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quietude

Summary:

It's not over, not yet, but... For now, at least, they can take a short break to rest.

[For Soukoku Week 2019, day 1: Peace]

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Work Text:

“Is it over?”

“... For now,” Dazai says, because it’s true: Fyodor is dead, yes, which is a great start, but he wasn’t the head of all this.

Chuuya sighs. “... How long, d’you think?”

“At least a week.”

“Ugh. All these eager idiots...” Chuuya grumbles, slumped against Dazai’s side, nursing the aftermath of Corruption once more. Dazai feels bad for putting him through it, but they had to make very sure that not only Fyodor was dead, but that any remnants of The Book he may have had were destroyed, too.

A black hole is pretty damn certain.

Dazai shifts a bit, half-turning to coax Chuuya to relax more against his chest. “I thought you liked fighting, though~?”

“I do, but it still gets tedious even for me.” Rather than take Dazai’s offered position, Chuuya gets up; not all the way, just to a half-crouched position, but it still makes Dazai’s hands flutter about him anxiously, not wanting Chuuya to strain himself. Thankfully, Chuuya settles back down soon enough, between Dazai’s legs, now leaning back against his chest. Dazai drapes his arms around Chuuya’s waist with a contented hum, deciding to let the conversation die with that.

Chuuya shuffles around; Dazai can’t see what he’s doing, but he watches as Chuuya sets his hat down carefully on the ground to their left - he’d used his ability to pull it back to himself after it had inevitably blown off in the conflict - and only a moment later, Dazai hears the sound of a lighter wheel flicking, once, twice before the flame catches, and then the familiar smell of smoke reaches his nose. Dazai whines, just playfully. “Eh~ Chuuya, offer me a drag~”

“No, you mooch. Buy your own.”

Resting his chin on Chuuya’s head, Dazai whines petulantly again, but it’s all for show; when he raises a gentle hand to pluck the cigarette from between Chuuya’s lips, Chuuya makes no effort to stop him. Mildly, Chuuya offers, “If you get ash in my hair, I’ll flay you alive.”

Dazai taps the cigarette dutifully off to their right - so as to not get any on Chuuya’s precious hat, either - and hums. “Your hair’s already full of dirt and debris anyway~”

Chuuya gives his thigh a warning pinch. Dazai can’t help grinning to himself as he takes a drag, inhaling the taste that always lingers faintly in Chuuya’s mouth. Ah, kisses are always much better, but... For now this is okay, he supposes. Once he’s satisfied, he flicks off the ash again, then holds it up to Chuuya’s mouth; it’s a testament to how lazy Chuuya’s feeling that he doesn’t even attempt to take it back from Dazai, simply letting Dazai set it in his mouth and pull it away once he knows Chuuya’s had a good drag.

They sit in silence like that, Dazai moving the cigarette back and forth between them, tapping off the ashes every now and then, and Dazai... really likes this. It's not like he hasn't done much more than this with Chuuya in the past, because he absolutely has, but this is... nice. Peaceful. Even if the next fight is just around the corner - and Chuuya will need to recover, Dazai might have to try to talk him into letting Yosano treat him... and talk Yosano into treating him - just being able to rest with Chuuya like this, even if it's in the middle of a battlefield, even if their allies are probably looking for them, just taking a little moment for themselves is pleasant.

Among all the wreckage and carnage, just the two of them, smoking silently and basking in each other's presence, nothing more.

Of course, they both know they can't sit there all day, and when Dazai hears Atsushi calling for him - probably accompanied by Akutagawa, despite his own lack of yelling - Dazai snubs out the cigarette and raises his hand above his head, poking up over the debris he's leaning against, and gives a lazy wave. Still, Chuuya doesn't immediately move, just sighing and sinking back further against Dazai for a moment like he can't even be bothered to care how they're seen. Dazai hopes that's true. He'd like to get Chuuya to stay with him, even after he - hopefully - gets healed by Yosano. Even the healing is probably only going to be possible due to the fact that the rest of the agency is already here, working together with the mafia, so Chuuya won't have to go to the agency or anything... Anyway. Dazai will try, and with Chuuya more relaxed like this - at least for the moment - he'll hopefully be more willing.

Atsushi approaches loudly, running over the debris, boots crunching dirt and gravel and who knows what else as he runs, but even then, Chuuya doesn't move. Dazai rests his chin on Chuuya's head and nuzzles down into his hair, appreciative of it. For as much as he doesn't want to let Chuuya go, it seems the feeling is mutual.

"Dazai-san—! Ah— Sorry, Nakahara-san, I didn't mean to bother you—"

Chuuya waves a flippant, dismissive hand. "S'fine. We know we should move."

Akutagawa shows up a second later, coughs politely, and backs out of sight again. Dazai wonders how he feels about it, the blatant affection present between Chuuya and Dazai himself, but doesn't really care, and so can't be bothered to give it more than a moment's thought. Lifting his head, he smiles at Atsushi, "Think you can convince Yosano-sensei to agree to treat Chuuya?"

Atsushi hesitates, but nods slowly. "Probably...? We're in a truce right now... And she'd probably be happy, realistically..." Getting revenge by slicing Chuuya open... Dazai can see why Atsushi would think so.

"Oi, oi, I know you're treating it as some foregone conclusion, but I didn't agree to let her treat me," Chuuya grumbles, but isn't really putting up much of a fight, because he's still snuggled into Dazai's lap all comfortably.

"Well, you need to feel better, and quickly~ Even if it's scary, you should cooperate, Chuuya~"

"Ugh, you're the worst."

"And yet here you are~"

The pinch to Dazai's thigh is much more painful this time, but it is time for them to go, and they know it. Chuuya gets up slowly, Dazai setting a hand on his back to help support him, not wanting Chuuya to rely on any aspect of his ability right now, and even Atsushi looks torn between offering a hand and not wanting to offend Chuuya. Or maybe it's Dazai he's worried about offending...

Dazai gets up after Chuuya, mindful of his own injuries, and pulls Chuuya close against his side, letting Chuuya's arm cling around his waist while Dazai drapes a gentle arm over his shoulder, holding him carefully, just to catch him if anything were to happen. Atsushi glances between them, just to make sure they're stable, but then nods and turns away, calling to Akutagawa again as he's apparently wandered off a bit.

Chuuya's hand squeezes just a bit tighter on Dazai's waist. Dazai grips him harder in return, both of them just wanting to feel each others' presence for as long as possible.

But, well. Even after this, even after Chuuya's healed, Dazai's sure they won't go their separate ways. Maybe for a short period of time to brief their respective organizations and bosses, but... After that, Dazai has every intention of snuggling Chuuya in their bathtub, then on their couch, then in their bed.

This peaceful period may be short-lived, but Dazai has every intention of making the best of it.

Notes:

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