Work Text:
Rain pelted down on Shuichi's apartment roof. The weather forecast hadn't said the rain would be this bad. He couldn't see it letting up anytime soon.
With a sigh, he simply turned on his TV, scrolling for something interesting. There had to at least be an interesting movie to rent. He wondered if there was any microwavable popcorn left in the cabinets. The best thing to do during a storm of the caliber is nothing, or so he'd been in the habit of doing.
When he couldn't settle on a movie, Shuichi went to check the kitchen to see if there were any snacks in hiding after all. It was an unfortunate habit of his to wait until the last minute to buy everything he'd been missing for months.
Frantic knocking at his front door alerted him. Who would've come over unannounced and in this rain?
Giving up on finding snacks, Shuichi rushed to the door as the knocking continued. Looking through the peephole, he saw none other than Kokichi, face pale as though he'd seen a ghost. A panic unfolded itself inside him as he hurried to open the door and invite him in.
Kokichi needed no invitation to his place. They'd been together for a few years now, even with the harsh realities of long-distance dating. It was easier now that they were out of high school.
"Oma? Why'd you come during this rainstorm? You're soaked!" Shuichi worried over him, not pausing for an answer as he got towels from the bathroom.
Kokichi had been sickly when they were younger, but he had gotten over it with time. Still, that didn't mean he should do something so reckless! If lightning hadn't struck him, then surely a fever would!
"Dry off, I'll get you a change of clothes," He said, earning only a nod from the usually upbeat man.
One thing was for sure: whatever reason Kokichi had come for, it wasn't a happy one. But that's where Shuichi comes in. He'd make sure his boyfriend was at least comfortable and safe here, snacks or no snacks.
He found some clothes that'd be warm enough and left them by the bathroom for Kokichi. Turning off his fan, he tried to make sure everything would be welcoming enough. When Kokichi exited, a small smile was on his face now.
Shuichi's clothing would always be a little big on Kokichi, but he was just relieved that he wasn't in his soaked clothes anymore. He led him to the couch to sit down, but the other merely slumped against him with a sigh. He was as light as a feather for someone with such resolve.
"You don't have to talk if you don't want to," Shuichi reminded him, "But I'm here for you. For whatever's going on."
Kokichi was simply fiddling with his thumbs. His hair was still wet and therefore it had lost its strange springiness. Shuichi knew that this was a side of him he loathed letting others see. Being vulnerable was something he'd struggled with, even with Shuichi.
And yet somehow, when he wasn't looking, they'd reached the point where Kokichi was willing to run through a rainstorm to get to his apartment.
Shuichi squeezed the other's hand, earning a light squeeze back. He pressed a kiss to his boyfriend's temple, hoping he wouldn't be down with a fever due to the cold rain.
"My beloved Saihara is too nice," Kokichi finally muttered, cheeks tinted pink.
"Am I?" He queried.
"Yep. Too good of a boyfriend for me. Look at me, I'm a wreck," A dry laugh follow his words, and Shuichi couldn't help the pout that crossed his face.
"Don't frown! I like you smiling," Kokichi was quick to add, and Shuichi could only shake his head in amusement.
"I love you and your smile too, Oma. So, wanna tell me what took it away?"
The ghost of a smile was on Kokichi's face due to their lighthearted jokes, but it was nothing like his real one. He was used to his smiles accompanying laughter and over-the-top declarations and sincerity. His smile now was not usual- it was rather sad.
"It's a drag to explain! Why don't you find it out? You're the detective, aren't you?" At least that meant he hadn't lost his quick remarks with whatever had happened.
"Since you wanna be like that," Shuichi said, a smirk on his face as he started tickling his boyfriend.
Obviously having not expected this, Kokichi jolted as laughter erupted from him. He curled inwards and kicked at Saihara until he stopped, tears at the edge of his eyes as he recovered. A bright smile covered his face now.
"Feeling better yet?" Shuichi asked innocently.
Kokichi hit him playfully, crocodile tears in his eyes.
"You played dirty!" He said with a whine.
"You're smiling now though. So it was worth it."
Kokichi stared at him for a moment, a fondness overcoming his expression. He suddenly hugged Shuichi, wrapping his arms tightly around his boyfriend.
Strangely, he still felt as light as a feather. Was he eating right? Shuichi was one to talk though, with how barren his kitchen was...
"My beloved Saihara, you're a real piece of work," He said, words muffled on Shuichi's shoulder.
"I know," He responded simply, rubbing circles onto Kokichi's back. He was still so cold from the rain.
"It's almost like high school again, huh?" Kokichi said, "Not that I'd know."
"We should get some blankets so you don't freeze to death."
"You need to stop this...This isn't healthy." Sadness in his tone. Was he feverish?
"What's not healthy is getting a fever from running in a rainstorm," Shuichi chided. Kokichi was silent.
The lights went out, the storm outside howling. He didn't want to let go of Kokichi. He couldn't let this go. Couldn't let him go. Not when he was shaking like this. He was so light, that Shuichi worried he would disappear if he released him. Not that he'd ever disappeared before. All he had to do was hold on and-
"I'm dead, Saihara."
-
"-chi? Shuichi!"
Shuichi awoke with a start to Kaede waving her hand in his face, Kaito standing behind her. Both wore matching worried expressions.
"Must've been some dream, huh? We're about to go lunch, and Kyoko said you were burying yourself in work lately so..." Kaede explained. Shuichi tried to smile to comfort her but he found his heart hurt badly when he tried.
"You've been missing our training with Maki Roll too. Don't overwork yourself now!" Kaito warned with a comforting smile.
"I'll meet you guys at the entrance. Just need to splash my face with water or something," Shuichi was finally able to muster up words to say to them. His friends knew something was wrong. But it was a wound they had no hopes of reaching.
"Alrighty! Don't take too long!" Kaede said with a smile, motioning for Kaito to follow her out of Shuichi's mess of an office.
Shuichi sat in silence. Looking out the only window in the room, he wondered if it would rain.