Work Text:
Ouma had never felt this way before.
“This way” being so ill and awful, it was as if this body was decomposing in real time.
Ouma and Momota were trapped in the garage, sitting on the floor, both poisoned and both in pain. Ouma knew this request was selfish, the request for Momota to kill him. He knew nobody would see his sacrifice as something to help. He knew everyone would see it as some attempt to make Kaito the blackened, to make everyone filled with even more despair, as something Ouma manipulated him into doing.
“Kaito,” his voice was weak, his head fuzzy. “I want you to kill me.”
Ouma couldn’t help but chuckle at the face Momota made - his eyes went wide and his jaw dropped so far that Momota now looked like a strange fish. But he quickly collected himself upon hearing Ouma chuckle, his face pale.
“Ouma,” Momota trailed off, reaching his hands forward and grabbing Ouma by the shoulders. “I can’t do that. Please. Please don’t make me do this.”
“You don’t have to,” Ouma soothed him, reaching and grabbing Momota’s hands with his own. “But I can’t do it myself. I don’t want Maki to become the blackened. I know you don’t either.”
Momota looked conflicted. Conflicted, scared.. Ouma couldn’t even begin to count the number of emotions flickering across Momota’s face. But he knew, at least, that Momota knew he was right. It was him or Maki.
And, Ouma admitted to himself, he’d rather be able to go out because of someone he loved rather than someone who hated him.
“I’ve got a plan,” Ouma admitted, reaching to the side and dragging a large book over to himself as best he could. “I’ve had a plan. Since Korekiyo died.”
“Kokichi…” Momota trailed off, his voice already emotional. Ouma didn’t let him continue, making his voice as firm as possible before going, “I need to make it clear how important this book is. Don’t go off script. Don’t say anything stupid. Follow this exactly.”
Momota nodded and listened as Ouma explained everything Momota could possibly need. Every page was bookmarked. Every possible question Ouma had thought of had an answer. Ouma knew Saihara, knew Saihara well - their game of cat and mouse, will they won't they, had served Ouma well.
If only things had turned out differently.
“But that's all you need to know,” Ouma huffed as he shut the book, looking at Momota. His voice, against his will, went quiet, emotional, vulnerable. “I need you, Kaito. Please.”
They sat in an uncomfortable silence for what felt like an eternity. Ouma worried for a moment that the antidote hadn’t worked, that Momota really had just died, but Momota began to cough uncontrollably.
“I might as well,” Momota huffed. “I don’t think I’m living for much longer anyway.”
“What, so obsessed with me that you’re going to end your life to reunite with me in the afterlife?” Ouma breathed out a laugh, letting himself lean backwards until he was laying on his back on the floor. “If I had known you were so fond of me, Kaito Momota, maybe we could have had something.”
“... Maybe,” Momota’s reply was quiet, vulnerable. It came after a pause, and the softness in it made Ouma sigh. “Maybe once we’re reunited, we’ll have a chance.”
“Or maybe I’ll make you chase me for the rest of your astronaut afterlife,” Ouma shrugged, though his voice betrayed him by having his voice falter. “We’ll just have to see once we get there, Mister Luminary.”
“Yeah,” Momota’s voice had gone a bit weak. Sounded a bit warm. “I guess we’ll just have to see.”
The video camera was ready. Momota was in position. Ouma was in position. Ouma began the recording and pressed the button, trusting the safety feature to keep Momota from being crushed. For once, trust came through for him, and after pausing the video, Momota slipped out, safe and sound.
“Are you sure you want this, Kokichi?” Momota asked, for the bajillionth time, as he approached to help Ouma down the stairs. “I.. I mean.. I could just stab you, or.. Anything but this.”
Ouma had to admire the astronaut’s persistence in trying to get him to change his mind. Being stabbed would probably hurt a lot less than every single bone and organ being crushed at once. But they needed this to be the perfect crime - Ouma had to get Monokuma back. By any means necessary.
“I’m sure, Kaito,” Ouma huffed as Momota helped him down the stairs. “We need a good foundation for this trick, and what’s better than an unsolvable murder? No murderer, no victim, no nothing.”
“... If you say so,” Momota’s voice sounded a bit queasy. Ouma couldn’t say he blamed him - the thought of being crushed was scary, but the poison was so far in his system that he borderline welcomed the painful sensation. “I just.. I don’t know if I..”
“You have to,” Ouma’s voice was finally firm. “You know that.”
Momota gulped before sighing and going, “I know.”
As Momota helped Ouma slip underneath the press, Ouma held onto his hand before he could walk away. Momota looked at him, confused and sad. And scared. So, so scared.
“Kaito,” Ouma huffed out, breathing suddenly difficult. “In life, you were annoying and awful and mean to me. And you were friends with murder girl. And you were friends with my Saihara.”
“Where is this going, Kokichi?” Kaito huffed, no amusement in his voice.
“Let me finish. But, Kaito Momota, even though you were so awful,” Ouma smiled, “I loved you. And I hope one day you can forgive me.”
“Ouma..”
“Go start the press, Kaito. The sooner it’s over, the sooner we’ll be together again.”
Ouma closed his eyes as he said that, and he heard Momota retreating. He could only imagine that Momota was wiping his eyes. But Ouma heard Momota start the video.
I’m getting you back, Monokuma, Ouma thought, daring to let himself feel hope. I hope you’re ready for the revenge of Kokichi Ouma.