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Chuuya didn't know how he let himself get talked into this. Parties had never been his scene, at least not the ones that stank of cheap vodka with music so loud that he couldn't hear himself think. A nice night at the bar or an easygoing kickback was more his speed. It wasn't that Chuuya didn't get invited to these sorts of parties, he just never had a reason to go.
He slipped through the crowd of students, frustrated with how few of them he even knew. He supposed he should have anticipated as such since he was a literature student in a throng of mathematics and science majors. Still, Chuuya was relatively well-liked on campus, he thought he might know at least one person beside the asshole who bribed him into this.
"Chuuya!" As if summoned by Chuuya's thoughts, a lanky arm wrapped around his shoulders and tugged him into a firm body. Chuuya supposed he shouldn't fold back into the pull of the other man, but he did so anyway, "You actually came! Oh, and you've managed to put on something decent for once, somehow you look nice."
"Of course I came, you said you would help me with my lab if I showed." Chuuya muttered, glaring up into familiar brown eyes and ignoring the latter part of the what was said. Even in the dim lighting of whatever stranger's house he was in, Dazai's gaze still seemed to pierce straight through him, much the same way it had the first time they met. And, just as they had the first time they met, they scanned Chuuya from head to toe, drinking in every visible inch.
If Chuuya had known when they first met (four months ago, after literally colliding in a hallway) that Dazai had such a knack for being a pain in his ass, Chuuya would have refused the smug offer to help him finish his calculus homework.
Well, he probably would have still accepted. He had been desperate.
But the offer to do the same a week later, while he was studying in the library? Chuuya would have refused that. And then he would have refused the subsequent deal to help Dazai with his French class in return for regular tutoring. Because it didn't matter that Dazai Osamu was a damned mathematical prodigy when he was also such an annoying bastard.
Sure, Chuuya was now getting good grades in a course he would likely fail if left to his own devices, but there were actual tutors on campus he could have turned to for help. Anything would have been better than being on the receiving end of the smug smirk Dazai always gave him when Chuuya showed up at his apartment outside of their regular study session, asking for a quick explanation.
(Maybe the convenience of having a tutor just five doors down would be missed.)
(Also the fact that Dazai could explain the concepts in a much understandable manner than Chuuya's teacher was nice.)
It still wasn't worth it.
"I'm only staying for half an hour." Chuuya said, pitching his voice so Dazai could hear it over the music, "And you had better uphold your end of the deal!"
Dazai merely grinned and passed Chuuya a drink, "When have I ever broken my word to you, chibi?"
The answer was never, and it pissed Chuuya off to no end. At least if Dazai had skipped one of their arranged sessions then Chuuya would have leverage to work with. But, for some reason, a man who was infamous for abandoning plans and skipping classes was never more than five minutes late to their study sessions.
Chuuya's thoughts were abruptly derailed as the music changed, and Dazai's eyes lit up with glee, "Chuuya, we have to dance to this!"
"No, we don't have to do anything. You can dance, I'm going to stay here."
Dazai's lower lip protruded in a pout, "Please, Chuuya! I'll do your lab for you."
"Unlike you, I have some sense of morality." Chuuya leaned against the wall at his back, legs crossing to demonstrate the fact that he was not leaving the spot until he walked out of the party.
His response was met with a dramatic sigh and Dazai's gaze scanned the nearest students. Once he found one to his liking and murmured something that was, no doubt, charming and a bit condescending, he was off toward the mass of dancers with a young woman gripping his hand and trailing behind.
Chuuya watched his departure with narrowed eyes, pleased with himself for standing his ground but slightly put out by the fact that Dazai had given in so easily. Normally a determined Dazai would have tried to coax Chuuya into going along, something Chuuya had been guarded against since they first met.
Considering how large the campus was, the fact that he had been intimately familiar with Dazai’s reputation for several years before actually speaking to the man was damning in itself.
Taking a sip of his drink, Chuuya considered what he had known about Dazai Osamu.
Since they were the same age, they started their programs at the same time. However, while Chuuya had slowly integrated with the community, Dazai's hurtled into it feet first.
By Dazai's first week enrolled at the university his name was common around campus. Evidently, he was well-known by the professors by virtue of being somewhat of a prodigy, and skilled enough that he finished his program an entire year early and jumped straight into graduate courses.
Of course, for a literature student, that didn't hold much weight for Chuuya. It was Dazai's reputation that had set him on alert from the moment he caught sight of bandages peeking from underneath a leather jacket.
On the makeshift dance-floor, Dazai's hands were wrapped around the slim waist of whatever girl he had talked into dancing with him. Draining the rest of his drink, Chuuya tossed his cup in the waste bin and slipped out of the party.
He wasn't running away. He hadn't even wanted to be there in the first place.
From where he ended up on the edge of his friend's bed, listening as Kouyou explained to him how each of Dazai's actions meant the bandaged bastard was actually trying to win Chuuya over and not drive him crazy, Chuuya wondered if staying at the party would have been the better choice.
"Dazai Osamu doesn't date," Chuuya said, repeating the same warning that was whispered to new students, or those otherwise ignorant, who found themselves at the other end of a sharp brown stare, "He charms his way into people's bed and then leaves."
"Can you honestly tell me that you don't find him attractive, Chuuya-kun?"
Kouyou's eyes fixed on Chuuya's, and Chuuya wished they hadn't known each other as long as they did so he could lie his way out, "Of course I find him attractive. Everyone on this damn campus finds him attractive. I'm just not interested in being his next check mark."
"That's because you're such a romantic." Kouyou's response was little more than a wistful sigh. Her eyes flicked to the bookcase full to the brim, probably cycling through half-a-dozen quotes to find the one that would best fit Chuuya's situation.
Getting to his feet, Chuuya sighed, "Please save the poetry for someone else. I'll see you tomorrow for dinner?"
"Technically later today." Kouyou hummed, waving her hand at the clock that told them it was well past midnight.
With a wave, Chuuya exited the room, determined not to let Kouyou's words keep him awake.
(They kept him up anyway.)
It was nearly two in the afternoon when Chuuya picked up his backpack and left his apartment, making his way down the hall to where a certain mackerel lived. The whole reason Chuuya even bothered to go to the party the previous night was in exchange for Dazai helping him with a lab he was stuck on. Since it was for a physics assignment, Dazai had proclaimed it was outside the parameters of their original deal (calculus in exchange for French).
If the assignment hadn't been due the upcoming week, Chuuya would have sought out someone more tolerable for help.
Chuuya didn't bother to knock, he merely turned the handle and stepped into Dazai's perpetually unlocked apartment. A month into their agreement, Dazai had complained about Chuuya's 'loud and angry-sounding' knocks, so Chuuya forwent them altogether.
Just as he anticipated, there were no signs of life in the small main room of the apartment. Chuuya assumed Dazai returned from the party sometime near dawn, which meant he would have to drag Dazai out of bed in order to make sure Dazai held up his promise.
"Oi! Bandage Wasting Device! Get out of bed and help me with my lab!" Chuuya called as he dropped his backpack on the dining table.
There was no response.
Rolling his eyes, Chuuya made his way in the direction of the bedroom. His hand was reaching for the knob when the door flew open and he looked up to meet a gaze that certainly wasn't Dazai's.
"Uh, hi?" The man looked baffled, but that wasn't what caught Chuuya's attention.
What caught his attention was the fact that this tall, clearly attractive, stranger was standing in Dazai's bedroom without a shirt on. Chuuya's instinct was to look past the man to see if Dazai was in bed in a similar manner of undress, but he kept his gaze locked on the stranger, not sure he could manage his temper if his suspicions were confirmed.
He didn't know why it felt like he had been punched in the gut. It wasn't like he actually believed Kouyou when she claimed Dazai had any kind of interest in him. It wasn't like he had ever indicated to Dazai that he might be interested. Even if their banter sometimes seemed to slip into the flirtatious territory, there was nothing between them.
The facts didn't do anything to stop Chuuya's hands from shaking, and he clenched them into fists at his sides.
A similar kind of scrutiny was going on from the stranger's end, and a flash of recognition crossed his face, "Oh, you must be-."
"I take it Dazai is busy?" Chuuya cut the man off, not interested in a conversation, and not interested in hearing whatever excuses Dazai would probably have prepared, "Tell him that he's an ass for forgetting about our agreement and that I hope he fails his French exam on Wednesday." Chuuya turned on his heel and stalked toward his backpack, "Also, tell him not to fucking call me anymore. Hope you had a nice night."
Chuuya was out of the apartment before the man can say another word, the door slamming at his back.
Dazai was never drinking alcohol again.
Except for that party he was invited to next week, it would be rude of him to turn down the invitation. He also couldn't pass up birthday celebrations, and of course when he finished his graduate program there would have to be drinks.
But besides that, he was never having a drop of alcohol after last night.
His head was splitting. Every noise seemed to echo in his skull, rattling his bones and somehow making his stomach churn in tune. Dazai hadn't even intended to have that much booze, but when he had come back from dancing to see Chuuya had slipped away he might have overindulged.
It wasn't like there was anything interesting about the damned party when Chuuya was no longer there.
Footsteps pounded, making the space behind his eyes throb as if trying to keep pace, and Dazai turned his head further into the pillow, "Why do you walk so loud, Odasaku?"
"It wouldn't be a problem if you hadn't drunk so much." Was the calm reply, "Drink the water I brought you."
Dazai lifted his head and reached for the glass, draining it in record time before murmuring, "This is why you're my best friend. I always knew you loved me. Who was yelling?"
"A short redhead. I'm assuming it was that Chuuya guy you keep talking about?"
"Chibi? Why is he here? Did he come to nurse me back to life?"
Oda snorted at that, "Definitely not. He said you were an ass for forgetting about your agreement."
"Agreement?" Dazai repeated, wishing he could concentrate through his headache. He had made some kind of promise to Chuuya, it was how he was able to get the hat rack to show up to the party in the first place, even if that plan hadn't worked at all, "That's all?"
"He also said he hopes you fail your French exam and not to call him anymore."
That all sounded like the sort of thing Chuuya would say, but it didn't sound like something Chuuya would say to a complete stranger, particularly not one like Oda. Finally turning his head away from the pillow, Dazai squinted at his friend, "What did you say to make him mad?"
"I said hi." Oda said, raising an eyebrow at the assumption that he was the one who pissed Chuuya off, "Before he stormed out he said he hoped I had a nice night."
It took Dazai several seconds longer than it usually would to connect all the pieces, and when he did he sat bolt upright, immediately regretting the action as his guts protested the sudden movement. Slipping out of the bed, Dazai rushed to the bathroom and emptied the contents of his stomach before he staggered back to his bedroom to where Oda hadn't moved a muscle.
"He thinks I brought you home."
"I brought you home. You could barely walk."
Normally, Dazai would find Oda's act of pretending like he didn't understand Dazai's sexual comments amusing. But he was in too much pain to bother with it, "He thinks we fucked, Oda."
"And that would make him upset? Dazai, you've probably slept with half of the campus."
Dropping Oda's gaze, Dazai admitted, "Not since I started tutoring him."
Oda's low whistle is predictable, but not any less grating, "Sounds like you need to do some damage control, Dazai."
"I'll get to it once I'm done dying." Dazai slumped back into bed, eyes fluttering shut, "Could you get me something greasy?"
Oda's laugh was enough of an answer and Dazai's attention immediately shifted to the redhead just a few doors down. His memory ran back to a few minutes previously; now that he knew it had been Chuuya, he could pick out just how angry the man had sounded and Dazai sighed. It might take a minor miracle for him to corner Chuuya long enough to explain the situation properly. Dazai was sure he could come up with such a miracle if his head would stop throbbing.
Resolving to apply himself to the problem as soon as he could think properly, Dazai dozed off.
Numbers and letters blurred together until Chuuya couldn’t tell them apart, not that it really seemed to matter when it came to calculus. His eyelids were heavy, as if weights were attached to the bottoms of his lashes, and he glanced at his watch: it was two hours past midnight.
Chuuya was quite positive math should qualify as a form of torture. A form of torture he had assumed he would escape by choosing an education track in literature and languages.
He should have known he wouldn’t be so lucky.
Two weeks ago, Chuuya would have long since been done with the assignment with time to dive into one of the promising books in his curriculum. Of course, there were some concepts that made more sense to him than they had at the beginning of the term, but Chuuya's brain really wasn't hardwired for this shit.
His fingers itched to pick up his phone. It was currently sitting face down on the edge of the table (which had become the best way for Chuuya to ignore Dazai's occasional call, despite what Kouyou said about just blocking the bastard's number). Chuuya knew that Dazai would be able to solve the problem in a matter of minutes, and be able to explain it to Chuuya in less time than it took for him to get to the library from wherever he currently was.
Chuuya wasn't so desperate that he would go begging Dazai for help now.
Reapplying himself to the problem, Chuuya flipped to a fresh page of his notebook and started from scratch. It wasn't until someone dropped into the seat opposite him that Chuuya realized how much time had passed.
He glanced up, surprised to see the library lightening with the barest rays of sunlight. The sky outside the windows already shifting from pitch black to a deep blue. He was more surprised to be facing a certain mathematically gifted asshole.
Dazai leaned on his hands, studying Chuuya from under his lashes, "You're really not good at math, are you?"
"If everyone was good at math you wouldn't be such a big deal, would you?" Chuuya snapped, rubbing his tired eyes, "What do you want?"
"I saw you here when I was finishing a report a few hours ago and I was curious if you would still be here." Dazai admitted, "You know I can help you with that."
The offer sounded too much like the first time they had met, when Dazai had flippantly remarked he could help Chuuya finish the assignment he had been fighting with for hours. Unlike that time, Chuuya scowled, "Leave me alone."
"Listen, chibi, I'm sorry for not being awake to help you with your physics assignment. In my defense, I was on death's door. All I needed was some water and food and I would have been able to function."
Chuuya clenched his jaw, leaning back in his chair, trying to put as much distance between himself and Dazai as possible. He didn't really have any reason to be this upset with the bastard, which somehow made him all the angrier. After all, Dazai and Chuuya were nothing more than study partners, Chuuya wasn't even sure if Dazai considered them friends. There had been no reason for his gut to twist with rage (jealousy, a small part of his mind supplied), because there was no relationship between them.
If thinking logically, Chuuya could admit that Dazai had probably done the same with a dozen others over the time they knew each other, but at least there had been no traces of them in Dazai's apartment whenever Chuuya went over.
Of course, he wasn't going to admit as much to Dazai.
Dazai tilted his head, studying Chuuya's face carefully as he continued, "Just so you know, that guy you saw is my friend Oda, I've mentioned him before. He was just making sure I was okay after the party."
Oda.
The name rang a bell.
The sort of bell that made Chuuya's shoulders slump and his scowl melt drastically as he realized he had completely cut contact with Dazai over a misunderstanding.
To make matter's worse, a slow smirk was spreading across Dazai's face, "Don't tell me Chuuya was jealous?"
"Why the fuck would I be jealous?" Chuuya said, trying to bluster his way out of the conversation before his cheeks turned red, "I heard the stories about you before we met. Why would I be interested in the campus playboy?"
Dazai brought a hand to his chest in a flourish, "That was the old me, Chuuya. I can reassure you that I am a reformed man with honest intentions."
Chuuya rolled his eyes, trying to fight back a smile at how quickly they had tumbled back into their banter, at how Dazai was able to move past the whole thing without a second glance, "Since when?"
"Since we started studying together."
There was something so genuine about Dazai's reply that Chuuya felt himself freeze, eyes wide as they met Dazai's, searching for some sign of deception. Dazai's face was completely solemn, a small smile playing on his lips as he waited for Chuuya to process the information.
Slowly, cautiously, Chuuya said, "Why is that?"
"Take a wild guess, chibi."
"You're interested in me?" Chuuya couldn't keep a note of incredulity out of his voice.
He felt it was justified considering that Dazai was the most sought-after student at the university. Chuuya was attractive, he could admit as much, but instead of trying to win him over for almost half the semester Dazai could have easily found another attractive person to fill his time with.
Dazai's smile widened slightly and he picked up Chuuya's notebook, studying it, "So you are capable of following logic, let's see if I can get you to do the same with your calculus."
And just like that, the subject was abandoned in favor of getting Chuuya's assignment completed. In his current state of exhaustion, Chuuya wasn't in any position to try and bring the topic back up, and he certainly shouldn't have been annoyed with the fact that he was finally making progress on the assignment.
So, Chuuya forced himself to put the conversation aside for later dissection (likely over tea with Kouyou) and focused on math. With Dazai's help, the assignment was finished within another hour. Chuuya's limbs moved slowly as he packed his materials, his entire body protesting his the lack of sleep. He was grateful his first class wasn't until the afternoon.
Dazai watched him pack, "Have you been studying this late since you stopped talking to me?"
Chuuya stood from the table, "Does it matter?"
"You're so stubborn." Dazai hums, clearly amused as he got to his feet, "It's a good thing I found you or you would've fallen asleep in this library. Let's go."
The sharp retort died on Chuuya's tongue as Dazai grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the door. Dazai linked their fingers together, his entire body at ease like it was a common thing for them to do, and Chuuya couldn't find a reason to pull his hand away.
Chuuya wished the white paint on Kouyou's ceiling would provide him answers so he wasn't forced to verbally fumble through his current mess in the presence of his friend. Kouyou always gave good advice, but she never forget a word that was said to her and had a tendency to parrot them back to their original speaker at the worst possible times.
It was why he was staring at the ceiling rather than meeting the stare that had been pinning him from across the room for the past ten minutes.
Laughter was certainly not what Chuuya expected to hear, and his head whipped around so he could see where Kouyou was all but doubled over in her seat.
"What?"
"Chuuya, the fact that Dazai Osamu is refusing to kiss you unless you pass your calculus final is almost as funny as how furious you are about the whole situation."
"I don't find it funny at all." Especially since Dazai hadn't made the stipulation that Chuuya merely had to pass his final but rather that he had to score at least an 80%.
Kouyou caught her breath, "Of course you don't, dear. But don't you think he's paying you back for how you completely stopped talking to him for two weeks?"
Chuuya opened his mouth to deny Kouyou's suggestion, and then closed his mouth, lips curling into a scowl. It actually sounded exactly like the sort of stunt Dazai would pull.
"My final is next week, Kouyou." Chuuya opted to skip over her question, "I can't just master the shit I was confused about while we weren't talking in that amount of time. He'd have to tutor me basically all weekend, that's...." Chuuya trailed off with a muttered curse, "Manipulative bastard."
Kouyou drummed her fingers on her desk, face serious even though her eyes glinted with amusement, "You could always call his bluff. I doubt he would refuse to kiss you if you didn't pass."
Chuuya considered it for a moment before tossing the idea away. That would just give Dazai the chance to come up with a different ridiculous requirement or provide him the fodder to claim that Chuuya's stubbornness was the reason why Chuuya didn't do well in the course. Besides, passing the class with that sort of a grade had been beyond his wildest dreams during the first several weeks of term. It would be gratifying to pull such a mark.
Picking up his phone from where it sat on the bed next to him, Chuuya fired off a text to Dazai before shoving it in his pocket. He didn't have to say a word of explanation to Kouyou, who merely raised her eyebrow at him as he waved goodbye.
The days leading up to Chuuya's calculus final were a dizzying blur of theorems, graphs, and equations. More than once, Chuuya found himself longingly looking at his book collection as Dazai walked through whatever mistake he had made on whatever practice problem he was currently attempting. The fact that Dazai seemed to be putting forward a serious effort to help Chuuya pass was a bit baffling, but Chuuya did his best to absorb all of the information that was offered.
And, somehow, when he opened the booklet for his final exam, Chuuya understood the first question. He also understood the second. He steadily worked his way through the test, skipping over significantly less problems than he assumed he would have.
When Chuuya handed his test in, he felt optimistic.
When he got his test back, he nearly dropped it in surprise.
Chuuya left his professor's office, walked through campus, and straight to Dazai's apartment. As always, he stepped inside without knocking, eyes immediately falling on where Dazai was studying for an exam of his own.
Dazai grinned up at him, "Chibi, we just saw each other this morning! Have you missed me that much?"
Dropping his backpack on the ground, Chuuya handed over his exam without a word. Dazai's grin faltered, confusion showing on his features as he took the test. Chuuya could see the moment Dazai realized what he was holding, and the return of his grin (wider than before) told Chuuya that Dazai had seen the grade.
"An 86. Not bad for a lit student." Dazai said, flipping through the pages where Chuuya had worked through the problems, no doubt picking out the mistakes even though he didn't have a copy of the actual questions, "Of course, if you had just been willing to-."
"I seem to recall a certain deal that you forced me to make." Chuuya cut Dazai off, raising an eyebrow, "Are you going to back out of holding up your end?"
"My end?" Dazai tilted his head, brow furrowing as he feigned ignorance, "I'm not sure I know what you're talking about."
The test score was going to Chuuya's head, pumping him full of the kind of confidence he wasn't used to feeling around Dazai, and he leaned down so that he was just inches away from stealing his reward, "You don't forget anything, Dazai."
Chuuya only saw Dazai's smirk for a moment before a hand was sliding under his chin to hold him steady, before soft lips were being pressed against his own. Chuuya's eyes fluttered shut as he focused on the feeling of Dazai gently sliding their lips together.
It was different than Chuuya expected.
(Not that he had been thinking about it. At least, not often.)
Dazai kissed Chuuya like there was nothing else in the world for him to do, like he had the time to unravel Chuuya at a glacial speed. The hand at Chuuya's chin brushed against his face until Dazai's fingers were curled around the back of Chuuya's neck, pulling him deeper into the embrace as Dazai coaxed Chuuya's lips apart.
When Dazai's tongue made a teasing swipe against Chuuya's teeth, Chuuya couldn't hold back a slight intake of breath. He felt like he was floating; his entire body weightless as if gravity no longer applied to him outside of the firm press of Dazai's hand against his skin.
By the time Dazai finally pulled back, Chuuya knew his ears were tinged pink, but he couldn't bring himself to care as Dazai smirked again, "Did I fulfill my end of the bargain well enough, Chuuya?"
Chuuya's gaze flicked to the notes spread out on the table, pleased to see they were science (something Dazai excelled at) instead of French. Narrowing his eyebrow as he pretended to think, Chuuya mused, "I'm not sure that it's a fair exchange for how much work went into my exam."
Dazai chuckled and got to his feet, fingers sliding up to curl in Chuuya's locks, "Let me see what I can do about that."