelt as demanding?” Kokichi asked, coming closer to Kaito to let Dad say hi to Baby. “I know it’s only for a month, but it’s going to be weird not having the girls around… I’m sure it’s even weirder for Tim.”

Eyes peering, Kokichi paused before saying, “...you wouldn’t tempt us just to say no to mid-morning ice cream, would you?”

“Aw, the kid will be fine. I think he was only sad after they actually left. That initial, ‘oh, this is happening’ gut punch, ya know?” Kaito said, putting the ice cream down on the desk and grinning brightly, “Heeeeey, there’s my girl! There’s my bouncy baby girl… well, not bouncy yet, but you’ll get there sweetheart. Awww, M~iiiyaaaaaa.” 

Kaito gave her a small kiss at her hairline, wiped it off, and then kissed Kokichi as he smirked, “What kind of monster do you think I am? Even if I could convince you to ignore melting ice cream until lunch, Shuichi would murder me first for even starting the situation. Nah, it’s a nice, warm day, let’s open up the windows, you let me take my sweet little girl from you, and you can have yourself some ice cream, beautiful. I only have spoons though, no bowls, so just share the box with Shuichi, kay?”

Kokichi nodded sympathetically. Tim would pull through, and while this summer would be especially weird because of the new baby, he would have all of them to go to when he needed a little help. Sure, it wasn’t the same as his same-aged friends, but family was pretty good too. 

Snickering a bit, Kokichi gently handed over Miyako, though he warned, “I just helped her calm down from a crying fit--I dunno if she’s finally taken a poo she didn’t like, or if she’s starting to think this whole diaper thing is a load of nonsense. I think she’s okay now, but...so ya know.”

With his arms now free, Kokichi eagerly scooped up the ice cream box from the desk, grabbing the spoons too, and brought them over to Shuuichi on their bed, not caring a bit if the condensation and ice on the outside of the box dripped onto the sheets. “Hoooo absolutely. Shuu-chan? Cheers.” Kokichi held up his spoon to playfully clink against his boyfriend’s, only seconds from becoming the true sweets demon he really was and devouring the ice cream.

Shuichi laughed, indulgently clinking back as he said, “Cheers. Thanks Kaito.”

“Awww, did my little Miya have a difficult poop? Are you a sad poopy baby? Awwww, my poor itty-bitty baby, did Daddy have to convince you to stop yelling? My poor girl. Diapers are terrible. I promise, in… two? Years?” Kaito paused, uncertain if that was right. “Maybe longer. I will potty train you and you won’t have to carry that stuff around with you. You’ll be a strong, independent little girl who don’t need no diaper!”

“Pfff. That’ll be a minute from now.” Shuichi mused, enjoying the little spoonfuls of ice cream as he said, “Lots of diapers in our future… ugh, let’s maybe not talk about that while eating ice cream. Where’s Tim now?”

“He’s hanging out in his room with Chase. I’m hoping the poor kid doesn’t get bored and cooped up. Maki said she was gonna take him to that dojo place she was enjoying before… everything.” Kaito said vaguely, “So that might be fun for him. He might end up spending more time in here. Are you guys okay with that?”

Kokichi snorted as Kaito cooed to Miyako, a little bit of ice cream dribbling from his lips, though he was quick to lick it up. Potty training was certainly going to be a thing. Thankfully there were only rugs around their rooms and the hall, so accidents wouldn’t be too much of an issue in even the worst case. 

...not a good food subject--good call, Shuuichi. 

Making an interested sound at Tim going to the dojo too, Kokichi swallowed and grinned up at Kaito. “Of course! Can’t promise I’ll always be the most entertaining, but I think he already knows that. Maybe we’ll get to work through more board games this summer,” he hummed, looking over to the small collection on the shelf. 

There were more fun things to do, but if Tim decided to spend time with whoever was on baby duty, then...that kind of limited things for a while to calmer, quieter things that could be paused at any moment. It may not be thrilling, but it could still be a good time.

“....mm. Have you guys been able to check out the big pond yet? It’s where we went ice skating over the winter; it’s a popular place to go swimming in the summer, and just like they had stands for hot drinks and skates ‘n stuff, people sell summer treats and swimming supplies.”

Kokichi grinned with a little shrug. “Never been one of my haunts, but it could be a nice place to frequent with Tim when it gets hotter.”

“Ooooh, that’s a good idea. I wonder when it’ll be, like… not stupid to take Miyako out? I mean, obviously not yet, it’s probably crazy to take an infant out when they’re only a couple of weeks old. But do you guys think in a few months maybe? Maybe six months? She’d enjoy the fresh air at least of a park or something?” Kaito mused, still holding Miyako as she started to fall back asleep, staring up tiredly at him with slow, heavy blinks, “I dunno, I guess I’m just daydreaming about the future, where she’s not such a sleepy little baby all day, every day.”

“Miyako can’t understand object permanence, can barely see twenty feet right now, and doesn’t like loud noises. I think not only would she not enjoy being outside right now, but she might actively hate it.” Shuichi pointed out, still quite enjoying his ice cream, “So maybe be patient on that one. On the flip side, I think the milestones for baby’s at six months is sitting up, crawling around, starting to try to talk… that doesn’t sound outrageous to take to a park. I could see it by then.”

“She won’t even start to recognize us for another three weeks.” Kaito said sadly, Miyako’s eyes closing, so he started to head towards the crib, “I love her so, so much, and she barely knows I exist. Not a good sign for all her future crushes, I’ll tell you what.”

“Miyako’s going to be a heartbreaker?” Shuichi asked, amused.

“Oh, absolutely. Are you kidding? She’s gonna break hearts at a glance. It’ll be a curse, poor thing.” Kaito grinned, laying her down in the crib and brushing her hair back with his fingers a little, “My little Miyako. She’s breathtaking. I don’t care if she’s got infant wrinkle baby syndrome, or if every parent is convinced their kid is beautiful, I am certain I am objectively right. Miyako’s stunning.”

“I honestly cannot tell if you are going to be amazing or terrible for her self-esteem growing up.” Shuichi laughed, “How is any compliment supposed to compete with a dad constantly singing your praises? She’s going to be so desensitized to it.” 

Kokichi nodded, sighing slightly, but just for a moment. It was hard to get melancholic when he was having ice cream. The books had talked about how taking walks with your baby was important, getting them used to the outdoors and being around people distantly, but while her world was so, so tiny, it would only distress her. Still, he couldn’t wait to get to use the baby slings and harnesses and take her out and about. 

Maybe it was incredibly stereotypical of him, but he was excited to show her the gardens. All sorts of interesting new smells, and a bunch of pretty colors when she could start seeing them. 

...and one day, she would pick out a plant for herself, and when she got older...she’d be able to see a little part of herself among the other plants of Dicea. Something saying she was there. 

He still couldn’t believe it sometimes. It was a marvel every time he looked at her. 

Snorting, Kokichi shrugged a little. “Maybe. But you and Maki-chan still get all happy with compliments, so I’d say it’s not a sure thing. She’ll never have doubts about how Kai-chan feels about her, though. Or any of us, really.”

Shuichi did smile at that. Kokichi had a point. Maybe there was a counterpoint of the world humbling Shuichi growing up in a way Kaito couldn’t combat, but… that didn’t detract from the fact that Shuichi was still capable of being flattered by Kaito himself. Even knowing damn well that Kaito was absolutely biased and maybe a little delusional about Shuichi. It was hard to ignore that level of sincere earnestness. 

“She’ll know you two love her. Considering how much of a sap you both can be towards loved ones, she’s going to look at me wondering how a man could have grown up so cold and cruel, since I’m probably going to end up being the disciplinarian of the three of us.” Shuichi sighed, shaking his head, “I’m gonna be the one who has to tell her no. She’ll hate me sometimes.”

“Uh huh.” Kaito chuckled, giving Shuchi an amused but blatantly disbelieving look, “Yep. That’s how that’s gonna shake out.”

“What? You don’t think so?”

“...look, man, I just remember how you were raised…”

Shuichi raised an eyebrow, “My upbringing was very strict. If anything, that just reinforces my point. It’s what I know.”

“Yeah, but your mentor was super, uh… look, man, she was strict about you getting caught. Everything I ever saw her do was just trying to steer you towards being better at getting away with shit. You don’t think most things are ‘bad’, you just think it's bad when you get caught.”

“... I still don’t get your point.” Shuichi said, looking genuinely bewildered.

“I’m saying if anyone is about to become her partner in crime… uh, nevermind. I don’t think I’m explaining it right.” Kaito chuckled, looking fondly at Shuichi’s still entirely confused look. “It’s not a bad thing. She’s going to learn a lot of interesting life skills from you.”

Kokichi laughed a little but raised an eyebrow. Sure, Shuuichi wasn’t the type to fawn with sweet words and coos, but he wasn’t the type to not show any kind of affection. There was a glitter of love and approval in his eyes, an ease in the flow of his words that Kokichi knew Miyako would be able to hear as a stream of ‘I love you’s.

And when it came to discipline… 

At first, Kokichi wasn’t totally sure where Kaito was going either, but...after a moment Kokichi had to hide his smile around his spoon. Shuu-chan was sneaky, and that was definitely something he would pass down to Miya. If there were any of them more inclined to ask forgiveness than permission, it was Shuuichi. 

But on the other side of that coin?

Kokichi shook his head with a little laugh. “I think you could say that about any of us. Shuu-chan might be able to pull off painting the picture of a stricter parent, but we’re all gonna be tight-asses about different stuff. She’s absolutely gonna figure out who to ask for what thing, and know what to say to get one of us on her side when the others say no. That’s why we really gotta dad-unionize. Otherwise she’s gonna run us for all we’re worth.”

“Pfff. I have no idea what that’s gonna look like. We’re going to need to have, like, regular dad meetings, trying to figure out who’s saying what and get our stories straight… phew. She’s gonna be so much work.” Kaito laughed, heading over to the bed and, not really interested ice cream, flopped down on the bed in the space between Shuichi and Kokichi’s legs. 

Puttings one arm around each of their legs, crooking his elbows around their knees, Kaito closed his eyes and said triumphantly, “Ha. Got you both. Mine. Famous hunter Kaito Momota, successful again!”

“Ah, I see. The ice cream was bait. Clever.” Shuichi said, nodding solemnly, “And effective.”

Kokichi giggled, flexing his leg a little in Kaito’s grip. “Maaaaaan, I always fall for the ice cream trap! It’s not even a challenge at this point--you’d think Kokichis would be overhunted, for how easy we are to catch.”

After a moment, he shook his head with another laugh and scooped up another spoonful of ice cream. “...I’d totally forgotten about that weird conversation. The, like...hives and stuff… We talk about some weird stuff sometimes.” Kokichi flexed his leg a little more and poked his foot into Kaito’s side playfully.

“You might have forgotten.” Kaito agreed indulgently, smirking slightly at the poke, “...I have not. That conversation changed me as a person. I never recovered.”

“You’re insatiable.” Shuichi teased, perfectly content to just let Kaito keep holding his leg, since it was not keeping him from his ice cream goals. “Serious question: can you turn it off?”

“Hmm? What? The wild ‘Kichi, Shuichi daydreams? Nope. That lives in my head rent free. They’re always running around in there, being cute and sexy and teasing…”

“No, I mean… the general horniness? I think I asked you that once when we were teenagers, and you said no, but… we were teenagers then. Even now knowing what it feels like, beyond drug fueled fits, I can’t imagine having it on my mind all the time.”

“I mean… all the time is an exaggeration. It comes and goes like it does anyone.” Kaito shrugged, opening up those magenta eyes and looking back up to Shuichi, resting his head against his thigh a little as he said, “But can I ‘turn it off’? Um… I can cool it down. Or sorta… like decide to ignore it cause focusing on it makes me feel bad for other reasons. But I don’t think I can just turn it ‘off’, no. Can you?”

“I think so, yes. Maybe we’re talking about the same thing and it’s just ‘me cooling down’, but it’s still so dramatically different from how I was when it first started that it still feels more like an off switch rather than a gradual thing. Kokichi?” Shuichi asked, “We’re a small sample size, but you’re the tie breaker. Can you turn it off at will?”

That sounded like his Kaito. Once he was given daydream potential, that was never going away. In fairness, Kokichi had his own little collection of hot Kaito and Shuuichi moments, so it was all fair play. Kaito was just a little more prolific with his. 

Especially compared to Shuuichi. 

Kokichi leaned back a bit, finding it more comfortable while his leg was hiked up and trapped, and looked over at Shuuichi. ...honestly, Kokichi couldn’t really point to a time when he went from not thinking about that kind of stuff at all to...yanno, being aroused and thinking about horny stuff. It just kind of...happened over time, gradually enough that he didn’t think about it. For hitting Shuuichi like a carriage...Kokichi couldn’t imagine it.

Nodding a little to Kaito’s explanation, Kokichi gave Shuuichi a little shrug when the question turned to him. “...honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever tried. I can choose to focus on other stuff even when I’m feelin’ horny, but I’ve never really...felt the need to be like, okay, no horniness right now, shoo. I just...don’t indulge it, and I eventually lose the mood.”

Kokichi looked to the side. “...helps to not having my hormones goin’ wild randomly. If I had to deal with surprise boners again, I might try more to just turn it off. Though they didn’t always come from bein’ aroused, so…” He shrugged.

“Heck, ‘Kichi, I still get that…” Kaito glanced at the crib, before saying, “‘stuff’. I’m always waking up with semi’s.”

“You won’t say ‘shit’ around the baby, but you’ll openly talk about your boners?”

“She can’t understand us yet. And I’m trying to work on the cursing thing so I don’t do it randomly when she gets old enough to start mimicking me.” Kaito explained, pulling Kokichi’s knee to his face and starting to kiss it lightly, each side of him now tightly bordered by leg, and looking exceptionally pleased with this. “Though, yeah, thankfully the days of waking up rock hard seem to be more or less behind me. Well, with a few exceptions, but it was bad back when I was ‘Kichi’s age--”

Shuichi rolled his eyes, “All of three years ago.”

“I am an old man, Shuichi, don’t mock me and my nostalgia for the old boner days.” Kaito pouted, turning his head and now kissing Shuichi’s thigh a little, “Let me have my memories.”

“I’m older than you.”

“Not in spirit. Or horniness.” Kaito insisted, before saying with a touch of realization, “Ya know, all of that really slowed down on the trip down here, actually. Maybe I was training myself out of it and didn’t realize.”

“So it didn’t stop ‘three years ago, but in fact ‘this year’.”

“It not being as bad as when I was twenty isn’t the same as it never happening, Shuichi. Hell… heck, I had a full one like a week and some change ago, it still happens. Just not every morning.”

Kokichi’s eyebrows raised in surprise. “Seriously? Like...I get having the occasional morning wood these days, but...it kept bein’ kinda constant into your twenties? I stopped the random daytime moments of being unbearably horny when I was seventeen, and I more or less evened out everything else at nineteen.”

Tipping his head back, resting the tip of his spoon in his mouth, Kokichi hummed as Kaito kissed at his knee, gently pressing back into his husband’s touch when he came in for another. “...huh. Maybe I’m a less sexual guy than I thought.”

“Though,” he snorted, looking back up for a moment, “I wouldn’t exactly call you an average benchmark either, hun.”

“Pffff, now that’s true.” Kaito snickered, looking far too content to continue snuggling his captured legs. “I’m all messed up inside, man. Always have been, and, like… it’s looking like always will be? I dunno, maybe age will slow me down.”

“‘All messed up’ is a harsh way of putting it, but I could see you being still flirty and obsessed with your looks and flustering yourself by accident at, mmmm… how long do we think Kaito will last, Kokichi?” Shuichi asked, raising an eyebrow at his smaller boyfriend, sucking on some ice cream, “Think his libido will last two his seventies?”

“Oh my god, I really thought you were about to get real in depth of how long I’d live. Really thought that’s where that was going.” Kaito snickered, grinning up at Shuichi, “It was gonna get morbid. Though, so you know, definitely making it to a hundred or bust.”

Kokichi propped his head up a little, nodding in agreement with Shuuichi that ‘all messed up’ was too much for what Kaito’s libido was like, though he snorted at the ensuing conversation, raising an eyebrow at Kaito. “Or bust’ is generally what would happen if you didn’t get your hundred, yeah. But...yeah, even if Kai-chan couldn’t get it up anymore in his eighties, he’ll still have the spirit of horniness. He’ll keep gushing over how handsome our wrinkles and age spots are and say we don’t look a day over fifty forever.”

“Meanwhile,” Kokichi drawled, snorting again, “The first time he notices a grey hair? Despite how hot he thinks it is on other people? Frantic blubbering for a week straight.”

Nudging Kaito with his foot again, Kokichi gave his husband a wink. “For the record, I think you’ll make a great silver fox.”

“I will make an amazing silver fox,” Kaito pouted, though partly because he was trying to imagine his life with erectile dysfunction and just… nnnnng. Tragic. “And you two are going to both age beautifully, and I’ll be lucky every day to get to stare lustily at you… with my totally working penis until I day, Atua be pleased… I don’t have any gray hairs, though, right? Like, you all would tell me if I had any? But not in a… lyyyying way, like Shuichi sometimes does…”

“I would never lie about you having a gray hair, Kaito.”

“You literally have used that joke on me twice since we’ve gotten here.”

“I don’t remember ever saying I was joking…”

“... I don’t have gray hairs! I checked! I checked thoroughly, I know you’re fucking with me! … ‘Kichi!?” Kaito asked, looking at Kokichi not in mild panic, “He’s fuckng with me, right?”

“Cursing, Kaito.” Shuichi teased.

...it was really nice, imagining the future. Having the confidence to say you’ll be there, and imagining the future as this bright, wonderful thing full of the people you love and new experiences. It had been something of a...now concerning revelation Kokichi had had, realizing that...he had never really thought of the future at all through his teens. It had been a void where...he just wouldn’t be there, so why plan? No idle thoughts about what things would be like when he was older, and he didn’t even think about practices he’d vouch for as leader. 

Talking about a future sixty years ahead? Being sure of it? No one could tell the future (accurately, all the time) but...it was so much more fun and more responsible to assume you’d be there.

Laughing, Kokichi laid back again, looking at Kaito with not a meager amount of mischief. “Mmm, I can’t really tell you for sure, hun. I haven’t noticed any grey hairs, but you’re just so much taller than me--it’s not like I can see all your hair all the time. And we haven’t had a lazy day cuddling in bed for a long time...haven’t taken a shower together so I haven’t done up your shampoo… There could be stuff I’m missing, so I don’t wanna say anything definitive.”

Kaito’s left eyebrow twitched, knowing, knowing that they were fucking with him…

But after a moment his hands ran through his hair, trying to pull it forward so he could see a little bit more of his hair, going cross eyed a little as he tried to look at the ends of his hair. “I do have a lot of hair right now… haven't had a chance to gel my hair in a… well, since the baby showed up, honestly… ‘Kiiiichiiii, take a shooooower with meeeee.”

“Aren’t you two trying to outlast each other on celibacy or something?” Shuichi asked. “Showers are gonna screw one of you over...probably with the other one.”

Kaito’s eyes got wide… and then far away… before he blinked rapidly and said, “It’s not gonna be a sexy shower! I just wanna check on my hair.”

Kokichi grinned, watching the inevitable moment Kaito caved and tried to check himself--knowing that they were having a jape, but what if???? Kaito really wasn’t, but Kokichi thought he’d look kinda cool going grey. Wasn’t like people would give him a bad double-take either, since there were so many people with natural colors that were close to greys, and some still who went grey early for various reasons. 

Too bad he was a pure red lad--it would’ve been interesting to see if he would fade to the light, almost periwinkle-like purple color Haneda’s hair was.

Blowing a raspberry, Kokichi rolled his eyes. “I’ve said nothing of the sort! I even asked Kai-chan if he wanted to do something while we had time a bit ago and he’s the one who said no.”

“...that said,” Kokichi pouted, laying back on the bed again, “...maybe later. Somehow I’m not all baby-spitty in the middle of the day, so I’m gonna savor not having to shower. And probably save my skin a bit. I’m already gonna dry out ‘cause it’s summer--don’t need to go takin’ extra hair-checkin’ showers and speed it up.”

Kaito pouted again, giving Kokichi a somewhat suspicious look. It was gonna be Kaito, this time, making everyone else wait! He had already decided! They were gonna get a taste of what it was like, just… pining and hoping maybe today was the day and trying to be woo’ing and attractive and waiting to see if he’d notice! He was determined! It was going to happen! 

If he was aware that the fact that he was still cuddling and feeling up their legs was probably not a good sign for him, he didn’t let it on as he said, “Fiiiine… Shuichi?”

“No, that’s alright. I’m probably going to go back to reading my book after we’re finished with this ice cream. For being a serious mystery, the evidence has been a little… ridiculous.” Shuichi rolled his eyes as he said, “I think what’s happened is that the author wanted the suspect to die of gas poisoning on the floor, found out later that gas rises, and now there’s been this whole chapter trying to explain that it is’ a special ‘heavy’ gas that falls… it’s fun, but a little silly.”

“Pffff, whatever, I got hand mirrors… just check myself. Don’t need you guys.” Kaito grumbled, rubbing his cheek against Shuichi’s knee, looking very put out.

Kokichi just pouted back at Kaito. What was that suspicious look for?! Kokichi was positive that he’d actually said that, and that it was a conversation they really had. He knew it wasn’t fair to expect Kaito to just jump to his own whims (even if his husband’s sex drive did lend itself to that) but...still! If they were both into it and had time and opportunity...why not?

They were absolutely not gonna actually do nine months of only self-love. 

“...wouldn’t it be crazy if the heavy gas actually had nothing to do with it, and they explained all that shit for no reason?” Kokichi posited after a moment, before huffing and rubbing his leg up and down Kaito’s side, er, a bit more aggressively. “And I’ll be willing later! You like touching me so much, Kai-chan doesn’t want me to get all scaly and dried out, right? Then I’ll check your hair, be super truthful, and give you a head massage.”

Shuchi laughed at Kokichi’s hypothetical, before frowning at the length of the book… they… they sure had a lot more chapters for already having found the cause of death… hmmmm…

...ah well. He was already this deep in, might as well just keep going. 

Kaito felt his shirt ride up a little at Kokichi’s, uh… attention, and Kaito’s felt his face go red a little, before catching the end of his shirt and pulling it down with a huff. This time, he let go of Kokichi’s leg, and hugged Shuichi’s leg with both arms, burying his face into Shuichi’s side and curling up a little as he said, “Shuichi, help me. Kokichi’s bullying me.”

“He just promised to give you a head massage later, what part of that is bullying?” Shuichi asked, giving Kaito a bemused look, his leg now thoroughly trapped.

“He’s cheating.” Kaito insisted.

“Kokichi, stop cheating in this game that I’m now reasonably certain literally only Kaito is playing.” Shuichi scolded Kokichi lightly, sighing as he put the spoon in the almost empty ice cream container, “Mmmm...I’m going to regret that once lunch gets here…”

Kokichi pouted even more at Kaito, his face scrunching up a bit in a fashion that was almost comically similar to Miyako. However, he let that focus be broken for a moment as he saw Shuuichi give up the ghost on the rest of the ice cream and...well, he wasn’t just going to leave it to become a soupy mess in their room!! Sitting up to scrape up the rest of the ice cream from the corners of the box, Kokichi shoved it in his mouth happily before resuming his pout.

“I just wanna love on my husband!! Who works so hard for our family and is the sweetest guy ever and deserves to be loved on! And mostly because I love him!” Kokichi stuck his tongue out and childishly blew another raspberry at Kaito, pivoting a little on his arm to use both his feet to lightly kick at Kaito’s side--more just pressing nudges than anything. 

After a moment of that, though, he gave Shuuichi a lighter look. “Will you? I really think the ice cream was worth it. And Shuu-chan should still have a big appetite to use as fuel for recovery. All his cells are rejoicing at getting to use strawberry ice cream to repair today.”

“Fiend.” Kaito whimpered into Shuichi’s leg, trying not to grin at the little kicks against him, “Bully.”

“You have literally never had a stomach ache from too much sugar, huh?” Shuichi asked, leaning over to give Kokichi a small kiss against his cheek, “Admittedly, I haven't either since the poppy’s, but I know for a fact pre-poppy, having half a box of ice cream before mid-day, and then trying to eat normal food for the rest of the day, would absolutely have made me sick.”

“My stomach does a few flips just watching you guys sometimes. Our first hour back from visiting the candy/pastry store is always rough.” Kaito chuckled, seeming to finally get over his bullying husbands antics, releasing Shuichi’s leg and stretching back out on his back between them. “Mmmm… speaking of, your candy desk is getting low. Do you guys want me to make a run, or do you two wanna just do it yourselves at some point when I’m on baby duty?”

Kokichi adored sweets, but the face he made receiving Shuuichi’s kiss was even brighter than the bliss he had getting a new gummi. And it was always bliss! How could sugar give anything else?!

(He’s not talking about sugar crashes, what do you mean)

“Seriously?” Kokichi sighed and shook his head, leaning over himself to nuzzle consolingly at Shuuichi’s shoulder. “I thought most people were just complaining about sugar highs--I get stomach aches from too much food, but never just from havin’ sweets. What a tragic way to live…”

The day Kokichi’s body started to rebel against sugar was the day he’d be in tears the whole time. 

As Kaito laid down, Kokichi scooted forward and put a hand on Kaito’s leg, reversing their positions a bit. “Mm...honestly, I kinda like having the excuse to go into town. I know I should every once in a while when you guys and Miya don’t need me, just to get out, but I feel weird not going for a reason right now.”

Flopping his head back, Kokichi curved his back a little, looking at Shuuichi upside down. “What about you, Shuu-chan? Wanna head over to the store together sometime, or are you cool with one of us picking out sweets for ya?”

“Mmmmm… sure, I’d like an excuse to get out too, honestly. Plus, we can see if Miss Andou has more new samples for us to try. I’m kinda glad she’s not always trying to push that one weird candy all the time anymore… it was good and all, but after awhile I don’t really want to eat the same exact sample every time we visit.” Shuichi said, shrugging a little, “She needs to diversify her sample size. My extremely amatuer candy selling opinion.”

Kaito watched Kokichi with interest, reaching over to gently trace his fingers against his husbands back, just… admiring him. Pretty… “Yeah, she did do that a lot, didn’t she. I don’t know if I ever even saw that particular kind of candy for sale? Maybe I just missed it, I always like looking at the pastries when we go there more than anything. They really are amazing looking. Its a shame to eat them, honestly.”

Kokichi straightened out and shrugged--it was too hard to shrug bent backwards--supplying, “She did say she was trying to nail down the recipe. I kinda felt bad, though, since it always kinda tasted the same to me. Incredible! But I couldn’t really give her any nuanced feedback. But considering she’s selling to, yanno, average people like us, I think it might just be her perfection as a confectioner.”

“I’ll be excited to taste test anything new, though!” Kokichi happily chirped, already getting excited at the thought of more candy, even with a good portion of a box of ice cream in his belly. He really did have a second stomach for that kind of stuff. And while Kaito didn’t, he did eat quite well with his eyes. 

“Right? Especially, like, the fancier stuff, or anything she makes for seasonal novelties--they’re always so cute! And incredible! And somehow delicious too, but...it’s good to not let ‘em stale and rot, even if you wanna keep lookin’ at the art for a long time.”

At once, Kokichi’s eyes got a dreamy, almost lusty look in them as he sighed, just a touch less out of it to genuinely start drooling. “I can’t wait for Zenith. There’s the actual Strawberry Festival just after it, but people are already showing off their strawberry-based creations during Zenith. All sorts of tarts and shortcakes and parfaits and petit-candies…eeehuhuhu~” Kokichi laughed lowly, a sort of giddy sound as he thought of all the wonderful foods of summer.

Shuichi and Kaito both watched Kokichi as he cackled to himself, looking damn near lecherous as he talked about strawberry pastries, Kaito eventually giving Shuichi a dry look as he said, “See, that look… what does a guy have to do to be looked at like that?”

“I don’t know… cover yourself in strawberry’s?” Shuichi guessed, before frowning. A little surprised at how appealing he found that idea. Darn… random food fetish thing. Why was that one of his things?? Ridiculous.

“Fine. Done. Where are the strawberry farms, I’ll go stock up now… oh?” Kaito’s eyes widened a little, looking curiously at Kokichi, “Are there any strawberry fields nearby? That’d be kind of a nice trip, wouldn’t it? Going to see a strawberry field in bloom? Get a little taste of Zenith at its source?”

Kokichi wiped the back of his wrist over his mouth--no drool! But he wanted to make sure…--and gave Kaito a smile of his more usual sweet variety, though he looked a little wistful. “There’s a berry farm to the southwest outside the city, though it isn’t that big… A lot of people grow their own berries--the farm is mostly for commercial sales. I think they do let people berry pick, though…”

Laughing a little, more of that wistful look came across Kokichi’s face. “I’m not the biggest fan of them, but there’s this huge blackberry briar just outside the swamp--it doesn’t really belong to anyone, so it’s notorious as a date and family destination. Really...any kind of fruit picking has always seemed so much fun to me. Getting to try super fresh stuff, and the owners usually make some sort of drink or treat to sell people visiting, like the cider we got at the orchard.”

Even though they had a greenhouse in the castle...Kokichi had always been in awe of the opportunities to get more connected to where food came from. To meet the people who made sure that everyone was fed, to see and learn about the whole process of how it happened and really feel for himself the importance that every person had in making sure the cycle could continue. He was...less excited about butcheries, but...he recognized that importance all the same. 

He wondered if Tim’s class would be doing a farm trip next year…

Kokichi sighed softly, that romantic look in his eyes. “...I’m excited for you guys to see Zenith. Even if we only end up watching it from the window.”

Kaito snorted.

He then turned over onto his stomach, chuckling more, a deep, belly laugh as he rested his head in the crook of his arms, closing his eyes as he laughed, “...geez… one of these days, ‘Kichi… wow...”

Kokichi looked over at his husband, amused with his laughs, but… “...what do you mean? What’s so funny?”

“Just, like…” Kaito opened his eyes, giving Kokichi a tired, amused grin as he peeked up at him from his arms, “...I might be exaggerating, but I think it’s been every single holiday and, like… event that you’ve been convinced something is going to keep us from celebrating it. Like… no. I’m not going to let you miss what is clearly your favorite holiday. For any reason. Same way I haven't let you miss anything else. It’s just not happening, babe. You just gotta accept that we’re doing all the celebration stuff.”

“We missed that one romantic holiday.” Shuichi pointed out. 

“We did not! I put together a lovely picnic, and we got through half of it before Maki showed up! That counts!” Kaito protested, “And for Zenith we’ll get a baby sitter for the day. Or the afternoon, at least. We can ask someone to feed and change Miya for one day… it’s fine. Miyako will get to go to Zenith with us next year.”

…

Kokichi straightened and turned pink, looking to the side as he rubbed the back of his neck--still hadn’t gotten that haircut--though he kept his hand on Kaito’s leg, rubbing in little circles with his thumb. In his defence, he did have good reasons to think they’d miss festivals--and they did miss Remembrance, though Kokichi hadn’t even mentioned it at the time. Though...in fairness to that, it was a very personal holiday, and it wasn’t like there tended to be any mass gatherings outside of a few religious factions that decided to use the holiday, or just didn’t already have one of their own for honoring the dead.

He’d missed countless events in the past due to being sick or just...people being too busy to take him. A lot had changed, but...it was hard to really let go of that expectation. 

After a moment, Kokichi’s shoulders slumped and he looked back at Kaito. “...yeah? You’d be okay with getting a babysitter?”

“I mean…” Kaito sighed, resting his head on his arms, forehead pinching a little, “...it’s never going to not be a little scary to leave Miyako in someone else's hands for a day. She’s… little and fragile… but, that’s literally going to be the case for, like, three years basically. We have to be willing to do it sometimes, or the three of us are going to spend every day in this room for the next three Zenith’s… or, well, no, cause Miyako will be able to leave the room someday soon, but… you guys get what I mean. We can’t just ignore the idea of babysitters.”

“...I mean, ideally, we’re asking someone we know and trust already, and not, like… some random person or anything like that…” Kaito frowned, “Someone who wouldn’t mind missing the festival themselves. Maybe Maki or Ikou? Or… um… we could compensate Hajime for the day?”

“We have people we can ask.” Shuichi agreed, though internally, he decided if they couldn’t find someone, he’d just stay and let Kaito and Kokichi go do Zenith stuff. It wouldn’t bother him much.

“Yeah! So… it should be fine, babe. We can take a day and celebrate something that makes you happy.” Kaito grinned, “You deserve it.”

All the books and all the advice and even his therapist, who, while didn’t have kids himself, spent time with his sister’s kids and had helped her out during pregnancy and the aftermath said that. Parents really should spend a lot of time with new babies, and that’s why parental leave was a thing, but...it was important to be able to leave once in a while too. To not have life completely stop when you have a kid. 

It was terrifying, thinking about Miyako needing something and one of them not being there, but...well, he wasn’t always going to be around for her. He was going to trust the community to be the society she’d grow up in, to be her teachers and friends and role models… And she would have other people directly looking after her other than the three of them. At least sometimes. 

Sighing, Kokichi nodded, though there was a cautiously excited glimmer in his eyes. “We’ll find someone. I’d hate to ask someone to ditch their own Zenith plans, but...we have people to ask. And they might say no, and...we can ask others.”

Kokichi gave a little puff of breath before he brightened, seemingly convincing himself before he grinned at Kaito. “I love Zenith...but I’ll love even more getting to share it with you guys. Seriously...it’s a ton of fun.”

“Hell yeah~ It sounds like a lot of fun. Plus, it’ll be nice just to get to enjoy the heat again.” Kaito sighed, relaxing now that Kokichi seemed to be more open to the idea of enjoying the holidays, regardless of their new limitations. “It’s so damn cold for so long in Dicea… the falls usually pretty cold, spring is cold for a long time before it gets anywhere close to hot… I thought I was basically turning translucent over the winter, I swear. I need some sun.”

Shuich rolled his eyes. “You didn’t get ‘translucent’, Kaito, you barely changed color. And I’m team ‘summers too hot’. I like being able to dress in layers without risking dying of heat stroke. In Dicea I can even buy dark fabrics that aren’t paper-thin but still cardboard stiff to protect myself from the sun. It’s great, my clothes are so much more comfy.”

Kaito almost said that crepe and georgette silk was plenty comfy and plenty breathable and still protected from the sun… but, well, he frowned. Shuichi hadn’t been wearing silk-based clothes back in Luminary. His only silk clothes had been things Kaito had bought him. Mostly Shuichi had been wearing a mixture of cottons and jute. Maki’s clothes had been actually even worse, because they had been reinforced by heavier, denser material to work so that she could hide heavy weapons against the fabric itself, but had been laced on top of that fancier, more upper class material to make herself look mid-upper class and disarming in the right crowds. 

Just… more differences in their classes that Kaito hadn’t thought much about growing up with them. 

On impulse, Kaito brought his hand up over his head, grabbing Shuichi’s hand which had laid defenseless against Shuichi’s lap, and idly started rubbing small, affectionate circles into his palm. “...well, I’m glad you like the seasons here, handsome. Gotta buy you more comfy clothes with layers when fall gets here. Just… deck you out.”

Maki and Tim too. Just… more clothes they liked. Kaito would just start working towards them all entirely replacing all the clothes they had brought from Luminary. That shit was too cheap for his family, he could do better by them.

Kokichi snorted a little and shrugged. “Half of fall’s kinda cold, half of spring’s kinda cold, but it always feels like we get plenty of nice, sunny days to me. Honestly I could do with it being a little colder sometimes, but there’s only so far I can push it.”

“...I know it makes no sense for you guys in Luminary, but I still can’t believe you had, like...nothing made with wool or fur-inforced before we went winter shopping,” Kokichi sighed, getting into the clothing conversation now. “It’s just so...ubiquitous here. And I got so worried since you guys layer weird too. I know you don’t think I’m kidding about the winter anymore but...man.”

Kokichi tilted his head, giving a playful look to his partners. “Maybe you’ll be able to give me better tips on staying cool this summer, though. It’d be nice if I didn’t feel like I was periodically dying for a week at a time.”

He didn’t think that would be so much of a clothing conversation, since at times Kokichi just laid on the floor in his underwear, but maybe they’d have tips for it too. He thought thin, floaty cotton-blends and big hats were pretty good, but who was he to argue against desert experts?

“Your city is literally buried in snow for a chunk of the year, how much colder do you need it?” Kaito grumbled, having not been a fan of the snow. He had tried hard not to complain at the time, because he was still desperately trying to show Kokichi he was willing to assimilate back then, but fuck it was cold here. 

Though, at talk of Kokichi getting summer clothes advise… Kaito’s eyes went wide and dreamy. Suddenly back in his old, familiar daydream of Kokichi (and Shuichi too) in expensive silks… maybe Taffeta or Satin or, again, Silk-based Georgetta… looking pretty and alluring in the summer sun…

“...I mean, silks the easy answer, obviously.” Kaito said, still daydreaming about his guys in pricey, upperclass Luminary clothes. “But it’s pretty pricey…”

Kokichi nodded, not really thinking about what ‘pricey’ meant to him, versus what it meant to Kaito. His husband was far more savvy about money these days, especially compared to when he had first come to Dicea, but there were still certain ideas that they had different perspectives on. 

“Yeah…” Kokichi sighed. “And I kinda feel bad, even if they are bugs,” he made a face. “But the silkworm farms take care of the worms so many more of them manage to start to pupate than they would without intervention so...I guess in some way that equals out us takin’ some to make silk out of. I’m pretty sure that’s what Denji-chan made my summer regalia out of.”

Pouting with a groan, Kokichi flopped back on the bed, arms shifted out of reach from where he’d set them on Kaito’s leg. “Uggggggh. I’m gonna have to go in for fittings again. ‘S prolly just ‘cause of Miya that they haven’t been bugging me about it already.”

Kaito gave Kokichi a slightly bewildered look. “Why would you feel bad? It’s just taking their, like… silk butt stuff? Is that how its made? I’ve always kinda imagined it like spiders… like, silk is worm butt stuff. Right?”

Kokichi shuddered and hugged himself a little, but...it wasn’t bad yet. Exposing himself within his limits was good. 

Ostensibly. 

Sitting up again, Kokichi gave Kaito an uncomfortable look. “...no. The silk is from their cocoons, and it’s processed by boiling it...with the worm still inside.”

“...why is eeeeverything always a bummer.” Kaito muttered, his idle dreams of silk worm spider-webs now replaced with a much more depressing image. “Seriously, man… that sucks.”

“That’s a pretty uncomfortable way to get fabric.” Shuich agreed, though he didn’t look nearly as bothered as Kaito, who just seemed depressed now, not having been ready to hear that his favorite type of clothing was made in such a violent way. (Was nothing he liked just allowed to be, like… nice??) “I remember seeing a sheep get sheared once and feeling kinda bad about how cold it looked afterwards. It grows back, but it was basically still a lamb, and it just looked so surprised.”

“You saw sheep? Where did you see sheep?” Kaito asked, distracted from his distraught revelations by an unknown Shuichi story. “I’ve never seen sheep.”

“Was a farm I had to go look into near the western border. You remember when I had to do midterms late in freshman year? That’s what I was doing. Talking to farmers and watching them shear sheep.”

“... was it cool?”

Shuichi shrugged, “It was alright. Smelled. Ended up being false charges, so I got to deliver some good news for once, overall a nice trip.”

Kokichi nodded again, that same uncomfortable look on his face. It was kind of the same thing as eating meat, which he still did, so he didn’t really have any ethical platform to stand on, but...it still didn’t feel great. He had actually been too grossed out to even touch silk once he found out how it was made, at least until Denji practically tackled him with a roll. 

He wouldn’t begrudge anyone for wearing silk, and he’d wear it for his official clothes, when that was the design, but...he’d probably stick with his summer cottons. 

Wool, on the other hand…

“You’ve never seen sheep?” Kokichi asked Kaito, surprised. And if Shuuichi had to go out of his way for work to see any… Well, he supposed it was hard to raise them in sand. “I’ve never been to a pasture or anything, but I’ve seen ‘em in petting zoos before.”

Kokichi tilted his head a bit. “...come to think of it, I think that friend Haneda-chan’s going to see during her vacation is a herder.” Huffing a small laugh at Shuuichi’s story, Kokichi sat back up and leaned even more forward, hands going back to Kaito’s leg, and even sliding up his side a little. “A while back there was this sheep in the news, actually. There had been an escaped one from a farm up north and...like, yanno, if they can’t find it in a day or two, you tend to assume the worst. But they found it again after a couple years and it’d grown, like 60 pounds of wool, which was waaay too thick for wolves or other predators to get to it. But the poor sheep could barely move with all that extra wool. They sheered it, got it back in the farm and all...I think it’s still alive, actually.”

“Super sheep.” Kaito decided, looking delighted by the idea, before snorting a little, “Sixty pounds of wool would be an interesting armor idea. I wonder how well it’d do against blades… probably not that good, actually. Wool doesn’t seem that tricky to push a blade through, but I could see it being good protection for fangs.”

“Mmmm, I don’t know. Design it right, and wool armor might make up its lack of durability with its flexibility… we should ask Maki, she’d have a good idea on it.”

“You think so? Maki’s whole fighting style basically hinges around having literally no armor on. I’m not sure I’ve ever even seen her in leather, let alone real armor.”

“You’re being short-sighted Kaito. Maki might not wear armor, but she definitely knows which armor is good and for what reasons.” Shuichi said, raising an eyebrow at his boyfriend, “Her lifestyle, and life, kinda depended on it.”

“...yeah, you’re right. We should ask Maki.” Kaito realized, before lighting up, “And I wanna see my armor at that museum someday soon! Maybe when it’s okay to start taking Miyako out… baby’s gotta see her dads cool-ass armor! Miyako~” Kaito said, suddenly sounding like he was talking to her directly, “I bravely traveled six months to seduce your daddy in this armor… seduce? Woo? Eh, I’ll adust at what age she is. But! Moral of the story… he saw me in my totally amazing armor, instantly agreed to marry me, and it was happily ever after ever since.”

“That is a… wildly inaccurate version of that story.” Shuichi pointed out dryly.

“Love at first sight, Miya… annnnnd maybe there was a whole war and treaty and both of your grandfathers being extremely flippant with their kids comfort and wellbeing too and also daddy kinda hated dad and… ehhhhhh, I like my first version better.” Kaito pouted. “We can add all that other stuff over time.”

“I’d assume it’d be like the thick safety clothes people who do, like, smithing ‘n stuff wear--it’s not all leather. Though for fire resistance it is...wool wouldn’t be much help with that…” Kokichi soft mused. Maki would know for sure. It might not be the best armor, but it would probably be better than nothing, and would probably do its thing as a great insulator even in combat situations.

But for armor-armor...Kokichi was excited to see the exhibit set up around Kaito’s armor too. It was somehow even cooler, knowing that he personally contributed something for the enrichment and education of others, and would be historically significant art… It was very cool. 

...he wondered how close actual historical accounts of their marriage would be. 

Kokichi snorted a bit at Kaito’s rosy story, though his smile softened as he rubbed Kaito’s thigh. “...yeah. I think we can say it was a political marriage pretty early on for her, and I don’t think there’s any way she’d mistake us not being in love, but...the more detail-y stuff can wait. It’s kind of a lot to process when you just wanna know how two of your dads got married.”

Hopefully they’d get to re-tell her the story of how all three of them got married too. It’d be nice if she was old enough to remember by the time they did, but...there was an impatient part of Kokichi that didn’t want to wait that long before popping the question.

Kaito’s mind had also, briefly, gone to the whole ‘more marriage?? Soon??’ route, glancing up curiously at Shuichi, still rubbing his hand affectionately. Kaito wasn’t ready to ask yet, though…

(Sometimes, when he was struggling to fall back asleep after randomly waking up again, Kaito’s mind would parade in front of him all the ways he had let his two partners down when they started… ‘dating’. He knew there had been good things, but Kaito’s memories of those early days, especially the more he thought about it, endlessly painted him as… like, an aggressive, manipulative predator to them. He had been too forward. Too eager, and mean.) 

(They had deserved so much better than Kaito… he wished he could do it all again. He wished Kaito had just understood them both better, back then. He hadn’t known Kokichi well enough back then to really understand the gravity of what was happening, but fuck, his husband deserved better than his first time being with a horny, sex-obsessed stranger with fucking anger and control issues while his own body was fucking going nuts on a date-rape drug.)

(So had Shuichi, really… and fuck, Kaito should have known better by that point. He had just so badly wanted to… fix Shuichi. To make it better. And instead… Kaito had put Shuichi through so much. So quickly. Too quickly…)

Kaito wanted to wait. Do the romance properly. Put the time in. Shuichi deserved to be treated like something Kaito would earn with time. Time and dedication and romance… Shuichi was a treasure. He deserved effort. Kaito wanted to give his boyfriend that effort, to really display to the world Shuichi’s value, in Kaito’s eyes. 

… though, Kaito liked to think that if they asked now, Shuichi would say yes. Was it cruel to wait if Shuichi was ready? What if Shuichi didn’t realize Kaito was waiting to prove Shuichi’s value, but just thought he wasn’t worth asking!? Oh noooo… ahhhhhhhh…… AHHHHHH…..

“Why the groan, Kaito?” Shuichi asked idly.

“Just confused myself for a second.” Kaito admitted, letting go of Shuichi’s hand to rub his face with it, before lying, “Thinking about what onesie I wanna put Miyako in first, when she’s big enough for them. I think the wolf idea is actually really cute, but I’m worried it’ll convince her to start biting her lamb doll. Really embrace the wolf thing, ya know?”

“...what?” Shuichi asked.

“See? Confusing.”

Kokichi gave Kaito a concerned glance. That was definitely his ‘I’m blaming myself for everything and how hard it was at the start, even though we all made mistakes and weren’t equipped to deal with any of it’ face. There were...definitely some things Kokichi didn’t want to tell Miyako about their relationship. And that was alright--he doubted there were many parents who went into the details of their sex lives with their kids. She definitely wouldn’t be missing out on anything. 

But just because they were painful memories didn’t mean that Kokichi blamed Kaito. And hopefully one day he’d be able to stop blaming himself. But, as he’d told his husband more than a few times...that was often the hardest part. 

However, he was working on it, and Kokichi didn’t call him out on changing the subject. Snorting softly, Kokichi raised an eyebrow and rubbed Kaito’s thigh. “I don’t think she’ll know what a wolf is just from being dressed in a onesie. I think she might be able to know what a dog is early, because of Chase, but it’s gonna be a while before she can start making connections like that.”

“Plus,” Kokichi pouted, though a smile kept threatening the corners of his lips, “If she’s in her wolf onesie, and you’re in your wolf coat, you guys could match, and it’d be really cute.”

(The Akane part of Kaito would probably get a kick out of it too.)

“Oh my god, yes.” Kaito realized, eyes widening at that mental image, “Oh, that would be amazing. Baby and dad would mmaaaaaatch… awwwww…”

Kaito now was thoroughly distracted by that mental image. He and his little packmate… awwwww… little cub being all cute in her onesie and just… awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

“I think you broke Kaito.” Shuichi said, watching Kaito grinning like a fiend as he dug his palms into his eyes, squirming on the bed. “Poor Miyako’s going to have so many weird outfits…”

“The word you’re looking for is adorable, Shuichi.” Kaito pouted, before lowering his hands and looking over at Kokichi. 

...his husband had been rubbing his leg an awful lot… Kaito had been trying to not be distracted by it, but…

“Cheat.” Kaito accused again, grabbing Kokichi’s wrist and dragging him down, curling his arms around Kokichi’s back and flopping a leg over his to trap him against him as Kaito laid little kisses against his face, “Bully. I have to be careful with someone like you… you might have brains and beauty on your side, but I can still just smoosh you, ya know.”

“Don’t ‘smoosh’ Kokichi, Kaito, he’s still recovering.” Shuichi reminded him, tapping at Kaito’s head.

The red-head sighed at that, taking off his leg at the reminder, before insisting, “But I gotta defend myself, Shuichi… he’s gonna drive me crazy… with thigh rubs.”

“You were literally just clinging to our legs a second ago.”

“That’s me driving myself crazy, totally different.”

Kokichi snickered as Kaito had the exact sort of reaction he’d anticipated, full of those fluffy feelings that came from seeing something almost unbearably cute. That would just be the trend of Miyako’s...entire life, really. It wouldn’t stop after infancy or toddlerdom or childhood… Kaito would think she was adorable forever, and it was up to Miyako when she was old enough how much she wanted to indulge however much he was going to push. 

Who knew, maybe she’d like onesies?

“Oh?” Kokichi’s eyebrows raised as Kaito pulled him down into a not unwelcome position, though he could only giggle, adjusting himself to lie comfortably on top of Kaito, smooching his face in return. 

“I’m not trying for anything!” he insisted, continuing to completely opportunistically cuddle with his husband. “I just like lovin’ on you, like I said!! How can I hold back how I feel about you all the time?”

“Just trying to get me riled up… jerks…”

Shuichi rolled his eyes, finally picking his book back up, starting to flip back to where he had left off as he said, “Kaito, we literally rile you up just existing in proximity to you. And, honestly, probably not even that. I have a feeling we don’t even have to really be around before ‘we rile you up’.”

“...bullies… tempters… you just like seeing me all drooling after you and stuff…”

Kaito was entirely kidding. If anything, his partners seemed to be usually entirely unaware when they were driving Kaito particularly crazy. Just… walking around in clothes… looking happy or excited about something… all cute and alluring… augh!

Maybe he just needed to go rub one out, honestly. It was clearly on his mind. Hmmm… bathroom or shrine… bathroom or shrine… guess he’d lay here and just let Kokichi continue to full body nuzzle him while he considered his options.

Kokichi nodded slightly, though he didn’t stop himself from placing a few more kisses against Kaito’s cheek. Kaito just...loved them back too! And the force of his love came out physically...sensually. It could get a little overwhelming at times but...Kokichi loved it too. It was all just Kaito. 

Laughing softly, just happy to be around the people he loved most, Kokichi placed another kiss at the corner of Kaito’s lips. “...we could do somethin’ quick when we shower together, if you want. Unless you really are dedicated to...not doin’ anything, for whatever reason.”

Now that was being a bully and a tease...sort of. But at this point, Kokichi did just want to be close with Kaito. They’d both have fun, and maybe even some peace from it.

...AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Shuichi, who had been listening to this idly, still reading about this super special ‘heavy gas’ that the potential murderers had been tricked into throwing, waited with equally idle amusement for Kaito’s response.

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

He waited another moment before looking up curiously, raising an eyebrow. “...Kaito?”

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

“What did you do to Kaito?” Shuichi genuinely asked Kokichi, assuming he had missed something truly scandalous as Kaito just continued to stare at the ceiling, eyes a tad too wide and his mouth a thin, crooked line.

Kokichi sighed, though there was a shadow of a smirk on his face. Using his hand as a cushion against his pointy chin, Kokichi propped his head up on Kaito’s collarbone. “I broke him. I offered to have sex, he, obviously, would totally be down for it, but he doesn’t wanna break the challenge or whatever it is that’s got him set on not doing anything, and that conflict has broken him.”

“Least there’s still two of us to take care of Miya. Too bad… I was looking forward to all the future portraits I have to draw of the two of them.” Kokichi looked over with a glimmer in his eye at Shuuichi. “Guess I’ll have to double up on the ones with you and her.”

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH awwwwwww, Shuichi/Miya pictures HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH 

“Well, if Kaito’s trying to… do something? Stay celibate? Take a break from sex?” Shuichi asked, trying the different wording to see Kaito’s reaction, who was just looking more stressed, Shuichi put down the book and sat up a little with a sigh, “I can help you out, Kokichi. I don’t really need anything, we’ll just take care of you real qui--”

Kaito sat up, quickly adjusting Kokichi’s waist to not bend him uncomfortably, sitting him in his lap and putting his arms around him in a clearly defensive stance, glaring at Shuichi, who just raised an eyebrow in response. “Mine.”

“Ours.” Shuichi replied easily, “And you already said no, Kaito.”

“But… nooooo… you don’t even wannaaaaa.” Kaito whimpered, all that fierce possessiveness bleeding away immediately, “You’re just doing it because I won’t!”

“Yessss, because I’m his boyfriend, and I’m accommodating like that.”

“That’s not fair… I didn’t say no…”

“Oh. So you’re going too?”

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

“...I mean… well! M-maybe, if Kokichi’s lucky, I-I’ll feel like it when we shower.” Kaito huffed, still keeping his arms protectively around Kokichi. “He doesn’t even want to shower right now, Shuichi, so, wow, egg on your face… really took your shot too early there…”

Shuich rolled his eyes. “Mmhm. How embarrassing for me.”

...he didn’t think it was like that. If Kaito really didn’t want sex for whatever reason that...while Kokichi would appreciate insight into, he didn’t have to tell them? He’d stop asking. But...it really didn’t seem like that…

...but that was just an assumption. 

While he quirked a smile as Kaito got all possessive, Kokichi stayed contemplative for a while. (Though, he really did appreciate Shuuichi offering to help him out. It was very sweet of him.)

Adjusting his legs more comfortably in this new position, Kokichi gently nuzzled Kaito’s chest before seriously looking up at him. “...do you? Not want to have sex anymore? I’d appreciate knowing, since we’re your partners and all but...you don’t have to give a reason if you don’t want to. I’ll stop asking if that’s what you want, hun...I never want to pressure you,” he finished, eyes growing more serious.

“...ugh.” Kaito groaned, scratching between his eyes for a moment, having a hard time looking at Kokichi’s serious/concerned face and giving himself an excuse to close his eyes for a moment, “...no. I mean, yes, obviously I want to have sex. Obviously. It’s always obvious that I want to have sex, cause most of the time it’s on my mind, and fuck, most of the time I’m just looking for an excuse to bring it up… ngh…”

Kaito had entirely meant the ‘challenge’ to be mostly a fun joke for himself, but now that it was actually being tested and questioned, he found a lot of… annoyed, aggressive feelings attached to the idea that he hadn’t realized were there as he loosened his grip on Kokichi. Leaning back on one of his hand and running the other through his still far too loose hair as he frowned, “... it’s stupid how much I want to have sex. Isn’t it? Like, it’s actually really frustrating, how… hung up I get on it. Hearing you talk about wanting to take a nine month break shouldn’t make my damn heart drop or make me act like an aggressive, selfish asshole who tried to power drill his 90 pound husband because, ‘oh no, this is my last chance for a long time’. That’s so… fucking shitty.”

“And it’s not even like I’m trying to get better.” Kaito realized, disappointed in himself as he realized, “I just wanted to see you guys act stupid and needy and selfish for once… it’s just always me acting like a fucking dumb, horny dog all the time. But I literally couldn’t just not jump at it after being offered just, like, once. It’s… such a stupid trait of mine. It’s pathetic…”

...hm. Kokichi frowned slightly, getting to hear...probably a lot of things that Kaito’d had on his mind for a while, some maybe that he hadn’t really realized himself. But...it made sense. Not Kaito’s conclusions, of course, but...his feelings and the directions his thoughts went...it all matched what Kokichi knew of his husband. 

“...I’m sorry I didn’t ask sooner, that you’ve been dealing with feeling like this on your own,” Kokichi gently acknowledged, putting his arm against Kaito’s side. Not quite a hug, not trapping Kaito to him--even if Kokichi was still literally in his lap--but being close and present and...someone his husband could connect to. 

“I shouldn’t have made that joke,” he continued. “I was really worried that all three of us would literally have to be around Miyako all the time, despite us already making plans to give each other breaks, and...I mean, I am serious about not wanting to have sex in our room while she’s sleeping here,” he nodded. “But I don’t want a break, and especially not that long. I know I’m not the best about bringing up a mood, but...I like being intimate with you, Kai-chan.”

“And I love that you love being intimate with me too.”

There, Kokichi’s expression hardened a little. “It’s not pathetic, and it’s not stupid, and you’re not selfish. I agreed to what we did that time, and when it got to be too much for me? Shuu-chan helped me verbalize, and you stopped. That’s communication just like any part of being intimate. I love how excited you are to be close, and it’s one of your love languages--that’s really special! It’s a part of your feelings, and no part of that is dumb.”

Gently, Kokichi did briefly give Kaito a hug as his expression softened again. “...and if you’re feeling like...things are unbalanced? Like you’re the only person who wants stuff, or… That’s not quite right, but...if you want to see us being needy? I do agree that holding yourself back and trying to manipulate us into acting desperate isn’t the right course, but feeling insecure about it is valid, and I’m glad you’re telling us now.”

“...it’s hard,” he said quietly after a moment. “I don’t think I get aroused as often as you, and Shuu-chan less than me. But...I can tell you now that I adore being around you, and having our cuddling times, and having sex. And I’ll try to be more candid about that. But...you don’t need to be ashamed about your own candidness. I love it, as it’s a part of you.”

Kaito did still feel a little… dumb and rediculous and… a little animilastic, sometimes. He felt needy, around his partners. And maybe that was weighing on him a little heavier than he had realized, because as much as he still felt like all those things, Kokichi’s words still felt incredibly like a considerable weight off his shoulders. 

“...thanks, babe… and I know I’m being, like… extra and making this out to be too big in my head. I know. I just… obsession with sex can be a really shitty trait. Fuck, ‘Kichi, a lot of people have hurt us with that same damn trait… I just don’t want to be someone controlled by their libido, but I really don’t see how I can stop. I couldn’t ‘just say no’ once… like, the second you even hinted at it, I was ready to get up and go. It was immediate. And I was actually trying.”

“Is there… a reason this is coming up now, Kaito?” Shuichi asked, having put down his book, realizing this had officially swung from ‘light and silly’ to one of their more serious talks. “You’ve never seemed embarrassed by this before, and it’s not exactly new. You’ve literally always had a really active sex drive, I’d say even before you started having sex. You’ve never seemed worried about it before.”

“It’s never been tested before!” Kaito insisted, suddenly looking incredibly stressed. “And that’s… not a bad thing! It’s not. It’s really, really not, I don’t want either of you to think for a second that’s how I’m viewing this. I am committed to both of you, and neither of you ever have to indulge me, and that’s fine. That’s a healthy relationship! I think! I really believe that. I just… I’m so mad at myself. At how hard it is, sometimes. This shouldn’t be something that’s hard. It should just… be easy! I don’t know. I just get mad at myself every time it’s not easy. I feel like every time I get frustrated, or aggressive, or feel needy and you guys are just, genuinely, not interested, that I’m letting you guys down. It should be okay. For you guys to not be interested when I am. It shouldn’t be hard.”

“...” Shuichi looked uncertain how to respond, “...wow, this is one of the first conversations we’ve had where I’ve kinda wished Dr. Mariah was here…”

Kaito’s shoulders fell. “...sorry…”

...as much as Kokichi wanted to insist that Kaito wasn’t controlled by his libido, that he respected his partners’ preferences and paces, and that he was entirely capable of keeping it in his pants...that...wasn’t what Kaito was saying. He wasn’t frustrated by his choices, he was frustrated by his body’s reactions. And that…

Kokichi pressed himself against one of Kaito’s arms. “Don’t be sorry. This is a good thing, that we can recognize when we’re out of our depths. It doesn’t feel great, sure, since we’re not gonna have an appointment with her for a while, but...now we know there’s a conversation here. It’s better than leaving you to deal with all this on your own.”

“...can you explain more, though,” Kokichi softly started, “About...what’s hard? Because...of course it’s going to be disappointing when you’re in the mood and we’re not. But you’re an advocate of taking care of yourself and…”

He took a breath. “And other than that one time? Which we’ve both grown so far past? You’ve never pushed us when we tell you we’re not interested. You’re not letting anyone down by not only ever being in the mood when we are.”

“Yes! Yes! Exactly. You’re not… dependent. On other people to get off! Just…” Kaito’s brow had furrowed, and his tone had gone a little funny. Like he was having an old conversation with himself, and had just easily fallen right back into it, “Take care of yourself! It’s not… a big deal. No one owes me anything. You just get it done, and you can stop thinking about it…”

“You don’t take that shit out on your husband and boyfriend, you don’t… fucking wake them up in awful, horrible ways or pin them down or do a bunch of awful, gross things to them and you don’t… fucking go on guilt-trippy rants and…” Kaito grit his teeth, now just getting more furious with himself. 

Kaito closed his eyes for a moment, taking a calming breath… calm down… this wasn’t worth getting angry over. Anger would hurt his partners. You have a small pebble over on the desk that you polish, and you picked it because it was their colors, and it reminds you that you want to be better for them… getting angry at yourself doesn’t make it permissible to lose your temper around them. It still hurts them either way. It doesn’t help. Calm down…

“...” Kaito took another breath, feeling the frustration cool down as he opened his eyes, “Sorry, I’m okay… just give me a second. I know I’m not making sense anymore, I just need to calm down and I’ll try again…”

...Kaito was turning it around and...ah. There were more feelings and other things mixed in, but...well, Kokichi had even thought it earlier. Forgiving yourself was the hardest part. 

Kokichi waited, worried, but patient as Kaito boiled himself up then closed his eyes, calming back down...or trying to. And in a soft, even voice, he nodded, “Alright. You’re all good, Kai-chan--take all the time you need, we’re not going anywhere.”

Because they loved him. Because they were partners, and ones determined to make things work and grow together. Shuuichi and he would be there for Kaito, always. 

...there wasn’t anything to ‘solve’ here. But they could listen to Kaito’s feelings and understand him better, and...that might be all they could do. But they could make a note of it, and get some help, because this conversation needed some outside help, and that was okay too. 

Kaito took another minute, mostly just trying to unrile himself… and when he felt better he tried to think again.

There were just… some things Kaito couldn’t bring himself to say aloud. Because the thoughts made him feel guilty, for the most part. He didn’t want to say that he hated how attractive he still found other people. He didn’t want to talk about his guilt when other faces snuck into his daydreams. He didn’t want to say these things because he didn’t want to put his partners in a position where they’re reassuring him it was okay, because… he knew it was okay. It was okay to find other people attractive, and he doubted they’d be surprised at all to hear it. He already knew that, and they knew that, and it was all already fine. 

He just wished it wasn’t hard. That was all. He wanted it to be easy to be committed to staying in a sexual relationship with only his partners. He wished it came naturally to him. He felt like a roaring asshole, every time he got… needy or whiney or grumpy in his head. He just wished it was effortless, rather than something he had to remind and chastise himself about.

“...I just…” Kaito frowned, trying to think of how to word it in a way that wouldn’t put his partners in the uncomfortable position of telling him it was ‘fine’ that he struggled in their relationship sometimes. Because he knew they’d never say anything else… well, Shuichi might, but Kokichi wouldn’t. And Kaito didn’t want to do that to him. “... I guess I just wish that I felt a little less helpless to my libido, sometimes. Even calling it ‘helpless’ makes me feel weird and guilty about it. Because obviously I’m not helpless, I have control of myself and my actions and… and I don’t push you guys when you’re not in the mood. And I… I won’t do my old mistakes again, I won’t, I’m still sick that ever happened in the first place… I just wish it wasn’t hard. That’s all. I feel like a dirtbag, that it’s something I have to put actual effort in, rather than just ‘deciding’. What kind of asshole needs to put in effort to not be a pushy, controlling, needy monster to their partners… it should come naturally to me and I hate that it doesn’t.”

“...that’s fair.” Shuichi finally said, having been uncertain how to respond to all of this, but… “It’s okay to be disappointed that something’s harder than you thought it was going to be. You having to put effort into your actions doesn’t mean you failed to do them… you haven't, right?” Shuichi suddenly said blankly, giving Kaito a more withering look, “I swear, if this is all just you prepping to tell us that you and Maki have been doing more than ‘dancing’--”

“Shuichi! No!”

“Fine, fine… but Maki better remember that I have dibs this time. She had her chance, I don’t care if you two are trying to stop sparring, if her hands wander too far in your tangoes, I’m going to spar her and electrify the shit out of her.” Shuichi swore, frowning. “Homewrecker.”

“...” Kaito laughed, shaking his head. Something about that making him feel a little better as he said, “Dude, no. I can safely say this is purely guilt over finding some aspects of our relationship challenging. You don’t have to zap anyone, especially not Maki-roll. I’d never put you in that position, handsome, even if you totally could.”

“Of course I could. Think I’m afraid of the ‘Last Dragon of Luminary’? Make her hide her head beneath her tail…” Shuichi grumbled, Kaito chuckling at that even more.

...now Kokichi was the one who really didn’t know what to say. There was a really big difference between what people thought and what they did--not in that those two things were often in conflict, but...well, in the weight of those things. It was the whole justification behind why they couldn’t prosecute on ‘thought crime’. When it came down to it, the measure of a person was based on their actions. 

And...Kokichi had never considered that the gap between thoughts and actions, what made certain actions more difficult could be...something to feel bad over. Making a choice when it was hard was really admirable! It was the kind of thing that put people in awe. The difficulty was what made things satisfying. 

And...honestly, Kokichi didn’t think that Kaito was even battling against himself to not sleep with other people. There was a big difference between finding someone attractive, and even someone you might be interested in sleeping with, and actually going through with it. And Kokichi didn’t think Kaito was even close to constantly pulling himself back from that. 

So…

Kokichi cracked a smile as Shuuichi had his own possessive turn, managing to understand when Kokichi didn’t. They really were a team, all together. 

Snickering, Kokichi nudged Kaito’s chest gently. “On the other hand...Maki-chan would totally kick my ass if I tried to fight for your honor. And she’s immune to my ‘I’m so disappointed in you’ puppy dog eyes, so...that goes my other avenue too. I’d just have to rely on Shuu-chan, then, and just adhere myself to Kai-chan in the meantime.”

“You’re ours, same as we’re yours,” Kokichi hummed, looking up at his husband. “Even if it doesn’t feel as easy as you’d like...you’ve still acted in a way that makes me proud, and actions are what I put most of my stake in, you know? So...I’m proud of Kai-chan. Proud to call you my husband.”

Honestly, if Kaito had to guess what Maki would do if he made a move, his first and most honest thought was ‘stab the shit out of me and then tell my partners’. Maki loved Shuichi honestly probably more than anyone, in a pure affection even outside of duty sort of way, and she was incredibly protective over Kokichi. Knowing Maki would never let Kaito’s affections lean so hard towards lust that something might actually happen actually made it a lot easier to be around her, if he was honest with at least himself. A Maki who might reciprocate an advancement would be dangerous to spend time with. A Maki who’d be pissed at Kaito’s failings could be danced with all night.

And, outside of Maki, there was no one that Kaito both loved and found sexually appealing. That was just Shuichi and Kokichi. Everyone else was purely a sense of lust and… honestly, yeah. Kaito knew that would never be enough to convince him to cheat on his partners. He knew he wouldn’t actually cheat. He had been honest with Miss Crystal about that.

He just got frustrated that it took effort, was all. That fucking strip club still came to mind every now and again, and Kaito grew angry with himself every time it did. He had everything he needed. Why did his body keep trying to push him to look for more? It was so frustrating.

“I know… I’m yours. For as long as you’ll have me.” Kaito promised, dipping his head slightly to place a brief kiss against Kokichi, before taking his hand and placing another gentle kiss against the back of his pinky. “I’m still sorry I get weird sometimes but… I’m never not happy to be yours. You’re both more than worth the effort. I’m always yours.”

Kokichi smiled, feeling like...Kaito was at least a little calmer. Maybe he’d be hurt by these thoughts again, but now Kokichi and Shuuichi knew. And maybe, when they went back to therapy, Dr. Mariah would have some suggestions to help lighten Kaito’s load even more. 

Nuzzling against his neck, Kokichi hummed happily. “You’re more than worth the effort to me too.”

Looking up, Kokichi gave his husband a half-shy look. “Being in a relationship isn’t effortless for me either. Sometimes, it’s really difficult. I have to make choices, and ones that maybe at another time I wouldn’t have bothered with because it was too much work… But putting in the work is something I want, because what I get? Being in a relationship with you guys? It’s incredible. And I would do anything to keep it...so I work.”

“It’s okay if it’s hard. As long as we’re all deciding it’s worth it anyway...then we’re still on the same page.”

“Yeah… though, you know if there’s ever anything I can do to make it easier, you can ask me, ‘Kichi.” Kaito said, suddenly giving his husband a concerned look, “Like, don’t keep it to yourself, we can work on it.”

“How long have you been keeping this to yourself, Kaito?” Shuichi asked.

“... not important! Also I didn’t realize how I was feeling so--” Kaito stuck his tongue out at Shuichi, “Doesn’t even prove your point… but also, same to you, you know that too, right? You can tell us?”

“I’m pretty sure I do already tell you guys when I’m unhappy with something.”

“...yeah but, like… more. With even… deeper unhappiness… that stuff.”

Kokichi snickered a bit, Kaito’s loving hypocrisy when it came to helping his partners with their problems alive and strong. But they were working on that too. Nodding, he placed a kiss on Kaito’s cheek. “We’re all committed, so we’ll work together. And...hun, you’re so patient with me, and that helps a lot, I hope you know. I know I can confide in you.”

“...and I was serious about our shower later,” he continued after a moment, tilting his head up with an eyebrow. “If we’re both in the mood, and we have the time, which we will...then we should both get to feel good together.”

“...sure,” Kaito grinned, not quite back on it yet, but knowing damn well by the time the afternoon rolled by, he wouldn’t be feeling bad anymore. “...though we’re gonna check for gray hairs first still, right?”

Kokichi chuckled and pressed a long kiss to Kaito’s cheek. “Right. Hair check, shampooing, and massage first. Then we’ll check in how we’re feeling.”

-

“You~ are~ such~ a~ cutie~” Kaito sorta-sang, tapping at Miyako’s feet as she sorta half-kicked back, looking up at him in perpetual baby fascination as he tapped at her toes, “Cutie~patootie~ and~ so~ poopy~”

“Kaito… that is very strange looking.” Shuichi told him honestly, Kaito having popped back out of the bathroom real quick to grab a fresh towel-- which he had failed to put on despite… well, needing one-- and having gotten distracted by Miyako mid-change. Shuichi had just walked away to grab some fresh diapers from their bags, and had looked back to see the tall, naked red-read playing with Miyako’s feet as she laid out on the changing table, bemused with his antics. “Isn’t Kokichi waiting for you?”

“She looked lonely.”

“I walked away for five seconds.”

“My itty bitty Miyaaaaa~” Kaito coo’d, kissing twice at her feet before saying, “Okay, wish me luck, baby.”

“Kaito.”

“Over my gray hairs! Potential gray hairs. If she’s lucky, she doesn’t have any early onset gray hairs in her bloodline, so she should wish me luck.” Kaito explained, before giving Miyako another kiss at her feet, before whispering, “Also, dad’s trying to get laid.”

“Kaito.”

“Okay, okay, byeeeee~ baby. I love youuuu~” Kaito said, leaving his bewildered daughter and unamused boyfriend as he headed back to the bathroom.

Kokichi chuckled to himself, having given himself the task of adjusting the water--a mild warmth, just since they’d be in there a while and he really couldn’t take cold showers for more than popping in and out--and though the patting of the water muffled a lot, he could still catch some of what was going on outside. 

He was extremely averse to having sex in the same room as Miyako. But she wouldn’t be aware of Kaito cooing his plans aloud. 

Peeking around the curtain, Kokichi raised an eyebrow, his hair starting to dampen and get weighed down around his face and neck. “She looked lonely? I’m almost a little jealous, though I’ll never really forgive myself if I end up holding a grudge over a baby.”

“But I ammmmm lonely now, so get in here, stud.”

Kaito chuckled at that, giving Kokichi a half-apologetic, half amused grin. “You’d have done the same thing. She had little feetsies just hanging in the air, begging to be poked. You can’t ignore that when you see it, ya know?”

Gushing over his infant daughter was maybe not the way to set a mood, but Kaito wasn’t worried about it. Honestly, getting to talk about his libido frustrations earlier had, in its own weird way, eased some of it. At least for the day, it had. Who knew what tomorrow looked like, it all might come roaring back, but at least today he sorta felt like it was all a little less urgent. 

Maybe because it no longer felt like something Kaito was left just… guessing about (in the sense of when and where and would he fuck it up again when it did) and perpetually beating himself up about guessing about it? The thought left a hint of guilt in Kaito, as he stepped into the shower, placing a quick, gentle kiss against Kokichi before dousing himself under the water a bit, trying to adjust to the temperature. He shouldn’t need to know sex was coming eventually to feel better. That felt so… expectant and demanding. Ngh…

Kaito sighed, feeling mildly exasperated with himself. He was getting in his own head again. “Luminary may have sent you a stud, but he’s a bag full of crazy, sometimes.” Kaito observed, shaking his hair in the water a bit and, feeling properly doused, sitting on the side of the tub, before giving Kokichi an amused, adoring look, “You’re a saint for putting up with it, you know that? ...also, you...”

Kaito’s mind filled with a thousand appropriate titles, as he admired how Kokichi looked right now. The water dripping down his thin-- slowly, slowly, ever so slowly thickening (and fuck was Kaito so damn grateful for it)-- body, hair darkened and hanging in its dampness, Kokichi’s eyes wide and glistening in the slight layer of steam. Ethereal. Beautiful. Breathtaking…

“...you look healthy.” Kaito praised, running his hands lightly against Kokichi’s waist, “You feeling alright? Since the migraine? You look better, but it’s okay if you’re not...”

Kokichi laughed again and disappeared behind the shower curtain again. He did know. It was probably annoying for her to be disturbed, but Miyako was just so cute sometimes that it would be criminal not to at least stop by her crib and coo a little. Maybe give her a kiss or a gentle press against her body. At least Kokichi was doing pretty well resisting just picking her up whenever he felt that overwhelming feeling of cuteness and love--she was already annoyed enough when it was time for food but she was too busy being a little baby to want it right away. 

When he joined him in the shower, Kaito still seemed...a little off. But that was alright. Kokichi would give him a massage, they’d get to have some sensual, intimate time together, maybe have sex if they were in the mood, and...it would just be nice and relaxing. Spending time with someone they loved. Maybe that would help out, maybe it’d just be something nice on top of it all, but Kokichi would always be there for Kaito, and that was that. 

Shaking his head a little, Kokichi came forward, most of the spray blocked by Kaito’s body, and hugged his husband. “If I’m a saint, then you are too, since you deal with my crazy too. We’ve been dealt a difficult hand in this life--it’s inevitable that we struggle, not a sign of failure. And yet we smile and love.”

Feeling peaceful, Kokichi placed a kiss to Kaito’s shoulder. “I’m feeling a lot better today. It’d be a bad idea to push myself, but...I mean, that’s usually a bad idea for me. But all this,” he gestured to the shower, “is definitely within my limit. After how bad it was, I’m glad to be feeling like myself again, and so quickly. Dunno if I just got lucky or Seiko’s medicine is really doin’ the trick, but I’m all about it.”

“Seiko’s medicine, along with you generally taking, like… honestly really good care of yourself, babe.” Kaito praised, running his fingers through Kokichi’s hair when he placed a kiss against Kaito’s shoulder, standing up again to let Kokichi lean peacefully against his chest. “I know it’s a lot harder with Miyako here, but you sleep when you can, and you still eat all your meals, and I see you doing your stretches and trying some squats and wall-push ups.” Kaito grinned, placing a kiss against Kokichi’s face, “I’m really proud of you. I think if you’re noticing yourself recovering faster, you should take full credit for it. Shit happens, but… you’re really trying your best, ya know? I think it’s paying off.”

Kaito knew that wouldn’t always be the case. Kokichi’s body was going to beat the shit out of Kokichi sometimes, regardless of the precautions his husband took, and that was just a painful reality for him. But if Kokichi was improving, and could feel it? Kaito really thought it was thanks to Kokichi’s efforts, and not luck. He just wanted Kokichi to give himself that credit. It wasn’t easy.

Kokichi closed his eyes and nuzzled against Kaito, enjoying the fingers in his hair even if they snagged a bit since it was wet. “Thank you… I miss training, you know? Even if it can be exhausting. But...I guess I can just think of it a bit as we’re all taking a break for the summer. And one day I’ll be able to do it with you guys again. Maybe even one day Miyako will join us all too.”

“...I do appreciate my own effort, and it feels good, but...thank you too, hun,” Kokichi kissed at Kaito’s shoulder again, holding him close. “Before we met...I couldn’t even tell you the last time I properly exercised, and I was skipping meals all the time and staying up randomly… Some of me just didn’t really consider it at all, but...I think there was a part of me that was really...sad and defeated, and didn’t think I was worth taking care of. And while I might complain...it makes me happy that you push me to get what exercise I can, and that you bully me into eating more vegetables, and that you’ve so thoroughly ruined my sleep schedule that before Miya I could hardly stay up past ten.”

“...you make me happy to take care of myself. And...feeling better because of it makes me even happier, because I know that means I get to have more fun with you. I know you’ll wanna argue, but I firmly believe that my life has gotten so much better for having you in it.”

“Mmmmm…” Kaito grinned, running his fingers down Kokichi’s back, exploring small, thin muscles, just indulging himself a little… before hugging Kokichi more fully, squeezing him tightly for a moment as he kissed the top of his head, “Me, your therapist, your medicine, Shuichi, Maki, your friends… a lot of stuff happened this year. But…”

Kaito placed another light kiss against Kokichi’s temple, saying softly, “...I made a lot of mistakes. Real, awful mistakes… but I really was trying. I wanted to be a good thing for you so badly… my good prince ‘Kichi… so if you think I managed it, then I’m glad. I’ve always wanted to be a good husband to you.”

Sure, Kaito’s idea of what a ‘good’ husband was had drastically had to change since, well… actually trying to do it. But that was okay. Being a good Prince-Consort basically had no meaning in Dicea, and being a good spouse didn’t mean the same things here either… but Kaito had just wanted to be a good thing for Kokichi, in some way, shape or form, since the beginning. And it was nice to think that despite everything, he had at least in some ways succeeded.

“...and youuuuu are a good, kind, sweet husband who won’t say he found gray hairs in five minutes just to make his poor husband squirm and upset, right? ...Riiiiight?”

Kokichi’s entire life had changed over the past year, and while there were definitely things he wished hadn’t happened...it was for the better. The changes were things that Kokichi now valued dearly and as long as he had them, or continued on their trajectory, his life would be happy. Not in that there would never be anything to be sad or frustrated with, but that the joyful, exciting things would dramatically outweigh them and...to Kokichi, that was a mark of a wonderful life. 

“You are a good thing for me,” Kokichi softly insisted, squeezing Kaito tight for a moment. “You’re a good thing for a lot of people. My bright star...you’re wonderful.”

And...maybe one day Kaito would believe that again too. 

Laughing softly, Kokichi stretched up to place a kiss on Kaito’s neck. “As much fun it is to tease you, I’ll be honest. Quick scalp check, not finding grey hairs because you don’t have any, shampoo massage, and there’s a happy Kai-chan. Maybe happier later, but we’ll see,” he winked.

Kaito grinned at that, “I love that at some point you just decided you were going to give me a head massage and you’re just, like… sticking to that. It’s very cute. My ‘Kichi wants to give me head pets, he is determined.” Leaning down to steal a kiss, the water spraying around them, Kaito said, “I am very lucky to have you. Let me lower the water pressure though, so it doesn’t sweep you away. That’s a regular issue people your size have, right? Shower just sweeps you tiny folks down the drain?”

Chuckling at his own joke, Kaito went to lower the pressure of the faucet, the shower just a mist now, before going to sit down at the side of the tub again. Looking up curiously at Kokichi, he asked, “Is there anything I can do in return? I know you just love when I brush your hair, we could do that real quick…”

“Yuuuup,” Kokichi drawled, moving Kaito’s shampoo bottle closer to the bench, within grabbing distance for later. “Gotta be careful when it rains too hard too, or I’ll get swept into a storm drain. Then you’d have to pick me up from hangin’ out with alt market folk who hang out in the sewers.”

Leaning down to place a kiss on Kaito’s head, taking advantage of their positions while he could, Kokichi stuck his tongue out before giving Kaito a loving grin. “Noooo~ thank you! Really...I just want you to enjoy yourself. Relax. And...you usually can’t keep your hands to yourself, but...I like that too. So touch as much as you’d like, and that’d be what I want, okay?”

Starting to gently comb his fingers through Kaito’s hair, Kokichi sighed happily. “Kai-chan works so hard...wanna help him relax and have a good time.”

Kaito felt a hint of uncertainty run through him. He always felt a little weird these days, not doing… something. Actively with one of the others in mind. He had found it easier, especially in the last six months, to kinda… not feel generally bad, when he was busy being useful.

But… this was something Kokichi wanted to do. And Kaito understood that. It could feel nice, just to make your partner feel good. Kaito more than understood that.

So Kaito tried not to get too caught up in his head as he relaxed, taking a deep breath and letting his head bow a bit, his eyes lidding as he felt Kokichi’s fingertips brush over his scalp. His gaze, just by chance, hovering around Kokichi’s stomach and hips…

“I’ve always liked your hips.” Kaito said softly, appreciatively running his hands over them, lining Kokichi’s hip bones with his thumbs as he mused, “I know you don’t think they’re your best feature, and… admittedly, they’re not, because your eyes are amazing. But, even if your features can be a little sharp in places, I’ve always thought your body had this sort of elegant beauty to it. Thin and lithe and delicate… I didn’t pick ‘beautiful’ idly. You really are…”

Pulling Kokichi’s hips forward a bit, he kissed at his stomach… before chuckling, “Sometimes I feel a little guilty. Uh, not for the usual things, or… okay, kind of for the usual things, but in a different way. You’re such a natural sub… I feel bad sometimes that I get so caught up in my head these days that I can’t really let you enjoy that.”

At first, Kokichi just idly ran his fingers along Kaito’s scalp, getting him used to Kokichi’s touch, even if Kaito was never far from acclimated to it, but it wasn’t long before he made a little part just above Kaito’s left ear, brushing the majority of his hair over. And, from there, little by little, Kokichi inspected Kaito’s bright red hair, checking over his scalp. 

He wasn’t really expecting anything. They had all not really had the time to go in deep with extra hygiene, but Kaito had always taken care of his hair, and his scalp was still healthy-looking, hair vibrant and thick, no splits Kokichi could notice. 

And...it was just...peaceful. Nice. And Kaito piping up after a moment only added to that. 

Kokichi smiled softly as Kaito admired his hips--his husband was right. Kokichi never really thought of his hips if he were posed with thinking of his best features. But...it was nice that Kaito liked them. He was one of two people that Kokichi actually cared if they liked them, after all. 

About to the top of his scalp, Kokichi kissed the top of Kaito’s head. “I always enjoy myself when we’re together, hun. All that...stuff,” he said, cheeks tinting as he couldn’t get himself to say either ‘dom’ or ‘sub’, “Is...new, I guess. Stuff I’ve never explored, even with just myself and fantasies and stuff. So...it doesn’t feel like I’m missing out on anything. I have fun and I feel good with you, and that’s what I care about--as long as you’re having fun and feeling good too? Then it’s perfect.”

Kaito smirked at how Kokichi said ‘stuff’. Cute… “I always feel good. I honestly can’t help it. I get… really lost in those feelings. I chase them… well, you’ve seen how I get. Your Kai-chan can be a bit of a brute, if he’s not careful… taking little pieces of you…”

Kaito placed a small trace of kisses, against Kokichi’s sharp hips, up his side. He went back to the front of Kokichi, to let his husband keep fussing with his hair, but could only keep himself from kissing more pieces of Kokichi for a moment before kissing at his ribs. 

“And you… man, you were, and are, a dream come true, for someone like me. I mean, I’m a switch, but… I don’t think it’d surprise you if I said if I had to choose? I’d rather be the one pushing and pulling in bed. I had a few partners in the past who didn’t like that so much, so I didn’t explore that with them, and it was nice and fun and they could drive me wild sometimes… but I never liked being like that all the time. I like…”

Kaito paused, thinking about it, before laughing lightly, “Maybe this is mean, in a way, cause I don’t want to suggest you don’t like this, but I like the sense of safety that comes from being the dominant one. No one just… randomly hurts you or scares you, you don’t just have to trust everything is going to be okay, you don’t have to deal with the uncomfortable feeling of trying to decide when to speak up… it’s hard, giving up control when you’re sleeping with someone. It takes a lot of trust, and sometimes people hadn’t earned it when you thought they had…”

Kaito blinked, before his shoulders fell a little. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to… I got lost in my memories. Sorry.”

Kokichi let his nails linger just a little longer against Kaito’s scalp as he worked on the second half of his head, smiling sweetly. Kaito was a passionate guy, a passion so strong that it swept other people up before they knew what happened, so...naturally he’d get swept up in it sometimes too. Honestly, Kokichi prided himself a bit on the times he could get Kaito to let loose, to feel as much as he could feel and just...be. And make cute little noises, too. 

“You know I never had anyone before you but...yeah. I like being on bottom.” And Kokichi had been about to laugh, as Kaito went on to explain why he liked being on top...but it more turned out to be a reason why he didn’t like being on bottom, and…

Kokichi sighed softly, finishing up and kneeling down to face Kaito more head on, placing a kiss on his forehead. “It’s okay. You can always say whatever you want to say around me, okay? And I’m sorry that you had those bad experiences--it shouldn’t have happened to you.”

“...and...you know?” Kokichi smiled crookedly, still looking at Kaito with all the softness of kitten fur. “It’s kind of funny because...that’s the reason I like being submissive. The safety. Kai-chan taking up that dominant role means I can place my trust in him and let myself fall, knowing that he’s there to catch me. It means I can let anxieties go and let myself just feel and react, and know that he’s always going to be that safe foundation for me. And I know if something happens that I don’t like as much? That you’ll stop, and we can keep going in another direction, and...nothing’s ruined.”

“You make me feel safe, and I love that,” he kissed against Kaito’s lips, chaste but loving. “So...I guess that makes you a waaaaaaaaaaaay better dom than some of the people you’ve slept with before. They kinda suck, if they made you feel unsafe. That’s one of the worst things you can do in that position.”

Kaito gaze fucking melted. Just staring adoringly at Kokichi, his eyes closing briefly into the kiss, a mildly loopy grin splitting his face afterwards as he stared adoringly at his husband. “Yeah? Yeah, well… I didn’t know it could get as good as you. So, ya know… I mean, damn, my standards have gone way up now. You’ve ruined me, really. What am I supposed to do if you leave me, go back to sleeping around? That shit sucked in comparison to you. You’re amazing.”

Kokichi grinned wider, his nose scrunching in delight at the look on Kaito’s face. “Guess I’ll just have to never leave you then, huh? Couldn’t bear to make my Kai-chan lower his standards--I think they could be even higher, honestly.”

With another light kiss, Kokichi straightened back up and grabbed the shampoo, starting to pour some out into his hand. “No greys, by the way. Kai-chan’s hair is lookin’ bright, saturated, and healthy. And if I can convince you not to gel it when we get out, it’ll be nice and soft too.”

“Yes! I mean, I knew Shuichi was fucking with me, but…” Kaito grinned, running his own hand through his hair, feeling a little better to have it confirmed. “He’s so funny, sometimes. Sometimes he can’t tell a lie to save his life, and sometimes he just gets this look on his face and it’s like… maybe.”

Kaito kept his hands to himself a moment, letting Kokich prepare the shampoo, Kaito looking content and relaxed as he waited for Kokichi to finish lathering, as he mused, “Shuichi’s so funny… he was literally raised to lie, but he has such a hard time doing it, when he feels bad about it. It’s so cute. And I swear, he infects Maki. They ever do that thing where they just, like… yell lies at you? It’s so cute. It’s so weird. I’ve never understood why they do that.”

“I know it’s a little mean, and the only reason I feel okay about it is ‘cause you can confirm so easily, and I have problem telling you after, but Kai-chan gets really over the top about his looks,” Kokichi chuckled, lathering shampoo into his husband’s hair. “We don’t even really have to mention something like grey hair or wrinkles about you, and you’ll still start to get all twitchy and shouty about it. So...it’s kinda fun to play it up. But, nah. Kai-chan’s still young, and it doesn’t seem like he’s inclined to the early onset stuff.”

Snorting, Kokichi raised an eyebrow, being careful and slow, making sure to not let any soap drip down onto Kaito’s face. “That was one of our first interactions, really. I called them out on being a detective and an assassin and they got real sweaty and nervous and started shouting and lying really terribly about their roles in the Party. It was the first time I really felt good about them--at the very least, I knew they’d be fun people to be around.”

“But you guys have definitely influenced each other,” he laughed. “Whenever you’re kind of uncomfortable and want to affirm something? You get loud about it. It was kinda bewildering at first, watching the three of you, but it’s really endearing.”

“Oh, I know I do that, but I’m not lying when that happens.” Kaito said, both self aware and un-self aware as he put his arms around Kokich’s hips, enjoying the feelings of Kokichi lathering his hair as Kaito closed his eyes. Hmmmmm… this was relaxing. Mmmmmm… “I just do that when I’m nervous someone won’t believe me anyway. Gotta, like… speak up! And sound firm and sincere! Confident!”

“And yeah, my personal escort and the child caregiver… I came up with that, actually.” Kaito grinned, still proud of it all this time later, “All the kids already had adults who were specifically taking care of them, so Maki wouldn’t have to do anything during the trip more than she was already going to do, and, well, Shuichi was going to be hanging out with me the whole time anyway… I really wanted to let them have an excuse to not do to much on our way here. I was…”

“...I was a little afraid of what would happen to them, when I got here.” Kaito admitted, shrugging a little, “I was worried that when you all realized what they were, you’d send them back to Luminary. It ended up being a moot point, I didn’t realize Tengan had already told Aiichi about them for their part of the treaty. I thought, like… I don’t know. I was just afraid they’d end up going back with the Luminary Party. And it’d just be me here. It was a really freaky thought. I think I would have ended up being a lot more reserved, if I had ended up here by myself. Even without all the other stuff happening.”

Kokichi rolled his eyes and shook his head, but his smile remained bright on his face as he started up on his massage, the shampoo all lathered through Kaito’s hair. Sometimes he really did his friends would calm down a little but...well, in a lot of ways, they had, and Kokichi was very proud of them. And he loved how they were too. 

Moving to an entirely new country was…

He sighed softly, as Kaito was right on the same page.

“If their jobs were mentioned in the talks, I never heard about it, so that was still something of a surprise. But considering that you told me about a killer friend before I even realized you were you, and that detectives have a different connotation in Dicea, you kinda eased me into the more shocking bits early.”

Kokichi looked at the tiled wall behind Kaito as he massaged long sections going back from Kaito’s temples. “...it made such sense that you’d be bringing people to come and live here too. I don’t think anyone even thought to question it much… Honestly, I think my dad might’ve partially thought Shuu-chan and Maki-chan in particular were staying as a way of getting them out of their contracts...or whatever his understanding of the program was then. He’d helped enough with refugees before that I think it would’ve crossed his mind. And with that thinking...he would’ve fought as hard as he could to let them stay, if anything happened that might’ve enticed the others into trying to take them back to Luminary.”

...it wasn’t exactly a relaxing topic, but…

Kokichi’s brow furrowed. “...he was furious when that whole thing with Tim happened… That you got hurt, that I got hurt, that the Luminous secretaries had planned an execution… Administration was apparently running haywire, trying to figure out a way to save Tim and the other kids… He told me that when your story got out about the assassin tryouts, that’s when he knew that you really were a part of the family.”

…

Kokichi snorted and shook his head. “You know he’s weird about that stuff. But that is what he told me. The admins only had jurisdiction to prevent any executions happening on Dicean land, but as soon as the kids and their families crossed the border, there was nothing they could do without, like...seizing citizens. Which...not a good look when we were trying to establish peacetimes, right? And then you, stabbed and injured and hazy as all get out, looking like you could’ve just slept for a week...stayed coherent and had this huge plan all worked out to make sure no one died. He was really impressed by you, you know?”

Kaito closed his eyes as Kokichi ran his fingers from his temple to the back of his head, still pretty relaxed even with the heavy topic. As frightening as the idea of being here without Maki or Shuichi back in the early days had been, Kaito could reflect on it now without feeling any particular way about it. Though, he had…? Oh! Yeah, he had done that, hadn’t he. Talked about his ‘killer’ friend. Had he still been Caleb when he had talked about that? He remembered telling Kokichi an assassin had attacked him, but he had done that mostly expecting Kokichi wouldn’t believe him. Having fun at his fiances expense, sort of thing. Man, Kaito had been reckless…

At least he hadn’t been reckless about everything. He knew how to focus when it became dire. 

“Please, I was never gonna let those psychos kill a kid…” Kaito grumbled, brow pinching slightly, still frustrated with all of that in hindsight. “And thankfully for my little idiot Timothy, taking responsibility for peoples shitty choices on the fly is, like… my specialty. I only had one super power growing up, and that was ‘if I told them to do that stupid shitty thing I just found out they did, then technically that’s a royal order and you gotta fuck right off.’”

Kaito, admittedly, missed that level of power. These days, Kaito couldn’t take a knife and bowl from the kitchen without making enemies for life, let alone get anyone else out of any serious trouble. Long gone were the days of his royal privilege. Ah well…

“Your dad…” Kaito sighed, risking opening his eyes as he looked up dryly at Kokichi, “Man, he’s a confusing guy. He told you he thought of me as family? Like… that must have been hard for you to hear, then. I wish he had known what you were going through, back then. I know he was trying, but… ngh.”

Kokichi smiled, rubbing his thumbs in an arc around Kaito’s ears. “And it’s that assurance that marks you as a good guy, you know? Of course you weren’t going to let the kids get hurt...of course, because you’re a good person, and knew how to plan to protect people.”

Kaito might shy away from anything that would put him in a position of leadership, but...man. Kokichi would argue until the end of days that Kaito really did take up that mantle well. 

Blinking, starting to rub down Kaito’s neck too, where those muscles connected to the back of his head, Kokichi hummed after a moment. “Oh, no, he only told me those things recently. We had gotten to talking about it… No, I don’t think my dad really told me anything about what was going on while it was happening. Just...that you were okay, and that the wedding was still going to happen. I knew he wouldn’t let a kid get hurt either, so when he didn’t mention Timothy, I figured he was alright too...and I only found out the plan from Maki-chan and Shuu-chan when they came to visit me.”

He sighed. “...I know you don’t like my father much, but...he really does think highly of you. Maybe one of these days he can stop acting like a human disaster in person so he can earn your respect too.”

Kaito felt the impulse to say that a king didn’t have to earn Kaito’s respect… but he swallowed it. Resting his soapy head against Kokichi’s chest, feeling his neck muscles spasm slightly when Kokichi put pressure on them. Guess they were a little tight. “I don’t dislike your dad. If anything, I think I just end up getting frustrated on your behalf. I keep having this impulse like I need to defend you from him… I know that’s not true anymore. That it wasn’t true from the start. But even knowing better, I still get nervous from the version of the king I thought existed.”

“That guy didn’t actually exist. He never existed. I just gotta accept that he didn’t exist. But I still get nervous at the idea of him… like if lI et down my guard, he’s just gonna, like… appear.” Kaito rolled his eyes at himself, rubbing his forehead into Kokichi’s chest cavity. “I know its dumb. It’s not based on logic. Just my feelings getting away from me.”

Kokichi sighed slightly, but didn’t open his mouth. The whole point of a king being a king was that they had earned the trust and respect of the people. It was not something they had any intrinsic right to, and when they failed to meet that expectation...well, then they were no longer a leader. 

He knew that wasn’t how they had done things in Luminary, but...now it kind of was. It just took longer when there wasn’t a precedent for it. 

And Aiichi had earned that trust from the Dicean people. But he hadn’t earned it in his personal relationships. That’s what he and Kokichi were working on, trying to build some trust between them. 

There were a lot of kinds of respect. The respect someone had to be alive and live their life the way they saw fit within the confines of society as long as they were to live in it? Wholly intrinsic, baby! It was something no one could take away from someone. 

Many people, Kokichi included, respected Aiichi as their leader, someone whose decisions they could trust to lead the country in the right direction. 

Respecting what a person had to say and what they stood for… In all likelihood, there weren’t many people in the whole of Dicea who had that at large. A lot of people considered a lot of other people to be just full of shit. And yet...they respected their lives, and so that wasn’t brought into conflict. 

He knew all that wasn’t an ideology that came easily to Kaito, if at all. But...well. He’d help his husband navigate. 

Letting out a puff of air, Kokichi kept working on Kaito’s neck, feeling the toughness there. “Hun, believe me, I understand that more than most. And you were there through the months watching me even realize that I was seeing people that didn’t exist. You at least know that. But it’s still a process, getting to know that in your heart.”

“...if I’ve gotten to the point I can pop into town without a thought, then...that’s proof it gets better, right?” Kokichi moved back slightly, giving Kaito a hopeful grin. “And I’ll be with you the whole time too.”

Kaito felt another small spasm, wincing slightly. Okay, it was very tight back there. That was alright. Bringing up his hand, he laid it on top of Kokichi’s, squeezing his hand a bit before letting his own drop. “Yeah. My ‘Kichi has the lay of the town. And people love him for it.”

Kaito kept his head bowed, letting Kokichi keep doing… well, whatever he felt like, really. Kaito just loved his attention. 

“...I was a little jealous of you, when I found out about your title.” Kaito admitted. Not exactly sexy talk, but Kaito’s head wasn’t really there right now. He was just enjoying talking to Kokichi, more than anything. “Light of Dicea… people love you. Like, genuinely. You’re adored everywhere we go. It’s… good. It’s nice. I love to see it. But the title… I was jealous. Light of Dicea…man. What a title.”

Hmm… Maybe he’d massage Kaito’s mastoids too after he rinsed his hands off. He’d never really noticed Kaito grinding his teeth in stress, but...if his neck was this tight, maybe it was from that. Worth checking out. 

A smile quirked up on Kokichi’s lips. “It’s always been a little embarrassing to me… And I never really got why people...I dunno. Are so approving of me? It’s nice, and I appreciate it, but...I’m such a behind the scenes actor, you know? And I’m not even vital to what I do. I’m just another analyst.”

“...I think some of it, at least originally, was out of spite,” he admitted. Not trying to insist that no one could love him, but...sharing something that had been on his mind. “The outrage from the LRG was so terrible, and even among people who weren’t part of the group, people were still so unsure of Aiichi’s decision to declare me. But after all the tragedy...I think some people wanted to double down and just...choose to adore me out of spite. A pushback against all that hate. And...it just became a habit.”

“...I wish people got to know you more. ‘Cause they’d adore you too. There’s so much about you to love and admire… If you’d grown up here being the heir? Or even just someone public facing? People would’ve given you tons of great titles. And combined with your own, you could probably fill half a page just writing your signature,” Kokichi giggled good naturedly. 

Kaito chuckled at that, out of impulse rubbing the back of his neck for a second when Kokichi’s fingers left there. “I could see that. Spiteful love sounds very Dicean, actually. Though, I’d argue you still more than earn it. You work hard for your people, and you make their lives better in tangible ways doing it. And one day you’ll make policies based on all this research you do all the time… people can recognize how good you are. How important what you do is.”

At least, that was how Kaito felt about it. 

Looking up, Kaito grinned, “Can I go ahead and wash out my hair now?”

Kokichi’s expression softened as he nodded. “Yeah… Maybe it’s just had a sort of nice effect, getting people to appreciate the behind the scenes work before it’s in their faces. It can still be a little embarrassing, but...I’m happy. Getting recognition for your work is nice.”

As Kaito declared that it was the end of the massage, Kokichi leaned back and gave him a scrutinizing look for a moment, before leaning in to place a big, wet kiss on Kaito’s forehead. “Alright,” he popped up with a grin, “Now you can rinse.”

Kaito’s face brightened at the kiss, leaning into it. “Aw, thank you ‘Kichi…”

Heading over to the faucet, Kaito stretching a moment, popping his back a little (another little spasm. Damn. His muscles got a little bit of attention, and now they wanted to make a bunch of complaints.) before turning up the water pressure. 

As he ran his hair under it, letting the soap fall over his face and back, he thought about what Kokichi had said. If he had grown up here, huh… or, no. He had said ‘heir’. If he had grown up the heir… he wondered if Kokichi had meant here, or back in Luminary. No one loves you in Luminary, not for being a leader. They feared you. Respected you, at best. They might love Kaede, some of them, but Kaito had no doubt there were plenty who had accepted her leadership because there had been no other choice for them.

Kaito wondered, if he had been given the chance… could he have inspired people through love? Like the Ouma’s did?

… Kaito doubted he’d have been given the chance. If he had been heir, Tengan… would have raised him differently. They all would have. 

...Maybe Kaito would have liked it more. Been… ‘happier’. To be raised to demand ‘respect’. 

But he would have probably been shittier for it. Kaito could recognize that now. A version of himself where he was the ‘prince’ he was born to be? The kind prepped to lead? Kaito suspected not even he would have liked that person. 

(...)

(...Rude.)

Still… “I already have, just, so many titles, babe. Luminary Prince of the Stars, Dicean Prince-Consort of the Cacti-Fields, the… the… oooh, maybe, like, the ‘Rose’ of the… something. Rose of the Sexiness? Sexiest Rose Alive? How did I only now make the ‘rose’ connection, I have so much red hair.”

It was fun to think of hypotheticals but...at the end of the day, if anything had been different, they wouldn’t be the people they were. And Kokichi really loved Kaito so… It wasn’t to say that the pain had a purpose, that it was necessary. But it meant that despite that pain...Kaito was still lovely. 

There was no way to change the past, but there were ways to make peace with it. 

Kokichi hummed in interest, taking the moment to rinse off his hands in the stream that he managed to get shoving his arms around Kaito. “Oh, yeah, there is potential there… I kinda wanna look in some botany or garden books to get inspiration. Maybe there’s some variety of rose that has a double meaning that’d work for you, or would lead into another descriptor well.”

“Not that you aren’t sexy,” he teased, smirking, “But I think we could find something that rolls off the tongue more.”

“I am very sexy.” Kaito agreed, smirking over his shoulder, “Thats my other super power. I take responsibility for bad choices, and I’m sexy while I do it.”

Shaking his hair a little, Kaito turned around, putting his arms around Kokichi’s back as he pulled him close to himself, pressing his body towards his husband. Swaying slightly, the water spraying against his back, Kaito mused, “So, if I’m some sorta rose, you… actually, I’ll just ask you, you know a lot more flowers than I do. What kinda flower is my Light of Dicea?”

“Mm, responsibility is very sexy, so adding Kai-chan’s natural sexiness on top? Oh yeah.”

Pressing up against Kaito’s body as they hugged in the shower, Kokichi just enjoyed the moment. Being warm and close and just...spending time with Kaito. Talking. Getting to be in each other’s company. It was good.

Raising an eyebrow, Kokichi laughed lightly. “Oh no, now you’re putting me on the spot? Hmmm…”

“...I would say cornflowers, just ‘cause they’re my favorite. They’re fine enough for pollination, they smell nice, they’re really cool looking! But not something people think of right away… Not too sure if that actually fits me, though.”

Kokichi tilted his head to the side. “...maybe a kind of orchid? They’re fragile and need a lot of help to grow, but they’re cool and people really like ‘em. Some of ‘em can be in some freaky cool shapes, too.”

“...I wanna say Maki-chan’s a snapdragon just for the joke,” he snickered.

“Cornflowers… I feel like you’ve told me about these before. I don’t think I’ve ever seen them, I couldn't tell you what they looked like.” Kaito admitted, looking over to the spray of the water for a moment… “We don’t really seem to be in a hurry. Wanna just turn this into a bath? Like… really give me time to seduce ya.”

Or, more likely, just give them more time to just enjoy each others company in some warm, nice smelling water. Which sounded nice to Kaito, who didn’t mind the idea of lounging around in bathwater on a warm summer day. Hell, he was now thinking he really should check out those sauna rooms downstairs… he bet they’d be pretty empty this time of year. Could actually be really relaxing to spend some time in there, when he was allowed. Or the hot tub? Hmmm… bet there’d be no one in the hottub…

Though, knowing Kokichi’s issues with temperatures, Kaito said, “It’s fine if you’d rather not. I’m just enjoying myself with you. It’s nice to take a quiet moment sometimes…”

Kaito chuckled, “Everyone’s really into the Maki/Dragon comparison lately. Now that is a cool title to have. Man, Maki gets all the cool titles, I swear. I mean, some of them were mean and I respect that they’re not good descriptor… but they’re still fucking cool.”

Kokichi snorted, though it soon turned into a full laugh. “Oh, you’ve seen ‘em. They’re my flowers in the community garden! The ones I wore for our wedding. That’s why they came to mind first--even if they’re not really like me, they’re mine.” Which...was a little silly, he knew. Plenty of people enjoyed cornflowers, and likely had their own special memories with them. Perhaps there were even some people who had a patch planted when they were born too. But Kokichi’s affinity to his little mark on the world...he could be mature about it, but his feelings were too strong.

He was an emotional guy, what could he say?

It was...really nice spending time with Kaito like this. They hung out a lot, as, yanno, married people tended to do, but...this felt special. Like the bathroom was this magic little hideaway--pocket dimension his mind supplied with a laugh--that gave them the comfort and security to just...relax and enjoy each other. 

He didn’t want to leave Shuuichi without backup for too long, but...they could just get out if there was an emergency.

“It’s nice, isn’t it?” Kokichi hummed, pressing closer to Kaito. “A bath would be nice, let’s do it.”

As Kaito was closer to the water controls, Kokichi left him to it, and just settled down on the bench for a moment, waiting for the water to fill the tub more. Nodding, he grinned. “Maki-chan’s just...so cool and intense. It kinda makes people feel like they have something to prove, coming up with an equally cool title. I think she likes the gravitas it gives her, even if she wouldn’t use the names herself.”

Kaito snorted, letting his fingers run under the faucet as he adjusted the water to ‘Kichi settings, before settling back into the tub, patting his lap invitingly. “Our Maki was desperately trying not to have a reputation, back in Luminary. It’s hard to sneak around and take people by surprise when every damn noble family has a pamphlet in a desk drawer with your face on it. She’s sort of a bad representation of what assassins are usually like, back in Luminary. Most of them are purposefully unsocial, unassuming, and… definitely not like Maki. They don’t manage that air of ‘gravitas’ she has, a lot of them are kinda the dumb brute types. Like, anyone brave or deluded enough can try to be an assassin, they usually...”

Kaito frowned, about to explain that if they thought you had half a chance of surviving the training, basically anyone was allowed to be an assassin, it didn’t make most of them good at it… but ‘allowed’ was the wrong word. And, while in the past he would cite these statistics with almost pride, because he felt like it showed just how amazing Maki was and he loved to brag about her…

… those other assassins weren’t plucky rogues trying to make it in a lucrative but dangerous trade. They were usually debtors or kids either pushed into it against their will or trying to chase a sense of respect or power that was entirely superficial for people in their lot. A successful, long lasting assassin was well respected, even outside of the Indentured Program, and depending on how long they had lasted or the types of jobs they had handled, like Maki, they almost reached a sort of ‘myth’ level of legend among people in Luminary, feared and treated with respect because of that fear… but that still didn’t make it a good option for anyone. Or, hell, a choice anyone would make if there had been literally anything better on the horizon for them…

Kaito sighed. “Nevermind. I’m just trying to say Maki’s her own, like… thing.  It’s hard not to treat her like she’s larger than life. She just… plays it so well. You get caught up in it... oh! Cornflower! Okay, yes, now I remember, spikey little bluish-purple flowers? Okay, yes, that’s you spot on babe. I can’t believe I forgot that, I freaking loved those flowers on you.”

Nodding, Kokichi eagerly settled himself in Kaito’s lap, feeling on his feet as the tub filled up that it was warm but not too hot--just perfect for him. Probably a little tepid for Kaito, but...well, it was probably to both their benefits that they weren’t gonna make the bathroom a sauna and dehydrate themselves.

“Yeah, Maki-chan isn’t exactly what I’d call unassuming...and while she hasn’t had to be for all the time I’ve known her, considering her other habits that carried over...I think I can see what you mean.” 

...the whole idea of assassins being a known job, like it wasn’t just a handful of people trained by necessity, but that it was swaths of people thrown into something that people knew generally… It was one of those Luminary things that made Kokichi sad. But things were changing. 

And for Maki, at least… She’d ensured that no kids would have to grow up the way she did, and she was growing and learning in her own right, able to take pride in her past and heal from the parts not worth being prideful about. 

“Mm… Maki-chan’s a good example of how every person is unique,” Kokichi agreed. “She’s a person like any other but...she’s so herself. There’s no one else quite like her, and she owns it. That type of honesty is magnetizing.”

...he let Kaito change the subject. 

Giggling as the water climbed up over their hips, Kokichi pressed a kiss to Kaito’s cheek. “If nothing else, they do match in appearance, huh. Even if I do have to bug Denji-chan for that haircut soon…”

Kaito grinned, letting the water climb a bit higher, before reaching around Kokichi and turning off the faucet, settling back in with a sigh. There it was… a little salt, a little bath soap, a little Kokichi. Perfect. 

“Yeah, you’re really gonna cut it short, huh?” Kaito asked, running his fingers through Kokichi’s hair, trying to imagine it. “Never would have imagined you with a buzzcut, but I respect your choices, babe. Do you think we could cut little designs into the side of your head? ...okay, I said that as a joke, but actually imagining it, that’d be kinda cool…”

“Are you two taking a bath in there?” Shuichi asked, opening the bathroom door a crack.

“Yeah handsome! Just for a bit, did you need us?”

“No, I was just surprised, wanted to confirm the noise. Don’t take forever in there, I know how long you two can take baths.” Shuichi warned them, closing the door again.

“...when do I ask Shuichi to try fucking me again?” Kaito asked, sounding not a little bit like he was talking to himself. “Like, not yet, right? He’s still gotta recover…”

Kokichi huffed softly. “I dunno about that short, though it’d probably be helpful in the long run. I just want it...like not going down my neck into baby-grabbing range. I could get it mostly by myself, but I always end up missing some and leaving longer pieces. And may as well butter up my sibling to coax into getting a favor at some point.”

Denji wasn’t exactly the first person Kokichi thought of when he thought about people good with small children but...well, they had offered to be in the arsenal of people willing to look after Miya, and Denji didn’t make offers just to be polite.

Kokichi looked over to the door as Shuuichi peeked in, laughing a little as their partner managed to notice the moment their shower turned into a bath--probably the lack of running water sounding through the door--and immediately calling them out on their bathroom tendencies. A very fair warning. 

...they really did know each other. 

“...I think you should talk to him about it sooner, rather than later,” Kokichi softly chimed into Kaito’s thoughts. “You probably wouldn’t get to it right after talking anyway, right? He’ll tell you when he’s comfortable trying. He’ll tell us both when he’s feeling up to being intimate again.”

“Yeah, but I don’t want my eagerness to pressure him. I have dreams, Kokichi.” Kaito sighed, grinning a little loopily as he hugged around Kokichi’s waist, leaning back in the tub as far as he comfortably could, “I got my beautiful, sweet, feisty little bottom partner, and Shuichi… he’s got so many good top qualities. He’s so… much! Sometimes! It’s so exciting! I could have it all, ‘Kichi! Every switch’s dream! Gah!”

Then, lowering his voice, so there was no chance Shuichi might hear, Kaito sighed, “It’s the damn… size of it, though. I think he’s afraid to hurt me, and, like… he’s not even wrong. It’s so frustrating. We’re so close to having the dream, but it’s gonna take me so damn long to adjust to The Beast, and he’s just gotta… be okay with that it’s gonna kinda suck, for awhile, for me. But I waaaaant iiiiiiiit.” Kaito whined, kicking the water in a small, mock tantrum.

Kokichi giggled softly and kissed across Kaito’s collarbone. Shuuichi certainly had some domineering qualities to him in the bedroom. Even with how sweet he was with Kokichi, it was like he couldn’t help his passion and curiosity, and Kokichi was more than happy to indulge in them. 

But…

But.

He sighed wistfully, nodding against Kaito’s chest. “See, this is the sort of conversation you need to have with him. But...yeah. I get it… You don’t know how much I wish he could rail me into next week...and he can, Shuu-chan is very good with his fingers, but I can’t help wishing. You at least have a chance, Kai-chan. So...take it. Work out what you guys are comfortable with, and enjoy it for those of us who don’t stand a chance.”

Kaito snickered at that, before raising an eyebrow at Kokichi, “What, one isn’t good enough for you? I ever tell you you’re kinda greedy in bed, ‘Kichi? If both me and Shuichi could rail you, that would literally be all we both ended up doing. Just passing you back and forth, probably until you got sleepy and cute…”

Kaito’s eyes glazed and went far away. “... dammit Beast. It’s just not fair. I’ve seen Shuichi’s dick before the pollen! It was a perfectly reasonable ‘Kichi size. Ugh, we were all robbed.”

Kaito didn’t even have a size fetish, which was the worst part… well, the most needlessly inconvenient part. It was such a common fetish! He had performed when asked to for plenty of partners with that specific fetish! It was… fine! But not something he had any particular love for. And here was his partner, the literal fantasy of size fetish peeps… Marcus would have lost his mind for Shuichi’s dick. Life was just unfair, sometimes.

Kokichi rolled his eyes, though there was a pleased grin on his face. “You guys have already passed me between you, and it was awesome. And it’d be fun when it’s just me and Shuu-chan together too. I’m just wanting expanded options, not to do everything at once--you get excited for options too, don’t lie.”

It was fun for them both to moan over the lack of Shuuichi dick in their lives, but...well, Kokichi was happy with how they managed. Unless Shuuichi ever wanted to get surgery, he wasn’t sure there would be anything he could do about his dick and...that was okay. If The Beast was always The Beast, Kokichi was mainly concerned with how comfortable and happy Shuuichi was. As long as they could keep those two things up? Kokichi could live without having both of his partners in him. 

Kokichi looked up after a moment, seeing that dreamy look in Kaito’s eyes, though it was tinged with frustration. 

“...well...you got any other dreams?”

“What, like, in life?” Kaito asked, genuinely thrown off, thinking maybe he had missed something while his mind had been off in smut land, “Uuuuuuuh… I think I’d like to try blacksmithing once. Make my own sword or something.”

Kokichi blinked before he let out a little laugh, not wanting Kaito to think he was laughing at him. But...yeah, he could take a hint. If Kaito really wasn’t in the mood after all, Kokichi wasn’t going to keep pushing. 

“I think you’ve mentioned that, yeah,” Kokichi finished his laugh, cuddling closer to Kaito as he looked up at him adoringly. “I meant more, like, dreams that could work in the setting of a bath, but...yeah. Maybe there’ll be a smithing class at some point...I think I remember seeing flyers once for an amateur class where you make a knife out of a horseshoe.”

Ooooooh… that could be fun to do someday… Kaito could smash the shit out of a horseshoe, just watch…

Though, he chuckled, looking a little embarrassed as he realized, “Oh. Okay, bathy dreams. Oh...hm…”

Kaito idly played out some scenarios in his head. Probably nothing too intense, the walls weren’t paper, but even Kaito felt uncomfortable at the idea of their baby potentially hearing anything, uh… well, like that. Even if she wouldn’t remember, or understand. It just felt off. Nothing exactly banging the walls…

“Oh, actually… this isn’t something we have to do, and even if you’re cool with it, not something we have to do now. I just keep meaning to ask you and it never comes to mind until, like, the literal worst times to bring it up…” Kaito grinned a little sheepishly, idly running his hands up and down Kokichi’s back and ass-- eyyyy, little ass-island was back. Missed ya, little guy-- as he asked, “Um… again, totally fine if not. But… do you think you’d be okay swallowing cum? Like, in the act, not pre-cum… that’s not something I’ve ever just wanted to ‘spring’ on ya, but man, I’ve had to fight it sometimes.”

A little pleased that Kaito curved back into sexy dreams--he would just trust that Kaito wanted it, and wasn’t pushing himself just to make Kokichi happy since he’d brought it up--Kokichi traced idle shapes on Kaito’s biceps, dripping water from his fingertips to make them increasingly abstract. And he waiting for Kaito to make his point, happy to hear all the reassurances, but having expected that kind of consideration and trust from Kaito already.

And...cum swallowing…

Kokichi was quiet for a moment, surprise blatant on his face as he wracked his mind. ...had he really never swallowed Kaito before? He was certain it was something he’d do…

...but Kaito had never finished in his mouth, always pulling out before. Huh.

“Oh, yeah, I’d give it a shot, at the very least,” Kokichi said lightly. “Kinda surprised I haven’t already, if I’m honest, but Kai-chan always draws out his round and we usually move past me blowin’ ya by the time you go, huh.”

Giving a look to the bath around them, Kokichi hummed consideringly. “...I was kinda hoping you’d let me blow you. But you’d have to sit on the bench, okay? As hot as it sounds...I don’t trust myself to blow you underwater without drownin’ myself,” Kokichi grinned sheepishly.

It was maybe just a personal pet-peeve of Kaito’s honestly, to not be surprised by sudden cum swallowing. Like, ‘whoops, oh no, it just sorta happened before I could say something, oof, well, what can ya do…’. Just another aspect of the way partners could be selfish that Kaito wasn’t a fan of. So he made every effort to not be that person himself. 

(As usual, Kaito’s brain went hot and twitchy for a second, forcibly shoving into the front of his mind putting his cock against a sleeping Kokichi’s mouth. The memory stinging a little like it always did, a rush of shame running through him.)

(He kept it off his face. Tried not to think about it. His guilt would ruin the mood they were building.)

Instead, he lit up, “Really? Now? You’re sure?” he asked, sitting up as the water resettled around their shifting weight, Kaito looking honestly ecstatic, his bodies natural reaction to the promise of pleasure overriding his uncertainties for a moment. He tried not to hint or ask for blowjobs from Kokichi, mostly because he didn’t want to pressure them out of his husband… but Kaito was always daydreaming about blowjobs. Hearing that Kokichi had been hoping to give him one was thrilling.

(...)

(...he was always feeling a little guilty these days. The answer wasn’t to fuck him better, but...his enthusiasm wasn’t forced, and Kokichi did want to do this. And it was never bad to add another good experience to the pile.)

Kokichi gave Kaito a lazy, pleased smile and shuffled off his lap, nodding to the bench. “Yeah, now. Unless you wanna make out a little to build up to it, though we did promise Shuu-chan not to take too long. But...since I offered, I felt like givin’ one to ya. I like makin’ Kai-chan feel good, and I know that he really likes this.”

“Come here, you,” Kaito insisted, snatching Kokichi and drawing him back, not quite up to a full, long makeout session-- cause Kokichi was right, they had promised Shuichi not to take forever-- but definitely wanting to steal some kisses first. Pressing Kokichi’s chest against him was also a nice benefit, Kaito liking the way his husbands nipples felt grazing against his own chest area as he gently pressed his lips against Kokichi’s.

...well, at first gently anyway.

It had been a minute. Kaito had forgotten it had been a minute, and, frankly, had been feeling pretty okay a few seconds ago. Like he could have taken or left this and it wouldn’t have bothered him either way. His libido under control and Kaito in full control of his own lust.

But… well, it didn’t take much, for Kaito. It never took much. And having Kokichi wet and naked and pressed up against him, tasting at his breath and feeling the warmth of his tongue… Kaito’s hands began to wander him more greedily. That dangerous heat starting to build up in him as Kaito squeezed, too hard, briefly, at Kokichi’s ass, before forcing himself to stop as he whispered, “Fuck… I missed you… fuck ‘Kichi, I miss you all the time...”

Kokichi giggled into their kiss, happy with the gentle initial pace, bringing up a warm hand from the water to cup Kaito’s jaw, not touching his weak spot, but just wanting to be close. They’d still shared kisses and cuddles and nice, though brief, quiet moments together since Miyako had been born, but...everything had been sparse. All of them tired and more ready to settle into soft, quiet spots than take the time to do things they might’ve once done readily. 

Like...share a sexy bath. 

So Kokichi could only smile into their kiss as it deepened, got more hungry and more handsy, the two of them pressing up against each other like any part of them that wasn’t skin-to-skin was going to fade away. 

He squeaked at Kaito’s firm grip on his ass before panting against his lips, smiling faintly as he kissed along his jaw. “I missed you too… Kai-chan...Kai-chan, I love you so much… Love being with you…”

A sharper grin right by Kaito’s ear. “Love having you in my mouth…”

Kaito grinned, sharp and predatory… but also still just a little giddy too. Leaning into where Kokichi’s hands against his jaw led accommodatingly, letting his husband kiss at the line and enjoying the feeling of it, the whisper in his ear…

And then Kaito placed his hand over the one Kokichi had against his right jaw, squeezing it slightly as he took the pressure off himself. A silent but insistent request for Kokichi to back up a little bit, as he took his other hand and cupped it around Kokichi’s chin. Giving him one more kiss, Kaito carefully explained, “Don’t forget the old rules, okay? Pinch me if you feel like you can’t breathe, and don’t be shy about it. I never want to hurt you. It can feel a little different when someone’s cumming in your throat. Your body might want to cough, and that’s fine, just pinch me to let me know you need space or air. And when I’m pulling out, some of it might still be collecting, and end up on your tongue…”

Kaito put some pressure on Kokichi’s jaw, opening his mouth a little, as he grinned fiercely down at him, “If that happens? I wanna see it before you swallow. Understand?”

Kokichi backed off as soon as Kaito gave the indication to, looking at his husband lovingly, but with a fire of excitement and anticipation lighting up his eyes. They were really going to do this, no interruptions. And...well, they couldn’t take their sweet time, but they still had enough of it. And then they could go back to their sweet boyfriend and sweet daughter.

Nodding at the rundown Kaito gave him, Kokichi committed the tips to memory, much like what he did at the start of their relationship, and while he gave his husband an indulgent and impish look--”Of course I’ll show! That’s part of the fun!”--it faded into a bit of confusion. 

“It’s...supposed to go right down my throat? I haven’t been able to deep-throat you for more than a few seconds at a time…”

Kaito’s eager confidence flickered uncertainly, his lust-hungry mind catching up with the present.

Oh.

Right.

Kokichi didn’t like when… right! Shit! Kaito had literally forgotten! No choking around his dick. Kaito had forgotten…

… he laughed, giving Kokichi a quick, apologetic kiss against the side of his mouth as he said, “This is why it’s important for us to at least touch on what we’re gonna do before we do it. Your brute of a husband forgot you don’t like to force your throat open. I’m sorry, ‘Kichi, I didn’t mean to forget, I’m relieved you reminded me. So… if it happens to start during those few seconds? It won’t, but if it does, we’ll pull back onto your tongue. I won’t cum down your throat.”

“... if you want, though, later, you can cum down mine. I think you’ve done that once before. You didn’t seem to mind it much.” Kaito grinned, giving him another kiss, before shifting up to go sit on the bench. Keeping his legs apart, Kaito brushed his hands through his newly shampoo’d hair, stretching his arms over his head and and idly flexing his muscles a little. 

Kokichi’s confusion stuck around a little longer, but it was soon cleared up and...he found himself agreeing with Kaito. This was exactly why you talked about things before sex. He nodded, honestly a little intrigued to catch Kaito in his mouth, though probably even with the throat method it’d end up happening...but this way was a little easier on his throat.

Snickering as Kaito pulled away, Kokichi started peppering kisses on the insides of his thighs. “Mm, I seem to remember it was quite nice, even if I nearly did take your head off,” he laughed. “You think we have time for that, though? I’m not planning on skimping out on you at all~”

“Doooo I thiiiink my ‘Kichi could hold out longer than sixty seconds if I was really trying… hmmmmm…” Kaito said, his tone a little mocking as he rested his elbow on his knee and his chin on his hand, smirking down at him, “Especially after getting himself all riled up, sucking on his husbands dick. I just don’t knooooow… wanna test it, ‘Kichi? I’d be up to testing it.”

Kaito tucked some of Kokichi’s wet hair behind his ear as he kissed at his thighs, before taking his own dick and idly starting to rub it. They had only just started, but as it’s been said before, Kaito was a very visual person. There was something immediately alluring in ust seeing Kokichi’s on his knees in the water, his thin body between Kaito’s own thick legs, looking up at him with those big, purple eyes. That eager, confident expression… Kaito’s dick starting to swell while those soft, thin lips pressed against him...

Kaito realized with a start that his mouth was starting to water. He laughed at himself, swallowing it down, as he said, “Man, it’s a good thing I don’t have an open invitation to you… Shuichi’s right. I don’t know if you remember the conversation, but he said he’d never tell me I could do this whenever I wanted, because I’d do it all the time… fuck, you two drive me wild… especially from this angle.” he smirked, rubbing his thumb over the head of his dick. Getting himself riled.

Kokichi rolled his eyes, taking a bit of flesh into his mouth and sucking, letting the pressure from that push his teeth in, rather than actually biting Kaito. Oh, he knew Kaito wasn’t entirely big talkin’, he would be put through the wringer, and Kokichi knew that when he was thoroughly in the mood it didn’t take that much, but...still. He could last longer than a minute. Sixty-one seconds maybe just out of spite. 

Or maybe not. Spirit of competition or no, Kokichi didn’t like holding his pleasure back from his partners. He wanted them to know exactly how good they were making him feel. It just felt...bizarre to hold back.

As he slowly--but not too slow!--worked his way inward, switching between Kaito’s legs to make sure one wasn’t neglected, Kokichi eyed how Kaito worked himself. And indulged himself, though...considering how Kaito did hold back, Kokichi didn’t have any qualms about Kaito working himself up before the main event. 

Just that he wanted to contribute too.

Reaching up, Kokichi started stroking Kaito’s base as the man himself worked his head, occasionally dipping down further to cup his balls. “Mm...I think Shuu-chan was giving me an open invite to him, and then he explained why he didn’t give you one. I’d love to give you one but,” Kokichi laughed lightly, “I do have a job, and I can’t be taking ten naps a day. Otherwise? I’d love to pull you into random closets and run us both back to the room all the time. I love seeing Kai-chan like this…”

“Pff, of course he’d give you an open invite. Who would want to miss the…” Kaito’s breath caught for a moment, not just caught by Kokichi’s fondling, but that little sucking pressure against his skin. Kaito felt his stomach tighten in arousal, letting out the caught breath after a second, “...heh… course he’d give it to you. Shuichi knows a good thing when he sees it. Our Kokichi wants us to drop everything and follow him into a closet? Fuck, we’d be crazy to discourage that.”

“I’ll admit, though… mmm… fuck, babe, yeah, just like that. That’s good…” Kaito praised, removing his hand from his cock and leaning back against the tiled wall now, idly playing with Kokichi’s ear, massaging the bridge of it as Kokichi more fully started to massage his dick. His small, thin hands getting to work as Kaito murmured, “Very good… um, yeah, I’ll admit, when Shuichi’s more… generally okay? I’m probably gonna try poking at him more randomly. See if I can’t tempt him to be a little bit of a freak with me, sometimes. You think you could forgive us, randomly disappearing for a good fifteen, twenty-minutes some days… assuming I could ever convince him.” Kaito chuckled, knowing it was a long shot, but dammit, a man could dream!

There was a part of Kaito that kinda wanted to ask if Kokichi would ever… be okay with not getting off. Just giving Kaito a little relief sometimes, when his brain was buzzing and he couldn’t get his partners off his mind… Kaito might ask someday. Maybe when the problems of this last year were further behind them and Kaito felt more certain Kokichi wouldn’t feel-- or literally be-- taken advantage of in a situation like that. It was a nice ‘maybe’ daydream for someday. Nothing Kaito was ready to pursue yet as an actual reality.

For now, Kaito would just enjoy his pervy daydreams. 

Kokichi was ever so pleased as Kaito really started to relax and enjoy the sensations, praising him even right at the beginning when he’d barely done anything. Kaito was just...a loving partner, and while he’d been surprised by Kokichi’s vocal tendencies...at least these days? Kaito never left him guessing if he was feeling good.

Bringing his other hand up to replace the one Kaito took away, Kokichi continued his journey inward. “Mm...I hope he says yes,” Kokichi murmured against Kaito’s skin, actually putting the tiniest bit of pressure behind his teeth now as he gently nibbled Kaito’s inner thigh. “I’d really like to think that you two were squirrelin’ away some time together...feeling good together. Prolly would depend on his mood, but...ain’t no harm in askin’. Worst he can say is nah, then you can come ask me when I’m free.”

A soft giggle at that, but Kokichi had finished the trek, and now it was time. Turning his head just so from where he ended up, Kokichi placed a kiss on the side of Kaito’s eager dick, leaning in more to kiss at his pelvis, just the barest inkling of a tease, that he was going to continue kissing around Kaito’s hips. But that wasn’t the plan. 

For one, they were working with a time limit. And two...this was all about making Kaito feel good, and Kokichi was determined to see to that. 

Shifting on his knees to reach better, Kokichi leaned back up and, in one motion, took Kaito’s head in his mouth, both hands moving down to focus on Kaito’s base and balls.

Kaito flushed slightly at the mental image, stealing Shuichi away for a bit, Shuichi trying to look entirely composed when they returned, Kokichi giving them a pleased, knowing look… but he was wildly distracted by Kokichi’s sudden accent as Kaito’s eyebrows shot up practically to his hairline. “Holy shit, babe, did you just suddenly get a fucking… dick sucking country drawl-hah!”

Kaito couldn’t keep up his surprised, delighted teasing, not having been expecting Kokichi to move that quickly. His eyes briefly went wide for a second before lidding closed, lust, naked and obvious, clouding his vision as Kaito’s legs twitched in growing tension, his stomach muscles shifting as he breathed out, “Fuck, babe…”

God, Atua fucking add another damn layer to his trials, Kaito couldn’t get over how hot Kokichi looked with a dick in his mouth. His husband never really had a ‘neutral’ face when it came to this… he either looked pleased and impish and confident, or he looked sweet and happy and-- and this was why Kaito was CERTAIN he was getting a layer for it-- almost innocent in his simple concentration at moving his tongue up and around Kaito’s head. Kaito always felt like a sinner, in this position… he loved it.

As usual, Kaito felt an impulse to reciprocate in some way, but that was the one fallback to this position. There wasn’t a lot Kaito could do, from here. He brushed his legs against Kokichi’s side and back, rubbing his feet along his legs, mostly just as a way to touch him more, but Kaito’s hands could only rub Kokichi’s hair and his neck and shoulders, his breath getting heavier as he gazed lustfully down at him. “That’s right… that’s perfect. F-fuck, Kokichi, you feel so good… god, I wanna cover you in cum.”

Kokichi glanced up, raising an eyebrow at his husband though it didn’t warrant him pulling off. An accent? Sure, some people had noted that his pronunciation got a little looser when he was comfortable, something he attributed to Ikuo’s influence growing up, but...he didn’t think it was so much he changed accents. And especially not just for knob gobbling.

(Kaito would go wild if he ever knew.)

(Kokichi never really noticed it himself, but there had been a period in his childhood where his usual accent had been a soft relative of Ikuo’s, the young prince spending more time with his small town nanny than any city folk.)

(He’d shifted out of it as he grew and spent more time around people with ‘middle city’ accents, but that association of happiness and safety wasn’t something his mind forgot.)

...huh, whatever. 

Kaito seemed like he had other important things to focus on. 

Kokichi’s eyes crinkled up a bit, smiling impishly with his eyes since his mouth was occupied. No, he was absolutely dutiful with his mouth, working Kaito’s head and laving his tongue, sometimes over his hole, sometimes in a wide swath over as much as Kokichi could touch, sometimes working the tip of his tongue against his bottom teeth to press at the prominent vein…

But that wasn’t all he had in store. 

After spending considerable time there, Kokichi finally worked his way down, taking Kaito farther into his mouth. And it was good timing, in a way, since Kokichi had the perfect opportunity to hum a laugh against his husband. Not tonight~ He was swallowing it all down.

Oh, no, fuck, look at that little poke in his cheek, auuuuuugh!

Kaito pressed his palm into one of his eyes, his face bright red, a mixture of his adrenaline and the tightening of his insides causing him to breathe a little heavier for a moment, just… augh! Kaito could barely look at him. Kokichi made Kaito want to do terrible things. He wanted to put him on his back and fuck him into the water. He wanted to lean over and start working his fingers into his backside until Kokichi was squirming and screaming. He wanted to grab his hair and--

No, no, no, calm down, let Kokichi do his thing, you’re getting caught up. Keep your hands busy, that was key. Fight your first instinct. What was the opposite…

Feeling a little foolish, Kaito put his fingers against his own nipples, playing with the points, feeling that old electric feeling start to push through his chest and veins as he huffed. He wanted to touch Kokichi, but he knew if he did it wouldn’t be touching, but grabbing. Pushing and pulling… “F-fuck, Kokichi, I’m gonna lose it, please.” Kaito begged, asking Kokichi to hurry. “Fuck, babe, you’re so good…”

Kaito shuddered in pleasure as he felt Kokichi swallow a little, a bit of pressure at the head of his dick. His cock and balls were straining already… fuck he was so horny. He wanted Kokichi to keep touching him forever. Fuck, his hushand didn’t know what he did to him.

Kokichi’s nose wrinkled a little as he only grinned more. Now who was working with that 60 second time limit?

...ah, who was he kidding? This was HOT! Kaito was losing himself to pleasure, a well of lust more than overflowing in him, and it was because of Kokichi. He’d done this, had given his husband such a pleasurable experience…

Taking a deep breath through his nose, Kokichi started to bob down, taking down Kaito’s length, relaxing his throat to push through to those precious few seconds where he could give his all… Back...breathing, swallowing...back down… All the while his hands sped up, coaxing Kaito just a little bit more, just a little to get there…

A deeper breath, and Kokichi narrowed his eyes in determination. They had agreed that Kaito wasn’t going to shoot down his throat, but...he could damn well get him there like that. Applying all the tips Kaito had ever given him, plus Kokichi’s own experience, he surged down as much as he could on Kaito, his nose just grazing Kaito’s pelvis as he continually swallowed, his throat and jaw lax as he could make them.

“*!?”

Kaito lurched forward, his jaw tightening for a second, Kaito’s hands mindlessly tightening on himself as he felt a sudden insane amount of pressure around him. Trying to make a noise, but his breath catching deep in his throat for a moment, the best he could manage an involuntary, soft ‘clicking’ noise for a moment, which after a second he swallowed down, getting in a clear breath. 

Kaito’s head was a little lost for a moment, his legs wrapping around Kokichi’s back for a moment, squeezing, before he forced them to loosen. There was a brief moment where he couldn’t really see anything, because his vision had entirely unfocused. It was a few quick blinks that he came back, and the thought that raced through his mind was an urgent mantra: don’t touch Kokichi.

Kaito had been pent up. He had been massively pent up. And letting Kokichi do what he wanted made it harder for Kaito to regulate what was happening with his body. It was easy to control your body’s reactions when you were controlling the pace, but here there wasn’t much Kaito could do but try to breath through his painful, thick arousal, his rock hard cock forced to bend and adjust to the size and curve of Kokichi’s throat, whose muscles tightened and shifted even further and randomly against it. 

Kaito’s back had lurched forward because his body had been trying to follow through on his desire to grab Kokichi. Visions of a squealing, gasping, bending Kokichi flooding his lust-addled mind as his cock ached for release. But thankfully his hands had just tightened against itself before he could follow through on the desire, Kaito just staring down at Kokichi for a moment before he made a small, keening gasping sound, his back straightening almost rigidly--

“Babe, babe, I’m gonna cum, please, please, oh fuck--” Kaito warned Kokichi, feeling the warning tightening of his abdomen, all the air in his body feeling like it was pushing down towards his cock as his muscles siezed, Kaito’s voice and noises put back under a chokehold as his muscles tightened and silenced him around his neck and chest. Just barely managing to let out a small, choked breath of air, “...eh’nnnngh…. Nnn…”

Kaito’s body shuddered into silence as he came against Kokichi’s tongue.

...it was a little weird. 

Kokichi was focused. He was doing the deepest deep-throat he’d ever managed to pull off, wanting to bring Kaito to that peak of pleasure, and...he kept that up! He didn’t choke or go lax or anything. But for a moment...his head got really hazy. 

Feeling an absolute tempest of lust go through him, making him shiver and groan around Kaito’s dick but…

...why was he imagining himself? That...wasn’t really his idea of sexy at all. And yet…

Kokichi blinked, everything sliding back into focus just in time to hear Kaito’s warning, and he quickly slid back, quickly taking another deep breath before…! 

Another shiver went through Kokichi’s body, his cheeks puffing up and more than drool dribbling out from the corners of his mouth. ...kinda slimy. Kinda salty. Even so, he gave the head of Kaito’s cock a few more suckle-like movements, helping him come down, before he leaned back. 

Eyes half-lidded and smug, Kokichi sat up on his knees and opened his mouth, not giving a single damn that even more of Kaito’s cum came spilling out of his mouth as he stuck his tongue out obscenely.

Kaito was never going to get that image out of his head. Once more, a new Kokichi now lived absolutely rent-free in his mind, as he huffed to catch his breath, staring down at Kokichi as he showed off the spoils of his hard work. Kaito’s dick thick, limp, wet and twitching, but still so…

Kaito felt that old, dangerous thing rush through him. You could go another round. Put him on his back. Look at him. He’s perfect. Perfect. Mine. Mine. 

“Mine…” Kaito whispered… before grinning. More than a little relieved when that dangerous heat ran through him and out of him, Kaito’s vision focusing, still catching his breath as he whispered, “Damn, Kokichi… just hold it there for one more moment. Fuck, just let me look at you…”

Kaito cupped Kokichi’s cheek for a moment, looking at Kokichi looking so damn smug, holding Kaito’s release like it was nothing, smug in what he had managed to do to his husband. Fuck, it was the hottest thing Kaito had seen in a long ass time. “...” Kaito grinned, now trusting himself to control himself as he put his fingers through Kokichi’s hair, pulling Kokichi slightly back, just a small tilt rather than an actual jerk, as Kaito encouraged, “Swallow all of me down, babe. I want you to take all of me down.”

The taste of cum was...not great. The texture worse. 

But damn was the rapturous look on Kaito’s face worth it, and worth swallowing it down for every blowjob in the future that Kaito wanted.

Kokichi’s eyes crinkled and glittered again as Kaito got his bearings and took in what his face looked like, making his expression look less smug and more loving. Thankfully for Kokichi not having to drool a whole mouthful into the water, though, Kaito got his fill, and Kokichi licked his tongue around his mouth, swallowing. 

...and not quite able to hide the twinge of his lips, but he did get it down. 

Looping his arms around Kaito’s waist--or as close as he could while he was still sitting back on the bench--Kokichi tilted his head to the side. “Too gross for a kiss?”

Kaito didn’t bother responding. He just immediately leaned down and caught Kokichi’s face, deeply kissing him, breathing him in and, entirely undisturbed by the taste of himself, just trying to radiate how damn happy and thankful he was to Kokichi, heading onto his knees around Kokichi as he just ravished him with kisses.

When he needed to breathe, Kaito broke the kiss, kissing the side of Kokchi’s face as he praised, “You take such good care of me. You’re too good to me. I love you so much. That was so good, Kokichi, fuck, I thought I was going to lose my mind. You don’t know what you do to me.”

Putting his hands below Kokichi’s thighs, his adrenaline spiking in arousal and love and excitement, Kaito growled into Kokichi’s neck, “This is gonna be quick. Don’t scream.”

And Kaito, feeling strong and steady, hefted Kokichi up, so that his husband was sitting on his shoulders from the front side, legs around his neck and back, and his own hands steadying Kokichi’s lower back as Kaito wasted no time just fucking going to town on Kokichi’s dick.

Kokichi felt like he could start flying through the clouds with how light he felt. All he ever wanted, in any context, was Kaito’s happiness. For his husband to feel secure and confident and happy. And feeling all those things from him...Kaito really could say a lot in a kiss. 

“I’m glad,” he breathed, pressing against Kaito wherever he could, grinning brightly. “I’m so glad… I love you so much.”

And...honestly? Kokichi had thought that was going to be that. Sure, he was very turned on, but...it wasn’t killing him, and all he wanted was Kaito’s pleasure. To give his husband some relief, and let the two of them speak together in such an intimate way. He hadn’t been expecting anything in return. 

But he probably should’ve said that ahead of time. Kaito was always so giving.

“Wha-!!” It wasn’t a scream, but Kokichi let out a noise of confusion as Kaito hefted him up, scrambling for purchase against the wall and against Kaito’s back as he sputtered, “K-Kai-chan! You don’t have t-”

His words were swallowed by a warble, head dipping forward to press against the wall, his legs tightening around Kaito’s shoulders. “Huuuuh...ah...ah!”

One day, they’d nail the whole ‘communication’ thing. Today, they were nailing blowjobs.

And in Kaito’s mind, there weren’t a ton of reasons to use all these muscles, in general. So, if he could use these back, neck, and shoulder muscles he worked so hard on every day to give Kokichi just… a wild blow job? His husband practically suspended in the air while Kaito just had full, deep throat access to his cute, chubby little dick? Boom! Good use for his muscles! Everyone wins!

Besides, he was having fun. He hadn’t gone wild sucking dick in a while now. He was entirely enjoying himself as he slurped and sucked at Kokichi’s dick, moving his head back and forth against him and breathing cheerfully against Kokichi’s happy trail as he swallowed and sucked hard, massaging and playing with that muscle with experienced ease. His tongue rubbing along the long side of Kokichi’s dick, while he let his throat down the hard work against Kokichi’s head, feeling Kokichi’s legs and dick and arms tighten around him…

‘You can’t milk him,’ Kaito reminded himself as he started to swallow down Kokichi’s seed, ‘Don’t milk him, he’ll scream and upset Shuichi and the baby. He won’t be able to help it.’

So Kaito only swallowed a few times, before pulling his head back from Kokichi’s dick. Still holding him as he gave him soothing kisses against his stomach, “...mmmmm~” Kaito hummed appreciatively, “My ‘Kichi gives me so much~”

...had it been more than a minute? Kokichi’s back-of-the-mind hope for Kaito’s shoulders hoped not. The consideration that he’d already been pretty hard from sucking Kaito off doubted it. The tight, warm feeling in Kokichi’s lower belly laughed cocksure and declared he had. 

The odds were against him, but Kokichi couldn’t much find it in himself to care. Kaito’s mouth was almost burningly warm, and it felt like every part of it was working overtime to rub and squeeze against his dick, and before he knew it…

Kokichi let out a high-pitched whine as he came, lower lip trapped between his teeth as he fought to stay quiet, not disturb anyone. And...suddenly he was very glad to already be leaning against the wall, as that lax warmth started to travel across his body. 

Panting, Kokichi just leaned against the wall for a moment. “...shit, Kai-chan… Really had to one-up me, hah…”

“Oh, I just got excited, was all.” Kaito chuckled, still pressing soothing kisses to Kokichi’s stomach, before-- carefully-- starting to disentangle Kokichi from himself, bringing him back down into the water and gently placing him down on the tub, now kissing Kokichi’s face and neck in slow, loving movements, his own heartbeat and adrenaline now coming down as he felt the euphoria run through him. His ‘Kichi smelled so good… he felt so nice against him… Kaito liked feeling coated in him, inside and out, just enjoying how close and, just… absorbed, was maybe a word for it, he felt right now. 

Close. He always felt so close to his lovers after this. All wrapped up in them… Kaito always felt so at peace with this part. At ease and certain of his place in the world.

“You were so good to me. How could I not get excited? I was so eager to take a piece of you.” Kaito admitted, holding Kokichi to himself, feeling his husbands breath start to calm against him, “I love you so much, Kokichi… you’re so patient and good to me… that was amazing...”

Kokichi laughed softly, the tepid warmth of the water nothing compared to how Kaito made him feel. He really didn’t understand how people could do this casually, when it was like...like...bearing your entire soul to someone, trusting them with everything, and just...being able to be at peace with that. Knowing everything was wonderful and good. 

Cuddling himself right into Kaito as he rejoined him in the water, Kokichi hummed happily. “I’m glad you liked it. Kai-chan’s always so incredible and...I just wanted to give back to you. Make you feel even a fraction of how wonderful you always make me feel day-to-day. And you’ve gone and made me feel wonderful too.”

“....nnng. Should brush my teeth when we get out,” he groaned, turning his face against Kaito’s chest. “Hope Shuu-chan isn’t too put out that I just wanna take a nap now…”

“I say we go give him a bunch of kisses and just ruin his day.” Kaito chuckled, reaching over to open up the drain, letting the water start to drain before starting to idly rub some of the water against himself and Kokichi. Not like there was a… ton of mess left behind. More just trying to catch any sticky sweat before the water was fully gone. “And don’t worry. You can nap, I am wide awake. I’ll keep him company. Or let him run off and be a free man, as payment for him not coming in to chastise us for hitting the wall once.”

Kaito… did not know if Shuich had managed to hear any of that. He suspected the answer was ‘probably’, but found that idea extremely inconvenient, so… probably not. Hah! What could the universe do about it!? Nothing.

Kissing against Kokichi’s temple, Kaito said softly, “Brush your teeth, take a nap… I’ll bring up dinner later. I had a lot of fun, Kokichi. Thanks for being so good to me. I know I was really… whiny and frustrated earlier. I… I don’t think that’s what happened, but I hope you never feel like you… have to or…”

“That sounds like a nice follow-up,” Kokichi giggled, feeling that warmth in his body curl around his muscles and the backs of his eyes, whispering sweet nothings of rest. And...honestly a nap wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. He hadn’t done that much with his day, but...having an open, honest conversation with his partners, having a different sort of conversation afterward, taking care of Miya as a constant...it was more than enough. No day was wasted when you spent it with people you loved. 

Humming, Kokichi swirled a hand in the water before reaching up to cup Kaito’s face, tilting his head up to look at his husband with sleepy, loving eyes. “I had a lot of fun too. And don’t worry about earlier...I’m glad you feel comfortable enough talking about it with us. As people, we can just...not feel negative emotions. But sharing that load with people...it’s the foundation of trust and love, so I appreciate it.”

“And I know I don’t have to,” he huffed, cuddling more. “I want to. Can’t a guy wanna make his husband cum in his mouth?”

“See, that’s how I always feel about it. It’s fun, right? You see why I like it??” Kaito said, lighting up a little, just grinning wide as he nuzzled his nose into Kokichi’s hair, kissing the top of his head, “It’s so exciting! I get such a kick out of it… I don’t know, I just think it’s fun. I like making my lovers feel good.”

“...tastes kinda gross though, huh?” Kaito snickered, giving him a few more kisses, “I saw that look on your face when you swallowed. Awww, babe… you’re so patient with me. You don’t have to ever do that again, if you don’t want to. That image is frozen in my mind forever, you don’t have to do it to please me if it grosses you out.”

Kokichi grinned. He guessed he did get it now. There was something so gratifying about knowing that your partner was at the peak of pleasure, happy and taken care of. And something even more self-satisfying when you were the one to bring them to that state. 

Laughing, Kokichi shook his head a little and gave his husband a playful look. “Nu-uh. It’s in my arsenal now. It’s gross, but the look on your face seeing me swallow is, like, a billion times sweeter. So when I wanna see Kai-chan over the moon? I’m goin’ down on him.”

...Kokichi sighed, feeling his legs become exposed as the water drained. “...don’t suppose I can tempt ya into carrying me outta the tub?”

Kaito felt a shiver of anticipation run through his body at that. He’d be so easy, if Kokichi wanted to use that… Kaito was going to have to do his best to keep his wits about him. Especially if Kokichi could do that with his mouth… damn, Kaito was going to be at Kokichi’s whim, when it came to ‘feeling good’.

“Hardly a temptation.” Kaito chuckled, shifting Kokichi into his arms and, bracing his hand against the wall, standing up, Kokichi in tow. “Hard pressed to get me to let you go right now, ‘Kichi. Let’s grab you a towel.”

Taking a pit stop to the sink to both, indeed, brush their teeth, Kaito eventually swooped Kokichi up again and took him out of the bathroom-- Kokichi in a towel, Kaito not bothering-- to a sleeping soundly Miyako in her crib and Shuichi at the bed, reading a book. He glanced up at them and raised an eyebrow, “You two finally done? I was afraid you had moved in there permanently.”

“Come on, that took… thirty minutes, tops. And most of that was us talking and goofing around.” Kaito insisted, bringing Kokichi over to the bed and laying him down before asking Kokichi, “You want full pajamas, or just shorts, or a t-shirt…?”

Shuichi put down his book, leaning over to give Kokichi a small kiss against the edge of his lips, “You look spent. Have a good time?”

Kokichi hummed happily as he didn’t have to stand and force himself to stand away from the warmth of his husband, and even as they brushed their teeth, Kokichi opting for some midday mouthwash too, he mostly leaned against Kaito. 

“We were zoomin’!” Kokichi sleepily insisted, cuddling down on their bed even though he’d need to shift to put clothes on. He could take a nap naked...but it was more comfortable with clothes, even without thinking about whoever might stop by randomly. Sleeping naked was Kaito’s thing. “T-shirt and underwear, please!”

He stretched luxuriously as Shuuichi turned his attention to him, smiling at the kiss. “Uh-huh. It was really nice… I’d missed havin’ cuddle-conversations like that...and other stuff.” Kokichi gave his boyfriend a wink. “It was fun, but it’s makin’ me look forward to when Shuu-chan wants to have fun next too. I’m sure you had a good time chillin’ an’ reading too, though. They clear up anything about that weird expositional gas?”

“It’s been a little bizarre.” Shuichi admitted, giving his book a wary glance, “There was a whole twist about a suspended spear that was let go of by the victim when he was suffocating on the gas… I think the conclusion is meant to be that all of the characters were tricked into killing him together, but if he let go of the rope, I’m struggling to see how it shouldn’t be interpreted as a very elaborate suicide setup. Even in the context of ‘someone else holding the weapon’, the victim still was the one to let go of the obect that ultimately killed him… it’s very entertaining, but the whole thing sort of falls apart if you think about it too much.”

“Rule of cool! Best kind of stories!” Kaito insisted, going to collect Kokichi’s napping clothes, pulling out a loose t-shirt and some boxers before bringing them back to present to his husband for approval. “Rule of aesthetic, rule of sexyness, suspension of disbelief… sometimes you gotta shove all that to the side, or you won’t get the wild Kokichi/Shuichi sexy hunting daydreams you deserve.”

“Do you… hunt us in your daydreams, Kaito?”

“Just some of them. And you guys seem to enjoy the chase.”

“...by ‘us guys’ you mean--”

“The daydream versions of you that exist solely in my head, yes, keep up Shuichi.”

“I need you to tire Kaito out before I get back into the sheets with you all.” Shuichi sighed, placing a kiss against Kokichi’s forehead, “He’ll exhaust me if you don’t tire him out a little first.”

Lazily pulling on his clothes--despite having two partners much larger than him, Kokichi did own enough oversized shirts himself to wear his own clothes--Kokichi raised an eyebrow as he listened to Shuuichi talk about his book. That was...a bit overly convoluted. Just trying to make a certain point and brushing off stuff to make it work...but just shy of making it make sense. 

Rule of cool indeed. 

Which, yanno...could be a lot of fun, if you were in the right mind for it. 

Like Kaito often was. 

Kokichi chuckled and rolled his eyes, stretching out on the bed again. “Damn… You know he only gets more enthusiastic after sex. I think the only thing I could do to tire him out would be to...ask him to help me calculate tax dispersions. Or ask Maki-chan to take him on a hike.”

Kokichi thought about some of the stuff they talked about in the bathroom, tilting his head with a considering hum. “...you could probably get him to cool it a bit yourself, though. Kai-chan loves to listen to you in bed.”

Kaito had been in the middle of, with some regret, trying to imagine doing...tax dispersions? In the middle of hiking with Maki. And, like, in this scenario, he had promised to get that tax dispersion stuff figured out before they got back, Kokichi was counting on him, and now Maki was trying to help him with math, but she doesn’t like math either and now they were both pissing each other off because “Why did you tell him you could do tax dispersions, Kaito, you didn’t even bring a calculator, I just wanted to go on a hike!” and like what was Kaito going to say?? She was right! It was so foolish! 

Anyway, in the middle of that weird self-administered stress daydream, Shuichi suddenly showed up and told Kaito to get on his knees, which kinda came out of left-field, daydream wise, and Kaito was a little embarrassed cause Shuichi, Maki was right there, but also, maybe Shuichi could help with the tax dispersion thing, and also, being made to get on his knees in the woods by his boyfriend with an audience wasn’t the worst daydream, and also--

“-aito?” Shuichi tried again, waving his hand in front of Kaito’s face, “Kaito?”

Kaito blinked, his face bright red. “...man I am so easy.”

“I won’t ask you to elaborate.” Shuichi said, smirking a little, though that was only because Kaito had been too lost in his head to notice Shuichi blushing and looking startled a minute earlier, before noticing Kaito was absolutely gone in some daydream. “...do you, though?” He asked, looking a little curious at that idea, raising an eyebrow at Kaito, “I mean, I know you… well, I’ve always thought you were just going out of your way to make me feel more comfortable. When you let me tease you in bed? You like that?”

“I wouldn’t let you do it if I didn’t, handsome.” Kaito grinned. 

“...you wouldn’t?” Shuichi asked, sounding doubtful.

“...oh my god, do you think I let people do things to me I don’t like?” Kaito asked, eyes widening. “No. No. If I didn’t like something, like, at all? I wouldn’t do it. Guys, I know my idea of what I ‘like’ can be a little suggestable and circumstantial, but I don’t let people just do anything to me. If I let you do it? I like something about it.”

“Oh…” Shuichi blushed slightly, adjusting his cap, “...okay. If it really doesn’t bother you, then… maybe I’ll lean into it more. A little. But you would tell me--”

“Yes. I’d tell you if you crossed a line… to my personal standards for myself, anyway.” Kaito shrugged. Knowing that, at least, was maybe a little below standards, buuuuut whatever. Kaito had fun with it.

“And I’ll tell you if you cross a line otherwise,” Kokichi chimed in, voice dropping his earlier playfulness. Looking up at Shuuichi with a solemn look in his eyes. 

It wasn’t like he thought Shuuichi would push a line like that. He’d even pulled himself back when he got close before. But...it helped to have someone there. Someone outside of yourself and temptation. Kokichi knew he appreciated that from Shuuichi. 

But with that moment settled, Kokichi smiled back up at Shuuichi and shifted to cuddle around his legs. “...it’ll be fun to see that. I like seein’ you guys havin’ fun. Bein’ happy and excited. Kai-chan can tell ya that.”

Kokichi sighed, nuzzling down into the sheets, closing his eyes. Nnnnnn, he wanted that nap, but...he was still having fun talking with his partners. Maybe he could get away with both? He’d probably be alright waking up a little earlier--or getting woken up--to take over Miya Time since this wasn’t a ‘oh god I’m so tired I need some sleep’ nap.

Kaito snickered while Shuichi gave Kokichi a soft, grateful look. “It won’t get to that point, but I appreciate how sweet it is you’ll look out for me, babe.”

Shuichi didn’t make the argument that Kaito had let Shuichi hurt him when Shuichi had literally been going out of his way to hurt Kaito… but he did think it. And while he knew he would never do that again… yeah. It was probably better to have Kokichi keeping Shuichi accountable, since Kaito’s standards were apparently, just… dismally low. So, yeah. Shuichi appreciated the sentiment.

“...are you going to put clothes on?” Shuichi asked.

“Eventually.” Kaito said half-heartedly, enjoying airing himself out as he went to sit at Kokichi’s side, running his hands through his husbands hair and kissing lightly against his cheek and shoulders, enjoying being close to him, “...it was so good, Shuichi--”

“Kaito.”

“It was though.” Kaito whispered, keeping his voice low as he smirked at Shuichi, whole rolled his eyes, going back to his book, “Kokichi did this thing at the end where--”

“Kaito.” Shuichi said warningly, “... tell me later. I don’t want to get worked up, not while I’m on Miya duty.”

Kokichi nodded, eyes still closed. That was what they did, as partners. Looked out for each other, help each other accountable. That way...everyone was safe and healthy and having a good time. And that was important. 

Letting out a little approving sound as Kaito came over to pet his hair, Kokichi reached out to his husband, hands making contact with bare skin. It really was getting warm enough for Kaito to go back to being a nudist, huh…

…

Kokichi opened his eyes, looking at Shuuichi with a glittering expression. “...you would get worked up?”

“...yes?” Shuichi asked, looking a little bewildered at the question, and then even more bewildered at the joint sudden earnest attention he was getting from both Kaito and Kokichi, who were staring fixedly at him, “...uh… should I not be?”

“No! No, no, no, that’s great! If you would get worked up! That’s amazing!” Kaito grinned, eyes equally sparkling, if… slightly sharper in his features, something earnest suddenly shifting behind his eyes.

“Is it?” Shuichi asked, still a little dumbfounded at this reaction. “...you guys know we’ve had sex, right? I didn’t imagine that.”

“No, no, we just… it’s been a while and--”

“I’ve been pregnant.”

“Yeah, but, like… with the surgery--”

“I’m not exactly up to bouncing off the walls any time soon, yes.” Shuichi said, looking less confused and more mildly amused, “That doesn’t mean I don’t find you both appealing anymore. Even knowing what you both were going off to do was a little… distracting. But someone has to watch Miya and it’s my shift.”

“...but, like, if you were off baby duty--”

“Kaito, you just finished, how can you still be horny?”

“Guys, we literally just had this conversation, I am always horny.”

Kokichi giggled lowly and shifted himself around, curling around Shuuichi as much as he could. His boyfriend absolutely had a point, and he got why Shuuichi would be kinda of bemused and surprised but…

“It’s still nice to hear. I definitely know the feeling of your body being so miserable that physical attraction just isn’t in the cards, and your attraction on a regular day could be kind of hit or miss…” Kokichi stretched out his neck, nuzzling what he could. “It’s just nice knowing you’re attracted to us.”

Kokichi didn’t doubt the emotional aspect for a second. But...well, as Kaito said, they’d just been talking about the physical aspect, and how sometimes it just wasn’t there for both Kokichi and Shuuichi. Kokichi always thought Kaito was undeniably cute and hot, of course, that Shuuichi was almost unbearably handsome, but...sometimes that just made him want to admire him, and it didn’t provoke anything more. If Shuuichi never had anything more than that, Kokichi would still be elated, but he did and...it was still wonderful hearing about it. 

He was looking forward to the day Shuuichi felt up to joining in again. 

“Mmmm…” Kokichi hummed happily, closing his eyes and relaxing again. “Shuu-chan thinks we’re sexy...yayyyy.”

“You are the sexiest man alive.” Kaito insisted, placing a few more warm kisses against Kokichi’s face, who seemed very sleepy and was cutely nuzzling into Shuichi’s side and was suuuuper sweet looking, and in Kaito’s mind his statement was still not at all inaccurate. “You’re my special secret weapon to attracting Shuichi back into sexy times. How’s he gonna say no to you when you’re finally ready to draw him in?”

“... I better be at least the second sexiest man alive to you.”

“Shuichi… come on man, ask me again next time you and I get together, you know you’ll be the sexiest man alive then. Like, it’s a championship title, it trades hands to the new winning team every now and again!”

“You’re ridiculous sometimes, Kaito.”

“I am ridiculous all the time.” Kaito grinned, placing a few more kisses against Kokichi, who seemed to be fading off. “Also, I’m not planning to go anywhere for a bit, if you want to take a break from Miya duty and go hang out somewhere. I’ve got it.”

“...are you sure?” Shuichi asked, mind wandering to both Maki and Nini. 

“Yep. Go, be free, have fun. I’ve got Miyako and our Kokichi here.” Kaito insisted, getting up and leaning over to steal a quick kiss from Shuichi, “I love you.”

“Alright. Love you too… put some clothes on.”

“No.”

-

Judging by their last correspondence, the ‘exchange students’ were expected back around midday, though travel was fickle, and the Dicean administration wouldn’t be caught unawares. And...as it was, it gave way to a big opportunity.

Which was how Aiichi had phrased it to the people he sought out to ask, anyway. A big chance to do something wonderful to your fellow neighbors, to support the community. Nothing was said officially, but...well, for anyone paying even a little bit of attention, it was pretty obvious that that exchange program that resulted in a bunch of kids going into foster homes--and not having any plans to go back to Luminary--had the Diceans in Luminary for the duration of the most tide-turning moments of the civil war. 

Opinions on Luminary were...divided, in a broad sense. But there were more than a quiet minority who took on Aiichi’s request with straight backs and chests puffed with pride. Their neighbors had done something selfless and amazing and...really this was the least they could do. 

In addition to the extra food Kokichi had guessed at, not just the castle kitchen staff, but a few restaurant owners in the area had been cooking pretty much all day, preparing take-away and ice-box stable meals for the returning citizens. Certain grocers were contributing raw ingredients as well, ensuring that the returning folks wouldn’t have to worry about making food or buying groceries for a good few days, having that taken off their plates to take the recovery time they needed. In each bundle were offers from housecleaners and gardeners and a few counselors, offering their services to further help the returning citizens re-adjust into their lives, not having to worry about the more corporeal things. 

Kokichi felt that floaty, strumming feeling of pride all around him for the moments he popped into the dining hall, seeing people put the packages together. His Diceans really coming together to protect and care for their own, in a very Dicean way. 

He wished he could see more of it later, but...well, of course he demanded he take over Miya-duty so Maki, Shuuichi, and Kaito could meet up with the others when they arrived. Even if it wouldn’t be more than tired hugs and a promise to talk more later after they slept for a million years. 

...hoo boy.

Shuichi watched, amused, as Kaito and Maki desperately tried to explain to the kids why they weren’t really supposed to be here right now, as more and more of the families trickled into the lobby. Shuichi, Maki, Kaito and Kokichi had all decided that the kindest thing they could do for the caravans was let them go the fuck home and sleep. In this moment? It really felt like literally everyone else had decided the exact opposite, the main entrance packed with people coming and going with supplies for the dining hall, along with-- they hadn’t all arrived yet, but Shuichi was starting to realize was inventivable-- 32 children, their foster families, and apparently random friends of said children and families who had decided to come along for the ‘event’.

Maki and Kaito were trying to do damage control as Maki’s siblings all ran around together in the front lobby, a lot of them not listening and rambunctious from the adrenaline of both being in the castle, among all their siblings again, and also the energy of all the people around. There was apparently a game of tag forming, the kids not all agreeing to play tag, but getting caught up in it as some of the younger kids played it together and went to tag the older kids regardless if they were playing or not. Which of course meant the older kids had to play or just let the younger kids game fall apart, and they weren’t monsters. Shuichi was pretty sure Abel was it, but was also pretty sure Piper and Jane also both thought they were it, making three ‘It’ kids now. He was certain by the time all three tagged someone, one more person would make the same mistake and there would be four ‘It’ kids. 

He was confident Lorene, the five year old, was the one creating the extra ‘It’ kids. Shuichi wasn’t sure if she just didn’t understand the rules, or if she was fucking with the other kids. Either way, he was enjoying watching the madness unfold.

“I don’t get it.” Glen said, twitching slightly, Odette and Savannah bordering him, having not gotten caught up in the game yet. “Why shouldn’t we be here?”

“Because…” Kaito looked at the crowd in the lobby, now joined by Hannah and her foster family, the Kiyoshi’s going to say hi to the other foster families, who were all grouping up-- food in most of their arms-- and chatting as Hannah was immediately drawn into the game of tag when Jane tagged her. “...uh…”

“There’s too many of you.” Maki said. Also twitching slightly, pissed because she knew there was no salvaging this. They were all already here. “It’s a long trip, this is too many people to interact with for them to just get back.”

“But we wanna see them!” Savannah insisted, looking just as frustrated as Glen. A lot of the older kids in the orphanage knew the exchange students on a personal level. Hina and Yuta and a few of the other indenturedes had been their older siblings at the orphanage before they had moved on to their career tracks. Savannah in particular was looking forward to seeing Yuta, who, ‘sibling’ or not, a lot of the older girls in particular swooned over. It hard not to be impressed by the champion swimmer… especially when he was… swimming…

She wanted to see him again! Atua be pleased! 

Kaito laughed a little sheepishly. Like Maki, he knew this was a lost cause. Hoo boy… well, okay. They’d do damage control. They’d keep everything moving, make sure the kids don’t keep the returning ex-indenturde’s too long. Let them grab their care packages, let the kids say hello, get them back home. Easy! No problem! They could totally take care of it!

It’s not like anything entirely unreasonable or unexpected would thoroughly distract them!

“The first caravan’s rolling up!” Someone outside shouted in.

“Hey! Hey! Shape up! They’re coming!” Glen shouted, stomping off towards the kids, and when he failed to get anyone’s attention, grabbed Abel as he ran by and said, “Find Piper and Hannah, get them to collect the little kids. Where’s Jamie? Jamie! Get over here! Tyrone, grab Jamie!”

Kaito sighed, scratching his chin and looking around… “Oh! Waku, hey! Hey, if no one has yet, could you go swing by the dining hall and let those guys know the caravans are here?”

Waku came forward a little, hearing out Kaito’s request before giving him a nod. “Sure thing.” She looked around the chaos in the main hall with a smile. “...not quite the quiet reception the boss had planned, huh? But you can’t blame them for being excited. There have been a ton of people all over town excited to see their friends return.”

With another nod, she slipped into the dining hall, passing on the message...as well as an update on the kids’ roamings. They’d bring out the food so the returnees wouldn’t have to make a longer trip through the castle but...they might hang back at first, not wanting to contribute to the wall of people--kids--that were sure not to be able to contain their excitement.

Already in the hall, Aiichi was standing off to the side, fondly watching the kids with similar thoughts. All the ‘paperwork’ had pretty much been done in advance, since they didn’t entertain as much bureaucratic nonsense, but they still had to confirm that everyone who left was returning safely. 

And he’d heard that he had at least one new set of citizenship papers to hand over. Maybe it was a bit much combined with everything else, but...it was important. And while he knew people from Luminary (and particularly refugees) didn’t exactly trust Dicean law, at least at first...Yuta Asahina might feel all the more comfortable knowing he had physical proof that no one could send him back to Luminary against his will.

There were three caravans in total, and they were big, lumbering things. Meant for slow, long distance travel, not unlike what the Luminary party had traveled in, if notably less expensive looking. As Kaito and Maki headed outside, Shuichi following them from his spot on the stairwell, Kaito watched the first caravan roll up and suddenly felt twitchy. “I’m underdressed…” he realized, looking down at his shirt and pants, “Shit.”

“You are.” Maki said.

“Tragic.” Shuichi agreed.

“They’re going to take one look at you and turn around, disgusted.”

“They’d be right too. Honestly, Kaito, don’t you have any shame?”

“Shut up.” Kaito muttered, subconsciously running his fingers over his goatee, straightening it. “These people did something really important, at our request--”

“My request, really.” Maki murmured.

“-- and I’m greeting them after a long journey in casual clothes. What the fuck was I thinking, I should be in armor right now. This is fucking disrespectful.”

“Do you want us to tell them to wait in the caravan while you go get dressed real quick?” Shuichi asked.

Kaito narrowed his eyes…

“I was kidding.” Shuichi corrected himself immediately. “We’re not doing that.”

“...damn.”

Maki wasn’t showing it, but she was a little nervous too. Kaito was right… these people had gone on a long, dangerous journey, at her request. They hadn’t experienced any combat, but that didn’t mean their lives and freedom hadn’t been at risk. Even the protection of being Dicean citizens only went so far, in a country being torn apart in civil war. There had been no real guarantee for their safety. That they would ever actually return. That Dicea would have sent anyone for them if Luminary had insisted on keeping them.

It had been… an incredible risk. Maki knew that. A risk she had asked them to take.

The first caravan rolled to a stop, and behind it the second and third one as well. The caravans shifted in the telling way of many people inside suddenly moving around, and behind the four, the sound of many little footsteps started to pour out, the kids getting rounded up and herded our by the older kids, giggles and chatter hushing as the group all seemed to take a big, uncertain breath, waiting for the caravans to open up.

When the first caravan opened up, Hina, looking darker than when had left and wearing light, airy clothing, literally hopped out of the caravan, a smile already on her face. Her gaze lit up even brighter though as she looked at the familiar crowd, Sakura dipping her head carefully as she came out behind her, the other caravans starting to empty out as well.

“Maki!” Hina grinned, “We did it!”

Maki nodded at that… and something cracked on her face. A tightness in her features, a red mist in her eyes, as more and more of the caravan riders came out, greeting the crowd warmly, looking tired but happy, indeed more than a little disheveled and a little covered in dirt and campfire soot. Back from their long journey, the literal results of their journey right in front of them as the kids looked on uncertainly. Not sure what to do…

When enough people had come out, the exchange students assembled, Maki bowed low. Kaito and Shuichi quick to follow her example, a few of the returning indentured’s flinching on instinct at seeing the prince bow, as Maki said to a suddenly silent atmosphere. “Thank you for retrieving our siblings. I owe you a debt I cannot repay.”

“Oh… Maki, I--” Hina said, eyes widening.

But Glen, who had been watching this carefully-- and who still didn’t always understand why any of this was happening, but did know what the returning group had risked to do it-- clenched his hands into fists and, bowing as well, shouted, “Thank you for coming to get us, big sis!”

“Thank you for coming to get us!”

“Thank you for getting us!”

“Hina! Big sis! Thank you for coming to get us!”

The kids, some bowing, some jumping, not entirely understanding why they were bowing to one of their big siblings but still very excited to see them, continued in this manner, a few noticing some of their recognized older siblings from long ago, some just grouping all the adults into the ‘big sibling’ category-- cause for the young children in the orphanage, so many of the people around them were siblings, it was the safe bet-- as they shouted, “Thanks for coming to get us big brother!” “Thanks for coming to get us!” “Thanks for coming to get us, siblings!”

And Hina, who had been trying to muster the courage to tell Maki that she definitely didn’t need to bow to her, looked around, a little alarmed and overwhelmed, while Maki, Kaito and Shuichi didn’t waiver in their bow. The two groups staring at each other, the exchange students astonished, the younger siblings excited and caught up in their return. A very, very, very large family who had risked literally everything for each other finally reunited.

“...you’re welcome.” Hina said quietly, tears streaming down her face, before laughing loudly as Sakura put a supportive hand on her shoulder. Saying louder, “We love you! We’re back! We did it!”

And then, wiping her face, she asked brightly, “How has everyone been!?”

And that seemed to break the spell. Maki, Shuichi and Kaito got up from their bow, the kids who had done so as well also standing, and the kids surging forward to excitedly talk to the big siblings they recognized. Telling them about Dicea and how weird things were and about their foster families and their rooms! They had their own rooms! And telling them about school and toys and festivals and really weird food, and how seasons are weird here, did you know trees can change color?? And--

“Ugh, whaaaat, did you just wanna see us cry when we first got back?” Hina laughed, still wiping her face as she went over to Maki, reaching over to hug her. “Jerks. I could literally pass out right now.”

“We’re sorry, this kinda got out of hand. There’s a bunch of Diceans inside with food too, and, like… a lot of other things? I dunno, I think someone's going to be offering to help with gardens and stuff too, I kinda lost track of what everyone was doing. Dicean things.” Kaito grinned giving Sakura a welcoming nod, who nodded in return.

“I’m glad you’re back safe.” Maki sighed, hugging Hina for a long moment before pushing her off herself a little, taking Hina’s face in her hands, turning it left and right… “You’re exhausted.”

“I am. We all are.” Hina laughed, “That’s okay though. Food does sound good, and I bet my gardens entirely dead now, so help sounds great!”

“I really do owe you a life debt.” Maki said softly, dropping her hands. “To all of you. I’m sorry I left early. I…”

Hina just smiled softly at her. From the rumors, Maki had been… to put it lightly, a mess after the civil war was done. A mess for ‘Maki’ standards anyway. She had been jumpy, fidgety, quick to temper, and a little spacey and indecisive. The only thing she could seem to really focus on was the idea of ‘returning home and finishing it’, based on the letters they had gotten from the people they knew on the front lines. They hadn’t really wanted her to go, they had been hoping to return to Luminary together with her, but after hearing about the state of her… “I understood. We all had each other, we didn’t need you to come all the way back to the capital to fetch us. We were mostly left alone once the banishment happened anyway. It sorta felt like the queen forgot we were there, honestly.”

Maki sighed. The queen letting her down again, but… well, they were back safe now, anyway. 

“Big brother!”

Shuichi had been actively looking for him, and was still entirely caught off guard when thin but muscular dark arms tackled around him, grunting in pain as Kaito gave an alarmed look, “Woah, woah, Yuta! Shuichi’s just had surgery, let’s not--”

“Oh! Oh my god, I’m sorry!” Yuta shouted, jumping back, raising his hands in alarm, looking worried for a good five seconds before lighting up, looking thrilled to see his old mentor again as he said, “Shuichi! You had a baby!?”

Shuichi laughed lightly, waving a hovering and fussing Kaito off of him as he looked warmly at Yuta, “I did.”

“That’s so weird!”

“I know. It’s nice to see you, Yuta.”

“Ahhhhhh!” Yuta shouted in reply, beaming and hopping at his toes, clearly just barely holding himself back from pulling Shuichi into a hug again as he said, “I can’t believe this is happening! I thought I was never gonna see you again! What is even happening!? This is insane, right!?”

“You can hug me if its not a full body tackle, you know.”

“AHHHHHHHHH!” 

“Yuta! NOT a full body tackle! NOT!” Kaito shouted, getting more alarmed as Yuta threw his arms around Shuichi again, who grunted a little before just hugging him back. 

“I still have a hard time believing all of this too, sometimes.” Hina laughed, the two biological siblings almost identical in their bright, happy excitement, Hina still needing to wipe her face every now and again as straightened her clothes from her hug, “Your mentors are probably still just getting their bags, do you want me to stick around to make certain their settled, or do you have them from here?”

“...what?” Maki, Kaito and Shuichi all said at once.

It was incredibly heartwarming. Politically, Aiichi knew it was a little suspicious, welcoming in thirty+...well. Sort of Luminary citizens. Luminary people, at the least. And then having refugees dip back into the country they once fled from, no doubt being recognized by someone, to make it upwards of sixty people. And if the Luminary establishment didn’t know before, then this just gave more credence to the disappearances over the years. 

But he had a feeling that Kaede and the other nobles wouldn’t mind ‘losing’ a great deal of people who had no love for the establishment, even if they had fought on the same side. And...sixty was still a pretty paltry number compared to the rest of their populations. It was a concession worth making, in other words. 

So...with the political angle ambivalent...Aiichi was pleased to see the utter love as a social family was reunited. It would continue after the ‘students’ got rest and made contact with their other friends and perhaps even found and made families, but this, right here… It was what they had been fighting for. What had been worth the risk. 

Aiichi knew he couldn’t prevent all strife for his people. But he could do his best to make it as easy as possible, and give them the tools and network to make it through. Hopefully...this marked the end of a chapter to never reach that sort of intensity of strife again. 

-

Upstairs, Kokichi hummed softly by the open window, just barely able to hear chatter around the building that he figured was the others’ return. Miyako half-dozed in his arms, clutched on tight to his shirt so...he wasn’t going to be putting her down for a bit. 

“...there’s some really special people down there, Miya-Miya,” he cooed. “I can’t wait for us both to meet them.”

-

“MY BABY GIIIIIIIIRL!!!!”

“Oh my god.” Maki whispered, one eye twitching a lumbering mass of a man stepped out of the third caravan, Shuichi and Kaito looking equally bewildered by her side, Hina, Yuta and Sakura having gone off to get their care packages and say hello to the foster parents after briefly explaining the situation. “They’re actually here.”

Kaito and Shuichi both loved Maki dearly… but they both took a step back from her as Mr. Nekomaru Nidai leaped forward, Maki standing stiff as a board as he threw his massive arms around her and picked her up, swaying happily with her in his arms as he shouted, “MY SWEET BABY GIRL! MY PRECIOUS LITTLE SAINT! I MISSED YOU SO MUCH!”

“Hello, Mr. Nidai.” Maki said, just staying stiff, knowing he needed to get it out of his system, “We weren’t expecting you.”

“YOU WEREN’T!?” Nekomaru shouted, holding her midair at arms length and giving her a stunned look, “WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WEREN’T EXPECTING US? KYOKO SENT YOU LETTERS, BABY GIRL!”

Shuichi lowered his cap entirely over his face, groaning miserably, while Kaito idly patted him on the shoulder.

“LET ME SEE YA! HAVE YOU BEEN EATING RIGHT? STICKING TO YOUR TRAINING?” Nekomaru demanded, putting Maki down and, taking her face in both hands, turning her head left and right, brow furrowed as he said, lowering his tone just a smidge to not be shouting in her face, “You’ve neglected your weight training, haven't ya! Never did like lifting weights! Also what did you do to your HAIR!? Did someone cut it off in a fight!?”

“...yes.” Maki decided.

“WHO!? I’LL MAKE THEM REGRET THE DAY THEY WERE BORN!”

While Maki briefly seriously considered saying that she had lost it in a ‘fight’ with Denji and sorta just letting them deal with the fallout, Shuichi stepped behind Kaito a bit, groaning, as the caravans weight began to shift again. Someone else coming out.

Kaito’s mind was racing. His heart thumping nervously, because oh boy, this was… a lot all happening at once, and he could feel Shuichi wordlessly asking for his protection… Maki’s eyes strained as Nekomaru lamented over her clothing too, and her whole body stiffening uncomfortably as he asked, “NOW, I HEAR THERE’S A NEW ASSASSIN TRAINEE ABOUT? WHERE’S THE FRESH MEAT, I WANNA GET A LOOK AT YOUR PROTEGE--”

“He… isn’t…” Maki murmured uncertainly. 

A woman in pink stepped out of the caravan, and Shuichi pressed his head against Kaito’s back.

A switch finally flicked in Kaito’s overwhelmed brain, and the Luminary Prince’s back straightened, a slight frown on his face as he barked in a voice like his fathers, “Mr. Nidai! Miss Kirigiri! It’s good to see you, but you both must go report to King Aiichi your presence immediately, before reunions can take place! Maki and Shuichi have tasks they need to complete, and once they are done, then we can do a reunion. Go pay respects to the king!” he ordered.

There was a slight… fuzziness. In both Nekomaru and Kyoko’s faces… before Nekomaru laughed, nodding vigorously, “Of course! Good to see you again, your grace! We’ll do these introductions afterwards, there’s so much to catch up on!”

“If it pleases you, Prince Kaito, may I task some servants to come fetch our bags?” Kyoko finally said, glancing at Shuichi’s hidden form behind Kaito, but her conditioning not allowing her to push the subject: they’d talk when she had introduced herself to the king, and Shuichi’s task was done. “I’ve brought along an escort as well. She’s still inside, getting cleaned up.”

Kaito imagined Miss Kirigiri going in and trying to bark orders at one of the housekeepers and could feel himself start to sweat. “No need, I’ll assign it to someone myself!” Kaito said, “Leave the bags behind, your escort should… escort you to the king as well!”

Miss Kirigiri nodded, glanced at Shuichi again, before going back into the caravan. As she walked back inside, Nekomaru waiting for her, Kaito said to Shuichi and Maki, “Well… go ahead! Your tasks!”

Maki and Shuichi both glanced at him, Maki’s mentor, the caravan door… before both nodded silently, heading back towards the castle entrance. Both still trying to process this new reality as Maki whispered to Shuchi, “I have to find Tim.”

“I think he was playing with the kids. Lets find him and go back up to my room.”

“Got it.”

“Al-right! We’re here! Shuichi Saihara, it is so good to…” a blue haired woman with rich, purple eyes, an incredibly soft voice but one still entirely cheerful, stepped out of the caravan, smiling brightly… before frowning. Looking put out. “Where’d everyone go? Did I take too long? I just wanted to fix my hair…”

“Shuichi has been given a task, and we must introduce ourselves to the king first and foremost.” Kyoko explained to her escort, “Leave the bags, Prince Kaito will have servants attend to them.”

“He will?” The woman’s purple gaze flitted over to Kaito, and Kaito was both struck immediately by the cool, calm intelligence in them, and the almost… mocking amusement in them, as she smiled at the prince and then bowed, “I am honored to be looked after by the second prince of Luminary… former, second prince of Luminary. My apologies, your grace. It’s all still very new.”

“Not at all, not at all.” Kaito said, trying to keep his nerves as he lost some of the Luminary Prince’s voice, a little less certain around the new person, “As I said to your companions, the king would most certainly want to be acquainted with all of you as soon as possible. Please, show him curtesy and be patient if he’s talking with someone else, there’s a lot of new people today. Your bags will be waiting for you in the main entrance hall, where they’ll be perfectly safe, I assure you… miss?”

“Miss Oliver Luna.” The woman bowed, “Thank you.”

And the three older people headed off to the castle to find the king… and when they were out of sight...

Kaito looked over at the luggage, sighed, and started to collect them. He’d make a few trips and drop them off on his way upstairs. Hoo boy…

Aiichi had indeed been talking with a few people, welcoming back a few people he knew a little more personally than just having given them papers once, making sure everyone got a care package, having a brief conversation with Yuta Asahina and his sister, and trusting that Hina would explain more about what life in Dicea actually meant to her brother, so he didn’t need to get into that…

And… He didn’t recognize them on sight. Despite having more fame than the average assassin, Nekomaru Nidai still wasn’t a face internationally known, and Kyouko Kirigiri even less so. But Aiichi could recognize the postures and auras around people who were very used to knowing what they could expect from their surroundings, and held a certain type of expertise about them. And considering they were a bit older than most of the others…

Such a day of surprises. He’d have to get more papers ready.

Holding up a hand in a wave to beckon the group of three closer once he had a break in the crowd, Aiichi offered them a kind, welcoming smile. “Hello there, I do not think we have met before. I’m Aiichi Ouma--you three are looking quite purposeful, is there something I can help you with?”

Technically, Miss Luna was the highest ranking person in the group, and out of the three should speak for them… except Nekomaru and Kyoko both weren’t technically indentured, anymore. Which meant it was now based on occupation, since the three of them were all civilians, now, which meant…

Kyoko stepped forward first, being the first to bow, the other two bowing with her, as she said, “Your grace, King Ouma. We beg an audience. Prince-Consort Kaito has sent us to report and pay respects.”

Aiichi smiled a little more. Bingoooo… It was almost jarring, in a way; a type of deja vu from nearly a year ago. But while the social niceties might be the same, nothing else was. 

“Ah, well friends of Kaito’s are friends of ours--not that you weren’t already considering who you were arriving with. It’s a pleasure to meet the three of you.” Pushing off the wall he’d been leaning against while chatting, Aiichi took a few steps before indicating his head back in a nod. “Considering so, I get the feeling you’re not just here for vacation--may I ask, how much have you talked with the others about immigration? I wouldn’t want to bore you going over things you already know.”

The three straightened up, Miss Kirigiri’s face calm and neutral as she gazed at him with her serious, light pink eyes. “I apologize for the lack of communication, we had thought my charge, Shuichi Saihara, would have informed you of our arrival beforehand. I will have a discussion with him on the matter.”

“AND WE APOLOGIZE FOR GIVING THE WRONG IMPRESSION, YOUR GRACE!” Nekomaru shouted, crossing his arms and laughing boisterously as Oliver smiled softly, tilting her head curiously at the king as well, “BUT WE ARE JUST VISITING! WE HEARD THE BORDERS HAD OPENED! WE WEREN’T GONNA GIVE UP THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE OUR CHARGES AGAIN! ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING OUR YOUNG SHUICHI WENT AND HAD HIMSELF A BUN IN THE OVEN!”

“A princess of Luminary… it’s not every day someone you raised has an event like that, right, Kyoko?” Oliver smiled, giving Kyoko a warm look.

“Nekomaru, Oli, you are both being rude. We have not introduced ourselves.” Miss Kirigiri sighed, bowing again, “My name is Kyoko Kirigiri, and I am the head royal detective of the Luminary castle. This is Nekomaru Nidai, Head Royal Security--”

“Tsk.” Nekomaru scoffed, shaking his head, “‘SECURITY ENFORCER’ WHAT KINDA NAME IS THAT, I TELL YA? WHAT’S THE POINT OF CHANGING THE TITLE, ASSASSIN ALWAYS WORKED JUST FINE! DON’T WORRY YOUR GRACE, I’VE BEEN GIVEN STRICT INSTRUCTION: NO WORKING HERE!” The man grinned, giving him a thumbs up, “PURELY HERE FOR PLEASURE! NO BUSINESS!”

Miss Kirigiri shot Nekomaru a frustrated look, before continuing, “And this is Miss Oliver Luna, my escort. She runs a series of pubs around the Luminary capital.”

“I do well enough for myself.” Oliver smiled, bowing again. “We are honored to be allowed your presence, your grace.”

Aiichi’s eyebrows raised in surprise before he relaxed with a slight laugh. “Ah, that’s what I get for making assumptions. My bad. In that case--welcome to Dicea! I hope you enjoy your stay and get to experience our country at its best, though it is not the main attraction for you in this case.”

It was...interesting that Shuuichi hadn’t said anything. Visitors were an easier thing, they would’ve already had their travel visas checked at the border, and Aiichi couldn’t fault no message from that being sent, other than, like, tourism stats. But Shuuichi… He didn’t talk to Aiichi, but Aiichi would’ve figured he would’ve told Kokichi at least, who would pass on the message. 

...curious.

Even before they introduced their names, except for Oliver, Aiichi was able to finally match names to the faces. Shuuichi and Maki’s mentors. People who had been opposite the Dicean admins in the war, at least partially. 

Hopefully their kids would bring more comfort than being here as is could ever hope to bring. 

Laughing lightly at Nekomaru’s insistence that he wasn’t here for any kind of work, Aiichi nodded. “I would hope not. It’s wonderfully to finally meet you two, Mr. Nidai and Ms. Kirigiri, though our acquaintance is also appreciated, Ms. Luna. Maki and Shuuichi are beloved parts of our family, and are incredible people on their own merits.”

“As for Miyako, I believe my son, Kokichi, is on ‘baby duty’ as they call it, but hopefully you all should get to meet once things have calmed down a bit.” Swerving back into business talk, Aiichi tilted his head a bit. “Are you all going to be staying at the castle during your visit? I wouldn’t want to intrude on your other plans, but we can definitely have rooms made up for you if so.”

Nekomaru and Kirigiri looked… mildly startled at that, though Nekomaru laughed after a moment and Kyoko went back to looking carefully neutral. Family… was an interesting word. Certainly that might apply to Shuichi, but Maki? Odd…

“We would appreciate any accomodations you may allow, your grace. Is there a servant in particular we should seek for information?” Kyoko asked. 

Behind them, carefully balancing all of their luggage in a far too tall tower, Kaito quickly hurried, put the luggage down at the stairs, gave the group a sorta panicked look to see if they had seen him do that, decided they hadn’t, and ran full speed upstairs. Clearly, from the kings angle, trying not to be seen from the trio.

It didn’t show on his face, but Aiichi was...pretty baffled and bemused at the little scene by the stairs. The kids were going to have their hands full, huh… 

Smiling back at Kyouko, Aiichi thought for a moment before speaking. “Yes, I’ll find Hajime--he’s one of the shift leads for our housekeeping department. He’ll be able to ‘check out’ rooms for you all, and make sure they’re accommodated for guests. Rest assured, we keep all our guest rooms clean, but we’ll want to make sure you’ll have everything you need,” the king soothed, voice friendly. 

His voice implied absolutely nothing, but there was a lingering look between Kyouko and Oliver as he asked, “Three rooms for you all?”

“Three will do, ye--”

“So cooooold.” Oliver whined, throwing her arms around Kyoko’s arm, who jolted, looking genuinely shocked and a little alarmed as Oliver nuzzled her face into Kyoko’s arm, pouting at the king, “Two, please.” She said, her voice still unbearably soft, but her actions and body language loud and confident as she said, “Kyoko and I will share a room. Right, Ki-ki?”

Again, Kyoko looked alarmed, borderline afraid… before she forced her face to relax. Looking down at Oliver for a moment before hesitantly nodding, “...yes, my apologies. Two will be fine, your grace.”

Aiichi’s expression softened and...well. As much as he could put many Diceans at ease, he knew well that he often had the opposite effect for those who lived in Luminary. But he hoped they knew. Could recognize his own recognition, as a person who had loved deeply once. 

“No problem. Once the rooms are settled for you, I will ask Hajime to show you where they are, and he should be able to answer other questions about the castle and surrounding city you might have.” Nodding, Aiichi gestured to the other places he talked about. “While we’re sending many of our friends back to their homes with to-go meals, there’s still food in the dining hall if you’re hungry in the meantime, bathrooms are marked down that hall to the right, and there are various sitting rooms farther down the hall if you wanted a moment to yourselves. Of course, I expect you’re eager to talk with your charges. If you have any questions during your stay, I and the others on staff will do our bests to help.”

Normally, that would be a good moment to excuse himself to get their rooms set up, but… Aiichi gave the trio a softer look. “I’m sure you’ve heard, but as we have discovered over the past year, many of the social customs between Luminary and Dicea are dramatically different. I will assure you now that no one in the castle means offence or disrespect, and we are all trying to broaden our understandings of one another. I hope you will understand as well for any mistakes. Please, don’t hesitate to talk to me during your stay.”

“Thank you, you’re grace. We will be exceedingly cordial, we are not here to cause any conflicts with the Dicean people.” Kyoko assured the king, bowing again, “May we take your leave?”

Well...that may be cause for misunderstanding on its own. But they were all learning. 

Giving them all a nod in return, Aiichi smiled. “You may. Have a wonderful rest of your day.”

-

Maki and Shuichi found Timothy and, urgently, shoo’d him and Chase up to the prince’s room, coming in urgently and locking the door behind them.

“...Shuichi.” Maki growled.

“I know, I know, I’m sorry.” Shuichi said, sitting at the bed and putting his head in his hands, “I screwed up, I’m sorry.”

Timothy looked between his uncle and mom curiously, before heading over to Kokichi, Chase at his heels as he said softly to Miyako, “Hello, little sister. Your father screwed up, apparently. Can I hold her, Uncle Kokichi?”

“No, Timothy, she’s too little, we’re trying not to let too many people hold her yet.” Maki told him, frowning, “And don’t say your uncle screwed up, it’s impolite… you did screw up though. You couldn’t open one letter?”

Shuichi groaned. 

Kokichi looked over in surprise as his family--sans Kaito--came into the room, all of them seeming...in quite a different mood than he had been expecting. And sooner than he thought, since he could still hear chatter from the front of the castle. 

Still, he gave his nephew a small smile. “Hey, Tim. Once she can start holding her head up, you can start holding her, promise--though, I’d have a time handing her over right now anyway; she seems pretty attached to my shirt right now. You can softly rub her back a bit if you want, though.” 

Looking up, Kokichi looked at Shuuichi and Maki with a slight bit of concern. There were...a lot of messages being sent right now. “...what happened? Is everyone okay?”

Timothy was content to try to rub Miyako’s back, Miyako giving him long, sleepy blinks, tightening her grip on Kokichi and yawning slightly. Blinking slowly, apparently determined to keep straddling the line between sleepy time and wakey-wakey.

“... is everything okay?” Shuichi whispered.

“Yes.” Maki decided, before her eyes flickered to the door uncertainly, “No?”

“Yes?” Shuichi echoed, before shaking his head, “No… our mentors are here. And we freaked out. And Kaito ordered them to go talk to Aiichi to give us time to deal with it, but… oh my god our mentors are here.”

“I should be thrilled! I love my mentor!” Maki said, pacing back and forth in the room, “I was happy to see him back in the capital… why is he here?”

“...isn’t he the head royal assassin?” Timothy asked, eyes widening slightly, looking a little dazzled, “Is he gonna teach me anyth--”

“No.” Maki snapped, giving Timothy a hard look. “No. Absolutely not.”

Kokichi’s eyes widened, though he kept his center calm. Baby duty meant keeping the baby safe and happy. But...yeah. That explained why Maki and Shuuichi were looking all like...that. 

“...your mentors still have jobs at the capital right?” Kokichi softly asked. He hadn’t heard anything about them being booted out of the administration, at least. “Then...that would mean they’re here on vacation. Probably to see you guys.”

...but even if Maki loved her mentor...she and Shuuichi both had complicated relationships with them. 

But it wasn’t like they could just demand they leave...or, at least Kokichi and Aiichi couldn’t. They were here already. 

Kokichi frowned slightly, his eyes going far away as his brain whirred. “...I can talk to my dad about watching Miya, if you guys want some backup. But...you are going to have to talk to them. And about what...their plans are here...with you.”

He glanced up at Shuuichi, worry in his eyes. “...are you okay? Seeing her?”

Shuichi groaned again… before getting up, heading to his dresser, and pulled out a literal stack of letters, sighing as he went back to the bed, put them down, started opening them.

“...Shuichi, I’m messaging to inform you that myself and Mr. Nidai are going to take advantage of the caravans heading to the Dicea capital at the end of winter to come take a visit. We are excited to meet your children, Timothy and Miyako, and would hope that you will have everything ready for our arrival…”

He tossed the letter aside, opening another, scanning it, “Shuichi, you are rejecting my phone calls, so I cannot confirm if you know we are visiting. I will continue to send you letters to ensure you…”

Another letter, “Shuichi, I’ve heard your pregnancy is going well. I would like to inform you that a third person is coming with us, a woman named Oliver Luna, who I would quite like to introduce you too…” he tossed it aside, grabbing another, “Shuichi, your due date is arriving, and I wish to assure you that we will only be a few weeks later, and we are excited to… uuuuuuugh.”

Shuichi leaned back onto the bed, covering his face in the letters as he continued to groan. 

Kaito headed inside, closing the door behind him, looking around as he huffed from running… okay. What was happening. Timothy was petting Miyako. That was super cute. Maki and Shuichi looked stressed. That wasn’t great. He had triggered the mentors conditioning! Kokichi was going to be disappointed in him! AHHHHHH!!!

“Everything is fine!” Kaito grinned, “Everything is fine. Wow! Your mentors are here! ...Wow! That’s exciting! And fun! And great!”

“UUUUUGH.”

Maki was pacing harder.

Kokichi watched Shuuichi read out the letters with a worried look. ...he wondered what else was in those letters. If there were at least apologies for her silence--he could understand not wanting to explain through something that could be intercepted, but at least an apology would be a start. If there was anything more in them that was more than just...business as usual, as if she hadn’t cut Shuuichi off entirely when he really needed the steady reassurance of a parent. 

The wording was formal, but that was what Kokichi had come to expect from his family’s stories about the woman, but...he could see fondness there.

And he desperately hoped different, but...he had once tried to see Byakuya’s fondness in letters too. At least the snippets didn’t make out Miss Kirigiri like she thought Shuuichi was an idiot…

...maybe just someone who would take things without complaint.

But it wasn’t his place to analyze people he’d never met, or decide his family’s feelings for them. His role was to support them. 

Kokichi sighed softly, Miyako a comforting weight in his arms. “...they’re your mentors, but you guys are adults. Not even currently in the vocation they had trained you in. You guys are entitled to set boundaries with them, you know.”

Kaito clapped his hands together, “Right! Boundaries!”

Miyako whined, shifting slightly in Kokichi’s arm. Claps are too loud…

Kaito winced. “My bad.” He said softly, “Booooundaries… boundaries that we gotta figure out soon, because they are downstairs talking to the king, and I don’t know how long that’ll distract them. I can basically tell them that you two are doing a ‘task’ for the rest of forever, if you guys want me too, buuuuut that doesn’t really feel like a good… long term solution.”

“...” Maki puffed out her cheeks, breathing deeply from her nose… “Timothy. You’re not allowed to be alone with Mr. Nidai. Another adult must always be present.”

“Okay, okay, good start… he’s not a bad guy!” Kaito suddenly said, looking to Kokichi, waving his hands in front of himself, “That’s… Maki? Do you want to explain?”

“I need to make certain Mr. Nidai understands that Timothy is not an assassin in training before he can be alone with him.” Maki said, still pacing, thinking furiously, “I told him that I had adopted Timothy instead, when I went to visit, but he seemed fairly certain  was just playing some political workaround here. Timothy’s at the point in his ‘training’ where… my mentor… he’s much more serious about proper training than I am. I don’t want him to use any of his training methods on Timothy, I don’t want it to even be a possibility.”

Timothy raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced as he said, “He’s more strict than you, mom?”

“Ha! Heh… ah kid.” Kaito grinned at Timothy, “Trust me, in comparison to her mentor? Your mentors a big ol’ softy. Again, not that he’s a… bad guy. He let up so much when you got older...”

“Because he knew I’d survive by then.” Maki muttered, still pacing. Her mentor had a philosophy, when it came to training future assassins… if they couldn’t hack it in the long run? An early death was kinder than a death at the hands of their enemies. Assasins could meet terrible fates on the field… but not Nekamaru’s charges. By the time they reached actual field work, they were going to survive. He had ensured it.

But he took on a lot more charges than ever got to the field.

Nekomaru loved his children. Truly. But both he and they had been born into terrible circumstances, and he had been put into a position where he had to make terrible choices. Maki knew that. She didn’t resent him for what happened to her siblings, she understood how little choice he had. How he had genuinely been trying his best for them. How he had wanted them all to succeed, every time.

But he was not pulling any of that shit on Timothy.

“Alright! Timothy can’t be alone wth Mr. Nidai! What else? Come on, let’s all try to get on the same page.” Kaito grinned, almost clapping again, but remembering Miyako, tapping his fingers together as he said, “Shuichi?”

“...” Shuichi sighed, sitting up. “...you know, I was just talking about her to Dr. Ford yesterday. I told him that my mentor was basically out of my life, and I didn’t want to change that. He said it was okay, that sometimes you just needed to distance yourself from people…”

“...so, should we…” Kaito hesitated, before squaring his shoulders. Frowning. “I can make her leave, Shuichi. Just give me the word and it’s done. She won’t come anywhere near you.”

“...no.” Shuichi sighed, running a hand over his face, “I want to see her. As frustrating as that is, I do. It was… amazing to see her. For that brief moment. I felt happy, I just… wasn’t ready to talk to her. I don’t know what I should say.”

“Aa, shhh, it’s okay, Dad’s just excited… Aw, Miya-Miya, you’re good…” Kokichi quietly cooed, soothing Miyako. 

...they would probably want to see the baby. And, honestly, Kokichi was alright with that--they were Shuuichi and Maki’s family. But it would probably be a little scary for Miyako--too many strange feelings around. As long as they had an exit strategy, though--and a crying baby was a damn good one--it would be alright. 

It was...harder for Shuuichi and Maki to have exit strategies for themselves, though. 

He gave Maki a concerned look, even through Kaito reassuring that her mentor was a good guy. Maki...never really talked at length. But sometimes...he didn’t know. There was a profound...fear in her, sometimes, when the subject of the past got brought up in certain ways. 

...he understood enough. But...well, it was like Maki said. Mr. Nidai would have to understand too. 

Okay, no leaving Timothy with him. 

And Shuuichi…

Kokichi gave him a soft look. “...you could start with that. Say you’re not ready to talk, but you would like to eventually. It’s a long trip back to Luminary...it’s not like they’ve planned to be here for just a few days. You have time to process.”

“And if it gets to be too much for you guys,” Kokichi looked to both Maki and Shuuichi, something piercing in his eyes. “I will personally pay for their board at a hotel, if you need that space. I’ll back up any boundary you want to place, physical or emotional. Family can be difficult...do what you need to.”

Shuichi nodded at that, giving Kokichi a small, grateful look, before sighing.

“...why am I mad at her again?” He asked. Looking genuinely uncertain. Fiddling with the end of his cap as he said, “I know I have reasons, but now that I know she’s… just downstairs… it’s like my minds blank. I can’t remember why I’m so upset… maybe I’m exaggerating it in my head…”

Kaito sighed at that, going to sit over by Shuichi, putting an arm over his shoulder and kissing his temple, “You sent her six letters in a row before you gave up. Over a period of months. She refused your calls. And you were pregnant, and scared, and recovering from a terrible addiction that made you terrified she had disowned you, and she still ignored you. You’re not exaggerating. You gave her every chance possible.”

Maki gave Shuichi an uncertain look… before nodding. Sitting at his other side, leaning her shoulder against his. “She had reasons. I tried to explain them to you, but… I stopped when I realized how hurt you actually were. She handled it poorly, regardless of her reasons. You needed her and she wasn’t there for you.”

“...were they good reasons?” Shuichi asked softly.

“...” Maki shrugged, “In the middle of the war, I thought they were. Now? I don’t know. Maybe I feel differently about it now… I don’t think I’d do it to Timothy for the same reasons, now. But I have the benefit of seeing how it played out with you. I suppose all I can really say is that I believe she was trying her best.”

“...but you don’t have to forgive her for that.” Kaito said on Shuichi left side, resting his head against his boyfriends, “I personally don’t care if it’s objectively the ‘wrong’ choice. You want to kick her out of your life? Fuck her...sorry Miya don’t curse like dad.”

“...” Shuichi sighed. “...if I invited her, or, them, Mr. Nidai and… whoever this Miss Luna is? If I invited them out to coffee or something, would you all come too? I don’t want to end up stuck in the dining room with them and having nowhere to run but upstairs. I don’t want to feel trapped to this floor if things go wrong.”

...it was a difficult thing. Wanting to forgive someone, but...not knowing if they deserved that forgiveness. Or even flat out knowing that they didn’t. Being unsure if forgiveness was your path forward, if it wouldn’t just hurt you more, if acceptance was the road you needed, despite that awful feeling of not wanting to cut them out. 

It was something Shuuichi hadn’t processed yet, and if he had just brought it up with his therapist yesterday, then it was something he likely wouldn’t have come even close to the end of processing for a while. They had time, but not forever. 

But more than just a few hours, despite what Miss Kirigiri might want. 

Kokichi nodded a bit along with Kaito’s words. “...sometimes, someone can make the best decision they can in a situation. And it can still be awful. Sometimes it is their fault, sometimes it isn’t. But it doesn’t change that you were hurt, and regardless of her reasons and intent...that hurt requires effort to heal. And you’re the one that gets to choose if she has a hand in helping you heal--she doesn’t get to decide that. But you don’t have to choose now, and you can change you mind at any point.”

Smiling, Kokichi shifted Miyako in his arms gently. “Of course I’ll come. Just give me some time to find Ikuo so he can watch Miya.”

“We don’t have to do it now. Or even today.” Kaito advised, brow furrowing in concern. “I mean it. I’ll tell them we’re not doing this today. We can do it tomorrow.”

Shuichi shrugged, then paused and seemed to consider it… before shrugging again. “Maybe…” and then his eyes narrowed, as he said, “But they’re the ones exhausted from months of traveling while sleeping in a cramped place with other strangers… why wait for them to rest when we have the upper hand?”

“...true.” Maki whispered, before getting up, “I’m going to put on a skirt.”

“That’s a good point, where’s my baton?” Shuichi murmured to himself, heading over to the closet and looking for one of his blazers with the holders on the inside.

Kaito looked around at his sidekicks, before grinning sheepishly at Kokichi, “They’ll be fine, it’s just to make them feel safe. Um, want me to hold Miya while you go look for Ikou?”

Kokichi sighed, though he couldn’t help the soft chuckles that left him. They really were odd ones...but it would probably match up with their mentors’ own idiosyncrasies. 

“It’ll be alright,” Kokichi tiredly grinned up at Kaito. He really would never get a comfortable parent-meeting for any of his partners, huh. “They know getting in a fight would get us arrested. Yeah, if you don’t mind, hun… She really is clamped onto my shirt, though, could you…?”

He held Miyako out slightly, hoping to transfer her into Dad’s arms and gently pry his shirt away too.

“M~iiiiyaaaa.” Kaito whispered to Miyako, tapping at her arm a little, while Miyako sleepily looked up at him, “M~iiiiiiya, come on now… time to let daddy go… you have such a strong grip. My little buff baby… come on Miya…”

Timothy watched in amusement as his father started trying to gently yank the shirt from the baby’s grip. Miyako looked like she barely noticed it was happening, still just curiously looking up at him, her grip never so much as wavering.

“Miya~aaaa… okay, babe, you might have to sacrifice the shirt.”

Kokichi sighed and gently ducked out of his shirt, pressing his fingers gently and lovingly to the side of Miyako’s head. “Don’t let her put it in her mouth, okay? It’s not good for her to get in the habit, even if the dye’s set. I won’t be long.”

With a detour to grab a new shirt from the closet--ooh, he liked this one, a wide, off the shoulder T-shirt just barely too long to be called a croptop, patterned with small frogs and lilypads all over it--Kokichi sent a fond look over his shoulder before setting off, aiming to find his dad. 

Thankfully, Ikuo wasn’t too tucked away in the recesses of the castle, and had even given Kokichi a heads up on where the mentors’ rooms were, a middle hallway on the second floor, and...before he knew it…

Mr. Nidai was an enormous man. Not as tall as, say, Fuyuji, but, like, no one was, and only comparing height was doing the man a great disservice. That he still had the unassuming stealth to be an assassin with his frame just made him all the more impressive to Kokichi, and there was a certain sort of intensity to him. Not quite like Maki’s blistering inferno, but...more like electricity. 

Miss Kirigiri, though Shuuichi had mentioned her penchant for pinks and purples before, still caught Kokichi a little off guard, but it only took one look in her eyes before Kokichi could firmly connect her with the woman he’d been told about. ...he knew he was biased. He hoped things could work out. 

And Miss Luna...was a complete wildcard. None of his friends knew about her either, but…

…

He didn’t know. It might’ve just been how the light reflected off her hair just so, or something about the curve of her nose…

...hopefully they’d all get to know each other better. 

Kokichi had smiled brightly as they met up in front of the castle to head out, giving the three older adults a small, oddly refined and appropriate bow. “I’m Kokichi Momota Ouma, it’s my greatest pleasure to meet you all. Shuu-chan and Maki-chan mean the world to me, so I hope I can get to know you too.”

...as much as his friends wanted him to get to know them.

All three of them bowed after a slightly confused moment-- Kokichi had done it in the wrong order-- but assumed, basically correctly, that it was a culture difference and just slid into their bows right after.

“Your grace.” Kyoko said softly, standing up and her eyes glancing over to Shuichi, who shifted uncomfortably by Kaito’s side, “It has been… quite amazing, to hear word of how well you have taken to my charge. I have been informed that charges and mentors, as a relationship, do not mean the same thing in Dicea as they do in Luminary, so I’m not sure how well I can portray to you that your acceptance of Kaito’s conc--”

“HA HA HA I’m so sorry, things were so crazy earlier, I didn’t have a chance to really greet you guys myself! Mr. Nidai!” Kaito shouted, grinning brightly, opening his arms wide, “It’s so amazing to see you! Again, I’m so sorry for earlier, things were hectic--wah!”

Kaito had been expecting it-- which was exactly why he had initiated it-- but he still yelp in surprise as Mr. Nidai, suddenly LIT UP by Kaito’s excited attention, went over and swept Kaito up into his arms, hugging him tight and thumping him companionably on the back with loud THWAP, THWAP, THWAP as he shouted, “THERE’S MY BOISTEROUS PRINCE! I THOUGHT THESE DICEANS HAD GONE AND MADE YOU STUFFY, BOY! AWWWWW THE CHILDREN ARE BACK! IT’S A GOOD DAY!”

Setting Kaito down, who swayed slightly, his back having cracked several times in that backbreaking hug, Nekomaru looked to Shuichi next. To his credit, he was much gentler with the detective, drawing him into his arms and petting hm lightly on the back as he said, “WE WERE SO RELIEVED TO HEAR HOW WELL THE DELIVERY HAD GONE, SHUICHI! Now, tell me… since the delivery…” Nekomaru looked down at Shuichi, taking his head in his hands and, turning it left and right, frowning, observing him… “... HAVE YOU BEEN SHITTING REGULARLY?!”

Shuichi sighed. “Yes, Mr. Nidai.”

“BIG, THICK SHITS? NOT THAT WATERY SHIT? WE’VE TALKED ABOUT THIS, WE CAN GO TALK TO THE HEALERS RIGHT NOW--”

“I’ve been taking normal shits, Mr. Nidai.” Shuichi grumbled.

Oliver, who had been watching all of this with thoughtful, curious eyes… reached over to Kyoko, took her arm and rested her head against the other woman’s shoulder, said to Shuichi, “It’s good that you're healthy. It has only been two weeks though. Are you sure you don’t want to stay within the castle? We don’t mind, if it’s easier on you… my… my name is Oliver. Oliver Luna. I’ve heard a lot about you, Shuichi.”

Shuichi gave the woman a wary look, raising an eyebrow at her clutching of his mentors arm… before his eyes widened with understanding. And a memory. Oh… Miss Kirigiri hadn’t just brought a companion, she had brought… oh. Huh.

“... um, it’s lovely to meet you, Miss Luna.” Shuichi muttered, shifting his cap lower, not sure what to do with meeting his mentors apparent girlfriend. That was strange… he supposed it didn’t really change anything though. He supposed it was good she had found someone… “And, it’s fine. My recovery has been going very well. And the cafe we have in mind isn’t far.”

…

...Kokichi was...very close to simply not caring. Making an ordeal. For the most part, he didn’t care about how people thought their relationship looked, but...Miss Kirigiri wasn’t just a random Luminary citizen. Regardless of if Shuuichi wanted her in his life going forward...she had been his mom. 

And Kokichi was not going to stand for her believing that he was simply tolerating Kaito’s fling.

But...at least at first, he held his tongue, let Kaito divert and...okay, that was pretty cute. It was kind of hilarious, seeing how boisterous Mr. Nidai could be, paired with how level Maki usually was, and he could just imagine what the two of them looked like while she had been growing up. (At least the happier moments.)

And Miss Luna…

Huh. 

Taking a breath, Kokichi smiled at Miss Kirigiri. “Shuu-chan’s told me you’re a fan of green tea and black coffee. He’s said that what we have here isn’t quite the same, but hopefully you’ll be able to find a version that pleases your palette the same.”

“...and...for the record, Shuu-chan is my boyfriend too. It’s not for politics. I don’t mind how people choose to view our family, but...when I do get a say? I love Shuu-chan endlessly.”

Kyoko’s brow pinched slightly, not looking upset, just slightly confused as she said, “Um, yes… I apologize, I think I’ve given the wrong impression. That was what I was pleased to hear. That you had accepted Shuichi into your relationship, as a polycule, despite his stat--”

Kaito cracked his knuckled like he might actually rip them out from the joints, as he said, “Of course! Legalities aside, this is a three-way, mutual relationship, and--”

Shuichi and Maki were both giving Kokichi mildly confused looks, though it was Shuichi who sighed first, understanding blooming on his face. Interrupting Kaito as he said, “We haven't talked about concubines, have we.” he said. It not really a question.

“It’s only legally.” Kaito insisted, fussing with his joints more, “And I didn’t… it was Byakuya who… Can we… can we walk and talk? I’d like to walk and talk.”

“Of course, your grace.” Kyoko said, bowing her head lightly, the three older adults moving with the youngers as Kaito lead them forward.

“...” Kaito walked closer to Kokchi, took his hand, and said, “It’s not a bad thing. It’s a legal thing, and it was kind of sprung on me, and I wasn’t sure how to talk to you about it. I’m sorry this is how its coming up. Can… can I talk to you about it now?” He said quietly.

...now Kokichi was the one looking around at all of them, confused. That...was just what Miss Kirigiri said, was it not?

Apparently not.

Kokichi easily took Kaito’s hand, looking up at his husband with...a little more of an idea--legal stuff--but still...confused. And now a little embarrassed by how in the dark he was. 

At least the mentors knew he was willing to stand up for Shuuichi. 

“...yeah. I’m guessing it’s a legal protection thing?” Kokichi murmured to Kaito, squeezing his hand gently, trying to show his husband that he wasn’t upset with him. At least not seriously. 

“Yeah… alright, to make a long, kinda shitty story shorter, it used to be in Luminary that there were some very strict laws of who you were and weren’t allowed to marry. In a way, those laws still exist. You can’t legally get married to two people in Luminary, because of inheritance reasons and status reasons. Luminary families had a head of the household, and their spouse is meant to be the next head of the household unless a will legally appoints a lower member of the family to head before they’re more fit to handle managing the household. But usually, spouse is default. And the more land and wealth and status you had, the more important that was. So, a lot of marriages were… well, like ours. More business arrangements than anything.”

“But, people still… accidently knocked each other up, or fell in love, or did things that made others financially dependent on them… maybe that’s being too kind.” Kaito sighed, “It was also just… straight up a profession for some people… I’m sorry, I’m trying to paint this in the best way possible. The concept of a ‘concubine’ was made so that when a high ranking person did something that made a low ranking person dependent on them through a relationship, that the low ranking person had some legal protection and benefits for that relationship. Basically, concubines are considered sort of… second-class spouses. So long as they are a concubine, they get a title of lord or lady, making them nobility, and even if they themselves are disowned from their…” Kaito didn’t want to say the word. The word had been the main reason he had avoided telling Kokichi about any of this. He wasn’t Shuichi’s master. “... the person who had taken them on as a concubine and they lost their title, their children were still recognized as nobility, and their concubine parents still got legal protection through that. It basically made it so that long term lovers of high ranking people couldn’t just be cast out with their children onto the streets if the spouses of their lovers got jealous or vengeful or, ya know…just sorta found out they existed.”

“Concubines are almost unheard of today in Luminary, its a law thats still in place but no one practices. But when I got Shuichi pregnant, Byakuya wanted to be certain that if a daughter I was claiming didn’t end up being a Momota, she’d still have legal protections and privileges in Luminary. So, he went and made Shuichi legally my concubine in Luminary, which makes him a lord, and would have ensured Miyako was at least a lady of the court. Shuichi literally owns land in Luminary right now, managed by my families accountants on his behalf. We are… at least in Luminary… well, we’re a legal couple.”

“...you accepting Shuichi into our relationship as a third person, despite him being my concubine, is considered an extremely loving act in Luminary, considering those protections were made specifically to protect lovers from spouses. Which is why Miss Kirigiri was trying to thank you. Sending out that pamphlet claiming him was an act of open acceptance and devotion to him. They know you care about him. In Luminary, you claiming him puts you at a political disadvantage, not an advantage. That’s why everyone looked confused by what you said…” 

“I’m sorry, now that I’m explaining it, I realize I could have told you all of this ages ago. I just… the term concubine comes with a lot of social… hangups.” Kaito said softly, squeezing Kokichi’s hand, “That I was afraid to tell you about. Some people will look at Shuichi as a paid whore, someone only with me because of the benefits I come with. Some people will talk about him like I own him. I just… didn’t want that knowledge to hurt you. Because you love him, and he doesn’t deserve people to think that. He doesn’t like to think of himself like that either… it’s why he doesn’t talk about it.”

Kokichi listened intently to Kaito, eyes focused and intent in that distant way as he tried to extrapolate legal language from the story Kaito told. ...it was a very protective thing that Byakuya had done, and Kokichi understood why he’d done it. And...it was, as Kokichi had been coming to understand as he learned more about the actions and attitudes Luminaries took...a very Luminary thing to do. 

It was something ensuring that if Shuuichi and Miyako needed to, they would have property and legal rights in Luminary. 

...something that Shuuichi desperately didn’t want, and never wanted for Miyako. It was Luminaries applying Luminary law and assuming that it applied in Dicea. 

“I see…” Kokichi hummed after a moment. “I wish you had told me before, but...you’re right. I don’t enjoy the thought of people talking about Shuu-chan like that, but...that’s what I mistakenly extrapolated from Miss Kirigiri anyway,” he explained, turning slightly to give the woman an apologetic nod. 

…

“...what a pain,” Kokichi sighed, running a hand through the back of his hair and touseling a bit. “I’ve apparently already said what I meant through actions, and people are still gonna be weird about it. How exhausting. But...I mean, I meant what I said before. People are gonna be weird no matter what--as long as the people who actually know us understand, it doesn’t really matter what crazy misconceptions they have. If they’re so fussed about other people’s lives, they can come say it to our faces, then get learned since they’re so obviously wrong.”

Kokichi tipped his head back a little. “...maybe we should start offering international law courses… Might start clearing at least a little of it up.”

“We could ask Kaede to send some lawyers to talk to Dicean lawyers to hash out a curriculum.” Kaito suggested, feeling an immense weight lift off his shoulders at Kokichi’s lack of outrage. He had been… so worried. That Kokichi would be furious with him over Shuichi’s status. Kaito loved their boyfriend. He knew Kokichi knew that. Shuichi was… fuck, there probably was only a few people in Kaito’s life who could compete with him, for Kaito’s true loyalty.

But legally ‘belonging’ to Kaito put a bad taste in his mouth. Honestly, Kaito didn’t like to think about Shuichi’s concubine status any more than Shuichi did. And Kaito had probably been projecting a lot of that discomfort onto imaginary conversations he could have had about it with Kokichi.

It’s not like that status meant anything in Dicea. It still made Kaito uncomfortable though.

Shuichi and Maki were talking together slightly behind them, whispering to each other and glancing over at their mentors, who all seemed perfectly content to not say anything at all. It was a quiet, not entirely comfortable trip to the cafe after that.

Pushing a few tables together, getting their orders in and sitting outside-- Shuichi had taken one look at Kaito and insisted they sit outside. His boyfriend was looking a little jumpy, the noise of the cafe might not have been enough-- they all sat down, the three older Luminaries watching Diceans come and go down the streets in interest.

“...why didn’t we have a lawyer come with us for the treaty?” Kaito suddenly realized, the thought entering his mind literally twenty minutes later.

“The secretaries refused them.” Kyoko said simply, waiting for her green tea, Shuichi sitting opposite and to her right. He had ordered a black coffee. He couldn’t help himself. “Argued lawyers wouldn’t travel well.”

It was, as Dr. Mariah would say, absolutely ridiculous. The situation, their lives… But there were far worse things to misspeak about than defending how wonderful you thought your partner was, and how committed to them you were. 

Kokichi would just have to be prepared, he supposed, for any other Luminary visitors they might have in the future, and any mistaken views they might have. 

Having ordered an iced vanilla drink, the weather too warm for his Dicean blood to get a hot drink, Kokichi snorted softly and sought out Shuuichi’s hand under the table, stroking his thumb comfortingly down the side of his hand. “In fairness,” and Kokichi couldn’t believe he was going to be fair to them, “Not much of the actual terms changed when we had our final meetings about it. Everyone was certainly suspicious enough, but that’s the exact reason why I think no one tried to slip any unbalanced agreements in at the last moment.”

Glancing over to Shuuichi, Kokichi gave his hand a squeeze, gently prompting his boyfriend to start up at least the admission of his complex feelings. It was...harder than just out and saying it, though, he knew.

Shuichi glanced over at Kokichi, shifting uncomfortably but squeezing his hand back. He knew he had to say something, that was the whole point of the trip to this cafe… but how do you start to--

“Ki-ki.” Oliver hissed, her incredibly soft voice still managing to sound chastising as she kicked the other woman under the table. “We’ve traveled months to get here. Are you seriously going to wait for him to start?”

Kyoko glared at the other woman briefly, Nekomaru chuckling on the other side of her as he sipped on… where the hell had he gotten alcohol?? They hadn’t even gotten their normal drinks yet, where the fuck had the mead come from??? “Your little lady has a point, love. Could have just stayed home if you wanted the kids to make the first move.”

“... Shuichi,” Kyoko finally said, looking exhausted, but squaring her shoulders, “I’ve come a long way to inform you that I have been knowingly cruel, this last year. And, if you’ll hear me out, I wish to apologize and explain myself.”

Shuichi’s eyes widened at this a little… before they narrowed suspiciously. Adjust his cap a little with his free hand as he said, “...knowingly cruel?”

“Yes… there’s no gentle way to say this, so I just will.” Kyoko decided, sighing as she tucked some of her long, pink hair behind her shoulder, “I don’t know how much you know about me, now that Maki has returned to you. I don’t know what she’s already explained. I…” there was a brief, honest moment of hesitation. Like Kyoko was still afraid to say this. But she swallowed, her face neutral again, “I was a traitor to the crown and have been actively for many years now. Since you were a child. Longer than that.”

Nekomaru sipped at his mead and chuckled a little bitterly at that, but didn’t interrupt. 

“My acts of treason were carefully controlled and only known to three people in all of the world, but they were exceptionally important to the rebellion. I had the most access to information, any information, that anyone wishing to create change within Luminary could ever have, and it was important to keep my identity hidden from not only our enemies, but our allies as well. I put my lot in with several different groups, all who perished except for one, all who died or were captured never knowing my name or that I was the source. This is partly possible through my connectin with Miss Luna here, who acted as one part of the line of proxies between myself and the rebellion group, and was in constant danger doing so… constant.” Kyoko said, giving Oliver a soft look, who smiled sweetly back. 

“I kept these secrets to not only keep my access as an useful informant on the…” Kyoko glanced at Kaito, who was staring wordlessly at the street filled with people, “...royal family, but also to keep myself, and those connected to me, alive. To keep you alive, Shuichi… if I was caught, I knew they would have had you executed right alongside me, just in case. I was ready to keep the secret forever, if that was what it took.”

“But, this last year was different. With the coming takeover, the civil war, outing of my involvement with the rebel groups didn’t become just likely, but started to look like an inevitability… and depending on who won? My treason was about to be exposed, and my charge had just moved to another country. I worried that if I was exposed, and Byakuya remained king, assassins would be at your door if for no other reason than vengeance at your perceived slight against the crown, or worse, that you would be deemed a threat to Kaito and killed for that.”

“So, in a bid to try to deflect blame from you… in Luminary, after you left, I started cursing your name.” Kyoko said softly. Looking saddened by the memories, “I played up every small flaw, or imagined slight, or misstep you had ever taken, and made it obvious to anyone who would listen that I had just barely tolerated your presence as my charge. I renounced and disowned you, and… then news started coming in of terrible things happening to you in Dicea. Strange, confusing, alarming news of drugs and… rumors of abuse. A sudden pregnancy and an even more sudden declaration of your new status as a concubine. No one knew what was happening with you other than it sounded messy and dangerous and like the king was doing damage control for Kaito’s indiscretions… and to follow through on my plan, I could not show any concern. I could not acknowledge or respond to your attempts to contact me. I was trying to put into peoples minds that I didn’t trust you and never had, so that when I was discovered, no one would view you as an accomplice…”

The older woman sighed. Closing her eyes. “... I wanted to tell you, as soon as the war was over, but you were done with me, by then. And I understand why. When I first made that plan, I wasn’t… expecting you to be in a position where you would need me. I had hoped you’d barely notice my disdain, living your life in Dicea. But everything went wrong for you and I feared showing my hand would only make it worse. After all, even if I wasn’t discovered, my 180 attitude towards you would generate suspicion. Why had I been trying to disown you at all, if it wasn’t sincere? I felt I was trapped… but, that’s beside the point.”

She opened her eyes, looking calmer. “Shuichi, I understand why you refused to speak with me. And I decided I would come to Dicea to explain my case in person. Thank you for… letting me speak. I traveled a long way to say it…”

There was silence.

A waiter came by and dropped off their drinks.

Kokichi’s eyes had widened along with Shuuichi’s surprise as Miss Kirigiri started out by saying that she had been...not just hurtful, but that hurt hadn’t been by accident. ...it wasn’t business as usual, and at least for that, he could feel some of his hackles lower, mentally ready to hear the woman out. 

And...it was quite the story. 

She had been a spy, an informant, in precarious enough of a situation to not be able to trust the people she was trying to help--people that had been slaughtered by the many--and left her with...well, almost no one to rely on. (Not even Mr. Nidai, he confirmed by the man’s bitter laughs and the set of his shoulders.) It was the kind of position that left people without the option to have people close to them...and yet Kyouko had Shuuichi. 

Whether it was just to save face, going through the expected motions of having a protege...she had chosen Shuuichi, and she had cared about him. Cared about him deeply, despite being in a position that made that sort of connection deadly. 

...it was tragic, really. 

And even though Shuuichi had needed her...it was too late. For both their sakes...she couldn’t. Kokichi would’ve liked to think they could’ve protected Shuuichi in Dicea but...none of that was a factor for Kyouko, so it wasn’t a consideration she made. 

Kokichi’s gaze lowered in sadness, his shoulders low in the silence that followed. ...it was like he said earlier. Sometimes someone made the best decisions they could for a situation...but all that did was give reason to their actions. The damage was done, and Shuuichi was left trying to heal. 

...but the war was over now. Kyouko was speaking openly. It wasn’t the same situation anymore. 

So...it really was just Shuuichi’s decision, based on his own feelings and sense of safety and what he needed, to decide if he wanted Kyouko to be a part of his healing. 

And no matter what he decided...Kokichi would support that. Glancing over at his partner, Kokichi rubbed a gentle circle into the side of Shuuichi’s hand. Tacitly showing his support.

… the thing was, it was a good reason.

Shuichi agreed with all of that. It made sense to him, he could see a reality where he would have made the exact same choices for the exact same reasons. It aligned with his own sense of right and wrong, his own sense of responsibility, all of it. It made him feel better.

“...” Shuichi opened his mouth, and immediately felt nervous. Because there was one thing that didn’t sit well, and at the same time… he couldn’t question his mentor, but… 

He felt that small circle in his hand, and he glanced up uneasily at Miss Kirigiri, “...you were a traitor my whole life and you didn’t tell me?”

Nekomaru took a long swig of his mead at that, and Kaito kept watching the people on the street. Miss Kirigiri sighed, not looking surprised at the question, though her face went harder at that. “I did. And I won’t apologize for that, even if the thought hurts you, Shuichi. I was responsible for your well being, and that put me in a position where I had to choose to either be honest with you or to keep you safe. You were a child. I wasn’t about to make your life more dangerous than it already was by raising you into a double-life. That would have been too great a burden on you, you would have never survived it.”

Shuichi stared at her… before sighing. Suddenly looking tired as he leaned back in his chair, sipping at his black coffee-- his nose wrinkled slightly in distaste-- as he considered that. “...I knew you were keeping something from me, growing up. I thought it was just a girlfriend.”

Oliver’s eyes widened in interest at that, sipping on her sweetened chai-cafe, some of the decorative foam staying behind on the edges of her mouth as she said, “You knew about me?”

Well, that confirmed that… Shuichi gave the strange woman a small nod. “Nothing much, but I was aware you existed, and that Miss Kirigiri would meet you out in the city sometimes… I would follow you sometimes.” Shuichi confessed, glancing over at his mentor.

His mentor nodded, sipping at her green tea-- before double taking, looking at it like she wasn’t sure what it was-- “Naturally. Excellent work, though. If I noticed you were following me, I never ended up meeting Miss Luna. If you saw me with her, I was genuinely unaware you were there. How young?”

“Um… I want to say the first time I saw her I was maybe nine?”

Miss Kirigi’s eyes widened slightly in genuine shock, before her chest inflated slightly. “You really were exceptional from so young... I did my best to protect you, growing up, but your natural intelligence and aptitude for your career made it much easier than it all could have been.”

Kaito blinked, a thought entering his head, before he nudged Kokichi, grinning and saying into his ear, “It’s wild that she didn’t raise Maki, isn’t it? They’re so alike, it’s uncanny.”

“LOOK, Shuichi?” Mr. Nidai suddenly interrupted, slapping the table a little, giving the young ex-detective a fierce look, “We’ve come a LONG WAY to have this little discussion. SO, KID? WHAT’S THE WORD? YOU DONE DISOWNING HER??”

“Nekomaru,” Kyoko scowled, glaring at him, “Stop that. I don’t need you to brow-beat my charge into forgiving me.”

“YOU KNOW HOW THE KID IS! HE’LL TALK AROUND THE SUBJECT FOREVER IF YOU LET HIM! GOTTA PULL A DIRECT ANSWER OUT OF ‘EM!”

“...were you really worried I wouldn’t forgive you?” Shuchi asked quietly.

Kyoko paused, before sipping her tea again. “The thought had occurred to me. You were in another country… if you wanted me out of your life, it wouldn’t be hard to do so. You could ignore my calls and letters forever, if you wanted too… I felt coming to see you in person was the only real way forward… and I wanted to check up on you, after everything that happened. Meet your child. Make sure you were being taken care of, confirm which rumors were real and which ones were false… you do look healthy.” Kyoko observed, looking him up and down, “More meat than I’ve ever seen on you before, but a pregnancy will do that. A little tired, but a baby will do that…” she glanced over at the princes, her eyes searching, before saying, “I’d like to talk to you privately, at some point…”

“Kaito and Kokichi treat me very well.” Shuichi said, “They’re the best things that’s happened to me since I’ve gotten here. You don’t have to be afraid for me on that front… and if they weren’t, Maki would take care of it.”

Maki nodded. Nekomaru laughed loudly at that. “THERE’S MY BABY GIRL!”

Kokichi wasn’t surprised by the question Shuuichi asked, and he wasn’t surprised by the answer Kyouko gave. It was risk enough being close to Shuuichi at all. It wasn’t an act of distrust not to tell him about her allegiances--it was an act of protection. To save Shuuichi from being hurt, it was safer for him not to know. 

It still didn’t feel great, he knew. 

...and, yeah, wow, that was really a Maki way of thinking. 

Kokichi smiled slightly and pressed against Kaito affectionately as he whispered in his ear, nodding a bit. He didn’t doubt that Kyouko had some amount of influence over Maki growing up, but it really wasn’t the same as a direct mentorship. And yet? The two women had very similar sensibilities, at least when it came to some things. 

Still, Kokichi glowed with a bit of pride as Kyouko praised Shuuichi’s capabilities. He really was amazing. 

And so was Maki, naturally. 

Laughing softly as Mr. Nidai did, Kokichi nodded in agreement. “That’s very true, but I’ll still be up for talking in private if you want to give me your own version of the shovel talk. I’ve already gotten it a bit from Kai-chan’s side, so may as well round it out.”

Kaito gave Kokichi a confused look, “Shovel talk?”

“WHERE YA BURY ‘EM IF THEY FUCK UP YOUR PRECIOUS BABY!” Nekomaru laughed loudly, his stomach shaking the table a little every time he laughed, Kyoko steading her cup with thoughtless, practice ease, Maki just taking her cup off and leaning back with that same learned habit. “SHIT, I CAN’T IMAGINE WHAT THAT SOUNDED LIKE FROM OUR BOY PRINCE KAITO’S SIDE!”

“Foolish.” Kyoko sighed, sipping at her tea as Oliver softly giggled, nodding along with her as she mused, “Why warn them ahead of time? If they’re already being abusive, the threat won’t stop them. Only the action.”

“GIVES THEM TIME TO PREP, TOO.” Nekomaru shook his head, snickering, “NOBLES. ALWAYS TRYING TO CONVINCE PEOPLE TO HANG THEIR OWN NOOSES. REPUTATION ONLY WORKS TO A POINT. PEOPLE AREN’T GOOD AT PLANNING AHEAD ON THE BEST OF TIMES, HOW ARE YA GONNA CONTROL THEM THROUGH VAGUE THREATS?”

Kaito frowned at that, scratching his chin. “Isn’t that literally why we have you and Maki? To use your reputations to not have to hurt people?”

“...Awwww, my boy.” Nekomaru chuckled, shaking his head at the prince a little, before reaching over to rustle his head, “THAT’S WHY YOU’RE MY FAVORITE. DON’T EVER CHANGE, I LIKE YOUR ROSY WORLDVIEW. IT’S SWEET!”

Kaito frowned at that, idly fixing his hair… he… supposed Maki did work an awful lot, for primarily being meant to be a deterrent and a threat… his shoulders fell slightly. 

“All that said, Prince Kokichi? We would never dare threaten you.” Miss Kirigiri assured him. “It would not be our place too, and regardless of the situation between yourself and my charge, I would not risk the damages that would come from making a threat or attack against the heir-apparent of a newly allied nation. Not to mention it would be incredibly disrespectful to your position, and the risk it would put Shuichi himself in. You have our respect, and nothing to fear from us.”

It was very pretty words. Kokichi would know it was entirely a lie. Kyoko, Nekomaru, and Oliver would never just quietly go away if Kokichi proved to be an abusive partner. They weren’t raised to handle problems like that.

Kokichi smiled softly at the mentors’ brush off of the concept. They were right, but that wasn’t the reason why Kokichi personally found the concept useless. It was just...disrespectful to the person you were purportedly sticking up for. Like you couldn’t trust them to make their own judgements about people, especially for someone as important as a romantic partner. 

In their case, it was a little different, since Kokichi and Kaito didn’t have a choice about each other, and while Shuuichi could’ve rejected him, him and Kaito going to live somewhere else...he knew neither of them were brave enough for that. But...still. Spending a few moments in conversation, Kokichi hoped it was pretty apparent that the three of them had chosen each other beyond what their circumstances forced. 

Not really that he expected to earn the mentors’ trust immediately--that was waaaaaaay too far-fetched for people he expected to be about as paranoid as his family. 

Kokichi smiled distantly at Kyouko’s lie, just barely holding his tongue. About his first idea, anyway. It wasn’t fair to Kaito to say that they had better be quick since Kokichi would sooner kill himself if he purposefully hurt his partners. 

Instead, he shrugged a bit with a crooked smile. “Thanks for the attempt, but that’s not really how I roll. You have no reason to actually believe it, so I won’t mind if you nod with fair smiles and all that, but in the case of any falling out, I wouldn’t put Shuu-chan or Kai-chan at any risk of livelihood, nor would I have any capability to. You don’t have reason to believe this either, but...it would destroy me if either of them were hurt through my own means.”

“So…” Kokichi trailed off before shrugging again, running a hand through his hair. “...I would prefer if you’d just say to my face that I’d disappear without a trace for something indescribably painful before my demise, but I know that’s not how you roll either, so...here we are.”

The older Luminares all looked mildly startled at that, but Shuichi sighed and Maki and Kaito both chuckled, Kaito giving Kokichi an openly adoring look while Maki just rolled her eyes a little, sipping at her drink. “Welcome to Dicea. It doesn’t get any more predictable.” She warned them.

“People mostly only hurt each other by accident here.” Shuichi said softly. “They don’t really do ‘plots’. They’re very… open with each other.”

“Well… sorta.” Kaito said, giving Shuichi an uncertain look, “Not universally. But yeah, culturally? They’re very into talking at each other here. Lies and secrets are really offensive here.”

“I see.” Kyoko said, nodding and sipping at her drink. 

Oliver snickered at that, leaning herself against her partners body for a moment, smiling up at her and, ignoring Kyoko’s tense, uncertain look, giving her a small kiss on the cheek. Before turning to the group, she said brightly, her soft voice rasping ever so slightly in the effort to raise her volume, “So! If we’re all about being open here, why don’t you all tell us about your lives here, then? That was quite the display we saw at the castle. Who put that whole ‘plot’ together, with the exchange student idea? Hina said it was Maki here, but it seems a little too convoluted for an assassin, if I’m honest.”

Maki frowned slightly at that… before nodding slightly. “The first person to bring it up as a possibility was the former Queen Marigold. She was trying to sell the children to me for my cooperation. I had the initial idea about who to ask for as volunteers, but King Aiichi worked out the details. It’s a bit of an open secret. Like everything in Dicea. Honestly, I was relieved how seamlessly it worked.”

Luna’s eyes narrowed, her smile widening, “She tried to sell them to you? Heh~... you’re a woman that doesn’t keep to her deals then, Harukawa. Neko, you should be ashamed.”

“WHY? SO A BUNCH OF ROYALS WANTED TO PLAY STUPID GAMES WITH EACH OTHER. THOSE DIM FUCKS ARE ALWAYS THINKING THEMSELVES INTO HOLES, THE REST OF US JUST HAVE TO WAIT FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO TAKE ADVANTAGE. NO OFFENSE, YOUR GRACES.” Nekomaru shrugged, “HONOR AND LOYALTY ARE JUST CLEVER SOCIAL TRICKS TO TIE PEOPLE DOWN. I’M PROUD OF MY GIRL! THOUGH I’M RELIEVED SHE DIDN’T GET HER DUMBASS KILLED. KEPT WAITING FOR IT. YOU DONE PLAYING DANGEROUS GAMES YOURSELF, MAKI?”

Maki shrugged. “Probably not.”

“HA! UNGRATEFUL! CAN’T EVEN LIE TO HER OLD MAN AND SOOTHE HIS NERVES! MAYBE I DID RAISE YA WRONG! HA HA HA HA HA! AH WELL, KEEP SURVIVING AND PROVING ME WRONG, I GET A KICK OUT OF IT!”

He stood by his words, but Kokichi did chuckle after a moment, knowing how jarring it must seem to the mentors. But...well. Even if it wasn’t for Kaito specifically, Kokichi was trying not to avoid or sugarcoat things anymore. And that meant acknowledging the lethal intent from his boyfriend’s family.

It seemed that they were starting to settle into family talk, but...well, their family was weird, and the question that Miss Luna came out with right out of the gate was more convoluted business. But...that was just their lives.

...though he didn’t like the dig at Maki’s intelligence, and Kokichi sent Miss Luna a slight frown for the trouble, though he didn’t say anything as Maki explained. 

Nodding afterwards, mood soothed a bit by Mr. Nidai’s blatant opinions, Kokichi hummed proudly. “I was kinda all over the place trying to figure out what to do when Kai-chan and I got off the phone with Marigold initially, but Maki-chan came up with a plan like it was nothing. It was really impressive, honestly.”

...and he felt like chiming in, saying that if they had really not wanted Maki’s interference, they would’ve drawn up a contract or taken hostages, but...Kokichi didn’t like thinking about that, and he knew Kaito wouldn’t either. 

Looking back towards the castle, Kokichi smiled softly. “...Maki-chan’s siblings seem to be easing in alright too. I’m glad that they, and you and everyone else, made it here safely.”

“It’s easier to come up with plans when you have specific goals.” Maki said almost dismissively. She was slowly coming to terms with the difference of the feeling between winning the war and winning her siblings. Her siblings happiness didn’t leave her feeling full of doubt or like she hadn’t done enough: she had specific goals for them. To not be indentured. To be safe. Ideally, to even be happy. And it seemed she had succeeded at all of that, and she was at ease there. At peace with it.

The war, the government, even the abolishing of the indendentured program as a whole… Maki had accomplished what she was trying to do but… still was kept up at night wondering if it had been worth it. If she had succeeded at what she wanted to do. If she had really made things better. The program itself was a more obvious yes, but everything else…

...she reminded herself that the country losing all of its food hadn’t been her fault. It had been a freak, apparently one time occurrence. And she had taken advantage of it, yes, but she would have been insane not too. And she had been willing to do something… truly terrible… something there was no coming back from, yes, but…

… her logic always fizzled out there.

Trying to kill an entire country had been too much. Too much for her. Her mind shut down every time she tried to think about it. Subconsciously, her eyes looked around for Kaito. Focusing on him. She wouldn’t make that choice next time. Kaito had sworn. He had promised to make choices for her, when she needed him too. Maki couldn’t make a choice like that again.

Maybe it was an irrational way to soothe herself. But she felt her head clear a little at the idea. She could give Kaito the responsibility next time. He had sworn. Maki wouldn’t be left to make a choice like that all by herself, fighting back against both allies and enemies. She couldn’t. She couldn’t.

“WHAT ABOUT THE DELIVERY!? WE STILL HAVEN'T SEEN THE WEE BABE! SHE COME OUT WITH ALL TEN TOES!? HELPS FOR BALANCE YOU KNOW, HAD A CHARGE ONCE MISSING TWO, HAD TO GET THE KID SPECIAL SOCKS TO WEAR. KID HAD NERVES OF STEAL THOUGH! YOU CAN STILL GET DAMN FAR WITH MISSING TOES, DON’T YOU WORRY ABOUT YOUR GIRL TOO MUCH, SHE’LL BE FINE!”

“She’s… not missing any toes, Mr. Nidai.” Kaito grinned uneasily, “No special socks needed.”

“You’ll get to meet her, though not today. She’s been really sleepy all day, without actually sleeping. It’s probably going to be a rough night, actually.” Shuichi sighed, “We should give her every chance to sleep possible. Maybe tomorrow?”

“I would like that… are you well?” Kyoko asked, giving Shuichi a concerned look. “You shouldn’t have even been able to have a child… to go from your body changing that dramatically, straight into having a child…”

“It’s been a tough year.” Shuichi admitted softly, “But it’s been getting better. Honestly, taking care of Miyako has been one of the least stressful things we’ve done this year. And, physically, I’m well into recovery. I feel much better than I did, Miss Kirigiri.”

“It’s true, then? That the child is really all three of yours?” Oliver asked, tilting her head slightly, “I’ll admit, when I heard that, I thought it was a… somewhat bold lie. To protect the child from either country. But it’s true?”

If it had been surprising that Kyouko didn’t raise Maki, then it was surprising that Nekomaru didn’t raise Kaito. While the man definitely was louder, the kind of tangent he went on concerning Miya’s toes...it felt exceedingly similar to something Kaito might say. And the camaraderie between them...it was nice to see. 

Kokichi nodded a bit to Shuuichi’s diagnosis of sleepy baby--he’d really tried to lull her to sleep, but she seemed determined to remain in that space in between--and...yeah, he would be alright with introducing her tomorrow. 

...he should talk to Kaito, when they had a moment, to ask if he was going for Addason’s birth the day after, though…

And...glancing at both his partners, Kokichi gave Oliver a nod. “It’s a bit complicated, but yes. She’s legally all of ours regardless, but...well, you’ll see when you see her. It’s...kind of unmistakable who her parents are.”

Kaito grinned, lighting up, “She’s breathtaking. She’s so beautiful, and handsome, and precious, and sweet, and--”

Kaito kept going, Oliver looking amused but Kyoko and Nekomaru looking unsurprised, quietly just nodding along and letting Kaito go on with his stream of thought praises. Kaito, Maki and Shuichi all maybe underestimated, just how much of a presence Kyoko and Nekomaru had been in all three of their lives from an extremely young age. To say Kyoko hadn’t raised Maki, Nekomaru hadn’t raised Kaito, or that Shuichi’s relationship with them had not been a parental one but a business one was correct… technically. 

But it was the equivalent of saying Kaito and Maki had no effect on Kimiko and Cali’s development, at the moment. They were more involved with them then their own parents were, in very real ways. They saw the girls nearly every day. They had conversations constantly. Influence was inevitable.

“--her grip is incredible, Kokichi literally had to escape out of his shirt today! She’s so strong, and I know she’s literally incapable of thinking coherently right now, but I swear, I’m already seeing signs of how smart she is, she’s gonna be so smart and--”

“HA HA HA! ALRIGHT, ALRIGHT, SETTLE DOWN, PROUD PAPA. MAKI! WHEN DO I GET TO MEET THE NEW BLOOD? WHAT’S YOUR REGIME WITH HIM BEEN?”

“That’s another one that I wasn’t sure what to make of when I heard it,” Oliver said softly, like she was half talking to herself, “The… rumors around the young assassin have been wildly inconsistent over the year. There’s one particular rumor that makes no sense but keeps being repeated… about Kaito’s role?”

Kaito glanced at Maki, who had suddenly gotten tight lipped, staring down at her drink. “Oh, uh… well! Let’s do some clarification then! Um, first of all, Timothy’s ‘regime’ is mostly light exercises and school! And he’s doing great at both!”

Nekomaru frowned at that, “WHAT? THAT’S IT!? WHAT’S HIS CURRENT WEAPON TRAINING--”

“Which leads to my next point, which is that Timothy is not being trained into Maki’s career. We… know that’s what we said. So the confusion is understandable. But we changed our minds!” Kaito grinned, “Besides, he’s not indentured, and hasn’t been since he got here, so the assassin track was never a viable option for him anyway.”

“WHY NOT? LOTS OF MONEY IN THE WORK, EVEN IF HE’S NOT CONNECTED OFFICIALLY TO A GOVER--”

“We decided that was not the best track for him. It’s just not happening. That’s final.” Kaito said through gritted teeth, suddenly giving the older man an intense look… before laughing lightly, “He’s a civilian! He’s being prepped for civilian careers!”

“So he is just a civilian then?” Olive asked, “Because there was a rumor going around that you were telling people you were his father, Prince Kaito.”

“...um… well.” Now it was Kaito’s turn to look uncertain.

“In an unofficial capacity.” Maki filled in, picking up his slack now that the pressure wasn’t on her anymore. “Like an unassigned mentor. But, yes, Kaito is referred to Timothy as a ‘father’ here. It made their social dynamic easier to process in Dicea, so that’s what we went with.”

“A prince is ‘unofficially’ someone’s father?” Oliver asked, raising an eyebrow, before giving Kaito a somewhat inquisitive look, “...That sounds like a risky misunderstanding waiting to happen. If you’ll forgive me saying so, your grace.”

“... the queen already knows. It’s fine.” Kaito said, starting to pop his joints a little. “It’s not a misunderstanding. Everyone’s aware of what is happening. Timothy is never going to be a candidate for inheritance. But he can still… I’ve decided he’ll refer to me as his father, and that’s understood to be my preference. That’s all.”

Kokichi laughed fondly as Kaito gushed about their daughter, sitting back to sip at his drink. Shuuichi was right--Miyako was going to grow up with a dad constantly singing her praises. But...there were far worse things. 

...and Tim was going to get to grow up a normal kid, at least in terms of his opportunities. 

Kokichi had been firm that he would stand behind any decision Shuuichi made during this talk, but he had extended it to Maki too. Going against someone’s expectations...it hadn’t been Kokichi’s deal with his parents. But he could still see the strain of it. 

But...the best people to explain in a way the mentors would expect were his family, who had grown up with the same expectations. So Kokichi didn’t chime in that...no, there actually wouldn’t be much money in the assassin business in Dicea, and that Tim, and Maki for that matter, would be at much higher risk for arrest even through his training. That Tim was a citizen of Dicea because...that was the only “ranking” for anyone in Dicea. 

And...well...his relationship with Kaito…

Kokichi gave Kaito a soft look before nodding to the table. “In every way that matters? Kai-chan is Tim’s dad. It just means that if Tim ever got in trouble with the law, Maki-chan’s the first person people would talk to. But for emergency contacts for school and any medical stuff, Kai-chan is listed there too.”

“HEH. ALRIGHT THEN… SO, WITH THAT IN MIND…” 

Nekomaru suddenly kicked Kaito’s feet from under him, shoving his ankles down and redistributing his weight so that Kaito lurched forward, Kaito watching his own (hot! Hot!!) cup of coffee suddenly becoming his whole vision as Nekomaru, making it look like he was catching Kaito before he managed to bang his entire face into the coffee cup but only keeping his grip tight, drawing him closer to it. The steam of it tickling his skin as Kaito looked at his own reflection in the coffee.

“You aren’t playing with my little girl’s feelings, are you? Prince Kaito?” Nekomaru asked, his voice incredibly soft and quiet. Eyes calm and cold. “Taking up a kid with her and not claiming her? She’s not acting out the role of an unacknowledged concubine? You wouldn’t do that to my Maki? Right?”

Maki sighed and rolled her eyes, just sipping at her drink.

Shuichi patted Kokichi’s knee. Not worried about it either, and trying to reassure Kokichi if he was alarmed.

“N-no, Mr. Nidai! Nope! N-not what’s happening!” Kaito squeaked out, sitting back up as the larger man let his grip go. “We’re just friends! I took responsibility as Tim’s father because I put Maki in the position of raising him in the first place! I-it felt like the responsible thing to do, to try to help as equally as I can, considering I put her in this positon! But no, no, it’s not a relationship like that! Maki is single and free to date anyone she wants! Right? Maki!?”

“...” Maki suddenly looked away sadly, “I suppose Shuichi really is the favorite.”

“I told you, Maki.” Shuichi nodded, sipping at his drink. “You’re always going to be the second-best concubine. I’m top dog around here.”

“I just can’t compete. Do I need to have more children to get Kaito to acknowledge me? Kaito, is that what it’s going to take?”

“WHAT!?”

“Maki, Shuichi, you both are ASSHOLES!” Kaito shouted, cringing as Nekomary glared electric daggers at him, flinching as the man reached out… 

“HA HA HA!” The man laughed, patting Kaito’s arm roughly, Kaito’s body jerking forward with every friendly pat, “IF SHE’S UP TO MAKING JOKES ABOUT IT, THEN I GUESS IT’S NOT LIKE THAT. ALRIGHT! But I’m watching you.” Nekomaru said, before leaning, drinking from his mead, “I’LL NEVER UNDERSTAND DICEAN MEAD. I THOUGHT THE GOOD STUFF MIGHT BE IN THE CAPITAL. WHY IS IT SO THIN!? LIKE DRINKING WATER!”

Kokichi...kind of got the idea of what was going on. But even knowing it was okay--and Shuuichi’s squeeze was greatly appreciated in that regard--Kokichi...just… There had been too many people talking down to Kaito in the time he’d known him. Far too many. People thinking little of him, treating him as though he were stupid or callous or outright cruel and…

He couldn’t help bristling a little. Wanting to stand up for Kaito’s character. 

But...this was just a family moment, no hard feelings meant. 

As Shuuichi and Maki bantered to Kaito’s dismay, Kokichi shook his head with a small snort. “Kai-chan’s mentioned that, yeah. I’m pretty much only a cider fan...and a complete lightweight, so I can’t say I mind too much. Who knows, though, there might be a brewing renaissance coming up.”

Oliver watched all this with amusement as Nekomaru seemed to take this as an opportunity to explain, in excruciating detail, the Luminary process for creating mead, Shuichi, Maki and Kaito occasionally adding in little clarifying details. Kyoko watching as well, sipping at her green tea and the group, shockingly enough, meshing fairly well.

… Oliver eventually felt her gaze settle on Shuichi.

She and Kyoko had talked at length about what to do, once the war was done. Once they had gotten to Dicea. Once Oliver had introduced herself to Shuichi. Countless theoretical conversations, plans, hypothetical what-ifs.

It all felt incredibly selfish, in this moment.

Shuichi had, apparently, seen her three years later… and hadn’t recognized her. Or, if he had recognized her, hadn’t reached out to her. And his adult self didn’t recall. And why should he? He had been five when it all… when it had all happened. So quick. It had all happened so quickly.

He hadn’t recognized her.

Well, why would he… she had left the hard work of raising him to her brother and sister-in-law. It wasn’t like she had been a good mother before she had lost him. And her choices had gotten her siblings killed. Shuichi lost into the indentured program. They had been lucky… incomprehensibly lucky, that Kyoko had been willing to help. Luckier still, that they had fallen in love…

It had all been Olivers fault. All of it. And even the beginning part was the most justifiable part. How could she explain to Shuichi her absence from his life for… the rest of it?  She had gotten complacent. She had gotten caught up in her own life. She had let Kyoko take up the full bulk of being his mother because… she had been good at it and it was easier to stay on the path they were on and it gave Oliver the freedom to pursue her passions.

But now her passions were over, and Kyoko was ready to tell her secrets, and Oliver had run out of excuses for dipping out of Shuichi’s life… and had come to the uncomfortable realization that her excuses hadbeen self-centered in the first place.

How do you insert yourself back into your child's life after abandoning him?

Oliver had no idea. So she was quiet. Smiling softly, keeping her eyes and ears open. Just observing. 

...it was nice to be able to lean against Kyoko openly, in public. It might make her girlfriend jump every time she did it, but, well… that was kind of cute too.

It was really fascinating, listening to Nekomaru explain about the Luminary brewing process--as Kokichi had once done in another life, with another person--and it kept his curious mind focused, asking about how they sourced hops and what different sources meant for the end product both in terms of flavor and marketing, and so on and so forth.

But...though he was focused and enjoying himself…

...it felt melancholic. Regretful. A little nervous and unsure and...not quite shamed but...undeserving and…

Kokichi was mid-sip when he snorted, hard, vanilla drink coming out of his nose as he choked for a moment, eyes shockingly wide.

“O-oh my - s-sorry, I’ll just - I’m getting napkins, sorry!!”

And he scurried away, hands shaking. 

(...it kept nagging at him, little things to push him there, but…)

...he was sleep-deprived. That was the only explanation. 

(...it only made Miyako’s gold eyes all the more unlikely.)

“WOAH, HEY…” Nekomaru watched the small prince-- incredibly small, the fuck were they feeding him?? Air??-- run off, the group quieting down as six incredibly paranoid people all watched him run off… before Nekomaru turned to Kaito and said, “ALRIGHT, BE HONEST WITH ME… IS THAT KID SHITTING REGULARLY? HE DOESN’T LOOK LIKE HE’S GOT ANYTHING TO SHIT. IT’S NOT GOOD FOR HIM, ARE YOU DOING SOMETHING ABOUT THAT? HE NEEDS FIBER!”

“Uuuuuuh, we’re keeping an eye on it Mr. Nidai.” Kaito promised, getting up, “I’m gonna go check on him, please excuse me.”

“Of course, Prince Kaito.” Kyoko nodded, watching the red-headed prince hurry after his husband… and as they left, turning to the other two, “Seriously. While they’re gone--”

“I’m not under duress, I’m not lying, I’m not covering for anyone.” Shuichi said quickly. “Kaito and Kokichi are with me because they love me, though Miyako was an accident. A justifiable accident.”

“I wouldn’t say that.” Maki huffed, “A foolish accident, but not a malicious one. Anyway, Kaito’s castrated now and I taught Kokichi how to put on a condom personally, so hopefully no more happy accidents.”

“THAT’S MY GIRL! And seriously, this Timothy stuff…? We can protect you if--”

“I’m not Kaito’s secret concubine that he’s refusing to claim.” Maki sighed, “Mr. Nidai, this is Kaito. He’s not been dramatically changed since we got here. He’s not abusing us. We’re okay.”

“Alright… but if anything changes…” Kyoko said meaningfully.

“You’ll find out about it after I’ve finished moving us out and away from them.” Maki promised. “I would never allow anyone to abuse Shuichi or myself or our children. It’s just not something I would let happen.”

She didn’t say ‘after I find out about it’.

If the older Luminaries found out about Nao, it wasn’t going to be from Maki.

Kaito followed Kokichi into the bathroom, watching his husband clean the drink off his face. Looking shaken and disturbed… “Everyone alright there, babe?” Kaito asked gently, the door closing behind him.

He was just sleep deprived!! Why would he even think that anyway?! Not every person with that deep ocean blue hair was related--they were both Luminary, so even if people didn’t really note any major physical differences, it still made sense that there would be some ethnic similarities. 

(...plus the fact that she was dating Shuuichi’s mom and had been around since he was a kid and had been one of the only people in the world Kyouko could confide in and that Shuuichi didn’t actually know what happened to his parents or that man that gave him his hat and that Kyouko showed up immediately to claim him so he was barely in the orphanage…)

Kokichi let out a shaky breath as he cleaned off his face, his nose burning a little. Not really the way he wanted liquid to come out of there, honestly… “...yeah...yeah, I’m okay. I think I just had a weird hiccup or something…”

“...sorry,” he said softly, offering Kaito a sheepish half-smile in the mirror. “I don’t mean to embarrass you guys in front of you mentors…”

“Who’s embarrassed? You’re doing great out there. You just looked a little spooked, that’s all.” Kaito insisted, heading over to him and wrapping his arms around Kokchi’s waist, kissing at the back of his head and hugging him to himself as he spoke to him through the reflection of the mirror, “They’re a lot, huh? You’re doing amazing, though. I think they like you, I can just tell. You’re getting them with that ol’ Ouma charm.” Kaito promised, giving him another kiss against the top of his head.

Kokichi laughed softly, pressing back against Kaito lightly as he finished cleaning himself up. “Yeah? Yanno, for a long time, I didn’t really think I had any Ouma charm… I hope that I’m making a good impression. Even if you guys talk about it differently...they are your family. I wanna try and get along, at least.”

...there was still salvaging some of their family relations.

...he should just forget about it. Just...chalk it up to hallucinations. Wouldn’t be the first time.

(...should he tell Shuuichi?)

Turning, Kokichi gave Kaito a proper hug. “...how are you doing? It must be nice to see them after so long.”

Kaito leaned into the proper hug, smelling that lavender, closing his eyes…

“...I’m alright.” Kaito muttered. 

It was basically true.

He didn’t care that Miss Kirigiri had been a traitor to the crown for Kaito’s entire life.

Whatever.

“Tired.” He admitted. “I wish you had been there for the reunion. It was really nice… maybe you heard some of that up in the room. The kids got all caught up, like, thanking the exchange student. I think some of the younger ones just thought calling out thanks was a weird game they were playing, but the older kids… it was nice. It really felt like a real positive thing to come out of the last year. A proper happy ending, ya know? At least for this chapter of their lives. It was nice.”

...it really just...kept hammering in. That the establishment Kaito’s family maintained, what their name meant...had only hurt everyone around them. The people Kaito loved. Kokichi could practically (he just could) feel the tired resignation in Kaito, just...too worn out from it to hurt anymore. 

...at least it was over. 

Kokichi hummed, smiling as Kaito described the reunion. “I heard some noise but nothing specifically...that sounds wonderful. It...yeah. I’m glad that everyone’s safe…”

Kokichi sighed a bit. “I am excited to meet Yuta and see Hina and Sakura again, but...I think everyone could do with some rest. We all have time to take our time with things.” Running a hand down his face, Kokichi slipped his other into Kaito’s hand. “Alright, I need to ask one of the baristas for some napkins, but let’s head back. I don’t know if Maki-chan and Shuu-chan have warned your mentors about what a Dicean dinner’s gonna look like.”

“Heh. Yeah, alright… you’re sure you’re okay? It’s alright if you’re not.” Kaito insisted, though he went to go open the door for Kokichi when his husband, “Breaks and all of that… Dr. Mariah’s always saying how important they are.”

Kokichi looked up at Kaito, smiling gratefully, and not just for the door. “Yeah, I’m okay. Kyouko and Nekomaru are really cool...it’s fun seeing things I’ve noticed in your guys in them. And I like Oliver’s vibe--she and Kyouko are cute together.”

Stopping to get napkins, Kokichi held them up with a sheepish look as they returned to the tables, starting to sop up the small puddle at his place. “Sorry about that.”

“Not at all, Prince Kokichi…” Kyoko gave the small prince a curious look, “Both you and the king have very informal manners of speech. We’re not unused to that,” She said, pointedly looking at Kaito, whose attention seemed to have caught on a nearby tables food, clearly starting to get hungry. “But it is usually the exception, not the rule… forgive what might be an ignorant question, but is your father actually a king?”

“Ki-ki… you can’t just ask a royal if they’re royal or not.” Oliver laughed lightly, something mischievous in her eyes, “What’s he supposed to say? No?”

“FUCK, I’VE BEEN WONDERING THAT TOO… THEY KEEP CALLING HIM LEADER, EVERYWHERE WE GO. WE THOUGHT MAYBE IT WAS JUST A LANGUAGE DIFFERENCE, ONE WORD BEING SYNONYMOUS FOR ANOTHER, OR SOME SORTA COMMON SLANG FOR THE ACTUAL TITLE, BUT…” Nekomaru sighed, scratching at his chin. “THE WAY PEOPLE TALK ABOUT HIM, TALK TO HIM. SOMETHING’S WRONG THERE. THAT’S MORE THAN JUST A LANGUAGE BARRIER.”

Shuichi looked a little startled. “...wow. You’ve only been in the capital for… an hour. You’ve picked up on that already?”

“WHAT!? YOU THOUGHT WE WEREN’T TALKING TO PEOPLE ON THE WAY HERE? WE’VE BEEN IN DICEA FOR MONTHS, BOY!”

“So there is something to it then?” Kyoko asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kokichi nodded, the question not entirely unexpected, though the way Kyouko decided to express the general confusion around the structural differences between Luminary and Dicea was amusing enough for him to quirk a smile. And enough for a small laugh as Shuuichi was impressed by their observations. 

“I suppose you could say there’s something to it,” Kokichi started, his smile understanding, “But I think it’d be more accurate to say that while we both call our nations monarchies, the philosophies about what makes an effective and desirable leader, and what the entire administrative structures of our nations looks like is...completely different.”

And that...was a subject Kokichi could probably go on about for hours at this point, but not something for a light first meeting with his family’s parents. 

Trying to explain a little, Kokichi gestured one of his hands vaguely. “My father is the king of Dicea in legal nomenclature, but most people call him the leader or boss. He is the center of national law and administration, and anything that forms the wheels of how Dicea runs is, if not at some point directly something Aiichi works on, then worked on by a member of the administration. He’s also the keeper of the capital castle, which is a cultural landmark and a house for hundreds of years of history pertaining to Dicea.”

“For Diceans, positions of leadership are seen as sacrificial positions,” he continued to explain. “Frankly...we work our asses off for the happiness and well-being of the Dicean people, and expect nothing in return. We must work to earn the trust of the people, because leadership without trust simply doesn’t exist here. And...I’m less versed in this, since I don’t quite understand how it works in Luminary,” Kokichi gave an unsure nod to his family, “But we don’t have social classes here either. So...in most ways, my father and I aren’t different from anyone else in the country, and...I suppose our speech reflects that. Though a lot of that might just be our personal speech patterns.”

“...the keeper of the castle?” Kyoko asked.

“Yeah, that one got me too.” Olivia agreed, narrowing her eyes at Kokichi, like she was trying to read something on his face, “...so, as Prince-Consort, what exactly will you inherit from him?”

“Hey.” Kaito suddenly snapped, baring his teeth a little at the woman as his eyes went intense, willing to tolerate that sort of question from Mr. Nidai and Miss Kirigiri, but not this woman he had just met, “The meaning might be different here, but show some respect. His title still earns more than a modicum of deference.”

“I meant no disrespect.” Olivia said, tilting her head down slightly, leaning back, “I was just curious. My apologies.”

Kokichi sighed softly, putting a hand on Kaito’s shoulder, rubbing it gently. To Olivia, he said, “It’s alright, I wasn’t offended. And…” he sighed, glancing over to Kaito. “...that’s another difference, I guess. My title doesn’t earn anything, though people might equate it to the same thing. The respect any given person shows me is something that I have earned myself, through my own actions and decisions.”

“And as for what it would mean for me to one day become leader,” Kokichi continued, tilting his head slightly to the side. “If I am accepted? Then it would mean the hearts of the Dicean people have been entrusted to me. It means I would become the keeper of the castle, tasked with its upkeep both physically, and as a cultural store, and a community hub. It means that I would preside over the highest legal court in the country, and that any submission of law I propose can immediately be put to ballot for a vote.”

From there, Kokichi’s face softened a bit, knowing that it must sound insane, but his eyes… Kokichi had great pride as a Dicean. An incredibly high level of honor to be heir-apparent, and to have people recognize him as such. And his eyes...they burned bright like a fire yet unseen, blazingly purple. 

“It might seem overly humble to you, but to me and my people, there is no greater honor. I take pride in what I can do for my people’s happiness, and that is worth more than any monetary item could ever hope to value.”

“You…” Olivia smiled, “Are very passionate. It’s a good thing Dicea is already a place you enjoy. I have a feeling in a different life, you would have been a fierce rebel leader. I’ve certainly met enough of their type to recognize that sort of commitment to a nation.”

“HA HA HA HA HA! I LIKE THIS ONE! HE’S GOT SOME HEAT IN HIS LITTLE BODY AFTER ALL!” Nekomaru chuckled, reaching over the table and rustling Kokichi’s hair, before settling back, chuckling some more before sighing, looking over to Kyoko. “MAKES THE SHUICHI SITUATION LESS COMPLICATED.”

Kyoko nodded. It did. Shuichi wasn’t dating someone massively powerful or massively wealthy. From the description, it sounded like he was dating the equivalent of a Head Secretary, or a High Judge. One that didn’t have a king as a final say on the matters. One with a very humble view of himself, if maybe not the system he served. It was a much safer partner than she had expected, honestly, and it did put her at ease a bit.

She glanced over at Prince Kaito, who’s gaze had ended up back on the streets. Not looking withdrawn, his body leaning in towards Kokichi, but his mind clearly elsewhere. His husband had a lot of responsibility… but the Ouma family, apparently, had no wealth.

… well. Perhaps some things were just karma. Not the boys karma, but ‘the sins of the father’ taking effect, as unkind as that could be. Kyoko couldn’t bring herself to be concerned about it. He would be fine.

It would make his life less complicated too anyway, in the long run. Wealth brought predators. Prince Kaito had never been suited for it.

“So… how long do you all plan to stay?” Maki asked. 

“ALREADY TRYING TO GET RID OF US, BABY GIRL?”

“Trying to get a reasonable sense of how much attention we’ll have to give you. You did show up unexpected. We have things going on.” Maki said, “You are only staying for a visit?”

“We weren’t trying to show up unannounced--”

“OH, DON’T BE LIKE THAT KYO! YOU KNEW THE KID WASN’T READING THE LETTERS. YOU JUST DIDN’T WANT TO GIVE HIM A CHANCE TO TELL US NOT TO COME.” Nekomaru huffed, shaking his head, “I’D HAVE TOLD YOU, MAKI, BUT THIS OLD WOMAN BASICALLY TWISTED MY ARM ABOUT IT!”

“Regardless.” Kyoko said stiffly, glaring at the man, who laughed loudly at the look, “We’re not certain how long we are staying. Queen Kaede has us on a gap year of employment at the castle. Frankly, I believe she’s hoping to put some people more loyal to her in our positions, but is afraid to commit to firing us and losing our expertise. We will likely be returning to a mess of bad ideas and bad procedures made by civilians whose only experience is four years sitting in classrooms…” Kyoko sighed, “Oh well. A year off will be a decent trade-off for making our jobs unnecessarily more difficult when we return.”

Kaito hesitated, “...if you ever need someone to talk to her, you know I’ll always--”

“Thank you, Prince Kaito. But we’re used to handling royals who think they know better. And now that we’re…” Kyoko waived her hand vaguely, clearly still uncertain what to think of the idea, “‘free’, certain aspects of that will get easier.”

“...YEAH. EVENTUALLY.” Nekomaru shifted in his chair, the wood creaking beneath his weight, “NOT AS QUICK AS I ALWAYS THOUGHT IT WOULD HAPPEN, SOME OF THOSE ‘BENEFITS’ TO BEING FREE. AINT THAT RIGHT, PRINCE KAITO?”

Kaito was confused for a moment… before his face flinched with sudden shame, now withdrawing a little. “Oh… um… about conditioning--”

“It’ll get better.” Shuichi suddenly said, Maki glancing at him before nodding as well. “It’s improved considerably for Maki and I… if you haven't noticed it easing yet, just be patient. It will happen.”

“It’s eased for you?” Olivia asked, eyes widening, before resting her head against Kyoko’s shoulder, “That’s… that’s incredible to hear. Right, Ki-ki?”

Kyoko hesitated, “...you’re certain? The results have not been good, widespread… perhaps you’re misunderstanding a lack of symptoms for a lack of conditioning?”

“We’ll show you later. It will get better. I can’t prove it beyond showing you it’s gotten better for me, but… I feel certain of it.” Shuichi said, glancing over at Kokichi briefly, before nodding more certainly, “Your conditioning will improve.”

The fire in his eyes eased as Kokichi blushed lightly, a little flattered. A rebel leader calling him a fierce one? Talk about a vibe check pass. 

He knew he was far from what a lot of Luminaries would consider ‘ideal’, in terms of values they, well, valued. He was a pacifist that believed in a nature of humanity that was meant to care about each other. He didn’t like to exert his power over others, and the concept of being feared made him unbearably sad. 

But Kokichi was proud. And he was determined. And if the world wasn’t fair, he would fight tooth and nail to make it so it was. And...maybe people would recognize that kind of strength. Maybe it would be good enough for his family’s family. 

As Kyouko and Nekomaru started talking about what their life circumstances post-war looked like, Kokichi sat up more, his lips thinning in concern as they mentioned conditioning. 

(More names for the list.)

(...it was important to be there for his family, and raising Miyako was the biggest focus of his life but…)

(There were so many people now suddenly without the constricting structure around them, still bound by phantom chains. They were getting an idea of how to break conditioning, the Flora were as little a problem as they’d ever been in the last century, and…)

...for a moment, Kokichi looked a little stressed, a little guilty. But the moment passed, and he gave Shuuichi a questioning look at his glance. Shyly, he spoke up. “...one of our theories was that spending time in Dicea helped...though it was still months before Shuu-chan and Maki-chan,” and Kaito, “Noticed a difference. Maybe your vacation will help.”

There was a small part of the mentors that wanted to treat this certainty a little lightly, just because, well…

… look, they might be in their early twenties, but to a group of forty+ year olds, the group in front of them were still very much just barely not children anymore. They didn’t even look like adults to them. To Kyoko, Nekomaru and Oliver, Kokichi, Kaito, Maki and Shuichi were all baby-faced teens making valiant attempts to look like adults and were… kind of pulling it off, but just barely. They didn’t have the wear and tear of years that would one day solidify their features, showing the passing of time on their faces and bodies that would either make them incredibly attractive or a little damaged looking. Maki was still too thin and too small, simply not enough years solidifying her muscles in the way Nekomaru knew she’d one day have. Shuichi’s face was unblemished with wrinkles, and there was a softness in his cheeks and chin that had been there from before the pregnancy and weight gain, a childhood softness that hadn’t gone away. Kaito was thicker and bigger, but his skin was soft, from a country where even pale-skinned folks tended to tan and leather as they got older, his smooth skin screaming his young age.

Kokichi’s… whole deal. Everything. 

They looked so painfully young, naive and optimistic as they sat across from the older adults, insisting that a conditioning problem that was persistently wide spread and impossible to fight against was… just gonna improve. Somehow. They were certain.

It was easy to want to dismiss them as being ignorant to the gravity of the situation… but it was Nekomaru who first said, “WELL, IF YOU SAY SO. YOU SEEM LIKE YOU KNOW SOMETHING WE DON’T. WANNA SHARE WITH YOUR POOR OLD MENTOR?”

“We can only use ourselves as examples.” Maki admitted, knowing there was no easy way to explain, and that she and Shuichi had assured Kokichi they wouldn’t even if there was, “But we don't say this idly. We believe it.”

“I can see that… well, considering this is the first vacation I’ve taken in my life,” Kyoko shrugged, sipping at her green tea-- it really was very good-- “Perhaps there’s something to this theory. Maybe it just takes some time away, or some time off… it’s been a few months since we started traveling, but there’s no harm in hoping that a few months more might make the difference.”

“We’d love to see you display your own ability to resist it though, please.” Oliver said, leaning in a little, smiling eagerly as she said, “I don’t have any conditioning myself, but… if it really can wear off? That’s not just good news for many people I care about, but excellent news for the people of Luminary. A quarter of the population all have conditioning… true equality will be difficult to achieve, when so many people can be manipulated into following others orders. It’s an incredibly hopeful idea, if nothing else.”

“Um, yeah… we’ll show you guys, right?” Kaito said, glancing over at Maki and Shuichi, “Honestly, we could actually use your help proving it’s not just them not listening to me anymore. I can’t trigger it at all, and neither can Kokichi. If not even their own mentors can trigger it? That’s the final nail in the coffin, as far as I’m concerned.”

...honestly, Kokichi was a little surprised that they didn’t just disbelieve them outright. It was pretty unbelievable, especially with what Kaito had heard from that asshole. But...he had no other explanation to what he had experienced personally, the changes in his family. 

And...it wasn’t just about them. If conditioning could be broken...like Olivia said, it would mean a world of difference to...all of Luminary, really. How people would interact with each other, not just those who had been conditioned being affected. 

Still...Kokichi frowned a bit, not ever thrilled to be giving even a chance for conditioning to be triggered. But he nodded. “It’s...kind of difficult, since there’s not really a hard list to prove anything. But...if it’s always worked in the past…” Kokichi shrugged, still a little uncomfortable as he looked over to Shuuichi and Maki. “If you guys are okay with trying? Still...it doesn’t have to be today. Today’s already been a lot…”

Shuichi shook his head. “Not today. We still need to go home and deal with the sleepy infant problem, and I’d rather not take up too much of Ikou’s time today, considering we asked him last minute.”

Kyoko nodded approvingly, “Understandable. Are you all free tomorrow?”

Kaito hesitated, before glancing over at Maki. Then, reaching over Shuchi’s body to tap her on the shoulder, Maki leaned in as Kaito whispered in her ear.

“LOOK AT THAT. KEEPING SECRETS RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER OLD MAN! SHAMEFUL! WHERE DID I GO WRONG!?”

Maki and Kaito ignored him, still whispering back and forth. 

“No, that's the day after tomorrow.”

“We don’t know that. That’s just the projected date. Shuichi had his three days early.”

“We can’t just hover around waiting, we have to assume it’ll be on time.”

“Alright, alright…” Kaito sat back, Maki straightening as well, as he said to them, “Tomorrow’s fine. Though, I’m going to be gone the day after tomorrow, so… I guess keep that in mind. I’d rather you all not play with conditioning without me there.”

“Why?” Oliver asked.

Kaito hesitated. Why? Uhh… “...Just feeling protective, I guess. It’d make me feel better to be in on the loop.”

“Nooo, why are you going to be gone the day after tomorrow?” Oliver smiled.

“Oh! Uh, helping a…” Kaito’s mind stuttered, “...someone with a medical appointment. Just going to swing by and do paperwork stuff, make sure there’s an extra set of eyes on everything.”

Kokichi nodded, feeling a bit better about it. He’d probably get uncomfortable all over again when they actually did get around to trying things out, but...at least then Maki and Shuuichi could prepare more for it. Get some rest. Even if Kokichi didn’t think anything would actually be triggered, but still. 

And...ah. Kaito had been thinking about Addason. 

Kokichi felt the urge to explain more, but...they really didn’t need to tell the mentors. It wasn’t their business. Still, Kokichi nudged Kaito’s arm and gave him a fond look. “I’m sure everyone’s going to be put at ease by your help, hun. Tell Temp I say hi?”

Kokichi...didn’t want to go to the hospital. He didn’t want to see Aba. But even preparing for his own kid, Temp had still stopped by to see them at the hospital, and Kokichi wanted to be there for his friend in the same way. He’d probably stop by when he wasn’t looking after Miya, bring over food and check in on how Temp was doing.

Kaito was just relieved that his days with Aba were going to be behind him soon. Getting to know Aba marginally better over the last few months hadn’t done much to endear her to him. If anything, Kaito got more pissed the more he saw her. She was whiney, self-pitying and seemed to be fairly convinced she was the victim in all of this. And while Kaito could understand that to an extent… she never asked about Kokichi. Or Shuichi. And after awhile, seemed to even eventually emotionally turn against Tom and Itch as well, eager to paint them as entirely responsible for her actions, before and after the pollen.

Maybe he was just biased. Maybe she had a point, and Kaito just didn’t want to give her any leeway. He didn’t know. He just hated her.

...but he already kind of loved her kid. Had fallen in love with the kid the second he named it ‘Bonus’. He was just easily attached to children, especially ones he felt some level of responsibility for. The second it had been a possibility that Bonus would need to stay with them for awhile, Kaito had immediately started fantasizing about adding him to his collection of children. A desire that had made him even more critical of potential adopters than he should have been. Thankfully, Temp had been around and Kaito had been convinced, and Kaito was going to back off and let Temp be the father he had volunteered to be…

But Kaito was excited to meet Addie. He wanted to be there to welcome the kid into the world. He was attached.

It was Maki, frowning at her empty cup, that finally said, “Is everyone done? Let’s head back. I’m trying to get to the dojo later.”

“THEY GOT WEIGHTS THERE? TODAY A WEIGHT DAY? SEEMS LIKE A WEIGHT DAY TO ME, MAKI!”

Maki glanced over at Nekomaru… before quietly nodding her head. “Yes. Weight day.”

“HA HA HA I’LL GO WITH YOU! SEE WHAT GYMS IN DICEA ARE LIKE!”

Maki frowned at this, but said nothing in response.

Nodding, Kokichi downed the last of his drink--still good even after having it come out of his nose...and he’d paid for it, so he wanted to finish it--and led the walk over to the recycling and compost bins, perking a bit as Maki mentioned heading to the dojo. Even...if he couldn’t quite get what her silence and frown meant. 

“Mmm, I wouldn’t really call Susanoo’s Dojo an average gym, Mr. Nidai, but it’s still really cool! Susanoo-san is a swordsmaster, and a lot of people go to the dojo to learn about different fighting and martial art styles. I’ve still never been myself, but Maki-chan was checkin’ it out for a while!”

“Actually, about that…” Kokichi’s head tilted to the side as his eyes went to the sunny sky, though he was turned slightly to face the mentors. “What sorts of things are you all interested in? I can’t imagine you’d wanna spend your whole vacation hanging around the castle, and while wandering around the city is a lot of fun, I’m more than happy to suggest things to check out. Our event coordinator, Tomomi-chan, even set up some brochures explaining a bunch of that stuff too if you want an actual list.”

“Oh, but I will have to endorse the community garden!!” Kokichi chirped, eyes growing wide with excitement as his motormouth kept on revving. “It was the first thing I showed Kai-chan in Dicea, actually. It’s kinda like a monument of Diceans--everyone has the opportunity to pick a plant to plant in it, so it’s a literal representation of all sorts of people who live here. Aaaa, and so many of the fruit trees and bushes are in season too--people are allowed to take some, as long as they’re not being an asshole about it. Ooh, actually, we got to have the planting ceremony for Kai-chan, Shuu-chan, and Maki-chan’s plants earlier this spring! They picked out some really cool cacti; I wonder if they’d have started flowering by now…”

At this, Kyoko and Nekomaru glanced curiously over at Maki, Kaito and Shuichi, who all suddenly looked a little sheepish. “Well, you know… it’s a Dicean tradition! So…”

“REALLY GONE NATIVE, HUH?” Nekomaru chuckled, “SURE DIDN’T TAKE LONG!”

It had taken forever and Kaito still didn’t really feel like he had a grasp on it, but he nodded, grinning. “Well, ya know! When in Novis! And it’s a really interesting tradition, and--”

“And we are Dicean, so it makes sense.” Shuichi said simply.

Kyoko glanced silently at Shuichi at that, but Oliver hummed slightly, grasping and leaning against Kyoko’s arm before glancing over at them, “Why cacti? You picked it yourselves?”

“Well, you know, we have cactus’s at home, and--” It had mostly been a joke about how much trouble they were having fitting in within Dicea, which seemed like the wrong message to express in this exact moment, “--they’re tough!”

“And stab things.” Maki added in.

“And occasionally stab things!” Kaito grinned, shrugging. “Timothy hasn’t picked a plant yet, but I was thinking of talking to him about doing it when the girls get back--”

“Girls?” Kyoko asked.

“His friends! Tim’s doing really well here, he’s really thriving! He won a spelling bee competition a few months back, he’s doing really well in school, he’s making really good friends--”

“Are you prepping him for a specific career yet?” Kyoko asked.

“No, no… it doesn’t really work like that in Dicea. It’ll probably be awhile before he’s on a career track, I think.”

“Oh! Almost unrelated, but that reminded me…” Oliver looked over to Shuichi, before asking Kokichi, “Your grace, forgive the probing question. I’m curious if there was a specific reason you didn’t accept Shuichi’s daughter as an heir. Will you need to have a child with a born Dicean someday to produce one? Will you also be taking on a concubine yourself?”

“Oh! No, it… it doesn’t work like that here. That’s another, uh… cultural difference? Legal difference?” Kaito frowned, “Something difference. It’s really rare for the appointed heir to be biologically related to the leader here. It’s actually kinda frowned upon… not that it should be.” Kaito said firmly, jaw tightening slightly, “Biological heirs are fine. But it’s not the normal here.”

“I WAS WONDERING ABOUT… WHAT’S HER NAME… MIYAKO! I WAS WONDERING WHY YOUNG MISS MIYAKO WAS TAKING SHUICHI’S NAME. NO OFFENSE, KID, BUT I WASN’T BUYING THAT YOU BECAME THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY OVER HERE.” Nekomaru laughed, clapping Shuichi on the back a little, the smaller man lurching forward a little. “DOESN’T SEEM YOUR STYLE.”

...Kokichi thought it was a really nice tradition. Was it really that strange?

In some ways...this was the early months all over again. Talking and people having completely different ideas about how...nearly everything in life worked. But it really was different this time, and this time Kokichi wasn’t on his own. They knew what to explain, what parts wouldn’t translate as easily. 

So...it didn’t sink Kokichi heart to explain. 

“In the case of children staying with their biological parents, it’s common practice in Dicea for the child to take the surname of the parent that birthed them--that’s why Miya’s last name is Saihara,” Kokichi started. “But...even if I had been the one to birth her, there’s a little more fussiness with the Ouma name.”

“Naturally, past leaders have had biological children,” Kokichi nodded, “And they have had the surname Ouma. But...the name is a little more than just what you write down in an address. The Ouma name is an oath, to serve and protect the Dicean people. To take the name is to promise yourself to serving others.”

“While I was a biological heir, and thus legally had the name from birth, I took the oath when I was thirteen, when I was old enough to understand what it meant to be leader, and old enough to understand that sacrifice of my life.”

Though, he had other things to live for too. Kokichi gently bumped Kaito’s arm with a loving look before he continued. “Generally, an heir is either adopted or mentored by the leader--they can be a bit older, like my father was, and there are reports of an heir being chosen while they were in their twenties too, but, generally, they are chosen at a very young age.”

“A ‘feeling’,” Kokichi rolled his eyes with obvious disdain, “Is said to be what the leader feels and compels them to declare the child as an heir. That it’s just some form of ‘knowing’ that they will be the right person.”

He sent a side-long glance to the mentors. “...I know it’s ridiculous, you don’t have to pretend to be considering of it. Personally...I think it’s really dumb to put that kind of expectation on a child who doesn’t even know who they are yet, let along what they want to be in the world. And for a position so important too… Considering that my father isn’t even close to considering retirement, I’m not that fussed to find my own eventual heir, so...we haven’t really talked too much about it,” Kokichi nodded to Kaito and Shuuichi. “If I suddenly change my tune and start believing that some toddler is meant to be my heir? I don’t want to even broach it with them until they’ve grown up a bit. It’s too much to put on a kid. But...more likely, I’ll end up like my father’s mentor, and end up seeing potential in someone already establishing themself in the world.”

“WHY RIDICULOUS? GODS PICKED OUR KINGS. WELL, ONE GOD ANYWAY.” Nekomaru shrugged, “AND THOSE LITTLE IDIOTS ARE ALWAYS DECLARED AT BIRTH TOO. LUMINARY DOES THE SAME THING, JUST MORE STREAMLINED.”

“Well, it’s not exactly the same.” Kaito mused, rubbing the back of his neck, “Dicea’s heirs aren’t picked by a god, it’s more… uh…”

Kyoko sighed as Nekomaru started to laugh, “We’re not getting into this.” She warned, as he started to gear up--

“SOUNDS LIKE SOME DEMON MAGIC TO ME!” Nekomaru declared, not looking displeased by this, while Kyoko just sighed.

Shuichi and Maki glanced at each other, a little startled. An old, recurring childhood argument about to be replayed with… way more context for both of them, as Kyoko said, “Neko, one of these days I’m going to have you committed. There’s no such thing as demons, only hicks believe in that fantasy nonsense.”

“HICKS AND PEOPLE WITH COMMON SENSE AND EYES. I’VE SEEN TOO MUCH BLATANTLY MAGIC BULLSHIT TO NOT BELIEVE IN DEMONS! OR WHATEVER THEY WANNA CALL THEMSELVES!” Nekomaru looked over to Kokichi, a conspiratorial look on his face as he said, “MIND READERS! FORTUNE TELLERS! FORCE FIELDS AND PEOPLE WHO COULD MAKE FIRE FROM THEIR FINGERTIPS… I”VE SEEN IT ALL, KID! ER, I MEAN, YOUR GRACE! MARK MY WORDS, MAGIC IS REAL. CALL IT DEMONS, CALL IT RELIGION, CALL IT WHATEVER NAME YOU WANT, THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE ABLE TO MAKE STUFF OUT OF NOTHING, AND I’VE SURVIVED ALL OF THEM! THAT’S WHY I’M THE BEST! HA HA HA HA HA! NOT THAT MAKI WASN’T WELL ON HER WAY! SHE MAY SURPASS HER OLD MENTOR SOMEDAY!”

“...I’m not really a… maybe.” Maki finally decided, shrugging, not up to having that conversation. “...but, yes. There were some strange things you’d see, sometimes, working jobs…”

“Tricks and misunderstandings during heated moments of chaos and adrenaline. That’s all the ‘magic’ you’ve seen.” Kyoko said dismissively, “Detectives can’t indulge in that sort of idle wish-fulfillment. You can’t solve a case if you can’t see reality for what it is.”

“RIGHT! WHICH IS WHY YOU GOTTA START CONSIDERING DEMONS! I CAN’T EVEN IMAGINE HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN AWAY WITH STUFF CAUSE THEY WERE MORPHING YOUR BRAIN WHILE YOU WERE TALKING TO THEM! YA NEED PROTECTIONS FROM THAT STUFF!”

Kaito laughed, whispering to Kokichi, “Mr. Nidai is kind of a… occult conspiracy theorist. It’s basically harmless, kinda like Miss Crystal. Don’t mind him.”

Kokichi wasn’t entirely surprised by Nekomaru’s conclusion--he’d come to expect that anything unexplainable that wasn’t claimed by Atua would be called demonic by Luminaries--but he was surprised by the man’s exuberance towards it. Nekomaru didn’t give the impression that he was half-hearted about much, but...it wasn’t that he was fear-mongering, or outraged. It...really sounded like he was genuinely interested more than anything. 

Watching him go on with raised eyebrows, Kokichi… Honestly, he was inclined to think more like Kyouko on the matter, and he had always been skeptical...but something was keeping him from speaking up. There had just...been so much weird stuff Kokichi couldn’t explain and…

...well, he really didn’t need to go into his fledgling theory that he was going insane in front of his family’s family. 

Kokichi nodded a bit as Kaito explained, though he sighed. “I really don’t know what you’d call it, besides people just getting excited over a kid they wanna adopt and pinning expectations to it. At least in the old days it made sense to pass on the responsibilities to folks who’d proven themselves as combative leaders.” 

Though, that tradition didn’t last long. 

“...” Kaito bit his lip a little. “...I mean…”

Kaito had a lot of confusing ideas about leadership and what it meant to be ‘chosen’ these days. He was tired and sad a lot and more than a little bitter and angry, and if you could give long-term environmental depression one benefit, it was that it really made you start questioning everything you knew. So a few small ideas had been stewing around in Kaito’s head for awhile.

...but he didn’t even feel comfortable talking about them to Atua yet, let alone anyone else. Let alone Shuichi and Maki’s mentors. The ideas were heresy and blasphemous and kind of fucking depressing and… well, what did Kaito know anyway.

“... Dicea’s a great place,” Kaito decided to say instead, it not really related to what he had been going to say, but not wanting to trail off. But something internally flinched as he realized he had said this in front of three older Luminaries, and something in him immediately wanted to clarify and backtrack a little, which he couldn’t do because Kokichi was right there, and so Kaito’s mind stuttered a little as he tried to find some middle ground, “In, in that… it’s really stable and well maintained! Like, regardless of why people are choosing their leaders, it’s… nice! It’s really nice here! Um, in a different way than Luminary… like, magic or gods or feelings or merit, clearly it’s working, for Dicea and Luminary--”

“Pfffff, uh huh.” Oliver snorted, before looking genuinely alarmed at herself, covering her mouth, “Oh, um… I mean, yes, of course, Prince Kait--”

“OH, DON’T BE A BITCH, OLIVER.” Nekomaru chastised, frowning at her, “I KNOW YOU GOT ALL SORTS OF FEELINGS ABOUT LUMINARY, BUT IT'S GOT ITS GOOD BITS. YA CAN’T DEFINE A WHOLE NATION BY A FEW ROUGH YEARS.”

“A few rough years? Neko, Luminary’s entire system is rough--”

“Let’s not argue in front of other people.” Kyoko interrupted, “And yes, Dicea has so far proven to be very well maintained. I find the architecture quite beautiful, actually. And the air is much easier to breathe here. Your home is quite lovely, Prince Kokichi.”

Again, Kokichi bumped into his husband’s arm affectionately, though he hoped Kaito could feel the support in it too. Kaito...had been through a lot, when it came to the image of Luminary, and the one of Dicea, to say the least. He could tell there was a lot more behind Kaito’s words, but...Kaito was really trying. And he could get them out little by little, at his own pace. 

So...yeah, Dicea was nice. 

Kokichi smiled kindly, acutely familiar with difficult political talk, and gave Kyouko a beaming grin. “Thank you! I really love it, though I don’t exactly have anything else to compare it to. I’m hoping one day to become more acquainted with the world but…” Kokichi shrugged a little, looking at his partners. “Between a new baby, and my job, it doesn’t make long vacations very easy to plan.”

“Though,” he chirped, hoping all of this was neutral enough, “Kai-chan has told me about the tapestries in Luminary! The image I paint in my mind of what it must look like, overlooking a bunch of buildings on a breezy day, seems a bit fantastical, but I can’t help but be a bit romantic about it. We’ve tried to track down a few Luminary children’s books to read Miya as she grows up, but I think I’m gonna try and find some architecture or natural wonder books for my own curiosity.”

“I did notice the lack of tapestries in Dicea.” Oliver noted, looking around the streets as they headed back to the castle, “In fact, now that I’m looking around, there doesn’t seem to be much of a pattern in how you all decorate your streets and buildings… well, beyond the plants growing everywhere.”

“The plants themselves are very decorative though.” Kyoko observed, “The first time I saw plants growing on buildings as we rode into Dicea, I thought the houses might have been abandoned and overgrown. But once I realized it was intentional, I can see the appeal. I don’t think we could manage anything like that in Luminary, our plants don’t grow upwards or plentifully like this.” She said, gesturing to a random building where one wall was literally almost entirely flower and vines.

“WHAT I DON’T GET IS WHY YOU ALL JUST DECIDED TO STOP BUILDING UP PAST THREE OR FOUR FLOORS.” Nekomaru said, gesturing around the street like it was something Kokichi just wasn’t aware of and Nekomaru was trying to help him out, this only reinforced as he added, “DO YOUR ENGINEERS NOT KNOW THEY CAN GET HIGHER? CAUSE THEY CAN GET HIGHER.”

“I always assumed it was because tall buildings everywhere would deprive the gardens of sunlight.” Shuichi offered, “Though I don’t really know.”

Kokichi nodded, eyes lighting up as he got to talk infrastructure. “Using plants to decorate on walls is a really popular style. There are certain ordinances dictating the amount of construction, the types of omissions, and the ratio to plant-life as parts of our Clean Air Acts, and people found that it was really efficient to just combine, to a point, plants and buildings to meet the standards. After a while, it caught on stylistically too.”

His head was almost on a swivel for how quickly he was nodding to Nekomaru’s observations too. “Part of it is air flow and weather damage mitigation, yeah, but mostly the heights of buildings are for navigation! All our cities are built and planned in circular patterns going out from the main community hub--the castle here in Usott--with the hub usually being one of the tallest building in the city, and then being surrounded by one and two-story buildings, then two- and three-story buildings surrounding those and so on. So...no matter where you are, you can tell where the city center is.”

“That makes sense.” Maki said, the Luminaries all considering this as well, “Sounds sort of tough to plan out, but if they planned it in the early days, it’s a good way to go. I don’t think Luminary cities were designed as much as ‘spawned’.”

Kaito chuckled at that, “Does kinda seem like that, doesn’t it? At the very least the capital is like that. If you didn’t grow up there, I have no idea how you’d learn to get around. I had a teacher describe us as ‘three cities built on top of each other’. I don’t remember his explanation of why, but I remember thinking how much sense that made when he pointed it out. There are literally some parts of the city you can only get too by finding a building connected to them and getting to the pathways branching off their upper floors.”

“The city was destroyed a few times, and instead of moving or tearing down the debris, we just built over the surviving pieces.” Oliver explained, “And if I understand it right, the rebuilding always happened at different points of us having different architectural norms, which is why some of our buildings start off squares and then turn into circular towers, stairways randomly switching from outside to inside a building, and why some buildings look like they randomly morph into their neighbor buildings the higher they go. The only consistency is what material we had to work with.”

“The city was destroyed? When?” Kaito asked, both surprised and intrigued, “I mean, I know there was a lot of structural damage during the revolution…”

“Not sure, my prince.” Oliver said, tilting her head thoughtfully, “This is all on the word of a few people who were explaining it to me in a pub, so take that for what it’s worth. But the current theories is there was some massive fire at one point, and at another point there might have been a siege. There’s one theory of evidence that the city destroyed itself but did it… half heartedly? Like there was evidence of widespread damage, but not enough to destroy the foundations, like they were avoiding it on purpose. It’s all a bit of a mystery to historians, they’ll talk for ages about it if you let them.”

“Huh… wild.” Kaito mused, trying to imagine it. 

“This particular system is relatively recent, but...for the longest time, the only super multistory building was the castle, so when we started arranging all cities to this pattern, it was pretty easy to just not build up anything close to the city center,” Kokichi shrugged. Really, it was all about moving the center point to fit whatever building were already there, built out of necessity which...was the start of any village, then town, then city. 

Without having to stick to a particular plan, though, Kokichi could easily see cities just...becoming a maze, and it sounded like the Luminary capital was another level of that. Kokichi’s eyes widened into curious saucers, drinking up every little tidbit about how the city was built like a sponge. Rebuilding ruins over and over, using whatever style was popular at the time…

Honestly, the city was starting to sound like a dream come true for architectural sketching, and Kokichi could just feel his fingers itching for a pencil. He breathed out a quiet, “Woooow…” lamenting even more that he likely wouldn’t have much time to admire it when (and if) they took what would probably be their only trip into Luminary. 

“That’s fascinating…” he softly hummed. “We’ve had to rebuild from snow and water damage, and...well, avalanches more into the mountains, but...just even what you have to rebuild from would be entirely different from fire damage or sieges…” 

“...so…” Kaito glanced at the older Luminaries, “How’s it looking now? I mean… we weren’t getting a lot of information over here about how the war, uh, was actually… like, were people fighting in the streets or…”

Kyoko sighed, “At the capital? No, very little fighting happened within the cities themselves. By design, the rebellion knew trying to take the cities was pointless, it’s why they focused on the farms. We were expecting the war to be mostly devoid of civilian casualties, actually, but… well, no one can predict a sudden famine…”

“Yeah… people weren’t fighting over the war. But there was a lot of chaos over resources. It got bad, a lot of break-ins, raids, a few neighborhoods and areas of the city set up blockades. None of the buildings went down, but we did have one potential fire that could have gotten a lot worse. Thankfully some of the feuding neighborhoods realized a fire was going to be everyone’s problem soon, so they let people through to douse the fires… it wasn’t safe to walk around the city for a minute there. Everyone just assumed everyone else was hiding food, and it all kind of rippled out into a free-for-all from there. It was calming down after Queen Kaede took over and they were able to redistribute the food from the farms though.”

Maki’s eyes were now fixated on the ground, and Shuichi went to her side, placing a hand on her back for a moment to let her know he was there. Kaito also looked disturbed at that, as they got to the entrance of the castle. “Well… at least it calmed down. That's good.”

...while he was curious about the war too...it was less about fascination. There was no wonder to it, no mystery. But...it was something that had happened in the world. So Kokichi wanted to know. 

They hadn’t heard confirmation, but...Kokichi figured as much. That the war was mostly a ripple effect for most people, and whatever was disturbed in their lives wasn’t a direct confrontation.

(...mostly. Though, he supposed what had happened to Hiro was a ripple effect too. People being put under suspicion of helping the revolution, having their homes rifled and invaded… Maybe a strong ripple.)

But the famine… 

It had been horrifying to hear about in Dicea, where things were peaceful and they still had food on the table. For the people living it out… He couldn’t imagine how incomprehensible it would’ve been, finding it out moment by moment. Unable to trust your neighbors, pushed to desperation…

There was almost a palpable gloom around Kokichi for a moment before he glanced over at Maki, worried. But he nodded along with Kaito’s words. 

“Well, on that depressing note.” Shuchi said, yawning. “As weird and baffling and alarming as it was to see you all… I’m exhausted. And as the person who had a baby two weeks ago, I’m allowed to randomly say ‘its time for me to go lay down, leave me alone’.”

“HA HA HA HA! YOUR BOYS GOTTEN SASSY! THAT’S WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THEY GET OUT OF SWATTING RANGE!” Nekomaru laughed, nudging Kyoko, who glared at him. “THEY GET A MOUTH FULL OF LIP! EVERY TIME MAKI CAME HOME FROM A LONG TRIP, ALWAYS HAD TO GET THAT SASS BACK UNDER CONTROL! RIGHT, MAKI?”

“Independence will do that to you.” Maki muttered, turning to bow to her mentor, Shuichi doing the same for his, before the two started heading upstairs, “Have a good day. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Oh, um, where are you sleeping?” Shuichi asked, pausing at the staircase, “Are you staying in the castle?”

Kyoko raised an eyebrow, “If you must know, find out.”

“........ okay, well, goodnight.” Shuichi said, looking even more tired, heading upstairs.

“Have a good day!” Kaito grinned, bowing quickly, the adults bowing back, before following his friends upstairs.

...they had mentioned their mentors were a bit...overbearing. It was sweet, in Kokichi’s opinion but...well, maybe he just had the mind of a kid who’d been neglected, and had grown accustomed to that kind of freedom. 

Shaking his head a little, Kokichi turned to the elder trio with a smile. “It was incredible meeting you all--even despite some of the strain, Shuu-chan, Maki-chan, and Kai-chan all spoke so fondly of you in their stories. Part of me wasn’t sure I’d ever get the chance to meet my partners’ family so...this is really something amazing.”

“I’m sure we’ll see each other around regardless, but if you have any questions about...anything, really, please don’t hesitate to ask.” His eyes narrowing in amusement, Kokichi grinned. “...and your rooms are probably ready by now, so you all get some rest too. I hope to see you all at dinner!”

Turning with a friendly wave, Kokichi scurried up the stairs, trying to catch up with his friends.

The Luminaries were exhausted, and that only became more apparently the more stairs they climbed, Kaito pausing to give Kokichi a chance to catch up, taking his hand, but otherwise being quiet, focusing on climbing. There was, in fact, a fairly heavy silence until they got to what could arguably be classified as ‘their’ hallway…

“...they’re gonna be here for months.” Maki said, something shockingly like a whine in her tone. “Months.”

“Maybe not.” Shuichi pointed out, leaning against the wall and sighing, adjusting his cap, “They didn’t give us an exact time. I bet they only last till the fall, then head home to dodge the winter.”

“Well if they don’t, they’re here till spring, guaranteed. A gap year. A gap year. They could be here a year.”

“Aw, come on guys… you’re just freaking out now because it was sudden and unexpected. Give it time, I bet by the time they leave, you’ll be wishing they were staying forever.” Kaito grinned, though he also looked really tired. “And it’s great! Shuichi, right? Look at that, your mentor traveled for months to get to tell you to your face that she was sorry for hurting you! That’s incredible! That’s like… straight up a fairytale ending, honestly! You can’t tell me that’s not a good thing.”

“No, no, it is… I just need a moment to really absorb all of that. That was a lot.” Shuichi sighed. “...someone could have warned us.”

“You. Literally you could have warned us.” Maki reminded him.

“Oh… shut up.” Shuichi muttered.

...probably months, yeah. After travelling all the way from Luminary, it would be kind of insane for anyone to not spend a month or two. 

Kokichi looked around at his family and sighed softly. “...it’s a lot,” he gently agreed. “That’s why we’re headed up to get some rest. And...even with them here, it’s not like you guys have to even see them every day. They’re your mentors...but you guys have your own lives going on and...well, Kyouko knew that it was going to be a surprise. We don’t have the luxury of blocking out our schedules for a few months to continually entertain them. Whenever you don’t want to spend time with them, or you need a break...you can literally just go and take one.”

...he knew it wasn’t really that easy. That, even if it wasn’t bound in paper and threats, there was still a parental power dynamic there, and one with more power than Kokichi would...really, ever feel with his own parents. But...there was still the opportunity for his friends not to be the little kids they would always look in their parents’ eyes, and even if it was hard...Kokichi would remind them of it.

“C’mon, you don’t have to think about it right now,” Kokichi tried to soothe. “Take a nap--hopefully Dad’s convinced Miya to do the same.”

“I’m…” Maki hesitated. She had been about to say that she was heading to her own room, but… she had literally told Timothy to stay with Ikou. Just for a bit, she just wanted someone to have an eye on him. She felt a little jumpy with him right now, but she couldn’t just leave him to be Kaito’s problem… “...going to…”

Kaito watched Maki’s face go blank, and oh! Okay. Today had been very hard apparently, they had regressed a bit. Okay. Reaching out to put a hand on her shoulder, he said, “Why don’t you come to our room, you and I talk to Timothy some more about boundaries with the mentors, and you take a nap with our Shuichi?”

Maki gave him a blank look for a second… before her face cleared up. “Right. Okay. That sounds right.”

Heading into the room, Kaito felt like the lack of crying was a really good sign, as he called out softly, “Helloooo? We’re back.”

Timothy, who was currently surrounded by Kaito’s figurines on the floor, Chase sat beside him, her tail starting to wag as new people came in, looked up. “Oh. Good. You’re not dead.”

“What? Of course we’re not dead, why would we be dead!?” Kaito asked.

Timothy shrugged, looking back down to the figurines he was playing with, “You guys looked nervous earlier. Usually when you get like that, it means something weirds about to happen. I thought you might be fighting mom’s mentor or something.”

Kokichi gave Maki a concerned look, but...it made sense. It was...very stressful. When he had asked them about having friends visit, Kokichi really hadn’t expected it to be the in-laws suddenly showing up and settling in. 

...but it was going to be okay. This wasn’t the same as their childhoods in the swarm of Luminary politics. This was a social visit while they were all adults, and all free. No more secrets, at least as big as they had been. 

Kokichi gave Tim a grin as they came in, carefully making sure he wasn’t going to step on or kick any of Kaito’s figurines as he went further in to give his dad a hug, Miya indeed sleeping in her crib since Ikuo’s arms were more preoccupied with a crochet project than an infant. 

“Hey, Bunny,” the older man grunted, squeezing Kokichi close for a moment as he observed the stress on all of them. And without needing to be asked, Kokichi nodded. 

“Thanks for watching Tim and Miya on short notice. It...it went okay. It was really nice meeting Shuu-chan and Maki-chan’s mentors, and Shuu-chan’s mentor’s partner, but...we’re all a bit worn out. I think our plan is just to crash for a bit.”

Ikuo nodded, his gaze looking over the other kids with a critical, assessing gaze for a moment. “Gotcha. I’ll be ‘round if ya need me, but I’ll leave ya folks to it. In-law visits ain’t always th’ easiest.”

“Thanks again, so much, Ikou.” Kaito grinned, heading over to Ikou and looking with interest at his crochet project, his shoulders relaxing a little as he said, “Seriously, you’re a lifesaver… can I hug you? I think I’m gonna hug you.”

The look on Ikuo’s face didn’t change much, but he nodded and stood up, softly saying, “Bring it in, big fella,” as he gave Kaito a hug. Soft and warm and firm, but not crushing. It was the kind of hug that Kokichi had spent his early childhood spoiled by, something that built his sense of complete safety, comfort, and stability.

At this point, Ikuo did consider his son’s family his kids too. They had their own quirks, their own tendencies, but they were figurin’ it out, and takin’ the steps together. They were good kids, and...like all kids, you had to let them fly without you holding their hand. But he liked to have a nice, welcoming nest for them to return to when they needed it.

With a pat to Kaito’s back, Ikuo stepped back when the hug was done, giving his son-in-law an approving nod. “Jus’ lemme know when ya need me. Li’l miss is prolly gon’ be conked fer a while--ain’t gon’ be happy much ta have her next meal.”

Kaito grinned a little loopily at the hug-- awwwww… he was so small and sweet… and firm-- giving the older man an openly adoring look when he stepped back, suddenly looking both happier and way more exhausted. His cheeks only mildly tinted red as he shifted his focus over to the crib, saying out with a coo, “Awwww, Miya’s gonna be meeeeaan to us laaater~ What a little bully. Are you a little bully, Miya? Sleepy, tired bully? M~iiiiiyaaaa.” 

Kaito went to coo absentmindedly into the crib for a bit, just looking at his sleeping daughter, while Shuichi-- partly because he had been in the habit that day and muscle memory was kicking in-- bowed to Ikou. “Thank you again, Ikou… if my mentor, Miss Kirigiri, comes around to you ‘randomly’ to ask ‘innocent questions’,” Shuichi said, putting the stressed words in quotation marks with his fingers, “It won’t be rude to just ignore her if you need too. She’ll understand why you’re stonewalling her. And she also probably won’t mean anything by any questions she asks either, she’s just going to be sort of idly investigating probably everyone connected to me for a little while. Don’t let her bother you.”

“...shoot, I gotta talk to Katsuki.” Maki groaned, laying on the bed, “...and the guardforce… nnnnngh, he’s going to end up on the damn roof…”

Shuichi and Maki knew this, because that’s exactly what they did when they first got here, and well… round two.

Kokichi laughed a little to himself at Kaito’s reaction, still...not quite sure what to do about his husband’s crush on his dad, but...it was sweet. Meeting the mentors had been a lot, but it had been far easier on Kokichi than anyone else. While Kaito, Maki, and Shuuichi caught up on rest, he could resume the baby-watch he’d skipped out on before. 

As he walked over to mention that to Kaito, Ikuo gave Shuuichi a serious nod. And another to Maki. “I’ll let folks know. ‘Kich’ said tha’ they talked ta Aiichi before, but I’ll double-check word’s gotten ‘round. Y’all just hang tight an’ get some shut-eye--s’not like we weren’t prepared for extra chaos today.”

“Granpa’s so smart and hardworking and resourceful and pretty and cute… just like baaaby.” Kaito whispered to Miyako, almost feeling a little tipsy in this moment. It was a strange feeling, after feeling full of adrenaline and stress for a day, when you finally let your body relax a little. Kaito had forgotten that feeling… which was a good thing! That meant he hadn’t been really stressed out for awhile! Mmmm, yeah… he had definitely been relaxing lately. That was the logical conclusion.

(Not, of course, that he had just gotten used to a new, consistent level of stress that was so baseline that he wasn’t aware it was abnormal anymore. That’d be silly.)

As Shuichi and Maki thanked Ikou-- and passed on a few more warnings, such as maybe giving Nekomaru access to a basement space to train in lest he do to his guest room what Maki had done to her room, and Shuichi warning that if there really was anything in the castle that was actually classified, to lock the damn doors already-- Kaito looked down at Tim with his figurines, before going to sit with him. Petting Chase on the head, who immediately went to lay her head on his lap, he asked, “She gone on a walk yet?”

“No. Mom said to stay here.” Tim said, idly destroying a squad line that had made the mistake of taking low cover. Said squad being a sexy fairy figurine, a stone golem guy, and a horse with wings.

“Well, you and I can take her for a walk in a minute, after we talk to mom about some stuff. And when we do, you and I can talk about some stuff, okay?”

“Like what?”

“Like… let’s talk about you thinking we’re running off to get into fights. I know why you think that, but I wanna clear some stuff up. Okay?”

“Kay.”

Kokichi gave a wave to Ikuo as he left, the older man giving them all a nod, and crawled into the window seat, shifting to get comfortable and give himself a full view of Miyako in her crib and the goings on in the room. And…

(...he didn’t want to keep secrets from his partners anymore. But...this wasn’t his secret. Was she even going to tell him? Kokichi knew from recent experience that unloading all of your crazy information at once wasn’t the best idea--maybe she was just waiting a little bit before she did. Wanting to get to know Shuuichi better first.

But if it did come out and Shuuichi found out that Kokichi had known… Was that a betrayal?

...what if it never came out? Olivia resigning herself to...not complicating their relationship sooner. It wasn’t like, as Kyouko’s partner, she wouldn’t be a part of Shuuichi’s life if she never told him. Maybe the past really was better left as the past…)

Kokichi anxiously chewed on his lip, not really...seeing what was going on in the room anymore. But...he didn’t need to. He was aware enough to spring into action if something more than people taking naps happened. 

“What are we talking to mom about?”

“Mmm… Maki?” Kaito called.

Maki made a noise from the bed, which she had collapsed back into when Ikou left. Shuichi shuffling in beside her.

“What are we talking about with Tim?”

“Mmm.”

“...right. Very helpful. Thank you.” Kaito said sarcastically. “Nekomaru? Mr. Nidai? Are we still--”

“Don’t go anywhere alone with him. Or, actually, with Miss Kirigiri either… or Miss Luna. We don’t know her, she could be anyone.” Maki decided.

“She’s absolutely boning my mentor, which is a very weird thought.” Shuichi murmured.

“That’s just your hangup. Why does that bother you so much? It’s literally always bothered you.” Maki pointed out.

“I don’t know… it makes her weirdly human. Mentors aren’t supposed to be people. They come, they teach you life lessons, and then they return to their storage boxes until the next charge needs them. They don’t go off and have relationships.”

“Right…” Maki blinked at the ceiling, “...so we’re not going to talk about what she looks like, huh?”

“What do you mean?” Shuichi asked.

“...nothing. Nevermind.” Maki sighed, putting her hands over her face, “Timothy, our mentors… are probably fine. They will probably treat you just fine. But… for now? I just want you to treat them with caution. I want to confirm they’re going to treat you well… Kaito?”

“Yeah?”

“Define to Timothy what being treated well is.”

“Oh! Okay, so…” Kaito paused, collecting his thoughts, “Mr. Nidai, Miss Kirigiri and Miss Luna are not allowed to… ya know what? Blanket statement. They’re not allowed to punish you. In any way. Understand? If you think they are upset with you, you come to us.”

“...Really?” Timothy asked, looking surprised by that.

“Yes. But. If I find out you’ve taken advantage of that, or them, in any way, they won’t have to punish you, understand? Me protecting you from punishment from them doesn’t give you open license to be a jerk to them. Or to play pranks. Do not play any pranks. I’m serious, that will not go well for any of us. Understand?”

Timothy nodded. “Yes.”

“Okay… if they make you nervous? You find us, your nanny, or one of your aunts and uncles. If they talk to you about being an assassin? Or a prince--” Timothy looked extra confused at that, “--you can remind them that you are a citizen of Dicea. What’s your main two jobs right now?”

“Going to school and taking care of Chase.” Tim recited.

“There we go. Don’t forget that. Don’t let anyone confuse you. You have no other jobs. Just those two. That’s it.”

“And to help take care of your sister.” Maki called from the bed.

Kaito looked like he wanted to argue that, and after debating himself said, “That’s more like… if we’re arguing definitions… that’s just a nice thing for you to do, okay Timothy? We’d appreciate, when we ask, help with Miyako. But job wise? School and Chase.”

Timothy nodded. 

…

So...he wasn’t totally zoned out. 

His eyes sharpened and focused alarmingly on Maki as she mentioned...his bite on his lip tightened. 

...don’t think about it.

After spending time with them, he knew the mentors wouldn’t mean Tim any harm. And he wasn’t even their protege. But...he remembered one of the first things Kaito had told him. That in Luminary, lessons are taught through pain. There was the chance for certain things to not even register as harm to them and...in a way, that was even more dangerous for Tim. 

But he had a good head on his shoulders, had plenty of family looking out for him, and now he had expectations of how things were meant to go with the mentors. He would be alright. 

Kokichi’s gaze drifted back to Miya, taking in her peaceful, sleeping expression. Still just a little wrinkled baby. ...babies were too young to be taught lessons. She would be alright too.

“...the next few months have certainly gotten more exciting,” Kokichi gently murmured to himself.

“It’s alllll gonna be fine, guys.” Kaito murmured, “It’s only alarming because it was unexpected. That’s all. Nothing to be alarmed about… not gonna let anything happen. Alright!” 

Standing up straighter, Kaito gave Miyako one last little air kiss before turning from the crib. “Youuuuu two~ are gonna take a nap. Things will look better when you wake up.” Kaito instructed Shuichi and Maki. 

Shuichi, literally already laid out, raised a thumbs up. “On it, ‘mast--’”

“Not a fun joke! Literally never say that again. Get some rest. Timothy, put your shoes on, we’re taking Chase for a walk. Kokichi? You good here babe?”

They’d hold it together. And they didn’t have to do it alone. 

Kokichi raised a hand in a wave, getting comfortable in the window seat. “All’s good on deck. You guys have a good walk.”

-

Kokichi was calm.

There were no pressing issues this time. Sure, he felt guilty about the pause in their anti-conditioning experiments, but he had from the start and they were all in firm agreement about it. Focusing on their children was the priority, and...seeing how it was working long-term for Kaito and Shuuichi was important to see too. 

Yes, having the mentors suddenly show up was kind of stressful, but Kokichi didn’t really feel the bursting need to vent, and he knew it was harder on his family than it was on him. And...there was nothing really to do. Kyouko, Nekomaru, and Oliver were already there, and...that was fine. They were setting ground rules so no lines were crossed, and there would be roadblocks even in unsteady territory. 

...the issue of Oliver...wasn’t pressing either. Kokichi didn’t know what to do, which was why he wanted to consult his friend, but...it wasn’t as if he had much strength to go to Shuuichi’s mind anyway to talk with him. Kokichi was feeling much better! But...he really didn’t want to push it. Not after last time. 

So, when he finally fell asleep that night, the request he sent to Alter Ego was gentle, casual, and Kokichi took the time to make a tea setting in a memory of one of the castle gardens. Fish in the fountain for his friend to play with, some steamed fish already set up, a small saucer of water…

This was just...friends talking! Because they were friends! Not a stressful emergency.

When Alter Ego arrived, they landed at the edge of the fountain, partly because Kokichi had subconsciously opened the door for them right there. The golden cat looked into the fountain full of fish, the prepared saucer, the (delicious) scent of warm fish in the air… their tail and ears twitched, at first in excitement, then…

“...is everything okay?” Alter Ego asked, looking over to Kokichi, their ears geared towards him in attention, “Don’t get me wrong, this is amazing… but this also feels a bit like how two of my shards mothers and one of their grandmothers would prepare to give them exceptionally bad news.”

Kokichi grinned at the sight of his friend, though he snorted at the comment. Looking a little bashful, he gently rubbed the back of his neck. “Think I’ve overcompensated a little? But, no it’s not...it’s not bad news, I don’t think… Just...some stuff happened today and...I wanna talk it over with you.”

Kokichi’s lips scrunched to the side. “...but you’re also my friend, and I feel like I’ve only been talking to you when there’s some sort of crisis going on and that’s pretty shitty. So...I wanted to make something nice for us to enjoy. And...like, I wanna know what you’ve been up to too, not just the ongoing ridiculousness of my life.”

Sitting down in his seat at the tea table, Kokichi lifted his drink, the warm tea not making him feel overly warm though the sun was shining up above. “So...what’s up?”

Alter Ego, admittedly, felt a little amused at this. They appreciated that Kokichi was… well, trying to be a good friend, apparently, which was very endearing. But also not really necessary. Kokichi’s life had been hectic lately, and they didn’t resent that most of their interactions had been ‘strictly business’, cause… well, life was long, but crisis usually short. They were willing to wait for better times.

Though, maybe this was a sign of better times? That was nice too.

Jumping onto the tea table, Alter Ego sipped at their saucer a bit-- mmmm, nice-- and while they were curious what Kokichi really wanted to talk about, they hummed slightly as they considered the question. “...well… Hiro’s fairly convinced he’s being hunted by a succubus. I think, with my collective knowledge, that ‘hunted’ is the wrong word and I think the young lady might just actually like him, for some unfathomable reason, but Hiro’s determined to outwit her. It’s been amusing to watch.”

What else, what else… “Oh, I’ve told you I’ve been working with one of the dragons siblings, yes? That’s been going well. She doesn’t have a lot of power, but honestly, that’s sort of a relief by this point. We’re mostly just working on her mastering her own mind, she’s got no concept of tethers or jumping yet. Not sure if she’ll ever be strong enough to jump, but, well, gotta keep an eye on it…”

Along with his tea, Kokichi had brought some small sugar cookies to munch on, probably much to Kaito’s amusement as he sipped and chewed at his pillow. And, as he huffed a soft laugh at Hiro’s amusing love life, it...really did feel normal. 

He nodded gently, glad to hear that Alter Ego’s mentoring sessions with Maki’s sibling were going well. “I think Maki-chan would be happy too. She and Shuu-chan I think are kinda sick of…” Kokichi gestured vaguely around himself. The general ridiculousness of everything. 

“I’m happy she’s doing well! I didn’t get to see the siblings for long, but they all seem to be doing well in the physical world too. I’m happy that…” Kokichi sighed softly. “...things will be better for them, growing up, I think.”

-

“No, no, Kokichi, we don’t eat our boyfriends hair.” Kaito whispered to his sleeping husband, going to adjust him so that he was laying on his other side, wiping Shuichi’s forehead with his pillowcase a little. He idly watched Kokichi start making work on his pillow then, considered taking it out of his mouth…

...eh. He’ll be fine. 

-

“I can’t speak for the group as a whole, but Lorene definitely seems happy. Mind you, she’s five and been given an elaborate new doll house by her foster parents, which she finds far more fascinating than her blooming empathetic powers.” Alter Ego snorted, before sending to Kokichi--

{A little girl, pointedly ignoring her training prompt for the day, roping a small golden cat into playing house with her new doll house with her. Alter Ego tries to suggest they make the playhouse life size, hoping to tempt her to change her environment on command. Lorene insists that’s cheating. Small cat gives up and watched Lorene play out a bonding ceremony between her two dolls. A tiny plastic figurine of an already cooked steak is the animal sacrifice. Lorene calls it a bird and will not be convinced that it is, in fact, a cow.}

“How have they been handling the new knowledge of everything?” Alter Ego asked, in regards to the luminaries. “I’m a little too cowardly to check on Maki, but I’ve often thought of checking in on Shuichi to make sure he’s well. I havn’t yet, but if he seems to be struggling?”

Kokichi chuckled a bit, and let the memory of Lorene playing play through his head, smiling adoringly at...a little girl getting to be a little girl. Considering the kinds of things Kokichi had done to his dad as a toddler, he supposed the full grasp of empathetic powers wouldn’t be much enticing to any kid--their imaginations were already so vivid, so why play something in your head when you could do it in the real world and it already felt the same?

Still...like Alter Ego said, it was a good idea to check up on her. She would always have someone to turn to when she had questions, and she would have someone there to answer the questions she didn’t know enough to even ask. 

...things were okay. 

Even if they were hard. 

Kokichi sighed and took a big sip of his tea. “He’s...processing. I kinda...overloaded him the first time, trying to explain everything that led up to his deal with Temp--which I didn’t even get to, by the way--and...I gave him a panic attack…” Kokichi trailed off with a wince, before heaving another sigh. 

“And then the night we went to Kai-chan, I think I overloaded him a bit too, but...there’s just so much to get through… But he’s getting through it, I think. It probably helps to have Maki-chan to talk to when I can’t.”

Kokichi looked to the side. “...I haven’t talked about you yet. More than you’re my friend and mentor and have helped me out with various things. It just...it isn’t my fact to tell. Or story.”

“What? The circumstances of my existence?” Alter Ego started to nibble at their fish, and mmmm~ freshly steamed imaginary fish was damn good, “I don’t really mind, but it’s not really important either, honestly. For the most part, I’m just… a person with five parents. A cat with five parents. Well, calling them parents is maybe… hm.”

Alter Ego narrowed his eyes a little, tail flicking, “...the point is, is that regardless of how I was made, it’s really not more than trivia…”

They blinked. “Or is it the ‘cat’ thing. Is that what needs explaining? I do believe I mentioned it to them, that I’m mostly a cat because that’s what we could all agree on. I have, on occasion, tried to be a human that’s sort of a morph of all of them, but it inevitably leads to at least a few of us feeling a strong case of dysphoria.”

...not much more than trivia, huh?

Kokichi nodded, smiling slightly as he reached over to scritch behind Alter Ego’s ears. “They do find the cat thing a bit weird, but that’s a weirdness they’ll just have to live with. Your form is yours. I guess...I just didn’t want to overstep since, yanno, they knew some of your shards.” Kokichi’s smile faded. “...I still have no idea how to tell them about what happened to the Party.”

...Kokichi knew there had at least at one point been sensitive feelings about how Alter Ego came to be. But...with everyday that they spent as them...maybe it had just gotten to the point it was trivia. 

...she’d had, what, eighteen years? Or so? But...for the first time facing the possibility…

Kokichi gnawed on his lip. “...Shuu-chan and Maki-chan’s mentors have come to visit. Along with Shuu-chan’s mentor’s partner. And...I accidentally found out a...pretty big secret about her but...I don’t know if I should tell Shuu-chan. It...it really feels like something she should bring up herself, but...she might never do it. And that might be the right course of action, ultimately. I just...don’t know what to do.”

“Oh? Can I ask what kind of- Y-AAA! Hiss!”

Alter Ego hissed, fur bristling into a big ol’ poof, as Chibi Kaito grabbed onto their precariously dangling tail and climbed up onto the table. Theatrically wiping sweat from his brow, he ignored the warning growls from the cat as he idly patted their side in thanks, before beaming cheerfully, running across the table-- because, how big is Chibi Kaito?? Consistently unclear-- and waving his hands enthusiastically to Big Kokichi.

ﾟ.+:｡(≧∇≦)ﾉﾟ.+:｡

“I swear, one of these days little Kaito.” Alter Ego growled, licking at his tail soothingly, “We’re going to put a bell on you.”

Chibi Kaito stuck his tongue out at his other creator, wiggling his hips mockingly. Ha! Jokes on you! Chibi Kaito knew he’d be adorable in a bell!

Sighing the cat continued, “Can I ask you what you discovered? Or do you feel it’s too personal to share?”

Kokichi jumped a little at Alter Ego’s hiss, feeling out his mind in a panic since he was sure that nothing weird was going on! But...it wasn’t anything weird going on. It was something a little exasperatingly normal. 

Letting out a sigh, Kokichi couldn’t help the notes of a chuckle that bled through when Chibi Kaito started waving enthusiastically at him, though he shook his head in disapproval. “C’mon, Kai-chan, you know that’s not nice. If you wanted to come up, there are better ways to get our attention.”

Still, Kokichi offered one of the little sugar cookies to his tiny husband and gave him a gentle, fond pat on the head. And...maybe Chibi Kaito was the kind of break he needed to not chew through his lip. 

“It’s...it is personal. And I don’t know all the details--I just got feelings and put it together. But...you might be able to help more if you know…” Kokichi sighed and gave his mentor a slightly pleading look. “...if I tell you, and Shuu-chan ever finds out about the thing? I only told you after he found out, okay?”

Alter Ego nodded, “Agreed. Now… spill the deets.”

（；¬＿¬) Chibi Kaito raised an eyebrow at the two, but dutifully sat and started munching on his comparatively-- compared to what? I dunno man. Chibi Kaito gets REAL small in my head sometimes-- giant sugar cookie, watching the two Bigs talk. There was some GOSSIP going down, apparently. About his handsome giant Shuichi. He wondered what was going on?

...okay, sure, he could already know if he wanted to. But that would make the figments ‘life’ unbearably boring. He looked forward to eavesdropping on convo’s like this. 

Kokichi gave his mentor a grateful look before taking a breath. “So...Shuu-chan’s mentor is Kyouko Kirigiri, Luminary’s royal detective, right? And the guest she and Maki-chan’s mentor brought is Oliver Luna, Kyouko’s partner. And...I found out that Oliver is Shuu-chan’s biological mom.”

Kokichi’s eyebrows drew in. “...she was feeling a lot of...guilt. And other stuff… I think she knows that...she doesn’t have a place in Shuu-chan’s life right now. That she can’t just...barge in, drop that bomb, and they’d be family. And...Shuu-chan has a lot of resentment towards the ideas of his parents and has kind of...made peace with himself to say ‘fuck ‘em’. I think she knows that, or can guess it, and...that’s why I’m not sure if she’s going to tell him.”

“And even if she did...I’m not sure anything would happen. But...I know it’s something Shuu-chan would want to know, if he knew I knew something like it. But...if she is just working up a good time to tell him...I don’t want to...infringe on that moment.”

●.◉ !?

“Hmmm… wow, that is big news.” Alter Ego sighed, rapidly scratching at his ear a little with his back paw, tilting his head as he absorbed all that. “...hmm… give me a second with that one…”

Alter Ego’s tail twitched… once… twice…

“It’s not just an issue of would Shuichi be better off knowing, or want to know, or if it's your place to tell him. There’s also an objective ethical issue here we should consider.” Alter Ego sighed, sipping at his saucer a moment, “This is information that wasn’t trusted to you. The only reason you have it is because you overheard it in her mind. Do you have the right to spread that information, even to people who objectively-- hey?”

Alter Ego gave Chibi Kaito an annoyed look, who chipped another piece of his cookie off and threw it at him. (,,Ծ‸Ծ,, )’7 No. Bad kitty!  No keeping secrets from Big Shuichi!! 

...that was true too. This was something that, under normal circumstances, he might guess at, considering Maki’s suspicion, but he wouldn’t know for sure. 

And as much as he didn’t want to keep secrets from his partners… Kokichi sighed and picked up Chibi Kaito, putting him in his lap and out of cookie-throwing range. “Kai-chan, please… Alter Ego is right--I’m not supposed to know this, and the only reason I do is because of a fluke. I think…”

Kokichi’s eyebrows furrowed and he idly started massaging the back of Chibi Kaito’s giant, doll-like head. “...but Shuu-chan knows I can, in a way, read minds. And...this is something that is his business. In general...I think it’d be better to keep overheard information like this to myself, unless it was going to cause someone harm, but...I don’t want to keep big things like this from my partners…”

“...I’ll give her a week,” Kokichi softly decided. “Everything’s still hectic. My family’s still reeling from them being here at all. After everything today, I really get why she wouldn’t be all, ‘oh, also I’m your bio mom, good luck dealing with this too’. But...I’ll give her a week. Plenty of chances to talk in more casual, calmer settings. And...if she doesn’t, then...that will feel like she’s unsure about her own decisions, and might never tell him and… I’ll tell him. He deserves to know.”

Chibi Kaito would not be silenced! He would not be soothed by head pats!! He would….

(￣▽￣)

“If that’s your decision, I support it.” Alter Ego nodded, raising an eyebrow as the now out of sight chibi creature started happily making little bell sounds to itself, apparently thoroughly enjoying his giant husband's attention. “Honestly, it might be the same moral dilemma as, say… overhearing someone talking in a hallway and finding the information that way. Maybe it doesn’t really matter how you come across the information: once you have it, you have to make the best decision for you and the people around you with it.”

“And I think Shuichi is the understandable, reasonable type. If you tell him a week from now that you were simply trying to give his biological parent time to work up the nerve to tell him, well… I’m sure he’ll understand. He doesn’t seem the type to overreact to things.”

Chibi Kaito, is small, musical notes, cackled in Kokichi’s lap. “Oh, hush.” Alter Ego sighed, “Stop pretending you know something we don’t. You’re literally a combination of both mine and Kokichi’s understanding and memories of Shuichi from a theoretical Kaito interpretation. You can’t guess at his reaction any better than I can.”

Rude! So rude! He was a very good imitation, thank you very much! Dammit get him back in cookie throwing range, he had plenty of cookie left!

Kokichi nodded solemnly, though there was a smile starting to make a return on his face. He couldn’t just...unknow what he’d felt. Or...well, he could, but Kokichi was pretty adverse to giving himself intentional amnesia for...pretty much any reason. His subconscious doing that had already caused enough issues. 

So...he knew. And...giving Oliver a week sounded like a good compromise. 

Shuuichi, on the other hand…

Kokichi laughed softly and ducked his head to place a kiss on Chibi Kaito’s head, hoping to soothe the creature. “I don’t think Shuu-chan’s going to be mad at me for waiting a week. If I waited until they left to tell him, I think he’d be pissed, but...he’ll get it.”

“He won’t agree with it, but he’ll get it,” Kokichi further explained, eyes going half-lidded in fondness and amusement. “Shuu-chan kinda operates as if all information in the world is his business to know--he’s like a kleptomaniac for information. He doesn’t do anything with it, he just likes to know. So, he’ll probably tell me that he wished I’d told him immediately, but...he’ll understand I have more reservations about privacy.”

Kokichi tipped his head back a little. “...he’s going to overthink it. But...once he’s processed it...he’ll be alright. Like I said...I doubt much will come from telling him. But...maybe it’ll be the opportunity for Shuu-chan to get answers to things he thought he’d never be able to.”

(´∀｀)♡ Chibi Kaito swayed happily, very thoroughly distracted by the kiss, before placing his cookie down, catching Kokichi’s hand the next time his husband tried to pat him. Hugging Kokichi’s hand to himself and placing kisses against his fingers, nuzzling his face into Big Kokichi’s palm. 

“So, beyond the effect it’s having on Shuichi… I mean, you are aware that the relationship between a mentor and someone put on the career track as a child is basically a parental one, right?” Alter Ego asked, “I’m sure you haven't missed that. None of my shards knew any Indenturde’s all that well, but the ‘adoption’ process of the child career tracks always seemed to be the main highlight of why that process was necessary… well, according to what my shards grew up with. I’m a little more worldly now than all of them, and it’s… pretty obviously propaganda to me to justify childhood slavery. But…”

Alter Ego shrugged, “That’s beside the point. To people like Shuichi and Maki? These are some of the most important people in their lives… that must be a little weird for you. You just had a baby with one of their charges. I have to imagine they’re looking a little sideways at you.”

Kokichi giggled softly as Chibi Kaito started loving on his hand, and he started gently pressing his fingers against the construct’s face whenever it wasn’t kissing one, trying to nuzzle back. Chibi Kaito really was too sweet…

But he was still very present in the conversation. He nodded--it was sometimes hard to even remember to say mentor, since that’s how they all talked about it, but...yeah. Nekomaru and Kyouko were his friends’ parents. Unequivocally. 

So...Ikuo had said it right. It was meeting the in-laws. 

Kokichi snorted, sending Alter Ego his memory of him calling them out on their protective instincts that afternoon. “I think I passed? At least the bare minimum of approval. And...yeah, it is weird. There’s a part of me that’s elated, since I...I never really thought I’d get a chance like this to meet the extended family, yanno? I want to give a good impression.”

“...but my family has their own mixed feelings,” he sighed, “And...it’s hard to reconcile that as...sort of an outsider. I know Kyouko and Nekomaru weren’t…” Kokichi made a face. “...they were Indentured too. There were certain expectations, and certain lines they just...had to stay within. I don’t...blame them for the stuff that happened. But...it all still left marks, and I want to protect my family.”

Kokichi shrugged a little, looking off to the side as he idly rubbed Chibi Kaito’s cheek. “...right now, that just looks like encouraging my friends to set boundaries, and promising to back them up every step of the way. We don’t know how long they’ll be here--they’ve been given a gap year--but it’s going to at least be a few months by my best guess and...hopefully things will get easier.”

After a moment, Kokichi turned back to Alter Ego. “...we started talking to them about how Shuu-chan and Maki-chan’s conditioning has been going away.”

“...hm.” Alter Ego’s ears went down, an uncertain look on his little feline face, “...hmmmm. Right. That’s… that’s a little tricky. We did get a little… lucky. The last three times. Kaito’s happened by accident, Shuichi’s conditioning was relatively minor and straightforward, and Maki was inexplicably a dragon. I don’t suppose odds are good any of them will inexplicably be dragons?”

Kokichi shook his head. “Nekomaru’s more electric than fiery, so unless there are lightning dragons…” After a moment, though, his eyebrows furrowed deeper. “...and they’re older too. I don’t...my friends never said anything that would give any indication of how their mentors were put in the program. If they were in since childhood too...that’s an extra couple decades of conditioning...well, being reinforced through habit, at least. I...have no idea how that would affect trying to build them a defence…”

“...but they were talking about...how people were still being triggered. And what it wearing off would do for actual social equality…” Kokichi’s voice went soft, his eyes sad...but determined. “...it may not be as quick as people hope...but we are figuring it out. We’ll be able to help people.”

Kokichi pouted off to the side. “...even if I wish I could help them now.”

Alter Ego tilted their head in amusement at that. “Kokichi, I’ve only been alive for a little less than a year, by some interpretations. Don’t make me be the one who has to stress to you that some things take time.”

“Besides, once we have a solid system down? A thorough understanding? We can teach others. By ourselves, we’d never be able to help everyone, one by one. But if we can work out the means to teach any empath who has the ability to jump how to leave behind an adaptable defense?” Alter Ego practically swelled with ambition, “That will be the true game changer. We need to perfect conditioning recovery to the point where middle-range empaths can duplicate our success. That will take knowledge and practice and refinement… but I’m confident we can do it. I’m just… certain of it. We just need time… and we have it. We’ll get it done.”

Kokichi quirked a small, sheepish smile. He knew Alter Ego was right. It was why he hadn’t been trying to do it all on his own. It didn’t help that he really did want to just...help everyone in the world with their pain and struggles, and do it in a timely manner. But that wasn’t realistic, and it wasn’t his job. With his abilities, Kokichi had been given a great opportunity, and the chance to become a small cog in a greater machine...was incredible. 

“We’ll do it,” Kokichi softly agreed, giving his mentor a grin. “You’re right. And...well, it’s not just conditioning that will make things better for people, and social change takes time too. We have time… And one day we’ll be able to look around and be amazed by all we’ve helped contribute to.”

“...I’m not really sure what to say to a great career detective about how her son’s conditioning is eased and hers isn’t, but…” Kokichi chuckled weakly, running a hand through his hair. “That’s why I have Shuu-chan and Maki-chan to help me out in the physical world. I think the most we can imply is that it takes time, and is probably different for everyone.”

“Heh, well, to be fair,” Alter Ego laughed lightly, “I don’t really know how detectives work in Luminary, none of my shards ever really knew one beyond being occasionally questioned by one, but… I mean, they’re not mind readers. They likely have never heard of empath, or most supernatural aspects of the world. The odds of her working anything out on her own is dismally low. What other choice will she have but to just accept what you tell her?”

-

“...I wonder if the prince’s bed-written states have any cross patterns with the environment and social circumstances around him.” Kyoko murmured, looking at Kokichi’s medical records that she asked Nekomaru to steal for her. She had been a little surprised when he came back and said he just had to sign it out. Apparently Nekomaru had worked out they had permission before he had managed to wait out the people in the office. Huh.

“YOU THINKING POISON?” Nekomaru asked, “GOT YOURSELF A CASE ALREADY?”

“Mmm, I’m mostly just idly pulling at strings. It’s unlikely, the poisoning would have to occur his entire life, to this day, without being discovered, and without any serious consequences beyond his consistent discomfort. Unless they were really persistent and also really bad at poisoning--”

“Or just cruel.” Oliver pointed out from the bed, kicking the air lightly.

“--or really really pointlessly cruel, it’s not likely. But, better to suspect and be certain it’s not happening, then to ignore it and find out later you were wrong. And if there are patterns to the people or environment around him and his attacks, then it could potentially suggest motive...”

“OR IT SUGGESTS THAT HIS ATTACKS AFFECT HIS ENVIRONMENT.”

“Well, yes. Obviously.” Kyoko rolled her eyes, “Unlikely, but… obviously a possibility.”

“MORE LIKELY IF HE’S MAGIC!”

“...ugh.” Kyoko sighed. Rolling her eyes.

-

“Trust me. That’s not gonna be an issue. The only way Empaths are ever outed is if they tell on themselves or someone they trusted tells. No one ever just… ‘figures it out’.” Alter Ego laughed.

Kokichi nodded and chuckled a bit. “Yeah, Kyouko is a hard-core skeptic, though Nekomaru is a demon conspiracist, apparently. Oliver didn’t speak up much on the topic so I’m not sure where she lands. But...it is kind of relieving to think that they won’t just stumble across the idea. They are my in-laws, but...my trust in my family, and their trust in them isn’t enough for something like this. If I ever was going to tell them, they’d need to earn my trust personally first.”

“Honestly, I think she’s just barely holding back from believing that their conditioning isn’t actually broken,” Kokichi hummed. “She trusts Shuu-chan enough to not write him off when he says it is, but...well, they’ve asked to test it. I hope Griffin has been limbering up.”

“Mmmm… I could go check on them? But honestly, I’m pro-periodic testing of their limits. If they can’t keep with Shuichi’s mentors orders, that’s something we should know.”

(●´□`)♡ Chibi Kaito was still kissing Kokichi’s hand, before looking up at Big Kokichi. Mmmm… he was conflicted. More kisses, or finish the cookie… kisses…. Cookie… mmmmm…….. (´ε｀ )♡ Fuck cookies. 

“So, you feel like you already got their approval, hm? That’s a good sign. Especially considering they’ve only just got here.”

Kokichi nodded in agreement. The defences needed to be able to push back against or through the conditioning no matter what. That’s what broke the conditioning. That’s what made them defences, rather than another handy coping mechanism. And...just not putting people in positions where it’d be tested? That wasn’t breaking the conditioning either.

Settling back in his chair, Kokichi scooped Chibi Kaito up a little so he could cross his legs on his seat, letting the little construct continue to love on his hands while sitting in the little dip his legs made. He made a little sheepish expression as he shrugged, the tilt of his eyebrows hopeful. “I think I’m above ‘not the worst’ to them? I got kinda heated talking about the role of Dicean leadership, but they seemed to vibe with that… And I shot an iced vanilla drink out of my nose, so they know I don’t take myself overly seriously.”

“...you did not.” Alter Ego said, snorting, “Wait, on purpose?”

Chibi Kaito felt an impulse run through his construct being, sighed as he realized he had to stop hand kisses, gave Kokichi’s thumb a goodbye kiss, before leaping off his lap, disappearing under the table.

It’s not like the memory was far, and honestly, Chibi Kaito going to get it was more to keep him busy than actually needed. So it was only a moment later that he came back, floating down from the sky, holding a familiar drink in his hand, placing it on the table.

Alter Ego watched the memory....

“Pffff.” Alter Ego chuckled, “You’re a dork. You must have been smelling vanilla for ages.”

Kokichi chuckled as he recalled the memory on his own. “It wasn’t on purpose. That was about when I realized what Oliver’s feelings were--startled me. But...considering I cleaned up after myself, and didn’t press the issue beyond initially apologizing, I think that was a good impromptu moment to show that I’m not the type to take social stuff like that too seriously.”

“Though, they were probably on the track for that,” Kokichi lazily grinned. “They could’ve worded the confusion in a lot of ways, but Oliver ended up asking me if my father was really a king. It’s gonna be a time, but...I kinda feel refreshingly prepared for explaining cultural differences this time around.”

“Having some Luminaries around to translate probably helps too.” Alter Ego said, “...you know, I’m looking forward to getting to know your family a bit. Properly, I mean. It’ll be awhile, I’d rather wait until you feel stronger. But someday I would like to meet and actually speak to a Kaito who’s not the size of a doll and keeps trying to make out with your hand.”

Trying too? Who was trying? Chibi Kaito was succeeding! 

“It’s helped with Tim translating for Maki-chan’s siblings, and it’ll help with all of them being able to appeal to assumptions and judgements that the mentors might not be willing to voice. Who would’ve thought?” Kokichi drawled, rolling his eyes a little. “It’s easier when I’m not the only person trying to explain things.”

He then smiled kindly at his own mentor. “I know Shuu-chan and Maki-chan are interested in properly meeting you too. And once I can tell Kai-chan, I know he would be too. I...don’t think trying to hold them all in one consciousness again would be a great idea,” Kokichi grimaced, “So...what’dya say to some one-on-one meetings when I’m back in form? ...and we have more time to sleep.”

“It’s more a ‘someday it’d be nice’ sort of thing. I don’t mind waiting.” Alter Ego, licking at their saucer, “Shuichi, Kaito… Maki outside of her own head. She might be less dangerous outside of her own mind. I have no evidence for that, it’s purely a hope.”

“Oh, and speaking of getting to know your family more: any fun new memories of young Miss Miyako?”

Chibi Kaito belled out excitedly, leapt under the table again, and went hunting.

Kokichi snorted. “Not really. In her mind, Maki-chan has the ability to destroy your...being. Not purposefully, not yet, but she could. Though...she seems to be in full control--she’s Maki-chan, not a dragon...even if she looks like a dragon sometimes in her head.”

“Outside? Maki-chan could destroy your body with the ease of someone taking a leisurely walk. But she won’t--she has a son, a niece, and tooooons of siblings to look after.”

Lighting up as Chibi Kaito scampered off to get to work, Kokichi gave the cat an excited grin. “Uh, like every moment is incredible. But, aw, it was so cute, Alter Ego, she was half asleep for ages earlier, and she clung onto my shirt? I had to slip out of it to hand her to Kai-chan, she wasn’t letting go.”

Alter Ego gave Kokichi a fond, amused look, “Oh, I have to see that. That sounds adorable… and pretty funny, honestly.”

And when Chibi Kaito returned, Kokichi and Alter Ego enjoyed the equivalent of some baby pictures, the two just enjoying each others company. 

-

“...do you think it’s going to be scary?”

“No, you’re gonna be fine. Trust me, the drugs they’re going to give you? If it’s anything like the stuff they gave Shuichi-- and it is, I checked-- you’re not gonna feel a thing.” Kaito assured her, shifting in the seat next to the medical bed. “There’s nothing to be scared of.”

“No, no, I mean… like…” Aba fidgeted nervously in the bed. She was paler, which was alarming, considering she was already pretty pale to begin with. She had been too thin for awhile there too, and Kaito had been relieved when one of the guardsman had managed to talk her into eating her meals again. Kaito hadn’t managed it himself, though he had made a few sincere attempts. “...what do you keep calling it…”

“Oh.” Kaito leaned back into the chair, staring at the ceiling, “Going to raise a garden?”

“Yeah… do you think it’s scary? I’ll be… all alone.”

Kaito wanted to say she had already been basically all alone for the last few months, so what was different? But that was mean and he still didn’t know how long today he was going to be sitting with her. He technically didn’t have to be here. She could be just with the doctors waiting for the birth, or alone… but it felt cruel. Temp never wanted to meet her, so he wouldn’t be in here during the birth, and there was no one else who had so much as visited Aba since she had been locked up, beside himself. So… here he was.

And she wanted to talk. Because she was about to have a baby, and after that baby, she was going to be taken away somewhere. Kaito knew where, but as far as he was concerned, this was the last big responsibility he had towards her.

“... my husband says it's a good thing.” Kaito said, sighing, “And I trust his judgment on this sort of thing. And King Aiichi’s kind of a softy. I don’t think he’d send you somewhere scary or bad. Hell, I’m not convinced…” Kaito hesitated. He had been about to say he wasn’t convinced she’d even actually be isolated. She’d probably have regular check in’s and therapy and whoever knew what else. He doubted she’d actually be alone. But, he didn’t actually know that, and he didn’t want to give her false promises, so instead he said, “...I’m not convinced this will actually even be a ‘punishment’. I think it’s going to help you. It sounds kind of relaxing, doesn’t it? Just take some time for yourself, sort of… figure yourself out, away from stressors and outside pressure. It could be just what you need, Aba.”

“...do you really think so?”

Sure. Why not. Kaito had long stopped wondering if it was ‘fair’ or not. It was just how it was. “Yeah. I think it’ll be good for you. I think you’ll be happier, once you settle in.”

“That’s a nice thought…” Aba murmured, scratching at the scars on her arm. Thankfully her recovery had gone well, in regards to that. She had resisted the lotion, medicine and wraps when she was still in recovery from the pollen, but once she was clean, her arm had started to heal. 

As the conversation lulled, Kaito thought of reassuring her that her son would be fine. That they had found a good parent, and that he was going to be raised in a stable environment. He briefly thought of saying that all of this, as tough and nightmarish as it had been, at least had a nice thing coming from it.

But… well… if she didn’t care? If she’d never bring it up herself? Then it was for the better. Addason deserved better than her ever coming back to look for him. It was better that she didn’t care.

So, instead he said, “You’re going to be fine. It’s not going to be scary. They’re going to take good care of you.”

Aba sighed, nodding, “...right…”

“...Kaito?”

“Hm?”

“...will you hold my hand when it starts?”

Kaito stared at the ceiling.

“...yeah.” He said, “I will.”

-

Kaito stayed with Aba after the birth, ensuring that things were still going well for the after-birth recovery. But a doctor brought out a little, cleaned bundle out into the waiting room, where Temp had been waiting patiently. 

“We should go into the recovery room now, brand new infants need a clean environment, so as we’ve discussed, we want to keep you at least till tomorrow. But, would you like to hold him as we walk? You don’t have too, if you’re nervous--”

“No, no, it’s okay. I’ve held newborns before, I can handle it.” Temp smiled, and to the healers surprised delight, did take the new child from her with an easy expertise. The baby barely shifting as he settled into his fathers arms.

“...Hello, Addason.” Temp whispered, his heart swelling as he looked down at beautiful, ocean blue eyes, bordered by a rich dark skin and the smallest little fuzz of pure white hair. The infant blinking sleepily, likely about to fall asleep any second, it a bit of a marvel that he was awake at all, honestly. “...You’re perfect. I’m so happy to meet you. I love you very much… I will protect you for your entire life. On Bathul’s name. You can always count on me.”

The healer didn’t know that particular religion, but smiled slightly. Looking over her shoulder, she said, “Congratulations… also, you should know. A very healthy set of pipes on him. A very strong little baby. He’s only still awake because he’s only just calmed down. I expect this one’s an excitable one.”

“Good.” Temp laughed, following her carefully, “That will make his life an adventure.”

-

Kokichi...wasn’t really sure what time to come by, but as it was getting on into the late afternoon, almost evening, Kokichi figured it was as good a time as any to come by the hospital. 

(...it wasn’t like Aba was going to be up and walking around so...it wasn’t like he’d run into her by chance.)

Getting directions from the front desk, Kokichi walked over to the resting room that Temp and Addason would be in, gifts in a bag hanging from one arm, and an early portion of dinner from the castle in a little thermal tote in his other. Ever, ever so gently, Kokichi knocked on the door, murmuring in, “Anyone awake?”

“W-AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!”

“Come on in, Kokichi!” Temp called, “Looks like we’re awake!”

When Kokichi walked in, Temp had already started picking Addason up from his little glass box bed thing, a bemused expression on his face as he placed the baby gently against his chest, the baby wailing against him. “Don’t apologize if you’re about too. He’s barely slept today. He’ll eventually tire himself out, but apparently this kid has plenty of stamina. Aw, Kokichi, you didn’t have to bring all of that.”

Kokichi cringed, coming into the room with an apologetic look at the tiny form of Addason, words about to follow before Temp cut him off. “Aw, poor guy, even with stamina, it can’t feel great to be awake this long.”

Shaking his head, Kokichi raised both of his parcels before setting them down, coming a little closer to his friend and new son. “I wanted to--I’m sure Am-chan and Stacchan are thinkin’ of food too, but...well, it’s nearly dinner time anyway, and fresh cooked meals are really nice.”

“Aaaaaand I think my dad would get all pouty at me if I didn’t bring the gifts he’s been working on since we knew about Addason,” Kokichi softly laughed. He reached into the bag, pulling out just the head of a stuffed fox to show Temp before putting it back down for his friend to discover later. “There’s...a stuffed animal, a quilt, a baby sling, three burp blankets, and a soft baby blanket too. I told you he really got into baby mode.”

“Awwww, that’s very sweet.” Temp smiled, looking down to Addason and saying softly, “Look, Addie… your very first gift. Amber’s going to be so annoyed. She came here too early this morning, assuming the baby was going to be here already, and decided she was going to wait to give the baby his gift tonight because she wanted to be able to ‘see it’ this time. I’m guessing she regrets not getting to see Miyako showing off her gift.”

“Ehhhhhhhh- hic! HIC! HIC!” the baby hiccuped a few times, whimpered… before quieting down. Looking up with watery, wet eyes. Still hiccuping a little, before that too settled.

“You done for now? You’re going to be a lot, aren’t you. That’s alright… you’re nothing daddy can’t handle. I’ve got you… oh, Kaito’s been here. He’ll likely be back any second, he was just dropping off some paperwork I needed to sign to the hospital admin--”

It was like Kaito had walked in on cue, the door opening really carefully as Kaito practically mouthed rather than whispered, “‘m back… he still awake? Oh. ‘kichi!” He didn’t shout, but smiled in an excited way, “you’re here! We gotta be quiet, babe, Addason’s--”

“Awake again.” Temp called to Kaito in a normal voice, “It’s okay Kaito, he’s calmed down again.”

“Ah, shoot.” Kaito sighed, chuckling tiredly, “Kids kinda jumpy. He’s a beauty though! Here, Temp, I brought you a water.”

“Thanks.” Temp said, carefully putting the sleepy, gurgling baby back into his crib, and accepting the water as he said, “Hopefully this time he’ll sleep properly. Did you see what Ikou made him, Kaito?”

“Oh! The fox? Is it finished? Awwwww, look at that… can we give it to him now? We gave Miya’s hers after a couple of days…”

Kokichi grinned, his shoulders bouncing slightly as he kept his laugh silent for Addason’s benefit. “Aw, Am-chan… She did get to see me bawling at her gift, though, that counts for something.”

Looking adoringly at Addason as he calmed down, Kokichi just barely turned to see Kaito, his heart warming. Kaito had really gone above and beyond here, going every step of the way to ensure that Addason made it to his new family. They had planned for Kaito to go rest, going home with Kokichi when his visit was over, but...Kokichi felt like it might take some convincing for Kaito to leave. 

Going to Kaito’s side, Kokichi affectionately pressed his head against Kaito’s arm. “I’d think Addason might have better luck getting to sleep not being introduced to something new right now, but, of course, it’s Dad’s decision,” Kokichi grinned, giving Temp a fond and slightly teasing look.

“Mmmm…” Temp looked adoringly down into the glass crib, Addason still managing to blink and look around, the infant just determined to stave off sleep despite this being the most hectic day in his young life. So much stamina… Temp was going to have his hands full with this kid. He could tell. 

“Well, he’s certainly not bored, so I don’t think introducing something new would hurt anything… but you really shouldn’t let a baby sleep with items like toys and pillows for the first year. They’re not very well coordinated little things, they can hurt themselves by accident with toys in their sleep, so better to leave their sleeping as uncomplicated as possible.” Temp said knowledgeably… before tacking on, “That’s what my grandmother told me, anyway, and I trust her advice.”

“Really? We haven't done it ourselves either, but that’s because Miya freaking loves that wrapping stuff. She doesn’t sleep without it yet. We’ll have to keep that in mind when we stop wrapping.” Kaito said, giving Kokichi a quick-- if tired, phew, it’d been a day now-- kiss against his forehead before excitedly going over to gaze at Addason again. New baby! Look! Look! New baby that Kaito had watched the incredibly gross process of being born! So far, 2 for 2, always vaguely horrifying!

But such sweet results. Gazing excitedly down at the baby, Kaito said, “I can’t wait till Miya’s old enough to meet you… Addason, Miyako’s older than you by two weeks, and she lives in that biiiiiig house up on the veeeery top of the hill. And you can come by whenever you want to play with her, because I’d much rather you all play at the house on the top of the hill, and not that biiiig graveyard near your house, cause that’s so scary.”

“The graveyard doubles as a park. People play there all the time.” Temp pointed out, “It even has a playground in the far corner, for people who want to drop their kids off their during funerals.”

“Sooooo scary, Addie.” Kaito grinned. “What a weird place you’re growing up in.”

There was a casualness to this exchange, Temp snorting a bit, like this was a conversation they had had before. In the last few weeks, and today especially, Temp and Kaito had found themselves bonding over Addason’s birth, the two discussing the different housing situations-- Miyako growing up in a castle, Addason growing up basically on top of a graveyard-- with growing humor, and becoming more comfortable with each other as a result.

And… well, Temp had an advantage Kaito didn’t, in that he didn’t have to guess if someone was a good or bad person. If they were responsible, or their apparent affection for both their own child and the child they had been helping prep for the world was genuine. Temp could literally feel Kaito’s affection and determination and sense of duty around Addason…

(And, well. He knew Kokichi damn well.)

“...this might be sudden, but since I have you both here. I was hoping to ask you both a very serious question.” Temp decided, having been contemplating it for awhile, but Kaito’s assistant today sort of sealing the deal for him, and feeling reassured to see Kokichi’s warm, friendly visit.

Kokichi nodded, not having done that much research into it, but having heard enough to keep her crib clear. “Miya seems just about impressed with her lamb as she is about anything, so we haven’t gotten to having to take things away from her before sleep yet. Still...every time she even sighs a little louder than normal in her sleep I’m terrified. But...she’s just snoozin’ away.”

(By ‘hardier than humans’, Kokichi figured they wouldn’t need to worry about things like IDS with Miya and Addie. Not that he remembered that when he was awake, so worry he would.)

Giving another silent laugh as Kaito cooed to Addason--he didn’t mind if, one day, Miyako wanted to play in the graveyard by Temp’s house, but they’d see if she’d manage to inherit Kaito’s fear of the supernatural--Kokichi practically glowed hearing the easy banter between him and Temp. His husband and friend getting along, especially after Kaito had been unsure about Temp to start with. 

But...they were getting along. And they were already determined for their kids to be friends. It’d just be their families growing alongside each other… Kokichi was ecstatic. 

Though, he tuned his bright grin down a tad when Temp broached the subject of something serious. Glancing over to Kaito in slight surprise, wondering if Kaito had an idea about this, Kokichi nodded. “Of course. What’s up?”

Kaito just shrugged at Kokichi’s look, as in the dark about this as he was… though he guessed what was going on pretty immediately when Temp said, “Historically, my family doesn’t come from a place where god parents are a ‘thing’, so I didn’t grow up hearing much about it. But, over the years, I learned we do have a ‘first notified’ system, in case something happens to the parents, and I know that Luminary in particular treats its ‘god parent’ system very seriously.”

“When you work with death as much as I do, you learn to not get complacent. Things happen.” Temp murmured. Gods called you unexpectedly. Forieng threats and personal grudges made you a danger to be around. Even those deemed immortal still found their existences brought to sudden, unexpected halts. There was such a thing as ‘impossible’, but that word was far more rare than anyone really gave it credit too. “And all of my family is either dead or far overseas. I’m basically alone, here in Dicea…”

Looking to Kokichi and Kaito, he said seriously, “I know it’s a lot to ask of both of you. Of Shuichi and your own daughter. But honestly, I can’t think of a better outcome, should anything terrible happen to me… I’d ask you both to be Addason’s godparents. To take him in and see he’s safe, if I’m unable to raise him.”

To take care of a child flora in an emergency, and raise him safely and securely in a human world. 

“I know that’s a real amount of responsibility. And while I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think you’d agree… you can refuse me. I’d understan--”

“EEEEEEEEE--” Kaito finally managed to squeak, interrupting Temp’s train of thought. Eyes wide genuine excitement and wonder. Just barely able to hold back his feelings to not startle the easily startled baby. Before grinning wide at Kokichi, “...can we?”

Kokichi’s eyebrows arched in understanding soon enough, familiar with the Dicean system, and now familiar enough with the Luminous concept to understand what Temp was getting at. 

(Things did happen. Addie was in a unique position where his human parent was going to be able to be around for much longer than the average. But things happened. As much as you might wish them to be, no promise was absolute.)

(...it was really flattering, the Templar of Bathul asking him and Kaito to look after his son as a failsafe. Hell, it was still flattering, his friend Temp asking him and Kaito to look after his son.)

(They were already raising one Flora. They would be prepared to raise and protect Addason with all they had.)

Kokichi beamed, a light flush on his cheeks to show his flattery, and he bumped Kaito affectionately, clearing his throat softly to not burst out in excitement. “We’ll have to talk to Shuu-chan of course, but...Temp, we’d be honored.”

Looking over at the crib, just barely able to see Addason in it, Kokichi gave his friend a wide, sweet smile. “Addie deserves the best chances in life we can give him. If anything happened to you, we’d do all we could to make sure he’s alright, and gets to grow up well too. That’s...a lot of trust to place in us, thank you.”

“Yeah! Yes! We’ll talk to Shuichi, but… I mean, our guy is a sweetheart, even if its deep down sometimes! Oh my god, this is the first time someone’s ever asked me to be a god parent! Yes, I am so honored.” Kaito said, looking full to bursting with pride.

Temp gave Kaito a startled look, “...’first?’”

“Well, yeah! I’m raising kids left and right, I’m a prince, I’m cool, I’m sure over the years I’ll have plenty of god-babies! Imma start a collection! Addason, congratulations! You’re my first god-baby! Eeeeeeeee, I’m gonna be the best god parent ever, I’m gonna teach you all sorts of skills, you’re gonna be so fit, my strong, handsome little god-babyyyy~”

Temp watched in astonishment as Kaito went full dive, emotionally, into the new role, apparently just needing an excuse by this point to go into full coo’ing, praising mode. 

And Kaito suddenly turned, grabbed Temp-- ignoring his startled noise-- and pulled him into a hug, firmly patting him on the back. “You can count on us! Come to us for anything, okay?” Kaito grinned, all teeth, as he said, “You’re one of mine now.”

And, just like that, Temp found himself as the newest member of Kaito’s unofficial harem of parents.

Temp glanced over at Kokichi, raising an eyebrow and gently patting Kaito on the back. {Your husband is very extra.}

Kokichi nodded, though his expression was starting to go a bit lovey-dovey. “Shuu-chan had agreed to take Addie in before we found you, so I’m sure he’ll be all for it. But, as partners, something like this deserves a conversation. I’m guessing we’ll be accepting the honor before the end of the day, though.”

As Kaito really went into Dad-Mode, Kokichi covered his mouth as he laughed, still mostly just in his shoulders, but he couldn’t quite stop the quiet clicks in the back of his throat. And...as he watched Kaito pull Temp into a hug, claiming him, Kokichi could only shrug with a grin. 

“I mean...yes. But it’s a good kind of extra. Shuu-chan was spitballin’ how Miya-s confidence was gonna be with Kai-chan constantly showering her in praise and compliments and...now Addie’s gonna get that too. I’ll stand by it, I think it’ll be pretty nice for them.”

Temp felt briefly guilty as Kokichi answered aloud-- whoops. He had sorta meant for Kokichi to remember that next time he was asleep, he hadn’t expected Kokichi to register it as actual words--, Kaito glancing over his shoulder in slight confusion. But Temp answered easily, “I’ll agree, Kaito’s a good kind of extra. You make it easy to get excited with you.”

Kaito blinked in confusion… but Temp could feel his acceptance, the man likely assuming he had just missed something. Temp felt bad about that, but if he had to choose between Kaito thinking he had missed something someone said, or Kokichi thinking he was hearing voices, well… that was easy. Temp would just be more careful with intent messages.

There was a small little whine in the crib that put everyone on edge… but as they peeked in, apparently that whine had been the baby’s last attempt to try and stay awake. His little blue eyes now hidden away, softly breathing as he slept.

-

It had been a relief for Addason to finally fall back asleep, but none of the men were particularly keen on treating the time like a ‘safe zone’. They kept their voices soft and low as they chatted, Temp getting some dinner out of the food Kokichi had brought, and Kokichi was currently trying to encourage Temp to get a little shut-eye while Addie was still sleeping. Kokichi and Kaito couldn’t stay through the night--good intentions didn’t stand a chance against their own daughter needing her nightwatch--but there was still some time they’d set away to spend with Temp and Addason, hoping to make things a little easier for the new family. 

Though, as it truly got on in the evening, Kokichi was wondering when Amber was going to show up. And...part of him was hoping to notice early, if just to give her a little warning that even standard sleeping baby quietness wasn’t quiet enough for Addason to remain soothed.

A thin piece of paper was shoved under the door.

Kaito spotted it first. Temp was nodding off a little, but seemed to be struggling to take their good advice. He wasn’t, actually, going to be doing this alone. Temp had enough money to hire a part-time nanny, and he had done so, and the nanny would be starting in two weeks. Temp knew from experience two weeks was going to be his limit before his sleep deprivation began to get to dangerous, careless levels, and honestly, Addason wouldn’t remember the first two weeks or bond with Temp those first two weeks.

But it wasn’t the point for Addason. Temp wanted that first two weeks alone with the infant so that Temp himself could learn Addason’s infant baby habits, without missing pieces of it to the nanny. So long as he could do it safely? He was willing to be the primary, sole caretaker for a few weeks. Then he’d get nanny help when the sleep deprivation became bad.

Kaito picked up the paper, glanced at the door, snorted, before handing it to Kokichi. “Think it was meant for you, babe.”

On the paper was a simple, BABY!!!

Kokichi looked over the paper and stifled a giggle, grinning in fondness at the familiar handwriting, as if the message itself wasn’t a giveaway, even considering that they were in a new baby’s room at the moment. ...though, honestly, Kokichi wasn’t sure if Amber was expecting him to be there, and wanted to greet him, or she was giving a sign of general excitement for Temp who’d be in the room. 

All the same, though, Kokichi bumped Kaito’s side before looking over at Temp. “...I’ll go talk to her outside an’ give her the downlow. Then she can come in to see Addie? I don’t really wanna wake Temp up, though.”

“I’ll watch baby and papa.” Kaito agreed, stealing a quick kiss from Kokichi, before going to open the door for him, “And yeah, then she can come in and see my god-baby~... oh,” Kaito grinned, “Hey Amber, hey Stacy.”

Amber beamed at Kaito, Stacy cheerfully waving beside her, both of them holding bags as Amber opened her mouth to say excitedly--

“Shhhhh, no no, let Kokichi explain.” Kaito whispered, putting a hand on Kokichi’s back and gently pushing him forward, “He’s got the info.”

Kokichi excitedly waved back at his friends, though he was glad Kaito caught Amber before Addie woke up again. Nodding with purpose, Kokichi gave the girls a double thumbs up before sidling out of the resting room. 

“First of all-” Kokichi hummed happily as he gave his friends a hug, happy to see them after a hectic two weeks. “There. So, here’s the deets. Addason is precious, but he’s super easily startled and has incredible lung strength and stamina for a newborn. I was barely talking more than a whisper when I first came over and that was too much,” he recalled fondly. 

Sure, a baby screaming wasn’t pleasant, but after his first two weeks with Miyako, Kokichi considered it a good sign that he felt loving and sympathetic. And incredibly relieved when they stopped. 

“Also...Kai-chan and I have just barely convinced Temp to get some shuteye so…” Kokichi sent a suspicious look back towards the room. “...he was starting to doze, and he’d be happy to see you but...I’m kinda hoping he’s still sleeping.”

“Still, though,” Kokichi danced side to side in place. “Come see Addie! He’s a real cutie.”

“Ooooh, I see. We got a screamer, huh?” Amber said, matching Kokichi’s tone and level, giving the door a both sympathetic and amused look, “Poor Temp. He seems really confident with the baby thing, but that sounds rough.”

“You know what, I’ll bring him some meals for the next couple of weeks. I’m in between semesters and, liiiike, he’s been supes intense about this no nanny thing for the first few weeks. Some food will help. I’ll ask my mom and brother to help too, they both absolutely owe me the favor.” Stacy said, lifting up her bag of food, “Starting with this one.”

“Alright, alright, let me see, I wanna see the new baaaaaby~” Amber said, heading into the door, before stopping. “Oh! Oh, if they’re both asleep, I can’t give them the gift yet. But look what I’ve made for them.”

Pulling out the bag, Amber unwrapped it, and inside was a series of dark, metal chains, with an elaborate clasp linking all of them together, and on the end of one chain was a small, circular, beautifully elegant watch with the other chains ending on small clasps as she said, “It’s a chatelaine. I know we didn’t talk about it, but it’s the same thought process as I have with Miyako’s ankle bracelet, in that over time I can add things to it. By the time they’re grown enough to appreciate good jewelry, Auntie Amber will have decked them out. These are going to be works of art, baby. What do you think?”

It was reassuring to see just how unfrazzled Temp was, though...Kokichi kind of expected it from him. The guy had been preparing to be a parent for months, and had more evaluations to go through than Kokichi, Kaito, and Shuuichi managed to dodge by virtue of not adopting. Having to prove to people whose jobs it was to suss out unfit parents really gave Temp a leg up on preparation, at least in some ways.

(And Temp had already had a lot of kids. Even for a Flora one, there probably wasn’t a lot of baby stuff that could surprise him at this point.)

Kokichi chuckled softly, giving Stacy a grin. “I didn’t get to tell you after the fact, but your food haul really was a lifesaver for us before. I’m sure for Temp it’ll feel the same. Oh, and if you have time during your vacation, we’re starting to introduce people to Miyako soon, so just lemme know if you wanna stop by the castle sometime.”

Nodding, Kokichi had just been about to turn to go back into the room before Amber stopped, foiled once again in giving her little niblings their birth presents. But that didn’t mean they went unappreciated. 

Kokichi’s eyes widened in amazement as he took in the chains...oh, the chatelaine, the metalwork refined and elegant while maintaining a sense of sturdiness. And the watch at the end… Kokichi sucked in a small breath before he nodded excitedly at Amber, his eyes glittering. “Am-chan, it’s incredible! Aw, the kids are really going to love them…”

Laughing softly, Kokichi nodded down to where his own anklet was resting around his leg. “I’ve been wearing mine more days than not, actually. A lot of the time I forget to take it off before bed and Shuu-chan has to remind me--I’m cold enough, don’t need a brush of jewelry to shock ‘em too.”

Amber lit up seeing Kokichi wearing her gift, as Stacy also smiled, “Oh, yessss. I’m so excited to see her, absolutely. I’ll come see her sometime this week then.”

“Same, swing by and grab me when you’re ready, Stacy.” Amber demanded, wiggling her shoulders a little, “But, right now, let’s meet the added son.”

Being exceptionally quiet, Stacy placed down her food on a small table in the corner of the room, Kaito giving her an appreciative nod, putting his finger in front of his mouth and nodding towards Temp, who was totally out. Amber and Stacy nodded, Amber sighing tragically before placing her gift on Temp’s lap-- she guessed she just wouldn’t get to see the reaction. Laaaame-- before heading over to the crib.

“Oh-mai-gaaaawd,” Amber mouthed, using exaggerated hand motions to Stacy to try to make up for not talking, “Look at that haaaaair.”

Stacy, in turn, made a few more specifically elaborate hand motions, and Amber nodded, her own hand motions back a little slower and simpler and more stilted, but the two clearly communicating with hand signals, Kaito watching in bafflement. What the…?

Kokichi, extremely likely though, would recognize the sign language as Stacy more fluently signed, “He’s so cute! Look at his little chubby arms! I’m calling it now, he’s gonna be a big guy.”

“Pretty skin” Amber stiltedly but enthusiastically signed back. “So dark! Handsome!”

“Temp is so lucky! Kokichi’s right, he’s precious.”

“So luck!”

Kokichi grinned at Amber’s reaction, but Stacy’s...oh duh! That was the perfect way to chat when even harsh whispers would sound the baby alarm. CSL was taught for a reason, though not waking a baby was a new one to Kokichi, admittedly. 

Raising his hands, Kokichi’s signs flowed easily into each other, though they were even slower than Amber’s. “His eyes are a bright blue, too. Really gorgeous. Even if he was all teary while I could see ‘em.”

Silently laughing at one of Stacy’s comments, Kokichi nodded enthusiastically. “If he ends up tall too, I really am gonna be surrounded by giants with all you guys. Like, there’s no way Miya’s not going to shoot up when these-,” he nudged Kaito fondly, “-giraffes are her dads.”

Stacy and Amber giggled, while Kaito defaulted to his usual uncertain grin, still trying to work out exactly… what was happening? 

Amber tittered, before sighing, lamenting the lack of ‘trees’ still in her life, and wishing better for the next generation. Stacy brought up the idea of Miyako and Addason growing up to be friends, the girls gushing over the idea, hoping the two kids would end up getting along. As they all ‘chatted’, Kaito started to work out that the random hand motions weren’t, uh, random. Huh… oh, it was kinda like the signs Maki used to talk to the guards when they were trying to be quiet. It looked a little more involved though. Huh.

There was a small huff… and Temp opened his eyes, looking up and, after a moment, smiling. Kaito was astounded as, without missing a beat, Temp signed, “You came. Were you going to let me sleep through the visit?”

“Be smart. Dad’s busy.” Amber signed.

“We brought food and a gift!” Stacy signed. 

“Yes! Gift!” Amber signed excitedly, pointing to Temps lap. “Baby handsome! Beautiful! So cute!”

“I know, he’s precious. Thank you guys so much for coming, the food smells good too…” Temp finished signing, before taking a look at his gift, “...this is so elaborate--”

He saw the confusion on Amber’s face, and tried signing, “This is so pretty and complicated.” Amber smiled in understanding, as he continued, “It’s such a nice gift. Thank you, Amber.”

“Welcome!!” She signed.

It was really nice. Kokichi didn’t have much of a reason to speak CSL outside of, like, for fun, or the rare occurrence on one of his few days in court and the person they were addressing used it, and...it was nice getting to keep his skills up. Even if he was probably signing agonizingly slow. 

When Temp woke up, Kokichi had half a mind to insist he get some more sleep, but...as someone who had been in Temp’s position, more or less, just a little while ago, he knew how great it felt to see friends on such a special day. 

Especially ones that made you food and life-long investment gifts. 

“It’s amazing, right?!” Kokichi excitedly signed. “Am-chan knocked it out of the park again!”

“Best Aunt. Bomb-ass bitch.” Amber spelled out, looking pretty smug about knowing that last one. “Much metal-work.”

“It’s beautiful. It’s nice Addason will have something nice all his own when he gets older.”

“He really is adorable, Temp. Congratulations. When can you go home?”

“Tomorrow afternoon. Then it’s just me and the baby for awhile.”

“I’m gonna bring food. You okay with that? Check in on you.”

“I’d appreciate that, Stacy, thanks.” Temp gave his friend-- with benefits and otherwise-- a fond, happy look, Stacy beaming back in turn. “I’m really glad we met back at that club. You guys found me in a lonely time in my life. I hope you know how much it means to me that you’re here right now.”

“Hot, smart, and fun, annnnnd--” Amber kept stretching out the sign, smirking as she got some of her accent into the signing, “-- best at being friends. Stacy, I, awesome.”

“We are.” Stacy agreed, nodding enthusiastically. “Kokichi too.”

“You all are. Thank you.”

Kokichi didn’t really believe in fate. Yeah, after everything, he still didn’t. But he could be grateful for whatever luck made it so Stacy and Temp decided to hook up the night her and Amber’s friend bailed on them, having Amber and Kokichi run into each other at the bar. Kokichi getting a little too tipsy and deciding to bolster his courage into talking to the next person that came to the bar. Kaito and his dance rival somehow finding each other in the middle of Kaito and Kokichi’s date. Tangouai deciding to party it up at the princes’ wedding. 

There were a lot of little factors as for why things ended up the way they did, but Kokichi was thankful for them. Because...this was great. Amber, Stacy, Temp...they were great. 

Kokichi signed a casual connection of love, smiling fondly at all his friends. “It’ll be a bit, but I can’t wait for Addie and Miya’s first baby date! I hope to see you before then, but still. They’re going to have...no idea what’s going on.”

“I know.” Temp smirked, “It’s going to be adorable.”

-

“And he’s kind of a weepy baby, so when you meet him, Miya, you gotta be nice, okay?” Kaito whispered, having finished changing his daughter in the middle of the night and now idly playing with her toes as she stared up at him curiously. “Sometimes, when you’re tougher than someone? And my Miya is s~ooooo tough… sometimes that means you have to be extra gentle with the people around you. Because you can hurt them by accident, and they may be too scared to let you know. So you gotta keep your eyes open, and try to be a little less…”

Kaito had been about to say ‘you’, but that felt like bad advice to give to his baby. So he just shrugged and tried, “...abrasive. You’re probably gonna be a little bigger than the people around you, Miya, and a little tougher, and if you have any of dad’s nerves running through you, a little meaner… so you’ll have to be more careful…”

Kaito glanced over at the bed, where Shuichi and Kokichi were sleeping… and whispered even quieter, “And also, you gotta be more careful, because you’re a princess.”

“They’re going to tell you you’re not a princess, but you are.” Kaito explained to her, now massaging her legs a little, Miya’s arms wiggling excitedly as Kaito tapped her knees, “Someday, we’ll even go back to my home, and they might make you say all sorts of things… but it’s not true, okay? They can make you say you give up your inheritance, and your title, they can make you say anything they want, but Atua doesn’t denounce you, and you’re still a Momota by blood, okay? It doesn’t matter what they make you say, that’s still true.”

“And princess’s deserve to be treated certain ways. It’s their birthrights… but by being ‘careful’ for other people, you can’t actually ask for it. Because it’ll hurt them. But that doesn’t mean you should forget what you are…” Kaito frowned, before sighing, rubbing his hand over his face, “...or maybe I’m entirely wrong and I should never tell you this when you can remember it. Sheesh, kid, I don’t know… knowing about my birthright doesn’t make anything easier. Maybe it would be better if you never knew yours… but how can I keep it from you? ...but no one’s ever going to actually treat you like a princess, so… I don’t know, Miya. I don’t know what to do. It feels wrong not to tell you, but I don’t want you to end up bitter and sad like your old man… people were careless with me, sometimes, Miya. They called for me and they sent me away and they gave me everything in the world and then they took it all away and… your dad didn’t have a lot of control over his life. And I think maybe some of that was… maybe the false expectations of being a prince kinda messing with me? Maybe it’s better not to put those ideas in your head. Your daddy has the same problem. None of your parents have much experience being independent and in control of their lives, and maybe the ‘titles’ made it all worse…”

“...but it wasn’t supposed to be that way.” Kaito whispered, kissing her feet. “It was supposed to be a blessing. A literal divine gift… how can I keep what was literally a gift to you from god to myself… your dad’s all confused, M~iiiiiyaaa. Its supposed to be a good thing, to be a princess. But here I am worried it’s all just gonna be… a burden.”

“...maybe I’ll know better, one way or another, when you’re old enough to hear it.” Kaito murmured. “You better hope dad gets smarter real fast. Because I’m really lost on what to do…”

-

“Do you want me to come?” Kaito asked, finally. 

“Maybe Kaito should go with you.” Shuichi agreed, holding Miyako as she ate from her bottle.

“Like, I’ll just come. She can’t stop me.” He insisted. Both of them worried as Kokichi got ready for lunch with Kyoko.

Kokichi finished smoothing his hair back, clipping it out of his face with a barrette, and turned to give his partners a thankful smile. “I appreciate it, but...if she wants to interrogate me, she’ll find a way to do it. I’d rather just get it over with, yanno, instead of being on-edge for however long she’s gonna visit for. I don’t doubt that she can be scary when she wants to, but…” Kokichi sighed softly with a shrug. “I don’t have anything to hide. There are things that aren’t her business, but...well, I’m pretty good at telling people when things aren’t their business.”

“It’ll be fine,” he reassured, going over to kiss the side of Shuuichi’s head and placing an affectionate hand against Miyako. “I’m curious about what she wants to say, and...I want to get to know her better too. She’s important to you guys, I want to make an effort.”

And overprotectiveness or not, Kokichi had a feeling she wouldn’t outright try to kill him. Shuuichi would be sad. 

Going over to Kaito, Kokichi gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek before turning to go, heading out to meet Kyouko at the cafe she had suggested. It seemed a little bizarre that they wouldn’t walk over together, since they were both leaving from the castle, but Kokichi had a feeling that Kyouko had gone over to stake out the area ahead of time and give herself more of a familiar advantage.

...he had a feeling that she’d heard from someone that they had some of the best green teas in the city. 

She had, in fact, heard that, and was still mildly marveling at the green tea when she noticed Kokichi’s arrival. She raised her hand up to him, hoping to get his attention so that he’d see her in the corner of the relatively busy cafe-- in a place where she could see people coming and going, of course, and no one could sneak up behind her, as was tradition.

When he approached, she politely stood up, bowed, and waited for him to sit before sitting back down again. “Good day, sire. Thank you again for coming out to meet me. I hope this place is suitable to your tastes.”

Kokichi waved in a friendly manner when he spotted Kyouko in the cafe, heading over to the comfy corner spot she had snagged. “Good afternoon, Miss Kirigiri!! I’m so happy you wanted to get lunch together, thank you for the invitation. And I’m always excited to check out more restaurants--I’ve heard good things about Pegasus Coffee Co. but I’ve never been yet.”

The cafe was comfortable and open, the kind of place that you could come and settle down in, though it was far from the kind of place to hide away from the world in. The design was clean and natural, and really the only thing that paid any homage to the fantastical name was the minimalist logo on the cafe’s dishware and displayed above the drink menu. That, and Kokichi had heard gossip here and there that the foam on lattes was so fluffy it could be clouds, but that was probably more incidental than anything. 

Tilting his head slightly, Kokichi gave Kyouko a grin. “Have you ordered yet? And...is Miss Kirigiri okay? It feels a little weird to me, to be honest, but that’s how Shuu-chan’s always referred to you, so that seems like a Luminous respect thing.”

“Shuichi and the others refer to me as Miss Kirigiri because its a form of respect towards someone of a higher rank than them, though Kaito does it as a more… informal show of respect. He, and you, may refer to me as however you wish.” She explained, giving Kokichi a polite nod, before raising her drink and saying, “And I’ve only ordered this, though I believe you have to order from the counter if you wish for anything more. Though I imagine they’d make an exception for you.”

Taking another sip of her green tea, she said, “And, at this point in our lives, Shuichi himself no longer has to refer to me as ‘Mistress’ either. We are, in all respects, largely equal now. I imagine it will take him some time to get comfortable with that idea though, if he ever does. Some things become less ‘ceremonial’ and more ‘habit’ over time.”

Kokichi gave Kyouko a...slightly curious look, though he absolutely knew what Kyouko meant by implying that the cafe would treat him differently than any other patron. It was...kind of baffling, in a way, that even something as simple as ordering food in a cafe would be twisted around for status plays. Sure, sometimes Kokichi got free stuff from people, but rarely his actual orders, and...like, people did that for friends too. It wasn’t that weird. 

He nodded in understanding, though, as she talked about titles. “I get that. Whatever your equality in being adults or in your professional lives, you did still mentor him and, well, raise him throughout the large majority of his life. There’s always going to be that connection between you two.”

Giving her a slightly sheepish grin, Kokichi went to the counter to order himself food and a drink--this was his lunch, after all, and even if he wasn’t hungry, Kaito would get all disappointed in him if he missed a meal--but quickly returned as he waited for them. 

“...you know, Shuu-chan and Kai-chan were worried about me accepting your invitation alone,” he commented, something amused in his eyes. “It makes sense, you being Shuu-chan’s mentor and all, but you really are something of a legend, the way they speak about you. So...I haven’t underestimated you, but I am curious about what exactly they were so worried about.”

At this, Kyoko looked mildly amused. Sipping at her tea, she sighed, leaning back into the chair. “They give me too much credit. That’s the point, of course. Things are much easier to accomplish, when people give you too much credit. It’s amazing what you can accomplish when people will just step aside and let you… but then, you know that better than anyone. The Ouma family thrives on that philosophy.”

“So, with that said… I’m curious. Would you indulge me by guessing, why they might have been worried? I’m curious what my reputation equals too, here. Based on my discussions with your staff, as they like to be called, you’re one of the few people who have heard anything about me at all. And I imagine almost all of that knowledge has come from our… mutual acquaintances.” Kyoko smiled softly, “I can only hope I don’t come across as something ‘dire’ then, though I suppose it’s better to know now if I do.”

Kokichi laughed softly, remembering their previous conversation about reputation, and more about his friends’ own philosophies and subsequent struggles with the concept over the time they had been living in Dicea. But...the core of the concept was there--it was much easier to get things done with others’ cooperation, and after that just with their blessing. Having to fight to get your way was the most difficult way to get things done. 

(But...sometimes it was the only way.)

“Well, as for your reputation, you’ve been painted as a serious sort of person, not particularly enthused by niceties and bureaucracy, and the type of person that likes to get down to the physical truth, but within your means.” Kokichi smiled slightly. “Shuu-chan admires you a lot, so that’s definitely filigreed your portrait in my book.”

“As for why they’re worried…” Kokichi looked to the side, a considering look in his eyes as he watched people mill around. “...they haven’t directly given me any reasons, really. I think they’re all still sort of on edge from you, Nekomaru, and Oliver being here at all.”

After another moment, Kokichi spoke more softly. “...Shuu-chan and Kai-chan worry about me a lot. About how people speak to me and what kind of information I can handle...they’re looking out for me. This past year has been really difficult, and all of us, myself included, have made some pretty horrible mistakes. Things that you have all the reason to take umbrage with, to be angry about. I think they’re worried that anger might be something I can’t handle, but…”

He sighed, turning back to Kyouko. “I’m not looking for a punishment from you. Or...validation, though I would prefer it if, during the time of your vacation we get to know one another and find that we like each other. But I know what my mistakes were, and I know what wasn’t okay. You’re valid in expressing your worry and anger, and I’ll accept that. And...that’s just kinda that.”

Kyoko nodded, her expression unchanging. “My Shuichi and our prince are naturally nervous people. They’re young. Unsure of themselves and overcompensating. I’m a large reason for their paranoid natures, so it doesn’t, and shouldn’t, surprise me to be on the other end of it. I’m not offended, if there was any concern for that.”

Kyoko gave him a neutral, curious look, “I can’t imagine a scenario where I would be fit to lay punishment at a royals feet. And I’m unaware of anything that would be considered a ‘mistake’. You have me at a loss, sire.”

Kokichi just looked at Kyouko for a moment before snickering. “Shuu-chan mentioned that too. That you never actually called him out on anything, but would just look at him until he busted himself.”

Sighing, he gave the royal detective a dry look. “I’ve known your son for less than a year, and we have a daughter together, Kyouko. At the very least, I’d imagine you have some questions for me.”

“...and I know it’s weird for you guys, but...classifying people like ‘royals’ just doesn’t make sense socially here,” Kokichi shook his head a little. “Our relationship is that I’m dating your son. Personally, I don’t believe in punishments, but… I mean, you can be suspicious of me. ...though, I’ve already declared my intentions and have backed them up with actions, so maybe you just don’t feel the need to emotionally go through all that but…” 

Kokichi shrugged again. “Just thought I should lay it out there, is all.”

Hearing his order get called out, Kokichi popped up from his seat again, collecting the hot breakfast sandwich and black tea from the counter. 

Kyoko watched Kokichi get up and get his order. Just like his ‘staff’. So far, everyone kept calling Kyoko out on her investigation, more or less seeming exasperated when she dodged answering direct questions, and giving her blunt, straight to the point answers to questions they thought she had. She got the impression, speaking to some people, that this was maybe the result of some old interactions with her and Nekomaru’s charges. A few burnt bridges just by Kyoko’s relation to the two. One or two people gave Kyoko the impression they were reveling in the new opportunity to say some things that perhaps they hadn’t had a chance to with the children, calling her out now that they understood the mentality she was coming into this with better. 

The children, in Kyoko’s mind, being Kaito, Shuichi and Maki, of course.

It had annoyed Kyoko a little at first, but she was a little more adjusted to it by this point, which was likely a relief. At least Kokichi’s words weren’t shocking, by this point. Had she not had those interactions already, she would have likely assumed Kokichi was just… well, a spoiled prince used to being able to say whatever he liked without consequence. But that was the wrong way of looking at it, from the Dicean perspective. So, that character profile wouldn’t be particularly useful to her.

So… who was she working with here?

Spoiled was the wrong word, and it would lead her to the wrong results. But he was used to being right. That would be easy enough to lean into. Someone intelligent, who was used to that intelligence being reinforced by those around him… and he thought she wanted to punish him. Alright.

When he returned, Kyoko gave him a moment to start eating. “...you’re right. I do have concerns. Perhaps you could ease my mind on some things?” She gave him a solemn look, “...my Shuichi seems happy. But I still have concerns by the nature of how this relationship started, your grace. I’d be doing my charge a disservice to not have questions about a relationship starting during such… unique circumstances.”

Kokichi sipped at his drink, getting some of that good almost-burning-his-tongue flavor before he nodded. That’s more the kind of thing he had been expecting. “Of course. I’ll do my best to answer any question you have, within reason.”

Looking to the side for a moment, Kokichi giggled softly. “...honestly, it’d be a bit embarrassing if it hadn’t turned out so well. I was committed to my marriage to Kai-chan, you know? Nothing was more important to me than making sure the war ended…” There was some of that determined fire in Kokichi’s eyes again, though it was calmer. The issue settled. “And while I love Kai-chan now...he’s not the kind of guy I ever thought was my type. And...really, I kind of hated him at first.”

“Shuu-chan, on the other hand,” Kokichi blushed lightly, “Is absolutely my type, and the more I got to know him, the more I liked him. After everything was done and settled around the marriage and everyone was home safe, Kai-chan used to tease me all the time about having a crush on him. And, yanno, sure, I did, but I wasn’t going to do anything about it.”

There, Kokichi’s smile dropped and regret seemed to droop his shoulders. “...then...his symptoms from Poppy got bad. And...Maki-chan, Kai-chan, and I were just...ill-equipped. Trying to keep him alive...trying to handle a situation so much bigger than ourselves. And...during that time...I knew I’d do anything for Shuu-chan.” Kokichi’s voice grew softer, though his promise was steady. “He...was in such a bad spot. And I wanted to do everything I could to try and help him. And...I wanted to do that forever. To care for him, and cheer him on when he was ready to shine again.”

“When we went on our vacation to the coast, Kai-chan had a talk about how we felt and...we asked Shuu-chan if he wanted to date us. And he said yes. And...I’ve stuck by him ever since.”

Kyoko listened to this quietly. Occasionally nodding to show she was listening. 

“...Shuichi seems happy with you. You’re connected by blood through a daughter, so some things are, frankly, beyond what ‘caution’ could help by this point.” Kyoko admitted, acknowledging that even if there was something to worry about with all of this, it was far too late for it not to get complicated. “And Shuichi, from what I hear, is going to school here, which is something I hoped for him when he first left. So please, understand I’m aware of all of this, sire. My concerns don’t come from a place of ignorance, or unaccepting of a rather ideal present-day scenario.”

Sipping at her drink, Kyoko sighed. Before firmly placing it down.

“That said? I was… more than a bit unhappy to discover that when my charge had moved to another country where he would, for the first time in his life, be free to make his own choices and pave his own way, what happened was two princes got him pregnant the very second his body could produce children, and now he is living in their bedroom.” Kyoko tilted her head at him, and said, “You can see how manipulative that sounds. You couldn’t have trapped him more effectively, honestly. And my only concern is that either you, or Prince Kaito, may have manipulated him into these circumstances on purpose.”

Tilting her head, she said more gently, “You sound, from your version of events, like you don’t believe this to be the case on your end… may I ask? Are you aware that Prince Kaito has had long-standing feelings for Shuichi since they were children? The same for young Maki? There’s a reason Nekomaru was concerned, our first night here. Prince Kaito’s not known for being malicious, but he is known to have skill in social manipulations… I’ve gone through a lot of trouble to free those children, sire. It concerns me that they might still belong to a Momota.”

Kokichi nodded, finally starting to nibble at his sandwich. In some cases...it was too late. The four of them were bound up in each other in a vast, messy knot that would hurt all of them too much to try and untangle--that’s why they were going to therapy together. But while they decided to stay in each others’ lives, they still had choices. 

And that was an important distinction to what Kyouko was saying. 

Sighing softly, Kokichi nodded again. “I...really get what you’re saying. More than you’d probably believe. I’ve tried to point it out to...both of them, really, on multiple occasions and…” Kokichi winced a little. “...they get mad at me when I do. That on its own is it’s own whole situation but...basically, I get overly worried about power imbalances and people ‘trapping’ themselves by expected social convention, and Shuu-chan and Kai-chan get pissed at me for not giving people enough credit for their own decisions.”

And it was because of that, that Kokichi felt more secure about how his partners felt about their life. 

“One of the first things Kai-chan did to tease me about liking Shuu-chan was talking about his own feelings,” Kokichi nodded. “And talking about his time dating Maki-chan came soon after. But...I only had to see them all together in private for ten minutes to see how much they all love each other. And over the past year, my understanding of how deep that love runs has only become more clear.”

Kokichi sighed softly, feeling a flare to defend his husband, but...at the very least, he let the anger behind that feeling go. “Kai-chan’s good at figuring out how to make people feel comfortable. But that doesn’t equate to people liking him. That’s a choice they make on their own.”

“...and I agree,” Kokichi spoke lower, “That there were more than a few reasons to raise an eyebrow at someone at one of the highest levels of society befriending people who were enslaved to his family. But that’s doing a great disservice towards Shuu-chan and Maki-chan’s own choices. They don’t belong to anyone...but they are Kai-chan’s as much as he is their’s. They have claimed him too...just the same as they’ve claimed me, and I them.”

At a more normal volume, Kokichi nodded. “There’s also something to say about comfort zones and wanting to stick with what’s familiar, but...that’s a choice people need to make for themselves. In some ways...yes, it’s a little late to be talking about that. But it’s not a conversation that we haven’t been having since the moment I signed the treaty, and my marriage certificate.”

Sitting up, there was some mild regret in Kokichi’s eyes. “...I wish Shuu-chan had gotten more time to explore what he wanted to do, with his freedom. There are options that feel too impossible now, even if they literally aren’t, and...I really regret that. I love our daughter, but...she was an accident. Even if Kai-chan already had Tim...none of us wanted to have kids this early. But...these are our circumstances, and we’re making the best of them. And for all of Shuu-chan’s choices going forward, I’m going to do my best to support them.”

Pausing, Kokichi sat up and looked around a bit, considering his words. “...the basis of marriage in Luminary is all about power dynamics…’head of the household’ and all that. Until recently...it wasn’t a concept I knew anything about. And legally, it’s a completely void concept here. Shuu-chan’s life isn’t dependent on mine, or Kai-chan’s, or anyone else’s. His choices can be whatever he wants.”

“But from my own Dicean perspective...I can only hope to be considered, as my role as a partner. Because...the basis of any relationship is the ability to look outside just yourself. I hope to be considered, just as I made my own decisions with consideration to my family as well.”

Kyoko nodded. She had observations and concerns and actually was soothed by quite a bit of that, but didn’t let any of it show on her face. Though, the differing family dynamics…

“...one reason for those family dynamics is protection. Can Shuichi’s safety be guaranteed with you, if he’s not trading his obedience? What happens if you die? Will the castle continue to take care of him?  Furthermore, can you guarantee me that without your presence and protection, the castle would allow him to leave? With his child?”

“Miyako is the daughter of an Ouma, but you are sick and prone to self-destruction, your grace.” Kyoko said, not bothering to explain how she knew that-- she suspected he’d already be able to guess. “If you die, and Shuichi decides nothing ties him to this place, can I have you guarantees that he will be allowed to take his family and move on with his life? That the king would not keep him, through Miyako, here?”

Ah, this, at least, he could give a simple and solid answer to. Though, Kokichi gave Kyouko an amused look as she called out his health. “Hey, I think I’ve been making really good progress on the ‘not being so self-destructive’, so you know.”

“But...yes. I can guarantee all of that,” Kokichi nodded, his seriousness returning. “If I died? Shuu-chan’s tangible quality of life will not be impacted. I am not the only thing ensuring he has a roof over his head and food on the table, or opportunities fiscal, employment-wise, or educational. If, after my death, Shuu-chan wanted to keep living as we have done, he will be able to.”

“And if he wanted to leave with Miyako, he can as well, and there wouldn’t be any barriers to him finding a home elsewhere. As long as she has direct guardians--which Shuu-chan, Kai-chan, and I are, my father has no claim over Miyako’s well-being--meaning, he can’t do anything with her without our consent, and as long as we care acting within the parameters of Child Protection Laws.”

Holding a finger up, Kokichi cut that line of questioning off at the pass. “And a parent wanting to move is not a violation of those laws. The laws are meant to give children rights in their own legal issues, especially in cases of child abuse done by a guardian. Even phrased in the worst way, like Shuu-chan taking her away from her friends and the life she’d known, isn’t classified as abuse, and thus Shuu-chan would still have guardianship over Miyako.”

“...it would be more complex if Kai-chan didn’t want to go, and still wanted custody over Miya, though,” Kokichi admitted, “But...there’s a lot of court-process for issues like that, when guardians haven’t agreed on a solution themselves, and Shuu-chan would be represented in equal capacity to Kai-chan.”

Strange, Kyoko thought, though had the good sense to not say. Things were very different in Dicea. 

“...could he leave you now?” Kyoko dared to ask, raising an eyebrow, “Without your permission?”

Kokichi sighed softly. “He could. Miya makes it more difficult. If Shuu-chan left with Miya without my or Kai-chan’s consent, that would be classified as a kidnapping, unless he proved in court that we had been mistreating her. What would be more likely if something like that were to happen, though, is that we would all file for joint custody, which means that we all have a legal right to be with Miyako in accordance to whatever the terms are that are decided in court. Like, we’re each entitled to having her for a minimum number of weeks in a month, or months in a year, or...whatever is decided.”

“If he left on his own?” Kokichi huffed a dry, humorless laugh. “It’d break my heart, but there’s no legal recourse for that. He would have the same entitlement to housing, food, basic income, and job and educational opportunities.”

After a moment, Kokichi added, “...marriages aren’t a legal thing here either. It’s purely a social thing.”

“...when we first said it, I was mostly digging for a reaction,” Kyoko admitted, “How someone handles their temper is important to know, about a person, and it seemed an easy way to upset you. That said, when I first said you weren’t a royal, I wasn’t being entirely sincere… but I’m starting to understand thats far closer to the truth than I expected.”

“Probably for the best.” Kyoko shrugged, “Royals are nightmares to get into relationships with. Shuichi maintained a relationship with Prince Kaito despite my wishes. At first I thought he was being naive, then I thought he was being rebellious… and, as I’ve said, by this point I was worried he was being fooled and manipulated. Taken to a different country where he was promised freedom and opportunity, to become a bedwarmer within a manner of months of arriving? Bearing a child, with Maki, inexplicably in that same period of time, also ‘having a child’ with him?”

Kyoko snorted, “We’ve been wanting to have some… words. With Prince Kaito for a while now. His status cannot protect him, not here or in Luminary. Not if he’s trapping and manipulating our charges… so, my last…” Kyoko paused, before saying honestly, “‘Direct’ question? You’re convinced you’re not manipulating them. Can you be as certain that Kaito’s not manipulating you?”

Kokichi nodded slightly. As much as it agonized Kaito...it was how things worked in Dicea. The people handling the matters that made the country run were civil servants. They did everything they could to make sure the majority of people’s needs were met, and that they weren’t aiming policy for self-interested reasons. Because...then the country wasn’t for the people. It was for a handful of people. 

They might use the same words, but...Kokichi and Kaito were very different princes. 

So…

Kokichi raised an eyebrow, kind of...baffled by the question, but...he put it to consideration. “...we haven’t always been the best for each other, but...I don’t think so. I think our therapist would’ve mentioned something about it if it was something I hadn’t noticed…”

“...evaluating relationships like an equation is rarely helpful or illuminating but…” Kokichi sighed softly. “Kai-chan makes me happy. He’s a good husband, and a wonderful father. I hope I’m the same in his eyes. He believes I’ve given him chances he doesn’t deserve, but he’s quick to brush off any wrong I’ve done to him. He’s...like that a lot, honestly… But, other than...yanno, love? Having someone close to you that understands you? And getting the help of another parent? I don’t think Kai-chan’s getting anything out of being with me.”

“I wouldn’t argue that.” Kyoko disagreed, “In the year he’s been here, you have managed to keep him out of jail, at least once. According to his records, your character testimony lessoned his assault and kidnapping charges to Anger Management therapy. I’m unfamiliar with Dicea’s law and punishment standards, but I imagine that for men who aren’t the prince’s husband, breaking someone’s face in and stealing a healer on your way out gets more than a slap on the wrist.”

“Besides that, he lives in a castle still, doesn’t work, now has full access to two people he spent his whole life pining over… all while being away from his domineering and controlling family, all of their enemies, and avoiding a civil war.” Kyoko sipped her drink. “Things came up roses, for Prince Kaito, in this exchange. Did you know his brother forced him onto the military track, back in Luminary? That his reputation was in tatters and he was a laughingstock? Kaito’s life has exponentially improved since arriving here. Sure, he’s poor now, but that is still an exceptionally beneficial trade on his part.”

Kokichi sighed softly, not...really thrilled to think of the less great moments of their time at the coast, and...some of this felt too personal for Kaito. Things that...maybe Kokichi shouldn’t share, even to someone who knew him well. So...he stayed quiet before nodding. 

“...Kai-chan told me about the military stuff. Regardless of how he felt about it originally...he was really proud of it. And he didn’t seem all that broken up about his reputation...I suppose that’s a coping mechanism in itself, wearing it like a badge of honor.”

Kokichi looked down, his toes tapping on the cafe floor. “...personally...I agree. The more I learned about Luminary, and what Kai-chan’s life was like...I always felt so thankful he was here now. When I wasn’t beating myself up over ripping him away from his home…” Kokichi huffed humorlessly, despite the sound meaning to be a laugh. 

“...but there’s a lot Kai-chan loves about Luminary. And...things he loves that...personally, I wouldn’t consider good things. Sometimes it feels like I ruined his life by just...being around for my father to carelessly send that marriage offer.” Kokichi sighed again. “I know that’s not true, but...despite it looking ‘better’ to me, I can’t speak for Kai-chan. Only he can.”

“The good prince often didn’t seem to recognize a good situation when he was in it.” Kyoko admitted, “Or, rather, he seemed to treat the good and bad ones roughly the same. His moods were so… random. Difficult to predict. He’d treat a fight for his life like it was good sport and then threw himself in that prayer room of his for months over being rejected by Shuichi. And then came out like nothing had happened…”

Kyoko sighed. “I really did worry Shuichi was going to end up with Kaito, someday. I suppose I’m just grateful it’s under these circumstances, really. It would have gone poorly, back in Luminary… but he really does seem happy. I am grateful for that. Shuichi’s spent too much of his life being unhappy. He’s always deserved more than what I could provide for him.”

…

Well...Kokichi did agree that Kaito could be unpredictable, and his concept of ‘good things’ and ‘bad things’ could be unique, but...the example Kyouko gave… That was pretty clear. Shuuichi was important...and Kaito’s life was not. That was...easy to extrapolate, if pretty sad. 

But that was a conversation that wasn’t Kyouko’s business unless Kaito was the one bringing it up to her. 

So...Kokichi just smiled softly. “That’s all I hope for, really. And...I think you being here now, trying to make things right with him...is going to make him happy too. He cares about you a lot. Sometimes you really do have to let people go, but…”

Briefly, something extraordinary painful crossed over Kokichi’s face. 

“...people are what life’s about. If you can make things right, then...that’s really good.”

Kyoko’s eyes, slightly, narrowed at the look of pain. She couldn’t really help herself, she was trained to fixate on signs that someone was holding back on her. And it wasn’t like that brief flash had been subtle… the prince’s face had looked like he had mentally touched a hot pan. 

Just that alone made her curious. The fact that his expression had done that when talking about Shuichi… it was touch and go if it was actually connected. People were funny little things. They’re minds wandered even under stressful or serious circumstances. One man had almost died because he couldn’t focus enough on answering questions on his murder accusation because his concerns about his cat not being fed the next morning kept making him overly emotional. 

It had been Shuichi who had figured out what was distracting that self destructive idiot. Kyoko had been quite proud of him. She had made him go fetch the cat, though, because some things were still underlings jobs. All white fur on an all black blazer… he had been so annoyed. 

...her charge deserved better than he had ever gotten. 

“Prince Kokichi.” Kyoko said-- because even if he wasn’t really a prince, she’d still respect the title enough to call him as such-- “I’d like to ask… if there’s anything I should know, about Shuichi’s time here… I’ll very likely find out about it, eventually. Saving me the trouble of finding it out on my own would be appreciated.”

...he still didn’t know what to do about Nao. It still just hurt. 

Kokichi looked up with a small smile, sure Kyouko really would, but… “...you really should just ask him about it. The things you should know. There’s no better source than the primary.”

“For other stuff, though…” Kokichi’s smile brightened up again. “He has a pet ball python named Nini--Kai-chan got him for his birthday. And Shuu-chan was doing really well in university for the semester he went--a friend of his is in the same program, studying to be a detective, and I think they’re trying to schedule the rest of their classes to align when Shuu-chan goes back to school. He’s also gotten to be friends with Nadya-chan, my administrative assistant--she’s also a pro baseball player!”

Kokichi went on like that for a little while, talking about the smaller things that made up life. Kyouko would find out about Nao one way or another, but for what she did...it was Shuuichi’s story to tell the way he wanted. Not for Kokichi to stumble through.

...Shuichi had a snake???

Kyoko marveled as Kokichi just unloaded a bunch of minor information about Shuichi’s life to her. Talking about friends he had made, events he had gone too, things he had accomplished. She had expected to discuss the pregnancy more, the situation with the pollen at the very least… but Kokichi didn’t seem to think these were the things worth bringing up. Instead just gushing about a dozen happy, little things.

“...” Kyoko smiled at that. “You’re an odd little thing.”

Kokichi chuckled softly and rubbed the back of his neck. “So I’ve been told. S’just...life comes in the little moments, right? And you haven’t been able to be around for them this year. I thought you’d like to know.”

“...how long do you think you’ll be staying in Dicea?” Kokichi asked. “I would assume at least this long, but mid-way through midsummer is Zenith, one of our major holidays. Shuu-chan, Kai-chan, and I are gonna figure out a situation that we can go to the festival at least for a little while, but I’d be really excited for you and Oliver and Nekomaru to get to experience a Dicean holiday.”

Kokichi laughed lightly. “I’m a bit biased, since it’s my favorite, but Zenith is really something special!”

“We’re going to press our luck for as long as we can, honestly. I figure we’ll know when our time is up when Maki tries to assassinate us.” Kyoko joked, “But… I hope we get a chance to celebrate a few things  as well, before we head home. Dicea is a nice place, so far. A little abrasive, but…” Kyoko shrugged, “It’s tolerable. And I love your tea. I can already tell there will be things I miss, when I return home.”

About what his friends dreaded, but...well. Maybe Kokichi really was a glutton for punishment, but he was looking forward to spending more time with his in-laws. Getting to know them as people, more than the myth-like stories his friends had told him. And getting to know Oliver point-blank. 

Laughing slightly at the abrasive comment--not because he didn’t find it true, at least for a Luminary perspective, but...it still was a little funny--Kokichi gave Kyouko a coy look. “Well, at least for the tea, there are ways around that longing. This...might be a little self-inflating, but I consider myself a decent artist. For...those who wanted them, I was thinking of sending out care packages to the extended family, including little portraits of how Miya and Tim are growing up. Adding in tea and perhaps other treats you enjoy from Dicea into yours would be my pleasure.”

Maybe it was too friendly too fast, but...hey, Kokichi could swing for the fences.

“Are you?” Kyoko said, sipping at her tea, “I suppose I’ll take a look at your work. I used to dabble a little myself in charcoal drawings, but imagining ‘new’ things is a little tricky for people like myself and Shuichi. Our conditioning discourages it. For obvious reasons.” Kyoko shrugged, “But in my younger years, I would experiment with mixing and matching memories to create sort of… surrealist replications of them. I haven't done a new one in years, but I still remember how fun the process could be.”

“If you still wish to send us tea by the time we’re running home, I’d gladly accept it. As well as image reports of Miyako’s growth… I must ask. The Timothy situation. Do you consider yourself a part of that?”

Kokichi grinned slightly, nodding, though he considered Kyouko’s experimentations. “I really love Shuu-chan’s drawings. I never noticed him struggle with drawing from imagination, but...I suppose we never really tested it--we were more focused on just having fun drawing together, you know? Hey, maybe we could all draw together again while you’re here!”

It was a bit much suggesting that Kyouko take on the hobby again while she was easing away from her conditioning but...well, she had said it was fun. Maybe it would be something to revisit. 

Kokichi hoped that he would be on tea-giving terms with the mentors. He really did. Even though he knew there were areas they just didn’t see eye-to-eye on and...talking through those points would be difficult.

Nodding thoughtfully, Kokichi gave Kyouko an affirming hum as a short answer, though he immediately launched into the full explanation. “As much as a member of a family considers themself to be a part of it. Tim and I have grown into an uncle-nephew sort of relationship--he’s a kid that’s part of my life, and I’m invested in his growth and health and happiness, and I’m an adult in his, someone he can go to for advice or another perspective, or just to be a safe, calm space.”

“I know it might look a little weird if you just looked at the story,” Kokichi half-grinned, “But Tim’s a great kid and I’m fond of him. Oh, we all actually went to his class’ last day of school party a few weeks ago--he’s been kickin’ butt at school. I’m sure Kai-chan’s already been bragging to you all about how he won the national spelling bee for his age group over the winter. I actually had my wisdom teeth out during his class one, and Kai-chan, Shuu-chan, and Maki-chan were helping him study in the waiting room while I was under.”

Kyoko nodded. Okay, so it looked like Kaito wasn’t trying to avoid his husbands wrath by taking on Maki, and her child, as a concubine, so that likely wasn’t something that would happen randomly with Kokichi’s approval. Kyoko would pass that on to Nekomaru. The kid could be full of shit with an excellent poker face, but he didn’t seem the type capable of murdering a family out of jealousy. 

“He seems like a capable child. He’s kept himself to himself, which is usually the first good sign for someone his age. A dose of caution will always make up for a dollop of intelligence.” Kyoko said, “Clear up a bit of confusion for me; Kaito didn’t instruct Timothy to stab him twice as some sort of test for assassin training. Yes? The reports all said with certainty he did, but the common belief is that he was covering for more foolishness.”

Kokichi grinned, though there was a bit of fatigue keeping it from beaming. “You don’t seem the type to anyway, but...Tim’s a Dicean citizen, and with Kai-chan vouching for him in a lot of ways and such…” Kokichi waved his hand a little, not really wanting to get into the really weird specifics of how Tim was protected by their laws. “...basically, he’s still protected even if you go to Kaede about this and she decides she wants to make things even more difficult for us.”

“Kai-chan set up the story about the assassination contest to prevent Tim and the other kids from being executed,” Kokichi nodded, voice a little lower since...well, it wasn’t the kind of thing he’d shout out to the cafe. “Timothy was part of the military, you know? And he’s a kid… With what everyone was saying, he thought Kai-chan was spitting in the faces of everyone who participated in the war and sacrificed themselves just to marry me of his own, unrelated desire.”

Kokichi sighed, cupping his cheek in his hand grimly. “...in no way do I like what happened that night, but...when it seems like everything in the world is unjust, sometimes the only thing that makes sense is to lash out against it. We’re just lucky it didn’t turn out worse.”

Kyoko didn’t have anything to say about Kaede, and didn’t have anything to think about it either. It was a fair concern from Kokichi, and Kyoko had backed Kaede as a better alternative to the current administration. The queen was intelligent, ambitious, good at people, and most importantly, against the Indentured program. With that sorted out? Kyoko was happy enough with just doing her job for what it was, for as long as she could.

She knew the odds weren’t great she’d survive this job long term. Kaede didn’t trust her, so that level of protection was sketchy at best. Nekomaru would still protect her, but even that relationship would struggle now. Kyoko had been outed as a liar and a traitor and entirely untrustworthy, and she had more enemies that she could ever hope to kep track of.

It’d only take one person getting lucky.

...she didn’t care. Luminary was her home, and her job was basically her identity. She wouldn’t be scared away from it. She’d enjoy her break, and then go back to the fight.

“Lashing out is certainly the appealing choice. Maki herself has that problem. Young people always want their change now… most change takes time. What you, at the moment, might consider a lifetime of quiet, dedicated, consistent effort. Maki would hold Atua by knifepoint and demand he rip the foundations of the world apart and leave the rubble behind with a vague demand that others ‘build it back right’, if she could. She wants to take shortcuts. To make big, loud destructive change all at once… which was very useful, at this exact point in the battle. But had she tried to join the fight at literally any other stage? She would have gotten herself killed needlessly, and would have likely ruined several long-laid plans on her way out…”

“So, in that sense? Perhaps young Timothy couldn’t have found a better mentor. Mother. What have you.” Kyoko shrugged, “At least she’ll understand him, and might have some half decent wisdom, by this point. Hopefully she’s aware of how foolish she’s been… I should have a talk with her.” Kyoko decided aloud, sipping at her tea.

Her face softened slightly at confirmation of Kaito’s choices, nodding, “What a foolish young man, your husband is… he’s so sentimental. Quite eager to involve himself in plans he knows almost nothing about, telling bold-face lies and grinning into furious looks, based on, from what I’ve understood, little more than a gut-punch instinct to trust the intentions of the people he was protecting… I am aware, your grace, of how I sound when I speak about your husband, usually. The prince-consort was dangerous. He was emotional, and impulsive, and for most of his life entirely off his leash. And the people around him were even more dangerous, making him dangerous by association… I tried a thousand times to warn Shuichi and Maki both off of him. His friendship put them at risk… but I can understand why they couldn’t accept that. When half of the time he used that outrageous, foolish impulsiveness in their favor?”

Kyoko sighed. “Well. That’s a battle long lost. I suppose it ended better than I could have hoped, really.”

Kokichi smiled fondly as Kyouko outlined Maki’s impatience. Challenging the universe itself and making it bend...it was her trademark, even if she really was as human as the rest of them. And even Kokichi, Mr. Rush Ahead himself could see that sometimes she took it too far, demanding things that just weren’t possible. 

Sometimes it made the impossible possible.

Sometimes it crashed and burned. 

(...Kokichi was eternally glad he hadn’t just okayed Kaede’s plan from the moment Maki had told it to him. What would’ve happened...he didn’t want to theorize about.)

“Her fire in no way has gone out,” Kokichi huffed a laugh, the notion ridiculous to him, “But...Maki-chan’s been cooling it since she came back. And I think she still will for a while. As much as I can offer a listening ear, I think, at the very least in the long run, she appreciate being able to talk about the war with someone who...got it, you know?” Kokichi shrugged gently. “You were there too. That’s not an understanding the rest of us can offer her.”

Kaito he didn’t totally understand either but...people would never totally understand each other. But they could always keep trying to learn more. 

Nodding with a fond look in his eyes, Kokichi sighed softly. “Kai-chan has a kind of faith I’m a little envious of, sometimes. Even for how much it could get him into trouble. He wouldn’t describe it this way at all, but...he really believes in the immediate community. He puts his absolute faith in the few people he’s chosen, and will do…” Kokichi paused, reworking his words. “...he’ll live for them. His entire world centered on them. And...he expects, if not equal devotion, than something approaching that in return. That people will choose him too.”

“It’s not something everyone can do, let alone as a natural instinct,” Kokichi said quietly. “Even for how much I believe in the bonds between people, it’s something that I think I’ll always have to be mindful of. It can be terribly dangerous and painful...but it’s something really beautiful and wonderful when it works out. So...I’m thankful that it’s working out. Even if it’s something we have to keep working towards.”

-

Shuichi wanted to adjust his hat, but he was, actually, aware of how much of a tell that was for him. Adjusting his hat during moment of uncertainty or insecurity was a level of openness he was allowed around his family and friends. When he used to interrogate suspects, his posture was carefully controlled, his expression usually slightly soft, or slightly cold, depending on what he was encouraging the suspect to talk about. The important thing was to not give anything away. The person at the other end of the table wasn’t entitled to any piece of you. You’d gain nothing giving yourself awa--

“Are you listening, Mr. Saihara?” Dr. Ford asked gently, a knowing smile on his face. 

Shuichi blinked. “Yes, of course. You were saying that I could still establish boundaries with my mentor, despite her being here.”

“You seemed to phase out when I started to go into it.” Dr. Ford said, shifting back into his seat, rubbing his short beard, “Something else on your mind?”

(Reminiscing over back when I used to be a detective.)

“I didn’t mean to offend. It’s just things I already know. ‘Boundaries’ has sort of been the word of the year, honestly. Kaito’s obsessed with the word.”

“Is he?” Dr. Ford seemed to consider this, and like many times before, Shuichi got the sense that the man was trying to pick and choose what questions he wanted to ask versus what questions he should ask. It usually happened when Kaito came up.

“... if you’re phasing out and getting distracted, is it because you feel like you have a handle on the mentor situation? You were in conflict about them our last session, and for them to just appear? That’s a difficult situation.”

“I don’t know what to tell you. It feels… resolved.” Shuichi shrugged, “She had a good reason to ignore me. She was trying to protect me, and I understand how and from what. It’s easy to forgive her when I understand why she did it. Honestly, now I just wish I had heard her out months ago.”

“Well, in almost every respect?” Dr. Ford grinned, “That’s a good thing. I’d still like to discuss it to be certain there’s not anything you still need to express about the situation, but it is always a good thing when a relationship that was important to you can be resolved peacefully. I’m happy that has worked out for you.”

“Thank you.”

“But, Mr. Saihara, are you sure there’s nothing about the exchange that still bothers you? We can always come back to this if you realize you’re upset with anything later, but I’d hate to blow past it while the topic is fresh.”

“...”

“...?” Dr. Ford smiled. Clearly prepared to wait.

Silence invited words. Silence created discomfort. People started mind reading, seeing a thousand signs in an otherwise blank expression. Their paranoia hummed at them, telling them all was lost. That they had already showed their hand. That they were being toyed with. And after a awhile, they would start trying to salvage the situation, giving away more and more things until finally the noose was round and looped and ready to pull--

“I’m… not fond to learn how much she’s lied to me--”

Shuichi frowned. Suddenly keenly aware that he was staring at himself having a conversation with Dr. Ford, from a third person perspective. He blinked at the strange scenario, trying to understand…

“...how come our memories look like this?” Shuichi asked the air. “Why don’t we remember from looking through our own eyes? I can literally see the back of my head. How does that work?”

Kokichi had a sort of wince laced in with his expression, his body language indicating that he was just about to cover his ears and close his eyes. He would always be honored if his partners wanted to talk about something that had happened in therapy, but...this wasn’t Shuuichi’s intention. He hadn’t brought it up. Kokichi...was just here now.

Sighing, he gave his partner an apologetic look. “I couldn’t tell you. It doesn’t make sense, right? But even when I look at memories from when I was a baby, I can see them as a clear scene, full of things I probably wouldn’t have been able to notice as an infant. But...looking back, I can see them. My mentor once said something about how we never really forget things, we just can’t recall them...maybe it’s something like that.”

Shrugging, Kokichi gave Shuuichi a small smile. “...hey. It’s good to see you.”

Shuichi smiled, ignoring his other self-- memory?-- continue to talk to Ford as he went to give Kokichi a hug. 

As he hugged him though… Shuichi tightened his grip. Holding him close and burying his face into Kokichi’s hair. “...I’m so sorry.” He whispered. “We hurt you.”

Kokichi sighed and held Shuuichi closer, pressing his face into Shuuichi’s shoulder. He knew that they had to talk about it, though he hadn’t wanted to bring it up immediately.

“You didn’t,” Kokichi soothed, though his voice was firm. Utterly convinced that what he was saying was irrefutably factual. “I got too excited, and I pushed myself too much. I know what a toll it can take if I’m not careful, and...I never want to put you guys in that position, you know? Waking up to me wallowing in the consequences of...sprinting up a mountain in sandals. But it wasn’t your fault. I should’ve taken things easier.”

Kokichi rubbed Shuuichi’s back for a moment before smiling softly. “...did you know? Bringing a non-empath into another non-empath’s mind is what put me on the radar for the community. It’s...something kind of absurdly insane. And...out of my league for now, but one day I’ll be able to manage my powers better. Then we can have sneaky dream conversations together.”

Shuichi sighed against Kokichi, greedily taking his comfort and feeling a little bad about it. “You were so sick… I felt so useless to help you. I don’t want you to ever do that to yourself again. It wasn’t worth it. Your health isn’t worth that…”

“Kaito would have killed me.” Shuichi muttered, pulling back from him a little and sighing again, adjusting his hat, “Or beaten the shit out of me. Or beaten the shit out of some wall. Whatever he would have done, he’d have been furious. That was so stupid of us… getting you that sick to soothe a nightmare. Honestly.”

Glancing over his shoulder, he said, “Could we leave my therapy session. I’m not saying I start trash-talking you, but we do end up getting into your relationship with Aiichi in a moment here, and, well… you know I have some opinions already. There’s no need to go back into them.”

Kokichi nodded. For however much good he could do with his abilities...he wasn’t just an Empath. He was a boyfriend and a husband and a friend and a father...and an heir. His discoveries could change the world...but he had made them. And further experiments weren’t worth his health, putting himself out of commission in the physical world. 

They weren’t worth terrifying his family. 

“Honestly, I think Kaito would want to beat up on something for a while when he hears about the shit I pulled…” Kokichi shook his head a little. “But I’m working on it. Pulling you and Maki-chan to him was dumb of me, but...I really have been working on managing my abilities, and what I choose to do with them. The stories I could share…”

But he had one in particular that...wasn’t so much his own choice to know, but…

Smiling wanely, Kokichi nodded and led Shuuichi to the ‘door’ of Ford’s office, letting Shuuichi’s memories and expectations of town add to his dream of the day. Taking Shuuichi’s hand as they walked out into the sunshine, Kokichi hummed softly. “...funny you should mention my father…”

He looked around, still...unsure, but sticking with his decision to tell Shuuichi. “...I know there’s a lot I still have to tell you. But...while we were having drinks with your mentors the other day...I overheard something. Normally...something like that isn’t any of my business--they didn’t choose to tell me. But...this is something I think you deserve to know. ...and I waited a week to see if they’d tell you themselves.”

Shuichi looked around the town, relaxing a little. Like most of Shuichi’s memory settings, there was more a ‘sense’ of other people around, rather than anyone actually around. Shuichi found he liked that feeling best. Alone, but not actually lonely… it was nice.

Though, the immediate conversation…

“Huh… I want to say that it’s surprising, since I haven't gotten a sense that my mentor was keeping something from me, but…” Shuichi suddenly looked tired, shrugging as they walked down the path. “Well, she’s literally the person who taught me how to spot that sort of thing. She’d know what I was looking for.”

“...what an interesting problem.” Shuich murmured, “On one hand, should I be willing to accept information that my mentors keeping from me by my boyfriend literally picking it out of her head? Is that not a huge invasion of privacy and trust against someone I love? On the other hand…” 

Shuichi hummed to himself, considering it… before taking Kokichi’s hand. “Yeah, nevermind that first part. I don’t care about that, tell me her secrets.”

Kokichi nodded, squeezing Shuuichi’s hand gently. “In some ways, I kinda wish I hadn’t picked it up. It is an invasion of privacy; people should be entitled to the privacy of their own thoughts. I know I hate it when I accidentally pick stuff up from your or Kai-chan, and then I can’t even keep it to myself most the time ‘cause I convince myself that you said something…”

But this was something he felt Shuuichi was entitled to know. If Oliver was going to remain in his life--and if she and Kyouko had been dating since Shuuichi was nine, that seemed like a sure thing--then...he deserved to know. Kokichi didn’t want to keep big secrets from his partners. Even if they weren’t his own secrets. 

Taking a steadying breath, Kokichi rubbed a gentle circle into Shuuichi’s hand. “...it wasn’t Kyouko that I felt. It was Oliver. And...I felt so much conflict in her because...she’s your biological mother.”

“...”

“...no?” Shuichi said, giving Kokichi a genuinely bewildered look, “No. Obviously not. What are you talking about?”

Kokichi raised an eyebrow. “Why obviously no? You don’t know your biological mother, so what’s saying Oliver can’t be?”

“Kokichi, my parents are dead.” Shuichi said, eyebrows pinching. It wasn’t a conscious choice, but he pulled his hand out from Kokichi’s stepping back from him. “My mother died during a confrontation with the arresting guards, my father died in prison shortly after that. There’s no… I saw their burial records. Oliver looks very alive to me.”

He took another step back. Above them, clouds started to darken. Distant thunder rumbling.

...Kokichi was sure he wasn’t mistaken. The sorts of things he had felt from Oliver…

But people were complex. And Kokichi cared much more about his partner now, and what their family looked like now, all the connections they’d made with their own choices. And...what did it matter, really?

Kokichi frowned softly, looking up at the dark clouds and Shuuichi’s distance from him. 

“...okay,” he softly said. “I’m sorry for bringing it up… I’m still learning how to manage all this, as you know… I’m...pretty sure there were feelings directed at you, but…” Kokichi shrugged a little. “I guess I misinterpreted it. There’s probably some sort of conversation she and Kyouko need to have with you but...I guess that’s not the one. I’m sorry, Shuu-chan.”

...he probably shouldn’t have meddled at all, huh.

Shuichi was starting to huff. Taking in deep, slightly too quick breaths… and he grit his teeth, suddenly furious with himself as he clutched at his chest, “Come on… not now…”

“Stop, stop, dammit, Saihara…” Shuichi grumbled at himself, carefully sitting down as the wind got heavier, “I’m okay… you’re okay… you’re okay, stop it… h-aauuufff…. H-aauf…”

He really couldn’t do anything right with his partners like this, huh…

But he always had to try. That’s how you learned. 

Stopping himself from going into his own spiral, Kokichi came towards Shuuichi, sitting down beside him but not touching. “You’re okay, Shuu-chan. We’re snuggled up safe in bed, Kai-chan’s watching over us, Miyako’s curled up in her crib, snoozing away. Everything is okay.”

...he didn’t want to influence his partners. Part of liking people was liking everything that made them them, accepting flaws and quirks and all of it. ...but he could help. 

Taking a breath, Kokichi closed his eyes before he started taking deep, steady breaths, exuding a sense of calm. And...letting it seep out a bit. Encouraging Shuuichi to follow.

Shuichi, if he could, would slap himself right now. Stop having a panic attack. Stop having a panic attack. Stop, stop, stop stop sto--

… Shuich took a deep breath Holding it for a second, a sort of… flowey feeling inside of him. It was like there was something in the air, a strange, indecipherable scent and taste. It was cold, but not unpleasantly so… it felt like when Kokichi brushed the back of his hands against him…

It still took a second, but that second was all he needed. He let the breath go, and the sky calmed. 

“...this feels amazing.” Shuichi said after a moment. Staring idly at nothing, as he leaned against Kokichi a little. There were birds singing somewhere. Shuichi felt a little hazy. “I feel high… Kokichi, we should go get high. In real life. Why don’t we get high more? ...we do have to take care of Miyako though… maybe you and I can get high, and Kaito can watch Miya… is that cruel?” Shuichi sighed, closing his eyes, “...I can be kind of mean sometimes. Do you think Kaito resents me? Maybe it just makes hm horny…”

Shuichi giggled.

Kokichi never wanted to send Shuuichi into a panic attack again, and doing it while he was asleep he...had no real science to back it up, but he had a feeling it was really bad, but…

“Ah, shoot…” Kokichi quietly muttered, taking one last breath before he let his calm recede. He was glad if it could bring Shuuichi back from the brink of a panic attack, but...it probably wasn’t a good idea to do often. “Sorry…”

Kokichi gave his boyfriend a small smile with a sigh. “It could be fun to get high together, though I think that’s something we should get a babysitter for, rather than asking Kai-chan. I think he’d wanna experience it with us too.”

Nuzzling Shuuichi affectionately, Kokichi didn’t touch him beyond that. Even if Shuuichi was usually okay with touch...right now he wasn’t really entirely feeling his own emotions. And Kokichi wouldn’t take advantage of that. “...you can be a little mean, but Kai-chan doesn’t resent you for that. It’s just...something about you, and he’s long-since learned to accept and love all parts of you. And it’s not like it comes from a place of true maliciousness...you can just be a little selfish or vindictive sometimes, and that just makes you human. As long as those don’t become the main motivations for everything you do? Then I think Shuu-chan is a good person.”

Shuichi giggled a little more, wanting to be a little closer to Kokichi. He felt good. He felt…

“...aw.” Shuichi pouted, looking genuinely disappointed as the birds stopped tweeting in the distance, the setting becoming steadily more normal. “You need to bottle that and sell it, Kokichi. Wow. That was incredible…”

Sighing, Shuichi took off his hat, patting it down idly before looking at it for a moment.

“...” He ran his thumb over the rigid edges. They hadn’t always been ridged. Time had damaged his hat. Faded the color. Frayed the edges. Worn the fabric thin.

“...why…” Shuichi closed his eyes. Dipping his head a bit, his shoulder raising defensively, “...why would she abandon me? I… if I wasn’t an orphan? Why… why did she leave me?” 

Bottling emotions seemed like a slippery slope to Kokichi but he supposed he was glad Shuuichi got some enjoyment out of it. It was never something he’d...emit to Shuuichi long-term, but...it could be helpful if his boyfriend really needed a moment to relax. 

Closing his eyes, Kokichi sighed softly as he tipped his head over onto Shuuichi’s shoulder. “...if my assumption was right? Then...I think that’s a conversation you need to have with her.”

“...she was really conflicted. There was a lot of joy and pride directed at you, but...a lot of guilt and self-directed shame too. A...sort of resignation, a little bit.” Kokichi sighed again. “...I decided to wait a week to see if she would bring...anything up with you. And...you know, I get it if she decided that she wouldn’t. She’s some stranger you’re just meeting, even if she has been dating your mom for a long time. She doesn’t have any sort of entitlement for your feelings, or information about your life. But...even so…”

Kokichi frowned. “...was I wrong to tell you?”

“No,” Shuichi said, without really thinking about it. Though, after a moment, his face twisted somewhat in conflict. Something uncertain in his eyes… before he sighed, “No. You weren’t. Sorry, you were just… the messenger. I didn’t mean to get upset with you, I just…”

“...I’m hurt.” Shuichi said softly, “My parents dying was them being careless. Stupid. I’ve always resented that they would take such risks with a small child depending on them, but… that was just them being stupid. I could live with that. And my ‘uncle’... eventually, the hat--” Shuichi idly waved it, before frowning, flicking it out of his hands and letting it drop on the floor, “--became more of a comfort item than anything else. Just something familiar, something I could hide under, but… at one point? I really thought if I wore it, than…”

“...” Shuichi’s eyes reddened a little, though he didn’t cry. He huffed a small laugh, something mocking in it, as he said, “I used to daydream that my uncle, the man, someone, would see me in a crowd, or crossing the street and… and they’d just recognize me, you know? They’d see me and their eyes would light up, and they’d call my name… that the only thing keeping me indentured, and without a family, is that they just hadn’t found me yet… that someone would see me someday, and they’d be… so happy. And they’d sweep me up into their arms, and demand to take me home…”

Shuichi stared at the hat on the ground… before with some disgust, kicking it away. “And it turns out, someone knew where I was the whole time. Knew what I was going through, was literally in the same city, within arms reach of me sometimes… and what? She just… she just didn’t? She just didn’t want me. No one was looking for me. No one was coming to get me. She had a thousand chances, and just… didn’t.”

“... it’s a hard thing to hear.” Shuichi murmured.

Kokichi nodded slightly, his eyes softening with sympathy. He hadn’t chosen to tell Shuuichi expecting that he’d light up, or be enlightened. It was...kind of a shitty thing to know, in their circumstances. But...she was here. And if Shuuichi was ever going to have a chance to ask things that he hadn’t even thought about because it was too impossible...he deserved to have that chance now. 

History was important, even if it hurt. 

Wrapping an arm around Shuuichi’s back, Kokichi held his boyfriend close. ...he had been abandoned. Kokichi could guess the excuses Oliver had, but...he didn’t have to defend her. Regardless of the feelings of being unfit, or how dangerous her position was as the head of rebel groups...she had still made a choice to abandon her child into slavery. 

And...that was incredibly, horrifically awful. 

Kokichi pressed his lips together. “...she was really surprised, when you mentioned first seeing her when you were nine. More than Kyouko, surprised like you managed to tail her without being seen. She...she was surprised you hadn’t recognized her. And then...not surprised, and guilty and...rueful, I guess…”

“...I don’t know,” he said quietly. “It’s horrible. I’m sorry...you didn’t deserve all that. The consequences of what she chose.”

Shuichi rested his head against Kokichi, drawing up his knees and wrapping his arms around them. “...I wish I knew what to do. Or how to feel. I kind of wish I was angry. But I just feel shocked and numb. That’s one thing I envy in Kaito and Maki. They never seem to run out of ways to feel pissed. They’d both know what they wanted to do about this immediately. It’d probably be the wrong thing, it’d probably be Mak wanting to confront Oliver immediately, or Kaito punching something until there was holes in it, but at least they’d know what to feel. Me…”

Shuichi shrugged, “A part of me hopes she’ll never bring it up. A part of me wants to pretend I don’t know. It was different, thinking my parents had died. I understand how Maki feels now. When she found out she had been abandoned by one of her parents, and her extended family, she immediately denounced them. They weren’t family to her anymore. I got angry at my uncle for abandoning me too, mostly because he had said he was coming back to get me… who was that?”

Shuichi blinked, straightening up, his brow furrowed, “...maybe that’s one thing I can get out of this. Maybe I can finally know what happened with that man. He wasn’t my uncle, I’m certain of it. My records said I didn’t have an uncle. And who died? My mother died during the arrest, unless they just… made up a body? Lied about the death entirely? What about my father? The way Oliver and my mentor talk, they’ve been dating… forever. Maybe Oliver just started dating my mentor after my father died, but to go from recently widowed to a strange, secret relationship that lasts decades… that seems unlikely. Doesn’t it?”

Yeah… As strong as his resolve was to tell Shuuichi, Kokichi was going to stop there. What Shuuichi would do with that information was his business, but...things were tense enough, and they were on decently friendly terms. To immediately make an enemy out of Oliver, Kaito and Maki moving in to defend Shuuichi--his honor, or retribution for everything--wasn’t...great. Especially when, as far as they knew, that information was still a secret. 

But...anger led to action. Actions you might regret, but at least you were moving somewhere, and that tended to feel better than being lost. 

Kokichi did know Shuuichi, though, and...the most he had hoped for in telling him was...that finally Shuuichi could get answers. Nodding, Kokichi commented, “I mean...I’m not really counting anything as an impossibility. I don’t know either Oliver or Kyouko well enough. But it would be weird if that happened…”

...Oliver had thought of that event--Kokichi assumed, anyway, as it had felt like a sort of...sprout of everything--with fondness and regret towards the people in it. But that was a story for her to tell. 

Kokichi sighed softly. “...it’s been a week. Kyouko told me they’re pretty much going to try to push their luck to stay as long as they can. If I were in your shoes? I’d wait it out a while, get to know Oliver more as a person, more as Kyouko’s girlfriend, figure out who she is. And...if she never brings it up?”

Kokichi smirked gently. “Well, I, Shuu-chan, am a genius detective, aren’t I? Even Maki-chan’s suspicious of how much she looks like me. And I have a bunch of brilliant doctor friends in town, and one in particular that owes me big time--I wouldn’t be doing my due diligence, confirming my suspicions if I didn’t snag a hair or something and get a DNA test, seeing if it matches my own. A result that gives off a ton of questions...then, it’s time to get some answers.”

Shuichi laughed lightly at that, nudging Kokichi’s side a little, “...wait. Maki suspects something??? Why? Oliver looks nothing like me.”

Kokichi snorted, giving Shuuichi an amused look. “She looks a lot like you. The hair, obviously, but you two have the same noses and general face shape. Sure, that’s not a ton to go on, but...Maki-chan still said something about it.” With a slightly guilty look, Kokichi scratched his cheek. “...I didn’t say anything about it at the time. When I shot my drink out of my nose...that’s what startled me. Honestly, half the time I think I’m hallucinating, and...even when she brought it up, I just tried not to think about it.”

They looked alike? Shuichi just couldn’t see it. He pictured Oliver in his head and-- “Ah!”

He jolted, clutching Kokichi half in a desire to protect and half in a desire for protection as a sudden, third person was there, it taking Shuichi a moment to register who he was looking at. Standing there, just idly staring down at them, Oliver didn’t say anything. Just tilted her head slightly at them.

“...did you do that, or did I?” Shuichi whispered to Kokichi, staring at Oliver. “...is she… real? Or… aware?”

Kokichi blinked, a little surprised to see Oliver, but a little not since...yanno. Shuuichi was thinking about her. In fact, Kokichi was more startled by Shuuichi grabbing his arm, though it didn’t take him more than a second, to reach over and rub Shuuichi’s far arm, slightly putting himself between them.

Smiling softly, Kokichi shook his head. “It was you. You tried to create an image of her in your mind, right? This is your mind, so…” Kokichi tilted his head, regarding the Oliver standing there. “She shouldn’t be aware, no. You’re not an Empath, and...she’s just your thoughts right now. Your perception of her.”

After a moment, Kokichi looked back at Shuuichi with a serious look. “...so she’s not going to be who she really is. But...I’ve found that even just looking at a person like this is helpful for building up to talk to them.”

If ‘Oliver’ had any thoughts on any of this, she didn’t express them. Or anything. She just stood there. 

“...creepy.” Shuichi muttered, adjusting his cap… before sighing as he realized his hat was back on his head. Projections getting out of control, he guessed. Flicking it off again, Shuichi frowned at the Oliver, before deciding to ignore her, hoping she might go away if he didn’t engage with her. 

Looking to Kokichi instead, he said, “...are you okay? Out there? When we’re awake? I’m supposed to be helping you through this… is there anything I can do to make you feel… less crazy?”

Kokichi chuckled softly and relaxed, cuddling up to Shuuichi’s side again. It was interesting to see how Shuuichi pictured people. Almost like living photographs, but the ones of people who took them too seriously and didn’t smile or pose or anything. Just...a headshot to examine the features of. Literally just picturing the image of someone. 

Smiling slightly, Kokichi felt his heart warm as Shuuichi changed the subject. There was a lot to think about on the Oliver situation, and Kokichi had no qualms about Shuuichi just...shelving it for a while. 

Sighing, Kokichi tipped his head back onto Shuuichi’s shoulder. “...being patient with me. And...helping me get out of situations I’m fumbling. Sometimes...like that time with Kai-chan? Sometimes I think I hear people speaking, but I’m feeling what they’re feeling...and then I respond aloud and…” He sighed, smile dropping. “If it’s just the two of us? Just...let me believe I heard you talking. With other people...I dunno. Try to call me out for mind reading, and be patient when I’m unsure of myself.”

“...do you remember that time Kai-chan and I were in town, and I had a panic attack?” Kokichi nodded at Shuuichi’s response and sighed. “Another Empath was trying to talk to me, and my defences were...well, defending and alarming me, like I made them to. But I couldn’t recognize what was happening, so...I panicked.”

“In my head...my mentor is keeping an eye on me. But out in the physical world...I just don’t want to hurt anyone…” Kokichi muttered, eyes falling down. “So...if you could keep me safe? And make sure I’m not hurting anyone...that’d be good.”

“Of course… I do feel bad about the incident that first sent me to Temp.” Shuichi admitted, realizing as he said it aloud that this wasn’t something he had apologized for yet. “I think I know you well enough that you wouldn’t mislead Kaito like that on purpose, not while you know what you’re doing, anyway. I could, and should have, brought that up to you in a less… accusatory way. So, I’m sorry for how I handled that.”

Shuichi glanced over at Oliver again… before waving his hand at her. “Shoo. Shoo.”

She stared back at him. Shuichi groaned. “Great. This is like telling someone to not think about a purple elephant…”

“...” Shuichi narrowed his eyes as Oliver now stood in front of a simple, large purple elephant. “This could get very stupid, very fast.”

Kokichi sighed, but he smiled softly. “Thank you. I’m glad you’re keeping me honest about it--I didn’t realize I was doing it the first time either. Too many people have taken advantage of Kai-chan...including me. But I want to be better, to be better for him. I just...let my panic take control of me instead of thinking it through. I really didn’t handle it well...and I ended up scaring Miya because of it too.”

“I need to be better for her too…” Kokichi frowned softly, but there was the edge of determination in the corners of his lips.

At least until he looked up at Shuuichi trying to shoo away Oliver, and ending up adding to his focus. Snorting, Kokichi leaned over to place a kiss on Shuuichi’s cheek. “Just about as stupid as any complicated line of thought you can make. You can just visualize it more here.”

Looking around, Kokichi hummed softly. “...we both have to get some actual sleep tonight, but...before I go, is there...anything you wanna do? Really, the only literal limit is your imagination. If you can believe in something, it’s true.”

Shuichi hugged Kokichi, allowing his body to relax against his boyfriend. Yeah, they did need to sleep, and Shuichi had worked out by this point that this-- dream hopping, whatever you’d call it-- didn’t count as real sleep. He wondered how it really affected the brain and body. Was it equivalent to being awake? Was their bodies adrenaline, movement, reflecting in real life? Was this why Kaito swore up and down that Kokichi moved around and ate things in his sleep? Was Shuichi doing than now? Or was it unrelated?

But his curiosity’s was quieted a little at Kokichi’s question. “Hmmm… that’s such a strange question to me. Technically we really could do anything, couldn’t we… darn. I wish something would come to mind… though, at least we have plenty of opportunity to come up with something later. Hm…”

“...would it be a ridiculous waste of supernatural abilities to just wanna tell Oliver to her face that she’s a bitch?” Shuichi snorted, looking genuinely amused with himself, “I’d never say it to her in real life. I’m not really… it’s easier to be visibly angry with someone I like, than a stranger or someone I don’t. I could verbally rip Kaito apart on an impulse, because he feels safe, but her? I’ll probably end up being quiet and sad, the only place I ever yell at her or say what I think about her just daydreams…”

“...” Shuichi had been about to say there were a few people he kind of just wanted to yell at, blue and orange eyes poking through his mind… and he sighed. Unsurprised, this time, and a little annoyed with himself as he glanced up at the two other women who had joined Oliver. “...it’s actually shocking I don’t have more of a problem with female authority figures.” He said dryly, as Sayaka raised an unimpressed eyebrow at him, while Nao just smirked. Oliver still blank-faced and unfamiliar.

Kokichi gave his boyfriend an amused look in turn. “I mean...this is basically just a daydream that you can walk in. That you can control. If that’s what you want to do, then...do it!”

...but for all his encouragement, Kokichi still grimaced at Nao’s appearance. ...it was weird, seeing her passively smirk like that. She definitely did have a smirk, and that was it, but...it had only been in small moments. Shared tomfoolery and mischief that they shared together before she returned to her more regular smile. 

...she looked more put together than she had at the craft store. Standing tall, hair smoothed back, eyes alight with a challenge she was not only ready to face head-on, but was convinced she’d win, too. 

It was Shuuichi’s perception, after all. 

Sayaka he only looked at after a moment, almost like an after-thought. And...despite knowing that Kaito took after his dad in looks, Kokichi still tried to find any resemblance. ...there wasn’t much. 

Kokichi turned back to Shuuichi, smiling wanely. “...well? You wanna verbally dress ‘em down? Rip ‘em apart until they’re cryin’?”

Could he? Shuichi stared warily at the trio of women, Oliver frustrating in everything her existence implied, but Sayaka and Nao… Sayaka had made a considerable part of his life uncomfortable, even terrifying. And she had been the driving force of a few things in Shuichi’s life, choices he had made, that still kept him up sometimes. And Nao… his short time knowing her had been so much. Every memory he had of her was painted in this red, violent haze. She might not have had as much time as the late queen, but Nao had taken from Shuichi a sense of… self respect. And belief in himself and his ability to take care of himself. That he had managed to keep a hold of throughout his whole time with Sayaka. Sayaka had made Shuichi’s life miserable. Nao had made Shuichi miserable.

There really was something tempting in using them as proxies. In barring his teeth at them, or playing out his imaginary arguments with them, only this time all of his arguments were perfect, and he made them feel small and stupid and worthless, and yeah, he’d snort his nose and turn up his chin and look at them like they were lowly and dirty and pathetic, and they’d believe, and they’d cry…

He waited. He almost expected for them to burst into tears just at the thought… but they didn’t. Sayaka just sighed, looking away, like she had somewhere else to be and was just barely resigning herself to being here. And Nao gave him a knowing look and snickered, mocking Shuichi’s private thoughts and desires for this exchange. Oliver did nothing. Just waiting.

“...I don’t really know if I can.” Shuichi realized, feeling genuinely disappointed with himself, as he rested his head against Kokichi again. Giving the women a tired look. “Honestly? I think I’d just end up making myself cry. Which I can do on my own time… I don’t need you here to see me work myself up over nothing. It’s a little embarrassing, isn’t it… I don’t think I can really imagine them being sad, or regretful, or ashamed. I think if I tried to do it, they’d just… make me feel small.”

Kokichi nodded slightly and kissed Shuuichi’s head. “...if we could imagine them being regretful...well, at least for me, I wouldn’t hate them as much. Not...really them them,” he nodded to the three women, “But...you know. The people I hate. When people are ashamed of how they act, then it’s usually impetus for them to at least want to change. For the monsters in our lives...the thing that makes them monsters is that lack of regret.”

“...that said, though...I think I’m gonna take advantage of this.”

Giving Shuuichi another kiss, Kokichi gently stood up, trying not to jostle Shuuichi too much, before he strode over to the women and…

Glaring, Kokichi reared back before full-on punching the image of Sayaka in the face.

“You’re a fucking failure,” he hissed quietly, face contorted by the rare look of genuine rage. “You might’ve been trapped in your own right, but you had so much fucking power over people. And you only used it to hurt and destroy and shallowly boost your own vanity. He went to you for help, and you did nothing. You didn’t care at all. You have no pride. You’re just a shallow doll.”

Despite the woman being a good few inches taller than him, Kokichi could’ve been on top of a mountain for how far down his nose he looked at her, his disdain almost palpable in the air. “Your existence was a waste.”

(...he didn’t really believe that. But it felt nice to say in a place with no consequences. Sayaka sure wasn’t happy in her own life, if Kaito’s perspective was true, but she had only ever made things worse for others. And for that...Kokichi did look down on her.)

Shuichi had given Kokichi a mildly surprised, but fond look, when he got up gently to go confront one of the women. Honestly, he suspected Kokichi was just trying to make him feel better, would make a show of scolding one of them to make Shuichi’s desire feel less sill--

TH-WACK!

Shuichi’s mouth literally dropped, eyes wide as Kokichi both physically and verbally ripped into Sayaka. There was a brief, genuinely frightened moment in Shuichi, because on no Kokichi she’s the queen… but that moment passed as Shuichi just watched Kokichi lay into her.

Oliver disappeared entirely, and Nao took a step back from the whole exchange, crossing her arms and letting out a low, impressed whistle. Sayaka, in turn, held her face and looked outraged at Kokichi… but she didn’t say anything. Because she didn’t know what he was talking about, Because Shuichi didn’t know what Kokichi was talking about. So she just stood there in outrage, just as shocked as Shuichi.

Again, briefly, Shuichi felt the instinct of ‘you can’t talk to the queen like that’... but he stood up and, carefully, went to Kokichi’s side. Carefully placing a hand on his back and giving him a small kiss to the side of the head, a little worried that Kokichi’s anger might… feel bad. Or would alarm the prince when he calmed down. Just trying to be comforting for a moment, show quiet affection. 

But Sayaka saw Shuichi, and that felt a little more familiar. A part of Shuichi was able to imagine that better, as she sputtered out, “Shuichi, go and receive the guard and have this child arrested--”

“Shut up,” Shuichi muttered. Something internally flinching in fear, because you can’t talk to the queen like that, but… the feeling, again, passed, as he glared at her, “He’s right. You are a failure. Were. You treated every project you ever had to help people like it was some terrible burden, and you messed… you fucked them all up anyway. You were paranoid and self-obsessed and you were… mean. A bitch. God, you were such a fucking bitch.”

And Shuichi had been careful up to that point, but… as he said that, his eyes narrowed coldly, and he said, “And I know this isn’t fair on Kaito. Or even Kokichi. The marriage was a good thing, a blessing, because it took us all away from you… but I love thinking about how stupid you would have finally realized you were, once you knew about the Ouma family. What a monumental error you had made. You took the only kid who actually loved you and you sent him to a different country to appease a family with no political, personal, or societal power. They had nothing on you, nothing to give you, and you gave them the son that would have protected you. With his fucking life. And you did it for nothing… you were so fucking stupid. You were so stupid. YOU’RE SO FUCKING STUPID!” Shuichi suddenly screamed, glaring at the woman, who just sputtered back at him, “You’re an IDIOT! Most of those people were innocent! Some of them were LOYAL TO YOU, you DIP SHIT! Reporting to you, listening to you, was agony every SINGLE TIME because each time I bowed to you, something would inevitably dribble out of your mouth that would remind me how UNWORTHY YOU WERE!”

“You were an idiot killed by her own son in her own home, and you DESERVED IT! I hope it hurt! I hope it was miserable! You deserved every second of it! I hope one day Kaito fucking curses your name! I hope, if the trials are real!? That Kaito gets through all of them, gets to paradise, and it’s a hundred years later, and you’re still NOT THERE! And I hope he’s GLAD! Because THAT’S WHAT YOU DESERVE!”

And Shuichi, in a moment of rage, spat at her… and then burst into tears. 

“...I hated her.” Shuichi wept, covering his face in his hands. “I hated her so much…”

...there were a few moments where it felt like the very fabric of reality--the laws of Shuuichi’s mind--were screaming that everything was wrong. That Kokichi had broken essential facts, and would pay for it… He could protect himself from Shuuichi’s mind turning on him, of course, but...that would mean exerting himself over Shuuichi’s will, and Kokichi would sooner just up and leave before he did that. Instead...he just rode that feeling, like leaning into the rumbling shaking of a carriage, until the moments passed. And they did. 

And...honestly, if Shuuichi hadn’t stood up, Kokichi was on a roll and would’ve ripped into Nao next, cutting her off immediately because where did she get off whistling?!?! But...as nice as it was, this wasn’t for Kokichi’s catharsis. It was for Shuuichi’s.

Kokichi couldn’t help feeling a little satisfied as Sayaka sputtered in shocked outrage, demanding his arrest, and that feeling only led to an enormous blooming of pride as Shuuichi stepped forward to take his turn. A little shaky at first, that moment of wrongness clenching around everything again, but growing more confident. Sure in his own anger and hurt, and, in lieu of any real consequence, this moment literally, purely for Shuuichi’s emotions…

He let them out. 

(...it wasn’t great. Knowing how far from expectation Kokichi and his family were from what Kaito had, politically, and in his expectations, been hoping for. Knowing explicitly that, again, Kaito loved someone who didn’t even come close to deserving his affection and loyalty.

But it was true. And sometimes the truth wasn’t great.)

Kokichi watched with satisfaction as Shuuichi hissed and spat at the former queen, screaming out his hate...and it was enough time from his own rage to be calm as Shuuichi fell over his precipice, gently hugging Shuuichi at his side and offering his support. 

“I know,” he murmured softly. “She was a living nightmare to you...how could you feel but hate her? And while I’m glad that you’re out of there, living a different life...it doesn’t erase those years. She was horrible.”

Again, Sayaka seemed to sort of… stall. Shuichi wasn’t an empath, like Kokichi, and his figments weren’t as strong or fluid. Plus, Shuichi didn’t have much of an imagination to begin with, so when he was distracted and shocked or overwhelmed, his figments stalled, waiting for him to be able to give them brain-space again…

But as Kokichi whispered soothing reassurances into Shuichi’s ear, Shuichi felt himself calm down a little… rubbing his eyes and taking a few shuddering breaths, before laughing lightly at himself… he basically spat at a picture of the queen… what a strange way for this day to go--

“Shuichi Saihara, how dare you--”

Shuichi sighed, exasperated, before waving his hand, Sayaka disappearing with the wave. “Who cares… she’s dead anyway. I don’t really want to imagine an actual argument with her. Everything out of her mouth would have been pointless and stupid anyway.”

“What a dumb person to have had so much power over me and mine…” Shuich murmured, staring at the spot where Sayaka had been. “...watching you punch her was great though. Wow. I didn’t know you had something like that in you, Kokichi. I wish someone had punched her in real life, just once. Maybe she would have been nicer to people…” Shuichi sighed. “Or not. I don’t know what could have made Queen Sayaka better. Maybe I don’t really care. I won anyway. I’m alive, and happy, and I even have her son. I, her little lapdog indentured, can claim the second Momota son as mine… she would have hated it.” Shuichi said, allowing himself to tiredly smirk, “Maybe that’s a poor thing to take comfort in, if only because it’s unfair to Kaito… but I do. I really love how much she would have hated it.”

Kokichi was no...meta-psychologist, he supposed the term would be, but...he had a feeling it was a good sign that Shuuichi was able to so easily dismiss the thought of Sayaka. It meant that she wasn’t stuck in his thoughts, that he really could just move forward. At least for this moment. 

Chuckling softly, Kokichi nuzzled at Shuuichi’s shoulder. “Every now and then, it seems, I have it in me. If we had ever met in the physical world, I don’t think I would’ve though, and not just because of, yanno, social convention.”

In this moment, Kokichi could see how Kaito preferred his enemies to be comic villains. The figment of Sayaka in Shuuichi’s mind was little more than a fancy punching bag. A symbol of all the pain she had caused others in her life, and getting to lash out at that symbol had felt nice. In the physical world? The actual Sayaka? She was a person, and just as complex as every person was. It wasn’t an excuse for the things she did, but that complexity just...lost the appeal to lash out against her. 

Instead, Kokichi just wanted to leave her behind and...well, live better. Win. 

Kokichi smiled slightly. “It is unfair to Kai-chan, but it’s not like the only reason you’re with him is to spite Sayaka. It’s just...a little something more, I guess.”

“...I wish she hadn’t been able to hurt you. Thinking about everything she did to you and others...it pisses me off. But...you’re right. You made it out and...she won’t be anything but a memory anymore. You can keep walking forward in your life, and one day that memory will be more distant. It doesn’t mean that all that stuff doesn’t matter, but...it’ll mean that it’s a smaller percentage of your life.”

“That’s a nice way of thinking about it.” Shuichi mused, putting his arms around Kokichi and holding him close. And he supposed it was true. Sayaka felt like such a huge part of his life right now, but… well, that was because at this exact moment, she had been. 

But time would make that less and less true. He’d grow distant from those memories, those important moments and endless stresses replaced with new things that, in the future, would feel more urgent and relevant. That, one day, not only just Sayaka, but Shuichi’s time as an Indentured in general, would stop being the most pressing thing to happen to him recently, and decades from now, would end up just being ‘that one thing that happened back then’. Hell, even in less than decades, it’d probably feel like that was true in the not so distant future.

What was Nao, if not a direct representation of that?

Because as important and prevalent and damaging as Sayaka had been in Shuichi’s life… she had been immensely easier to look in the eye than Nao. Who he glanced at and just… felt his stomach tighten and heart sink. Nao, and everything that had happened around her, far more relevant to Shuichi’s life as it currently was. And far more difficult to confront…

Nao saw him staring and her smile grew more knowing. More condescending. Like she was daring him--

Shuichi blinked in confusion. Before he even registered why he was doing it, he rubbed his temple, trying to wipe off a strange, sudden warm feeling from it. The feeling faded, then hit his temple again… what was…

“...okay, okay, shhh… no more of that now…”

The warm spot was there again, but this time halfway through Shuichi’s mind registered what he was feeling, and Kaito leaned down and pressed down another kiss to his temple, rubbing his back as he said softly, “Come on… wake up now. Shuichi? That’s right, I see you peeking… wake up…”

Shuichi gave Kokichi a confused look, blinked and--

-

“Shhh, hey, hey… hi handsome.” Kaito grinned, as Shuichi blinked sleepily at him, gently pushing the hair out of his face, “Hey… you having a bad dream? It’s okay…”

Shuichi wanted to say no, but as he blinked again, he felt the chill on his face. “...was I crying?” he said softly.

“A little. Just noticed it. You can go back to sleep in a second, handsome, but let’s take a second… no more bad dreams tonight…”

“...Kokichi…”

“Right next to ya, all tucked into your side.”

Tucked into Shuuichi’s side was...a way to describe it. 

Kokichi was just barely not rolled all the way on top of Shuuichi, somehow even fast asleep still considerate enough not to crush his still recovering boyfriend. However, his arms and legs were completely wrapped around Shuuichi koala-style, and Kokichi had tucked his face into the crook of Shuuichi’s shoulder, breathing warmly against his skin. 

(...he had been able to feel Shuuichi’s consciousness shifting and...that was probably a good place to call it for the night. Maybe Kokichi would visit again and they could work on confronting Nao more, but...they had already done enough that night. They deserved to get some real sleep.)

Murmuring something indistinctly in his sleep, Kokichi nuzzled against Shuuichi and sighed, tightening his full-body hug for just a moment before relaxing again. Back in his own mind, and settling down into true unconsciousness.

-

“You haven't been practicing.” Maki finally just pointed out, watching as the blade went to the far side of the wall, missing the board entirely. “Which is probably for the best, since I haven't taught you how to practice safely by yourself, but… it really shows. It’s a little tragic, how much you’ve regressed, Kokichi. All that hard work...”

Kokichi laughed sheepishly as he stretched his wrists out, watching Maki collect the blades as he obediently waited on his mark. “It just means I’ll have to keep working at it, and it’ll go faster this time since I’m not working from absolutely nothing. I’ve already re-learned how to walk this year--I can re-hone my aim.”

“...it’s nice, doing this too,” he nodded. “I missed having lessons with you. I even miss you leading training, though I kinda just miss it in its entirety. Looking after Miya in the mornings is a whole different kind of stress.”

Though, he didn’t mind it, even on the mornings when she was too grumpy to want to eat, or decided she was saving all her bathroom time for morning. She was his daughter, how could he mind it? And the mornings when she slept peacefully in his arms as they sat in the sunlight coming through the window were more than enough to keep him on the morning shift.

“I’ll remind you that you said that the next time you and Shuichi conspire to dodge training in the morning.” Maki said, collecting the knives and, readjusting the wooden board, heading back. Once again, they were working with three knives, Maki holding them and passing them to Kokichi one by one, fast when she felt like he had a good grip, slow when she felt like he was starting to flounder.

Placing the throwing knives down on the stool next to her spot, Maki walked in front of Kokichi and started to adjust his stance. Talking aloud as she worked, “You need to put more weight into this front foot, and use your back foot primarily as a counter-weight. And you’re not trusting your throw. You can’t be limp-wristed when you throw, you need to follow through on your swing and trust that the knife won’t back bounce at the pressure. Which it won’t so long as you keep that wrist steady and don’t hit the wall with the blunt end.”

“And even if you do hit the wall with the blunt end, that’s why I stick so close to you. If you can’t trust the knife, then you can trust me. I won’t let it hit you.” Maki said, finishing fixing his stance, before saying, “Feel that? That’s your end point. That’s what you’re aiming to feel like by the time the knife is out of your hands… now. Back to starting position.”

Heading back behind him, Maki put her left hand on his shoulder, before handing him a knife. “Alright, let’s try for consistently hitting the board this time… begin.”

Kokichi snickered a bit, easily letting Maki correct his stance. “I might feel differently in the moment? But most of those times it’s less about not wanting to go to training, and more that I’m just enjoying lounging with Shuu-chan. He’s the one that has more of a problem goin’.”

Or, he had, when he was still going. Even though Shuuichi had kept up at least simple exercises pretty late into his pregnancy, it still felt like it had been a while since he’d quit any activity that didn’t seem absolutely necessary. And now...well, Shuuichi was still in recovery, even if he seemed mostly normal these days, but...they didn’t even have morning training, with the girls out of town and the three of them still figuring out life with Miya. 

But when it did start again…

“...I think he’s gonna be more excited about it when we start it up again, in his own Shuu-chan way.”

Giving a nod to her advice, Kokichi took a deep breath and relaxed his body, looking over at the target board with a clear, focused expression. Believing you could do something was the first step to doing it. He had to commit more, lean into it, literally. 

Back in his starting position, Kokichi felt the weight of the knife in his hand and nodded once before twisting back, letting the torque of his body work together with the force put behind his arm as he leaned into his front foot, letting go of the knife right at the top of his sightline of the board. 

The blade struck the inner circle before falling to the floor.

Maki pat Kokichi’s shoulder. “Better.”

As she handed him another knife, she said, “I was surprised you were willing to spend some of your free afternoon doing something like this. When I made the offer at lunch, it was mostly me teasing you. You must be more bored than I thought without work, Miyako stress or no.”

Kokichi grinned in delight, giving Maki a proud look before he calmed back down into his focus. He readied himself and threw the next knife before answering her, still pleased enough with clipping the side of the board. “Hey, I told you, I really liked these lessons, and I’m always happy to spend time with Maki-chan.”

“...but I think I am starting to get a little restless,” he admitted, taking the next knife. In the circle, but not as centered as his first one of the round. “Even if I had been cutting down my hours over the past year...work’s always been such a huge part of my life for...like, the past five years. Taking walks and reading and drawing is fun and I think it’s all keeping me from actually losing my mind, but...it still feels like I’m missing something.”

“Especially watching people running around, getting stuff ready for Zenith and the midsummer markets, and preparing for the election…” Kokichi puffed his cheeks out in a sigh. “Hidzuki-chan looked about ready to literally lock me out of the meeting room when he caught me peeking in. And I know the folks in the mail room are keeping an eye on me even when I’m just checking my own box.”

Arms empty of blades, Kokichi crossed his arms and pouted. “It’s illegal, I know! I’m not gonna try and sneak into doing work!” ...and his social letter to Miu wasn’t work. He was just a friend interested in her inventions, that was all.

“Talking is good, but remember to throw at the end of your breath, not the start. It makes a world of difference in your aim, your eyes unfocus ever so slightly on the breath in. Not something you’d notice just looking around, but becomes impossible to ignore when you’re trying to aim at a fixed point. Again.”

Passing him another knife, Maki considered what he had said, “...I know the word ‘election’. I can’t guess at the context here though. Do you mean that the administration is preparing to announce some positions that the king has elected to fill?”

Kokichi glanced at Maki in surprise, but took her advice, taking a breath and throwing at the end, hitting the other side of the circle from the last time. But maybe it was a little closer to the middle?

...the goal was just to hit the board. He was doing well. 

“No,” he finally answered. “There’s been some meetings and debates? And it’s kinda a whole-country issue… We’re trying to decide whether to pursue making new roads across the country. So...there’s gonna be a national election for everyone to vote and see if it’s something enough people want to put resources into, or if it’s an issue to leave to the side.”

Another breath, another throw, though Kokichi grinned in delight as that knife didn’t fall to the floor, just barely wedged into the side of the board enough to stay up. Though, he turned to Maki with a head tilt. “There’ve been notices about the debates up on the community board? And pamphlets outlining the basic issues, and citing where people can learn more?”

Maki stared back at him blankly. “...do you actually read all of those? Do people actually read all of those? I always thought those boards were meant to be sort of… people screaming into the void, more than anything. And you only checked those if there was some sort of information you already knew about that you wanted to check on.”

Kokichi gave her a half grin, part of him in disbelief, but the greater part of him thinking that...that was really fitting of Maki. “Yeah? It’s how people get to knowing about events in town, or new stores, or...big sales, or upcoming political events… Anything that’s going on in the community goes on the community board. I mean, sure, some of that stuff is in the paper, but some people just don’t have the patience for it.”

“...huh.” Maki squeezed his shoulder a little, silently telling him to rest, as she went to pick up the knives again. Considering the new information as she inspected the blades and the board again.Still looking good. 

Heading back to the small prince, she said, “...when you say ‘we’...?”

Kokichi smiled gently at his friend, knowing what she was referring to, even though they’d moved on in the conversation a little. “It’s a national issue, so this one is gonna be a national election. Which means...every person of voting-age is gonna cast a vote to decide how we move forward as a country. And that means...every citizen sixteen or older. So that means you too.”

“...” Maki wasn’t sure what to say about that, so she didn’t say anything about it for a moment. She adjusted Kokichi’s shoulders a little, before stepping behind him again, “We’ll take a break after this one, so if you were reserving yourself for stamina, now’s the time to push.”

“... is… new roads across the country a good thing?” Maki asked, glancing at Kokichi. “I don’t know much about… national budgeting?”

Kokichi nodded and rolled his shoulders, preparing to put his all into the next set of throws. His goal? Getting them all to stick into the target. 

He balanced his weight between his feet, planting himself but not becoming immoblie. Testing his swing, Kokichi put a little more oomph into his next throw, eyes locked on the target. The quiet thunk of metal meeting wood was satisfying in the room. 

“You don’t have to know much about budgeting, honestly,” Kokichi grinned at her. “If the motion passes, you wouldn’t have to worry about your quality of life dipping--schools will still have their regular funding, you’ll still get your income, the market prices for...well, food at least, won’t be affected. That’s the administration’s job--figuring out how to budget and balance all that funding.”

“The proposal is…” Kokichi trailed off for a moment as if he were finding the words, but he didn’t let himself be distracted as he threw the next knife. Another thunk, though it was pretty close to the edge. “...it’s kind of like an interest gauge? The reasoning behind how people vote is their own rationale, of course, but...the vote is kinda checking if people would want new roads. If it would be worth the time and effort and resources--if people think they would use them casually, or they think it would be good for merchant travel, or tourism, or for city expansion…”

Looking over his shoulder, Kokichi gave Maki an almost teasing grin. “We have pretty strict lobbying laws, so I can’t tell you what’s good, or how I’m planning on voting. That’s why we have the debates, and why we try to provide people with all the information we can, so they can make their own judgement calls. There’s no right or wrong decision--every vote is a personal opinion.”

“...hm.” Maki hummed, squeezing Kokichi’s shoulder again and saying, “Stop trying to use your biceps. You basically don’t have any. You have flexible wrists and strong fingers. Exaggerate the movements there. If it feels a little foolish and fake, good. That means you’re getting closer to doing it right.”

“....it's weird.” Maki admitted, “I like the idea, but I’m having a hard time conceptualizing it. Why not just have your father decide if we do the roads or not. I know it affects everyone, but… doesn’t all of his decisions?”

Kokichi nodded and, gently transferring the knife to his other hand and holding it away from his body, shook out his right arm. Wrists and fingers, not his biceps. ...kind of a funny concept, honestly. He couldn’t even remember how many times drawing teachers told people to draw with their whole arm, moving from the shoulder, instead of sketching with your wrist and fingers. This was...the opposite of that, he supposed.

For his last go, Kokichi took his breath, twisting and throwing, leaning onto his front foot, and put the catalyst of his power into his wrist, letting the knife fly. 

TONK!

...it wasn’t in the center, but...almost perfectly parallel with the ground, the knife stuck out of the board. 

“Yessss!!” Kokichi cheered, pumping a fist before turning back to Maki with a slight smile. “Well...yeah, but most people actively don’t want to think about budgeting or grant distribution, more than them not knowing how to do it. Anyone could learn it, if they wanted to. But for all the big decisions? Like picking town representatives, or picking new public works projects like this one, or evaluating projects that we’ve already approved, but need a retrospect on...I mean, we vote on all those too. Nationally, or locally, depending on what it is.”

Maki smiled at Kokichi’s triumph, patting him on the shoulder. “Good job. We’ll make a knife-thrower out of you yet. Someday, I’ll show you how to throw knives while in motion… someday. Not for a while. Consider it a distant dream.”

Going to collect the knives, Maki sighed as she went to sit on one of the wooden boxes… before looking curiously down between her legs at the wood. “What are these, anyway? What do you all store down here? Something we can throw knives at, hopefully.”

His interest in knife-throwing wasn’t to become the best, or to learn how to use it practically. It was just...cool. So however slow Kokichi’s progress was, he was happy. 

Stretching his shoulders, Kokichi followed Maki over to some of the crates, plopping himself down on the floor next to her legs. Humming, he thunked his head against the wood. “Mm...some of it is, like, spare furniture and just...stuff, for festivals. Like tables and tablecloths and the stuff that people turn into stalls, and laminate labels ‘n shit.”

“And...some of it…” Kokichi looked around the crates. Not actually sure what exactly was in the crates. “...I think some of the stuff is belongings of old leaders and their families. Not, like, journals ‘n shit, ‘cause those usually end up in museums or libraries, but…” Kokichi shrugged a little. “Just the stuff that you accumulate in life? Things that no one else in their families wanted, and couldn’t be donated somewhere, or just never got sorted to be donated… I dunno. It might be cool to check out what exactly is down here.”

“Old leadership stuff?” Maki asked, raising an eyebrow. “Could be some money here. We’ve had this conversation before. People will pay big money for personal belongings of historical figures… I wonder if there’s any Dicea history buffs in Luminary with too much money to spend…”

“...I think I’d vote for better roads.” Maki mused, “Or more roads. If only because I know you and your boys are going to want to travel more later this decade. More maintained roads usually means easier security and shorter overall traveling time.”

Kokichi shrugged a little, feeling...kind of weird at that thought. It wasn’t like he knew any of the old leaders, and he knew that anything of significance had already been moved into museums, right as soon as the person’s family allowed it. And there were probably tons of heirlooms going around in the non-Ouma families.

...but it felt weird, the thought of selling things that had been important to the past leaders. In...sort of a sense, though he didn’t really think about it this way...his great-great-etc. grandparents. His ancestors. His predecessors.

But there was a difference between respecting the past and clinging to it. Those items would see better use even being fawned over than they were getting sitting in a crate in the castle basement.

“...I’m kinda terrible at it, but I do wanna try playing one of my grandad’s piano pieces for you guys,” Kokichi softly hummed. “Think I mentioned it to Shuu-chan a while back.”

Tipping his head back, Kokichi smiled up at Maki. “Yeah? The motion is more making new roads--more direct ones, though the final logistics about how they connect and what they’ll go through isn’t settled yet. We can take a look at the projected map that they’ve been distributing to explain the point later if you want.”

“I suppose so, yes. I can adjust the travel binders I’ve made for you all to reflect the potential future roadways.” Maki said, leaning back on her hands and letting her hair fall back, staring at the ceiling. Looking at the little discolorings… “...I wonder if it would be fun for you to play the piano for one of Kaito’s and I’s weird dance arguments. Or maybe that would ruin the point of the fight. Kaito would probably not want to argue openly in front of you.”

Tucking some of her hair behind her ear, Maki leaned forward and turned her red gaze on Kokichi, resting her elbows on her knees as she considered him. “...you make him more insecure than I’ve ever seen him. I haven't decided if that’s a good thing or a bad thing yet.”

Kokichi snorted softly, though the corner of his mouth pulled down at Maki’s comment about Kaito not wanting to argue in front of Kokichi. “Honestly, I think it’d just make the two of you get annoyed with me. I’m really not that great at piano… My brain just really doesn’t wanna focus on making my hands do different things at the same time. I suppose practicing the same song over and over as you go through your dance would make me better, but that initial hump would be brutal.”

...Kaito wouldn’t be annoyed by him for that. He’d probably think it was cool that Kokichi could play at all. 

Kokichi sighed. “...good or bad...or contextual. I really wish I didn’t… I love seeing him be confident in himself and...it sucks knowing that the reason he bites back his words and holds himself back from things he wants is me. I’ve never really been great at putting people at ease, unless it was because I promised to take care of something for them, but...even when I try really hard, it’s like...the best I can do for him is something bittersweet.”

Maki leaned her head against the edge of her wrist and kicked her back heel against the box a little, “Hmmmm…”

The basement was poorly lit, and in this position, Maki’s eyes seemed to glow, the red catching the light as she peered down at him. “...you know, when I was dating Kaito, our relationship became more… competitive. Volatile. Everything suddenly became this fight for dominance, for one of us to be the decision maker of the couple. Everything from deciding what we would do for the day, to what we would eat, even how we kissed and,” Maki smirked at Kokichi a little, ‘how we fucked. It all became ‘things’, where one of us had to submit, and one of us had to win.”

“...and you know?” Maki sighed, her shoulders lowering, “...nothing was more heartbreaking, than the day I realized that only I saw it that way. That Kaito, when I talked to him about it… he had no idea. How hard I was fighting to show power in the relationship. How much of a struggle it was, to… ‘win’. All of these ‘competitions’ we were in, that Kaito was never even aware we were playing…”

“I think Kaito could tell it had hurt me, that he didn’t know what I was talking about, but I don’t think he ever really grasped how badly.” Maki mused, “And when I told him how I felt, he listened… and he grinned, and he promised me that he’d always heed me in decisions. That he’d always listen to me. That I’d never have to worry about being overpowered.”

“...and I knew the relationship was done, after that.” Maki said. “He didn’t, but I did. Because I knew I couldn’t be in a relationship where the other person had to ‘let’ me win. ‘Let’ me be the strong one… Kaito’s position in Luminary, mine as an indentured, with conditioning, even, at times, just our physical differences… any time I won, I knew it would be because he had let me. And I just couldn’t live with it.”

“...a part of me envies you.” Maki admitted. “I wish I could have even potentially made Kaito feel insecure. I never stood a chance. I could have never made him doubt himself.”

Kokichi tilted his head up against the crate, looking up at Maki as she spoke. He gave her a slightly amused look at her attempt to embarrass him with talkin’ about her sex life with Kaito, however briefly--maybe it was just a good day for him that it didn’t bother him. Maybe Dr. Mariah’s theory was only growing stronger by the day.

As much as it sounded miserable to him...he could see Maki and Kaito’s relationship just...being an endless power-struggle. And knowing Kaito...he could see how his husband wouldn’t have seen it that way at all. And...well, he had his own experience to look at, when it came to the horrible feeling of discovering that your entire perception of a relationship just...wasn’t what the other person saw at all. 

Kokichi sighed softly. “...constantly vying for power in a relationship sounds exhausting. And...I can actually tell you that having someone “let” you have all the power is miserable. Having to be the person driving every decision for a relationship, and the other person never even contributing their own opinion...that’s not even a relationship, in my eyes.”

He sighed again, shaking his head a little. “...I know that’s just how it is in Luminary. But even if we have wildly different ideas on things...I’ve never wanted it to be a fight between me and Kai-chan. I don’t want things to be a power struggle in our family.”

“...so it’s just depressing, seeing him like that. I know it’s not what his insecurities are about, but...my knee-jerk reaction is to feel like a failure since he doesn’t feel like he’s actually a part of our relationship.”

Maki huffed at that slightly, kicking Kokichi slightly with the side of her ankle. “Kaito isn’t ‘letting’ himself be small to make you big. That’s what he was doing to me. Kaito’s acting small around you because he thinks you’re incredible. You two were in a fight at the beginning of your relationship, and you won. And you won so hard that he’s convinced you’ll always win.”

Maki laughed lightly, coming down from the box and sitting beside Kokichi, giving him an amused look, “And… if you were someone else? Almost anyone else?” Maki tapped the side of Kokichi’s neck, her short nails ever so slightly grazing his skin, “...I think I’d have felt compelled to spar you in his defense. Because you’re right, a relationship where one side always wins is a bad one. And Kaito is my best friend. I wouldn’t want him in a relationship like that. Not even with me.”

“But,” Maki dropped her hand, leaning back against the box, “I think with you? In the long run? This will make him stronger. Kaito isn’t suited to live in Dicea, as he is. Honestly, I barely am, and the only reason I think I’m managing is because I want to win. And winning sometimes means changing.”

“Kaito had never needed to win before. In Luminary, it was usually decided who was going to win before he even started. If it was with his family? He’d lose. If it was with us? Other commoners? He’d win. He’s never had to change. And I think him really trying to win? And losing anyway? I think… I think once he’s gotten over the shock, he’ll start changing. Learning how to fight in this environment. How to stand up for himself without making things worse. And I think he’ll be better off for all of it. And that you’ll start to see his more confident side again, and that you’ll be just as happy to see it as I will be.”

“...and that belief is what keeps me from stabbing you.” Maki said. “...well, that and I like you. But also the ‘Kaito will get better’ thought.”

Well...to a point it was ‘letting’. That was where all power came from. As much as people talked about ‘taking’ power...that wasn’t something that someone could take--it was only something people could give. Kokichi and his father had power as the leaders of the nation because people placed their trust in them to use that power to benefit the masses. Kaito gave Kokichi power because he had convinced himself that it was what he should do--he had convinced himself that he would lose, so...why try?

Even physical power...there was a literal difference there. No matter what Kokichi wanted, he would never beat Maki in a serious fight, because she had more physical power. But...that didn’t mean she would always win. There was a big difference between losing a fight and being defeated. 

...though Maki also had the will to win. And...while he probably wouldn’t say it to her face, at least not for a long time...it was people like Maki that they had to consider when making laws. Every time you made a law, you had to look at if it was worth killing someone over. Because even for something very small...if a person kept resisting the consequences, the escalation would always result in death. 

...hm. Maybe that was it. The choice to choose something else over your own death...was giving something else power. 

...what a weird train of thought.

Kokichi grinned at Maki. “I do appreciate not being stabbed. I probably wouldn’t survive it.”

“...I really hope he’ll learn how to fight here. I hate seeing him like...you know. Insecure.” Kokichi sighed. “...you think it’d be too much if I suggested a debate club to him?”

“...that might not actually be a terrible idea.” Maki said, “He took a debate class in college, I know, but… well. Kaito wasn’t a good student and passed anyway. Momota privilege. So I doubt he learned much. If it wasn’t astronomy, he really didn’t seem to care. Now, though? I bet now he’d care.”

“...I’m chatty today.” Maki realized, a little amused with herself, “I think I’m just enjoying weapons training, honestly. I might be more willing to change than Kaito is, to take advantage of our new surroundings, but… well, you’re not the only one finding yourself scrambling now that you don’t have work to fixate on. What do we even do with ourselves, Kokichi?”

Kokichi hummed and nodded. Maybe he would suggest it, then. See if there were any public clubs having open debates, or even a competition just so Kaito could familiarize himself with what a Dicean formal debate looked like. Hell, they could probably go watch one of the election debates for that...even if those tended to be a little...tamer. 

Maybe tame was a good way to ease into it.

Giggling softly, Kokichi looked up at his sister-in-law fondly. “Get new hobbies. Nag people until they hang out with you. I still had work then, but I used to go out to bother random strangers into telling me their life stories when I got bored. And who knows! I got a husband out of that.”

“Funny that. You think if I go around convincing people I’m a child, I could get more partners?” Maki said, giving Kokichi a long, judging look… before smirking. “I’m kidding. Literally how I used to dress was designed with that mindset. Convince people that, maybe, I’m younger than I am, and harmless… I can’t judge you for it.” 

And despite saying that, she immediately followed it with, “It is weird that your husband thought you were twelve when he met you though.” Because Maki could enjoy teasing and could also be kinda mean about it. “You know Kaito came back that second night lamenting that he pushed a child into the dirt. Wanna know the first thing he said aloud when he saw you at the proposal?”

Lowering her voice, doing a terrible impression of Kaito, she said, “Uh… I… I thought the man I was meant to marry was in his twentieth year?”

Maki snickered, “I thought Kaito was going to just turn around and run when he saw you. Kaito was ready to do a lot of things when he got to Dicea, but marrying a child? His face went white.”

Kokichi rolled his eyes a little, nudging Maki’s leg with his head. “Hey, I don’t try to convince people I’m a kid--I just have nice skin, yanno!! I can’t help that. And for most of it, I was a kid.” Just, most people thought he was a younger kid than he actually was. 

Scoffing a laugh at her impression of Kaito, Kokichi shook his head with a sigh, able to laugh at the terrifying ridiculousness of it all now. “God, could you imagine? At least my father’s not that much of an idiot. Though, for most of the talks, I was still legally a child…”

In some ways he still didn’t really feel like an adult. But he was a father with a big family that depended on him, so...he had to suck it up. 

Knocking his head back against the crate, Kokichi sighed, his mirth slipping away. “...everything that happened would’ve just...been all the more horrifying if I had been, like, fifteen or something. Though I think I really would’ve run away if that had been in the books.”

Maki snickered, relaxed and enjoying herself as she said, “I don’t think you would even recognize us as fifteen year olds. Myself, Kaito and Shuichi I mean. Shuichi was small and wilting and even more quiet and reserved than he is now, and he kept his hair shorter. Kaito… fifteen…” Maki did some mental math, before laughing, the unusual sound from her coming out easy and light, “He would have been a scarecrow. A skinny stick all bones and six feet tall and barely having learned how to walk on his new legs yet. And ugh..” 

Maki scowled, a genuinely uncomfortable look on her face as she said, “Fifteen was when my breasts and hips had started to settle down, so we were trying to experiment with me looking ‘sexy’ instead of cute. Thankfully we didn’t try it long, but I was fifteen with new boobs in a new class wearing low tops and high skirts… I was constantly pissed and lashing out at people because I was feeling, just… so exposed and embarrassed all the time…”

Maki smiled warmly, her eyes going distant as she said, “I remember there was one day… I have no idea what it was that made it so bad. Maybe someone had just looked at the wrong spot too often… I was hiding on the roof and just slicing at the walls. I was so mad and embarrassed… I ended up crying. I was young and hormonal, it wasn’t hard to make me cry then, but I still was so embarrassed… and Kaito showed up, and he…” Maki laughed, “he traded shirts with me. It was like wearing a blanket, or a dress. And he just walked around all day without a shirt, saying to anyone that asked that he looked good without clothes and I looked better in his clothes than he did anyway… it was nice. I had needed it that day.”

Kokichi laughed softly, relaxing back against the crate to take in Maki’s descriptions. He...didn’t look much different at fifteen. Subtle differences of youth, a little scrawnier, especially since he had just been recovering from one of the more damaging bouts of illness...but more or less the same. 

But a smaller, shier Shuuichi with shorter hair, the beanpole version of Kaito he’d been told about, but still couldn’t quite picture, and… Kokichi frowned, looking up at Maki. Making a fifteen-year-old sexy? That was…

(Disgusting. Terrifying. Deeply concerning.)

...no wonder Maki had hated it. 

Kokichi knew that he couldn’t compare Luminary and Dicea like that, but...well. Kaito was there to make a shitty day less shitty. Friends were there to make the bad less bad. 

“...that’s a really sweet story,” Kokichi said softly. “And from a pre-buff Kai-chan...I bet it ran the range from incredibly cute to insufferably cocky, seeing him go about the day without a shirt.”

“And here you are to this day still taking his shirts,” Kokichi drawled, smirking a bit as he looked up at Maki. “I’m pretty biased, but maybe he had a point about them suiting you more.”

Maki smirked. “I like to have my fun. And you have to remember, we were all young and ugly and too deep in the trenches of hormones to realize how young and ugly we all were. You ever go look at a group of fifteen year olds now? Do you remember feeling like you were actually scrawny and awkward looking? They’re all like that. So was Kaito, so was I… but I didn’t know it at the time. I remember being incredibly flustered and annoyed by Kaito walking around shirtless, because I could barely look at him without my face going red. He was… distracting.”

This seemed to let a random thought trace through her head… and Maki frowned. Suddenly losing her mirth and looking, well… a little more like herself as she sighed. Playing with her throwing knife a little, fussing it between her hands. 

“...I’m sorry if my mentor, or Miss Kyoko, has said anything uncomfortable about myself and Kaito, by the way.” Maki said after a moment, giving Kokichi a serious look, “I know I tend to tease about our history, but… I also know they’ve probably brought it up in more serious ways. I know that you know I’m not trying to become Kaito’s concubine, so I won’t apologize for a miscommunication, but… I am sorry that you’ve had that idea shoved into your face, by this point. Unless I’m wrong and they have more self restraint than I gave them credit for?” She asked, not sounding like she had much hope.

Kokichi snorted. As much as he didn’t see much difference in himself from the past five years--and, like she had genuinely defended to Kaito before, Lake would emphatically declare that, nu-uh, Kokichi looked WAY different!--looking at teenagers around town? Even if he knew that he was young in his own right, they just...well, looked like kids. Because they were. Gangly and baby-faced and awkward and...like kids. 

Still...he enjoyed the idea of cooing over baby Kaito, Shuuichi, and Maki. It was always different, looking back from the perspective of a partner (or close friend).

Kokichi looked over at Maki and gently tipped his head over to tap at her shoulder. Not nuzzling right up against her like he would with Kaito or Shuuichi--and, with Kaito, it would’ve been astonishing if Kokichi hadn’t already found himself in Kaito’s lap by this point--but...just a small act of physical affection. “You’re right that there’s nothing like that to apologize for--as much as I bungled the whole international social perception with Shuu-chan...I mean, the two of us know what our relationship in our family is. How we all work, even if explaining it is a mouthful.”

“I haven’t been, like, accosted by your mentors or anything,” Kokichi shrugged. “And after my lunch with Kyouko, and I explained what relationships legally and socially are like in Dicea? I think they might be starting to be convinced that nothing manipulative is going on. Maybe.”

Kokichi was quiet for a moment before he snorted, looking over at Maki with a sly look. “...in my opinion? Even without him being a parent on paper, if you ever had to go to court against Kaito for something concerning Tim? I think the court would recognize Kai-chan as, like...having to pay you child support, if that’s what it was about. There’s no way you’d be left high and dry in any case.”

Maki let out a little, amused huff of air at that. “Child support, spousal support, protection from weird vanity death threats. I’ll be honest, I don’t know much about why concubines exist, but there’s plenty of stories of jealous spouses planning to murder the ‘other’ family. Truly, Kokichi Ouma, you and I are at a deadly crosshair, where any moment you could fly into a murderous, jealous rage.”

“Also, if I was a concubine, Timothy would be recognized as a legal heir of Kaito’s.” Maki explained, “I’d be a concubine, and even with the title of ‘Lady’ I’d still never really be counted among the nobility, but Timothy would be a proper lord, with all the respect and opportunity that provides. Kaito would have to sign some paperwork to make him his heir, since the legal spouse’s children technically get first dibs, but it’d still make Timothy a full lord of the court, still well in line for inheritance… and honestly, I only know all of that because Shuichi’s explained it to me within the last few months. Since he found out he was a concubine. He did some research and shared it with me. Strange stuff. Emotionally complicated. I can see why it fell out of practice.”

Ah, there had been a saint story about that, hadn’t there. Kokichi remembered Kaito telling him about a jealous wife that had been going to kill a concubine, and the woman showing mercy when the wife went into labor, helping to deliver the baby. ...honestly, now as a father himself...he couldn’t see any other option. For however cruel the wife had been, those were not the baby’s sins to bear, especially in the case of having a life at all. 

Snorting softly, Kokichi nudged Maki’s shoulder gently, truly showcasing himself to be the constant threat he was to Maki. Though, he just shook his head with a whistle as Maki explained even more of the legal intricacies that were wrapped up in the Luminary concubine laws. 

“Geez...even inheritance between siblings of the same parents sounds like a nightmare, if that’s what it’s like at the most complex.” Rolling his eyes, Kokichi smirked. “Come on over to Dicea, where marriages aren’t cause for any legal benefit, you can get married to as many people as you like, and inheritance is dictated solely on what a person writes in their will. Simple.”

“You can keep it. I can’t imagine getting married to one person, letting alone starting a collection.” Maki huffed, giving Kokichi a knowing look, “Only twenty, and you’ve gone and found yourself two. Who knows how insufferable you all will get as time goes on. You’re already those couples.”

“...when are you going to ask Shuichi to marry you?” Maki asked, giving Kokichi a dry look, “That could be a whole different reason to stab you. You do plan to make an honest man of him someday, right?”

...her brow furrowed. “We’ve had this conversation already.” She recalled. “Huh. I guess it’s still on my mind. I just want to know Shuichi’s being taken care of. But… symbolically. I suppose.”

Kokichi grinned unabashedly. He honestly never thought he’d be making use of the fact that polyamorous relationships were looked upon as equally as monogamous couples, but...hey! It worked out wonderfully for him. 

“Hey, Kai-chan told you about how Temp asked us to be Addason’s godparents, right? He did the whole ‘mine’ thing right after he was done being flattered, and I swear I heard Temp’s back crack from how much Kai-chan was hugging him. We’re collecting parents, and there’s nothing we can do about it now.”

...but at least for Shuuichi...their connection would one day be more straight-forward. Hopefully.

Kokichi sobered a bit and sighed longingly, the wistfulness in his eyes almost painfully tender. “Maki-chan, I’ve wanted to ask him for months. But...I told you before, I don’t want to pressure him into it. I know at this point it’s a little late, and even if he did want to split, we have Miya to consider, but…”

He shook his head. “...he just finished his pregnancy. We’re still figuring out life with Miya, and I know he’s figuring out personal stuff now that he’s not pregnant or on drugs. I…”

Kokichi’s lips turned down slightly, recalling his conversation with Kyouko. “...we’ve talked about your guy’s struggles with freedom. I just… I want Shuu-chan to be able to enjoy his relative independence for a while before posing a new tie and responsibility to him...even if it’s just an evolution of what we already have. It might sound like I’m putting it off...and maybe I am, even if I want nothing more than to ask him with a ring and an officiate to spend the rest of our lives together…”

“...I guess I want him to have a little more control in his life, for once,” he sighed. “Not...be another person making a decision about his life for him, ‘cause...I mean, I don’t think he’d say no.” 

Maki stared down at her throwing knife, and there was a part of her that wanted to argue, but… “Freedom is… not as intuitive. As I hoped it would be. I really thought that once I was free… I suppose what I thought was that once I was free, I wouldn’t feel any different, because… in my mind, I was already a free person. I was outspoken, rebellious, independent… freedom would just give me more room to express it.”

“...” Maki huffed, on a whim flicking her wrist up and over her head, the knife flying near the center of the wooden board and lodging in as she continued, “I think I told you about this once, but at once point I literally begged Kaito to not abandon us, because I had suddenly realized I couldn’t handle life without… some sort of master. Or leader. Or just… direction. It was pathetic, and embarrassing, and entirely sincere. I was just… panicking. Realizing how unready I was for it. And I know Shuichi’s had the same problem. Maybe I shouldn’t spread this if he hasn’t told you, but there was a period of time where that’s just what Nao was to Shuichi. A new master. And when he says that he found something immensely comforting in the idea… I believe him. Maybe the pollen exasperated it, but having been in the same boat? I’m sure there was something comforting in the idea that a new master had come along and just picked him up. Turns out, that’s a hard mentality to break.”

“...but if you’re avoiding that fate with him, I don’t think it’s something you need to worry about.” Maki said, giving Kokichi a soft look, “Shuichi loves you. And not in that way… though, that being said? I won’t keep poking you to ask him. It’s only been a year, and for your relationship, not even that yet. I think, as foolish as it is,  a part of me is just looking forward to the celebration more than you finally announcing yourselves to each other. Shuichi hasn’t had a lot of opportunities to celebrate… I’m looking forward to one more.”

Kokichi looked over at Maki sadly, not pitying but just...frustrated with the system she’d grown up with. Even if it was being dismantled now...it had still been her life. And while Maki was an outspoken, rebellious, independent person...she hadn’t been given agency over her life, and the responsibilities and consequences put on her were not the results of her own actions so...they didn’t matter to pay attention to more than scrambling for the best way to not get killed because of some entitled asshole’s whim. 

And then suddenly getting that agency, and having her actions matter...it was a lot. Too much to be treated like a switch. 

Sighing, Kokichi nodded softly. “...Shuu-chan told us, yeah. So...no worries there. It was horrible to hear, but...at least as much as an outsider can, I get it.”

Rubbing his face, Kokichi shook his head a little. “I’m not worried about...becoming Shuu-chan’s new master. As difficult as it is sometimes to figure out what we’re all expecting from our relationship sometimes, I know he doesn’t see me that way. And he knows me enough that asking him to be my husband isn’t me asking for his submission.”

He just...wanted to give Shuuichi some room to breathe and live his life without anything new happening for a little bit. 

He and Kaito had to coordinate rings anyway.

Smiling slightly, Kokichi tipped his head back against the crate. “...celebrating will be nice. We’ll get to plan the wedding the way we wanna do it, without all the politics. I love Kai-chan, but...I think I’ll really like this wedding more.”

“I’d love to see him all dressed up in something.” Maki admitted, the smirk on her face mean. “He usually avoids dressing up… dressing down… it’s difficult to get him out o those pseudo-suits. There’s nothing more fun than watching Kaito desperately try to get Shuichi into something new, and Shuichi dodging him like a quiet, pissed off cat. I can’t even imagine what Kaito would try to pressure him into wearing for a wedding.”

“A wedding between the three of you would just be Kaito endlessly escalating everything while you and Shuichi are caught in his gaudy, extra windstorms.” Maki laughed… before something quiet came over her face. “Hm. Weird what you become nostalgic for. Luminary used to have these terrible, violent windstorms sometimes… they were terrible to be caught outside in because of the rock and sand, but hearing the wind from inside, or watching from shelter… it could be soothing, in its own way. I suppose I miss it.”

Kokichi chuckled, imagining his partners decked out in fancy duds. “I know Kai-chan’s really looking forward to doin’ the religious parts right this time, but for the, like...ring-exchange-y part...I’d love for it to be a more casual type of thing. Just with the friends we wanna invite, wearing our favorite clothes, really just getting to have a party with the people we like… And a big cake! Something yummy with a nice cream or jelly or something between the layers.”

Laughing a little more, Kokichi turned to look at Maki, his expression softening. “...would people try to anchor down the tapestries? Or would it end up just...adding to the storm? A cacophony of flapping fabric adding to the chaos…”

“...I think I had a dream a while ago,” he softly said. “Shuu-chan and I were hanging out in a cafe, but I think it was supposed to be Luminary. I could hear heavy fabric blowing in the wind, and out the window it was like...great big stone buildings everywhere, of all sizes and all sorts of shapes and styles… It’s just a dream, so it wasn’t actually Luminary, but...it was really cool.”

“...I know he doesn’t want to go back, but I’d really love to see it someday.”

…

Hmmm.

“We don’t weigh them down: we roll them up.” Maki explained idly, as her mind raced with this new challenge. She had wondered what she would do the first time Kokichi had said anything related to his empath abilities. Hmmm. “If there’s enough warning, anyway. Sometimes windstorms come suddenly and on otherwise clear days. Still, the fabric and clasps themselves are sturdy, rolling them up is more about not letting them damage the things around them than protecting the tapestries themselves. They’re thick, intricate, heavy things. Meant to last for decades in the elements.” 

“They’d be dangerous if they flew off in the wind, you wouldn’t want to be hit by one. It’d be like being tackled by someone.” Maki said, thinking of the time she had dropped some tapestries to trap and hinder a group of bodyguards chasing her up the stairs, “And I think weighing down the ends would just create more force against the clasps… I think? That sounds right to me. Thinking about it now, the windstorms might be why we use fabric. They survive the impact of the winds and sand easier, and if they do get lost, at least it’s not wood shooting through windows.”

“I think you would like Luminary.” Maki shrugged, still considering what she should say… before saying, “It sounds like your dream is close to accurate. Stone and fabrics and heat, the roads dirt and clay. The city is both bigger and smaller than Usott. Bigger in size and height, but the streets are narrow and the buildings are closed in on each other. Usott feels very airy and open and spacious in comparison, the city could be claustrophobic in comparison… but I think you’d enjoy how different it is, from here. Usott is like nothing we’ve ever seen, and NGP is, I am certain, like nothing you’ve ever seen. Considering you don’t have to live there? I bet you’d enjoy visiting.”

In the dark of the basement, Maki thought about it… “You limit yourself too much.” Maki finally said, “It’s annoying. You more than have the resources and capability to make a trip like that if you want too, someday. Why talk like it might not happen, or that it’s out of your control?”

Kokichi hummed softly. That made sense. Tapestries might not be a huge part of Dicean culture, but he knew how heavy fancy rugs could be--if one went flying around during a storm, it could easily knock someone out. And while that was dangerous and damaging in its own right, it still probably was safer than chancing getting stabbed with wood chunks flying around. 

Meanwhile, stone buildings in Dicea would mean nearly freezing to death in the winter, or chancing burning everything inside with how much you’d have to keep a fire going. Imagine that, common building materials matched the climate needs of an area.

Nodding, Kokichi brought his knees up and rested his head on them, going back to his mental image of Luminary, making subtle edits here and there from Maki’s comments but...finding for a lot of it, the image already worked with the descriptions he was given. “...yeah. When we were talking at lunch… And Kai-chan told me about the little statues everywhere? I feel like I could spend months just wandering around, taking in just...everything about the city. And that’s just architectural, not even going into people-watching.”

...but these days it always felt like a hypothetical.

Sighing, Kokichi tucked his chin into his knees. “I know I could plan a trip for myself easily. But...as much as I wanna go, I’d much rather go with you guys. Experiences are so much better when they’re with people you care about. But Shuu-chan’s expressed almost since you all first got here that he never wants to go to Luminary again, and while Kai-chan once talked about maybe going…”

Kokichi blinked tiredly. “It might change, once time eases things. But he’s kinda closed off Luminary to himself now too. If it’s still how things are when she’s older, we will have to go so Miya can give up her claim, but...there’s no pressing hurry for it, and they both talk about that trip like it’ll just be us going in and out. And Kai-chan doesn’t really want her to give up the claim, so he’ll probably want to put it off more.”

“...I probably will get to see Luminary more in the future. But you know how impatient I am, and...whatever the trip ends up being, it’s not going to be for a while.”

Maki looked a little surprised. Almost alarmed. “Kaito can’t let Miyako keep her claim. You can’t let him toy with that idea. Kaede has no heirs and Miyako is older than Theon, technically, if something happened to Kaede today, they’d be demanding Kaito come home with Miyako tomorrow. Until Kaede has children or declares an heir otherwise… literally the agreement of Miyako giving up her claim later is why no ones pushing for it. If anyone got even a hint of doubt from Kaito, things would get dangerous. If Kaito’s told you he’s considering delaying? You need to tell him no. Put your foot down. It’s important. He can’t be saying things like that.”

Part of Kokichi wondered why they couldn’t just...say no. People wanted to demand that a baby lead their country? Fuckin’ deal with it yourself, weirdos.

...but those kinds of thoughts had never gotten him anywhere with Luminaries, so he could keep it to himself. 

Nodding slightly, Kokichi sighed. “He’s not going to do anything like convince her to not give it up, or go around saying he’s raising the next queen. Even if Kai-chan felt like that, he has more tact than that, and...I don’t think he really feels that way either. He knows how terrified Shuu-chan is of assholes coming to be weird and gross to Miya.”

“...he just has a lot of ideas about the kind of legacy he believes in, right?” Kokichi softly hummed, sicking down against the crate a little. At this point he was kind of a comfy little ball against the crate and floor, though it wasn’t to make himself smaller. “He believes the Momota name means stuff, and that it was a gift from god. Of course he’s gonna be uncomfortable if people are essentially saying, oh, sorry baby, god’s disavowing you. He’s upset and feeling like he’s failing her if he just goes along with it in soul. That’s why he went ballistic when Byakuya said Miya wasn’t a princess.”

“...because it’s not about the politics to Kai-chan,” Kokichi sighed. “It’s not about the realities of what leading a nation means, or the kind of dangers people would bring to Miya if they thought she was genuinely in line. It’s about Atua, and Atua giving a blessing to Miya that everyone’s trying to say she doesn’t deserve.”

“He’s not going to put her in danger. But...fuck, he’s not happy about it at all.”

Maki sighed, letting out a tense breath. “...sorry. That was more aggressive than necessary. I’ve just… seen what people are willing to do for the throne. I don’t want that coming here, not for you all. I’d never let anyone harm you all… but it’s easier to dissuade people coming for you than it is stopping attacks as they happen. When it comes to your safety, I’d rather you all make empty gestures to appease the court of Luminary than basically say ‘come get me, I dare you’.”

“Maybe I’d have felt differently about it a few months ago.” Maki admitted. “... but by this point, I’d rather you all just be safe.”

“Though, honestly, it’s astounding it’s taking Kaede this long to get pregnant.” Maki huffed, eyebrow twitching, “It’s been months. She should have gotten on it ages ago.”

-

“Okay… what if…” Kaede said, eyebrow twitching, “...we tried… artificial insemination?”

“How would that work?” Shin asked, glaring at her, a series of papers in between them.

“...you’d come into a turkey baster and we shoot that right on up me?”

“Gross.”

“THAT’S AS IMPERSONAL AS I CAN MAKE IT!”

“WE’RE NOT HAVING CHILDREN, GO ADOPT OR SOMETHING!”

“IT’S GOTTA BE GENETIC!”

“Just divorce me already.” Shin huffed, still idly looking over the new policy proposals when it came to the former-indentured citizens and the ‘sudden’ homeless problem. “Go marry someone you can have a baby with.”

“I can have a baby with you. We could look at that spore idea again--”

“Why do you keep bringing that up like you’re doing me a favor? That’s literally the worst of every world for me.”

“Can’t you do it for the good of Luminary? Being pregnant is going to be so inconvenient for me--”

“Oh, oh, well, if it’s ‘inconvenient’ maybe you should have thought about what you were going to do about this before you violently overthrew the previous government? What was your plan before you heard about the spores?”

“... I did consider using a double for a while.” Kaede admitted. 

“Divorce me.”

“I can’t. I swore to protect you--”

“So protect me and divorce me.”

“--and if I divorce you, Novoselic is going to ask for their ‘prince’ back, and I don’t have a good excuse to keep you. You’ll end up right back with Sou. I don’t want that for you! Do you want that for you!?”

Shin scowled at her… before turning away from her. “I don’t want to have a child with you.”

“Not even if we can do it in a way where we’re not touching?”

“I don’t know if I could love your child.”

“...” Kaede, briefly, looked genuinely hurt… before she sighed. Leaning back in her chair. “...I promised you I wouldn’t make you. That I’d wait until you were ready.”

“You did.” Shin said tensely.

“And now you’re saying, no matter what, you’ll never be ready?”

Shin nodded stiffly, giving her a suspicious look. “...yes.”

“... do you have any idea what kind of position that puts me in--”

“You won’t divorce me because you ‘swore’ to protect me.” Shin said stiffly, before smirking warily, “Guess we’re about to test the limits of that vow of yours, huh?”

“...” Kaede, briefly, looked furious. That Momota rage dangerously lurking behind her soft, beautiful face… before she let out a breath. Letting it go. 

“...I swore to protect you, and I meant it.” Kaede said, looking tired, “If you won’t have my children, I won’t make you… we’ll figure something out. There are other options. You don’t have to be afraid of me, Shin.”

Shin glared at her for a moment… but his body relaxed slightly.

The two read policy agreements quietly for a moment… “If it’s about genetics, you technically already have two heirs.” Shin reminded her.

Kaede’s brow furrowed… before she chuckled weakly at herself. “After all of that… after everything I did to get to this point… what a ludicrous choice that would be.”

“I’m just pointing out that it’s an option.”

“...yes.” Kaede sighed. “It is.”

-

“Honestly, everything involving that woman is so… extra.” Maki grumbled, before rolling her eyes, “Momota’s.”

“I know,” Kokichi said softly, rolling in his ball slightly to affectionately tap Maki’s shoulder. “You want to keep up safe, and if Kai-chan was seriously doing any of that...it’d be incredibly dangerous for all of us. The safest thing we can do is play along.”

Though Kaede’s role to play in all that… 

(Again...if she was the one supposedly with all the power, he didn’t see why she couldn’t be the one to end it all.)

(...the lack of any pregnancy announcement was relieving. They had just talked about how creepy it all would’ve been if Kokichi had been a kid. If Kaede had touched Shin…)

Kokichi’s nose wrinkled. “At least it seems like Sou’s kept some standards. Though I wouldn’t be surprised if it was coming from her end, thinking something like...being pregnant is too inconvenient for running a country. Like hundreds of people haven’t done it before.”

Maki gave a little derivative snort. “Kaede’s the exception of every rule, you find out, if you get to know her. She knows what’s right and wrong. She knows how to treat people and how people deserve to be treated and, in theory, how she deserves to be treated. She knows how to say all the right things, because she does understand what people want and expect from her… but she can lie right to your face, doing everything she denounces in the same time she’s denouncing it, and she’ll always have a thousand excuses why it’s different when she does it.”

“...and it’s hard to not believe her.” Maki murmured. “She’s sweet and friendly and kind and fun and she wants the best for everyone and will actively work towards a brighter tomorrow… and every single thing she says or does that contradicts with that? It’s the ‘exception’. The world pushing her towards the wrong choice. A mis-step. Or a ‘greater good’... she makes you want to believe in her. To ignore all the warning signs… honestly…”

Maki shrugged, “That might just be a Momota trait. This might sound impossible to you, because of your experiences with all of them, but… you know Kaito’s energy? That… caught up feeling? You can get with him? Where it’s hard to not see the world the way he does, at least temporarily, because he’s feeling something so hotly and his personality is big and bold enough to fill and overpower everyone else in the room?” Maki asked, gesturing idly at nothing, before on impulse petting Kokichi’s head, because he was in petting distance and why not, by this point. “They all could do that. Including the king. All the genetic Momota’s, they all had these big, loud, booming personalities that, when you were caught up in it? It sort of felt like…”

Maki closed her eyes, “...my comparison of Kaito to a windstorm earlier was apt. It’s like standing in a storm, and feeling like somehow, despite everything, as the rain and wind and snow and heat rips and whips around you, deafening and all consuming and dangerous… you’re somehow sort of a part of it. Awed and caught up in a force greater than yourself. When he cared enough to convince you? King Leon could make you feel like the war was some great crusade, that we were massive and powerful, and that victory would not only be inevitable, but just. Byakuya made you feel incredibly intelligent and cunning, and like you were a part of the secret trappings that ruled the world, and that you deserved to be there by his trust in you. Kaede, all by herself, made you feel like you were standing in front of a massive crowd of people, all cheering your name and singing your praises, surrounded and protected by a community who were good and just and loved you.”

“...I don’t know if its genetic or upbringing.” Maki sighed, “But even Princess Ibuki could do it. They just say things and you want to believe them. I wonder if Miyako will end up having that quality as well… she’ll be lucky if she does. It’s a hard thing to fight against.”

...ugh. Judging by everything he knew about her...that seemed right. Kokichi could remember how excited he was to talk with her, feeling so hopeful by how his friends had described her… Not just as a beloved princess, but as a friend. Someone they got drunk with and did stupid teenager things and could laugh together with. Those times weren’t (probably) fake, but...they did become parts of her arsenal. There was a bigger picture she had been looking at than just enjoying time with your friends.

...Kokichi really hated hypocrites. It was lying while trying to get off scot-free. If you had to break the rules to do what was right...then the rules were wrong. You weren’t an exception, doing right by breaking them, but no one else could. Holding yourself apart from everything you said was right...just meant you weren’t a part of it, and that you were wrong.

But he could understand why that could be hard to see when faced up against it. 

Kokichi hummed, pleased, as Maki started petting his head, but he sighed a bit. “In some ways...I think charisma is second only to luck. For years I just felt...crazy and alone and embittered because of my father’s charisma--if you’re up against someone like that, then...you’re either swept up in it, or declared anything from dumb or misled to public enemy number one for daring not to get swept up in it.”

He laughed softly, scooting a little closer to Maki for more pets. “If it is upbringing, she may not be getting prepared to lead a nation, but she’ll have plenty of people to look at to learn how to magnetise. Miya’s gonna learn how to have a silver tongue and how to use it effectively.”

“And how to throw knives, if I have my way.” Maki said, finally standing up. “And I very often do. You ready to start again?”

Kokichi whined, though not from the prospect of getting back to his lesson. Rolling himself to be directly hunched over his feet, Kokichi looked up at his friend plaintively. “One more head pat. Then I’m gonna get all three knives to hit the circle.”

Maki raised an eyebrow, before smirking. Shifting down to squat in front of him, Maki took Kokichi’s head in her hands, ruffled his hair a little, pat pat… and then she leaned in and placed a small kiss at the top of his head. 

“You better.” She said. “Let’s go.”

“Ehee~” Kokichi beamed, overjoyed with the kiss, and he promptly straightened and stood right up once Maki was back out of collision range. He didn’t need to be perfect with knives yet, but he wanted to show something for his efforts getting back into it today. He had a great teacher, after all.

-

“Eh… ehhhhh” Miyako whined, starting to pout as she idly slapped at the blanket, her face wrinkling in offense as she tried to push herself up, “Eyeh!”

“I know, I know. But you’re doing great Miya.” Kaito said, laying on his stomach with her, mimicking her movements as an act of solidarity as the baby tried to push herself up, frustrated at this physical exercise being forced on her. “Tummy time is gonna get easier every time you do it. And it’s…” Kaito blinked sleepily, yawning, before grinning at her, mimicking her as she managed to push up on both her arms, looking up at him with a still openly annoyed pout, “Gonna keep you flexible and strong… you’re doing so good.”

“Sorry, Miyako.” Shuichi sighed, giving his small daughter a pitying look, “This is just your life now. That’s the cost of having a jock for a father.”

Kokichi gave a gentle tap on the door before he came in, his eyes lighting up as he took in the scene happening in the middle of the room. “Heyyyy, it’s tummy time? Aw, Miya-Miya, look at you! I was just working out too--it looks like you’re making more progress than I did, though.”

Coming over by Shuuichi’s side--Miyako seemed more occupied with pouting Kaito down--Kokichi gave him an affectionate kiss on the shoulder, greeting him. “Already on her arms...look at that. Please tell me I haven’t missed anything else huge?”

“Is that huge?” Shuichi asked, looking surprised, gently pressing himself against Kokichi’s side. “Should she not be able to do that by now?”

“She’s my little buff baby~” Kaito sang out, mimicking Miya’s next few slaps and her attempts at rolling. Miyako still wasn’t properly on her arms, she couldn’t lift her head. She was mostly just looking at Kaito from where she was sprawled out on the blanket, attempting to push her body up and slapping the ground like if she beat it hard enough, it might let up on this whole ‘gravity’ thing. She was very offended it was not working out, and her face was starting to scrunch up in warning signs that she was about to lose her temper. “Awww, my Miiiiyaaaaa~ okay, okay. Come here, you did such a good job. Yeah, I think according to the baby books she’s a little ahead of the milestone.”

Sitting up, Kaito carefully picked Miyako, balancing her in his arms and cooing at her, while she gave him a hard look, not certain if she forgave Big Heat or not. “Miiiiy~aaaaa… Miyaaaaaa~ you’re so strong and talented and perfect Miyaaaaa~”

‘...Flora stuff?’ Shuichi wondered, brow furrowing. Maybe he’d go talk to Temp about it. He should know beforehand if Miyako was going to be up and moving faster than other babies. Out loud, he asked, “How was dagger throwing, Kokichi?”

“I...think it’s normal?” Kokichi hummed, trying to wrack his brain on the week-to-week milestones the books went into. “I know that she’s supposed to start being able to turn her head, and, well, everything said to start tummy time now…”

Being able to move her arms a little seemed in the same vein as all that. And...honestly? If she was a little ahead of schedule? Then that was great! It meant she would be able to start moving her body more and...well, maybe that would help some with the growing pains. She was about to start being awake more and growing like bamboo now--at least, according to the books.

Watching lovingly as Kaito praised Miyako for her efforts, Kokichi pressed back against Shuuichi. “It went well! I’m really out of practice, but the learning curve will be easier this time, and I even got a knife to land and lodge in the target circle! And, yanno, hanging out with Maki-chan is always fun.”

“...we did talk a little about the election coming up, though,” he hummed, looking between his partners, trying to see if there was any recognition that flashed in their eyes. “Did you guys know about it?”

Kaito placed a little kiss against the top of Miyako’s head, Miya seeming to have decided that she wasn’t going to start screaming this time, settling in as Kaito laid back on the floor, resting her against his pecks. Gently patting her back, he looked up from the floor to his partners and, looking a little tired, he said, “...the… road thing?”

Shuichi raised an eyebrow. “Road thing?”

Kokichi nodded, taking in the adorable sight of Miyako resting on Kaito’s chest. ...maybe he’d offer to take over early so Kaito could get some sleep, though. “Yeah, the road thing.”

Turning more towards Shuuichi, Kokichi explained, “Every citizen sixteen and older is a voter, and for making big policy decisions--not the logistics of things, but, like...what overall we’re trying to pursue--voters vote on what they want. There’s a motion to make new roadways across Dicea that are more direct to cities, so the election is for people to decide whether that’s something worth putting the time and resources into.” ...that summed up everything he’d explained to Maki, right?

“I’m kind of excited, honestly,” he grinned. “It’s gonna be your first election! You guys are gonna get to vote for the first time!”

“Yeah. Waku explained something like that.” Kaito grinned, now just idly rubbing Miyako’s back while she made small gurgling sounds. “I guess I get it… sounds like a whole process though. How do you even keep track of who votes for what…”

“I imagine it has to be like the mailing system, or the guardhouses.” Shuichi mused, “You make it a town by town process, have a general oversight over the town offices.”

“Yeah, that makes sense.” Kaito murmured, rubbing circles into Miyako’s back. “...so…” Kaito glanced over at Kokichi, something wary in his eyes, “...how are… you voting? Kokichi?”

Kokichi hummed, Shuuichi surmising the general gist of it. There was a voting deadline, the votes were counted in every community center, then that total was sent to the capital (in the case of national elections) and all those were totaled for a final decision. In the case it was two things only separated by a small margin, then...things got more complicated, heading into additional elections and holding even more specific debates to understand what the people in the nation really wanted but...the general idea was simple enough. 

While he had been content to approve Shuuichi’s guess, Kokichi raised an eyebrow at Kaito and made a deep, ‘Nu-uh,” sound. 

“Nope. We have strict lobbying laws, and while we can’t literally ban people from talking about it, I’m a public figure, you know? Can’t tell people how I’m voting.” There was a gleam in Kokichi’s eyes though he felt a little bad for not taking pity on the wariness in Kaito’s. “We could go to one of the debates if you want more information before making a decision yourself, though. I’m kinda interested, since I haven’t been able to go to any of the planning meetings.”

“...” Kaito tapped a little rhythm into Miyako’s back. She made little stuttered vibrating sounds, little ghe-ghe-ghe sounds, Kaito grinning down at her as he said, “You singing, Miya? You singing? ...okay, sure, you’re a public figure, but… but that makes it more important that I know how you’re voting, babe. What if I vote and accidentally vote for the wrong thing?”

...okay, that was really cute, but…

Kokichi just blinked at Kaito for a moment, astonished. He knew that’s where Kaito’s mind would be, but...he hadn’t expected his husband to out and say it. 

His expression softening, Kokichi sighed softly. “There isn’t a wrong thing to vote for, hun. The election is to see what people want--it’s for gauging interest and opinion. If everyone voted what their representatives voted, then...why have an election at all? That’s not the people’s decision.”

“That ballot’s going to be asking if you want to start on the road project. That you would get enough use out of them, or you think they would be helpful to people, or you think the project would be good for other reasons, or...even if you just like saying yes to stuff, that it’s worth putting our time and energy and resources into it. Or, if you think the time, energy, and resources should be going towards a different project, or you think the project needs more work done on it before considering putting it to action, or you think it’s a bad idea, or you just like saying no to stuff...then that’s what you’d vote.”

“...there’s no right or wrong,” Kokichi said gently. “Elections are asking for your personal opinion.”

Tap-tap-tap, “geh, geh, geh...eh!” A little slap against the chest. Kaito snickered.

“Enough’s enough? Alright, baby girl, back to little rubs.” Kaito whispered to her, giving her another little kiss at the top of her head. He sighed, leaning his head back, looking at the figurines at the top of the bookcase. “... ‘Kichi. We’ve talked about this… it’s not my place to disagree with you on politics… what if someone asks me? I need to know what I’m supposed to say.”

“Say you’re not allowed to say.” Shuichi offered, “If Kokichi can use that line, why not you?”

“Okay, well… how do you feel… about more roads? In general? Kokichi?” Kaito asked, “Just... in general? No particular reason.”

“Smooth.” Shuichi said, raising an eyebrow, “So smooth.”

Kokichi’s eyebrow twitched. They had talked about it. And Kokichi wanted to encourage Kaito to say whatever he really thought, regardless of how Kokichi felt about the issue. 

...Kaito needed to learn how to fight. He couldn’t keep expecting Kokichi to constantly win. 

“There’s nothing you’re supposed to say,” Kokichi sighed, his heart not really into arguing this again. “If people ask you about politics, they’re asking expecting to hear what your actual opinion is, not what someone else is saying. If they wanted that, they wouldn’t be asking you.”

He frowned a little more. “...and they shouldn’t be asking you how you’re going to cast your vote anyway...at least ideally. Like I said...we can’t really keep people from talking. You can talk about how you view things about the issue, but you’re not supposed to say how you’re voting.”

Almost pouting a little at Kaito by this point, Kokichi sighed. “I’m not sure, honestly. I haven’t been able to do as much research as I’d like since I’m not allowed to go to work. That’s why I wanna go to a debate, so I can hear rationale in favor and against. And I’d like it if you went with me.”

“Wanna go to a debate, Miya? Miyaaaa? What do you think? Wanna go with daddy to a debate?” Kaito asked, looking more tired. “We’ll go and hear about the roads? Wanna go hear about the roads Miya?”

“Kaito.” Shuichi said warningly. 

“What? I’m gonna go do it.” Kaito sighed, “I get it, I get it, I’m being unreasonable again. We’ll go to the debate, and I’ll… vote however. And I just won’t tell anyone anything if they ask… but, okay, but what if I vote wrong, and it, like… and the wrong thing happens? Like, there could be an actual consequence for me not voting the same as you.” Kaito said.

“Kaito,” Shuichi said, raising an eyebrow, “Why do you sound so upset about this? They’re literally just asking every random person their opinion on roads, why is that alarming--”

“It’s not just an opinion, Shuichi, it has actual consequences and--”

“ehhhhhhhh-AAAAAA!” 

“Oh, no, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Miya, I’m sorry.” Kaito murmured, sitting up and bouncing her in his arms a bit, “Come on, let’s go sit by the window. You want a bit of sun Miya? Don’t cry, don’t cry, dad’s sorry…”

...honestly, Kokichi wouldn’t even mind if Kaito was a voter that circled (or numbered, depending on the issue) things arbitrarily, not really caring about the outcome. Sure, politics were things that Kokichi found really important, things he wanted to put a lot of thought and consideration into his opinions, even if he didn’t do anything with them, but...that’s just how Kokichi was. If Kaito found he didn’t care enough about politics to have a real opinion about them...that was fine.

...but it wasn’t that. It was that Kaito was terrified of having the wrong opinion--ie. Not Kokichi’s--and...Kokichi couldn’t let that be. For either of them. 

He wanted to ask what the consequences Kaito saw were, get the worst case scenario, like they had done in therapy, but...it wasn’t just Miyako bursting into tears. It was the bags under Kaito’s eyes and the lines in his face. 

(Don’t pile on. There’s only so much people can take at a time.)

Sighing softly, Kokichi went over to the window seat with Kaito and Miya, gently stroking her head as Kaito tried to get her to calm down. “...I would like to talk more about this later, but...I’m sorry. You seem tired…” Pressing against Kaito’s arm, Kokichi spoke gently. “I can take her early if you want to get some rest?”

“Who’s tired?” Kaito grumbled, something angry flashing through him… before he sighed, immediately feeling ashamed. “Sorry, sorry, yeah, you’re right, I am tired. I couldn’t sleep during Shuichi’s shift last night, I don’t know why. Just couldn’t.”

That wasn’t entirely true. Kaito had managed to fall asleep, and a nightmare had ripped him right back out of it. He had spent a considerable amount of the night holding Kokichi and staring at Shuichi, who was nodded off next to Miyako’s crib, waiting for the next quiet beep of the alarm. Just reassuring himself everything was fine and everyone was alive and everything was fine.

He had wanted to get up and go fetch Maki and Timothy, make them come sleep in the room with them. Just to keep an eye on all of them. He couldn’t remember what the nightmare had been about. He just still felt frazzled over it.

Miyako started to quiet down, though she bitterly sent out {angry}, whimpering as she was reluctantly soothed. Kaito sighed, “...are you sure you wouldn’t mind, ‘Kichi? I’m not dead tired, I’m just a little worn out. I can handle the rest of Miya duty…”

He didn’t want to fight Kaito, and he didn’t want his husband to retreat. Thankfully, Kaito seemed to catch it himself. There probably were issues and insecurities worth addressing but...being tired always made it all worse. Kokichi didn’t want to try and pry into anything if Kaito was feeling drained.

Kokichi smiled slightly as he stroked Miyako’s hair, his lips quirking. So upset…

{I’m sorry, I love you.}

“You could handle it, but I’m feeling really good,” Kokichi gently affirmed. “I got enough rest last night, and I even managed to have fun in my free time. While I’m at a hundred percent, why not take the time to recharge?”

Kaito nodded, still bouncing Miya slightly, “Alright… if you’re sure.” He grinned at Kokichi, before leaning in to give him a kiss, “I’m so lucky… sweet, good husband who is sweet and good... And tiny… you’re so tiny Kokichi. ‘Kichi, what if Miyako ends up tiny like you…”

Kaito blinked, before chuckling. “Man, maybe I am tired. I feel like every word is taking, like… seconds.” Kaito blinked, before looking down at Miyako, “Dad’s not too sharp right now, Miyako.”

Shuichi watched them from the bed, a little exasperated with Kaito and… a little sad. Mostly because, well… it was always hard. Seeing Kaito flounder. Shuichi knew it wasn’t fair, but there was always a part of himself that kept waiting for Kaito to just… get it together. To be the person he was back in Luminary. The person he was when they first got here. There were always signs of this Kaito, it’s not like it was shocking. But it was still disheartening.

“Alright,” Kaito yawned, placing another kiss at Miyako’s skull, her shockingly persistent little patch of purple baby hair still hanging on. “Alright… you and Maki had fun? You said that already, didn’t you? You and Maki had fun?”

Kokichi kissed Kaito back, cupping his jaw for a moment, just to be close. They’d be okay. In their relationship, and his family’s adaptation to Dicea. It just took time and effort. 

Heh. That was something he’d vote yes on.

“Yes, we had a lot of fun. We had a good time talking, and I made a lot of progress re-learning my knife-throwing skills.” Kokichi leaned back in for another kiss. “Get some rest, hun. We’ll wake you if anything happens so...rest easy. Conk out and take one of those naps that feel like you’ve slept for a million years.”

“...I think there might be watermelon for dessert. It is starting to be melon season.”

-

“...I think we should let him sleep.” Shuichi said, chewing on some watermelon, he and Kokichi sitting at the window seat. “He looks peaceful, doesn’t he?”

Kaito was, indeed, conked out on the bed, and had been for some time now. He was in nothing but his boxers, half out of the blankets, and stretched out in every direction, snoring softly and drooling a bit, one arm hanging off the bed. A composed sleeper, but a messy napper. 

“It would be cruel to wake him up. He doesn’t sleep enough.” Shuichi said… before smirking, “And he’s kinda cute like this.”

Kokichi nodded, munching on his own bowl of watermelon chunks and mint, a kind of dessert Kaito would probably be thrilled to see them eating, at least opposed to brownies or slices of pie. Kokichi had even snagged Kaito some for his own dessert, sitting with the rest of dinner on their desk, thankfully nothing that would be best piping hot. 

“Very cute,” Kokichi hummed in concordance, smirking a little before sighing. “...yeah. He’s just been so tired lately...and I hate that lately kinda means the past few months. He’s been getting by, but...I’m worried. It really can’t be good for him…”

Kokichi chewed on his lip a little before chewing on some watermelon instead. “...would it be too pushy to ask if he’s talked with Miss Crystal about his anxiety yet? I just...if there’s anything we could do that would make sleeping easier for him, I’d wanna help…”

Shuichi glanced over at Miyako, who had dozed right back to sleep after eating, and snorted, “I’d hold back offering that, if I were you. Kaito’s going to try to convince you that the only way to get him to sleep is you fooling around...”

...Shuichi’s eyes, suddenly, fixated on Kaito. An idle thought running through his mind…

And, to his own, honest surprise, Shuichi blushed, looking away and popping another watermelon in his mouth. Looking a little flustered.

Kokichi rolled his eyes a little at first and opened his mouth...but it closed with a gentle click as he looked over at Shuuichi. Taking in his blush and averted eyes…

“...really...if that would actually set his mind at ease, I’d be up for it, but we both know that sex only energizes Kai-chan even more.” Taking a careful look at Shuuichi, Kokichi raised an eyebrow and gently nudged his side as a soft, playful smile came over his face. “Copper for your thoughts?”

Shuichi pushed his hair out of his face a little-- he hadn’t been wearing his hat much, the last few days. Not taking it off entirely, but especially in the room, not putting it on with his partners anymore-- and pouted somewhat at Kokichi. “Don’t tease… am I that obvious?”

He glanced at Kaito again-- who was kind of the opposite of sexy right now. His hair was full bed-head, his goatee breaking off into edges, his free hand was for whatever inexplicable reason slightly jammed into the waistband of his boxers, like he had put his fingers there for warmth in his sleep-- and his face went red again. “...I just had this random idea in my head, that, you know… it probably would take a lot of work to get Kaito actually tired after sex. And for it to work, well… most of that would have to be Kaito tiring himself out, and…” Shuichi shrugged, looking a little genuinely embarrassed, “...that would be weird. Wouldn’t it? I’m still not really up to having sex again yet, but...well, Kaito did say he liked when I bossed him around… is that weird?”

Kokichi smiled with a shrug. “To be fair, we were just talking about sex. A blush is more obvious with that context.” And, well...Kokichi kinda hoped he could tell when his partners were flustered. 

Settling comfortably against Shuuichi, Kokichi heard him out, having genuinely wanted to hear his thoughts and not just trying to be coy. And, for Shuuichi’s sake, he considered it for a moment. 

“...Nah,” he settled on. “There are a lot of ways to have sex, and some of them don’t involve touching. And...yanno, it’s a pretty normal thing to be flustered by the thought of you turning on your partner. I’d say that’s all real normal, Shuu-chan.”

Smiling a bit impishly, Kokichi leaned forward to give his boyfriend a wink. “Honestly, I think Kai-chan would be over the moon if you brought up the idea of doing something like that. As long as we were safe about it? Making sure that no one would be getting too overwhelmed, and felt safe tapping out if they wanted to? Then that just sounds like a perfect evening.”

“...” Shuichi flushed harder… before cupping his face in his hands, groaning, “Oh no… he would really like it, wouldn’t he… where does this come from? Food stuff, weird… I’m not even sure what to call it. I just like…” Shuichi blushed harder, giving Miyako’s crib an uncomfortable look and, even though he knew it was silly, whispering really quietly, “...making him beg for it. I mean, I know it’s not weird weird, but...well, you know. It’s weird trying to figure myself out. Especially this late into it. It’s hard not to think about how everyone else probably has their sexuality just… figured out by now. And I’m finding out new weird things about myself all the time.”

Kokichi nodded slightly, a few teasing remarks in his head, but...maybe another time. Instead, he put an arm around Shuuichi and nuzzled his face into his shoulder, finishing off with a big smooch. “...I can’t personally empathize. I’ve known I was gay for a long, long time, and while finding out how much I like being submissive in bed was new...I guess it was easier for me to accept, since I didn’t know anything I liked in bed. At least where it came to having a partner.”

“...but people are always discovering things about themselves, because people are always in flux. We’re never just...one thing forever. And sexuality isn’t an exception.” Nuzzling Shuuichi’s shoulder again, Kokichi hummed. “...there are some people, like me, who find out at least a broad preference really early, and it sticks. There are people who find out a preference early, but then later on in life find out it wasn’t the end-all be-all. Maybe that means including more, maybe that means changing everything...there are all types. There are people who are in constant discovery, drawing new lines around themselves all the time to try and better describe how they feel, which, in turn, is changing all the time too. And there are people who have no idea what they want for a long, long time, until one day it hits them.”

Kokichi smiled softly. “...I know it doesn’t magically make it feel any better for me to say, ‘oh, other people feel that way too’. Because Shuu-chan is a special, one-of-a-kind person, with his own unique view, even if he can find overlap with other people on certain things. Everyone’s an individual.”

“...maybe it’s something you should bring up to Dr. Ford, too,” he gently suggested. “If it’s something that’s worrying you...that’s what therapists are for.”

“I don’t really…” Shuichi paused, considering it. Did it bother him? His preferences? He wasn’t sure if it did… he knew he was a little embarrassed by them, but he wasn’t sure if that equaled to a real problem. 

Though, he did consider the idea that… “I don’t know if I could bring myself to talk to Dr. Ford about my sex life, cause… I mean I… I think maybe the goal is to one day talk about Nao and…”

“...” Shuichi’s shoulders fell, something grim running across his face. “...what if me enjoying being mean in bed sometimes isn’t a personal preference, and just… something I learned from her? Or, or even worse, what if that just gives more evidence than there was… no other way… maybe she could tell? Maybe it was obvious on me, that my tastes ran… aggressive like that. Maybe she could just see it on me and that’s why--”

Shuichi cut himself off, rubbing his hand over his forehead, closing his eyes. “...sorry. I didn’t mean to bring her up.”

Kokichi’s lips turned down into a frown at the mention of Nao, but...what bothered him a lot more was the stuff Shuuichi was saying. 

“...Shuu-chan, look at me.”

Waiting until Shuuichi did, Kokichi’s expression softened and he booped their noses together gently. “It’s okay. I have my own issues with her, but I promised to always be here to hear you out when you wanted to talk about her, okay? And I’m keeping that promise.”

With that said, Kokichi’s expression grew more serious. Not an ounce of uncertainty in his eyes. “...unless they’re wearing, like, a shirt that says ‘I like hair-pulling in bed’, someone’s tastes are never obvious. And anyone who tries to claim differently is just talking out of their ass. So...if Nao assumed that you liked being dominant? Well, for one thing, she just screwed that alllll up, and for another, she was just being an asshole. She didn’t confirm anything with you, you were under the influence, and that makes it assault.” ...it made it rape, but Kokichi didn’t want to push his luck with language.

“Even if you two did talk about aggression? Even if you weren’t under the influence? Then she still had no ground to treat you like that,” Kokichi’s frown deepened, though he made sure not to direct his glare at Shuuichi. “There are safe, consensual ways to bring aggression and power dynamics into a sexual relationship, but what she did wasn’t any of that. It was abuse and assault, and you did nothing to provoke it. She was just...careless and dumb and cruel.”

“... right.” Shuichi said quietly, nodding, still looking a little uncertain, but nodding again after a moment. “Right. It was… even if I messed up, or led her on… even if she was trying to help me. Did help me… how she did it was dumb. She was kind of dumb. It was all poorly thought out…”

She had seemed so damn smart. And put together. And so… big. Larger than life.

But Shuichi had literally been out of his mind and easy to take advantage of. Anyone would have seemed impossibly strong to him, in that situation. She wasn’t anything special. She was just an idiot who had gotten lucky.

The thought really did make Shuichi feel better. He let out another breath, reaching around and, careful to not dislodge Kokichi’s dessert bowl, drawing him into a hug. “...thank you. I’m sorry you’re the one who keeps hearing about this. I know it’s not fair. But you’re right, I… if I was giving off some sort of weird vibe to her? Maybe even if I do like some of that stuff, even off the pollen… she still did it the wrong way. And I would hate it now if we did it all again. And that’s… not even what I want to do with Kaito. I never want him to feel scared, or helpless… I want him to have fun. It’s… it’s different.”

(Kokichi did fiercely believe everything he’d said, but…

...sometimes it was easier to just...talk without thinking about it too much, when it came to her.)

Kokichi nodded, his expression relaxing and a smile even breaking out as Shuuichi seemed to take in his words, finding his own comfort in them. Hugging Shuuichi back, Kokichi squeezed him for a moment, nuzzling his face into his shoulder with a happy hum. 

“...it’s okay. If I’m gonna move forward too...then I think talking to you about her helps too.”

Nodding at Shuuichi’s conclusion of it all, Kokichi let out a brighter grin. “Right! The goal is for everyone to have a good time and have fun--and because of that goal, and because we’re not dumb, we’ll have conversations and make sure there’s ways to do it safely. Then...we can all rest easy and have fun, because we did it right.”

After a moment, Kokichi tilted his head to the side with a giggle. “...I say ‘we’ just ‘cause I like to be included, but...that’s another thing to discuss. If you guys would want me to be there, if I wanna be there… But Shuu-chan would do it right even if I wasn’t there. ‘Cause he’s smart, and he loves us.”

Shuichi smiled, leaning back into the nuzzle slightly, Kokichi, as always, very sweet and open in his affections. Shuichi felt bad, sometimes, how high-maintenance he knew he was. They hadn’t started dating at the most stable time in Shuichi’s life, and as better as things were now then when this had started, ‘stable’ still didn’t feel like the right word for Shuichi. He was emotional and occasionally prickly and didn’t help as much with things as he sometimes felt he should. He was still trying to pull himself back from the lows of the year…

And he just appreciated how patient Kokichi was with him. That his boyfriend never made Shuichi feel like a burden. Even if Shuichi sometimes expected he was. 

“I doubt either of us would not want you there, Kokichi.” Shuichi said plainly, though he knew it was maybe improper to speak on Kaito’s behalf on the matter. It just didn’t seem like something Kaito would say no to. “And if I’m doing something that would make you uncomfortable if you were there, honestly, that’s likely a good sign I shouldn’t be doing it at all. You do help curb some of our worst instincts--”

It wasn’t that Kaito made some sort of gasp, or any noise really. If anything, Shuichi’s eyes went to him because, subconsciously, he noticed a sudden lack of noise. Kaito’s soft snores disappearing, his chest vibrating for a moment as the red-heads sleeping face suddenly went tense. Kaito going quiet…

It was interesting, watching Kaito wake up from a nightmare. Shuichi didn’t see it very often, and watched with a curious interest as Kaito’s eyes just opened. Kaito not moving, his body still, but his gaze rapidly shifting back and forth, looking for something, intense and focused… before he blinked, a haze coming over them, as he shifted on the bed, sitting up in a careful, fluid, quiet motion as he looked around the room some more, his eyes glancing at Kokichi and Shuichi and then continuing to scan, seeing them but clearly not actually registering it. Every movement and sound was carefully controlled, like Kaito was trying his hardest in his half-asleep haze to not draw attention, despite the two partners actively looking at him.

No wonder Kaito never woke Shuichi up, he mused to himself. He was very quiet for just waking up in a panic. He also didn’t actually seem entirely awake yet, looking at the front door with that same hazed expression, giving it a look that was both considering and without really ‘seeing’ it… “Kaito?” Shuichi called gently.

Kaito looked over at Shuichi, his eyes following the sound, staring at him blankly… “hm?”

“Are you awake?”

Kaito blinked at him… scratched his chin… some of the haze lifted. “Yeah? Yeah… what do you need?”

They all curbed each other’s worst instincts, really. Kokichi knew that, while he did have his own efforts on the matter, Kaito and Shuuichi were huge instigators for getting him to stop hiding and communicate more clearly with people. To stop just being resentful and actually do things about his situations. They just...made each other better. Held each other accountable. 

Kokichi didn’t intend to look over at Kaito at all, really, but he caught Shuuichi’s gaze shift and...what he saw he’d seen often enough to recognize. The tense discomfort, and Kaito moving with a silent grace--though it didn’t have any of the ease that gracefulness was usually associated with--to get up, eyes alert but not aware. Kokichi half expected Kaito to get up and do his whole routine, even with the two of them watching. It had been more subtle at the time, considering Kokichi was half-asleep himself, but it wouldn’t have been the first time. 

But Shuuichi called out. And...even if it didn’t end well, hopefully Kaito got some good, deep sleep. 

Shaking his head, Kokichi smiled sweetly at his husband. “Nothing, hun. You can go back to sleep if you want, though we did bring dinner up if you’re hungry. Cauliflower omelette rice, summer squash soup, ‘n sweet grilled sausages. Watermelon for dessert, too.”

Kaito, again, glanced over at the front door. He should… he should…

...Maki and Tim wouldn’t be in their rooms.

Kaito yawned, running his hands over his face, before nodding. Sausages sounded good… sausages sounded so good. Where were… “Thanks, guys.” Kaito yawned again, scratching at his stomach a little now as he pulled himself out of bed, heading towards the plate on the desk. Half-asleep but waking up more every second, he went to sit at the desk and immediately focused on the sausages as he asked, “Everything okay? Baby giving you any grief?”

“Miyako’s been easy today. She’s mostly been ignoring us today. I could barely keep her attention through her feeding, she was just entirely uninterested.” Shuichi said, voice fond. There was something incredibly charming, about the sheer exasperation that radiated off of newborn infants. The world was big and strange and loud and, at least so far, Miyako just did not have the patience for it. 

“...needs a bath.” Kaito decided, his eyes closed as he ate at his sausages, “I’m up. I’ll give her one. She’s been doing a lot better at bath time. She kicks a lot in it. Don’t know if that’s signs maybe she’ll like playing in it someday. Little swimmer lass… we should go see Hina, Yuta and Sakura soon. Find out how the trip went, talk to Yuta about things…” Kaito yawned. “Gotta stay on top of things. Lots of people to keep track of.”

Kokichi smiled a bit as he watched Kaito hone in on the meat on his plate. There were some predictable things he’d never get tired of (even if Kokichi really thought the omelette rice was the star for this meal. He’d devoured his own portion). Mm...Kaito would probably light up seeing some of the regular food stalls during Zenith… Kokichi knew he was excited to see if the haul had been good enough this year that the folks with the grilled squid booth would be up and running. 

Looking over at Miyako as they discussed her, Kokichi’s smile only grew. She was so done with everything, though this was about the time when she would start ‘reaching out’ more. Able to track things with her eyes and discern their tones, even if she wouldn’t quite be able to understand that they were saying words. 

(She had been reaching out with her own emotions a little more, though. It could just be because she was awake and not screaming during that wakefulness a little more than the past couple weeks, but...it still make Kokichi excited and fond.)

“You sure?” Kokichi asked, though he wasn’t pushing much beyond simply asking. “You just woke up. If you needed a little more time, I could bathe her when I’m done eating.”

Sighing softly, Kokichi leaned against Shuuichi a little more. “...I can’t believe it’s already been, like...what? A week and a half? Since they came back? I’m all for giving them time to rest and settle in, but...I missed Hina and Sakura!! And you guys have talked so much about Yuta that I really wanna meet him too! Even if I am a big ol’ disappointment that can’t swim.”

“Can’t swim yet.” Kaito said, finishing his sausages and, with some regret, moving onto the non-sausage part of the meal. “I’m still determined to see you swim someday. Swimming is amazing, and you should have been swimming when you were little, Kokichi. Gonna fight everyone on that one. Should have been swimming this whole damn time. Would have made everything so much easier on you.”

“Hmmmm…” Shuichi paused, considering it, “...you know, I think I have to agree with Kaito on this one. Swimming is worth the hassle of everything around it. It’s a catch-all sort of exercise.”

“Of course I’m right about swimming… why wouldn’t I have been right about swimming?” Kaito asked, giving Shuichi a mildly wary, if curious, look.

“Well, some things that are ‘upper class’ in Luminary are only that way because they’re rare or pricey or difficult to set up. Not because they’re actually better. And getting access to swimming pools or to open bodies of water is difficult in Luminary. It’s really something only easily accessible to the wealthy, which is partly why it took so much effort from all of us to give Yuta access to those pools and tournaments. He had a gift that was obvious from the first time he touched water, but not a lot of opportunity to practice without our pulling strings for him.” Shuichi said, explaining that last bit for Kokich specifically, “So I wondered for a moment if all of its benefits were a privilege thing rather than a reality… but, no. I’ve seen enough swimmer training and the effects it has on people to know better. It really is that good.”

“Yeah! Yeah…” Kaito ate some of the rice, brow furrowed, “...so, but, like, what isn’t actually all that good then?”

Shuichi shrugged, “I’d be hard pressed to come up with a list right now. Lots of things though. I know that the castle carriages were horrifically overpriced basically normal carriages with thicker cushions and a fancy paint job. Daylight robbery, what the castle paid for those carriages.”

“Oh… they are? I always assumed they were better built... are you sure they’re not?”

“I heard some engineers laughing about it. The impression I got was that if the mechanism was any better? It was literally only that way to accommodate the unnecessary weight of the decorations. Otherwise they’re normal carriages.”

“Huh…” Kaito rubbed his eyes, before saying, “I can handle bathtime, Kokichi. I like bathtime. I give her little feetsies little presses, and massage her knees and elbows and fingers… she seems to like it…” An old memory of Kokichi needing to use a special oil on rough days suddenly flitted through Kaito’s mind, “You feeling alright yourself, ‘Kichi? You need any massages?”

Kokichi wasn’t exactly sure about that...until Kaito and Shuuichi went into the whole ‘benefits of exercise’ thing. Still, he shrugged about that. “I still don’t really think it’s such a big deal, even if I do wanna learn. Sure, there’s the pond, but it’s not like there are any big lakes or rivers in the city--I’m pretty sure Denji-chan doesn’t know how to swim either, and I think the only reason Lake-nee knows is because it’s part of guardforce training. They all are registered lifeguards, even if they’re in a place that doesn’t have a ton of water.”

...sure, Lake Lossax wasn’t that far away, and there were plenty of rivers running around the swamp, but...they were out of the city. More of a hurdle to go to than going down the street. 

Nodding along to Shuuichi’s explanation of Yuta’s skill--Kokichi had never looked into if Usott had a swim team, or even a swimming club...maybe he should--Kokichi hummed a little as his partners talked about what expense really was worth. Considering how much he heard about status wealth in Luminary, he could see the people actually making those products not bothering to make them all that different from the norm. He was hit with the memory of an old art instructor drawing a beautiful still life with a grade school pencil, visually explaining how high-quality materials weren’t what elevated art, and it didn’t matter what materials you used as long as you were making something.

...he probably should keep his head on if he went shopping in Luminary. See if things were actually worth the price they were listed as. 

Laughing a little at Kaito’s fondness for giving Miyako little baby massages, he wasn’t entirely surprised by the question coming to him, though it was with pride that he shook his head with a grin. “I mean, I wouldn’t say no if you’re offering, ‘cause Kai-chan’s massages are incredible, but I’m alright. I haven’t had a lot of pain days lately, and when I have, they haven’t been as bad. I think regularly stretching really helps, though there’s only so much to do, yanno?”

...at the very least, it hadn’t been so bad he couldn’t get out of bed. And Miya didn’t seem to mind curling up with him in the window and not moving around much.

Kaito nodded slightly, “Just let me know, babe. Don’t keep it to yourself. It’s my job and all that… Shuichi?”

Shuichi sighed, “Like Kokichi, I’ll never say no if you’re offering… my lower back and feet always feel loads better, even if they weren’t actually hurting. 

Kaito nodded again, making a mental list now. Baby bathtime, Shuich’s lower back and feet, maybe hit Kokichi’s neck and shoulders at least before his husband went to bed tonight. Kokichi’s shoulders always had so much tension in them… okay, what else… had to check in on Timothy. Find out what the kid had been doing today, touch base. Should he send a message out to Hina and let her help coordinate a meetup? That sounded like the smart choice… kay…

“...when is that debate thing you wanted to go to again, ‘Kichi?”

...he was trying to overcompensate again. But...Kokichi would just have to be there to help him out. 

“There are a few big ones coming up,” Kokichi gently answered. “The elections aren’t for a few weeks, so there’s always a bunch of debates making sure everyone who wants to go to one has a chance to. And...also so everyone who wants to be one of the debaters can have a chance to argue,” he chuckled. There were definitely more apathetic people, but...on the whole? His Diceans tended to be loudly opinionated. 

“There’s one Thursday morning, one Sunday afternoon, one Monday afternoon, one next Tuesday in the evening, and I think there’s an ‘after dark’ one next Wednesday too...and that’s just in the week coming up,” Kokichi recalled, his eyes drifting to the ceiling. “So...we have a lot of chances to see one whenever we happen to have time.”

Sighing, Kokichi closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair. “...I think I lucked out, honestly. If I was still working, I’d probably be cajoled into some campaign urging people to vote. Aiichi’s been out almost all week putting on events doin’ it.” 

He actually did think that encouraging people to vote was good and worthwhile, since voting was important, but...the whole production was kind of overwhelming. With him being more front-facing the past months--and him and Aiichi coming to a better understanding of each other--there was no doubt in Kokichi’s mind that if he hadn’t just had a baby, he’d be out there too, calling out to crowds and giving out pins and stickers.

“Okaaay… lots of opportunities for debate stuff.” Kaito mused, thinking idly that he needed a calendar. How did he not already own a calender? Or, like, a plan book or something. He always just wrote down notes of when things were happening in random places, and more often than not it was purely lucky if he ever stumbled across them in time again.

Speaking of… needed a piece of paper… was this a receipt for something? Eh, it’ll do. Thursday morning...sunday afternoon… wednesday ‘after dark’, where he could only assume it was the debated but sexy… or just later in the night than usual. One of those…

“Okay, we’ll make one of those.” Kaito said, yawning and scratching his stomach some more. Man, middle of the day sleeping was weird. Really knocked you out, Kaito felt weirdly warm all over his body. He idly wiped his face… ew. He had been drooling. Right in front of his partners. Very attractive, Kaito, good job.

Finishing his food, Kaito stood up, stretched, and said, “Alright. Grumpy baby time~ it’s time to wake up, Miyako, we… actually, when does she eat next?”

“Two hours.”

“Damn, I’m too early. Better to do it all at once then…” Kaito peered down at Miyako, whispering, “M~iiiiyaaa. You’re getting a baaaaaath later… alright then. Massage time handsome.”

“That’s alright, Kaito. I’m still nibbling at my melons.”

Kaito blinked down at the bowl of dessert in Shuichi’s hand… before leaning down, tapping at his mouth, and sticking out his tongue slightly. Shuichi gave him a baffled look at first… before flushing a little as he popped a bit of melon in. 

Kaito hummed slightly, gave Shuichi a kiss on the cheek as a reward, and mused, “That’s pretty good. I’ll have some of mine… after a shower. That’s what I’ll do next. Gotta wake up.” Kaito yawned, heading to the bathroom.

Shuichi just glared at him, his face red, as the door closed. “...he knows what he did.” He grumbled.

They’d go see a debate (eventually) and...hopefully from there Kokichi would get an idea to broach the subject of Kaito joining a debate club himself. Or maybe...he’d end up making a friend of someone in a debate club! And they could ease Kaito into it without just diving right in!

...or maybe Kaito really needed a dive, but...Kokichi wasn’t good at pushing that much if he thought there was another way. 

But...if nothing else, Kaito would just get to see how people argued and talked about politics in Dicea. Maybe that would help. 

Watching Kaito get up--how did he finish food so quickly?!?--Kokichi watched the exchange that went down next with amusement, especially considering the conversation he and Shuuichi had recently had (at least the happier parts of it). He was sure Kaito had been fully asleep so...this was just Kaito being Kaito. Cute and sexy as always. 

Giggling as Shuuichi huffed, Kokichi leaned over to give him a kiss on the cheek too. “He does--that’s why he did it to you. Kai-chan looooooves you, so puttin’ affection on Shuu-chan it was. You are a great person to put affection on.”

Shuichi, still flustered, just huffed a bit. “You’re both too much sometimes. Don’t know what to do with you, honestly…” before popping another melon in his mouth. It somehow tasting sweeter now.

-

“...got mad at Kokichi.” Kaito finally confessed, fussing with his rock nervously while the outdoor sitting area of the eastern garden buzzed busily around them. It was busy in the gardens lately. Everyone wanted to be outdoors for the sunny days, and the gardens were in full bloom. People were out here taking talks, reading, taking their lunches in the open air. 

Normally this amount of activity would, inexplicably, make Kaito feel a little better about things. Easier to talk. He didn’t know. He was just reassured to have other people around… usually. But right now, he felt increasingly nervous and paranoid, as Miss Crystal sipped at some fruity drink she had gotten from the kitchens. Some sort of smoothie. Kaito was settling with water. He kinda wished it was alcohol. Watching the mentors drink, which they often did-- drinking casually was, well… casual, in Luminary-- sometimes made Kaito wish he could go get wasted again. Hang out in a bar, or a pub. Just be, well… young and dumb.

But, after this session he was on Miya duty. So water. 

“Oh?” Miss Crystal hummed. “Punch another wall?”

“No.”

“Punch a person?”

“No.”

“Punch a--”

“I didn’t punch anything.” Kaito grumbled. “Or break anything, or… much of anything, really. I was just angry.”

“Good! That’s wonderful progress, Kaito.” Miss Crystal smiled, wearing a sun hat that she seemed perfectly content to lay back in, clearing enjoying the environment more than he was. “Excellent news.”

“...is it?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“...I got mad at Kokichi.”

“Do you wish to discuss what upset you?”

“Not really… it’s kind of stupid. It’s a big ol’ nothing thing.” Kaito said, shrugging, still fussing with his rock, “Which is why I shouldn’t have been angry. It was over nothing.”

“You get angry over a lot of things. I’d argue none of them have ever been over nothing.” Miss Crystal said, glancing over at him, seeing the concern over his face. “Kaito, we can talk about it all you want, if the fight itself is something that bothered you. If Kokichi did something that bothered you, we can talk about it even more! But… that’s not what you want to talk about is it.”

Kaito glared at her, before mumbling, “Mind reading.”

“You can tell Dr. Mariah on me.” Miss Crystal teased, cackling her little ‘Oh-ho-ho-ho!’ laugh for a moment as he glared at her further, before settling down. “You know what we’re not going to talk about? For the thousandth time? How to ‘stop’ getting mad at Kokichi.”

“...why not?”

“Because that’s the wrong way of looking at this, and I’m not going to indulge it.” Miss Crystal sighed, “You always come into these situations of ‘how do I stop being angry’. That’s not the point of anger management. You’re allowed to be angry. You’re allowed to be frustrated and hurt or pissed off! The only things that needs strict regulating is the damage you cause, to yourself or others, through how you manage that anger. We’re not going to ‘fix’ you being upset by things. That’s implying you’re not ‘supposed’ to get angry, and boy, there’s all sorts of issues with that mentality. We’re not playing with it.”

“But I don’t want to be angry.” Kaito growled, bristling as Miss Crystal laughed again. “Especially over nothing, especially with Kokichi. My husband deserves better from me.”

“Your husband deserves to not be screamed at, not be punched, or kidnapped, or intimidated, or for his things to be destroyed or his loved ones to be harrassed.” Miss Crystal said dryly, now looking al little annoyed herself, “And goodness, we’ve made some real strides there over these last eight months. We’ve made serious progress you can be proud of Kaito… but your husband does not deserve your blind acceptance of everything he says or does.”

She also didn’t think Kokchi likely wanted that from Kaito, but that wasn’t a point she was going to bring up. Because it wasn’t a good point, or one that mattered. Because she didn’t want Kaito to decide it was okay only because his husband would approve of it. It was still just the same problem then.

“I’m not being blindly obedient.” Kaito growled, baring his teeth at her… before sighing, returning to his rock. “Sorry, sorry… sorry.”

“You’re forgiven.” Miss Crystal said easily, “But the lesson is this, Kaito: you’re allowed to be angry. Indulging any other mindset is a non-starter in our sessions. When you’re ready to talk about these arguments from a mindset more than ‘I shouldn’t be angry’, then we will talk about it. Understand?”

“You’re a terrible therapist.” Kaito grumbled.

“You haven't destroyed anything in anger in months. I’m an amazing therapist.” Miss Crystal boasted, sipping her smoothie, “Anything else you want to talk about instead?”

“...” Kaito sighed, “Kokichi wanted me to talk to you about these, like… I don’t know. Anxiety attacks or something….”

-

They had decided to meet up at Sakura’s pub, early enough in the afternoon that they’d miss the bar crowd, but late enough that Sakura didn’t have to open up early, or be busy prepping for open when they all just wanted to talk and hang out. Kokichi was excited...he hadn’t been out to Sakura’s pub since they all left for Luminary, and while he hadn’t been a regular before then… Maybe it was just all the fond associated memories, but Kokichi loved the pub. It’s warm, homey feel. 

And the food, of course. But the company they’d be meeting excited him most of all. 

Kokichi was practically skipping down the street, hand-in-hand with Kaito, as they walked, chipper and rested and ready to be with friends, including a new one that was so special to his loved ones. 

Kokichi was wearing a thin, sleeveless yellow turtleneck, showing off the burgeoning freckles on his shoulders, while his over-the-knee striped shorts let him easily show off the anklet that was becoming a mainstay on his person. 

And perhaps most noteworthy of all was his hair, curling around his head like a fluffy cloud without a single strand weighed down enough to touch his neck. In fact, the lower parts of his hair were buzzed just barely even a centimeter from his head. 

“Aaaaaah, I can’t wait!” Kokichi cheered as they turned the corner onto the right street. 

Kaito had been staring at Kokichi basically… non-stop. All day. To the point that, on the way to the pub, Maki had thwacked him on the back of his head.

“Ow. What?”

“You’re looking like a creep, stalking him.”

“Stalking, who’s stalking? Kokichi’s walking with Shuichi, we’re all walking as a group! It’s obvious.”

“It’s obvious that you’re trying to undress him with your eyes. Be less obvious about it.”

“I’m not trying to undress anyone with my eyes… but look at him, Maaaakiiii.” Kato whimpered, starting to lean his body against her, Maki having to catch him and try to push himself off herself as he leaned over her head. “Loooook. He’s so… fucking hot.”

“He got a haircut and is showing skin. That’s all.”

“Look at his shooouuulders.”

“Kaito, pull it together, and also get off.” 

“Look at that little ankle bracelet. And look at his haaaaair… I wanna grab it-- ow ow ow!”

“Pull it together.”

Whimper.

“...” Shuichi glanced over his shoulder, before nudging Kokichi with his shoulder, “You’ve broken Kaito.”

Kokichi snickered under his breath and looked over his shoulder, grinning sunnily with a coy look as he made eye-contact with a melting Kaito. “I am never telling Denji-chan. And they asked me to tell Kai-chan he’s been doin’ wonders with my hair--essentially, there was a lotta fluff and insults--an’ I’m not telling him either. They both’ll just have enormous egos and I can’t handle that.”

“...I am glad he thinks it looks nice, though,” Kokichi said more quietly, glancing over at Shuuichi with a sheepish look. “I’ve...never had my hair like this at all. I know it’s been by design, and I try to look a little silly with my usual style but...I dunno. It’s a change. I didn’t know the back of my head could feel so cool…”

As they came towards the last stretch towards the pub, Kokichi let go of Shuuichi’s hand for a moment to surge forward, opening the door and holding it open for his boyfriend. “After you~”

“Such a gentleman.” Shuichi smiled, bowling his head slightly before heading in, looking around the pub. It was fairly busy, actually, which was a good sign. Shuichi had worried that Sakura’s long absence would affect the pubs ability to survive, but it looked like three variously buffed individuals running the pub around them had managed to keep the pub going and thriving. Shuichi looked curiously at them. They were all clearly Sakura’s relatives, but where was the biggest among them, Sakura herself? Also where was--

“SHUICHI!!” Yuta squealed, crashing at Shuich’s middle, pressing his face into the taller mans back, “You’re here!”

Kaito, who was being dragged into the pub by his ear, Maki giving Kokichi a thankful nod as she twisted the Luminary princes’ ear behind herself. Seeing Yuta crash into Shuichi, she sighed, letting go of Kato’s ear and heading forward as she said, “Yuta, Shuichi’s still not entirely recovered, be gent--GAH!”

“MAKIIIII!” Hina squealed, crashing into Maki’s back, “Welcoooooome!”

Rubbing his ear, Kaito watched with some amusement as the Asahina siblings both got their armfuls of their favorite seniors. “Awww, look at that… that’s a sweet pictu--”

Kaito didn’t make a sound, but he jolted when a heavy hand thumped onto his shoulder, squeezing. “Hello there, Kaito.” Sakura said, towering behind him. “Welcome to my pub.”

“Did you all just come in behind us!? Were you hiding!? What is happening right now!?” Kaito sputtered, looking around, waiting for another person to show up out of nowhere.

Too nice to immediately prove Shuuichi wrong and leave the door on Kaito and Maki, Kokichi held it for their whole group, accepting the siblings’ nods with a grin. So it was from that vantage point that Kokichi was able to see the reunion (of sorts. A re-reunion) quite a bit better than the rest of his family. 

Still, Kokichi could just barely catch a glimpse of who was obviously Yuta. He was just barely taller than Hina, shared her coloring in both hair and skin, though he wore his hair down, just brushing his shoulders. There was...no doubt they were related, even as seen just from the back. 

And the mannerisms kinda gave it away too. 

Kokichi grinned bright as Sakura joined in too, laughing lightly as Kaito’s incredulity. “Hi, Sakura-chan! It’s good to see you again. Sorry I didn’t come say hi to you guys when you got back to town.”

Taking another look at Maki and Shuuichi still in adoring armlocks, Kokichi giggled softly. “How long were you guys planning this?”

“Five minutes ago, when we saw you!” Hina called out to the Dicean prince, grinning at him from her hug around Maki, before disentangling herself, “Come on, come on! We have a seat ready in the corner!”

Hina lead the way as they made their way over to a corner table, in which it indeed looked like they had set up for them. There were nuts, waters, and bread rolls on the table, and a pint of ale waiting to be poured. Yuta waited uncertainly, blocking the way onto the booth side of the tables, as he gave Hina a worried whisper. “No, no, it’s okay to sit. Go ahead, you doof.” Hina grinned, gently pushing him forward, Yuta taking a seat and Hina scooting in beside him, Sakura on Hina’s otherside. Kaito, Kokichi and Shuichi took the other side, while Maki, in a stolen chair stuck within the space, tool the head of the table, able to watch the bar easily from her spot, which was likely thought through beforehand by the placement of the chair. 

As Kaito settled in, idly rubbing the back of Kokichi’s neck for a moment as he looked around the bar before focusing on the table, he said, “Is anyone hungry? I can go grab the menus…”

“Don’t. The boys are bringing by spinach puffs and meat-rolls in a moment. This time of day, they’ll be fresh, only things off the menu worth ordering.” Sakura rumbled, “Don’t tell my costumers that though.”

Kokichi giggled a bit at that and followed over to the table, feeling comfortable with the setting that felt like it was promising hours of company. Which they actually could do! Ikuo was watching over Miya, and Denji had promised to stay close by for any moment Ikuo would need another person. So...they had hours! And while that was still a littler nerve-wracking, Kokichi trusted his dad and sibling to make sure Miya would have everything she needed.

Including extra food for the growing girl~ 

Sat in the middle of the booth between Shuuichi and Kaito--Shuuichi across from Yuta, a silent decision they had made as they shuffled into line--Kokichi leaned against Kaito affectionately as he rubbed his neck (unhindered by stray hair, which was pretty novel still). Laughing, he pressed a finger to his lips, though his eyes lit up at the mention of food. “My lips are sealed! Though everything I’ve had here has been amazing, Sakura-chan.”

“Thank you for the hospitality!” he thanked, bowing his head a little before turning to look more at Yuta. ...though...he really hoped he wasn’t about to freak out another person. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Yuta! Shuu-chan and Kai-chan and Maki-chan have all spoken so highly and fondly of you. Ah, just to do it properly...I’m Kokichi! I’m pumped to make your acquaintance!!” 

“Oh! Uh....” Yuta looked a little startled to be the first one addressed… but he smiled brightly, pumping his fists as he said, “Yeah! Same! You’re… you’re Prince Kokichi Ouma, right!?”

“He is.” Kaito said, placing a small kiss against Kokichi’s hair before dropping his hand from his neck, aiming to grab a bread roll, “Though, he’s alright with you just calling him Kokichi, Yuta. The diceans royals are fairly casual about titl--”

“You knocked up Shuichi!” Yuta continued on, undaunted, as he gave Kokichi an astounded look, “You really knocked him up! You guys have a baby!”

“Oh my god, Yuta.” Shuichi grumbled, lowering his cap a little and sinking in his chair a little.

“What!? It’s not a bad thing! I really can’t wait to meet your daughter, Shuichi! But, yeah, wow. I heard it was an accident too. It’s okay, condoms can be tricky--”

Hina whacked Yuta in the back of the head, scowling, “Pff, like you would know. Stop acting like you know anything, Yuta. Apologies, Kokichi. Shuichi. He’s just being a brat.” She guessed, while Yuta, rubbing the back of his head, snickered at her.

...honestly that was one of the best reactions he’d gotten at all from talking with someone fresh over from Luminary. Kokichi smiled more easily--though only people who knew him well (and quite a few happened to be at that table) would be able to tell the difference from the bright, friendly smile he’d started out with. 

Kokichi nodded a bit at Kaito’s confirmation and what would probably be the first explanation of many, when… 

Kokichi blinked, his eyes going wide in surprise as Yuta barreled on forward and Hina intervened to bring him back and… Kokichi laughed, somehow spreading out a feeling of friendliness and comfort that even without words it was clear he wasn’t really laughing at Yuta, and at least in no way that was mocking or astounded. 

Yuta would be just fine in Dicea. 

“Geez, talking about that stuff is embarrassing,” he said once he calmed. “We do have a baby, though! Her name is Miyako and she’s absolutely unimpressed with everything in the world right now. I also have a bet against myself that she’s gonna learn to swim before I do.”

Yuta nodded at that, going to grab a breadroll as he snickered, not really being malicious, but very clearly teasing as he said, “Oof, don’t know how to swim by now? That’s a decent bet. It’s harder the older you get, I think by that point it becomes, like, phobia level of difficult. Adult learners always think they’re a second from drowning.”

“Oh, please, like you have room to talk. Don’t talk like you’re the expert, Yuta.” Hina huffed, while Sakura casually started pouring out the pints, wordlessly asking each person if they wanted any poured for them. Shuichi looked surprised to be asked, glancing over at Maki, who caught the look and nodded slightly. She’d keep an eye on him. Shuichi thanked Sakura for the pour, pulling the alcohol back to himself and looking at it like he wasn’t entirely certain what to do with it.

“I told you, sis, I am the expert now. Your days of being the best swimmer around are done. We just gotta go ahead and head to the lake to prove it!” Yuta grinned fiercely, a competitive energy running off of him, while Hina just rolled her eyes.

“You keep dreaming. I’m going to feel pretty bad to burst that bubble. Enjoy the fantasy while you have it.”

“He really has gotten very good, Hina.” Kaito said, shaking his head to Sakura’s request for a poor, focusing on his water for now. “He won three national tournaments.”

“Well, only two.” Yuta said, looking a little embarrassed. “Like, if we’re being real.”

“I’ll trust my own damn eyes before I trust that panel of crooked judges.” Kaito frowned, Shuichi and Maki both nodding along in agreement, “You beat that kid by a easily fifteen seconds. They just fucking refused to blow the whistle. I still regret not pushing more on that, I should have made them give the right call.”

“It would have made it look like you were rigging it in Yuta’s favor.” Shuichi said softly, shacking his head, “And his other wins would have been questioned. We all know you won, Yuta, and so does everyone who was actually there.”

“I believe them.” Hina said, rubbing Yuta’s back, who still looked a little embarrassed… before saying, “But that still doesn’t mean you’ll come anywhere close to me.”

Kokichi took a few nuts for himself to snack on, just wanting to head off any protest Kaito might have about him not getting enough protein. His eyes sparkled as Yuta poked fun at him and he snorted. “Dunno if it’s quite that bad, but I kept tensing when Maki-chan was trying to help me learn to float. Maybe I really should look into floaties if we try somewhere deeper than six feet.”

Which would be an actually appropriate place to swim, rather than a hot spring. 

Shaking his head at Sakura’s offer of ale--there were enough of them being responsible, but he wasn’t a huge fan of alcohol in the first place and he may as well count himself in as an option--Kokichi watched with rapt adoration as Hina and Yuta bantered at each other. And how, despite his boasts, Yuta got all sheepish at the mention of the actual accolades he’d won. 

He’d heard a little about Yuta’s swimming competitions--Shuuichi had a trophy, of course--so he wasn’t left totally out of the loop as they talked more about specifics. It was shitty that he’d had a win stolen from him, but...well, Kokichi wasn’t really surprised. 

Smiling slightly, he hummed, “It’s nice to be back in summer then, huh? I’ve seen people setting up by the pond already.” Shaking his head a little, Kokichi gave Hina and Sakura a sheepish laugh. “I’ve already started dreaming about festival food. Might be tempted to just snack on the bank rather than actually learn to swim.”

“Anyone try the ‘throw him in and let him figure it out’ method yet?” Hina asked, drinking deeply from her own pint.

“No.” Kaito said simply, giving her a dry look, “You want to give the heir apparent of Dicea a heart attack? Cause that’s how you give ‘Kichi a heart attack. Not an option.”

“Oooooh, right.” Hina nodded, giving Kokichi a thoughtful look, before shrugging, “Well, it’s not like this area is known for flooding. Learning to swim is pretty exclusively a luxury for most people, so it’s probably fine.”

It hadn’t been a luxury for Hina and Yuta, but that was a bummer story. She wasn’t going to dampen things by bringing it up. Yuta and her were reunited, it had all (eventually) worked out in the end. Now it was just making up for lost time, as she nudged her brother, “What do you think of the mead?”

“Mmmmm…” Yuta glanced over at his sisters fiance, before smiling brightly, “It’s perfect! So good!”

“Luminaries tend to think its too thin.” Sakura noted with some amusement.

“Nope! So… bubbly! And airy! Like drinking… flavored water!”

“I’ve gotten used to it.” Kaito noted, despite only drinking water at the moment himself, giving Maki and Shuichi curious looks, “What do you guys think?”

“Pretty weak.” Maki said simply, taking a sip of hers, “Not sure what the point is.”

“Flavor.” Sakura said simply.

“I like it.” Shuichi said simply, even if his nose had wrinkled in distaste the first few sips, taking a second to adjust to the forgotten acidic flavor. “Luminary mead is too thick. It’s like drinking sludge. I feel like I could drink this for a lot longer before it starts to be too much.”

Kokichi snorted softly. “I think I’d die from the drowning before a heart attack got me. My lungs aren’t exactly equipped for water.” ...maybe that was a little too morbid, but...well, it seemed okay enough. And Shuuichi was the only person he’d told about his more personal story about drowning. 

As Hina asked about the mead, Kokichi was just barely able to keep his snickers at bay watching Yuta try to be kind to his soon-to-be sister-in-law. Sakura wasn’t really the type to get bent out of shape about much, but, as she noted herself, she was probably used to hearing how Dicean alcohol differed. 

Laughs finally breaking out a bit as Maki and Shuuichi chimed in, Kokichi grabbed a roll and grinned at them. “I always kinda thought it was a bonus that you’d probably be too uncomfortably full before you’d get anywhere close to getting dangerously sloshed. Couldn’t tell ya if it was the reason for why Dicean brews tend to be that way, but there used to be a huuuuuge work-drinking culture here back in the day. Do know it’s why there’s a big emphasis on teaching how alcohol and various drugs affect the body, though.”

“Hmmm… I’m not sure how to define drinking culture in Luminary.” Kaito admitted, frowning. “I feel like I have the wrong perspective on it.”

“You did party a lot, Prince Kaito.” Yuta noted, giving the prince an openly fond look. ‘Prince’ Kaito slipped out of his mouth every now and again, despite Kaito reassuring him years ago that it was fine to just call him ‘Kaito’, because for so much of his childhood he had been ‘Prince Kaito’, the habit hard to break despite the permission to do so. “I’ll admit, I thought you were just drunk all the time until I realized one day that you’re just ‘Like That’.”

“Drinking in Luminary is really common and casual, for basically any meal.” Maki said, looking to Kokichi, “But, you’re right: that’s largely because it’s difficult to overdo it. Heavy mead tends to mean you’re either not getting drunk, or only hoping to get a buzz. Which is why I don’t quite understand Dicean mead. I feel like this sort of alcohol is meant to get drunk too, since it’s easy enough to drink long term. But it would still be ‘long term’. If you want to drink to get drunk, why not just skip the middle man and go with hard liquor?”

“...” Shuichi’s eyes widened, “Maki. You and I can finally have a real drink together.”

“Not yet.” Maki huffed, “Let’s see how their bitter water affects you first. If this doesn’t make you sick, we’ll buy some whiskey and vodka.”

Kaito was starting to get antsy. He had made the decision to not drink because he wanted to let Shuichi and Kokichi drink with one of them still being totally sober when they got home to Miya. But… Kokichi wasn’t drinking… maybe he should still be responsible though…

“Okay! Now that we’re all here, it’s time to exchange stories!” Hina said excitedly, slamming her mug onto the table, Sakura without missing a beat wiping a rag where some of the beer spilled. “I want childhood Yuta stories!”

“Hiiiinaaaa.”

“Deal.” Kaito said, “But I want stories of your trip in the exchange.”

“Deal.” Sakura nodded.

Kokichi supposed how he could see Kaito’s exuberant nature (when he was comfortable and having fun) being misconstrued as drunk behavior, especially with his reputation. It was only very strange luck that Kokichi’s first inaccurate guess about Kaito getting drunk was when he was poisoned so...that kinda smashed his expectations about it.

...he wondered if folks in the kitchen still thought Kaito was an alcoholic, or a recovering one. 

Maki’s explanation made sense--it was like Dicea and Luminary had tried to solve the problem from two different directions. Make the mead so thick you can’t get much down no matter what, make it so thin that no matter how much you drink, it won’t be much alcohol. They never did approach anything the same way, huh…

Kokichi grinned, excited at the prospect of Maki and Shuuichi finally being able to get their celebratory drink together, though he found his gaze sliding off onto Kaito. Seeing...he wasn’t sure. It wasn’t quite tension, but…

Leaning over, Kokichi murmured quietly to his husband. “I’m not planning on drinking at all--I can hold things down at home if you wanna drink, hun. We’re catching up with friends! Have fun.”

Giving him an affectionate nudge, Kokichi settled down, excited for the stories to come.

Kaito blinked slightly at Kokichi, surprised his husband had managed to notice what he was feeling antsy about. He fussed with the skin on his knuckles a little, digging a nail in uncertainly… before he grinned. Stealing a kiss from Kokichi real quick while he was close enough to steal from. Kisses. Kokichi kisses. 

Mmmm… cute Kokichi with hot new haircut and little shoulder freckles and-- “Hey.” Kaito pouted, looking up from where he had been hit with a piece of bread roll. “What?”

“Hina asked if there was anything in particular you wanted to hear about.” Maki said, “Also stop ogling Kokichi.”

“I wasn’t! We were just chatting!” Kaito insisted, before looking to Sakura, “Pass the pitcher? I’m gonna have some after all.”

Sakura nodded, passing it along to Kaito, who poured himself a glass. With a sip… yep! Still as weak as he remembered. Maybe Sakura was hiding the stronger stuff somewhere. Maybe it went by a different name? He’d ask in a bit, but for now… “Maybe kind of a downer note to start on, but did anyone give you any problems while you were there?”

“Mmmm,” Hina tilted her head, “Honestly, not as much as you might imagine. I mean, when we first got there, yeah. Absolutely. Looooots of separating all of us, closed room discussions, interrogations. Trying to see if all of our stories would match up, who’d be willing to sell out the group, that sort of thing. But, I mean… we knew that was coming. We practiced our answers plenty before we got there.”

Shuichi nodded, “So long as everyone can keep their story straight and no one gives them anything to use? Especially considering how internationally public your presence was, there wasn’t much they could do without an excuse.”

“Oh… they tried.” Sakura smirked. “Didn’t work out for them.”

“Oh! Right!” Hina said, giving Sakura an adoring look as she leaned into her fiance’s arm, “So, one night these official unofficial types stopped me, Sakura, and Lance during a walk around the city, right? There had to be eight of them or something, such overkill. They start talking all this nonsense about how if us dirt-jumpers didn’t leave their city that we weren’t gonna live on, gonna make an example, yadada,” Hina rolled her eyes, “Typical hired thug nonsense.”

Maki nodded at this, “Convince you to try to escape the city by thinking your life is in peril, gives an excuse for the guards to lock you up and treat you like criminals.”

Kaito chuckled, “‘Dirt-jumpers’. Really? They still didn’t know by that point?”

“If anyone had figured it out, no one had told these idiots.” Hina said, “So, I’m staring at them, like… how dumb are these guys. Myself and Lance I could see underestimating, sure, but…” Hina gestured to all of Sakura, raising an eyebrow, “Seriously?”

“Only one of them gave us any real trouble fighting, and his compatriots kept getting in his way.” Sakura sighed, shaking his head, “I will say, I met a lot more casual fighters in Luminary than I have in Dicea, but these guys were clearly used to only fighting people weaker than themselves. After we knocked down a few, especially their best guy, the rest fled.”

“Pfff. Shameful.” Kaito muttered, looking genuinely disappointed in his Luminaries, “Start a fight and then don’t stick around to finish it? Dumbasses, at least take your asskicking.”

Kokichi appreciated the stolen kisses, but he still snickered at Maki being on PDA Patrol, giving Kaito another affectionate nudge. And...Kaito was gonna drink. As much as that had once made him a little nervous...now the sight made Kokichi’s smile brighter. 

Though, it quickly faded with the first subject they delved into. He very much wasn’t thrilled with it, but Kokichi understood the ‘closed door questioning’ stuff. While, officially, the two nations stuck by the story of a student exchange...Luminary wasn’t expecting Maki’s little siblings back, and Dicea sure as hell wasn’t gonna hand them over. A bunch of able and prepared adults coming in their place in the middle of a civil war...Kokichi could at least understand that. 

But...someone hiring ‘thugs’--what, like in some crime drama?--to threaten his people, not only trying to get them in trouble with the guards (...they weren’t allowed to travel?) but going as far to start on the threats right away?

...he knew something like that was the reason the immigrants had volunteered to go. But...it was still just...horrible. He was glad that Hina and Sakura and their friend had been able to protect themselves to the point of derision (and...it was baffling that a fight like that could just...happen. Something like that breaking out in Dicea would mean a few weeks of court time at least, and that was if people wanted to cooperate) but…

Kokichi chewed on the inside of his cheek before choosing to save it with his roll instead, though the lines of worry between his eyebrows were plainly apparent. 

(...he knew things were very different for them, but...still. Kokichi couldn’t help the seed of worry planted in him for any Diceans deciding to travel in Luminary.)

Kaito and Shuichi were too busy chatting with Sakura and Hina to notice Kokichi’s concern, but…

Maki rolled up another piece of bread and threw it at Kokichi’s forehead. “Stop twisting your face like that. You’ll get wrinkles and Kaito will end up with a ‘thing for wrinkles’. None of us need that in our lives yet.”

“Hey, Maki, stop throwing things at my husband. Seriously, what is with that for you?” Kaito asked, raising an eyebrow at her before brushing some leftover crumbs off Kokichi’s forehead. “I miss something?”

Kokichi blinked at the sudden ‘bop’ to his forehead, the lines smoothing out, though he sighed softly when he looked over at Maki. Her complaint was so sound...not decrying wrinkles themselves, but trying to keep Kaito from getting another fetish. Kokichi couldn’t argue against that. 

Brushing off the crumbs with Kaito, Kokichi sighed softly and tried to smile gently. “Nah. S’ just…” He nodded to the other side of the table, giving all three of them a gentle look. “It’s a stressful situation. ‘M more the type to endlessly worry than roll my eyes past it, is all. But it’s all good, in the here and now.”

...oh, right. Yeah. Kaito guessed that was all kind of bad to talk about. He had gotten caught up listening to the story, he forgot how that sort of thing affected Kokichi.

“...what about the metal-work class!?” Kait asked, a tad too loudly, grinning at the mildly startled Hina and Sakura, “That must have been something! Tell us about that!”

“Nuh-uh, story for story! I want a Yuta story.” Hina said, recovering quickly from ‘sudden yelling Kaito’. “I’m hungry for them. You guys got to watch Yuta grow up. I want some stories about it.”

“Stories about Yuta… man, where to begin…” Kaito mused. “I mean, Shuichi was more familiar with him when he was young younger. Shuichi?”

“Well, as you know already, once you two made a run for it, that disqualified Yuta from the detective track. Miss Kirigiri had to give him back to the orphanage after that.” Shuichi sighed, adjusting his cap a little, “But Miss Kirigiri wanted me to still give him lessons. I think she was trying to negotiate