the beauty of water: deep end | o. dazai ✔

chapter nineteen.

"How'd you get a key to my place?" She tried to remember if she gave him one, but she was drawing a blank.

"Kunikida and the President keep spare keys to everyone's place just in case." His smirk turned to a toothy grin. "Kunikida's place was easier to get into."

So he burglarized Kunikida's apartment for a key to mine? I think that fits onto the creepy and criminal spectrum very nicely.

"Okay, here's a better question: Why?"

"Because I wasn't sure if you were back yet and if you weren't, then I figured there's nothing better to come home to than me." He shrugged innocently, pulling his hand away from her door as he revealed the spare key he had stolen. "I guess you were the surprise this time."

She sat up, rubbing the back of her head. He kneeled down to her level, stuffing the keys into his pocket as he did so.

"Apparently so," she said. "But this is nice, too."

His smile disappeared as he noticed her face, gently placing his hand on her cheek as the streams fell into his half-bandaged palm. "I take that it didn't go well."

"It went horribly. Hinami was so upset." She pressed her hand on the back of his, leaning into it. "I have to be there tomorrow between ten and noon to pick up my stuff. She doesn't even want to see me anymore." She looked down at the ground. "I can't blame her... I'd be pretty upset, too."

Dazai leaned over, pressing a kiss on her cheek. He pressed his forehead against hers and said in a near-whisper, "You did what you had to. It was for her own protection and everyone else's."

"Doesn't mean that it was the best thing to do," (Y/n) replied, her eyes falling from his back to the ground. "Would you have done the same thing if you were in my position?"

"Me? No." His reply earned him a narrow-eyed stare. "But I'm not you and you're not me. We have different ideas and skills. There are some things you're better at than I am."

A soft smile came across her lips. "Maybe you should come inside. There's one thing I'd like to share that I might be better at than you."

His lips turned to a cheeky smile as they stood up. "I certainly like the sound of that."

She stepped further into the room, sitting on the edge of the cot as he closed and locked the door behind him. He practically flew out of his shoes before sliding over next to her.

"What is it you'd like to share with me, (Y/n)?" Despite keeping his cool demeanor, it was clear to her that he was excited for what he assumed was about to happen.

"What are we, Dazai?" she asked, almost causing him to keel over in the process.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we do all the things a normal couple would. That includes kissing, hugging, conversations like these, and moments just between the two of us," she explained. "But that doesn't mean we officially are. I understand if you don't want to put a label on us, but I'd like to at least know that."

He opened his mouth to answer, only for her to throw in, "Before you answer, just know that there isn't anyone else in my life to get in the way of us. You are the only person that I would ever consider."

For once, Dazai seemed stumped. He normally had an answer to everything, especially since he was so smart and capable of so much. But this was something she had truly seen him ponder. It almost made her question what she had asked.

"I... I shouldn't have asked," she stated, looking away from him as she felt her face heat up. "What we have is nice and I don't want to ruin—"

"I love you, (Y/n)." He cut her off.