Chapter 11: Bothersome

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  Dazai stared down at Chuuya, still smiling. He was glad that Chuuya hadn't taken his hand away. Dazai enjoyed this closeness with Chuuya that he never go to experience.
  He rubbed Chuuya's hand with his thumb, thoughts circling in and out of his mind. But one in particular stood out.
  What if he really did wake Chuuya up?...
  Dazai stared down at their hands, mulling over the thought for a while.
  In fact, he was thinking so deeply about all the possibilities that he didn't even hear the door open.
  Kouyo stepped in quietly. She turned and was about to greet Dazai when she saw that Dazai was with Chuuya on the bed. She stared for a long while, shocked.
  Then, she shook her head and walked over, "good morning, Dazai-Kun."
  His head snapped in her direction, surprised that someone else was here. "Hi... good morning..."
  Kouyo couldn't read any particular emotion from his face. "So... how did it go?"
  "How did what go?" Dazai was not-so-discretely discretely trying to pry his hand away from Chuuya's.
  Kouyo saw that their fingers were laced together and thought to herself that it was quite cute. "Watching Chuuya?"
  "Oh," Dazai's chuckled, "he mostly complained that my presence was annoying him."
  Kouyo covered her mouth, hiding a smile, "well, that's to be expected."
  Dazai nodded, seeming to get a little desperate to get his hand back. In his sleep, Chuuya was unmoving.
  Kouyo suppressed a laugh, "at least you are sort of getting along."
  Dazai laughed nervously, "he hasn't tried to kill me yet, so I guess I agree."
  "He doesn't hate you, Dazai," Kouyo smiled, "I think he's already forgiven you."
  Dazai looked down expressionlessly over at Chuuya.
  Kouyo giggled silently, "I'll be back in a few minutes," she took her leave, deciding to let Dazai have a chance to maybe redeem himself.
  "Come on..." Dazai whispered a little harshly, "just let go..." he was carefully trying to pry Chuuya's fingers off of his own.
  Chuuya's face wrinkled up as his fingers tightened around Dazai's hand.
  Dazai sighed, there didn't seem to be any hope for him. Chuuya needed to get up anyways, right?...
  Dazai took a deep breath before shaking Chuuya's shoulder.
  Chuuya's eyes flickered open and he looked around, "hm?"
  "Hey, morning," Dazai threw on a smile.
  "Ugh," Chuuya moved onto his stomach and smashed his face into the pillow.
  Dazai chuckled, "Kouyo will be here soon."
  Chuuya mumbled something into the pillow.
  "What was that?" Dazai asked, sliding his hand out of Chuuya's.
  Chuuya heaved a sigh as he turned his head to the side, "I'm still tired... and I hurt everywhere..."
  "Aww, poor baby," Dazai pat his head as he stood up.
  For a moment, Chuuya looked confusedly directly at Dazai, as if he could see him.
  Chuuya sighed again as he rolled onto his back, "why do I still have to be hooked up to all these machines?..." he poked at the heart monitor clasp on his finger.
  "Uhm, becuase we don't want you going and dying," Dazai said.
  Chuuya grumbled, "I'm not going to die."
  Dazai shrugged, "who knows."
  Chuuya turned his head in Dazai's direction, "you're leaving today, right?"
  Dazai stretched his arms up, "Yup. I might come back in a while, though. There aren't enough people to watch you every night."
  "I don't need to be watched," Chuuya said firmly.
  "Or maybe I'll just come over to bug you," Dazai smirked.
  Chuuya shook his head, scowling, "then I might have to actually punch you."
  Dazai chuckled, "maybe I won't come back, then..."
  Chuuya yawned, "you said Ane-San would be here soon?"
  "Maybe," Dazai said.
  "Wha- you woke me up for nothing!?"
  Dazai laughed, "you needed to be up anyways. See ya!" Dazai ran out, closing the door loudly.
  Chuuya, now thoroughly annoyed, felt worse than ever.
  Then, the door quietly creaked open again.
  "Good morning," Kouyo's voice said as she walked in.
  "Morning," Chuuya replied.
  "How are you feeling?" She was now right next to him.
  "Exhausted, still."
  She pressed her hand to his forehead, "you'll feel better soon. You always were a fast healer."
  Chuuya sighed, "I don't know..."
  Kouyo sat down.
  "You and Dazai seem to have been awfully talkative with each other..."
  Kouyo paused, "yes. Why?"
  "He's a part of an enemy organization," Chuuya reasoned.
  "You didn't seem to have an issue with holding his hand," Kouyo accused.
  Chuuya hesitated before saying, "he's the one who wouldn't let go..."
  "But you didn't fight over it," she said plainly.
  Chuuya sighed in defeat, "he's just a big, dumb idiot."
  Kouyo giggled, "he's cooperating with us right now, so it's good that you two are getting along."
  "Cooperating? Do we have a deal with him?" Chuuya's eyes searched in her direction.
  It hurt Kouyo every time she thought of how he wouldn't be able to see her anymore. She swallowed her feelings, "no, but he has helped us a lot. I'm sure he's expecting something in return."
  "Of course he is, that cheapskate." Chuuya folded his arms.
  Kouyo chuckled, "I'm sure he won't demand anything crazy." Kouyo took his hand.
  "He always does," he muttered.
  Kouyo squeezed his hand, "something tells me this time will be different."
  Chuuya looked like he was trying to figure out if he believed her.
  Kouyo patted his hand, "it doesn't matter, anyway. I'm sure you're hungry."
  Chuuya shrugged, "not really..."
  Kouyo sighed, "you barely ever eat anything."
  Chuuya paused, "I just don't really enjoy eating. It takes up time I could be using productively."
  Kouyo rolled her eyes, "take a break for once. You're always doing something."
  Chuuya sighed heavily, "it feels wrong when I'm not doing a project or something... I feel like if I'm not making something I should be breaking something and... I don't really want to do that..."
  Kouyo knit her brows, "do you think that's-"
  "I don't know," Chuuya said quickly, as if he didn't want her to finish.
  Kouyo grew more concerned, "you know I-"
  "Chuuya!!!!" Elise threw open the door.
  "Yes?" He asked confusedly.
  "I got you breakfasttt!" She sang as she wheeled her little cart in. "Wait. Where'd Dazai go?"
  "Uhm..." Kouyo thought, "I actually don't know..."
  Elise shrugged, "guess we'll have to eat his share, too!"
  "Come on," Kouyo took Chuuya's shoulders, "hopefully today it won't hurt as much."
  Chuuya nodded, bracing his hands behind him to sit up. And it actually didn't hurt as much as it had yesterday.
  "Alright, I got croissants, bagels, French toast, sourdough toast, and-"
  "Just a bunch of bread?" Chuuya asked, beginning to smile.
  "No, I have bacon and sausage and a bunch of other stuff," she stood next to the bed, "hey, your eyes are bigger!"
  Chuuya blinked, "really?"
  Elise nodded, "I can see a little blue now!"
  Elise's excitement made Chuuya smile a little bit.
  Kouyo turned to the cart and picked up a plate. She started filling it with various things.
  Elise pressed a finger to her lips, thinking, "are we going to have to feed Chuuya because he can't see?"
  "No. And please don't talk about me like I'm not here. I'm blind, not deaf." Chuuya sighed.
  "Yes. I am going to feed you."
  Chuuya shook his head, "I'm not some little kid."
  "And you never were, so it's an experience for both of us."
  "Uh, no."
  "Come on, please?" Kouyo turned to face him.
  "Please don't."
  "That isn't a no," she beamed.
  Elise giggled.

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