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Something’s.. different. Kaito can feel it.
It couldn’t be anything in their house, could it? No. There’s no new furniture, no new decorations, no new clothes.
Nothing with the cat, either. Didn’t get a haircut or anything. He pets her as he thinks.
Something’s different. Not wrong, but definitely different. He just can’t shake the feeling of the typical, mundane normalcy being disrupted.
Then he looks over to Kokichi, sitting at the windowsill in his cute little gardening apron, watering the growing plants.
It’s gotta be him, right? Nothing else has changed. But.. what exactly about him? He doesn’t look out of the ordinary..
“Kai-chan,” Kokichi says, snapping him out of his thoughts. “I get that I’m gorgeous and wonderful, but you don’t have to ogle so much.”
Kaito blinks. “..Er, sorry, it’s just..” He starts. “Is something different?”
“Different?” Kokichi parrots, tilting his head to the side in confusion. “Whaddya mean?”
Then he leans against the door frame, and the conclusion hits Kaito instantly.
Kokichi’s grown.
When you see someone every day, you don’t notice things like height and weight changing, until it’s extremely obvious. Like now.
Kaito stands from his spot on the couch, to see if his suspicions are correct. Kokichi looks confused as Kaito makes his way over to him. Kaito ignores his expression and tests his theory.
..Yep. Standing next to Kokichi like this, Kaito can definitely tell that he is taller. Closer.
Just how much did he grow? He knows it would have been hard to tell, living together and all, but how didn’t he notice?
Kaito smiles. This is kind of.. endearing. Kokichi has been short for the entire time he’s known him, and even though this isn’t much of a change, it’s still.. cute. He’s how old now, and he’s just hit his growth spurt? He chuckles.
“Are you going to tell me why you’re acting so weird, or are you just going to stand there and smile like an idiot?” Kokichi teases, poking Kaito’s cheek with his gloved hand. Kaito’s smile grows and he ruffles Kokichi’s hair, now noticing that he doesn’t have to reach down as far to do it.
“You’re taller!” Kaito beams, suddenly picking Kokichi up and spinning him around. Kokichi squeaks.
“Put me down, you big oaf! I gotta finish watering your dumb plants!” He laughs, teasingly smacking Kaito’s chest until he does so. “..Am I really?”
“Yeah! Wait, shit, lemme measure you.”
Kokichi rolls his eyes as Kaito scrambles to find a measuring tape. He returns quickly, beckoning for Kokichi to stand against the wall so he can measure. Kokichi does so reluctantly, shaking his head with a smile.
“This is dumb,” He says, giggling. “I don’t feel taller.”
Kaito hums, pulling the yellow measuring tape over Kokichi’s body. Lo and behold, it reads 5’3.
“You sure?” He gloats, showing Kokichi the number. Kokichi gapes for a moment before scoffing with a smile.
“I only grew a few inches,” He laughs. “You’re acting as if I’m taller than you.”
“You wish,” Kaito grins. “I’ve grown, too. I don’t think you’re ever gonna pass me at 6’4.” He thinks for a moment. “Or even 5’5, for that matter.”
“Hey!” Kokichi huffs. “Mean. I’ll totally grow. You’ll see.”
“Sure, darlin’.” He wipes some dirt off of Kokichi’s cheek with his thumb, then leans down (not as much as usual!) to kiss him on the crown of his head. “I’m sure you will.”