“I’m glad today is over.” Grumbled Touko as she adjusted her glasses and glared at the door with her hands on her hips. Komaru sat on the bed.
Every part of her hurt.
This wasn’t anything new.
She had gone from her whole word being a very simple apartment to a chaotic city in one fell swoop. Even as she had been fighting against the Warriors of Hope, she hadn’t realized just out of shape she had been.
But every day they went out to try and hammer the situation in Towa City out, and every night they came back into the hotel to rest for the night. At first it had been a fitful rest, but now with the number of monokuma thinned out in the area, more and more people were able to slowly inhabit the area.
They were making progress.
But that didn’t mean that Komaru wasn’t death shambling by the end of the day.
Touko tsked and moved towards the business desk, grabbing it and dragging it to the door. The room wasn’t unlockable without the key, but one could never be too careful. “I swear, we are never getting out of here. Every day it’s the same thing over and over again! It’s starting to get annoying!”
Komaru blinked and turned to look at the other young woman in the room, “Touko? What do you mean?”
Leaning back against the desk, Touko raised one of her hands to her mouth chewing on the tip of her nail with a scowl. “You know very well what I mean! We’re still here. It’s been months Komaru. Months.”
“Well, yeah it’s been months, but it’s been busy. There is still so much to do!” Komaru shifted towards her friend on the bed. Every muscle on her torso throbbed in protest. Touko glared over her thumb at her.
I haven’t seen that look in a while.
“Maybe this is all we can really do. How long do you really think that Makoto and the Future Foundation will stay away. As soon as they figure out that this is all we can do we can go.” Touko muttered.
“What? Go? We haven’t done everything there is to do yet!” Komaru protested as she stood up. Her legs burned and she sighed and sat back down with a wince.
“Look at you! You can’t even stand up right now.” Touko gestured with her other hand as she stood up and paced back and forth before the blocked entrance.
“This is nothing! I’ll be better in the morning.” Komaru argued, her hands thrown out in front of her as she stood up again.
“Ugh! I just want us to leave. I want to go home. I want to put on new clothes! I want to see Master Byakuya and never leave his side.” Komaru winced as Touko’s voice took on a faint trance like blankness it always did when she thought about Togami Byakuya. She stopped in her tracks and wrapped her arms around her own shoulders, eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.
“Touko? Touko?” Komaru narrowed her eyes approached her face.
“He’d greet me with open arms Komaru, he’d reward me for taking such good care of you.” Her voice sounded far more distant and pleased than normal.
Why can’t she sound like that when she talks to me sometimes?
“TOUKO.” Komaru reached out both hands clapping down onto her peculiar friend’s shoulders. Touko came out of her day dream with a start.
“Huh?! Oh.”
Komaru stepped back and sighed as she tapped the side of her own mouth, “You’re drooling.”
Touko vigorously rubbed the back of her hand over the side of her mouth.
Komaru sighed and turned away from her as she slowly walked away from the other older girl. “It’s always about Byakuya this, and Byakuya that with you.”
“So? You know how I feel about Master Byakuya. If you don’t like it, then you shouldn’t have stayed with me so long.” Touko clenched her hands into fists opening and closing them as Komaru turned and leveled a hard look at her friend.
“I stayed with you because I like you Touko, not because I like Byakuya! I’m going to take a bath.” With that, Komaru stuck out her tongue as Touko’s jaw hit the floor and she let out an indignant squawk.
Locking the door behind her, Komaru leaned up against it with a sigh, her eyes sliding shut. She let the back of her head hit the door with a soft thud as she bit her lower lip. “Stupid Touko.”
----
Due to their argument, Komaru’s bath is a little longer affair than usual.
Thankfully Komaru had been able to find someone that made sure that the hotel had some semblance of heated water. That had been the major pull for them to stay at the hotel and make it their base of operations. Not only did they have water and electricity but they could also contact her big brother.
Sitting in the warm water, Komaru let her eyes run along the ceiling tiles. The building shifted with a quiet groan, making a shiver run up her spine.
The silence is creepier than when something bad is happening now.
Komaru drew her hands up her shoulders and down her arms as she shut her eyes and turned to rest her tub on the cool porcelain of the rim of the tub as she pulled her knees up to her chest.
Her muscles relaxed and her body felt ten times heavier the longer she sat there. Her eyes blinked and she had trouble keeping them open. The drip, drip, drip of the water occupied her thoughts for a moment as she hummed quietly with a small sleepy smile.
It could have been minutes, or it could have been hours. But, finally the water faded from it’s muscle relaxing warmth into a dull cool ache. When that finally happened, Komaru slowly slid up and out of the tub.
Grabbing one of the big fluffy towels they had managed to steal, Komaru wrapped herself in it and slowly brushed it across her skin.
Sometimes when there is so much to think about, it’s better not to think about anything at all.
After finally getting dressed, Komaru slipped out of the bathroom turning off the light with a click. The rest of the room was bathed in darkness already, and instinctively Komaru looked for a clock. The clock in the room they had picked to stay in blinked on and off at Midnight.
“Wonderful. I wonder how late it really is.” Komaru shook her head and moved towards the large window at the far side of the room. The sun was almost completely set on the horizon. There was no hustle and bustle of nightlife. In fact, everything was dark.
The only noise outside was sometimes the soft growl and the comedic fwip fwip fwip of the monokuma and the song of the children commanding the beast monokuma as they made their rounds outside.
Pressing her hand against the cold glass of the window, Komaru stood there in the silence for a few moments. It was only as she pulled away from the view that she noticed the soft snores and sighs of her partner in crime.
The other had been so tired she had clambered into bed, and had probably passed out not long before. Komaru approached the large bed they shared and quietly sat down at the edge.
Touko didn’t stir.
Rubbing out the rest of the moisture from her hair, Komaru tossed her towel over the desk chair across from the bed. Tugging the covers back, she slid under the gentle sheets as she turned towards Touko. Komaru’s eyes could hardly stay open as she relaxed into the comfortable soft bed and let her consciousness go.
----
Touko was no stranger to having arguments with Komaru.
While they were strongly bonded friends, there were still thinks about one another that go on their nerves.
That look on Komaru’s face. I wonder if I went a little too far. It’s not like I’m the only one to blame though.
However, no matter how fond of the other girl she was, her stubbornness wasn’t something she could fix with the power of friendship or love. Stripping herself of her slimy feeling uniform, Touko had crawled into their bed for the evening in nothing but a large shirt they had found among some luggage in the room next door.
Whoever it had belonged to was probably dead anyway.
While the other had bathed, she had relaxed in the bed and she had shut her eyes focusing on the silence. The door did a good job of muffling the splashes and agitated sighs of her partner from her and before she knew it she had knocked out.
Touko slept like the dead. Or well, she normally did.
But being in someone else’s company had trained her to look for signs that everything was not well. That night, the training paid off as she felt the restless shift of her friend beside her. A whimper had her eyes open and her hand on the stun gun under her pillow. Komaru let out another whimper and slowly Touko opened her eyes.
The room was dark, not unexpectedly since they only had a limited amount of power per day still. It was not uncommon for the power to go off and on so, when the clock read 12:00 A.M on the opposite side of the room, she wasn’t surprised.
Slowly easing herself up, she pulled the taser from underneath her pillow.
There was no one there.
Another whimper and soft sniffle came from beside her, and Touko reached for the nightstand on her side. Pulling on her glasses, she squinted at her friend as she heard another intake of harsh air and a choked off sob.
“Mom...Dad...Where are you?”
Touko felt her annoyance and the words she had been about to say die down in her throat. Komaru was still asleep, but she was obviously in throes of a nightmare. Touko grimaced, “Of course you are.”
With how things had gone several months ago, Komaru had chosen to believe that her parents were alive somewhere. They had found the nooses, but they hadn’t found any trace of her parents or their bodies. It could have been a hoax, and if that was what kept Komaru and Makoto going, so be it.
Touko was pretty sure that even for all the positivity that her parents were dead. Somewhere inside her Komaru probably knew it too.
Komaru shifted on the bed next to her, hand reaching out as she cried out, “No! Mom...Dad! Don’t go!”
Touko winced and gently reached out, her fingers threading with Komaru’s as she eased her outstretched hand down. “Komaru. Relax.”
Komaru’s hand trembled in her’s and Touko frowned and shifted closer. Komaru’s hand gripped hers tightly as she whimpered and buried her face into Touko’s wrist. The pressure and the way her arm was being held made Touko twist her shoulder forward so it took some of the tension away.
“You’re not going to make this easy are you?” Touko shifted closer as the skin of her hip brushed along Komaru’s. The younger woman whimpered softly, tears running down her cheeks as Touko turned curling up to her other important person’s side.
Komaru wasn’t supposed to be like this. She wasn’t supposed to be so weak and tired. She wasn’t used to seeing the other like that at all. The only time she had ever seen her so upset and full of despair had been when she had the remote grasped in her hands and she could have destroyed the controller. Wrapping her other arm around Komaru’s middle, the other girl fought whatever it was in her nightmare she thought was grabbing her for only a moment. Then her body relaxed and her grip on Touko’s hand slacked.
After several seconds her breathing went from short whimpers and gasps to gentle quiet breaths. Touko let her eyes slide shut, and she wrapped her other arm around Komaru as well.
No one had escaped being touched by despair, but Komaru had her to ease the burden.
I hope she can sleep easier. Tomorrow will be a long day too.
----
Komaru slipped down the street, eyes on her surroundings and hacking gun clenched between her hands. It was like taking a dip in a cold pool for the first time every single time they left the hotel. Stepping outside was just like plunging in.
It made her feel more awake and aware of her surroundings. Even with the groups of monokuma that they had managed to dispatch it still wasn’t exactly safe.
“I don’t understand why we need to go check on the adults. The monokumas have been ignoring them so far ever since they went on free roam.” Touko clutched her hand into the fabric of her school shirt. Even though she said that, she definitely had her means of fighting within her hand.
“We can’t just abandon the kids or adults. We need to make sure they are doing okay and make sure that they have been able to function and get supplies.” Komaru answered as she spared her friend a small smile over her shoulder.
“They are adults Komaru. They can look after themselves. If they couldn’t they would be dead in a gutter somewhere.” Touko argued as Komaru shot her a frown. Shutting her mouth Touko followed behind her friend.
There was a small group of adults they had been keeping tabs on a few blocks from the hotel. Little by little they had worked with them to make sure that things in that area were staying stable.
Komaru stopped in front of the shutter they had pulled down in front of the store front they had barricaded themselves in. Shifting the hacking gun into her left hand knocking on the shutter. “Osamu? It’s us Touko and Komaru!”
After several seconds of silence, the storefront shutter raised and Komaru ducked under the metal door. Touko followed her inside the dim light store.
“Ah! Hello Granny. It’s been a few days.” Komaru greeted an older woman politely. The woman, whose name Touko could scarcely remember, smiled tiredly at her with a nod, her hand clenching around her cane a little tighter.
“It is good to see you are well Komaru.” The older woman motioned to a younger man, someone named Toshi if she remembered correctly. The young man brushed a hand through his short hair. Touko narrowed her eyes and kept them on him as the young man brought two dining room chairs for the women.
She’s too nice. It’s going to come and bite her in the ass if she’s not careful!
Toshi turned his dark eyes on her, “Would you like a chair.”
“I don’t need one. Don’t talk to me.” Toshi gave her a pinched smile as Komaru turned and smiled placatingly at Touko. She grimaced and grabbed at the side of her hair and gritted her teeth. It was so hard not to tell everyone off.
“I’ll just be by the door.” Touko snapped.
Komaru nodded and waved to her as Touko trudged back to the front of the store. Settling herself about where the shutter was lowered and raised, Touko heard the laughing and the gentle chatter of several others and Komaru’s cheerful voice.
Tipping her head to the side she rested it on the cold steel of the shutter. Eyes sliding shut.
I didn’t ask to be shoved into all this. I don’t like people at all.
Even as she thought that, Komaru’s bright smile and her anguish flashed through her mind. Biting at her thumb she worried the tip between her teeth.
I’m staying for you, stupid girl. How can you not see that?
Standing back up Touko yawned, stretching her hands over her head.
“If things keep going smoothly you two will be done in a few moments.” Toshi spoke out from behind her. Touko flinched and turned narrowing her eyes on him.
The stared at her a smug smirk on his lips, “Komaru is nothing like you. She’s actually normal.”
“Normal? Her? She so normal she’s abnormal” Touko ground out as she scowled and pointed her finger to the middle of his chest.
“Yeah, well maybe she should stay here with us.” Toshio offered with a small fake grin. The grin also spoke volumes about Touko herself.
“You’re not welcome here! That’s what you’re thinking aren’t you?!” Touko shoved him back as she narrowed her eyes. Toshio didn’t move too much from her push, but the fake smile twisted into something much more malevolent.
Before he could open his mouth, a loud bang hit the shutter and rattled up the metal. Toshi and Touko both stopped and stared. “What is that?”
In an instant the peace in the building shattered. The shutter bowed in and metal splintered like wood as a mechanical growl echoed through the air. Touko reached into the hem of her skirt as she jumped back and took out her tazer.
Komaru heard a loud boom from the front of the store before sunlight poured in and the screaming began. Being towards the middle of the store, she could hear the loud high pitched laughing at the front of the store and the metal clang of Genocider Jack’s scissors hitting one of the monokuma and the loud thud as it fell back.
Komaru turned from the elder and nodded to her as she picked up her gun and charged forward.
Already, there were loud cries as people scrambled to the back of the store and up the stairs. Komaru felt a shiver run up her spine as she charged in the direction that the others were running from. Had she been told she would ever do that she probably would have laughed at whoever said that.
But, there she was skidding to a stop as she aimed her gun at a junk monokuma. It turned it’s eye on her and let out a distorted mechanical growl. Changing her gun to electrocute, Komaru hopped back as it jumped forward. She pulled the trigger and lightning shot forth enveloping the body as it gurgled and twitched.
Another scream sounded out as the beast monokuma pounced on someone fleeing back towards the back of the store. It’s mechanicals jaws clamped down and the young man shuddered, twitched, and fell still. Komaru shot another lightning shot this time the junk monokuma shuddered and twitched as she fell down onto her ass and scooted back.
The beast monokuma growled and howled as Genocider Jack jumped on its back with a high pitched laugh, “Having some problems Omaru?!”
“It’s KOMARU!” Komaru yelled as she shot the junk monokuma once more and it collapsed in a hiss of frayed wires and leaking fluids.
----
“We’re not sure exactly what caused the attack other than a bout of unluckiness.” One of the other members of the adults murmured to the elder woman. Hitoko sighed and gripped at the top of her cane.
“With the shutter destroyed we cannot stay here. Everyone get ready and pack.”
Several adults groaned and muttered as they started to move about in a flurry of activity. Komaru stood to the side of her, a frown on her face, “I’m sorry. I feel like it’s all our fault.”
The old woman shook her head, “No. They would have found us sooner or later. The only reason we survived was because you were here.”
Komaru turned to face her, “Where will you go?”
“Is there room at the hotel for us?” The old woman asked as she rubbed her chin with her free hand.
“There is. But I am still trying to clear the floors there too so it might take us a bit before it’s truly safe.” Komaru answered with a small sad smile.
“We can all share until everything is taken care of.” Hitoko answered as she stood up.
“We’ll be glad to have you.” Komaru smiled and nodded her head as the little old woman toddled off to get herself ready too.
Moving back towards the front of the store, a strong hand gripped her shoulder making Komaru stumble forward. Komaru turned and stared at Toshio. “Toshio! You’re okay!”
Toshio frowned and his eyes lowered to her gun, “Give me the hacking gun. I’d be better suited to using it.”
“What? No.” Komaru took a step back and hugged the gun to her chest.
----
Touko’s head throbbed and her body ached as she came back. Her nose itched as she rubbed the back of her hand across her face, “Ugh I guess everything is good now?”
Of course she didn’t expect an answer. What she expected was what she got:
Chaos.
People were running around and packing their stuff up. So at least the monokumas had been defeated, but now with everything destroyed they would have to move.
More people lodging at the hotel. Wonderful.
Turning, Touko moved towards the interior of the store, eyes searching for her most precious person there. Obviously if there weren’t monokumas running around Komaru wouldn’t be too far away since she had the hacking gun.
“Give me the gun Komaru!”
Touko froze. She heard a gasp and saw Komaru back up from behind one of the fixtures, hacking gun clutched to her chest. “No!”
Toshio took a step forward and reached out for it again and Komaru took two more steps back. “If you don’t give it to me I’m going to take it from you!”
Toshio’s eyes were wide as he raised his fist in the air and aimed towards Komaru’s face. She didn’t have time to think or react, she just sprang forward.
Komaru took a step back as she shut her eyes waiting for the impact. She brought her shoulders up and ducked her head down, clutching to the gun with all she had waiting for the pain to come, but it never did.
Instead she heard a gasp and a grunt as someone slammed into her knocking her back.
Opening her eyes, Komaru blinked. In front of her arms outstretched was Touko.
“How dare you! She just saved you and you are raising your hand against her? You are worse than scum you know that?!” Touko growled as she took a step back further keeping Komaru behind her.
“T-touko!” Komaru touched her shoulder and the other looked over her shoulder.
“And you! What did I tell you? I told you that these people aren’t going to appreciate the help you give them. He was about to hit you!” Touko growled as she turned back towards Toshio who took a step back.
“You need to cool it! Or you can go find somewhere to survive on your own!” Toshio narrowed his eyes at her and he opened his mouth only for a loud hollow thunk to sound out and for him to grab the back of his head.
“Hey! What did you do that fo-”
“Because you have a lot that you owe to these young girls, and an apology is the start of it. Then I expect you to collect your things and get ready to go.” Hitoko groused as she hit Toshio with her cane.
“Y-yes Ma’am! Sorry. So sorry!” She swatted him with the head of of her cane.
Toshio gave them both a look and scurried off. Hitoko tapped the edge of her cane on the ground, “I will keep them in line, just go do what you need to and leave these people to me. I apologize for Toshio’s behavior.”
“Oh. No.” Komaru waved her hand as she smiled gently.
“Come on Komaru let’s go.” Touko reached out grabbing Komaru by the wrist.
Komaru gave them one last wave as Touko pulled her away. Once they were outside Touko paused and dropped her hand. Komaru quietly grabbed Touko by the shoulders and turned her around. She brushed her hands down Touko’s shoulders and up her neck turning her head every which way.
“H-hey!” Touko squirmed under her hands.
Komaru smiled, “My hero!”
“I’m not your hero! Komaru let go.”
Komaru ignored her and just hugged her close. Touko couldn’t help herself as she let the other hold onto her, as she rested her hand on the back of her friend’s head.
----
It was a quick trip back to the hotel, and after all the excitement, that was exactly where they wanted to go. As Komaru blocked the door with the desk once more, Touko moved into the bathroom.
Looking at herself in the mirror Touko gingerly touched her cheek with a wince. There was a lump where she had been hit by Toshio’s fist. Komaru moved into the bathroom behind her and started drawing the bath water.
“Taking another bath?”
Komaru hummed and turned putting her hands on her hips, “This bath isn’t for me silly, it’s for you.”
Touko eyed the water and the tub warily, “I’m good.”
“Touko you were injured. The best thing for your injuries is going to be a long soak in the tub. Besides, I do all my best thinking in the tub.” Komaru smiled at her and motioned to the half full small tub.
“You do? That’s astonishing.” Touko mumbled as she motioned for the other to leave the bathroom.
“Before I leave I want to make sure you didn’t get any other injuries. Also, I’m going to hand wash our uniforms. I don’t trust people to leave our clothes alone.” Quietly Touko pulled her shirt over her head.
Both made quick work of their clothes and Komaru turned on the sink faucet and grabbed a few boxes of soap as she dumped them onto the clothes and scrubbed. Touko watched her friend’s back for a second before averting her eyes as she moved to sink herself into the warm water with a shiver.
“After you’re done I’ll hang these up.” Komaru called over her shoulder as she scrubbed the clothes with cold water rinsing out the soap. These were their clothes that they wore daily, how Komaru could even manage to get them clean was anyone’s guess.
Touko sank into the water and shut her eyes as she listened to the splashing at the sink.
“Touko?” Touko opened her eyes and stared at Komaru who knelt by the side of the tub. Touko sat back up, and looked at the other arms wrapping around herself to hide her own chest from view.
Komaru motioned to her body and smiled. “Want me to wash your back?”
Touko blushed and turned her back to him, “I-If you’re going to offer.Sure it’s normal anyway for the younger girl to wash a woman’s back.”
“I’m not that much younger than you.” Komaru whined.
“But you’re young enough.” Touko humphed.
Her body tensed as she felt herself become hyper aware of Komaru. She felt the damp cloth in her hand and the way it felt brushing up at the backs of his shoulders. The warmth of the water and the roughness of the cloth felt amazing on her tired body.
“You don’t seem to have any really big cuts or bruises this time. I was afraid that the beast monokuma may have injured you.” Komaru’s voice was soft and Touko leaned forward pulling her hair over her shoulder, reaching out to grab the shampoo.
Before she could move, arms wrapped around her from her back. For a few moments both girls stayed, just like that.
----
Komaru laid in the darkness and once again stared up at the ceiling. Their clothing was still drying over the shower rod in the bathroom, so they had thankfully searched the closet in their hotel room and found some luggage. There had been a small t-shirt which Komaru and pulled on and a pair of shorts that matched.
It was weird wearing someone’s clothes but it was better than being naked. Turning to the side, Komaru focused on the side of Touko face.
“Touko. Maybe you were right. Maybe we should think about telling Makoto to come get us.” Komaru murmured softly.
Touko turned on her side and reached out grabbing her friend’s hand. “I’m not going to make that decision for you, remember? You can’t ask others to make that choice for you.”
Komaru pressed her forehead to the back of Touko’s hand, “I just don’t want you to be hurt because of me. If something worse would have happened today I could have lost you.”
That was the first time Touko had heard Komaru say something like that. She blinked and stared at the other’s girl’s face through the darkness. They might have their arguments, but they were still close and still friends.
I never thought I’d have room in my heart for anyone other than Master Byakuya, but Komaru fits in there too.
“No matter what you decide I’m sticking with you.” Touko whispered. Komaru smiled and shut her eyes as she squeezed her hand. Touko shifted closer to Komaru and wrapped her arm around the others.
The day had been a bit more hectic than they would have liked, but the important conversation could definitely happen in the morning.