Sweetest Thing

by taitofan

Rated T

Disclaimer: I don't own NDRv3 or its characters.

Author's Note: This has a spoiler for Maki's talent, but otherwise it's AU fluff and a companion piece to my fic Sugar. Happy Valentine's Day!

If you have any CC, please share and I'll listen. Please read, review, and enjoy! Finished 02-14-17

Shuuichi stared down at the lump in front of him. It was chocolate. Probably. He was pretty sure it was supposed to be a heart, but he wasn't really positive. Saihara had been written in white icing over the probably-a-heart-likely-chocolate lump, so at least there was something about the whole thing that he was sure about—it was definitely for him.

"Ah, Saihara got so much Valentine's chocolate! I'm jealous!" Shuuichi hadn't even heard Kokichi enter the classroom, which was odd, as his boyfriend wasn't exactly quiet. More odd was that they hadn't walked to class together. Shuuichi had waited outside Kokichi's dorm room as he usually did, but he'd received no answer and had headed to class on his own. But Kokichi just sat down in his seat next to Shuuichi with a grin on his face, as if nothing was amiss. Shuuichi decided not to comment on all the heart shaped boxes he threw on the ground beside him. Apparently, they were both quite popular. "Should I be worried you might pick one of those reserve course girls over me?"

"Don't be ridiculous." Shuuichi was so uninterested in the girls—and boys for that matter—who had given him chocolates that he hadn't even blushed after the first few that were shoved in his face by stammering reserve course students. "I only care about yours, Ouma. It's very unique."

"Mine? You mean that ugly thing?" Kokichi giggled and sneered as he looked at the misshapen heart. "What makes you think I made that?"

"You're really asking me that? Ultimate Detective aside, I'm your boyfriend." He pointed to the heart's icing. "This is your handwriting. Just look at how the first character is written—you always flair the end of that stroke more than needed. And there's the fact you were missing this morning. I can't imagine why you wouldn't walk with me to class on Valentine's Day unless it was so you could come in here and leave this on my desk. And lastly…" He picked up the top of the box the chocolate had been in. "…this checkerboard pattern on the wrapping is the same as your scarf, and the purple ribbon matches your eyes. It's has Kokichi Ouma all over it."

Kokichi looked like he was about to lie, but at Shuuichi's firm stare, he sighed and slumped in his chair, muttering, "Of course I had to fall for a detective…" Honestly, Shuuichi was pretty sure anyone could have figured that his boyfriend had given him chocolate, but he wasn't up to arguing the point. "…Do you like it?"

Shuuichi turned to the chocolate. It really wasn't very pretty to look at. He broke off a bit and put it in his mouth—it was… perfectly fine. A little too sweet for his tastes, but just the way Kokichi liked his chocolates. On White Day, it was the sort of thing he'd give to Kokichi. He broke off another piece and popped it into Kokichi's mouth before he could protest.

"Oh, it's tastes okay." Kokichi sounded so shocked by that, and Shuuichi couldn't help but chuckle. "I've never made chocolates before, you know, so I wasn't sure…"

Around them, more students came into the room, but Shuuichi saw no one but his adorable, blushing boyfriend. He grabbed one of Kokichi's hands, bringing it to his mouth to place a kiss on his knuckles. He wondered if the members of DICE had ever seen their leader such a blushing mess before.

"Ou—Kokichi, I love it. Thank you so much. Your chocolate is better than everyone else's combined." When it looked like Kokichi might protest, he shook his head with a fond smile. "The Ultimate Chocolatier could have made me a present, and yours would still be better, because the person I love made it for me."

Neither had used the term before, but Shuuichi had said it without even thinking about it. Was it too soon? They'd only been together since Christmas. It was, wasn't it? He hoped Kokichi wouldn't be mad and—

"I-I love… I love Shuuichi too." The mumbled reply was almost too quiet to hear as most of the class had arrived, but it still rang loud and clear in Shuuichi's ears.

Then Kaede came over, upset about something, and presented her homemade chocolates to Kokichi, and that was as far as they were able to take their conversation for the time being. But that was fine. He had a wonderful boyfriend and a sugary sweet chocolate lump, and it was by far the best Valentine's Day he'd ever had.

"…You're sure about this?"

"Kiibo, for the hundredth time, yes."

It didn't seem to matter how many times Rantarou said it, Kiibo still couldn't believe that his feelings were returned. When he'd asked Kirumi to make chocolates to give to his friend and crush, he never expected his feelings to be returned. He was, after all, a robot, and Rantarou was the most popular boy in their year. The amount of chocolates he'd received from reserve course students was probably more than most of the other boys combined.

Kiibo didn't know what it was about the Ultimate Luck students that attracted such attention, but he couldn't deny that he'd fallen for it too. At least he didn't have to worry about Rantarou going off and dating one of the students in the reserve course, as the third years' Ultimate Luck had. Well, hypothetically he didn't.

"But I'm a—"

"Kiibo, please." It was a little amazing, seeing Rantarou, who was almost so laid back and easygoing, with a bright red face and flustered appearance. "If you don't believe me, ask Akamatsu how often your name comes up every week when I give her a manicure. She'd probably say something like, "Oh Kiibo, you wouldn't believe it. He never shuts up about how much he wishes he could spend more time with you!" And Akamatsu wouldn't lie, would she?"

Kiibo almost pointed out that Kaede had just tried to lie about who her Valentine's chocolates were for a few hours prior, but he decided against it. Rantarou really spoke often of him? In such a positive light? The thought was a little overwhelming!

"I apologize. It just all seems rather far-fetched. You're so popular, and for good reason! You're cool and mysterious and very handsome and still kind to everyone, even robots! You could have anyone, so why would you pick me?"

Kiibo didn't really have an idea what reaction he'd get, but incredulous staring and then borderline hysterical laughter really wasn't it. He crossed his arms and pouted; he didn't see what was so funny!

"I'm so sorry Kiibo," Rantarou managed to apologize through his laughter, "but the thought of all of those things applying to me, when you're the Ultimate Robot is just too much! How much cooler and mysterious can you get? I'm just a guy who won a lottery. If I hadn't been so lucky, I'd still be at home with my twelve sisters, having teachers look down at me because I wear too much jewelry and have too many piercings. I might be popular here, but trust me, I didn't have many friends before I came to Hope's Peak."

That thought was terribly sad. Not just because Kiibo liked Rantarou, but because Rantarou was a nice, caring guy and the thought of him being an outcast seemed terribly wrong. And now he'd gone and said things that brought up bad memories! How terrible he was to bring up such upsetting things on Valentine's Day! And when they'd only been boyfriends for a matter of hours!

"Amami, please forgive me. I didn't mean to make you think about those things." Tentatively, he held out his arms and moved in closer. This was how boyfriends hugged, right? He just had to loop his arms around Rantarou's neck and…

And he was a little short for that, but he got up on the toes of his metallic shoes and reached the height to comfortably hug Rantarou, laying his head on Rantarou's shoulder. In no time at all, he felt arms wrap around him, pulling him in close. Kiibo had no idea how comfortable that could possibly be, but if Rantarou liked it, maybe it was time he stopped questioning things and just let them happen.

"There's nothing to forgive," Rantarou assured him. He placed a kiss to the top of Kiibo's head, among his soft synthetic hair. Kiibo felt the circuits in his face heat up. "Just stay with me and stop doubting yourself, okay? I want us to get closer, Kiibo. Don't shut me out because you think I belong on some pedestal. I really don't."

Kiibo nodded, allowing himself to get lost in the feeling of Rantarou's embrace. He was going to have to give Kirumi a very nice thank you gift for helping him get that far.

"Himiko?"

Said girl didn't raise her head from her girlfriend's lap, content to lay there and allow Tenko to idly feed her chocolates. She mumbled around one with strawberry crème inside, "Yeah?"

"Tenko is very glad Toujou and Akamatsu found their love together! It's just too bad those boys had to go and ruin it by being such a spectacle!"

Himiko would have rolled her eyes if it hadn't been so much effort. Tenko had said similar things at Christmas time when Shuuichi and Kokichi had an impromptu confession during homeroom that lead to one crying Ultimate Supreme Leader, one Ultimate Detective kissing him with a full audience, and one Ultimate Aikido Master complaining all day that her romantic Christmas holiday was tainted by the boys.

Of course, she'd still clapped for both couples with a smile on her face, so Himiko really didn't believe that she was all that upset.

"Don't so many of the boys in our class dating other boys mean there are less girls getting "harassed" by boys?" Himiko cracked one eye open when Tenko didn't respond right away, and much to her amusement, Tenko looked enthralled by that answer.

"Yes! Himiko is so smart! If the boys have to start dating, at least they're dating each other!" Himiko wisely didn't bring up Kaito and Maki. Though if Kaito were stupid enough to ever hurt the Ultimate Assassin, he really had it coming. "Still, none of them can beat the best couple in school!"

"Us?" Himiko asked, biting down on the next chocolate placed against her lips. Chocolate truffle. Nice.

"Us!"

Himiko smiled and opened her eyes fully, taking in the beautiful sight of her girlfriend pumping her fists in the air. God, she loved Tenko so much, even with all the effort it took to keep up with her.

In the end, she decided that the energy it took to sit up and place a sugary kiss to Tenko's lips was totally worth it.

Classes were over, and so too was the thrill of Valentine's Day. Well, perhaps thrill was too strong a word. Kaede thought it had been rather nerve-wrecking, but she had come out of it with a girlfriend, so it wasn't all bad.

"Akamatsu, surely watching me clean isn't very fun."

Kaede stayed in class after everyone left, watching Kirumi tidy up the room. They were supposed to take turns, but Kirumi always insisted she be allowed to take care of it herself. After all, not only was it her talent, but she enjoyed it. And, Kaede was sure, students like Kokichi and Himiko were more than happy to never have to take a turn.

"I'd help you if you'd let me." Kirumi laughed politely, and Kaede knew that meant no way. "Hey, Toujou… Do you think maybe when we're alone, we could use our given names?"

Kirumi paused in her sweeping, sending Kaede a stare filled with an emotion she just couldn't pinpoint. Was it such a strange request? Tenko and Himiko used their first names exclusively, and she heard Kokichi and Shuuichi do it when they were alone, or at least lost in their own little world. Or was it too soon to be asking that? She'd never dated anyone before, much less someone as cool and refined as Kirumi. She really had no idea.

"…If that's what you'd like, Kaede, I have no problems with that." Hearing Kaede fall from Kirumi's lips was like music to her ears, and she smiled bashfully. "We can go at the pace you're comfortable with. You may call me Kirumi at any time, not just when we're alone. But if that's too much too soon, Toujou is fine as well."

Hearing that Kirumi would let her set the pace filled her with a pleasant warmth that spread from her head to her toes. Kirumi was just so considerate…!

"Okay, but if I do anything you think is too fast, tell me, okay? We're both in this together, and you deserve to be just as comfortable as I do, Kirumi."

Then something happened that Kaede had never before witnessed—Kirumi's cheeks flushed a pretty pink. It was adorable and Kaede thought her heart might explode.

"A-ah, yes, of course. Thank you." Kirumi turned away, and Kaede almost had time to feel bad about flustering her, when she turned back, thrusting a heart-shaped box in Kaede's face. "Forgive me, I've had this all day, but the time never seemed right to give it to you. I don't want you to think I didn't make you anything though, so please except it."

It sounded to Kaede as if Kirumi had been too shy to give her a present in front of the whole class, but surely that couldn't be true, right? And even if it were, Kaede didn't want to embarrass her by pointing it out, so she accepted the box with an excited smile and hugged it to her chest.

"Thank you! But the chocolates we made together went to Kiibo, right? When did you make these?"

"…In the morning, before you asked me for help."

Kaede's eyes lit up, and she set the box down carefully, only to fling herself into her girlfriend's arms. The broom clattered to the floor as Kirumi's arms automatically went around her waist. Kaede nuzzled their cheeks together affectionately.

"You really do like me!"

"Of course I do." Kirumi shook her head, though her small smile told Kaede that she was more amused by the question than anything. "Kaede, may I show you just how much I've wanted to be with you?"

Kaede nodded eagerly, closing her eyes in preparation of what was to come. Sure enough, Kirumi's lips were soon on hers, and Kaede didn't think she'd ever get sick of kissing her girlfriend.

It took a long time before Kirumi finished cleaning the classroom, but neither girl could bring themselves to care.