Chapter Text
Chuuya shoved past the people streaming out of Tachihara’s lecture room. Wedging himself in the room as he saw his boyfriend talking with the professor about the class materials. He anxiously waited at the door, waiting for the brunet to finish.
”Hey Chuu, you’re actually inside the lecture room this time. Is there something wrong?” Tachihara stepped towards him with a smile, that same smile he saw the first time they met. The first time they met properly, at least.
Chuuya’s mind was racing, he has to be quick. Or Dazai will send him the text, it was like blackmail, but with a fake image. He just trusted Tachi to not believe Dazai. He knew him ever since junior year of highschool, the moment he worked with him as a food vendor.
“Yes! There is this—” The ginger was cut off by the sound of Tachihara’s phone ringing. His boyfriend’s ears perked up at the noise and grabbed his phone from his pants pocket. “Wait!” Chuuya interrupted the other, trying his best to distract him.
”Are you… serious?” The mood change: in Tachihara, the redhead knew he already saw it. His eyebrows furrowed, lips that once held a smile, were downturned. “I gotta go.” He rushed out of the lecture room, weaving his way through the hallway.
Chuuya was speechless, he saw the photo. All he could think of doing was to chase down his boyfriend before he becomes an ex. He has to do something to convince him, but what? “Tachi! Wait!” He shouted down teh lecture hall, just finally leaving the lecture before seeing Dazai with a shit-eating grin smacked on his face.
He grimaced, marathon-running to his boyfriend, trying to catch up. He ignored all the stares he got for being a ruckus in the university hallways. The ginger knew that it was now or never, he has to explain himself.
“Tachi!” He caught up with the brunet once they were outside. His hand brushing the other’s shoulder and Tachihara shook him off. It was like a stab to his heart, the other usually just embraced him when that happened. There was no way that’ll happen here.
”Just, go away… I knew it.” Tachihara grumbled, eyes looking up at the pale blue skies that held dainty clouds. Chuuya could infer that he was about to cry, attempting to stop himself. He always did that, never wanting Chuuya to think he was someone who would cry. Or be vulnerable.
”Knew what? That photo isn’t real! You know me! I would never—” Chuuya frustratedly explained as Tachihara had the photo sent to him on full-screen.
”You would never? For all I know, you would! You spent the last year getting over him… seems like that year wasn’t enough time.” Tachihara spat, finally looking down at the shorter, tears threatened to spill down his face.
”But can’t you see? Dazai just wants us to breakup? That’s what he wants. We can’t give that asshole what he wants.” Chuuya put his hands on Tachihara’s shoulders. He felt the shaking of his boyfriend’s shoulders.
Chuuya witnessed the tears dribbling down his face, jagged tears that wet his rose-pink cheeks. His heart broke, seeing the other this upset made him want to fight himself. How could he let Tachihara feel this way? Was he feeling things that he didn’t tell Chuuya?
“We might as well give him what he wants” Tachihara croaked, wiping the tears off of his face, just for new ones to replace them “I know you’ve been seeing him in private.”
The ginger was speechless, was it the times he had to drag Dazai away to get him off of his back? Was it the times he yelled at Dazai in the empty hallway? Did someone, tell his boyfriend? Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Chuuya felt like a terrible boyfriend, Dazai was just messing with him so much that he spent more time trying to shoo him away. Than spending time with Tachihara.
”That was because—” The ginger felt the desperation in his own voice, gazing up into Tachihara’s glossy eyes.
“I’m tired of your excuses. I know you’ve been grieving that two year relationship you had with him… Just go back to him, because I’m not sure if I could be with you again.” Tachihara’s soft voice interrupted Chuuya’s cry of despair.
The ginger watched as his world came crashing down. His partner pushing off his hands from the man’s shoulders and walking away. Away from him, Chuuya stayed in silence, watching Tachihara’s back go farther and farther from him.
Was this it? Was this the end for them?
“So, you thought you were going strong, huh?” Dazai’s voice echoed in his mind as he dug his hands in his orange locks of hair and roughly ruffled it. He hated this, the feeling of a breakup. Ruining someone so sweet and genuine, like Tachihara. He felt like he needed to punish himself somehow.
Chuuya messed and tangled his own hair, until he decided to go to someone for help.
Akutagawa was face-first on his pillow, muffling the shouts of excitement he felt. It was electrifying, he felt this adrenaline course through his body. Atsushi came to him away, and they even made out. His body felt like it was blushing, the feeling of love. Was this the feeling?
He lifted himself up from the pillow and ignored how Tanizaki looked bewildered at him, his eyebrows lifted in surprise and concern. “I won’t question what that was, but are you, okay?” The ginger inquired.
The raven-haired with white tips nodded with the biggest smile he’d ever had. Before a thunderstorm of knocks berated their dorm door. Tanizaki winced at how loud the door was and sat towards the wall away from the door. “What if it’s a murderer?” He worriedly questioned before the taller peered through the peephole to see a familiar face.
Another ginger. It was Chuuya, he looked in distress. His eyes were jaded and his hair was an overall mess. He clicked open the door, Chuuya almost falling over into the dorm room. He slouched over, his posture was never this bad. Did something happen?
Oh right, the threat Akutagawa tried to warn him about. Did that happen? Was Dazai that cruel?
“Ryuu… Can you tell him to go?” The older gritted his teeth as Akutagawa hummed, Tanizaki was already on his way out. The roommate told Akutagawa once that Chuuya intimidated him and that he would steer clear of the menacing presence.
”What happened?” Akutagawa sat him down on his own bed, letting the other flop backwards. Chuuya seemed like the shell of a man. His eyes were either drooping or always closed, like he didn’t want to see the world.
”Was this what you were talking about?” Chuuya vaguely grumbled as the younger started to brew some tea for the other in his open-space cramped dorm kitchen area. “Tachihara broke up with me…”
Akutagawa dropped the teabags he had in his hands, the two light bags holding tea leaves fell to the ground. “He what? I—I don’t understand. What happened?”
After Chuuya explained every detail of what had happened, he was left sobbing on Akutagawa’s pillow. The taller winced at how he was just silently screaming into that pillow. He’d have to wash it later. “Chuuya, I know you’re upset… But you have to give him time. He loved you so much. I could tell by the way he expectantly waited for you in our practice room.”
He tried his best to comfort the older, to no avail. Once he sat on the bed, Chuuya threw himself at him and he felt his shoulder being wet with tears. “If he loved me so much, then why did he break up with me?” He screamed into Akutagawa’s shoulder.
The younger didn’t know how to comfort Chuuya anymore, not answering but letting Chuuya rest in the comfortable silence of his dorm room. The buzzing of the appliances being the only noise that the two of them heard.
Akutagawa carefully placed the cup of tra into Chuuya’s shaking hands. “Just relax, calm down. I know this is heartbreaking, but you have to think. Our band competition is around the corner, not to mention we merged teams.”
”Does that mean that the piece of shit would be performing with us?” Chuuya scowled after drinking a sip of the warm tea.
”Unfortunately, but you can stay by one of the PM members’ side until the competition is done. I think Gin will be attending too, so you can stay by here as well.” He offered alternatives so that Chuuya would blow off the whole entire competition because of what happened.
After a few days of Chuuya grieving his relationship, he was more stable enough to join the practices. Or that’s what Akutagawa determined as Chuuya clung to him like a moth to a light. Even when Atsushi hung out with him, the ginger would be tailing around somewhere.
”What is Higuchi’s room number?” Akutagawa asked his little sister as she lead Atsushi, Chuuya, and himself towards the hospital room that Higuchi resided in.
”It should be over here, I told her to make sure to eat her meals…” Gin let out as sigh and waited outside of the hospital room for the other’s to enter.
Since the whole debacle of even being allowed in the Yokohama competition, the band has been occupied with practicing and trying out new songs. Akutagawa only heard from a worried Gin that Higuchi was sent to the hospital because of her passing out. She apparently now had an IV attached to her.
Akutagawa slid open the door to see a blonde girl staring up at the TV that was mounted on the wall. “Huh? Oh! Chuuya and Ryuu! I was pondering where you two were—What’s wrong with you Chuuya? You look deathly pale.” Her radiant smile definitely was infectious, Akutagawa felt like he should be grinning just because she was.
”Tachihara and Chuuya broke up.” The raven-haired man bluntly stated, shocking the girl, her eyes widened.
”Really?! What happened when I was gone? I was wondered why you weren’t here with Tachihara earlier.” Higuchi shrugged as the IV was attached to her arm, she seemed tired, but still excited nonetheless.
”He was here?” Chuuya’s eyes lit up, getting closer to Higuchi. “When?”
”Like an hour or two ago, I asked him and he said you couldn’t come today. I was worried for you, seems like I was right to be.” She grinned and patted his shoulder with her unhooked hand.
”He lied? I haven’t seen him in days!” The taller noticed the glint in Chuuya’s eyes, that was a sign that he was about to become very upset.
”Okay okay, you can wait with Gin outside.” He quietly ushered Chuuya out of the hospital room. Higuchi doesn’t need to be under anymore stress.
”Now, who’s this? Your boyfriend?” The blonde singsonged with wiggling eyebrows.
The taller glanced over to see Atsushi have his cheeks covered in a light blush. His own cheeks mirrored his boyfriend’s as he swiftly connected their hands, making the silver-haired man jump in surprise.
”Yes, this is Atsushi—”
”Oh! Oh! He’s the one Tachihara was telling me about, how you were so distracted by him for the last few weeks!” Higuchi blurted out while Ryuu put a hand over her mouth.
“I didn’t do anything! What are you talking about?” He nervously tried to cover his track of how in love with the other he is.
”Oh really? I’m glad to know that he talks about me.” Atsushi gave a small bag full of candy that he brought to give Higuchi. “Be sure to eat these with your meals, they must be bland here. Candy should help with that.” He grinned, leaning back up to press a kiss to Ryuu’s temple.
”Oh, get out of here with your love!” Higuchi joked, shooing the pair away with her hand. “I’m glad to see that you found someone.” She whispered to Ryuunosuke once Atsushi left the room first.
Ryuu nodded and patted her shoulder. He felt warmth, from the girl. Although she did somehow like both of the Akutagawa siblings, she had a kind heart. He’s glad that she likes his sister. His sister deserves someone like that to be her girlfriend.