Chapter Text
Cat and Mouse
An alternate chapter for Empty Bottles & Broken Seals
Another day passes, and nobody comes for them. Tsurugi knows the pain must have increased for Yuki by now. He doesn't move as much, and while it could be Tsurugi's imagination, his surroundings seem to have grown warmer.
They’ve gone three days now with no water, food, or signs of rescue. Whatever side effects of the situation that had been keeping some of the pain away are losing their potency.
Yuki groans lightly and his body tenses up around Tsurugi's small form. Three weak taps press into him.
“I’m right here, Yuki,” he says quietly, trying to chase away his fear, not wanting it to seep into his words. “Try not to expend too much energy, okay?” He presses a hand into the warm flesh next to him. So far, Tsurugi hasn't felt the effects nearly as much as Yuki has clearly begun to. While his throat is dry, no cramps or other pain have started to hit him yet.
Maybe it's because of being shrunk. Or because he's hardly moved the entire time they've been stuck like this. He doesn't know. But Yuki is a different story.
He’ll die first, if this continues. The cruel reality is already starting to slither into his thoughts. Of course, in this situation, it's not like Tsurugi would survive much longer.
Even if he’d soon follow, the thought of Yuki’s heart going quiet before his, far too soon, without being able to lift a finger to stop it, sets a deadly coil of dread over Tsurugi’s chest. And after a long period of Yuki calling for Monokuma, for anyone, shouting as loudly as he could manage, a soft veil of hopelessness begins to coat Tsurugi’s skin.
They had spent most of the day trying to get him out. Yuki had choked and gagged and hit his throat and chest, trying everything and anything. Tsurugi had done the same, punching, kicking, and reaching, until both of them were aching and sore. But none of it had done anything, except leave Yuki even more hurt and in pain than before. His insides are feverish, now, and Tsurugi can feel the cramps racking his body, through each shiver and soft groan.
“Tsurugi…” The word is spoken barely above a breath, despite the fact that at this point, Yuki has given up on not speaking. They had become desperate to attract any attention, even the negative kind.
“I know…” Tsurugi replies. “…I know.” He gently circles his palm into the folds nearest his hand. A soft hum reverberates into him in response. He feels Yuki curl more tightly around him, and silence falls.
The slow but still steady heartbeat pounding above him is the only thing left to reassure Tsurugi's fraying hope once Yuki begins to drift into a feverish sleep. He only wakes once before the nighttime announcement, mumbling something incoherent, before drifting away again.
Tsurugi isn't sure how, but at some point, he must have fallen asleep too, because later, he wakes up.
“Y-Yuki…?” He murmurs at the light pressure poking into him. “Are you alright?” His companion hesitates before tapping a sad ‘no’ in response.
“I'm sorry…” Tsurugi whispers. “I don’t know what else to do.”
“Not…your fault…” Yuki murmurs under his breath.
“Someone could still come,” Tsurugi attempts. He doesn't even really believe himself, but he tries anyway. “And besides, I can’t understand why Monokuma would want to let you die all by yourself like this…”
Yuki makes an uneasy sound in his throat, not at all convinced. Another shaky tremble passes through his body, passing through Tsurugi’s own shoulders. The longer they stay there, the more hope slowly fades.
Will we wake up tomorrow? Tsurugi wonders hazily.
“Do you think… the others are looking for us?” Yuki’s quiet voice interrupts his thoughts.
“I'm sure of it.” Tsurugi replies. “Teruya and Mekaru wouldn't have left you here if they could do anything about it.”
“…Yamato must be looking for you, too, Tsurugi.” Yuki says tiredly.
Yamato. Tsurugi's shoulders sag a little. He finally remembers him, but now… Yuki shifts a little as he moves.
“I don’t remember… what he was like, before.” Yuki says softly. “Why don’t… you tell me about him?” Tsurugi sighs, and gives into the distraction.
“He could never leave stuff as it was.” Tsurugi starts slowly.
“What …do you mean?”
“If something was broken, and he found out about it, he’d practically drop everything in order to fix it…” Tsurugi smiles to himself. “And if he was forced not to, it’d be on his mind constantly, until he could.”
“Ah…” Yuki murmurs. “I could …see that. He seems like …the antsy type, …I guess.”
“Antsy, huh?” Tsurugi replies. “He could definitely get that way.” An image of Yamato, puzzling over a hopelessly broken torch, appears in his mind.
“Once, when he, Uehara, Mikako, and I were out walking, Uehara pulled out this old flashlight…” Tsurugi presses his shoulders back against the wall of flesh between them. “It was ancient. I’m not sure where Uehara even got it.” Yuki chuckles a tiny bit.
“That sounds …like Uehara,” he says softly.
“Indeed,” Tsurugi’s reply is bittersweet. “It was an odd, vintage looking thing… the glass was clouded, and when he went to turn it on, well…” He shrugs, remembering the surprised and disappointed look on Uehara’s face.
“And Yamato …wanted to fix it?” Yuki fills the silence.
“Of course.” Tsurugi says, amused. “And suddenly, instead of going on our evening walk, everyone ended up back at the school, crowded around his worktable.”
“Mhm.” Yuki’s soft voice echoes around him.
“Mikako had already resigned herself to wait it out, but Uehara kept trying to convince him to leave it be.” He shakes his head. “I couldn’t help but agree with him. Spending hours upon hours trying to fix something that could easily be replaced with a better option made no sense to me. Uehara himself said he had no sentimental feelings about it, and that he’d been expecting it to break someday.” Tsurugi sighs.
“…Did he …fix it?” Yuki asks.
“It took most of the night, but yes. Even though the three of us kept trying to convince him, eventually he turned to us with that ridiculous face of his, and proudly revealed his work.” He snorts a little. “…And also half blinding us for a moment in the process.” Yuki laughs, weakly, but somehow still warm and bright.
“I wish… I could re…remember. It feels… sad, not …knowing.”
“Hmm.” Tsurugi murmurs. An image of Yuki, from back then, shuffles into the back of his mind. What kind of things would Yuki remember, if he still could? He shakes the thoughts away. It’s not like it matters, now, anyway. “…Yuki…?” He begins hesitantly, pressing his palm gently into the surface around him.
“What… is …it?” Yuki’s voice is concerned and quiet, and already partially fogged by the exhaustion threatening to tug him back into feverish sleep.
“I just…” Tsurugi swallows. “If we don’t…” Yuki tenses a little around him, curling more tightly into himself, and around the tiny person within. “I’m glad… to not be alone. That’s all.” A hand rests against his shoulders, pressing gently against his body from outside.
“Tsurugi…” Yuki’s voice is getting hazy again. “You… won’t…” He takes a soft breath, fighting off sleep a little longer. “You won’t… I promise…”
“Yuki…” Tsurugi presses his hand against the pressure of fingertips near his side. “It’s okay.”
“…w…on’t…” Yuki repeats. “…I’m…sor…ry…”
“This isn’t your fault, Yuki…” Tsurugi traces firm circles into his friend. “It was never your fault…”
“Tsuru…” Yuki’s voice is fading again. Tsurugi feels him starting to slip into sleep again, body relaxing around him, but still curled in, protective and close. His breathing slows, until Tsurugi is left alone in the darkness. He focuses on the heartbeat, still gently pounding along. The sound resonating into him, so close, assures him that Yuki is still there. But eventually, he can no longer listen, as sleep takes him too.
When the morning announcement plays, Tsurugi finds the space more upright around him. Hazily, he tries to focus enough to pull himself from half-consciousness. A quiet shifting sound comes from nearby that he can’t quite identify. Something almost metallic, a soft clinking, rustling noise.
“…Hrm…?” Tsurugi mumbles, and shifts slightly upward, leaning against the flesh around him in order to carefully sit up. The body around him stills, freezing for a moment. At the same time, the sounds stop. “…What…?” Tsurugi murmurs. His thoughts are still clouded by fog. A quick pressure appears next to him, but then, almost as soon as it touches him, it disappears again.
The sounds continue again. Tsurugi slowly begins to wake up, and starts to remember to wonder what on earth Yuki is doing, and how he’s suddenly so active again.
“What are… you…?” He says quietly. Everything feels a little heavier than normal. He focuses, and checks on Yuki’s vitals. The soft sensation of his breathing is perhaps more shallow than before, but still strong and consistent. Above, his heartbeat pounds steadily, despite it being a tiny bit slower, all of the sudden. Suddenly, a quiet, metallic clunk reverberates into them. It almost sounds like… “What was that sound?” He speaks a little more loudly this time. “Is everything alright?”
Maybe Monokuma was the one releasing Yuki from the restraints at last. And that was why he wasn’t responding. Tsurugi falls quiet, listening. It would be better to keep his presence a secret, if that was the case. Even though it seems more likely Monokuma would have noticed their conversation yesterday, there was a possibility he wasn’t paying them any attention, or simply thought Yuki had been delirious. But nothing but silence meets his ears. No footsteps, no cackling voice, and no movement whatsoever from Yuki.
But if he was alone, why wasn’t he responding? No taps, or gentle presses, met his questions like usual. He gasps at the sensation of everything suddenly dragging upward. Blood rushes to his head as somehow, Yuki stands up. And then, even more inexplicably, he begins to walk steadily forward. Walking? But he was barely able to move at all last night…
“Hey, be careful,” Tsurugi warns, pressing his hand into the warm folds. “Don’t waste your energy, alright?” For a second, he thinks Yuki must have heard him at last, because he halts, standing still and quiet for a moment. But then, he continues onward, without any unsteadiness whatsoever. The familiar sound of clanking chains doesn’t follow, confirming to Tsurugi that somehow, despite how improbable it had seemed, the cuff around Yuki’s ankle is indeed, actually gone.
“…Yuki?” He calls uncertainly. His shoulders stiffen a little against the warm flesh surrounding him. Nothing answers him except silence, and the constant, shuffling footsteps reverberating into his body. Tsurugi’s fingers curl into his palm. An uneasy feeling is starting to seep into his thoughts, pooling from somewhere deep below. A place he had been averting his eyes from, ever since he woke up in that bottle.
Soft beeping emanates from somewhere outside, followed by a metallic, sliding, sound. The door opening... Tsurugi realizes belatedly. The noise should make him feel relieved, but it doesn’t. How did he…? Only a few footsteps outside later, a familiar pop finally echoes into the air.
“How the heck did you-” Monokuma’s voice cuts off, as if changing his mind about whatever he had been planning to say. “Well… isn’t this a surprise.” He continues more quietly, in a tone Tsurugi can’t really identify. “What are you doing, exactly?” Silence meets his question, too. But instead of reacting with violence, or reinforcements, or anything Tsurugi expects, Monokuma simply laughs, slow and light.
“Don’t give me that look. This is what you wanted, isn’t it?” The muscles around Tsurugi tense up a little. “Well?” Monokuma asks noisily. “What…t…” The odd cruel timbre of his voice fades out, buzzing softly until nothing remains. They continue on, leaving the animatronic jailer behind them quiet; neither pursuing, nor speaking.
Something keeps Tsurugi quiet too. Instead of voicing his questions, he stays still and silent. Getting attention suddenly feels pointless. And beyond that, something else forces him to stay frozen in place, knees pulled in close to his chest. The feeling of safety that had blanketed him, keeping most of the panic and fear away until now, has faded away like a shadow melting into a suddenly moonless night. He is left uncertain, shivering, and alone in the dark.
A soft sigh emanates from above, and slowly, the world around him lowers a bit. For two long minutes, everything is still. Then, fingers press into him again, sliding against his side. Tsurugi makes a startled sound in response, leaning away from the touch, but just as before, the contact doesn’t last. Instead, he feels the body around him straighten, spine stiffening. And then, a soft, choking sound echoes down to him.
Tsurugi barely has time to process what’s going on before the space around him shrinks, and he finds himself suddenly pressed upwards. His arms are pinned uncomfortably tight, one twisted above his head, and the other against his side. Unprepared, he had no time to take a breath, and now finds his lungs quickly emptying. He gasps as finally, his fingers hit open air, and his body slips violently into the mouth above. Two fingers close around his arm, and drag him forward and out with the same precision one might use to remove something caught between your teeth.
Saliva drips from his clothes disgustingly as his skin hits cold, fresh air for the first time in days. But once again, the relief that should come, doesn’t. Tsurugi shivers, dangling in the air, one arm pinned between two carefully pressed fingers. The face in front of him is pinched. His free hand wipes saliva from his lips with a thoroughly disgusted expression. Tsurugi is lowered slightly to the side, almost nonchalantly, handled with the care one might give a fragile object, not a living, breathing person.
“…Y-Yuki…?” Tsurugi tries. Even though he almost doesn’t expect an answer, tired brown eyes flicker toward him at last, lifting him up higher until their faces are nearly level. Tsurugi stares into the huge, murky and exhausted eyes in front of him. Searching. Hoping. He finds no trace of warmth or familiarity there. Instead, he sees the exact image of the classmate Yuki had been at Hope’s Peak.
Slow, unbothered movements. A tired, almost emotionless face, eyebrows lightly pinched together. Messy, unraveling hair. Perhaps from all the time spent locked in that room, but still somehow less saturated; less bouncy and wavy than before. Worst of all, eyes which are empty and uncaring even when they land on him.
As the familiar stranger stares at the tiny person dangling in the air before his face, something flickers across his expression. He frowns, eyes shifting slightly to the side, as if he were listening to something. Then, his eyes close. For a second, his entire body freezes, something passing over him, but then, he opens his eyes again, and takes in Tsurugi’s pathetic, tiny, and disgustingly wet body with a placid expression.
“What are you doing?” Tsurugi tries to keep firmness in his voice as another hand raises up, reaching for him. “Stop!” He kicks at the fingers reaching toward his body, threatening to curl around his chest, but it does no good. Fingers close around him. The pressure around his free arm disappears, and he finds himself completely trapped. Even his free arm is carefully tucked inside. He struggles, but in seconds, he’s completely immobile.
“…Hush.” The person holding him scolds tonelessly. Tsurugi shivers. Though at least he can still breathe, and there are no horrible acrylic nails pressing into his skin, there is very little difference between the grip he is in now and how that woman had held him before. He can do absolutely nothing though, as he is carried along beside him into the hallway outside.
“Let go of me.” Tsurugi growls. The words don’t carry much authority or intimidation, and he knows it. But despite this, the hand around him lifts him higher, and closer. He gasps as his feet land somewhere solid, and the fingers around him fall away. Tsurugi slides to his knees, nearly tumbling away, but somehow manages to dig his fingers enough into the soft surface below to keep himself from slipping off. Once he catches his breath, he realizes the fabric below him is that of a tan sweater vest, and that he is currently clinging atop one massive shoulder. The familiar stranger keeps walking on ahead without looking at him or acknowledging the way Tsurugi had nearly fallen off. He wipes the saliva from his hand away, and reaches for a keypad on the door before them. For a second, he thinks, but then, with four simple clicks, he punches in the code, and enters the storeroom on the other side.
“What are you…?” Tsurugi murmurs, struggling to keep his balance as his giant captor kneels down. He eyes the floor, but even from this level it seems unwise to try and jump. Instead, he watches the hands sifting through boxes below. A keycard appears, and is slipped into a breast pocket. Tsurugi nearly questions him about it, but bites back the words.
He won’t answer. He won’t even look at me.
Next, a small bag is filled with water bottles and a handful of protein bars. Strangely, despite the fact that they’ve been without water or food for days, he doesn’t indulge in any of it, only slinging the bag loosely over his other shoulder, as he carefully packs it with supplies. Tsurugi carefully watches the angle of the arm and hand before him. Waiting, and calculating. When huge fingers hover over the second shelf, Tsurugi leaps from his perch, landing on one elbow, and darting across his arm for just an instant before launching himself into the air and landing on the higher shelf.
A soft huff of surprise follows, but no fingers reach for him as he slips into the shadows behind the many boxes. A bored, unhurried face follows his movements as he escapes, neither saying nor doing anything to stop him. But then, Tsurugi’s foot lands on something far less sturdy than the metal surface of the shelf. Something black and thin, perhaps a piece of cardboard, or a wrapper, or some other trash, sinks under him. He quickly realizes that a gap in the shelving had been obscured by it, leading him to step into open air, instead of the solid surface ahead.
With a yelp, he plummets, falling forward and spinning through the air until he lands somewhere soft and warm. He shakes his head dizzily, slowly realizing that somehow, he has ended up right back where he started. His giant captor stares down at him, as he sits, completely encapsulated in his other hand.
“There’s …no point to that.” The person who should be Yuki says quietly. He looks down at him with half-bored, half-annoyed eyes.
“What… do… you want?” Tsurugi struggles to catch his breath, and slides away from the stiff fingers. He slowly steps backward, and huge, brown eyes follow his movements. Something oddly curious and dark, glows in their depths all of a sudden. He watches the head tilt, eyes following him in an suddenly more engaged fashion as he slinks further away. Something keeps him from sprinting until he has more distance.
But once he begins to run again, the other hand slams into him, knocking him to the metal surface beneath his feet. The breath is knocked from his lungs, and he coughs, struggling to get back up again. Once he does, he finds his path blocked by a sturdy arm ahead of him. He turns back, only to see the other arm still fencing him in. He doesn’t slow, though, sprinting to pick up speed. He vaults over the wrist, and dashes away.
However, Tsurugi’s victory is short-lived. Heavy pressure drags him back and curls around his chest as his captor snatches him back up, and carries him into the air. He gasps at the sudden sharp motion, squirming in the tight grip.
“Let. Go.” He seethes. The giant stranger simply blinks at his tiny prisoner impassively. Then, he finds himself falling. He yelps, only just managing to land on his feet. Again, he darts forward, and again, fingers close around him, dragging him back.
“Stop that!” Tsurugi shouts as once more, he finds himself caught. After another agonizing, considering moment, he plummets again. The ginger giant above him snatches him up in seconds, even after he leaps from the shelf, lifting him up toward his face like a cat with a mouse. Tsurugi seethes, glowering at the face above him.
It takes a while to even recognize the look fluttering over the echo of Yuki’s features this doppelganger has for a face. His elegant eyes are slightly brighter than before, watching every little movement Tsurugi makes. Despite the frown plastered over what should be Yuki’s lips, he’s interested, and engaged in every minute detail.
The expression is almost predatory. Tsurugi finally realizes. I’m being played with.
“Stop…” He growls, after several more failed attempts. Over and over, they play a game of cat and mouse. But it doesn’t matter how cleverly Tsurugi plots his escape, or how recklessly he dashes ahead. He always, always ends up back in this familiar stranger’s claws.
Yuki wouldn’t do this. But then, somehow, Yuki isn’t here. Tsurugi stares up at an empty face as he dangles by the foot from two neatly pressed fingers. His captor’s head rests on one palm. He’s managed to lazily release and recapture his prey several times, without even making use of both hands. This time, when Tsurugi lands roughly atop the metal, he doesn’t move. He stays, one arm barely keeping him from falling down, panting, and staring back up at the quiet clone who has suddenly, horrifyingly, returned to take Yuki’s place. Tsurugi finds himself unable to muster the strength of body or mind required to get up.
What’s the point? He’ll just grab me again. The eyes that meet his seem almost disappointed as they slowly reach forward. Tsurugi closes his eyes, not wanting to watch anymore. Though the touch is more gentle this time, massive fingers press around his chest again, and he finds himself being lifted high into the air. When he opens his eyes, he shudders at how close his body hangs above the massive, cruel face.
It’s enough to almost make Tsurugi believe they actually are cat and mouse. And that, just like any tiny animal trapped between deadly claws, his end is coming, sooner rather than later. He leans away, half in anger, and half in fear. Whatever reaction this feline wants from him, Tsurugi won’t let it show.
A soft sigh brushes against his legs. Tsurugi stays perfectly still, holding on to a cold mask of bitterness and spite. Hoping to cover up the fear bubbling beneath. I can’t… I can’t do anything. Someone… anyone, help…
Where did you go…?
Suddenly, a tremor passes through the fingers pressed into his side. He lowers alongside one hand, and the grip around him loosens. The huge hand slowly descends and allows him to slip out, landing gently on the floor. Tsurugi ducks backward a bit, before turning back to peer from the shadows at the massive figure kneeling uncomfortably, to the ground. One hand leans into the floor as he winces, while the other presses into his scalp, covering one eye in what appears to be pain. The discomfort and resistance in his expression doesn’t last, though. Instead, they are quickly replaced by something accepting, and so, so, tired.
Then, Tsurugi gasps as he suddenly, inexplicably, falls. The impact of his shoulders slamming into the ground shakes violently into Tsurugi’s tiny feet. For long seconds, Tsurugi simply stares, disbelieving, at the huge, collapsed figure in front of him.
It’s the perfect opportunity to escape. Tsurugi knows he should take it. That he should run for the door and get as far away as possible. To try and find the others, before Monokuma reappears, or the person in this room wakes up. But he can’t. He tries to force himself forward, but the moment the unconscious body leaves his sight, he finds himself stepping backward again. He can’t even bring himself to let the slumped, unknown form leave his sight, never mind actually leave the room.
So, ignoring his survival instincts, and against any reasonable logic, Tsurugi slips into the space beneath the nearest shelf. He manages to find a location that he both cannot be pulled out from, nor easily spotted in. Then, he settles into the shadows to watch and wait.
Several minutes pass by with no sound or movement whatsoever. The body of his friend, or perhaps, not his friend, stays completely limp and still between the cluttered shelves. Tsurugi swallows, heart thumping nervously along in his chest.
Please.
A soft moan vibrates through the floor. Tsurugi watches with bated breath as the person lying on the floor before him curls into himself. He moves slowly, agonized and prone. A hand presses into the floor, but it doesn’t lift him up. Instead, he falls softly back down again with a groan.
Tsurugi can’t see his face from here. It’s obscured by both the angle, and by his trailing ginger hair. But he can still make out all the little movements he makes. A trembling hand goes towards his midsection, and he watches it press inward. A quiet little sound, sad and scared, hovers through the air, landing over Tsurugi’s shoulders and worming its way into his heart. The ginger haired head shifts across the tiled floor, looking from side to side. It’s clearly a struggle to move, but he manages to turn, slowly flipping over enough to look behind him, toward Tsurugi’s half of the room.
At last, he sees a pained, panicked face scan the space ahead. Yuki… It has to be him again. Somehow, some way, he had left, and then, come back. Another tremor passes through his body, huge shoulders shaking and body coiling in on itself. Tsurugi watches his hands reaching out, fingers curling uselessly against the tiles.
“Tsurugi…?” he calls. And with it, Tsurugi’s last fragment of caution flies away. As always, he is drawn forward. He creeps from the shadows, stepping out from beneath the shelving and around a fallen box of miscellaneous junk. Yuki’s eyes glow with near-manic relief as he comes into view. “Thank god… I thought… I thought…” He trails off uneasily. “H-how… did you-?” The question is cut off by a spasm of pain, and he groans, curling in on himself even more.
“Yuki?” Tsurugi asks as he approaches. Just one more time, just in case. Bright, warm, familiar eyes meet his in response.
“W-what… happened?” Yuki’s voice is shaky as he reaches a slow, trailing hand across the floor toward him. The fingers stop before they touch him, but Tsurugi closes the remaining distance, resting both hands on the trembling thumb.
“It’s alright,” Tsurugi says, still a little numb from the shock.
“What… happened to… to Monokuma?” Yuki shudders. “How… how did we get here…?”
“You…” He shivers, and Yuki’s fingers lightly brush along his arms. He allows himself to be pulled in. The sensation of fingers pressing into him makes him shudder a little, but the feeling disappears once Yuki has him gently pressed to one side of his chest. Some of that safety starts to return, at last. But then, another wave of pain radiates through Yuki’s body. After it passes, Tsurugi pulls carefully away. Immediately, the grip around him lessens, leaving him free and unhindered.
“What… are you doing…?” Yuki asks weakly. His eyes follow his path, but he doesn’t reach out for him as he moves further away.
“I’m looking for water…” Tsurugi murmurs. “Did you see a bag fall anywhere nearby?” Yuki points vaguely over his shoulder. Tsurugi follows the gesture, slowly making his way around his friend’s huge body toward the other side. And thankfully, the faded leather sling is easy enough to spot. He trots over to it. One of the water bottles is poking out, and so, he tugs at the cap, pulling it out and away. The process is agonizingly slow, but eventually, he manages to drag it away from the pouch, and spin the massive object slowly into place. Then, he steps around to the other side, and with heave, he shoves it forward with one shoulder.
The plastic crinkles as the bottle begins to roll toward Yuki, and eventually hits his shoulder. It takes a fair bit of effort for Yuki to shift enough to grab it, but he does manage to. Tsurugi returns to his side as Yuki forces himself upwards enough to drink, using a nearby shelf to support himself. The cap opens, and Yuki swallows some of it, gasping in between sips.
“Take it slow, Yuki,” Tsurugi warns. “Don’t drink too much, too fast, or you might get sick.” His friend nods, and lowers the bottle. He sets the cap upside down on the tiles, and carefully pours into it. Somehow, despite his shaky fingers, only a little spills. He pushes the now-filled cap toward Tsurugi with two fingers. Tsurugi looks up at him.
“Thank you…” He says quietly. For reasons he has no explanation for yet, it seems that the effects of dehydration and not eating anything for days have impacted him far less than Yuki. But he’s still desperately thirsty. He lifts the tiny cap in his hands and sips. The sensation of cool liquid running down his throat sparks energy back into him he hadn’t even realized he had lost. He sets the cap down after a couple sips though, taking it just as slow as Yuki is.
“Are… you okay?” Yuki murmurs. His voice is still rough and dry. As he peers down at him, the echo of another person’s face appears in Tsurugi’s memory for a moment, and he shudders.
“I… I am now.” He says quietly. “I don’t think I’m doing as badly as you probably are.” Yuki frowns, and rests a hand next to him. The warmth of his skin presses into Tsurugi’s side, and he sighs a little, leaning into Yuki’s touch. Yuki’s hand shifts beneath him, and Tsurugi half-sinks, half-falls into a warm, comforting palm. Yuki’s fingers curl a little over him, but don’t restrict or trap him. He allows himself to be held.
Tsurugi will have to find the words to explain it all. But for now, it’s enough to focus on recovering their mental and physical strength. Relieved and tired, he curls his tiny body against Yuki’s thumb, closing his eyes as a gentle touch brushes over his back, reassuring him that everything is alright now. Slowly, steadily, safety returns.
“Something… happened, didn't it…" Yuki murmurs a few minutes later. “I… I'm sorry, Tsurugi.”
“Hmmm…” Tsurugi sighs into Yuki’s hand. “You… were different.” He shivers. “I was afraid…you weren't coming back.” Yuki lifts him closer, cupping him gently in both hands, close to his heart.
“I had this… this vague thought…” he whispers. “That there was some way to survive…and… I took it…even though it seemed… dangerous…”
“It worked,” Tsurugi says quietly, but he still shivers slightly.
“Did… he hurt you?” Yuki asks, regret and anger bubbling up in his exhausted voice.
“He…?” Tsurugi echoes. “No… not really. I’ll be fine.”
“I can't remember anything,” Yuki says. “But I had this feeling like something bad was happening… I'm sorry, I tried to stop it, but…” he frowns bitterly. Tsurugi thinks for a moment.
“Yuki… I think you did. And then, you came back…” Despite this, a cold tremor of unease wraps around his heart. What if it happens again?
“Tsurugi… can you tell me everything that happened?” Yuki’s voice is hesitant.
So, Tsurugi recounts it all. Waking up to silence and escape. Monokuma’s appearance, only for the bear to go quiet and still. The way he had almost effortlessly been removed, only to find himself in the hands of a stranger. The storeroom, the key card, and the supplies.
Yuki takes it out of his pocket, examining the blue emblem printed on one side.
“Do you know where it's supposed to go…?” He asks.
“No… but it's the only thing besides supplies he grabbed from here, so…” Tsurugi sighs.
“It’s… it's for Akane…” Yuki opens his eyes back up after a concentrated pause. Tsurugi looks up at him wearily. “I don't know exactly how, but I just… I just know.” Yuki shakes his head. “Maybe she's locked up somewhere, too?” Upon seeing the expression on his face, Yuki frowns. “We can figure it out later… Why don't you tell me the rest?” Tsurugi nods, then reluctantly continues.
He paints the game of cat and mouse with vague brush strokes, leaving as much of it unsaid as he can. But Yuki seems to fill in the gaps, anyway. An angry, guilty expression storms over his face, and he pulls Tsurugi in even tighter atop his chest, sheltering him protectively beneath tented fingers.
“Then… something just… happened, and I found myself free again.” Tsurugi continues. “...he, fell, in an instant, straight to the floor.”
“You didn't run away…?” Yuki realizes. “Why…?”
“I couldn't just leave you behind.” Tsurugi retorts. “I didn't know if you’d…” he shakes his head. “I just couldn't.”
“I don't know how you… even like this…” Yuki trails off, taking in his tiny body. “Tsurugi… you must be the bravest person I know.” Warm fingers rest around him, holding him close and safe.
Exhausted, Tsurugi gives in completely to the sense of safety draping over his body, and sinks into Yuki’s touch. He falls into a dreamless sleep, ever guarded and watched over by his steadily recovering companion.
For a while, they stay like that. But Tsurugi jolts awake at a sudden noise coming from outside. Yuki tenses below him, mumbling something that sounds worried.
"Yuki, you need to get up," Tsurugi urges in a whisper. "Someone's coming."
"Y-yeah-" Yuki's body shifts upward, but quickly slides back again. He groans lightly, arms and legs shaking.
He isn't strong enough yet... Tsurugi realizes. He grits his teeth, searching the shelves nearby. The sounds are coming closer, and closer. Something metallic glints in the dim light, and Tsurugi darts across Yuki's chest toward it. Yuki watches him, going still, then shrugging his shoulder to help Tsurugi reach his destination.
Once Tsurugi's feet land atop the metal surface, Yuki tries to sit up again. He sinks back with stifled moan. In the meantime, Tsurugi lifts the item he had spotted from a nearby container.
Then, he quickly leaps back down to Yuki, landing on his shoulder, then stepping back over his chest. Opening a pocket knife at this size is a struggle, but somehow he manages to do it. The blade snaps out, and Tsurugi lifts it with both hands, readying himself.
Yuki watches him with wide eyes, but he can do very little to protest. Footsteps echo through the slightly open door. Tsurugi squares his shoulders, grip tight on the pocket knife, angling himself toward the door.
Slowly, a cautious hand pulls the door open. And then, someone sneaks into the room with hardly a sound.
Tsurugi lowers his weapon and bright, shocked violet eyes meet his. Completely flabbergasted and disbelieving. Heart lifting, Tsurugi lowers the knife.
"Yamato?"