"You're going to run into something," Dazai said.
"I don't need your help," Chuuya seethed, "I can get around just fine by myself."
"I believe you, but I need to be touching you anyways," Dazai took his arm.
Chuuya sighed heavily, "I-"
"Just suffer in silence. I've dealt with enough of your complaining," Dazai said as he started leading Chuuya out.
Chuuya grumbled quietly to himself. He was holding onto Dazai as loosely as possible, hating that he needed this person at all.
As Dazai opened the door, he was met with the sight of Elise frantically speaking with Kouyo.
"And then- and then-"
"Slow down, Elise..." Kouyo put her hand on Elise's shoulder.
"And then Dazai kissed his hand instead of his face!" Elise stamped her foot, "he makes me so angry!"
Dazai chuckled, "speak of the devil, and he arrives."
Kouyo looked over to them. She sighed as she stood from crouching near Elsie, "I would appreciate it if you wouldn't make Chuuya the subject of Elise's fantasies for too much longer..."
Dazai smiled, "who, me? I would never."
Chuuya let go of him, disgusted. He moved farther into the room, hoping to escape from the bandage-waster.
Chuuya's attempt was in vain becuase Dazai grabbed his arm and went with him.
Kouyo sighed heavily, "I just hope this works..."
Dazai smiled, "it probably will. Chuuya was able to see for a bit this morning."
"Well, that's good." Kouyo nodded slowly.
"Excuse me," a hoarse voice asked from the doorway.
Kouyo looked over to see Akutagawa.
His eyes locked onto Dazai and it looked like he was trying to keep from speaking.
"What is it?" Kouyo asked.
He coughed quietly into his hand, "I was sent to request your prescience..."
"Is it urgent?" Kouyo asked, glancing over at Chuuya.
Akutagawa nodded, "it would be best if you came soon..."
Kouyo sighed, "alright..."
"We haven't even had breakfast yet..." Dazai sighed heavily, "isn't it just horrible, Chuuya? Our poor Ane-San getting dragged away before we eat?"
"Don't drag me into this," Chuuya said through his teeth.
Akutagawa, as he left, wondered why Dazai was back... and why he seemed to be clinging to Chuuya.
Elise whined, "now it won't be as fun!"
Chuuya shook his head for no apparent reason.
Dazai pulled a chair out, "here you go," he put Chuuya's hand on it so he knew where it was.
Chuuya's brows knit together, as if he were thinking hard.
Elise gasped, "how are you going to eat if Kouyo isn't here?!"
Chuuya sighed, annoyed.
"Aww," Dazai nudged Chuuya, "I'll sacrifice my precious time to feed you~"
Chuuya pushed Dazai's face away, "I'm not hungry." He took his seat.
Dazai chuckled, "of course you aren't."
——
"And where have you two been?" Kouyo asked as the door opened.
"Uh..." Dazai started.
The room had been rearranged. The bed was against the wall and there was an extra chair in the room.
"Evening, Kouyo," Dazai smiled.
Chuuya sighed, letting go of Dazai and moving forward.
"Wait," Kouyo stood and hurried over to him, "I moved things around in here..."
Kouyo had Chuuya sit down, "Dazai. Explain. Now."
Dazai chuckled, "I took him over to the agency to, ya know, give him some sun for once."
Chuuya rolled his eyes.
"Dazai, you-" Kouyo started angrily.
"It was the cutest thing! Kenji made Chuuya a flower crown and-"
"He's lying," Chuuya shook his head in a disappointed way. "Here," he reached into his pocket and handed Kouyo a small bag.
"What is it?" She asked untying the strings.
"Dazai said that the only way to find true happiness is to eat candy," Chuuya sighed. "We got something for Elise, too."
"You ruined the surprise, Chuuya! How could you?!"
Kouyo smiled, squeezing Chuuya's hand, "thank you."
"What surprise?!" Elise's voice came from the doorway.
Dazai pulled another small bag out of his own pocket, "here you go."
Elise gasped, "CANDY?!?!"
Dazai giggled, "see, I told you."
Chuuya frowned, "whatever."
Elise looked around the room, "why's is different?"
"Becuase..." Kouyo said slowly, "I don't particularly trust Dazai..."
"Oh," Dazai chuckled, "so you're here to chaperone?"
She nodded, "precisely."
"I can take care of myself just fine," Chuuya folded his arms, "killing that idiot would be easy."
"I don't doubt you, Chuuya," Kouyo said.
"Come on, we're both adults," Dazai interrupted as he made his way over, "we can be held accountable."
"No. Chuuya can be held accountable. You, on the other hand, cannot."
"Awwww, why noooot?" Dazai whined, leaning over and draping his arms on Chuuya.
"But, Kouyo, it'd be weird if someone were watching them," Elise shook her head and her curls shook about.
Kouyo sighed, "I just..."
"Hey, Chuuya's not dead or any worse right now. And you weren't with us last night," Dazai reasoned.
"Exactly," Elise agreed, "besides, Dazai needs to find the perfectly romantic moment to kiss Chuuya. And he can't do that if you're there."
Dazai froze as Kouyo glared daggers at him.
Dazai laughed nervously, "Elise, I never actually said I would-"
"You are." She said firmly.
Everyone knew that if Elise wanted something to happen, it would happen.
Chuuya scowled.
Elise beamed over at Chuuya, "you're gonna be all better soon!"
Dazai stood and stepped back, not wanting to be murdered by Kouyo.
"No one even asked me if I was okay with this," Chuuya reached out in Elise's direction.
"That's because the princess is normally asleep forever," Elise said as she took his hand.
Chuuya moved his hand onto her head, ruffling her hair, "but I'm already awake, so I don't think I need-"
"You do." She said.
Chuuya sighed, "there's no convincing you, huh?"
"Nope," Elise giggled. "So you should just get it over with."
Chuuya shook his head, "how about we save it as a last resort?..."
"Nope," Elise removed Chuuya's arm from her head, "tomorrow. That's your deadline."
"Deadline? This isn't a job, you know," a smile tugged at the edge of his mouth.
"Well it is now. And tomorrow, that way if there's someone else you really like you could go give them your first kiss so you wouldn't have to live with it being Dazai." Elise beamed, believing this to be the best idea ever.
Chuuya sighed, "don't remind me..."
"Don't worry, Chuuya," Dazai said, "I'll-" he clamped his mouth shut with another glare from Kouyo.
"You'll what?" Chuuya asked suspiciously.
"Uhm..."
"Dazai's going to make it the very best kiss you'll ever get!" Elise climbed into Chuuya's lap, "so don't you dare disappoint him by not kissing back."
"I don't think I-"
"If you really want to get out of it that badly, stop being blind," Elise said.
Chuuya sighed, leaning back, "trust me, if I could, I would have by now..."
"Well, then, you better get to it," Elsie said as she reached out and took Dazai's hand. Then, she placed his hand on Chuuya's head, "see faster."
Chuuya almost laughed, "see... faster?..."
"Yes." Elise said.
Kouyo sighed quietly to herself. She had the feeling that Dazai, even though he had been joking about it, probably wasn't looking forward to the deadline. Dazai had left the mafia for his own reasons, of course, but that didn't mean he didn't feel bad about never saying goodbye.
Kouyo knew that Dazai still cared about all of them and didn't want to hurt them... Kissing Chuuya might be more detrimental to Dazai than anything else, she thought.
——
Dazai sighed, letting his face plant into the mattress. Then he said, muffled, "I'm sooo booorrreeeeddd!"
Kouyo rolled her eyes, "what? Sad that you can't annoy Chuuya out of his mind because I'm here?"
Dazai turned his face to the side, "yes."
Chuuya sighed deeply.
"Go to sleep," Dazai and Kouyo said in unison.
"Ugh!" Chuuya slumped down farther, "it's kinda hard to do that with Dazai's sweaty fingers suffocating my hand!"
"Fine then," Dazai moved his hand up Chuuya's arm, "that better?"
Chuuya grimaced, "I'd prefer if you weren't touching me at all."
Kouyo sighed, "I really don't want to deal with your bickering all night long..."
"Then go," they both replied.
Chuuya frowned at the sound of his and Dazai's voice saying the same thing, "Ane-San, you shouldn't force yourself to stay up with us just because you don't trust Dazai."
"But-"
"You trust me, right?" Chuuya asked.
Kouyo looked over at Dazai but his expression offered nothing trustworthy or otherwise. She sighed, "yes, I do trust you.... Oh, alright. I'll go." She stood, "but if I hear a word from Chuuya that you-"
"I swear on my life that I will not violate Chuuya more than I do on a regular basis."
"That means nothing coming from a suicidal man." She narrowed her eyes.
"Hah. Ya got me there."
"How about this, then?" Chuuya started, "if he does anything I don't want him to, I'll smack him harder every time?"
"That'd be abuse!"
"That sounds fair," Kouyo nodded.
Dazai made an offended noise, "rude!"
"I'll be off, then," Kouyo patted Chuuya on the head, "try not to let Dazai keep you up too late."
"I'll try," Chuuya said.
Kouyo took her leave.
"Ahh, finally!" Dazai sat up abruptly.
"You wanted her to leave that badly?" Chuuya asked.
"Yes!" Dazai let go of Chuuya.
"Hey-"
"Hold on just a second," Dazai sighed, "you're so impatient."
"Well excuse me for wanting my vision back." Chuuya folded his arms.
"I wanted her gone so badly because if she was here I wouldn't be able to be on the bed with you," Dazai reasoned. "She'd say, "that is absolutely unacceptable! I can't have my sweet and innocent Chuuya violated by a suicidal maniac such as yourself, as handsome and respectable as you may be!""
Chuuya rolled his eyes, "she would not say that."
"She so would," Dazai said as he crawled over Chuuya to the other side of the bed.
"You could have just asked me to move."
"Nah, I like sleeping next to the wall," Dazai said as he sat down so he was leaning against the wall rather than the headboard.
Chuuya shook his head, "you're so weird."
Dazai giggled, "not as weird as you~" he poked Chuuya's cheek.
Chuuya just sighed, he was too tired to play these games.
"Is there seriously no one you'd rather have your first kiss with?" Dazai asked suddenly.
"Uh, literally anyone else," Chuuya said.
"Oh, my pride! I didn't know Chuuya hated me that much! Or are your lips just so pure and righteous that you can't stand the thought of-"
"Oh my gosh! Do you ever shut up!?"
Dazai laughed, shaking the mattress a little bit.
"As much as I love the idea of lording over you with the fact that I would have stolen your first, I feel like it'd be weird to kiss a god..." he pondered for a moment. Then, he leaned forward, "maybe even wrong."
"Then just don't," Chuuya leaned back, "I'm certainly not asking you to."
"You know full well that Elise will have her way. Mori might even threaten you..." Dazai said seriously.
Chuuya readjusted his position, "can we not talk about it right now?" Chuuya had been dreading the thought of the deadline. By now, there were probably only a few hours left until it was technically "tomorrow".
"Chuuya... this is an issue I'd like your input on. It is your lips on the line," Dazai said, then stifled a laugh.
Chuuya sighed, "I just want to be able to see again..." he held his hand out in Dazai's direction.
Dazai, instead of taking Chuuya's hand, decided to do something different. He leaned foreword and lifted Chuuya's chin up slightly with his index finger.
Chuuya looked momentarily stunned, then he scowled, dropping his hand, "what are you doing?"
"Aw, don't make such a mean face," Dazai sighed. Dazai realized that he really did want Chuuya to smile at him, even if it was only once.
"Then let me go," Chuuya grabbed Dazai's arm.
Dazai paused, "you know, Chuuya..." Dazai didn't finish.
"What?" He asked, sounded completely done with this.
"... Never mind," Dazai removed his hand and sat back.
"What? Dazai, you-"
"Hmm? You curious now?" Dazai teased, "then maybe you shouldn't be so mean to me."
"Wha- I didn't even-"
Dazai chuckled, "Aww, now you're all flustered!"
"Ugh!" Chuuya folded his arms again, completely fed up.
Dazai held no emotion in his face, even though he had just been laughing. He moved to sit next to Chuuya, thinking hard about every decision he made.
It was quiet for a while.
"...Do you really think Mori'd go that far 'cause of Elise...?" Chuuya asked
Dazai paused, "I'm not sure... but I hope not. If I were to kiss you, I wouldn't want it to be like this..."
"What?"
"Ahaha~ Chuuya actually thinks I'd want to kiss a dirty mafia member like him~ he's so silly~" Dazai pushed Chuuya playfully.
Chuuya at first seemed upset, but then his expression grew dark.
"Huh? What is it?" Dazai prodded him, "you know I'm only teasing, right?" There was a bit of worry he hadn't meant to display in his tone.
Chuuya turned his head away from Dazai.
"Chuuya, come on. Don't ignore me," Dazai took his arm. "You know how annoying I get when I'm being ignored."
"Oh my- let me think for a second!" Chuuya shook him off.
Dazai sighed, "fine. But make it quick."
Chuuya shook his head. It was quiet again for a moment that seemed too long.
"You've kissed plenty of people before, haven't you?" Chuuya asked slowly, as if wary of Dazai's reaction to the question.
"Yeah, and?"
"Well... what's so different about it being me, then?" He asked.
It was a fair question.
"You see, Chuuya- well, you don't see. But there's one thing very different about you and everyone else I've ever kissed. And it's not just because you are a man. Kouyo is the main difference. None of them had a terrifying, skilled mafia executive willing to cut my head off if I did."
Chuuya almost laughed.
"What? Chuuya has a sense of humor?"
Chuuya giggled, "just that you're so afraid of her. She wouldn't kill you just because you kissed me, especially because Elise told you to. Her threat is empty for the most part."
Dazai sighed, "well that's a relief. I thought for sure tomorrow was the day I leave this realm."
Chuuya smiled, "you'd like that, huh?"
"No way. I haven't found a beautiful woman to commit a lover's suicide with yet!"
"No offense, but kissing you isn't exactly something on my bucket list,"
"All taken!" Dazai gasped in exaggeration, "I'll have you know I am great at kissing!"
"Yeah? Says who?" Chuuya smirked.
Dazai gasped, clutching his heart, "me!"
Chuuya laughed, "and you expect me to believe your biased opinion?!"
"If you don't belive me why don't you just find out yourself?!" He pouted.
"Not like we have much choice anyways," Chuuya grumbled.
Dazai gasped, "is that an invitation?!"
"No!" Chuuya snapped, "if you-"
Dazai laughed, "now is not the time."
"Enlighten me. When, exactly, is the time?"
"Hmmm," Dazai thought, "not sure... but I'll know by tomorrow."
Chuuya sighed, "why'd she go and give us a deadline...?"
"I guess she was getting impatient," Dazai sighed, "I'm sure she thinks it really will help your eyesight..."
Chuuya sighed.
"Oh no... gravity is affecting me..." Dazai said as he listed to the side and fell onto Chuuya's legs.
"What the heck are you doing-"
"This way I'm touching you and you don't have to complain about my "sweaty hands", and I get a space heater. It's a win-win," Dazai smiled.
Chuuya sighed, leaning back again.
"Don't be like that, Chuuya," Dazai knew exactly what face he was making without even turning to face him. "I know you would severely hurt me if I tried to hug you, so this is what you get."
Chuuya brought his hand down on the back of Dazai's head sharply.
Dazai seethed, "ow... that really hurt..."
"I promised Ane-San," Chuuya explained rather vaguely.
Dazai rubbed the back of his head, "you didn't have to hit me that hard..."
"Poor baby, want me to kiss it better for you?" Chuuya smirked.
"Yes pwease," Dazai sniffed, fake crying, "a big ol' mean monster hurt me!"
"Hah? What's that? You want me to hit you again? Okay, if you say so-"
"Wait! I yield! I yield!" Dazai shielded his head with his arms.
Chuuya laughed, "you deserve it."
"That's probably true..."
"What'd' ya mean "probably"?"
"Okay, okay, I totally deserve it. But I'm asking for a little mercy..." Dazai said bashfully.
Chuuya sighed, "you're lucky I'm tired..."
"Oh thank you so much! I'm forever in your debt!" Dazai rolled onto his back, keeping his head next to Chuuya's knee.
Chuuya sighed in an annoyed fashion as he put his hand over Dazai's eyes.
"Ah! Chuuya! Your blindness is contagious!" Dazai clamped his hands over Chuuya's.
That actually almost pulled a laugh out of Chuuya. "Okay, I think it's time we went to bed..."
"Okay," Dazai dropped his arms.
"Uhm, that means you need to move..."
"Hm? I don't think so. I can sleep just fine like this," Dazai smiled.
"I said "we", not "you"." Chuuya pushed him off a little forcefully.
But Dazai moved as Chuuya pushed him.
Chuuya laid down, facing the ceiling. Dazai grabbed the covers and pulled them over the both of them.
Chuuya seemed to shoot Dazai a slight glare for a second. Dazai laid next to him, on his side. He carefully crept his hand next to Chuuya's before taking it.
Surprisingly, Chuuya squeezed Dazai's hand for a moment.
Then, taking the opportunity, Dazai — a little forcibly — laced their fingers together and held on tight.
Chuuya flinched, almost as if he wanted to pull his hand away, but he didn't resist.
Dazai's lips curled, realizing this was the first time he'd entwined their fingers while Chuuya was awake. He had been pretty sure that Chuuya would have snatched his hand away, so Dazai was a little glad he hadn't.
Chuuya rolled onto his side to face Dazai.
"What is it? I thought you were going to sleep?" Dazai squeezed his hand a bit.
"Do you think Elise is right?..."
"Probably not," Dazai shrugged. "I think she just really likes the idea of her stories being real."
"Yeah..." Chuuya said slowly, "I don't have a true love anyways." Chuuya pulled his hand away from Dazai's grasp.
Dazai wasn't sure what to say, "Chuuya..."
"I'm not even supposed to be here..." Chuuya whispered.
"But you are." Dazai took both his hands, "and... I'm glad you're here..."
Chuuya's eyes were angled down, as if avoiding Dazai.
"Hey, I'm serious." Dazai said, "why do you think I always stop you?"
Chuuya paused, "I always assumed Mori paid you off or something..."
Dazai sighed, "I knew you thought low of me... but seriously?"
Chuuya sighed tiredly.
"Maybe you don't have a true love but that doesn't mean fate doesn't have someone for you." Dazai said, "besides, I thought you didn't care about stuff like that."
"I don't..." Chuuya said quietly, "but the fact that it's something I can't have frustrates me..."
Dazai chuckled, "of course it does."
It was quiet for a while and Chuuya's eyes became heavy.
Dazai didn't want to wake him but felt he had to say something about it, "I heard about your conversations with Kouyo..."
"Which one?" Chuuya breathed in deeply.
Dazai paused, "you were telling her about corruption..."
Chuuya's eyes suddenly went wide and locked onto Dazai as if he could see.
"Why didn't you tell me?..." Dazai asked.
Chuuya tore his hand away from Dazai's and clamped them over Dazai's mouth roughly, "stop talking."
Dazai looked away from Chuuya. He hadn't expected for him to get angry.
"That wasn't for you to hear."
Dazai slowly removed Chuuya's hand from his mouth, "I'm... worried about you... I know you never really trusted me but... if I'm the one who can stop you, then... I should know what you're going through..."
Chuuya looked like he didn't believe a word Dazai was saying.
"It's true..." he lifted his hand up and rested it against Chuuya's face, trying to convince him, "if I had known it was that bad... I would have stopped you sooner..."
It was silent. Chuuya didn't move, he continued to stare directly at Dazai.
"I'm sorry..." Dazai removed his hands.
After a moment Chuuya whispered, "why do you always touch me like that?..."
Dazai, once again, was at a loss for words.
"Like..." Chuuya lifted his hand and pressed his hand against Dazai's cheek, his eyes no longer focused, "this..."
Dazai froze. He'd never expected Chuuya to actually... He honestly couldn't say anything.
"Dazai?... you didn't fall asleep, did you?..."
Dazai placed his hand over Chuuya's, leaning into his hand guiltily.
Chuuya paused, but didn't say anything.
"I don't know... It just feels like I communicate better if I'm touching you directly..."
Chuuya looked like he was sorting through Dazai's words, trying to find the lies.
Dazai welcomed the warmth and feeling of Chuuya's hand, even though it was gloved.
"Do you think Elise will really make us..." Chuuya started.
Dazai nodded, "probably... so, I guess you should prepare yourself..."
Chuuya sighed, closing his eyes.
"I'm sorry..." Dazai said, "I could just do it if you want..."
"How are we even going to prove it to Elise, anyway?..."
Dazai furrowed his brow, "I guess we can't... oh, maybe she'll be convinced when you can see again..."
Chuuya shook his head, "but I won't... it doesn't work like that..."
"You never know," Dazai took Chuuya's hands again.
"I just... don't like being forced..." he sighed, "I want to do things in my own time..."
"Then we'll ask her for another day. I'm sure she'll allow it if you ask nicely enough." He rubbed Chuuya's hands with his thumbs.
Chuuya smiled a little bit, "you're always doing that, too..."
"Well, you're wearing gloves so it's harder to get my point across..." Dazai chuckled.
Tired, Chuuya exhaled deeply.
Dazai let go of Chuuya's hands and started carefully taking off his gloves.
Chuuya closed his hand, whispering a little harshly, "don't."
"It'll only be for a second," Dazai reassured him, "I promise. Nothing is going to happen if I'm touching you."
Chuuya hesitated before sighing and letting go.
Dazai smiled to himself as he pulled off Chuuya's glove. Then, his pressed his hand against Chuuya's as he looked up to his face.
Chuuya didn't have any specific expression but he looked like he was waiting.
Dazai turned his hand and entwined their fingers, "see... doesn't this make you feel a little closer?..."
"I don't know..." Chuuya muttered, "it just feels weird..."
Dazai giggled as he got closer.
Chuuya seemed to get a little uncomfortable.
"What would you do if I did it right now?"
"Uhm, stop you probably."
"Probably?" Dazai asked, inching forward more.
"Definitely," Chuuya corrected, "I would definitely stop you. So don't try anything."
Dazai chuckled, "we should just get it over with, you know."
Chuuya sighed, "I want another day..."
"Alright," Dazai let go of Chuuya's hand and pulled his glove back on.