The Remedy to Despair (Kokichi Ouma x Reader)

Chapter Five - Ablaze

Night had just fallen, the sun dipping under the horizon just minutes before to cloak the city with a cool darkness. The temperature was dropping as the transition into autumn became more apparent, accompanied by cold winds and an icy precipitation that fell every so often. Thankfully, you had taken shelter from the chill that night, surrounded by pillows and blankets at a house not too far away from your own.

You were situated on the floor, leaning against the couch with a blanket draped over your lap as you worked on a packet from physics. Occasionally you would scribble in an answer with your pencil, the graphite smudging as your hand dragged over the paper to solve an equation. While you were doing so, a tingling sensation made its way from your head down your back as a pair of hands played with your hair, tugging the strands into what you could only assume was an attempt at a braid. The curses that slung from the owners mouth, however, told you it wasn't going as well as she had planned.

"What the hell is wrong with your shitty hair!?" Miu asked, combing her hands through the failed plait to try again, muttering under her breath "Fuck the French and their shitty ass braids, who do they think they are, anyway? You know what, they can stick their little baguettes right up their—"

"Miu! I don't want to hear about anyone's... baguettes ," Tenko exclaimed, looking up from her literature homework as her face twisted into a look of disgust. She shifted in her spot, leaning in closer towards Himiko in what you could only assume was an effort to cleanse her mind from the picture Miu had put in it. In response, the smaller girl leaned closer as well, resting her head gently on Tenko's shoulder.

Kaede let out a laugh from her spot beside you, the homework she had brought over being long done and sat beside her in a neat pile. With a smirk, she turned towards Miu, "Yeah, nobody hears what you do with baguettes, perv."

You felt a sharp tug at your hair, sucking the air through your teeth in pain. Miu, however, ignored your complaint, her face going red as she spoke, "Hey, I never said I wanted to do anything with baguettes! If anything, you're the pervert, Akamatsu! Maybe you're the one who really wants to fuck a good baguette, huh!? Or maybe not just any baguette..."

"Miu..." you warned.

She refused to listen, continuing in a feigned whisper, "Maybe, you just want to fuck Shuichi's baguette."

"Okay, that's it!" Kaede exclaimed, grabbing the pillow she was leaning against and jumping to her feet, pelting it at Miu's face. The other girl recoiled, pausing in shock at the hit for a moment before taking the pillow in her hands, standing up and slamming it against Kaede's body with a manic laugh.

You got up from your spot, about to intervene, when you felt something cushioned hit the side of your head. Turning around, you saw Angie sitting on the couch, a sweet smile plastered over her features as she reached to grab another pillow. Before you could let her, you launched the nearest one towards her, only to get hit with another coming from Maki. Soon enough, all you could see through the living room was different patterns of fabric flying through the air, no one being left unscathed as a war of pillows broke out. Even Kirumi, who was still not used to the normalcy of just being a teenager, was laughing as she used a blanket to shield herself from the line of fire.

It was only when Himiko froze that the chaos died down, her voice bringing everyone to a halt as she spoke, "Wait, be quiet for a second guys. I could've sworn I just saw something move outside."

You peered out the window, though it was only darkness that looked back. Maybe she had just mistaken one of your reflections for something else, you thought, that is, until you saw a flash a movement from behind the bushes. Tensing up, you turned to the group, "Did you guys just see that?"