request by Shiranai Atsune

togami x fem! naegi

(very hetero, very pg)

"I don't associate with commoners," Togami hisses when Naegi tries to approach him. Naegi only frowns, stepping closer.

"Don't you want to be friends?" Naegi's voice is soft, compassionate. Togami glares at the girl, who in turn flinches at his harsh gaze.

"I don't need friends. I'm Togami Byakuya-friends are useless to such a accomplished person like me." Naegi seems unconvinced.

"Everyone needs a friend, Togami."

"Not me." With that being said, he walks off, leaving Naegi to stare at his retreating figure.

Friends, he thinks. Useless.

Still, he can't get the image of Naegi staring at him hopefully, almost like she was confident they would become closer.

He didn't need anyone in this horrific school. He'd prove her, and everyone else, wrong.

"Hey!" Togami stops his walk around the halls and turns around to see Naegi, again.

"What do you want?" He asks, clearly annoyed, and if Naegi has any amount of social intelligence she would understand, but it's obvious she doesn't. On the other hand, she seems ready to burst of happiness, probably because he actually bothered to stop and listen (only a little) to someone as dim-witted and useless as her.

"Can I join you?"

"No."

"Please?"

"Like I said earlier, no. Are you deaf?" The annoying, unintelligible girl doesn't seem perturbed, and moves to stand besides him.

"Nope!" She's just so cheerfully dense, or maybe she just chooses to ignore his words. Both were equally likely.

For the time being, he'll allow it. He's bored, and there's nothing more to it. He is not some friendship starved fool-Togami Byakuya uses people like chess pawns, and Naegi Mikoto is no exception.

"Fine," he mutters to the delight of Naegi, who gets this foolishly bright grin on her face.

It's so bright Togami has a notion to look away.

Not that he'd ever tell Naegi, of course.

By the time the first murder occurs, Togami's already used to the idea of Naegi, or rather, used to her always spending time with him.

Naegi is heartbroken, though, devastated.

"But Sayaka...she was alright when she asked me to switch rooms... How could it end like this?" Naegi's words were hopeless, devoid of the usual cheeriness she exuberated. "Don't you believe me?"

All evidence pointed at Naegi. Maizono had died in her room, and her body was there. The fact the Monokuma File wrote Naegi's room as the place of death only cemented it.

But Naegi... Togami had a hard time even imagining Naegi would do such a thing.

"I believe you," he told the sniffling girl. "You're too soft to murder someone, and far to emotionally weak to go through with it." Naegi's damp mood lit up.

"I'm glad you at least believe me!" She cheers. "I wish Sayaka hadn't died, but after what you told me, I think she'd want me to move on and solve her murder. Thank you."

"I didn't do anything," Togami mutters, rubbing the back of his head. Praising him for telling her she was weak... What a strange girl.

"Let's go talk to the others, and figure out this case!" As always, Naegi's enthusiasm surpassed anyone else's.

When Togami didn't see Naegi for a few hours since the day begun, there was the slightest bit of worry creeping into his mind.

Did she get murdered? Was her weak stature finally the end of her?

Shut up. Togami didn't need to worry about that silly girl, the commoner unparalleled to his superiority. He wasn't worried, not at all. Naegi was another pawn in his arsenal of tools, another thing to be tossed away when she outgrew her use.

Did she ever have a use? Togami's logic ran to a dead end. Was she ever useful? Why did you keep her around?

"Shut up," he seethed. His mind, as brilliant as it was, was too good at picking apart his lies. Naegi Mikoto; useless, purposeless, still hanging around with him.

Was. She was with him. Now, she's gone and Togami feels at a loss. Where is she?

He shuts the book he was reading. He can't focus on the words on the page, mocking him. The kanji seems to be some foreign language-he's been reading the same page for a few minutes.

Just as he opens the door to leave the library, his eyes meet Naegi's.

"Togami! I was looking for you. Sorry for not saying anything, I've been hanging out with Kyouko." Naegi gives him a sheepish grin, and it's only then Togami's eyes wander to deep lilac ones. She gives him a curt nod in return, and he shifts his head slightly to acknowledge her existence.

Kirigiri Kyouko, as he recalled, solved most of the cases. If he had to guess her talent, it would be something along the lines of Crime Analysis, or maybe Detective. She was probably the only one who could come close to matching his intelligence.

And yet, Kirigiri was the one who Naegi had grown so close to in the timespan of a few hours.

No, Togami wasn't jealous. He had everything, be it money, women, or luxuries.

But he didn't have Naegi.

He pretends not to notice Naegi's worried stare.

It's so mind-numbingly despairing in this kind of situation. There seemed no escape from Monokuma's grasp.

In spite of everything, the murders, what state the outside world is in, Naegi stills manages to be positive.

Of all people, Naegi should have been the first to break down. But she didn't, and now she's the one who spreads hope to their hopeless classmates.

Togami is still surprised Naegi talks to him. He thought the girl wouldn't be able to handle his harsh remarks.

How wrong he was. How wrong everyone was, because the shy girl who couldn't handle the sight of a dead body at first was the one pushing everyone on.

It's admirable, in a sense. Still not as admirable as Togami, because Naegi was still dumb, foolish, and without status.

But he has to admit, Naegi is someone he wouldn't mind being with for the rest of his life.

Not that he loved her, merely she was a presence tolerable. That was it, really, truly.

"Togami?" He looked at the girl, who had stopped flipping through the pages of a book.

"Yes?"

"If I was in a bad situation, would you stay with me?" What a foolish question from a foolish girl.

"Would you?" There's nothing wrong in testing her loyalties, though.

"O-of course!" Naegi flushes, though from what Togami can't tell.

"Then I would." He turns back to his book, and out of the corner of his eye he can see Naegi beaming.

"Let's get out of this school together," she announces.

Together, Togami thinks. He surpresses a small smile at the word. Together.

Enoshima Junko is the mastermind.

Was. Enoshima Junko was found guilty in her trial, and was executed.

Now, the remaining students stand by the door. Naegi, in the middle, clutches a button.

They've done it. Naegi's done it. They're going to get out of this school, and though there were sacrifices, too many, they're alive.

Togami sends a silent farewell to the students far gone, something he would've never done way back when everything was just about money and pride.

"Are you ready, Naegi?"

"You can call me Mikoto," she replies, fiddling with the button.

"Then call me Byakuya." Naegi-Mikoto flushes a bit.

"Byakuya."

"Mikoto."

"Stop your flirting!" Hagakura yells. "Let's get outta here!"

"I wasn't-I wasn't flirting!" Byakuya smirks.

"Let's go." Mikoto nodded, and pushed the button with a swift motion.

The 78th class watched, hope in their eyes, as the door opened.