Chapter Text
The first time Dazai’s phone rings, he and Chuuya are already in Seoul.
After the concert in Hiroshima, Chuuya had asked if Dazai wanted to join him for the rest of his tour, too. And, well, Dazai wasn’t exactly too keen on denying his husband such a request. His agreement shocked neither of them.
Except now, something’s different. Where beforehand, Dazai had just been ‘known’ as a member of Chuuya’s tour crew, now he’s publicly out as his husband. And with the news so fresh, his face is plastered all over social media and news outlets, with new articles speculating about their relationship being released by the minute.
Of course, Dazai knows his husband is popular. He wouldn’t be selling out entire concert venues otherwise. As humble as Chuuya is, he is famous. Despite that, Chuuya’s fame has never been quite in Dazai’s face as it is now. Maybe because this time, he’s directly included in it. He doesn’t mind the attention, though, far from it. He likes Chuuya’s fan base. Anyone who can see Chuuya for the amazing man he is belongs in his good books. They, surprisingly, seem to quite like him in return.
When he tells Chuuya this, he just laughs. “Well, ‘course they like ya,” Chuuya says, searching his suitcase for something. “They fuckin’ love ya, in fact. You give them exclusive content of me and you’re attractive as hell. What’s there not to like?”
Dazai feels his ears and cheeks heat up. That’s when his ringtone cuts in. His eyebrows fly up as he picks up his phone, snickering as he reads the caller ID.
“Who’s it?” Chuuya asks, finally rising from where he’d been crouched by the suitcase.
“Yosano,” Dazai replies.
“Your doctor buddy?”
“Yep.”
Chuuya hums as he makes his way into the bathroom. “Ya gonna answer, or?”
Dazai grins. “Nope.”
Chuuya snorts. “Bastard.”
Dazai lets the call ring out, the ringtone playing all the way through. As soon as Yosano’s call ends, though, another one begins. This time, the caller ID shows Atsushi’s name. He chuckles as he lets that one ring out too, placing his phone down on the bed.
Of course, he knows why they’re calling. Now that the news have spread, his friends and co-workers have no doubt realised that it is, in fact, him that’s next to the Nakahara Chuuya on stage. That it’s him that receives a kiss from the superstar singer. That it’s him who’s married to the image of heaven itself.
Yosano and Atsushi continue to take turns calling him, as stubborn as ever. He lets every single call ring out. It’s only on Yosano’s third ring that Chuuya finally grows annoyed, throwing a rolled-up towel at Dazai from inside the bathroom. Dazai just about manages to catch it.
“Pick that fuckin’ thing up,” Chuuya growls, “or put it on silent. Your ringtone is fuckin’ horrible.”
Dazai decides to have some mercy on his friends and satiate their curiosity. Before Yosano’s call can once again ring out, he presses the green button and picks up the phone. The line connects with a click.
“Hello!” he chirps, holding the device to his ear. He basks in the few moments of peaceful yet stunned silence before the phone explodes with overlapping voices. He winces at the volume and holds the phone slightly further away from his ear. Yosano and Atsushi’s voices are the most prominent, but he can definitely hear some Kunikida and Naomi in there, too. He’s sure the only reason Ranpo isn’t included is because he already knew. A full office, then. How lovely.
Slowly, he brings the phone to his ear again. “One at a time, please,” he says. The line goes quiet.
Surprisingly, the first to speak is actually Kunikida. “Dazai, where are you?”
Dazai hums. “I’m currently in a hotel in Seoul,” he says, “why, do you need something?”
There’s a pause. Dazai hears some shuffling on the other end. “…No. Have a good time,” Kunikida says, and Dazai grins, warmth spreading around his body. No doubt Kunikida just wanted to know his whereabouts just to be sure he’s safe, given that his absence is already explained and approved by the President.
Next to speak is Yosano. Her words are significantly louder and more crude. “There’s no fuckin’ way you bagged Nakahara Chuuya. I know you’re pretty, Dazai, but there’s just no way.”
“There is, in fact, way,” Dazai tells her, “I’m afraid I did bag Nakahara Chuuya, sensei. And thank you for the compliment.”
Before Yosano can reply to that, Atsushi speaks his mind. “I didn’t know you were dating a singer, Dazai-san! That’s so cool!”
“I’m not dating a singer, Atsushi-kun,” Dazai corrects, “remember, I’m married.”
“Yeah, I still don’t believe that,” Yosano says, chuckling a little.
“My face is plastered all over the internet right now,” Dazai says, “I think that’s a substantial amount of proof, isn’t it?” He glances in the direction of the bathroom and a sly smile spreads on his lips. “But if you really insist on more…one moment.” He mutes the call on his end and calls out, “Chuuya, are you decent?”
“Hah? ‘Course I am,” Chuuya calls back, “I’m just doin’ a facemask. Why?”
“No reason!” Dazai un-mutes the call and addresses his friends once again. “How would you feel about a video call?”
There’s a pause before Yosano replies with a request for a video call. Dazai chuckles as he accepts it, holding the phone out in front of him. The familiar faces of Yosano and Atsushi come into view on the screen, his own face in a tiny box in the corner. Atsushi gives him a cheerful wave and he waves back.
Without any more hesitation, he rises from where he’d been sitting on the bed, making his way into the bathroom. He keeps the camera front facing, for now, leaving his friends stirring in anticipation for a little while longer. He leans on the doorframe of the bathroom, taking in the view of Chuuya. True to his earlier words, Chuuya is standing in front of the mirror applying a face-mask. Dazai recognises it as Chuuya’s favourite green tea one. His strawberry-blonde hair is tied back in a low ponytail and the front of it is pushed back with a fluffy, pink headband.
Dazai allows himself to admire his husband for a few moments, fondness swelling in his chest. Chuuya hasn’t acknowledged his presence, but Dazai’s sure he’s noticed him. Once the facemask is entirely applied, Chuuya meets Dazai’s gaze in the mirror and gives him a short nod. Permission.
Dazai grins and happily holds the phone up, flipping the camera’s view around. The tiny screen in the corner has its image of his face replaced with Chuuya in all his glory. Dazai hears Yosano gasp as soon as it happens and holds back a giggle.
“Hi Chuuya,” he says.
Chuuya finally turns to face him fully. He eyes the phone before shrugging and looking back up at Dazai. There’s a fond kind of exasperation in his voice when he says, “Hi, Osamu. Can I help ya?”
Dazai nods. “Say hi to my friends, love?”
Chuuya tilts his head. “Which friends?”
Dazai shoots him a look at the teasing. Still, he answers, “Agency friends. Yosano-sensei and Atsushi-kun, mainly.”
“Co-workers, then.” Chuuya snorts. He looks directly at the camera and gives a short wave. “Hey. Thanks for taking care of the idiot when I’m not around to. I ‘ppreciate it.”
“Rude!” Dazai squawks.
Chuuya rolls his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t act like you’re not spoiled.”
“Hmm. Guilty as charged.”
“Hi, Nakahara-san! I love your songs,” Atsushi chirps, interrupting the staring contest that was beginning to take shape. “They’re some of my favourites of all time.”
Chuuya’s neck turns a bit rosy and Dazai can see his cheeks following suit, even under the face mask. “Thanks kid. But no need for the last name, just Chuuya’s fine. You’re the punk Osamu’s lookin’ after, right?”
“Yes, sir,” Atsushi says, and the pride in his voice makes Dazai smile. “Dazai-san has been a great mentor.”
“Kudos to you, then, for puttin’ up with that,” Chuuya says, ignoring Dazai’s following expression of betrayal. The expression only deepens when Chuuya’s comment is met with Atsushi’s giggle.
“And you, Doctor,” Chuuya continues, addressing Yosano. His eyes soften a little. “Thanks for keepin’ my bastard alive and healthy. Fuck knows he sucks at doing it himself.”
“No problem at all,” Yosano replies, “say, Nakahara, can I get your number?”
Chuuya’s eyes widen at the audacity but Dazai just sighs. He’s surprised Yosano even held out this long. He waves a hand and nods when Chuuya looks up at him for guidance.
“Uh, yeah, sure,” Chuuya says, “Dazai can pass it on to ya. But only if ya drop the ‘Nakahara’ shit, too. Chuuya’s fine.”
“Gotcha,” Yosano says, and Dazai looks at phone screen to see her absolutely beaming.
“Yosano-sensei, could you stop flirting with my husband?” he says, pouting. Chuuya looks briefly alarmed, but calms down slightly at the sound of Yosano’s following laughter.
“Hey, I can appreciate a good-looking man when I see one!” she chirps.
Chuuya’s gaze scrutinises the phone and his expression looks distinctly unsettled. Dazai mutes the call for a moment. “Yosano’s not into men,” he tells his husband with a smirk, “don’t worry. She just thinks you’re hot.” He winks. “And she’s not wrong.”
He un-mutes as he watches Chuuya fully relax, shoulders gaining back their easy confidence. He faces the camera head-on. “Hey, we’re back in Yokohama in about a month. What’d’ya say we meet up sometime then? Ya like wine?”
Yosano’s laugh turns gleeful. “Oh, abso-fucking-lutely! You’re my new favourite person, Chuuya.”
Chuuya nods, grinning, and Dazai takes that opportunity to turn the camera back around. “Well, that’s enough of ogling my husband, thank you!”
“You’re such a buzzkill,” Yosano says.
“What, jealous?” Dazai replies, petulant. Chuuya laughs at him and walks up, standing on his toes to kiss Dazai’s cheek. Dazai mutes the call and flips the camera again, making it face the now-empty bathroom. He pulls Chuuya in by the waist using his free hand, kissing him properly. Chuuya grins into the kiss, pulls away, and says nothing more as he exits the bathroom.
“So, care to explain that?” Yosano teases after a few beats.
Dazai smiles. “That was my husband, Nakahara Chuuya.”