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“This is stupid,” Chuuya declares, slumping inthe cafe booth. “I don’t need a tutor.”
“If you want to keep working for the ADA, you probably do,” Shirase replies.
“Why don’t you need a tutor?” he says. Shirase smiles. “Or Michi.”
“Don’t even think about it,” Michizou replies, looking up from his drink. “I’ve only been out of school for like a year. I could probably tutor both of you.”
“If you could be that close to Chuuya without blushing like an idiot,” Shirase laughs.
“I’d rather have you tutor me than some stuck up stranger, Michi-kun,” Chuuya says. “I bet he’ll be some super nerdy guy too. Gonna look down on me for the shitty hand life’s given me. Like I want this. I didn’t ask for this shit.”
“None of us did,” he agrees. He frowns, pausing from cleaning the bar and looking up. “Well, I mean, Michi-kun sorta did. He’s a runaway.”
“I’d do it again if you tried to send me back too,” Michizou says. “It’s awful, you know, to have someone constantly telling you you should be dead…” He hand closes around his brother’s tag under his shirt. “It should have been me instead of him. Why are they stuck with me while he died...?”
Chuuya reaches over and takes Michizou’s hands in his. “Fuck them, Michizou. You don’t need anyone who treats you like shit like that. You’ve got us.”
Shirase laughs from behind the cafe bar and nods along. Michizou glances between them before nodding and moving his hand to slide his fingers between Chuuya’s. And Chuuya is gracious enough not to point out he’s bright red.
“Shouldn’t you have better taste than to hang out with people who’ve treated you like shit too?” Michizou says.
“Like who?” Chuuya laughs.
“Like us,” Shirase says quietly.
Chuuya sighs and sits back, picking up his soda and taking a drink. Shirase has way too much guilt over everything that happened. It’s still awkward between them, and sure Chuuya’s kinda mad about it still, but he does know it’s not Shirase himself at fault. It’s the Sheep, it’s GSS, the Mafia, Chuuya himself. They’re all at fault. Shirase doesn’t have to feel like a monster.
Things have been picking up recently too. Michizou is off the streets, even if he’s not going home. Chuuya is happy with Arthur and the ADA and has his friends around him - at least some of them. And the owner of the cafe below the Agency had given Shirase some part time work after he helped with some heavy boxes. Things are really starting to look up for them.
If only Arthur and Yosano weren’t so convinced he really did need this tutor.
“Uuuurgh! This tutor thing sucks!”
The door opens with a jingle of the bell and they turn. A blond kid has come in in a school uniform. He frowns at the three of them and shifts his school bag absently. He glances between them. He’s way too stiff. Square shoulders and jaw and glasses. Perfectly done up uniform. Chuuya bets he’s never had so much as a hair out of place or a mark dropped on a grade. Probably goes to the sort of private school you’d have to be on a Mafia salary to afford. Perfect in every way.
Perfectly handsome, Chuuya thinks absently.
“How can I help you?” Shirase says, straightening up.
“I’m looking for Nakahara Chuuya,” he replies. Chuuya waves a little. “I’m here to tutor you.”
Chuuya straightens up a little. “Oh.”
“Oh,” Shirase says.
Chuuya glances over at Shirase, who’s frowning slightly. Michizou glances between them before straightening up with a grin.
“Oh.”
Chuuya frowns at him too. But Michizou just grins and gets up, taking his drink and heading up to the cafe bar. The blond comes over and joins Chuuya in his booth. Whatever’s got into those two, Chuuya has more important issues to deal with. Namely, his apparent tutor.
“Kunikida Doppo,” he says, sitting across from him.
“Nakahara Chuuya. As you know, I guess.”
“I do,” Kunikida says. “Your guardian was rather vague about your situation. What are you struggling with?”
Chuuya frowns and leans back in his seat. “Everything. Probably.”
“Everything?” he repeats.
“Probably,” he mutters. He sighs and tips his head back. “I’ve been on the streets all my life. I don’t have much of an education.”
Kunikida frowns at him. It’s not a pitying look, as Chuuya so often gets when people realise his history. Just a little concerned. And perhaps a little put out that no one informed him beforehand. Chuuya thinks he quite likes that.
“In that case,” he says, “I think we should see just what kind of base we have to work with and see where we go from there. Is that ok?”
“If you want,” he says quietly. “I’m not very good at this school stuff.”
“I’d get better grades than Chuuya right now,” Michizou laughs. Chuuya turns to glare at him. “Sorry, Chuuya.”
“You’re getting too bold, Michizou,” he grumbles. “Keep it up and I’ll tell Yosano-sensei you’re causing trouble during my lessons.”
Michizou grins and turns back to the bar where Shirase is cleaning again, who swipes the back of his head. “Shut up, kid. He’s actually got a future. Let him study.”
“Right, right.”
“Friends of yours?” Kunikida says quietly.
“Part of the gang I looked after,” Chuuya replies.
“Gang?” he says.
“Bunch of kids like me I looked after,” he says. “They took me in when I was wandering the slums without memories. And in turn I looked after them when I coud. No one else would, after all. And now we’re here. Finally getting out shit together.”
“You’re… my age…?” Kunikida says.
“Fifteen,” Chuuya says. Kunikida nods. “I know that much. I had a medical bracelet when they found me. Michizou’s only twelve. And we had younger kids under our care.”
Kunikida’s shoulder tense a little. “It’s not right. Kids shouldn’t-”
“So everyone says,” Shirase says. Chuuya glances up. “And yet we were. And we could only look after so many kids. We’re just left on streets for the Mafia and such to pick off. We’re the lucky ones.”
“Do you want to go for a walk?” Chuuya says, getting up. “Since we seem to be getting to know each other. It might be a better use of our time than work. I’m still not sure I’m gonna go for this tutor shit.”
Kunikida tilts his head a little before standing. Chuuya smiles and they head out towards the door. Away from Michizou and Shirase’s teasing.
“Ah, it’s like a-”
“Shut up, Michizou,” Shirase grumbles.
“Jealous.”
“Shut up, Michizou.”
Kunikida glances down at Chuuya as the door to cafe shuts and Chuuya glances away. He really needs to figure things out with Shirase. They need to talk. They need to figure out where the two of them stand now. It never stops being awkward having Shirase around, if he’s honest. He’s never sure if they’re ok or not. Gang disagreements and a violent lifestyle doesn’t get covered on many of the day time relationship programs Yosano puts on in her little infirmary. If it was something as simple as cheating or family disagreements, maybe then her trashy TV would have answers.
“Did I intrude on something?” Kunikida says as they walk away from the cafe. “Things seemed tense.”
“My ex,” Chuuya says with a shrug. He shoves his hands in his pockets and gazes up at the sky. “A lot happened.”
“I imagine a lot happens in general when you’re living that sort of life,” he says. “I imagine relationships aren’t easy in that situation.”
“It was stupid to think it could have ever worked,” he mutters. “It was stupid to think we could make a difference. I tried so hard to keep everyone safe and now it’s all kinda for nothing. I get people looking after me and hiring tutors like that matters, no offence, and they’re still struggling. Everyone with an Ability is snatched up by the Mafia and everyone around them is brought into submission or removed. Everyone has to find gangs who would use them to survive. I… I wanted to stop them from having to do that...”
Kunikida frowns at him. “You’re… very mature for your age. But, I suppose you didn’t have much choice.”
“None.”
“And you know about Abilities?”
Chuuya tilts his head. “Is that weird? Everyone knows about them down in Suribachi. Ability users can be the only thing that keeps you safe from the Mafia. But… they’re also… monsters, right?”
“Monsters?” Kunikida says. “Do you think so?”
“It’s what everyone says,” Chuuya says. “And most of those Mafia bastards have Abilities. They use them to just… get whatever they want and fuck everyone else. Ability users are just… weapons to destroy with...”
“Is that what you really think?” he says. “Not all Abilities are violent. And I don’t think even violent Abilities can only be used to hurt people.”
Chuuya shrugs. Even with other powerful Ability users around him, it’s still hard to shake that feeling that he doesn’t belong. That’s he’s too much for people to deal with. That sooner or later they’ll figure out what a monster he is, they’ll be afraid of him too and they’ll turn on him just like everyone else.
“Here,” Kunikida says.
He takes out a notebook. He scribbes in it before tearing out the page. The page glows and Kunikida holds out a hand. A tennis ball falls into his waiting palm.
“My Ability allows me to make things real when I write them in my notebook,” he says. “I don’t think it’s a weapon. I don’t think I’m a weapon.”
“You’re lucky,” Chuuya says, placing his hand on the ball. “You’ve never had to turn it into a weapon.”
The ball floats up from his palm and hovers in front of them. Kunikida frowns. “Levitation?”
“Something like that.” Chuuya grins. “You can make stuff appear and I can make stuff float, between us we’ve got a half decent magic show, huh?”
Kunikida frowns at him. “Are we going to do any studying?”
“I want to get to know you first,” Chuuya says. He takes an envelope out of his pocket and hands it over. “You still get paid. I’m told I can be difficult to work with. I have a… prickly personality.”
“I’ve been told similar,” Kunikida says. “I suppose it would be a waste of both of our time to try teaching you anything if our personalities are so opposed we can’t get anything done. Will your ex be alright with us spending so much time together? He seems prickly as well.”
Chuuya laughs and grabs the tennis ball from the air. He spins it absently on his finger as he considers Shirase’s position in all this. After everything that happens he doesn’t think Shirase should be allowed to be jealous. They’re friends. They’re working on things. But, perhaps the question is more how does Chuuya actually feel about Shirase?
“Whatever’s going on with me and Shirase, that’s for us to figure out,” Chuuya says after a moment. “I’ll work things out with him eventually. But, they all want me to have help with my education. I’d probably rather have someone like you rather than some stuck up, wrinkly old man with no sense of fun.”
“I think the only one of those requirements I meet is not being a wrinkly old man,” Kunikida says.
Chuuya laughs. “Well, you’re definitely easy on the eye, that’s always a plus.”
“Student teacher romances aren’t my thing,” he says.
“I’m not sure potential tutor counts as student teacher romance,” Chuuya replies. “But, what about streetwise troublemakers who are definitely a bad influence? More your pace?”
“Is that how you see yourself?” Kunikida chuckles. Chuuya shrugs. It’s how Yosano described him. “I have a list of requirements for what I want in a partner.”
“Picky.”
“High standards. I know what I want and won’t settle for less.”
“I like that conviction.”
Kunikida shrugs. “If you’re not willing to stick to your convictions, why have them? I’ve always been certain what I want. When I find the right partner, then I’ll be satisfied to take those steps.”
“Well, I’m right here when you're ready.”
“You’re flirting with me,” Kunikida says, glancing at him with a frown.
“Am I?” Chuuya laughs.
“You don’t meet a lot of my requirements, I’m afraid,” he says.
Chuuya hums and tosses the tennis ball absently. “Sure. I can get that. Just remember, having an ideal is all well and good, but cling onto it too tight and you might miss something just as amazing you never saw coming.”
“Nice try but still no,” Kunikida says.
Chuuya shrugs. He doesn’t care all that much. It’s not like he’s fallen in love with Kunikida at first sight. He’s just having a bit of fun. He doesn’t think he’s had fun just hanging out with someone like this before. And not with someone outside of the Sheep. It’s amazing to finally have the weight of responsibility lifted and just to have someone see him as him. Just a dumb fifteen year old kid.
Chuuya frowns a little, gazing up at Kunikida. Kunikida sees him the same way Dazai did, doesn’t he? The same way Arthur and the ADA does. Just another Ability user.
He actually really likes that.
“They’re out kinda late, huh?” Michizou says, holding out a can to Shirase. Shirase takes it slowly and Michizou smiles back. “I guess studying is hard. Probably at some library or something. Must be boring.”
“Probably,” Shirase replies.
Michizou sits next to him on the second floor walkway at the dorms. Down below in the courtyard, Yosano is practicing combat with Rimbaud - and being kept at bay like she's a child being humoured. Rimabud's incredible strength is painfully apparent somedays. It's no wonder Chuuya fees most comfortable around him.
Chuuya still hasn’t come back with that Kunikida guy and the sun is starting to set. He shouldn't worry. He’s not worried. Not about his safety or anything. He doesn’t think the Mafia is so sneaky they’d get someone their age hired as a private tutor just to try luring Chuuya away. Chuuya can take care of himself. He doesn’t think many people without the Mafia would manage to hurt him now Rimbaud is here looking after him anyway.
Even so, he wants Chuuya to come home.
“Wanna talk about it?” Michizou says, opening up his soda.
“Talk about what?” Shirase replies.
“About you and Chuuya, of course,” he says. Shirase rolls his eyes. “You still love him.”
“Let’s not get carried away, kid,” he says, shaking his head. “We’re teenagers, there’s no love. Just because we had to grow up quickly, doesn’t mean we’re grown up enough for shit like love.” He sighs and takes a drink. “I’m not… I never stopped liking him, ok? Things just got complicated.”
“You stabbed him,” Michizou says. “It’s not that complicated.”
Shirase rolls his eyes. “Like it’s that simple.”
“Seems that simple.”
“It’s not.” Michizou frowns at him from behind his can. “You know how the Sheep worked, kid. We made decisions as a group. Even if I said something against it, I’d be outvoted. And like Chuuya said, what’s the point in voting on it and agreeing together if we then ignore the group’s decision? It was the best decision we could have made with the information we had at the time, all set up by that damn Mafia pretty boy.”
“You’re sounding jealous again.”
“Yeah, well, he can do better than that mummy bastard.”
Michizou sighs. “Adults are so complicated. I’d be easier if you all just said what you meant.”
“What are you complaining about?” Shirase laughs. “You should be glad more people are out of the way so your crush stands a chance.”
“There’s no crush!” Michizou cries, shaking his head quickly. Although, he’s also bright red and has almost crumpled the can in his hands. “I- I just think he’s really cool, that’s all. Chuuya’s like- He’s just awesome, ok? He’s really strong and kind and funny and works so hard to protect everyone even while he’s struggling and-”
“What are you two gossiping about?” Chuuya calls from below.
Shirase tilts his head and Chuuya lands lightly on the rails behind them. He steps off onto the floor next to them and grins.
“How’d it go?” Michizou says.
“Fun,” Chuuya says and sits with them. “Lot’s of fun. I think we’re going to actually get along and enjoy this stupid tutor shit.”
“I’m glad,” Shirase says. “You deserve something normal.”