Lee!Korekiyo Ler!Gonta maybe? 👀
Of course! I’m sorry I didn’t see this so that’s why it’s a bit late!
Like A True Gentleman!
(Couldn’t find one with just the two of them so here’s this! ^^)
Chapter Four Spoilers below the cut!
Summary: Gonta sees a certain masked anthropologist feeling down. Like a true gentleman, he decides to help out!
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It was…normal. Here in the Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles, the regular chaos of the academy outside of the game in full swing.
Usually by this point in the day there were all sorts of things going on, Kirumi was making lunch while Shuichi and Kaede sat next to each other, eating. Kokichi was around slipping fake bugs into food as a prank while Tenko was sitting with Angie and Himiko, listening to Himiko talk about her magic.
Ryoma and Tsumugi were helping Kirumi while Rantaro was merely observing with his usual enigmatic smile and near Kaede and Shuichi, a certain gentle entomologist sat looking concerned, looking around the cafeteria, Shuichi, noticing his friend’s concerned gaze, decided to speak up.
“Is something the matter, Gonta?” Shuichi spoke up, Kaede also looking over as Gonta looked over and smiled sheepishly, one large hand moving to the back of his head, “Ah, Gonta is okay! But Gonta wonder…where Kiyo?” He murmured, looking around and the other two seemed to notice the same, looking around.
“That’s a good question. Where is Kiyo?” Kaede stood up with a concerned expression and Kokichi, who had overheard, perked up with his usual mischievous grin, “Oh Creepy Face? He’s been sulking in his lab all day! No clue why.” Kokichi hummed and snuck off to prank an unsuspecting Rantaro next while the three exchanged glances.
“In his lab..? That’s not like him.” Shuichi murmured, looking down at his food, “Should we go check on him?” He looked at Kaede who nodded firmly, “Yeah, let’s go. We’ll be right back, Gonta!” Kaede smiled as the pair stood up and left, “Oh, okay! Good luck!” Gonta called after them with a smile before his focus was torn away and to a butterfly that landed on his tray.
~*~
“Kiyo?” Kaede murmured as she knocked on the door to the Ultimate Anthropologist’s Research Lab, Shuichi right behind her and Korekiyo opened the door a fraction, peeking out, “Ah…Akamatsu, Saihara. What brings you two here?” He opened the door slightly wider but didn’t let them in.
“Sorry to bother you, Kiyo, but we couldn’t help but notice you weren’t at breakfast. Kokichi said you’ve been in your lab all morning. Is everything okay?” Shuichi stepped forward this time, eyes concerned and Korekiyo chuckled.
“Kehehe…I am fine. No need to worry yourselves with me.” Korekiyo spoke in his usual raspy voice while Kaede and Shuichi exchanged glances, “Are you sure? You know we’re here to help, right? This whole killing game nonsense has been getting to everyone here. It’s okay to talk about it…” Kaede murmured.
“I am fine, Kaede. Thank you both for your concern however.” Korekiyo smiled under his mask and Shuichi lifted his hand, opening his mouth to speak only for him and Kaede to have the door shut in their faces and they exchanged worried glances as, although the anthropologist was guarded and strange, he was never…like this. But respecting their friend’s boundaries, they turned and left, returning to the dining hall.
~*~
“Oh! Did friends find Kiyo?” Gonta looked up with a hopeful expression as Kaede and Shuichi re-entered, the others looking over too, “Yeah! Did you find him? Is he mopin’ like Kokichi said?” Kaito spoke up with a grin while Kaede and Shuichi exchanged glances again.
“Yes, we found him but he doesn’t want to talk, I don’t think. We asked him if he was okay a couple times and he shut the door in our faces.” Kaede huffed softly and Shuichi nodded in agreement, “Oh dear…he really must not be feeling well…maybe we should leave him be?” Tsumugi murmured softly, concerned.
“Yes that would probably be for the best, everyone. Korekiyo will come out when he is ready. For now let us just hope for the best.” Kirumi spoke with a gentle smile as she was helping Rantaro with his tea, the amnesiac nodding in agreement.
“Alright…” Kaede murmured as she returned to her spot with Shuichi but Gonta didn’t look convinced, he still seemed worried for some reason but didn’t voice it, Shuichi cast a concerned glance sideways but didn’t comment, knowing how much Gonta cared for his friends and how much something like one of the being upset enough to shut everyone else out was bothering him.
“Gonta…be right back..” Gonta murmured as he stood, collecting his tray and exiting the room, throwing his trash away on the way out, the rest of the cafeteria exchanging knowing or worried glances but no one said anything, breakfast returning to normal but with an underlying tension or worry for their friends.
Meanwhile Gonta was headed back to his room, quickly going there and to his desk, pulling out a pen and notebook from his desk and beginning to write in his shaky scrawl since he was still learning how to write, he wrote Korekiyo a note, ‘Korekiyo…want to come to Gonta’s research lab for tea..?”
The note read, once the gentle giant was satisfied with it, he stood, left his dorm room and walked to Korekiyo’s, sliding the note under his door, knowing the anthropologist would get to it eventually tonight as he had to leave his research lab to go to sleep.
Once that was finished Gonta hurried to make preparations, he went to the kitchen and got a kettle, two mugs and some tea and then went to his research lab and very gently corralled the bugs back into their enclosures, leaving only the non-harmful ones like butterflies, moths, some worms and other insects out.
Once that was all finished Gonta plopped down to sit cross legged on the grassy floor of his research lab, his cup held up ever so gently in his hands as he waited there with a proud smile and an excited twinkle in his eye.
~*~
Today has been a dreadfully long day, all the masked boy wanted to do was go back to his dorm and unwind, later that night once everyone had retired for the night Korekiyo then deemed it safe to leave his research lab without being bothered on his way to his dorm.
He walked through the silent halls, the Monokubs nearby seeing him and waving but wisely not interfering, gestures that Korekiyo returned with polite nods. He walked through the halls, outside to the courtyard and into the dorm building, going to his dorm and inside where he then spotted the note that Gonta left for him.
Intrigued, he picked it up. Reading it over and his brow furrowed slightly before he chuckled behind his mask, “Kehehe…I suppose I could indulge..” he mused, gingerly setting the note on his desk inside before he turned and walked back out, now on the way to Gonta’s research lab.
~*~
Gonta was starting to grow sleepy, sitting in his research lab for hours waiting for Korekiyo to show up and he was starting to lose hope, when a familiar knock came on the door and he perked up instantly, forgetting his sleepiness, “Gonta coming!” He called out and stood, moving quickly towards the door and opening it.
Indeed, there stood Korekiyo who looked curious, “You invited me for tea, Gonta?” He spoke in his typical raspy voice and Gonta nodded eagerly, “Gonta did! Come in!” He stepped aside to let the other boy in and he stepped inside, looking around with mild interest before his gaze settled back on Gonta as the larger male moved to sit.
Gonta picked up the two cups he had brought and filled one of them with the tea from the kettle, holding it out to Korekiyo who took it with a grateful nod and took a seat across from Gonta, sipping from it. “Gonta hear…that Korekiyo not feeling okay…what wrong?” Gonta murmured as he sipped from his own cup, holding it steady with both gentle hands while the bugs around them moved silently.
“Ah so this is what this was about…I assume Shuichi and Kaede told you?” Korekiyo mused and Gonta nodded, “Gonta sorry…but he worried about friend..” Gonta murmured, fidgeting with the rim of his cup and Korekiyo sighed, straightening up and setting his tea down.
!!SPOILERS!!
“It is nothing, Gonta…it’s just..I had a sister before…this game. I loved her, you see. We had something…truly special. But she died…she lives within me now, guiding me and loving me however today was the anniversary of her death so I have been in mourning.” Korekiyo murmured as he explained and Gonta’s expression softened.
“Oh…Gonta sorry, Kiyo…” Gonta murmured but before Korekiyo could say anything like ‘it’s okay’, Gonta set his cup down and pulled the smaller boy into a tight hug which made Korekiyo’s eyes widen, looking down at Gonta, “Loss is…not good. Gonta had to leave wolf family in woods to get back to society…Gonta understand…” he murmured and Korekiyo closed his eyes and placed a bandaged hand on his back, the two just sitting in silence like that for a bit.
After a bit Gonta pulled back to give him space and Korekiyo righted his uniform and hat before picking his teacup back up, as did Gonta and the two fell into an easy conversation about anything and everything, it was going well and good, until suddenly a little something happened.
A blue and black butterfly landed on Korekiyo’s shoulder, its wings moving back and forth gently, fluttering softly and Korekiyo stiffened but Gonta didn’t seem to notice and perked up, “Oh, friend like you!” Gonta exclaimed eagerly, watching the butterfly but Korekiyo seemed to have an entirely different reaction to the small insect, not wanting to bat it away as that would upset the giant across from him but it was becoming…really hard.
The butterfly’s wings just so happened to be right under his ear and they were brushing gently against it and the space underneath with every gentle flutter, creating a strange yet distantly familiar feeling that made him want to laugh though he pushed it down and fought the urge not to squirm.
“Indeed…it-it is rather beautiful, G-Gonta…” Korekiyo agreed however wasn’t able to keep the ever slight tremor out of his voice, something that, thankfully, Gonta didn’t seem to notice, “That is pipevine swallowtail! Pretty friend!” Gonta cheerfully spoke and Korekiyo smiled shakily and nodded thickly, tensing even further when more of the delicate insects grew curious at the new person in the enclosure and flew over to land on him.
All was going well at first, he managed to stay mostly still and maintain a composed facade while Gonta was fawning over him and how his bugs liked him, until something long, thin and slimy crawled up under his shirt to inch over his skin and he jolted, falling backwards into his back which briefly scared off the butterflies but they quickly returned.
A muffled gasp of laughter escaped Korekiyo which he quickly tried to muffle, the offender being a curious worm that inched its way into his shirt which he was now trying and failing to remove through the effort of keeping down his raspy chuckles.
“Kiyo!” Gonta exclaimed, concerned as he saw what was happening and thought they were hurting him, “I save you!” He spoke and moved forward, prodding and scratching at Korekiyo’s torso, feeling for the worm but that only seemed to make it worse as Korekiyo curled in on himself with a raspy wheeze.
“G-Gonta..! I-I am fine! I a-assuhuhure yohohou!” Korekiyo managed to gasp out but his raspy wheeze quickly morphed into a rare, quiet squeal, “Gohohonta please! I muhuhust insihihist-!” Korekiyo began, speaking through raspy laughter when suddenly it finally dawned on the gentle giant what was happening and he grinned widely.
“Kiyo ticklish!” Gonta grinned before starting to tickle him properly though still gently, scratching lightly at his ribs while the other hand moved under his coat and shirt to both prod at the skin directly and to try to find the worm, Korekiyo’s laughter remaining at raspy, wheezy laughter, soft yet genuine.
“G-Gohohonta plehehease!” Korekiyo wheezed, curling in on himself and squirming, Gonta laughing softly alongside him while the bugs in the enclosure fluttered around them, the fireflies lighting up the space and illuminating the heartfelt scene before them.
“Okay, okay! Gonta done!” Gonta smiled and slowed his fingers to a stop, allowing the other boy to crawl away to catch his breath. Korekiyo laid there in the grass for a moment before managing to get out through his breathing and lingering titters, “T-Thank you, Gonta. I needed that..” the zipper of his mask curved upwards into a slight smile and Gonta beamed.
“Of course! Gonta always happy to help friends!” Gonta exclaimed and Korekiyo chuckled, feeling lighter than he had in days.
(Awwh this one was so fun to write! Thank you for your request @tinytriumphheart ! Sorry again for the tardiness! ^^’)
