The Marionette • Chuuya X Reader

4: Similarities

What?

You watch as Chuuya's blue eyes flash with disgust and anger as he holds you by your shoulders, your body tense as you fight your mind to understand why you received the reaction he gave you. Your hands fall at your sides, eyes fluttering shut as you try to brace yourself for his anger.

I only did as Dazai would have. Why is he mad at me?

They were partners.

"It's useless to keep on torturing people when they've given us all they have, and they are already clearly dead." Chuuya tells you, holding your gaze until a look of recognition in his eyes is followed by him calming down and letting you go, turning away from you and making his way through the alleyway that led to the business building the men had come from. You stand back opening your eyes and watching him with surprise at how quickly he had deflated his temper, and a feeling of question at what exactly it was that he saw in you.

"I thought he deserved it...and I thought you'd be pleased." You murmur, slowly following after him, glancing at the bodies all over the floor, the scene not affecting you in the slightest.

You don't get too close when Chuuya regroups with some of his men, staying in the shadows of the alleyway as you watch them talking in the morning light, a few glances being thrown at you, along with Chuuya looking back and shaking his head at a comment you couldn't hear, causing a slight discomfort in you, but nothing you couldn't ignore. You aren't used to being around more than one or two people, and the fact that you had been allowed to be in a team of subordinates under an executive and actually go out is still a fact you couldn't wrap your head around. A few minutes later, you see Chuuya give a wave to the other men as he walks towards you, an exasperated look etched on his face, blue eyes back on you.

"They're going to take care of the rest with the information we got, I'll be called back once they need me again. You...get to stay at headquarters for the rest of the day or do whatever you please. I need to talk with Kouyou about-"

"About me?"

Chuuya stops, considering his options before letting out a sigh of defeat.

"Yes, about you."

"Have I done something wrong?"

"No." Chuuya answers, turning away and texting on his phone, then signalling you to follow him once again. This time, he walks towards where you both had come from, coming out of the alleyway and stopping once reaching a busy crossroads down the street, you by his side and watching patiently for what you assumed would be the car to pick you both up.

As you wait, you watch the sun shine on the cars passing by, the metal glimmering in your eyes, trying to take in the outdoor blasts of light and colour; something very different to the indoor darkness you are used to. As the breeze lifts your hair away from your face, you take in a deep breath and enjoy the feeling of fresh air tickling your face. Glancing to the side to Chuuya, you catch him watching you intently as if he is trying to solve a puzzle, and in response you tilt your head in question timidly, unsure if he was angry at all at you for reasons you still didn't understand.

"You've hardly asked anything today." Chuuya points out, still studying you carefully. Wind blows his hair, his overcoat swinging lightly with the wind, all of it giving him an almost softer look despite his stern gaze.

Is he actually concerned?

"You were Dazai's partner. I'm giving you my respect for that. I'm only a weapon; without that, I am nothing but ungrateful, so I won't do anything unless asked to from you. I won't be nosy." You assure him, nodding and ignoring the surprise on his face mixed with distaste towards you, trying to tell yourself that you really hadn't done anything wrong, that he won't make you go back to being a babysitter to Elise and a trophy for Mori. You wanted to believe his distaste was only a frustration in your clear differences.