Chapter Text
As the warm days of summer slowly crawled to an end, class 78 found themselves exhausted after a particularly torturous exam week. The last weeks of late summer had brought with them a final wave of stuffy heat, leading to some hard conditions for both the written, as well as the practical tests. But by now the heavy downpour following the last hurrah of summer had done a lot to cool down the daily temperatures, signaling the beginning of autumn.
It was Makoto, ever the motivated class representative, that brought up the idea of leaving Tokyo over a weekend for a class trip. After collecting ideas and putting them to a vote they landed on a three day camping trip starting on a friday and heading back to Hope's Peak on sunday. While Celeste and Byakuya had been heavily against the idea, finding the idea of camping beneath them, they were quickly ignored, as the rest of the class got excited for their school trip. Preparations were made, tent partners decided and with the headmasters approval off they went.
After almost three hours of riding a train out of Tokyo and another half an hour bus ride they had now arrived at their destination: a decently big camping area in a forest area of Yamanashi prefecture. Following the maps they had been handed at the entrance they entered their designated lots, a decently sized clearing in the woods with multiple designated campfire spots, as the last fully warm rays of the afternoon sun were beaming down at them.
“Everyone! I suggest we set up our tents first, before it becomes too dark to do so! Please find your partner and get to it. If you are finished quickly, see if you can help others!” Takas booming voice commanded as everyone walked over to their chosen classmates.
“Wow, Taka really seems motivated huh?” Chihiro chuckled as Makoto walked over to him, their unbuilt tent in hands.
“I’m pretty sure he just loves being the designated chaperone for this trip.” He laughed awkwardly as he watched Kizakura-sensei, definitely already more inebriated than he should be around highschoolers, struggling to set up his own tent. “I still hope nothing will go wrong though…”
“I’ve been wondering this for a while actually,” Chihiro started, bringing a finger up to his face thinking. “Why aren’t you chaperoning Makoto? Wouldn’t that be your job as class rep?” He carefully read through the instructions for the tent as Makoto laid out all of the parts.
“Hm? Oh I just thought Taka would be better equipped to do this.” He started as he began putting together the metal frame. “And besides he’s still my unofficial vice rep. So I felt like I should- sorry does this part go in here?- should rely on him for something like this.”
“And I’m sure the fact that the position would stop you from enjoying your time here with your girlfriends has nothing to do with it huh?” Chihiro teased, being one of the few classmates who actually knew that the three of them were secretly dating, while securing the two connected bars Makoto held out for him.
“Well… I can’t deny that.” Makoto admitted, slightly miffed, that because of their secret relationship status they would need to keep an appropriate amount of distance the entire time. “Speaking of girlfriends by the way, do you think Celeste will manage the entire trip?” He looked over to the gambler who seemed to currently be struggling with setting up her own tent as Junko, her partner, watched in amusement, rather than help. Celeste had been against going camping for basically the entire decision process. And he was nervous she would blow a fuse at some point.
“I think she’ll manage.” Chihiro flinched as he heard what sounded like metal falling followed by Junko’s laughter, but relaxed as he saw Mukuro walking over to a visibly annoyed Celeste to help, after she had built her own tent in record time without even needing Kyoko’s help. “And if she doesn’t I’ll try and talk to her. Ah! Watch out Makoto, you're standing on the tarp!”
With that almost-accident prevented, the rest of the process went smoothly as they, as well as everyone else, quietly prepared their tent for the weekend.
“You know,” Chihiro started up again as they were setting up their respective sides within the tent, “don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m kind of disappointed that I don’t get to share a tent with Celeste.”
While Makoto knew that there were some very good reasons why boys and girls were forbidden from entering each other's tents, he couldn’t exactly deny that he kind of agreed with Chihiro. “Honestly, I get what you mean. Not that I mind rooming with you. But it kind of defeats the whole purpose of this trip.” He admitted, letting out a sigh.
At Chihiro’s questioning look he continued, “Mukuro was actually really nervous about her talent demonstration this time.” As part of their exams the ultimate students had to physically demonstrate the furthering of their talent in some form twice a year in front of a group of judges in a self chosen way. This time Mukuro had decided to forgo the fake military operation that people had expected of her and had instead decided to do something a bit more abstract. By presenting her own answers to difficult ethical choices from real life battlefields she had tried to showcase the mind and priorities of the Ultimate Soldier. And while her attempt had been highly praised by the examiners, she had been constantly nervous in the weeks leading up to it.
“So Kyoko and I thought about what we could do for her to celebrate.” He shoved his backpack into the corner. “She occasionally mentions that the busy Tokyo life feels a bit stifling for her after essentially surviving out in the wild for multiple years. So we thought a trip like this might do her some good.”
And while he couldn’t be certain, the small satisfied smile she wore earlier while building both her own and Celeste and Junko’s tent told him more than enough about how their plan was working out.
After everyone’s sleeping situation was secured, the sun was already getting close to setting, so the next order of business was to start the campfires. While they obviously weren’t allowed to make open fires, their camping lot had four predesignated firespots and sold pre packaged fire logs, though they were allowed to pick up smaller twigs from the ground if they wanted. So, after all of the campfires had been lit up, this time without Mukuro having to help anyone, the class spread out around the cozy heat of the flames, armed with snacks.
“Seriously Kyoko? You only brought cup noodles?” Makoto asked as the detective sat down on one of the rocks next to him. Less surprised than he probably should have been.
“Why not?” She asked, filling hot water from her thermos into the container. “They’re easy to pack, contain a decent amount of calories and are simple to prepare.”
“Sure,” Mukuro started, clearly more exasperated than Makoto, “but don’t you eat these back at home all the time too? Shouldn’t a trip like this call for some different food for once?”
“Oh please, like you’re one to talk considering your obsession with military rations.” Kyoko challenged.
“Yeah, but I didn’t bring any of these with me.” Mukuro defended, as she silently took some marshmallows Makoto had offered her.
As Makoto and Kyoko continued to stare at her unconvinced she started to crack however. "Okay fiiine, but I only brought one !” She looked mainly at Kyoko as she said this, but turned to Makoto after that, grinning. “Seriously, you should see how many of them she brought. I’m worried her stack in our tent is gonna fall over while I sleep. I’m gonna die by drowning in cup noodles…”
Makoto could only laugh at her joke as Kyoko tried her best at defending herself from Mukuro's accusation, failing miserably.
“Are you having fun though Mukuro? This whole camping trip was for your sake after all.” Makoto asked, as he stoked the flames, listening to the soft cracks of the burning wood.
“Honestly? I’m really glad you had this idea. I haven’t felt this good in forever!” The soft glow of the fire illuminating her face as she locked eyes with them, she started smiling with a hint of sadness. “I know it’s kind of stupid, but living in Tokyo I sometimes feel out of place. Like I’m not needed because the things I do aren’t useful to anyone.” She stopped both of her lovers before they could disagree with her, the sadness now gone from her face. “Don’t worry, you don’t need to tell me how I’m wrong. And besides, I still managed to set up that tent like it was nothing, so I don’t think I have to worry about any of my skills getting rusty.”
Makoto and Kyoko shared a silent look at Mukuro’s confession, and in the end it was Kyoko who broke the silence. “Well, as long as you realize it I guess… Just remember that we’re here for you if you ever feel like you need to talk alright?”
Mukuro nodded in thanks, before turning her head up to look at the night sky, switching the topic. “It’s strange. Out here you can see so many more stars compared to Tokyo, and yet it’s still not even close to the ocean of stars I’ve seen camping out in the desert.”
“With how amazing you make it sound I’m getting kind of jealous.” Makoto chuckled. “Maybe you can show us one day?”
And as conversation easily continued to flow for hours, night slowly crept over the campers, before they decided to retreat to their tents for the night.
“Mukuro?”
"Yes, Kyoko?"
“I didn’t notice it earlier, but is that one of your combat knives in our tent?”
Mukuro turned over in her sleeping bag to look at Kyoko in confusion. “Yes? Is that a problem? I was worried we might need a way to defend ourselves if any wild animals walked into our camp.” A pretty reasonable worry if you asked her.
Kyoko however, just sighed with a hint of amused fondness. “I’m pretty sure a knife of that size is against park regulations. Just make sure neither Taka or Kizakura-sensei see it… also please tell me you haven't brought any actual weapons.”
Mukuro shook her head. “Nah, I thought bringing a rifle was a bit overkill for a two night stay.” She considered telling Kyoko about the axe she had brought just in case but thought better of it.
“By the way, I’m curious Kyoko, this is your first time camping right? How do you like it so far? Think you’ll be able to sleep tonight?”
“Hmm, I can’t say the experience has been unpleasant so far. Could do with a few less bugs maybe.” She shrugged a bit before turning, making eye contact with Mukuro, a small smirk on her face. “I’m enjoying the company a lot though.”
Feeling her cheeks heat up a bit at Kyoko's blatant flirting, Mukuro tried to shoot back, despite her embarrassment. “Well if you ever feel cold tonight feel free to come closer. Sharing body heat is survival 101 after all.”
Kyoko hummed for a moment, as if actually considering it before turning her head to look at the closed flap of the tent. “Is it weird I wish Makoto was here with us?”
Mukuro thought the question over for a moment. Surely the three of them hadn't gotten this codependent by now right? Then again… “Honestly? Me too. Feels kinda wrong somehow.”
Just as she finished those words, as if summoned by her, a shadow moved in front of their tent before “knocking”. Mukuro’s hand stopped its instinctive movement towards her knife when Makoto’s whispered voice came from outside. “Hey you two. It’s me! I, uhm, have a slight problem.”
Once Kyoko got out of her sleeping bag and crawled over to open their tent they were greeted by Makoto awkwardly smiling at them. In only his sleepwear and a hastily put on track jacket, while holding his sleeping bag in hand. “I kind of got kicked out of my tent?”
Kyoko and Mukuro didn’t even need to look at each other before they both nodded at him to come in.
“Explain.” Kyoko said.
“Okay so remember how Celeste has been on edge basically ever since we decided to come here?” he began, before the girls nodded at him to continue. You didn’t exactly need to be a master at reading people to see that Celeste had about a million things she would rather be doing than going camping out in the forest. “Well apparently she reached her breaking point because of Junko’s snoring. So a few minutes ago she turned up at Chihiro and I’s tent and angrily demanded my spot as compensation.” He nervously chuckled at the memory. “So now I kind of don’t have a place to sleep and your tent seemed like the most logical option.”
After a few seconds of silence looming over the trio, it was Kyoko who broke the ice. “Sure, I don’t mind. What about you Mukuro?”
The soldier didn’t even answer verbally as she moved a bit to make space between her and Kyoko, which Makoto quickly moved to claim for himself. Meanwhile Kyoko had taken out her phone. “You should probably make sure that nobody sees you leaving our tent tomorrow, so I’ll send Chihiro a message that you’ll get up early to switch back.”
With that they settled in next to each other, ready to go to sleep. And yet as they closed their eyes, a certain restlessness seemed to spread over all of them. A desire to be even closer, to bask in the warmth of each other. Luckily it was Mukuro's extensive preparation that came in handy.
“I… I brought an extra blanket we could share?” Hearing no objections she crawled over to her belongings, rummaging around for a bit and pulling out the folded up blanket, before getting back in her sleeping bag, throwing it over herself and handing one of the sides to Makoto who passed it to Kyoko so the entire sheet now enveloped all three of them. But despite now being huddled together for extra warmth, there was still one final barrier between them to overcome.
Mukuro was the first to pull down the zipper on her sleeping bag, turning to her side before throwing her arm over Makotos and pushing herself up to him so her head and pillow were lying slightly above his shoulder. On his other side Kyoko had followed Mukuros example and had put her head down with her cheek resting right below his shoulder, forgoing her pillow to use him as a resting place for her head instead, as her free hand came to rest over Mukuro’s, which was lying almost directly over Makoto's heart. And as Makoto used his own arms to loosely hold his girlfriends, all three of them slowly fell asleep to the same thought.
“We should go camping again some time!”