Makoto stepped down the steps of Hope's Peak main building, sighing in relief at the soft breeze that ruffled his hair. He looked to the sky and breathed the sweet, pure air, so light compared to the heavy, stifling air of the classroom, and let slip a small smile. Class had gone well; Junko had even behaved herself throughout the whole thing. He waved off the lingering doubts of how suspicious that was and instead basked in the aftereffects of such well-deserved silence. The class had finally decided on a play after all the bickering; an original that had been written by the Ultimate Playwright a few years back. It was set in medieval Europe; strange, considering they were in Japan, but he supposed it was a nod to traditional storytelling, or something like that. Either way, it was actually really cool, he'd had to admit after reading through the script.
It was a story based around political workings and intrigue in a fictional court, as two sides within the castle fought silently for dominance. Romantic affairs betrayal and even magic made the struggle ever the more complex, as it became harder to discern the good guys from the bad guys. The final twist, he knew, was how one of the young court ladies had really been working with an outside force to take down the castle from the inside. The princess would change sides at the last minute to protect the prince with whom she had fallen for, before dying in his arms. A tragedy, he mused. It was excellently written, but he'd hoped for something perhaps a little lighter in theme. It didn't matter anyway; trying to assign parts had been a nightmare and would take a whole another lesson. Byakuya was intent of being the director, while Toko had been screeching about being a court lady, swooning in the young heir's arms the entire time. Kyouko had surprisingly been squabbling with Byakuya for the place of director and Sayaka stood fast against the idea of taking a major role despite the pleading of the rest of the class because it 'would ruin her image to appear in a negative role'. She was so career focused, Makoto laughed bitterly to himself. With sixteen people in a class, it shouldn't be hard to find a part for everyone, but of course, there were some parts people simply didn't want to play.
He wouldn't mind being something in the background, he mused. Maybe the stableboy? Stableboys were never bad people. Or at least, he's never heard of an evil stable boy. Maybe horses sense evil people? He mused to himself as he waited by the crosswalk for the light to change.
What part would Junko like to play? He wondered as he crossed. She'd remained silent through most of the bickering, only breaking it to mock her sister Mukuro when someone had asked her if she'd like to be the knight. Junko was an incredible actor, he knew, but he doubted she'd want a part; after all, following a script to act out a story you'd have to read a thousand times before? 'How boring!', is what he imagined her saying. She'd probably flick her wrist in that dismissive way, a small smirk dancing on her lips like it does so often.
Or maybe she'd surprise him, standing arrogant and proud as she ungraciously accepted the part. Or maybe she'd sigh and accept in a sombre tone to throw everyone off. Makoto had initially been surprised by the frequency with which Junko had switched between her personalities, but now he just found it funny. It was a lot of fun watching everyone react to them too. Even trying to predict how she'd react had become somewhat of a game to him; though he supposed he should be really a bit more careful and make sure he didn't accidentally upset her. It wasn't like he could really understand what went through her head though; he hadn't learnt much beyond how her obsession with despair worked. What she liked beyond despair, what she disliked, how she felt during tense situations, what she thought when people talked about her, none of that could be deduced because Junko was such a good actor, and her personalities were masks that concealed completely.
Makoto fitted the key in the lock and pushed the door open, taking off his shoes as he did.
"I'm home!" he called out. Silence greeted him and he shrugged; looks like he was the first one home today. Komaru probably had a club on or something. Swinging by the kitchen, he grabbed a snack, then flopped on the living room floor, game controller already in hand.
Junko sighed in annoyance. Honestly, if you'd told her despair could ever be boring even a month ago, she'd probably have stabbed you in the thigh and laughed as you bled out. And yet here she was, back again in this stupid slut's infirmary. The bitch bustled back and forth between cabinets as Junko swung her legs off the edge of the bed. Tsumiki had been her first stop on her mega awesome super despair plan (part 1). Right now, she was kinda regretting that choice. It wasn't that the nurse wasn't sinking and embracing the luscious, beautiful despair that Junko herself loves so much; she was doing that just fine. Junko had scoped her out specially, after all. Tsumiki, with all her self-esteem issues, abandonment issues, mental scars and obsessive nature meant she was all but drowning when Junko had happened upon her, the poor thing. Of course, now Tsumiki knew how to breathe. Rather than overcome, the nurse now embraced the despair. Unfortunately, she'd begun this process by making this nurse fall in love with her and now she was feeling the consequences.
"Ah, Junko! I promise I'll be just a moment my beloved~" the nurse sighed, her voice laced with a mixture of bliss and longing.
"Hurry up, would you?" she replied, bored, twirling one pigtail.
"O-Of course!" Tsumiki chirped in response.
Honestly, manipulating the idiot was so easy. And she thought Makoto had been a breeze. Push, pull, push pull, that's all it took. Pull her in with kindness, flattery, give all the affection she always craved; then ease off, act more and more distant, maybe a touch of cruel, give her what her self-esteem said she deserved. Keep her beaten down, but occasionally give her her moments, maybe a tender touch, a compliment. Always keep her craving, slavering like a beast. A dog on a leash, always waiting for that little treat.
The thought of a dog pulled the image of Makoto into her mind. The ridiculous strand of hair that never stayed down in that mop that passed for a hairstyle, his cheerful demeanour and even his unrelenting optimism. Honestly, even the way the class so easily trained him and sent him off on errands. And you can't forget the stupid way that they loved him so much when he was really nothing but a fool- Focus, Junko. Tsumiki is unstable, never underestimate your opponent, remember. There'll be plenty of room for failure later.
"All finished, my dear!" Tsumiki swooned. Taking a few steps forward, she stopped a few steps away and collapsed at the model's feet, staring up in complete adoration. Drool began to form at one corner of her mouth as she waited with baited breath. Junko turned her head, and their eyes met, one swirling with crudely mixed despair and sanity and the other a clear, piercing blue. Junko's eyes softened as she quietly swept her 'motherly' mask up to cover her face.
"Oh dear, Tsumiki," she crooned softly, reaching out with one perfectly manicured hand. The nurse watched in awe as it approached closer and closer, before stopping before her left cheek. Each perfect, milky white finger extended to brush lightly against the quivering cheek. Junko's thumb brushed Tsumiki's in soft, circular motions. The nurse moaned lightly, moving almost imperceptibly into the motion. Internally, Junko grimaced with disgust. She's so needy, she thought absently, with a hint of revulsion. Of course she was, that was the point, the weak point. A single thought about how glad she was Makoto was as needy as this flashed through her mind before she quashed it. She didn't need that hopeful idiot in her mind right now. This was despair time; her favourite time. She didn't need it invaded by him and his abhorrent hope.
It was no use. The moment was gone, and all she felt was the emptiness and the weight of a drooling nurse in one hand. She stared down at the girl, whose eyes were all but rolling in her head, and felt nothing but dissatisfaction.
"Alright!" she snapped. "That's enough." She pulled her hand back and let the girl in front of her all but curl in a ball feeling for the warmth left from her touch. Pulling herself off of the bed, she stretched her long legs before striding to the door. She paused at the entrance, twiddling her hair in her hand still.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Tsumiki," she purred and then left, leaving the nurse spluttering on the floor behind her.
Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! I'll be updating a little faster here than AO3 until you guys are all up to date. This is a slow updating story, but for now, you'll get a chapter every couple of weeks or so.