diffidentive

[Wait, shouldn't he be worried about lying to her? Not just what the aftermath of said lie could be?]

Hold on...why aren't you complaining about how we should be honest and truthful? You can't seriously just...be okay with hiding it from her, except that she could find out...

[A lot can change in the span of one day, Kokichi. A lot can change. Shuichi's learned a lot of things about lying in that short stretch of time. Things that have changed his opinion on it.]

[Plus, he's been lying by omission to both of you since day one. It's hard for him to be upset by this suggestion when he's already hiding the truth about Team Danganronpa.]

[Shuichi sighs through his nose and closes his eyes.]

In this case...the truth would do more harm than good. I don't want to lie to her, but want to see her die again even less. [Seriously, once was enough.] So if those are my choices...

[He'll go for the lie. It's in her better interest. Turns out, Kokichi was right all along. Sometimes, it's okay to lie. Better to lie, even.]

Still, I don't think we should completely rule out the possibility of telling her ourselves. Not today, or even any time soon, but...eventually, perhaps. There's still a lot we don't know right now, after all...

[And that means there's lots for them to learn. maybe something will come to light that will make it less dangerous to let Kaede know the truth.]

[...out of telling her the truth and telling a lie, even if that truth is painful, he's choosing to lie. This weirds him out. But...at the same time...

He ducks his head a little with a noncommittal sound, doing his best to hide the heat in his cheeks he can feel. He knows they're pink!]

I'm not saying we can never, ever tell her. Right now it would just be a seriously bad idea, you know? She'd arm her proverbial weapons and go running off to try and save everyone, no matter what we said or how we felt...but if we learn something that changes things, or maybe after she moves past that or matures a little...

[Then maybe they can tell her. Maybe it would be safe.]

[He sits back up straight pretty quickly, pointing a finger at him.]

No comment on how I'm pretty immature and don't have room to talk. This is a totally different kind of maturity I'm talking about here.

[Luckily for Kokichi, Shuichi still had his eyes closed and missed seeing the color rise in Kokichi's cheeks. Though once he opens them again, he's a little confused about why the other boy has his head ducked down like that. Okay, then...]

Mm. For now th-- [He jumps a little at being suddenly cut off with an accusation.] A-ah...I wasn't going to...

[He was definitely thinking it, though.]

You're totally thinking it though, I can tell! Not even allowed to comment on it in your head, got it?

[He means that!!]

Alright, I won't!

[He gets the distinction Kokichi was trying to make, though he wouldn't use the word "immature" to describe Kaede. But...it's still weird to hear Kokichi of all people describe someone else as immature. Even if it's two different types of immaturity.]

Good.

[He knows that, which is why he had to make sure your brain wasn't sitting there making comments about him!!!

With that out of the way he sits back, relaxing a little again.]

So yeah, like you were saying, for now we should keep quiet and just keep investigating. I'll still handle the actual lying part if you want me to, if she hears about it from someone else. You can say you haven't heard anything so you wouldn't know.

[He shakes his head.]

I'd be lying either way. [Since...saying he hasn't heard anything would ALSO be a lie.] So if it comes to that, I'm not going to make you "handle the actual lying part" on your own.

[Sure, he doesn't want Kaede to be mad at him but...feigning ignorance like that and letting Kokichi take all the heat would just be really shitty.]

[Especially since, again, it's not like he isn't already neck deep in a lie to both Kaede AND Kokichi.]

Edited 2017-11-28 18:25 (UTC)

[Kokichi raises a brow and tilts his head a little, curiously.]

You sure? I'm used to the backlash from being caught, you know. And if she was upset with me it wouldn't be that big of a deal. You though...

[Sitting forward, he fixes him with a more serious look.]

You and Akamatsu-chan need each other, in a place like this. You shouldn't do anything to potentially screw that up. So seriously, don't be afraid to ask, if it comes to that. Seriously give it some thought.

[He's fine on his own...he's already got a square filled and some cash in his pocket. Would Kaede and Shuichi be willing to have sex with strangers to pay for themselves? Not that he wouldn't help if they needed it, of course, but...he'd only be able to provide credits. No way either of them would want to fill squares with him.]

[Shuichi quirks a brow a little suspiciously. Needing each other in "a place like this" can only mean one thing... No, he should just leave that alone.]

I'm not going to change my mind. Even if you enjoy lying and you're used to the consequences, even if it gets me in trouble with Akamatsu-san... I'm making the decision too, and I'll see it through, wherever it goes.

...huh.

[Tucking his hands under his thighs, he tilts his head the other way, thinking that kind of reply over. He seems a little caught off guard or surprised by it, almost.]

You know, it kind of seems like I can rely on you a little more, even outside of trials now. I dunno if it's just because you aren't balking immediately at the idea of lying to her or what, but...

[He smiles gently.]

It's kinda nice, Saihara-chan.

Then it's settled!

[With energy, he frees a hand and pumps a fist into the air.]

This is officially a "we lie together, we die together" agreement! "Lie or die" for short. Oo, oo, let's make a blood pact. Then we'd really be in trouble if either of us flaked out! I have a clean knife we can use!

Edited 2017-11-28 19:20 (UTC)

N-no, we're not making it a blood pact! [What was that about not balking at something making him seem more reliable?] I'm not going to flake out!

[You should know that by now, Kokichi. How many times did he carry through with a decision, even if it was something unpleasant? He's grown a lot since their first day at the academy.]

And why do you have a knife!?

[Kokichi what the fuck, you better not be playing the knife game again.]

[Yeah, but those were almost always related to trials. If not always. This isn't, and it's something he wasn't particularly fond of before.]

Nishishi~! Are you sure you want to know the answer to that? Did you already forget what I said about my card and the kind of squares I have?

[Blood play, pain play, gore...those could all use knives you know.]

Not that I have it for anything like that. Actually, that was a lie, I don't have a knife at all! I may have credits to spare now, but I can't afford to spend them on something like that yet.

You've...already started playing, then?

[Kokichi DID say he was going to play, but...it's only been three days. Has he really already had sex with someone? Or does he maybe have some easy squares like he and Kaede?]

Yeah.

[Just a simple, easy answer.]

I said I would be, remember? And I'm not too keen on being low on money. I like eating, and I was told that a kitchen addition is kind of costly. Plus, this room is small and boring, I want something bigger! With futuristic decorations and floating furniture and alien trees!

[He has simple desires, really. He lifts a finger into the air.]

Plus, it's the easiest way to earn money. If that's really true, one of the three of us should be playing to support the group, right? Playing the game is both fun and functional!

[It's no big deal really. You're welcome.]

No, I didn't forget, I just didn't think you'd start playing so soon. That's all.

[He'd be surprised that someone with Kokichi's personality and looks actually managed to find someone to have sex with him, but...this is a kinky space station. One night stands seem to be kind of a given and there are probably a few people into young-looking boys.]

[So...it's actually not surprising at all that he found a partner.]

But uh...good for you, I guess?

Edited 2017-11-28 20:58 (UTC)

[He pauses before actually saying anything, just smiling at him in a sort of knowing way.]

[And then that smile turns into a very, very knowing grin.]

You say that like you didn't try and beat me to "fastest square filled". I heard you and Akamatsu-chan enjoyed each other's company the very first night here~ How was it, huh?

[What is that look supposed to--]

...!

[For just a second, Shuichi looks surprised. Just a second though, because this has to be a lie. Kokichi's just trying to mess with him, as usual.]

[Because there's no way Kaede told Kokichi about what happened after they left him at the arcade, right?]

I don't know where you could have heard a rumor like that, Oma-kun, but we didn't do anything like that.

[He is trying his hardest to stay calm and sound convincing, but he's looking a little sweaty, despite his best efforts.]

Edited 2017-11-28 21:20 (UTC)

Does it count as a rumor if one of the participants told me herself?

[Good luck keeping up that calm facade.]

She said that you walked her home and she invited you inside, and that you at least tried to fill a square together. It didn't work though, right? She was too embarrassed to say exactly which one you guys attempted, but she said to ask you to show me your card to prove you couldn't manage it.

[He leans forward a little, resting his chin in his hand and propping that up with an elbow on his thigh.]

So...which one was it? I guessed it'd be an easy one, but she was so shy I'm starting to wonder if it wasn't one of your kinkier ones.

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