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Insomnia isn't uncommon for Korekiyo in the slightest. Taking a walk to solve it is. He's never felt safe enough in any place to walk around at night before. Ironic how he feels safe in this strange place more than his own home.
(He's not alone here, and the people who surround him seem trustworthy. Most of them, anyway. He doesn't detect any danger toward him from any of them. It's a small, controlled area. Nobody can enter or exit. It's predictable.)
Out of curiosity, he decides to wander the casino area. He wouldn't mind investigating the hotel he and Gonta had to stay in the other night. He barely got to see it in detail, as he was exhausted from the events of the day – and Gonta was walking very quickly.
When he tries the doorknob, though, it won't budge. He knew that Gonta got a key in order to enter their room, but why would the hotel itself be locked? Actually, why would they go through the trouble of building both a dormitory and a hotel?
For once, Monokuma showing up is actually a good thing.
"You can't go in there without a key!" The fact that Korekiyo's neck hurts from having to look down at the tiny bear is nothing compared to the headache he has from listening to his voice. "It's dangerous to let people in! They might pick the locks to the rooms and waste all the effort I went through making all those keys for the casino!"
"Why would anybody pick the locks when they have their own rooms in the dormitory?"
Monokuma laughs shrilly. "Oh, these rooms aren't for sleeping, silly! Didn't you see the corner of the room and all the tools I prepared?"
"... No I didn't." Though, now he has an idea of what the true purpose is. He's honestly thankful he didn't notice. He can't imagine how much worse the night would've gone if he had figured out what the room was meant for. "Still, what would prevent two people from simply going into each other's rooms if they were truly insistent on having sex?"
"Nothing does!" Monokuma says cheerfully. "But this place is reeeeally special! Which is why those keys are so expensive, y'know?"
Korekiyo turns and leaves. His curiosity has been sated, and he doesn't want to stay around the infuriating bear for longer than necessary.
"Have fun imagining what could've gone down between you and Gonta!" he calls. Korekiyo scoffs. If there was anyone he was interested in sexually, it wouldn't be Gonta. He certainly doesn't dislike the gentle giant, far from it, but he just can't picture it. Nor does he particularly want to.
He shakes the thoughts away. He still wants to explore the casino, even though he's somewhat familiar with it. There's something calming about walking around places you've already been. Even if it's the colorful, obnoxious, loud casino.
Ah, maybe this was a bad idea.
He doesn't regret it once he walks down the steps and sees Gonta in front of a slot machine.
"Good– ah, evening, Gonta," he says, forcing down a chuckle when Gonta yelps and whirls around. Korekiyo really doesn't know how he doesn't hurt himself; it certainly hurt him when he was attached to his hair.
"O-oh! Kiyo!" Gonta grins sheepishly. "Funny seeing Kiyo here!"
"I could say the same to you. I didn't take you for the type to stay up late."
"C-course Gonta's not! Just… Saw something interesting!"
"Ah, do you mean the ladybug brooch at the prize counter?"
"Yes!" He nods vigorously. "Very pretty!"
Korekiyo can't help but smile. "I agree. I think it would look quite nice on you."
Admittedly, Gonta's blush is very cute. It makes Korekiyo's chest ache in a way he's not prepared for. Interesting…
"B-but Gonta's luck not what he hoped." Gonta chuckles sadly. "Only 1000 coins left."
"Such is the point of the casino. From what I've seen, all of the games are designed to be unfair in some way. This one is probably the most rigged, though; there's no skill involved in it."
"R-really?!" Gonta seems almost comically shocked. His expressiveness is nearly envious. What Korekiyo would give to not be seen as off-putting simply because of his lack of expression – something his mask helps with. "A-ah, then Gonta should try another!"
He bounds over to a few different machines, contemplating the games inside, then wilts after the third one.
"Gonta'd be awful at all of these…" He sighs, large hands coming to rest on the top of the treasure hunting game.
"Hm? They all seem to employ different skill sets. Surely you're good at at least one of them."
"Gonta's flattered, but he's really not good at much," he says, smiling sadly. "Only spotting bugs and being strong."
"I don't think that's the case." Korekiyo tilts his head. "You also have good reflexes." Mostly proven by the… incident, but he has other examples.
"Ooh, then maybe racing game will be good!"
So, instead of going to bed, he watches Gonta play an arcade game for an hour until he starts to yawn and excuses himself. It's not due to boredom, either. Gonta's expressions and commentary keep it interesting. Korekiyo just didn't realize how tired he got. Gonta waves goodbye, then his expressions shifts wildly back to intense focus. Korekiyo can't help but chuckle.
Gonta is quite good at that game, he ponders as he drifts off. If he ever wants something from the casino, he knows who to ask. Certainly not Kaito.
Korekiyo finds himself in Gonta's lab the next day after breakfast. He couldn't really turn down such an enthusiastic invitation. Besides, he's felt strangely close to the boy since they got stuck together for an entire day.
"Does Kiyo like butterflies?"
Korekiyo is neutral toward them. He just tilts his head.
"Hmm, well, you won't be able to feel legs under bandages."
"I believe that is a good thing for me."
"Okay!" Gonta grins as he holds a hand up. Colorful butterflies spanning nearly the whole rainbow land on his outstretched palm. "These butterflies are really nice! As long as Kiyo doesn't touch their wings, they enjoy pets."
Korekiyo hesitantly accepts the orange butterfly, looking at it with wide eyes. He's never held a butterfly like this. Its wings are pretty, he has to admit. Their deep, vibrant color reminds him of the sunset. If he doesn't look at the way its legs move as it crawls across his hands, he enjoys having this small creature on his palms.
Gonta is gently rubbing the head of a purple butterfly, looking more content than he ever has. It's cute.
Korekiyo's face grows hot. What is he thinking? Cute?
Well, Gonta is cute. He thinks anyone would agree with that…
Would they? He knows his peers like Gonta, but cute? Would they go that far? And if so, why does Korekiyo believe he's cute so vehemently?
Ah. He has a crush.
That's an uncommon occurrence for him.
But, it feels nice. To have someone he admires, and feels something special for. For the first time in so long.
"Hm? Why Kiyo staring?"
Korekiyo chuckles. "That's a beautiful shade of purple."
"Oh? Oh, yes, yes!" Gonta cradles and grins at the large butterfly in his hands. "Male sasakia charonda so pretty! Larvae feed on berries, and butterflies are native all across Asia."
"Ah, the great emperor butterfly." Korekiyo finally recognizes it. "Japan's national butterfly, yes?"
Gonta nods. "Gonta's so happy he has this butterfly in lab." The edge of his finger accidentally brushes the butterfly's wing, but through his hasty apologies, it doesn't fly away or react negatively. Gonta blinks.
Korekiyo hesitantly reaches up and brushes its wing. Still no reaction.
"Oh, wow, this one likes wing pets!" Gonta exclaims, clearly wanting to move in pure joy but staying still so he doesn't disturb the insect. "Haha, how lovely!"
His grin is both contagious and captivating.
Korekiyo nods with a smile of his own. "Yes. Quite lovely, indeed."
At dinner, Gonta takes the seat next to Korekiyo and gets into a heated discussion about the value of bugs with Kokichi. Korekiyo gets a bit of a headache listening to the two of them yell, but he doesn't regret not pushing Gonta away. The sheer amount of heat radiating off the tall boy is nice. He's even comfortable enough to unzip his mask and eat in front of the others. Everyone gawks for a moment, before Kirumi comes in with more food. He hopes the look he gives her conveys his gratitude.
After he's done, he stands and leaves. It's not like he has any conversations to keep up.
"Kiyo?" Gonta asks.
"I'm going to my lab," he says, hoping Gonta gets the hint that he's welcome to find him there. He wouldn't tell anyone else where he was going. Gonta might be perceptive enough to realize that. If not, oh well. He's not going to say no to being alone.
Gonta does, in fact, find him there half an hour later, scribbling in a notebook about various subjects he'd like to look into later. His lab has a ridiculous amount of books, but it doesn't have every book on anthropology.
"Hi, Kiyo!" Gonta waves cheerfully. Korekiyo smiles and closes his notebook. "So much to do in this lab! Gonta doesn't think he'd like the books, though."
"Do you not like reading, Gonta?"
"No! Gonta loves to read! Books about insects…"
"I see. I suppose I'm not the biggest fan of books that aren't about anthropology, either." Korekiyo stands and starts putting the books he had out away. He knows he'll be tempted to pick one up while Gonta is here if he doesn't.
"Wow, Kiyo already has organization memorized? But, s-so many books! And shelves."
"It's easy to keep track of with how much time I spend reading in here," Korekiyo says smoothly. "Anyway, Gonta, why have you come to find me today?"
"Oh, right!" Gonta reaches into his pocket and pulls out a familiar key.
Korekiyo startles at the sight of it. "A key to the hotel?"
"Sorry for lying before," Gonta says sheepishly, "but Gonta wanted to keep this surprise!"
"Why?" Korekiyo really doesn't want to think of a way to reject Gonta, but surely– surely he's not offering that? That's basically the one thing Korekiyo doesn't want from him!
"As an apology for other day! Gonta felt bad about getting bugs on Kiyo, so he wants to make it up to him! Gonta been told he give good hugs and is nice to snuggle with. Please, give Gonta a chance to prove to Kiyo!" Gonta bows deeply, still holding out the key.
Korekiyo wasn't a fan of sharing a bed with Gonta last time, but that was probably just because their hair was tangled together. Besides, even if he wasn't a fan of physical touch, his incessant crush is screaming at him to take this opportunity…
He puts his hand in Gonta's and holds onto the key. "Okay."
"Really?!" Gonta perks up, then grins brightly. "Oh, thanks so much, Kiyo!" He pulls Korekiyo into a hug. It's nice, really. His warmth and scent so comforting, the feeling of his arms… His heart hammers in his chest.
On second thought, maybe he won't be able to fall asleep like this.
Korekiyo changes into his sweater and pajama pants, puts on his sleeping mask, then sighs deeply. He's strangely nervous. The first time they shared a bed, it was simply out of necessity. This time, it's both of their own choices. It's strangely intimate, and not intimate in the way sex is intimate, intimate in the way of sharing something with someone you'd never share with anyone else, intimate in the way of trusting someone so strongly, intimate in the way of pleasant experiences that would be hellish with other people.
It feels more like love than a crush, but Korekiyo stamps on that thought very quickly. Admitting to his feelings was hard enough, and he's not ready to admit the depth of those feelings.
Realizing he's running late, he quickly rushes out of his dorm and begins his walk to the casino area. Gonta is waiting for him with a nervous smile.
"Oh! Kiyo," he says. "You came!"
"Of course I did. You spent all that time getting the coins for this, after all." Korekiyo smiles. "And we've already shared a bed. I… admit it would've been pleasant if we weren't stuck together and bugs didn't get in my hair."
"S-sorry again!"
They enter the hotel, then Gonta fumbles with the key to unlock the door. Korekiyo chuckles and does it for him.
As before, the room is garish and overpowering. The sheets are still soft and smooth when he puts his hand to them.
(Though, his curiosity does get the better of him, and he looks in the corner for the "tools." Indeed, there are many, many things for sex. He quickly directs his attention back to Gonta. That's not what they're here for.)
"Oh!" Gonta holds a hand in front of Korekiyo's chest, then pulls back the covers himself. "Please, get in!"
Korekiyo chuckles. "Such a gentleman." Gonta's face lights up as if he was a puppy. The anthropologist climbs into the bed and sighs. He's quite picky about sleeping conditions, but this bed is admittedly quite nice. And, when Gonta settles next to him and his infectious warmth washes over Korekiyo, he's even more comfortable.
"Okay…" Gonta takes a deep breath and exhales, removes his glasses, and settles back under the covers. "Does– does Kiyo like cuddling?" The answer is no. He doesn't. But he'd like to try with Gonta. So he just nods and waits for those arms to embrace him.
Unlike every time before when Gonta's hugged or held him, he's extremely gentle. That warmth seeps deeper into his bones, and he nearly stretches in the niceness of the feeling.
"This okay?"
Korekiyo nods.
"Gonta's glad," Gonta mumbles. "Just wanted to make Kiyo happy."
"Oh?" Korekiyo blushes.
"Yes. Kiyo such a good friend… He make Gonta so happy all the time. Gonta wants to do the same."
Korekiyo's heart seizes. "You're… You're really, really sweet, Gonta."
"Thanks…!" Gonta squeezes him. His grin is pressed against the back of Korekiyo's head.
"For the record, you– you make me happy, too. You listen to me, and are always truly invested. I appreciate that dearly."
"Of course! Kiyo always so interesting," Gonta says. "And good cuddler, too." He laughs sweetly. Korekiyo's heart throbs yet again.
"You think so?"
"Yeah. Nice and cool…" Gonta nuzzles deeper into him. After the moment of panic, it's really, really comfortable. "Ah, Gonta's tired. Spent so long getting the bravery to ask Kiyo…"
"You didn't have to worry so much. Truthfully, I–" Korekiyo considers holding in the next sentence, but his quickly dwindling consciousness says he should get it out there. "I would only say no to you if it was something I'd truly hate doing."
"Really? Gonta… so happy…" His arms squeeze Korekiyo again, and then his breathing evens out. Korekiyo didn't even realize he could feel the rise and fall of his chest before. It's calming. His previous worries were unfounded. He can sleep better like this.
He'll have to tell Gonta he was right in the morning. For now, it's getting hard to resist the call of sleep. He snuggles back into Gonta as far as he can and sighs heavily.
He dreams of wild green hair and bright grins that night.