The New Motive

The First Night

Later that evening, the two males returned to their shared room, bringing with them several books Shuichi had picked out. Once they'd entered, the taller of the two dove straight into the first novel in the stack that now almost completely covered his bedside table.

"What's it about?" Kokichi asked, throwing himself onto the bed beside the detective.

"I've barely gotten through the first page. Give me a minute."

"Ugh, fine." He didn't have to be bored for long, though. After a moment of quiet, a knock came from the door across the room. Shuichi hadn't paid any attention to it, so Kokichi sighed and stood to walk over to open it.

On the other side of the door stood two females. One was a bit taller than the other with light pink hair that cascaded down her back and over her shoulders, the other had straight white hair in two long, low pony tails and didn't seem to know anymore than Kokichi did about what was going on.

"Hey, Ouma. Who's at the door?" Shuichi called, looking up from his book.

"Oh my God. Shuichi? Is that you?" Miu yelled through the doorway, shoving Kokichi aside to let herself in.

"Uh, yeah. I think so."

"Wow, so you're the one who got paired with that bastard, huh? Damn, I feel so fucking sorry for you right now." She cackled, gesturing to the Supreme Leader.

"Irima, must you say such negative things about your classmates?" Angie asked.

"Yeah, bitch," the violette cut in, "shut the fuck up, would ya? No one asked for your opinion."

"And I don't seem to recall anyone asking for yours either, little shit." She spat.

"Would you mind continuing whatever this is in the hall please, I'm trying to read."

"Oh, but of course, Iruma and I must be leaving. We have to go pray to Atua, now." And she grabbed her arm and tried pulling her towards the door.

"Oh, no we don't. I'm not leaving until-"

"Iruma, get out!" Shuichi said firmly staring daggers into her with his eyes, startling Miu, who scoffed and left with Angie who waved goodbye quietly as the two left, looking very confused.

And they were undisturbed for the rest of the evening, or at least until nighttime announcements anyways.

"Alrighty, it is now 10:00 and officially nighttime. First night in your new areas, kiddos. Get ready. And let the killing commence. Nighty-night. Sleep tight." A short crackle of static then silence.

"So . . . ?"

"Yeah?"

"Well, it's your room, so I was wondering where you wanted me to sleep."

"Oh, I hadn't thought about that . . . You could sleep in the bed with me if you want to, I suppose. There's plenty of space for the both of us."

"Ah, I see how it is."

"How what is?"

"Could it be that Saihara-chan is having perverted thoughts about me?" Kokichi suggested, placing a finger to his lips that curled up into a sly smile. "Getting straight to the point, I see."

"Wh- what? No, it's not- I just- You know what, you can have the bed, I'll sleep on the floor for the week."

"Aw, but Saihara-chan?"

"No, you made it weird," Shuichi threw a pillow at him as he gathered some spare blankets, laying them out and heading to go change.

"But Saihara?"

"What?"

"I, uh . . . ," He continued quietly, "I don't have any extra clothes. They're all in my room."

"I- . . . Just use some of mine," the taller said, walking to the bathroom quickly, face burning, and closed the door behind him whispering to himself, "it's not a big deal."

. . .

It was now 3:47am according to the analog clock on the floor by Shuichi's head and Kokichi still hadn't been able to sleep. I'm too tired to sleep he'd been telling himself.

But that was just a lie. In reality he was more awake than ever, his mind filled with thoughts. He couldn't pinpoint what any of them actually were, though. His mind was just . . . busy.

And after a while he got tired of it and threw the covers off of him so he could sit up on the edge of the bed. He glanced over the other side briefly at Shuichi to make sure he was still asleep and when he was sure he was he stood and made his way over to the door and down the hallway, to the kitchen.

Shuichi's shirt hung just above his knees, so he wasn't wearing any pants and the cold halls made him shiver slightly throughout the short walk.

The light in the fridge dimly lit the tiles on the floor and the cabinets around him as he reached in for a soda. He stood back up without shutting the fridge as he opened and began drinking the beverage.

After a few sips, he put it back and headed back to the room he and Shuichi now shared, walking in and closing the door quietly.

It was dark and Kokichi could only barely see where he was going and almost tripped on the edge of the bed. The short male crawled back into the bed and leaned over the edge where his roommate snored faintly.

"Goodnight, Saihara-chan," he said almost inaudibly, bending down and planting a soft kiss on the taller's forehead, smiling.

Then he curled up in the covers and turned over to lay on his other side, getting comfortable. Then he closed his eyes and finally fell asleep.