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Kaito knew his couch when he felt it. He knew each of the rips and uncomfortable, crusty textures that seeped through the fabrics. As he woke up, however, he didn't feel any of those things. His heart raced as his eyes wandered around the room, a room that was far too nice to be his. He desperately wanted to jump up, but as he gained consciousness, the sickly feeling in his stomach began to make itself known as it twisted knots around his throat.
As he mustered up the remaining strength he had to sit up with a groan, he noticed someone in the kitchen. Their curly black hair and short, curvier figure was seemingly unrecognizable at first. The room smelt of fresh, warm foods coming together to form their welcoming song, but Kaito could only hear danger and regret. What happened? Where was he? Who is this person? Nothing happened, right? Kaito hoped that nothing occurred sexually with this stranger, but given the circumstances… No, god no. He had to leave, now.
Kaito stumbled to the door, but his wobbly legs gave out underneath him. He tasted that sick poison bubble up in his throat, and his ears rang from the banging in his head. All he could feel was the ground give a slight tremble as whoever brought him home came towards him. They placed a cold hand on his back, with his shirt being the only barrier between this hand and his skin. He shut his eyes, hoping that whatever concoction of liquors and greasy foods that came up from his throat would disgust this person and drive them far away, too shocked and disturbed to do whatever acts they intended to do next.
Instead, when kaito threw up, it wasn't on the ground.
He opened his eyes after hearing an echo of the vomit hitting something metallic, seeing that what lied beneath him was once an empty bowl, now covered in his own stomach fluids. He looked up at the person whom he figured had brought him here.
“Kokichi..?”
Kokichi rubbed his back lightly, looking at him with his sad, purple eyes. Kaito went back to vomiting in the bowl with tears flowing down his own. Once Kaito had finished throwing up, Kokichi got up and grabbed a wet rag. He brought it back to where he had sat before, carefully pulling Kaito up and wiping his chin.
“You're a real fool, you know that?”
“..what do you mean..? What happened?”
Kokichi sighed.
“Yesterday you were pestering me for money out in the streets, completely wasted. I didn't give you any for your own good. I knew you were just going to buy more drinks with it. But, you found your way back to the bar, and some girl started getting real handsy. I couldn't stand around and let you get treated like that. Besides, you've never been into girls anyways…”
Kokichi let out a slight laugh at his last remark, but the severity of the situation stung Kaito harder than an angry wasp.
“...not that her actions would've been justified if she were a guy. Sorry, that came off as insensitive” Kokichi said, correcting himself.
Kaito knew all of them had changed at least a little bit, but after years of not seeing kokichi, Kaito could see Kokichi had changed drastically. Physical aspects, yes, like how his hair seemed the slightest bit longer and free. How the purple that had once been in his hair could only be seen if Kaito looked really close. Kokichi had also gained weight. The last time they had seen each other, Kaito could get his hand around Kokichi’s arm and comfortably touch his middle finger. Now, kokichi has a more rounded figure. Kokichis pure eyes never changed, however.
But physical traits didn't matter to Kaito, ever. Kaito always knew Kokichi was good at reading people's emotions, but he himself was never sensitive to them. From what Kaito observed, Kokichi knew what made people tick, and he took advantage of that in the killing game. But now, as kaito just heard, he was apologizing for just possibly making kaito uncomfortable.
“You're fine, I should be the one apologizing.. you shouldn't have to deal with me like this.” Kaito said, not looking kokichi in the eyes. He couldn't help but shun himself internally for having their reunion be so shitty.
Kaito felt a light yet firm tap on his cheek, which caused him to look up.
“You're a fool, but you're not a burden. You really need to start practicing what you preach, silly…” Kokichi said, his hand cupping Kaitos face as if he were made of a beautiful porcelain glass. And just like porcelain glass, Kaito shattered.
He leaned into Kokichi's cold hands with salty tears flowing down his face like a faucet. His face contorted and wrinkled, and his callous hands went up to cover it. Of course, Kokichi worked his arms in between Kaitos' own, prying them away and giving him a hug. Kaito naturally hugged back. It was all he could do at that moment. Kaito heard some sniffles from kokichi, but he was too lost in his own emotion to do anything.
“I don't know what to do.. I'm in so much debt to team Dr, I can't keep a job, I go to alcohol at any chance I get.. i've lost my family, my friends, my dignity, my looks! God, I can't even style my hair ‘cause there is none! Im fucked, im so fucked Kokichi…” Kaito sobbed heavily, hiccups and sniffling interrupting his ranting at any moment they could. Kokichi simply rubbed the others back soothingly, trying to be as comforting as possible. There was a long period of nothing but tears and anguish between the two men, squeezing out all emotion they could like a sponge.
Finally, Kokichi spoke again, seeming to have found the right words.
“...You can get through this, okay? I dont have a fuck ton of money right now, but we can find jobs. Hell, Kaede works at a school, maybe we could just be janitors there or something, anything! And we can find like- some sort of a free rehab center for you… what was it you used to say? Right, “the impossible is possible, cause you just need to make it like that” or something. I use to think that was such a dumb phrase, but now? I think we need it more than ever..”
Kokichi attempted to laugh and smile, but Kaito could hear in his croaked voice that he was in agony, too. Kaito laughed as well, coughing a bit.
“Thank you, kokichi”
“You're welcome.. now, get off the ground. I haven't cleaned my floors yet”