The New Motive

The Way Home

"Hey, Shu," the violette called out to the taller as he walked over to where he was waiting by the front gates of the school. "Sorry, I took a little while."

"What happened?" he asked.

"Nothing important," he replied as they started walking back home together. "I got after school detention again and they were rambling on about how I need to 'start behaving' and 'acting my age'. Can you believe that? But anyways, I convinced them to just let me off with a warning."

"Again?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Geez, that's like the fourth time this month. What'd you do this time?"

"Oh, this time it's good. Okay. So I was jus-"

"Hey, Ouma! Is that you?"

"Well, no shit," he said turning around to face the taller girl running towards them. "What do you want? I was just getting to the good part of my story."

"You little son of a bitch," the inventor yelled at him, walking quickly next to them as they casually continued walking home. "What the actual fuck? Why would you fucking tell her? You're such an asshole! You and your virgin boyfriend! Fuck both of you! I can't believe yo-"

"Hey, uh . . . Irima," Shuichi inturupted her. "What did we do again?"

"This little shit told Piano Tits that I-," she cut herself off, lowering her voice to a whisper to avoid drawing attention before finishing. "She knows I like her now. Thanks to you."

"Wait, you do?"

"No fuckin' shit, Sherlock. We didn't need a master detective to solve that one. Fuck," she sighed.

"I thought he just made that up, I'm sorry. I didn'tmeanto sound rude."

"Oh, and by the way," Kokichi spoke up again, "you can't do that anymore."

"Do what? Curse? I'd like to see you try and fuckin' stop me you lyin' little abortion."

"Oh, no. It's not that," he snickered.

"Then what? If it's my outfit, the school doesn't give two shits."

"Nope, wrong again," he smiled. "But I should've expected as much from a dumb whore bitchlette like you."

"B- bitchlette?"

"Uh-huh. Anyways, Sai-chan isn't a vigin anymore. Hasn't been for a while now. And neither am I," he laughed. "So, I guess you're the only one. How's it feel being the only one around here who can't get laid? Huh virgi- ahh!" At that moment she lost it and grabbed the front of his shirt, shoving him up against the alley wall beside them, his feet barely touching the ground as he squirmed beneath her grip, trying to get her to get go. "Hey, p- put me down!"

"I've had just about enough of your shit, Ouma."

"Irima, stop!" Shuichi cried out, quickly moving to push her away, but before he could someone behind them spoke.

"Irima?" They all turned to look at who was talking, all coming face-to-face with the blonde pianist. Then the pink haired girl growled once more at Kokichi before throwing him to the ground and running off in the opposite direction, leaving him coughing at the others' feet.

"Kokichi, are you alright?" the blue haired male asked, leaning down to help him back to his feet as the pianist made her way to their sides.

"Oh my- Are you- are you okay? I was just headed to the store not to far from here. D- do you need anything? Bandages? A- are you bleeding? What happened?"

"None of your business," Kokichi coughed as he rubbed his neck to try and soothe the small burns from where he'd struggled against his shirt collar, a few scrapes starting to burn on his arms and legs from the fall.

"O- oh, okay. I'm sorry. And Ouma."

"What do you want?"

"Um, . . . Did you lie to me earlier? About Irima, I mean. Because when I talked to her about it she said it was stupid to think that anyone could ever like me and then she left."

"Well, she was right about one thing," he said irritated.

"Kokichi." the bluette said.

"Aw, Shumai," he whined, changing his attitude quickly and hugging his side closely. "Can we hurry up here and be done. I want to go home already."

"Uh," he said, somewhat surprised by his actions, before petting his hair softly. "Sure, no problem," he agreed.

Kaede just kind of looked down at her feet awkwardly, playing with the hem of her jacket.

"Sorry, Akamatsu. We've gotta go. See you tomorrow. Bye."

"Yeah, goodbye," she waved as they left.

. . .

A short while later they arrived home, the taller carrying the violette inside, and taking him to the kitchen table to sit down.

"Alright, wait here for a minute. I'm gonna go grab something to disinfect your wou-" the detective tried to say, but he was quickly cut off when the shorter suddenly stood up somewhat painfully and hugged the detective closely, cuddling against his chest.

"I love you, Shu," he said softly.

"I . . . I love you, too," he said, hugging him back. "What's this for though?"

"Just in case."

"In case what?" he asked, almost unsure if he wanted an answer.

"I just get scared sometimes," he replied calmly, continuing to embrace the taller. "I'm scared that one day I might wake up and you won't be there anymore. That some day you might suddenly just disappear. I know it sounds kinda dumb," he laughed quietly, "but I just want to make sure that you know that I love you. In case anything like that ever does happen."

"Hey," he said, trying to comfort him as he began crying softly into his chest, "it's gonna be okay. Alright?" Then he tipped his head up to look at him better, "I'm not going anywhere."

"Promise?"

Then he simply smiled down at him, placing a sweet kiss on the shorter's forehead before responding.

"I promise," he said. "Now, stay here. I'll be right back."

"Okay," he agreed, sitting back down. "Just don't take to long."

"Alright," he smiled at the other before walking off to get what he needed. "I won't."