Work Text:
"So....you get nightmares...?"
Dazai curled further into himself on the couch. Kunikida had that look in his eye that he hated, the look where he was actually concerned for his well-being.
'Don't get attached' he always told himself, 'if you get attached they'll care when you die. You might even make them cry.'
---
Kunikida had started caring a long time ago, looking back he can't quite remember when his exasperation faded to fondness but inevitably it had. Of course he cared, he had to. If no one cared for Dazai the idiot would have properly tried to off himself a long time ago.
He had understood Dazai's soft voice wishing for a dreamless sleep; several hours of sleep was what he wrote in his ideal but rarely did he ever get that. More often than not his sleep was interrupted by the dead coming to sit by his side or cry to him about everything he could have done. He'd wake up with the crying face of the little girl buried in his side like a child coming to their parent after a bad dream or Rokuzou gripping his sleeve with a scared look on his face and death in his eyes. Sasaki lying next to him was not uncommon, the feeling of her hands on his chest and arms holding him a bit too tightly and her nails digging into his skin just enough to hurt. Then he would wake up for real and find himself alone. He wasn't sure which he preferred.
Dazai had changed the subject now and was rambling on about taking him out for drinks, his face was hidden in the arm of the couch but Kunikida knew he'd have a light dusting of red on his cheeks. He smiled sweetly at his partner, reaching for his hand. When his fingers wrapped around the bandaged hand and his thumb stroked gentle circles, Dazai's rambling was silenced and Kunikida heard his breath hitch.
"It's ok." Kunikida said, clearing his throat, "It's ok I get them too."