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Living on his own is something that Fyodor wished for since he was a kid. He doesn’t understand the need to socialise nor communicate with people present in front of him. He’s fine and contented being on his own in the safety of his own home, knowing that no one is going to bother or annoy him.
But right now, he wishes that someone is here with him now. For the first time, he doesn’t know what to do. And what annoys him, even more, is the fact that it’s just about a very mundane yet unexpected thing. Well basically, he was trying to finalise the last bits of the new chapter of his manuscript. Was. If only he wasn’t just trying to be fancy and classy as hell, this wouldn’t happen either.
He was just trying to change and refill the ink of his fountain pen. He did it a million times already, so he was not paying much attention. He knows how to do it even if he’s looking at something else, oh how he wished he paid attention instead.
When he thought that the cartridge was securely pressed to the nib, but it was not. The ink overflowed and spilled to his hands and to his table. He is already cursing himself because that is a pure mahogany table. Now instead of a fully functioning fountain pen, he has fingertips smudged in blue ink and a ruined mahogany table. Such fucking luck.
He quickly ran to his kitchen to grab some paper towels to soak and wipe up the ink from his table. The small pool of ink is now gone but it still left a mark on the surface, a reminder of his stupidity. He kinda forgot that his fingertips are also a victim of a wild ink cartridge and now he has a new problem.
How do you even remove dried up blue ink, so you won’t look like you killed a smurf on your free time?? Fyodor’s asking for a friend.
He tried to use water, rubbing alcohol heck he even used oil but it’s still there. He’s so close to crying but he didn’t back down. He grabbed his phone and finally decided to look it up online.
It said that acetone will remove ink and nail polish. He knows he doesn’t have that at home and contemplating if it’s worth it go outside and buy one. However, his editor is going to drop by in an hour to collect his manuscript which he hasn’t even finished thanks to the fountain pen. He needs to at least look presentable, but he also must really finish that final bit.
So, he ran to his room and grabbed a jacket and went outside to buy the goddamn acetone. Luckily, the nearest convenience store from his place was just 5 mins away. The only problem was, there are a lot of different brands and types of acetone in the store.
He thinks that he groaned a tad way louder than he thought he did because a guy approached him and asked if he’s okay. The guy is kinda short compared to him, but he got that confident and strong aura around him, plus the red hair that sticking out of his hoodie suits him. But why the hell is he wearing a hoodie and sunglasses in a store?
“Look, I’m not planning to rob this place or anything that you’re probably thinking now. I was just here to quickly buy some drinks and snack, but I heard you’re groaning over there so I approached you.” The man said.
“I’m sorry I didn’t mean to offend you, it’s just that you’re wearing a hoodie and sunglasses.”
The man looked at him like he’s being judged, yes Fyodor felt that judging stare even if the man still has his sunglasses on.
“You’re wearing a hoodie too.” In a matter-of-factly way.
“Oh right, I do apologise for offending you I really didn’t mean it.”
“Nah you’re alright. So, what’s making you groan like an old man over there?”
“You see, I need some acetone for my fingers because there was a little incident at home earlier.” Fyodor removed his fingers from his pockets and showed the stranger his blue stained fingertips.
“Killing smurfs on your free time is surely not a healthy hobby.” The guy chuckled while moving over to the acetone displays.
Fyodor paled with what the guy said, yes this is what he was afraid of. It is sure a bad choice to leave his house to buy the stupid acetone.
“Hey, I was just kidding. Here you go, this one will surely remove that stubborn ink.” The man said while handing him a bottle of acetone.
“Thank you! I was really having a hard time deciding which one should I grab, they’re all the same anyways right?” Fyodor thanked the man and clutched the bottle like it’s a precious baby.
“Nah some of these brands are shitty and won’t even remove one coat of nail polish, what more when it comes to ink?”
“How did you know this stuff?” Fyodor asked out of curiosity, it’s fine to ask right?
Instead of answering, the man showed him his hands and was met by nicely painted black nails. “I always need some stock of that with me, black nail polish is quite hard to remove.”
Fyodor nods in agreement and then remembered what the man said, “Wait, you’re here to buy drinks and snacks right? Let me pay it for you instead, that’s the least I can do for you for helping me out.”
“Hey, you actually don’t have to.” The man answered while grabbing the drink he wanted and some chips.
“But I insist! Please?” Fyodor was still following the man. Who said earlier again that he dislikes annoying people?
“Fine, but I glad I helped you. I’m Chuuya, and you?” The guy whispered this time instead of talking normally while offering his hand.
“Fyodor, it’s nice to meet you Chuuya.” He offered a smile too while they were waiting for all their items to get be scanned by the cashier.
“Not so loud, please! But yeah, it’s nice to meet you too. I would love to talk to you more, but my manager is probably waiting for me already, I don’t wanna get chewed out. I’ll see you around, bye and thank you!” Chuuya ran to the door but stopped and smiled at him before finally waving goodbye at Fyodor.
That’s when he realised that he was in the store for 30 minutes, so he rushed back home to remove the ink.
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Dazai is clearly a shameless man. He doesn’t even bother knocking and just open the door to Fyodor’s house using his key. As usual, the house is dark but there’s something unusual this time. Instead of the normal symphony from Bach or Tchaikovsky welcoming him, it was the bitter tang of acetone that registered to his senses.
“Fyodor? I’m here already, where are you?” Dazai shouted while trying to remove his shoes and putting it to the genkan. He went to the living room but there’s still no Fyodor. He checked the man’s office but there’s still no one inside the room.
He’s about to open the bedroom when he heard sniffles coming from the bathroom. Dazai’s not scared of ghosts at all or what but it’s better to be safe so he grabbed an umbrella from the small storage room before he approached the bathroom again.
He slowly started twisting the knob, the more he does the louder the sniffles get. He gripped the umbrella tightly before screaming and opening the door widely.
He was met with another scream before it died down into a full-on sob. Of course, it was Fyodor who was sniffling, who else would it be??
“Now now why are you crying in your bathroom? And what’s that smell, it’s too strong.” Dazai asked while trying to wipe the tears away from Fyodor’s face.
“Look,” Fyodor answered while showing Dazai his hands and holding back another sob. “It’s not coming off, but Chuuya said this will work.”
“Shh, it’s okay let me see.” Dazai held Fyodor’s hands and lead him to the faucet and washed the latter’s hand with water and soap.
“See, you just have to wash it a bit if it’s still not coming off. I’ll help you wipe it with acetone but please stop crying, is that a deal?” Dazai softly said to Fyodor while massaging his hands in the process too.
Fyodor just nods and sniffled one last time before Dazai started dabbing and wiping his fingertips with acetone and a cotton ball.
“You wanna tell me what happened?” He asked while still wiping.
“Yeah, I was just trying to refill my fountain pen with ink because I ran out of it when I was about to finish the last bits of the manuscript you needed. I was not paying much attention and didn’t notice it was not properly pressed to the nib, so the ink stained my mahogany table and my fingertips.”
“Right. But look, it’s lighter now compared from earlier right?”
Fyodor looked at his fingertips and nods before hugging the man in front of him.
“Thank you, I guess it’s not really that bad to have someone in my life.”
“I’m glad to hear that knowing you finally realised it. I’d stay with you for as much as you like.”
He tightened the hug and tilted his head to kiss Dazai but then he remembered something.
“Wait, I have to finish the manuscript! You need that, today right?” Before standing up and was about to leave Dazai behind but was quickly pulled into another hug.
“Yeah but I needed to ensure you’re fine now, that’s more important than that manuscript. It can wait.”
Now how can Fyodor say no to that? So, he leaned in and started slowly kissing Dazai until he was unconsciously straddling the latter and escalated their kiss into a hungrier one.
Dazai bit his lip before stopping from the kiss and said, “Now tell me who’s Chuuya.”
Noticing the hint of jealousy into Dazai’s tone, Fyodor decided to tease his editor and boyfriend by saying “Oh just someone I met earlier, he’s nice and beautiful.”
Dazai groaned and rolled his eyes with the statement, he’s about to retort when Fyodor cut him off.
“But you’re more beautiful and I’d love to see your beautiful yet annoying face each time I wake up.”
And that’s all Dazai needed before he proceeds to kiss the life out of Fyodor and lifted him up at the same time. Fyodor doesn’t mind and just allowed himself to be carried to the safety of his bedroom, their bedroom.
The fountain pen and manuscript can really wait.