Assassins, Detectives, and the Mafia

Nightmares and Panic

Around the time Maki wakes up, Kaito is just about able to push himself around in a wheelchair.

As it is, Kaede still pushes him to and from the kitchen, always talking about the smallest improvements.

"Aren't you glad we can be together again?" she whispers, smiling wistfully. "We're free now. We escaped."

"Yeah!" Kaito exclaims. "I can't wait to talk with Maki-Roll again!"

They enter the kitchen, where Rantaro cooks a dish from... somewhere? It's hard to tell with him, since he's been to so many places...

"Good morning!" Kaede greets cheerfully, and Rantaro offers them a small smile in response.

"Good morning!" Kokichi exclaims, and Kaito gives him a glare as the smaller boy skips into the kitchen.

Rantaro stares at him for a second before smiling and ruffling his hair playfully, a carefree smile playing across his face.

"Is there anything I can help with?" Kokichi offers, and Rantaro indicates a saucepan sitting idle on the stove.

Kaito bristles, seeing how Kokichi so easily manipulates his two friends.

"He's using you, can't you tell? He just wants to gain control so he can have the upper hand."

He's not sure what Kokichi wants, but the smaller boy has to be planning something.

"What's wrong, Momota-kun?" Kokichi asks, leaning on his elbows across the table. "You look sick..."

Kaito bites his lower lip, glaring harshly at Kokichi.

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened in the game..." Kokichi trails off, eyes adopting a sort of wistful longing. "I'd like to start over, if that's okay with you?"

He offers a hand, and Kaito scrutinizes it for a second.

Smack!

Kokichi stares at him, eyes filled with hurt as his hand hits the table.

"I don't know what you're planning, Ouma, but rest assured, I will find out," Kaito growls. "Nobody changes that much."

He wheels himself out of the room, breakfast forgotten.

As soon as he's out of sight, Kokichi slams his fists into the granite counters, tears streaming down his face.

"I'm not lying," he whispers. "I'm not... why does nobody believe me?"

Kaede's hand hovers over his back for just an instant, before she wraps him in a hug.

"It's okay, Kokichi," she whispers, gently stroking his hair. "We believe you. Right, Rantaro?"

The Ultimate Explorer turns off the burner and walks over, grasping Kokichi's hand with his own. A small smile on his face, he intertwines their pinkies, as if to promise that he'll never leave.

"Just breathe," his eyes say, calm and serene. "Just breathe, Kokichi. It'll be okay. We are still your friends."

Kaede straightens, eyes stone-cold as she strides out of the room.

"Kaede, where are you going?" Kokichi asks, eyes widening with worry.

"I'm going to talk to Kaito."

Rantaro cares deeply about Kokichi.

He was the first one to wake up. The first one to drag him out of his sedentary lifestyle with promises of a future.

For the longest time, Rantaro would lie in his bed, staring at the ceiling. He rarely slept, images of Danganronpa's 52nd season flashing before him every time he closed his eyes.

He wanted to go again.

He volunteered to be in the 53rd season.

Sometimes, the utter insanity of it all would drive him to crawl to the bathroom, leaving him to empty his stomach of the meager amount of food he ate.

He has killed. He has killed before just for money and fame.

He is sick.

That was a real killing game. Real. Not just a simulation, nothing like that.

He murdered his friends.

Stabbed them in the stomach.

He is broken. Can barely remember a thing outside of the two killing games. Sure, he can remember flashes, his audition, going on set, but nothing about himself.

Kokichi never cared. Kokichi never cared about the bad things he did. Still doesn't.

Kaede cares for Kokichi too. They drag each other out of nightmares and horrible memories.

Why doesn't Kaito understand?

Kaito sits on the edge of his bed, lost in thought.

Kokichi must have tricked them in some way. What could he have done?

A soft knock at his door draws his attention, and before he can reply, the door slowly opens.

It's Kokichi and Rantaro. They're both dressed the way they were during the killing game (albeit the obligatory bandages) and Rantaro holds a deck of cards in his hand.

"Do you want to play?" Kokichi offers as Rantaro shuffles the deck. "We all play Hearts every so often, and I thought you might want to join."

"..."

This has to be a trick. No way is Kokichi just playing Hearts. He probably made everyone else bet their souls.

"How is he tricking you!" Kaito exclaims, sweeping the cards off the table and grabbing the collar of Rantaro's shirt. "What the hell is he doing to make you all worship him like this?"

Rantaro shakes slightly in his grasp, eyes widened with terror.

"Kaito, stop!" Kokichi exclaims, concern in his gaze.

"Why do you all trust him!" Kaito continues, obvivious to Rantaro's growing distress. "Why do you trust someone who has done nothing but lie!"

"Kaito! Stop!" Kokichi shouts, forcing the astronaut's hands off Rantaro. "You're hurting him!"

And Rantaro does look hurt. His hands shake as he grasps fistfuls of his hair, falling to his knees.

Can't breathe can't breathe can'tbreathecan'tbreathe.

"Rantaro!" Kokichi exclaims, rushing to the Ultimate Explorer's side. His hand gently massages his back as Rantaro's mouth opens in a silent scream, falling onto his side.

"Hey, hey, come back to me," Kokichi soothes, fear enveloping his voice. "Breathe, okay? Breathe for me."

Rantaro sucks in a shuddering breath, letting it out with a hiss.

"Niko..." he rasps, tears streaming down his face. His voice is low and dulled from weeks of disuse, but there's no denying that it was him.

"Rantaro, you're safe," Kokichi assures him as the Ultimate Explorer takes another shuddering breath. "You're okay, Rantaro. Breathe with me."

After another minute of tense terror, Rantaro's eyes seem to clear, and he stares at the room around him.

"You're safe, see?" Kokichi soothes, gently stroking Rantaro's back. "You're alive, you're safe."

"I am so sorry," Kaito stammers, climbing down to stare Rantaro in the eye. "You're okay, right?"

Rantaro nods, just barely, tears streaming down his face.

"Let's take you back to your room," Kokichi offers, grasping the explorer's hand. He leads Rantaro out of the room as if he was a lost puppy, leaving Kaito full of questions without answers.