Work Text:
"Hey. Wake up. Kirigiri fell asleep."
There came the mechanical hum from various monitors in the next room. The buzz of harsh fluorescent lighting overhead. The soft whirring from the coffee maker on the stained granite countertop after brewing one too many pots of caffeinated salvation.
And Togami's brisk, unrelenting voice.
The first few sounds that began to warp Makoto back into the cold reality of the waking world.
He blinked up in confusion, his (reluctant) friend's stern tone ultimately what had startled him all the way out from under a dreamless sleep. Makoto winced as he slowly registered a dull ache in his jaw - from grinding his teeth in his sleep, no doubt. A terrible habit he'd carried through childhood to adulthood, one especially aggravated when he was under a great deal of pressure.
Needless to say, the stress of essentially babysitting sixteen young individuals while they subconsciously fought for their lives through a virtual killing game was probably the source of his stress, these days.
Yeah. That *might* just have something to do with it, he thought dryly.
Head pounding from the suddenness of being roused from an over-exhausted nap, Makoto rubbed the bleariness from his eyes as Togami's frown came into focus. Ah, he'd said something, hadn't he? What did he -
"Do I really have to repeat myself?" Togami scowled, arms folded as he waited for Makoto to make sense of anything again.
He must have passed out in his seat at the table in the facility's makeshift breakroom at some point during his rest period. It had to be 3 or 4am now, at least.
"W..Wha?" Makoto groaned intelligently, a giant yawn ripping the syllables apart. He could feel Togami's impatience radiating off him in waves.
"Kirigiri. Fell. Asleep. Now, are you going to get the hell up to go replace her watch early? Or do I have to dump ice water over your thick skull and drag you to the monitor room myself?"
Makoto didn't take Byakuya's threats lightly. He shook his head in a last-ditch effort to snap out of his sleep-deprived haze.
Kiri? Asleep? That came as a surprise. She very rarely allowed herself to rest at all, even when it wasn't her watch. So for a traditionally hardcore work-a-holic like Kyoko Kirigiri to actually fall asleep on the job?? It was basically unheard of. Makoto could only imagine how drained she must have been to finally succumb to exhaustion like that. Suddenly filled with worry, he sprang up out of his chair.
"I'm going, I'm going," he waved Togami off. "Just calm down, okay? Instead of standing over me yelling, you could always be watching Class 77 yourself, you know."
He regretted the suggestion almost the second he made it. Togami glared with a menace cold enough that Makoto may have actually preferred the ice water instead.
"Ah yes, because I certainly don't have to run this circus freak show in several hundred different ways while you and Kirigiri doze to your little hearts' content, do I? Even Asahina and Hagakure would be putting themselves to better use. Stop talking to me and just go. Now. "
Makoto didn't bother arguing further. Kiri needed him. He scurried out of the breakroom to the hallway outside, almost colliding head-on with Hina in the process.
"Yike!! Makoto slow down, geez!!" His friend exclaimed, catching herself (and Makoto too) before someone fell to the floor.
"You and your luck are gonna cause one of us to break a bone if you're not more careful, I swear. Now where's the fire?" Hina attempted to joke, before the light in her eyes promptly faded to skepticism.
"Please don't tell me there's actually a fire. Did Komaeda attempt arson again?? I thought Gekogahara was trying to program the flammable stuff out."
"No, no fire!" (Yet.) Makoto waved both of his hands to dismiss the concern.
"Byakuya was about to rip my head off if I didn't get to the monitor room stat. Kiri fell asleep on her watch."
"Kyoko fell - huh?" Hina looked at him incredulously. Makoto shrugged.
"That's what I said. So we're swapping early. Bring me a tea for her if you get a chance?"
"On it. I'll grab you both a snack while I'm at it too."
He didn't have to ask to know that Hina was thinking of the maple donuts she'd stocked up in the cupboard.
They parted ways, Makoto hurrying through the hall and down two flights of stairs to reach the door to the monitor room, where he then quickly inserted his Future Foundation ID and punched his security code in.
Byakuya had issued strict orders that each important area of the facility on Jabberwock Island be sealed off with varying levels of password protection. The monitor room (where Future Foundation's Branch 14 could observe the virtual killing game undisturbed), and the pod room (where the physical bodies of Class 77 were being safely stored in their chambers) were especially restricted.
Despite all their preparations. How hard they'd braced themselves for the unexpected. No one could have ever predicted *this*.
A short jingle suddenly signified Makoto's correct numeric code entry, startling him out of his thoughts. A quick retina and fingerprint scan further confirmed his identity before the heavy door unlocked automatically. With a sound like a vacuum-sealed bag peeling open, Makoto entered the monitor room.
*
He found his best friend curled up into herself on an office chair, her huddled form illuminated by the harsh glare of various LED screens tracking Class 77's every move. Her messy bangs fell into her shut eyes; brows creased with a thoughtfulness that never seemed to leave her, even when her features were more settled with the peace of sleep.
Thinking it through in fact, Makoto hadn't seen Kyoko look anywhere near this peaceful in weeks...maybe a lot longer. Not since they'd first arrived on Jabberwock Island. Especially not since their plan to rehabilitate Class 77 had gone downhill as badly as it had.
His heart panged painfully at the thought of rousing her from some much needed rest. He knew how hard she was working to try and save the Remnants of Despair from themselves. Makoto worried at his bottom lip, internally struggling for what to do, when he noticed Kyoko shiver. The air conditioning was going full blast in the room - to ensure that the high-power computers didn't overheat. Not needing to think at all about his next course of action, Makoto shucked off his blazer. Leaning down, he carefully draped it across Kyoko's bare legs, which were drawn up almost to her chest in an unconscious effort to get warm.
"Hope this helps..." he whispered, but immediately regretted it. Kyoko's lashes fluttered open even at the subtle sound of his voice (ever the alert detective, of course) before unfocused violet eyes opened to meet his.
"Mm...Makoto? What are you..."
Almost as if someone had flicked a switch, every trace of groginess suddenly lifted from her weary form. Despite the dark bags under her eyes, Kyoko looked completely alert again. She sat up, straightening her back and stretching her legs, regarding Makoto's overcoat in her lap with a quick glance down.
"How long was I out."
Her voice would have come across as sounding emotionless to anyone else. But Makoto knew her all too well by now. It wasn't rocket science for him to piece together that she was angry at herself.
"Not long at all. Maybe 15 minutes? Either way, don't stress. I'm here to relieve you of your watch early." He smiled reassuringly, motioning for her to settle back into her seat.
"Relax, okay? You could even head on back to the breakroom if you'd be more comfortable there."
Kyoko shook her head. A few fly-away strands of hair came loose from her ponytail.
"No. My shift isn't up yet. I'll stay and finish it. You shouldn't be here."
Makoto must have looked stung, because Kyoko quickly rephrased.
"What I mean is. You should be resting until it's time for us to switch." Her sharp features softened. "I apologize. That came out wrong."
Makoto smiled, well used to Kyoko's initial curtness by now.
"Don't worry about it. I knew what you meant, but you're not gonna get rid of me that easily, heh. I already went through my own rude awakening. A half hour is not gonna make or break how much energy I have to do my job."
"Who came and got you?"
"Byakuya."
Kyoko's mouth twitched.
"Of course it was. I can't imagine waking up to him was an especially pleasent experience?"
Makoto scoffed a laugh.
"It was either get up immediately or get an unwanted ice shower, sooo yeah. I feel sorry for anyone who might ever decide to willingly wake up to *him* every day."
At that, Kyoko actually laughed. Behind one gloved hand, the sound fleeting but sweet.
"If anyone ever does, that is."
They exchanged a familiar look, and it was with the easy knowingness of companions who had always had each other's backs in all the time they'd known each other, through more than any outsider could fathom.
It was hard to break that comfortable silence. When they so badly wanted to exist in it peacefully.
"How are they doing?"
But Makoto broke it anyway, worry casting a shadow over their feeble ray of light. Kyoko grew serious again.
"Not terribly tonight. Everyone is asleep. For now, at least."
She nodded towards the screens lining the walls, and Makoto squinted as the Neo World Program came into view. He scanned over a few of the name plates outside the bungalows at the virtual Hotel Mirai.
(Sixteen students once again...)
The Togami Imposter and Hanamura were already gone. Then, there was their program to simulate Nanami. Otherwise, only thirteen Remnants remained.
Tsumiki. Soda. Koizumi. Tanaka. Pekoyama. Nidai. Nevermind. Owari. Saionji. Fuyuhiko. Mioda. Komaeda. Hinata.
Hinata...
Makoto sighed without even realizing it. Just the thought of what Hinata had been through was enough to bring anyone to their knees. But to think that the young former Reserve Course student was about to face even worse...
Makoto could only hope that he'd make it out alive.
The concern must have clouded his face, because suddenly a steadying hand was pressing to his shoulder, Kyoko's comforting presence by his side.
"You worry about him."
She plainly remarked. Makoto nodded an affirmation.
"I worry about all of them, really. But Hinata more so. I guess..."
Makoto trailed off, not sure how to articulate just why he felt such a connection to the boy who had become Izuru Kamukura.
"Perhaps you see yourself in him?" Kyoko questioned. Makoto turned to give her a puzzled look.
"Myself? I dunno about that. Other than our lack of obvious talent, we're not alike in very many ways."
"Hmm. I wouldn't say you two are exactly one and the same, but Hinata has stepped into a role that I recall you flourishing in. Not too long ago."
Kyoko bit at her thumb through the black material of her glove.
"Who knows. We may see great leadership from him yet. He's technically the one who set this all up. I have a feeling he may be the one to break it down in the end."
Makoto chuckled. Kyoko never failed to lift his spirits, even without doing in intentionally. "Detective's hunch, huh?"
Kyoko shrugged. "I prefer to think that I'm supporting a theory based on past factual evidence from a similar subject. Regardless, tonight there is peace on the island. Monokuma has set the new motive, but I haven't seen anyone bite just yet."
"That's good. There's still hope for them, I know it."
As soon as he'd said so, his gaze lingered on the now vacant huts belonging to the two students they had lost since the second killing game had begun. Before he could find his voice again, Kyoko spoke up first.
"There's hope for them, too. Don't count them out either, Makoto."
He released a long breath, not taking his eyes off of Hanamura and Imposter's nameplates. Their vitals were still strong in their chambers. There was life to potentially revive in both of them.
"Yeah. Okay, Kyoko."
They opted to sit down while they further observed their unknowking subjects in their sleep, wheeling a couple of office chairs right in front of the monitors and the wide expanse of control panels. Side by side they set up their makeshift camp, shoulders brushing when they moved in close.
Makoto found himself leaning even closer into Kyoko's side, almost on instinct. With an acute awareness he felt a few wisps of her long, lavender hair tickle at his neck, her warmth by now a familiar thing. And rather than tense from the contact as she would with nearly everyone else, Makoto felt Kyoko relax against him instead. Her fingers played with the hem of his jacket, still spread out in her lap as she lifted up a corner of the fabric to show him.
"Would you like this back?"
Makoto shook his head.
"Keep it. You seemed cold without it."
She hummed absentmindedly, smoothing it over her bare thighs again in one fluid motion.
Makoto couldn't help but watch...tilting his head to the side, finding Kyoko's mouth parted with an unspoken question, about to cure the silence with the clarity of her voice...
When suddenly a muffled, high tone brought them back to their senses, and Hina appeared, pushing through the heavy door into the room.
"Tea delivery!" She announced cheerfully, carrying a paper tray with two steaming mugs at her side. "I could only find mint for some reason, so I hope that's okayyyy - oh!" She startled at the sight of her two friends so close together, both of them whipping their heads back to face her.
"H-Hina!" Makoto spoke up first, just short of stammering "it's not what it looks like"!
"Thanks for the tea. Uh, leave it on the - "
"The table! Yup! Leaving it on the table. I'll let you guys get back to it then, uh, bye!"
As quick as she'd entered the room she was gone, the mint tea on a table at the front of the room and the resounding slam of the door echoing off the walls.
Kyoko looked to Makoto with an arched brow.
"She seems...more peppy tonight. Than usual."
Makoto laughed as he rubbed the back of his neck, knowing full well why Hina was constantly going out of her way to make sure they were alone.
"Yeah. Overtime will do that to ya, I guess."
Yet another long night playing guardian remained ahead as they watched over the Remnants of Despair. Only time would tell how many more nights the two of them would spend together, hoping against hope that those kids would make it.
That night in particular, mint tea and good company saw Makoto through to the morning...
...even when Kyoko nodded off again, her weary head resting on his shoulder.