Passionate Flames [SaiOma]

2. A Tragedy

"It is not much but pressure applied should assist in subsiding the bleeding."

"That's alright." The detective responded, taking the set of fabric from his companion.

"Gokuhara, can you carry Akamatsu to her dorm room please?" Shuichi requested.

Gonta gave a nod, gently lifting the girl into his arms as he was careful to keep the cloth on the wound.

A good set of the group followed behind the entomologist, the detective noticing Rantaro making no move to do the same.

"Go ahead with the others, Oma. I'll catch up." He whispered, his partner understanding his reasoning and leaving.

"Amami?" Shuichi asked, approaching the standing boy.

"All of this is my fault." He replied.

"What?"

"If I had gone with her to the library or even gotten up to check on her a few minutes ago she wouldn't have been almost killed." He quietly elaborated.

"None of us could've seen this happening, it's not your fault."

"But it is! If I wasn't so careless she would be perfectly fine right now!"

Shuichi stayed silent for a while, unsure of what his friend needed to hear in the moment.

"Amami," he sighed, "I can't imagine how you're feeling right now but what matters most is that you're there for Akamatsu while she recovers."

In response, Rantaro sighed and nodded.

"You're right...thanks Saihara." The younger of the two wiped tears from his eyes.

Shuichi gave an attempt at a reassuring smile, wordlessly inviting the boy to walk to Kaede's dorm with him so neither of them would be alone with their thoughts.

When they rejoined the group, the detective found his partner while Rantaro went to be at the side of his partner.

"How's he holding up?" Kokichi asked quietly.

"I'm worried about him. I don't know how to help him either."

"Just being there for him is all we can do, Amami's a pretty self aware guy so he'll come to us when he needs to."

"We should all leave him alone with Akamatsu, he's overwhelmed and needs time to process his emotions." Ryoma spoke, earning nods of confirmation from the others.

Shuichi's legs gave out the moment he closed the door behind him, the lie he convinced himself into believing for those few hours finally shattered.

He screamed into the empty room in sorrow, sobbing and shaking in between. In the detective's mind, there was no hope to cling onto, he thought his best friend couldn't fight for long enough.

His door dragged open, pushing him along with it, to reveal a face he adored.

"Kokichi..." He said as he held back more tears, not realising his use of the boy's first name.

Kokichi stood in shock for a few moments, not expecting the use of his given name or to see his partner on the floor.

"Saihara...I'll help you off the floor." He said after regaining his composure, offering a hand for the detective to take.

Shuichi shook his head.

"No I...I don't want to move...I feel heavy." He said, his gaze shifting to the ground.

The supreme leader sighed and closed the door, locking it before sitting on the ground beside his boyfriend.

"I don't have anything to say to make you feel better, but if it helps...we can stay here like this for as long as you want."