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some-dr-writings · 4 years

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Maki and her protective best friend celebrate her birthday one-shot: Have Your Cake and Eat it Too

The life of an assassin was a rather lonely one, for Maki Harukawa at least. Nothing but hiding and killing people. That was it for the most part. Often times she’d think back to a certain mission that would change her life, the mission that allowed her to just be a person for a while, the assignment that took her to Hope’s Peak Academy. Initially she was just there for work, but in her time looking into her target’s schedule, she got to get to know people, talk, and laugh with others, get roped into others’ silly plans, just have fun with her class. After taking out her target she was supposed to leave, but she stayed. She kept attending as the Super High School Caregiver, for the first time she ignored an order and made a choice for herself. She stayed and made friends. It was by far the best time in her life. She found herself just wanting to be with them, and she fought for it, and it was all worth it. No matter how she longed to return to those days she could never go back though. The moment they graduated it was all over, she had to slink back into the shadows and return to her true work.

At times, she wondered if things could have turned out different though. It is said that all those who attend Hope’s Peak Academy and managed to graduate were guaranteed a great future. Perhaps there she could have made an even bigger change in her life than allowing herself agency. Perhaps she could have gone even farther, find some way to make lots of money to keep her old orphanage running without the need of assassins. Leave her old life behind and make a new one, one where she could keep better contact with her friends. One where she wouldn’t have to worry about their safety if she stayed close to them. Very few of her old friend could she keep around to some extent, but even then, she had to keep them at a great distance and disappear for years on end from them.

Maki never regretted attending Hope’s Peak and staying, never even crossed her mind to consider it. Leaving hurt, but her memories could never be taken away. She could always keep those precious moment close at hand, times she drew strength from like her time at the orphanage. No matter the amount of blood spilled, the constant moving from place to place, hiding and attacking, the paranoia, she always had those memories.

It was rarer, but at times, her missing these times became too much to bear, there was one place she could return to for a week or less to recapture the carefreeness she could never attain anywhere else. A single apartment tucked away in some city, hidden away from the world. It was the perfect place for those who preferred to hide away from one and all.

As Maki approached the apartment, she heard the distinct sound of laughter and something being knocked over. Maki leaped back, the door suddenly slamming open. “Nishishi! Ah! MAKIROLL!” The purple haired gremlin ducked behind her, clutching something. “Protect me with your scary, evil, assassin, murder, death glair!” Maki shoved Kokichi into the wall behind her, slapping a hand over his mouth. “Do you want to die?” Her grip was not tight though, knowing Kokichi was not stupid enough to so loosely say that, he would only do so now knowing no one could be listening in. Even so, her reaction to hearing that was so instinctive. Kokichi managed to slip out from under her hand. “Yeah! That look exactly! Now! I choose you, Maki! Use scary-evil-assassin-murder-death-glair on Y/N!” She looked to the open door, you out of breath, your smile beaming. “Maki!” She didn’t move accepting you tackling her into a hug. “You’re back! You’re back, you’re back, you’re back!” A bright blush instantly erupted on her cheeks as you squeezed her tightly, nuzzling into her. “Oh~ What’s this? Our stoic assassin has a weakness for hugs?” Kokichi hugged her tightly as well, only making the blush on her cheeks darken to a bright red. “D-do you want to die!?” “Maki get’s hugs.” “Maki get’s hugs!”

If Maki could only keep one person from her high school days, she was so glad it was you, her best friend… even if you usually came with Kokichi of all people.

Eagerly you took Maki’s hands, dragging her into the apartment as Kokichi did the same but instead shoving her in. “Aw, this is the best! I didn’t think we’d have you for your birthday!” “My birthday?” As you dashed away into the kitchen Kokichi hopped up, taking Maki’s coat. “Whaaaaa!? You didn’t know today was your own birthday!?” Those crocodile tears came pouring out as he wailed. “Thaaaaaat’s sooo saaaaaaad!” Those tears however abruptly stopped as Kokichi spotted you. “Oh! Cake!” “Happy birthday Maki!” You presented the white frosted cake to her, giving it a twirl before placing it on the island that separated the living room from the kitchen. Kokichi had already scampered off, gathering plates and forks.

So it was February already? Maki hadn’t even noticed. As she sat at the island, watching as you and Kokichi playfully bickered about who was going to cut the cake, you worrying about Kokichi taking a giant piece for himself or some such, Maki wondered how long it had been since she had seen the pair of you. It had been at least little more than a year, she knew that for sure.

“Ugh! Why do I even live with a brat like you anyway?” “You make almost no money and only I do.” “… Damn it!” “Y’know, the offer to join my secret evil organization is still open! Same goes for you miss, evil scary assassin! We could use someone li-” Kokichi’s offer was cutoff by you slamming a hand on the Island, before Kokichi. “Maki is not evil, nor is she scary you monster. Look at her, she’s the definition of adorable!” Maki immediately turned away, nervously playing with her hair. “Not this again.” A light blush dusted on her cheeks knowing what was happening. “Excuse me!? Yes, this again!” You leaned over the table, gently poking her cheek. “Soft squishable cheeks. Big eyes. Little ears. Pouty smile. Get’s flustered easily. Simply adorable!” It seemed every time she came to see you Kokichi would appear at some point and say something to get you to go off on how great, cute, or amazing she was. She’d almost think Kokichi was doing this on purpose specifically to get you to compliment her so much but to Maki this could not be the case. To Maki, Kokchi was a selfish creature. All he did was for his own entertainment so getting you to compliment Maki and fluster her was for Kokichi’s entertainment, not for Maki, she couldn’t understand the dictator’s behavior in any other way.

As you continued to go on how adorable she was Kokichi cut three giant slices of cake for each of you. It was red velvet. It was delicious. She never said anything about it, but… Maki liked it, knowing that at least you and maybe Kokichi were going to celebrate her birthday, even if she likely wouldn’t have been around to celebrate it too. She remembered how despite it happening every year, every time she was surprised when you and the whole class threw a birthday party for her. And yet again the exact same thing has happened, you and others, well, one other, surprising her by celebrating her birthday.

Before Maki knew it, most of the cake was gone and the three of you were making a fort in the living room. “This is stupid. Why are we even doing this?” “What!? Stupid!? Gurl, we’re making our secret base!” Kokichi skipped away to gather more blankets while you were trying to figure out where to place a chair. “Well, you seem to be enjoying yourself, so I think that’s a good enough reason!” “Maybe I am.” Maki acted as your assistant getting blankets and pillows from your room to add to the fort, all the while Kokichi mostly keeping to his room, occasionally popping out and cause chaos, knocking down a wall only for you and Maki to make the fort even bigger and more sturdy. Soon there was nothing else that could be used, and it was a mighty fort indeed.

You and Maki sat huddle inside. You held Maki’ hand, carefully brushing the first coat of nail polish on her nails while Kokichi kept being unable to decide which color Maki should wear… despite you already brushing a color on. “Say, when was the last time you got your nails painted?” “Last time I visited you.” “Three years ago!?” Ah… so that’s how long it’s been. You looked to your dear friend in disappointment. “Maki! You promised me you’d try to do more things for yourself!” “I came here, didn’t I?” “Well, yeah. But you need to take care of yourself more often, not every couple of years!” “I don’t have many chances to do this. I much rather paint my nails with you than on my own.” “…” You were silent, just thinking for a moment. “Was this really the first opportunity you had in three years?” “… No, this isn’t, but this was the only good chance. My next assignment is not too close, no one is following me, I can actually be here.” “Then what about those other times when you can’t get here. Can’t you do even a little something for yourself then?” “I have to focus on work.” “All work and nothing else… well, you’re unfortunately used to that.” “Yeah.” Kokichi groaned as he placed one of the little bottles down. “Geez Maki-dearest-” “Don’t call me that.” “Your life must suck. Why don’t you make a change! Have some fun!” “Shut up, you don’t know why I have to do this… Why I can’t do anything else.” “… Wow, so depressing. Is this why you’re always sulking?” “I don’t sulk!” “Oh, miss sad assassin, I’d almost pitty you if you weren’t heartless.” Kokichi smirked seeing you had tried to hit him with a rolled up magazine. “Maki has feelings, and she expresses them too! She’s just not as loud and obnoxious as SOME people!” “Aw, Y/N, it’s okay. We already know you’re a cry baby, you don’t have to tell us.” Kokichi immediately sprinted out of the fort, you lunging after him for a tussle. “Don’t bother, he’s just trying to get a ruse out of you.” “Yeah! That just makes beating him with a pillow more fun!” Maki couldn’t help but laugh a little seeing you were just as fiery, looking for any excuse to fight as ever. “So, how has the underground wrestling been treating you?” “I won the world championship!” Your eyes sparked with delight as you went on to explaining how it was one of your toughest matches, both you and your opponent trying your best, not holding anything back, even if it meant playing dirty and using weapons or throwing chairs.

And that was how the rest of the day went, just you and Maki happily chatting as you did whatever Maki liked and not often had the chance to do, like playing with make-up or styling her hair. Small little things that Maki so loved and appreciated that so many others got to do without a second thought. All too soon that fun had come to an end though. You had long gone to sleep and would not awaken for another few hours while Maki was up and restless.

Maki looked around the kitchen, searching through cupboard after cupboard till she found where the plastics were kept. She took out a little container and a fork, placing much more money than the cost of the things on the counter in case these were something more expensive than expected. She then cut a slice of cake, placing it in the container, along with the fork. She then stowed it away in the bag she had discarded upon arrival. Collecting that as well as the coat she had all she brought and left.

Upon exiting the building she looked up, finding the sky pitch black, pure white snow gently drifting down mixing and twirling around her frozen breaths which drifted up into the air, getting carried away by the wind, no control as to it’s destination before dissipating into nothing with the air. She pulled on the ends of her coat, hugging herself making it tighter as to be a better shield from the chilled world which surrounded her. With her every step down the sidewalk her lone footfalls echoed, a soft crunching sound of the snow being crushed under the weight of it all as she moved on. Of all seasons, winter had to be Maki’s least favorite, she couldn’t see why so many others found it to be so fun and great. It was just cold to her, nothing else. She sighed, wondering how long this awful snowfall was going to last, there seemed to be no end in sight.

There was hardly any other soul around, it was the early morning hours after all, just a little past midnight in fact. No one would want to be out in this dreadful cold. It was dark out too, making it hard to see. However that did not mean one could not notice some things like sounds that were almost silences by the snow that seemed to blanket everything, even it however could not cover up that distinctive voice. “Awww, you leaving already Maki-bear?” “Shut up. Stop giving me stupid nicknames. What do you want anyway?” That dreaded ‘Nishishi’ laughter rumbled out of him, the smile clear in it’s tone. “Why do you have to be such a meanie! I just want to say goodbye to my big sister!” “I am NOT your big sister!” A sigh escaped him at that response. “You always do this, sneak away when we’re not looking. Is it that hard for you to say goodbye? Don’t want to relive saying goodbye to everyone at our graduation ceremony?” He hummed away for a moment, then spoke, cutting off any response Maki could have made. “Say now that I think about it… You said goodbye to everyone but Y/N and I. It’s because we’re the only ones you knew you could see without putting into danger right? Because we both also specialize in illegal activities and know how to avoid people like you, right? Right!? I’m right, aren’t I! I knew it!” How his tone could so effortlessly change as if turning on and off a light with a single flip of the switch, that must have been one of the things Maki disliked most about the man, only second to how annoying and childish he relished being. His tone went from something somewhat serious to jubilation.

“You know, you can see them again. You don’t have to keep killing yourself. You can have your cake and eat it too!” “What?” Maki instinctively took a step back, hearing Kokichi was drawing nearer. This was a tone Maki had so rarely heard. It was a tone she could never quite place what it was, it was something like serious, but it was more open, light, earnest… who was she kidding, Kokichi could never be honest and open. His embrace was tight and warm. Even with the layers Maki could feel Kokichi’s heart beating next to her’s. “You know just as well as I do that crime can pay. How do you think I can afford an apartment for Y/N and other places around the world for me and my lackies? Join us. Slaving away at something you don’t even like. That’s just cruel torture. I know you can see it, a chance to break free. You can risk it all for a world where you can live a little, laugh, have fun, see everyone again. You can be family and not just on stand by waiting for SOMETHING! You can make a choice! Come with me, leave your cold dead world behind and come join me in the warmth of others. Let yourself love without any walls. Embrace others unabashedly without worry. Join me in a better life… Please. You can’t keep going like this Maki. We could have days like this every day, and we can protect whoever you want. I know you see it, you don’t need to sacrifice them or yourself anymore. No more aching, no more distance. You can let yourself be warm and close with others.”

Suddenly Kokichi pushed himself away. “But why would you believe a liar like me.” There was that childish tone Maki was all too accustomed too. “Whatever, I’m going to draw on Y/N face with marker, I’ve been getting rusty in my graffiti skills.” Then he skipped away. Maki huffed in annoyance, moving on. The hell was that brat saying. This was Maki’s life, she couldn’t move on to something else…

Sitting on the train Maki watched as she was carried away from the little town, the sun begging to rise, it’s golden glow obscured by the dark clouds. Opening her bag Maki found something unexpected. It was the rest of the cake in a container. There wasn’t much cake left anyway, but… Maki shook her head at the notion, the moment she opened the lid it likely would explode or something, Kokichi would do something like that. Maki did indulge on her slice. Even a little piece was better than nothing, leaving it all behind. It’s hard to quit something once you’ve gotten a taste of it after all.

It was a good thing maki left so soon, she was unexpectedly given new work not even an hour later. She was setting up in her new apartment. It was quiet and empty save a few basic necessities, but nothing else. Maki didn’t need anything else anyway. As she unpacked she cautiously placed the cake on some counter. As she took off her coat something fell out of one of the pockets. On one side was an address, and the other it just said ‘If you want to have your cake and eat it too’ followed by a little doodle of Kokichi’s face. This was all just some elaborate prank, it couldn’t be real in the slightest.

And so she continued to unpack though there was not much.

And she did her work.