Work Text:
Chuuya groaned, his face buried in his arms.
Another day of failing yet another English paper, why did he suck so much at the language? Shouldn’t it be a blast since his two parents are French?
He can already hear the snickering from the stupid waste of bandages in the back of his head telling him they’re nothing alike and throwing insults at him for the rest of the year if he continued this failing streak in English.
“What the hell?! Why am I fucking failing?!” He screamed, lifting his head and hitting his forehead on the table a little hard when he went back into his arms. “FUCK!”
Tachihara nervously laughed, who sat beside him, patted his shoulder, “It’s alright, I’m failing in Maths? Don’t beat yourself too much for it…”
“That shitty mackerel isn’t going to fucking leave me alone!”
He’s already dealt with him for nearly all his life, he asked himself every day how he can sleep with lanky beanpole following and annoying the shit out of him every day.
“Isn’t Dazai-san failing in French? So it’s a win-win situation here, Chuuya-san,” Higuchi assured him.
Speaking of the devil, Dazai appeared out of nowhere, skipping towards their small friend group bundle and looking too enthusiastic, like he ate one of those poisonous mushrooms he said that he was growing in his garden.
“Where’s the failing English chibi~? Oh~? There he is~~!” He sang with the most obnoxious voice Chuuya has ever heard.
“SHUT THE FUCK UP!”
“Chibi, oh~ the failing chibi~~!” He continued while being beaten up by Chuuya punches “that hurts, Chibi~! It doesn’t matter too much ‘cause Chuuya will always be a dumb slug~!”
Chuuya flipped the finger at him.
“I fucking hate, piss off, shitty Dazai! Don’t you have your own friends to go to?” He asked with his arms crossed and eyes glaring at him.
“I just wanted Chuuya to hear my new song! It’s called ‘Failing Chibi’!”
That was the last straw.
Dazai found himself tied to the trunk of a tree (very far from Chuuya’s friend group) by bandages and was left there by himself.
He pouted, “Chuuuuya! You can’t just leave me here!!”
The redhead stopped and turned around, “It’s what you get, bastard!”
“Chuuya’s just a sore loser~! He’s upset that he lost the bet against me~!”
“What bet?! We made no such thing!”
“If Chuuya lost the bet he’ll have to be my dog for life!”
“Who’s your fucking dog!? I’m not your dog!” Chuuya growled back, his fist shaking with the urge to introduce it to Dazai’s soon to be pancake face. “You’re just making shit up at this point!”
Dazai hummed and lightly shrugged his shoulders, “Fine! But I’m not going to help you with your English then~!” He replied.
“OI! You can’t do that!”
He grinned back at Chuuya’s glare.
“Chuuya doesn’t want to follow the rules so I make new ones~!”
Chuuya crossed his arms and leaned forward slightly, “I don’t care! I can find someone else to help with my English! Who needs a smelly fish to help them anyway?”
“Good luck with that, Chuuuya~! Don’t come running to me with snot on his face when you don’t find anyone!”
The redhead didn’t bother looking back and instead flipped the finger at him once more.
Wait and watch, Dazai.
I’ll find someone to teach and I’ll get fucking flying colours and wipe that shitty smirk off your face.
- - -
Sadly, in reality, it is easier said than done.
Chuuya boredly balanced a mechanical pencil between his nose and his top lip. Maybe he’s failing in English because of how boring it is. Mr Fitzgerald was incredibly boring, it’s shocking to know that people can pass his classes when he rambles about how great money is for the entire period or how different the U.S is from Japan.
Fucking kill me now…
Thankfully, he was saved by the school bell and the last period was finally finished.
A yawn escaped out of his mouth as he shoved all his textbooks in his bag to deal with it when he’s home to figure out how he could pass this class without Dazai.
His classroom door slid open.
“Is Chuuya-kun here?”
Fuck.
“Ah, yes, he’s over there,” one of the female students replied, pointing to Chuuya, who was trying to hide himself with his blazer but of course, it didn’t work out.
“Chuu-kun! I heard from a little birdy that you’re failing English~!”
The very next annoying person in his life, coming in second place (Dazai being first, of course), stood in front of his desk with a wide smile on his face.
Chuuya mentally groaned and looked up to see the tallest person in the school, even taller than the shitty mackerel.
“Was this birdy a smelly fish instead?”
“I plan on buying his song once it’s released!”
He rolled his eyes, “Shut the fuck up.”
“Anyways! I heard that Dazai-kun isn’t going to help you out in English. As your saviour, I’m going to a study session with some of my friends on Sunday. Would you like to come?”
Chuuya’s eyebrow twitched slightly, “Who are these ‘friends’ of yours?”
“Oh, you know~! Like the usual; Sigma-kun and Dos-kun! Dos-kun is fluent in English as well, he could help you out if you really wanted to.”
He felt himself cringe.
Why does it feel wrong to get help from Dazai’s worst enemy?
“It’s a once in a lifetime offer, Chuu-kun! Trust me, Dos-kun is a good teacher as well but he usually doesn’t like helping because he’s usually playing chess with Dazai-kun…” Nikolai pouted as he remembered the time he asked Fyodor for help but he said he’ll help him out later but ended up spending 2 hours on a chest game.
“It was a draw as well!”
Chuuya didn’t sign up for therapy for the Ukrainian but whatever, “Where are you guys studying at then? I might be able to find some time.”
“Oh! I’ll text you the information and I’ll add you to the group chat!”
Nikolai magically had the redhead’s phone in his hand and exchanged numbers for him. Chuuya hadn’t even had a say in it yet and snatched his phone away from Nikolai.
“Oi, how did you get my phone?!” He exclaimed, holding it protectively.
“Details, details, doesn’t matter~! See you there, Chuu-kun!”
He rushed out of the class soon after.
Chuuya got up from his seat, grabbed his bag off the hook and swung it behind his back. He exited the classroom to find Dazai standing at the lockers, probably waiting for him.
Chuuya doesn’t acknowledge him and opens his locker, changing his shoes.
“So~, how did Chibiko go?” Dazai asked.
“I’ve got a study session with Nikolai.”
His expression scrunched up in disgust and was judging Chuuya’s decision, “Eh? Nikolai-kun? Ew, then you’ll be with the demon then. You know, you could’ve been a good dog and begged me to help you instead of getting someone like him for help.”
“Nikolai asked if I wanted to join them because of a shitty Dazai who can’t keep his mouth shut and stop singing that stupid song.”
“Chibi, you just called yourself ‘stupid’, the song is about you! You should be grateful!”
Chuuya pushed his locker door with a loud ‘bang’, walking out without the brunette. Dazai chased after him, whining and clung onto him like a leech.
“You’re suffocating me, get off, Dazai!”
“Good! I’m stretching Chuuya out so he can get taller.”
“‘Stretching’ my ass, you’re compressing me! And I’m only 17! I can still grow, I drink milk every day!”
Dazai gagged, “Milk is disgusting.”
“How the hell are you so tall then?!”
“Chibi will forever be chibi, there’s no way to undo what’s done, Chuuya,” he answered and received a slap on the face by the redhead.
He angrily huffed and inhaled the scent of his red scarf, crossing the road with Dazai rubbing his cheek and walking beside the angry chibi.
“Hey, Dazai, what is Dostoyevsky like?”
“Don’t tell me you’re into him, Chuuya. I thought you had better taste in men.”
“I hang out with you, it downgraded my taste in anyone, so yeah, I don’t.”
“Should I take that as a compliment? I’m a whole baggage!”
“Yeah, a baggage that I want to throw off the plane,” Chuuya retorted with a small snort, “but you’ve known Dostoyevsky for a while, right? What is he like?”
Dazai wanted to vomit if he were to talk about the Russian to others. The drama queen that he is, gagged and covered his hand with his mouth, “He’s probably got lice, you sure you want to talk to hang around him? He’s also got some weird hat taste as you do as well.”
“Really?” Chuuya’s eyes beamed with excitement, finally, someone else who shares the same passion with hats and understands the beauty they behold, “he already sounds better than you.”
He loudly gasped, taking full offence to that comment, “How dare you compare him to me!”
“It’s true, mackerel.”
“So mean, slug!”
- - -
Nikolai: hello~~
Nikolai: just making sure everyone is onnnn
Nikolai: i invited chuu-kun to come with us to our study session!
Chuuya: if u meant invited, you mean forced
Nikolai: don’t be like that chuukun :(((
Nikolai: you were going to fail if you didnt come
Sigma: You’re failing Nakahara-san?
Chuuya: unfortunately and shitty dazai didnt want to help me because of a bet that i dont remembr making with him
Nikolai: oh my chuu-kun drinking already?
Nikolai: youre so short how can they allow you to drink? I mean ure not even in the drinking age either… idk how they could’ve gotten that wrong…
Chuuya: i want to fucking leave
Chuuya: i fucking hate you Gogol
Sigma: I’ve been wanting to do that ever since we made this group chat…
Chuuya: why haven’t you
Nikolai: sigma-kun can’t leave because ill be lonely
Chuuya: just ignore him arent you friends with atsushi anyway
Chuuya: ditch google and ull be free
Chuuya: gogo*
Chuuya: gigi**
Chuuya: WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THIS PHONE
Chuuya: I JUST WANT TO SAY GOGOL!
Chuuya: fucking hell
Nikolai: AKSSDJFIJF
Nikolai: GOGO? GIGI? GOOGLE?
Nikolai: im dying—
Chuuya: yes do that
Sigma: ^
Nikolai: GASPSPSSPS SIGMA!?
Sigma: oh accident
Nikolai: this is betrayal where is dos-kun anyway?! :((((
Fyodor: Yes?
Nikolai: finally! everyone is here! :DD
Fyodor: Nakahara you’re joining us?
Chuuya: ah yeah the mackerel was being a dick
Chuuya: and doesnt want to help me with my english
Chuuya: nikolai invited me
Nikolai: see! I did invite you chuu-kun!
Chuuya: oh fuck off who the hell steals someone’s phone
Nikolai: i do :DD
Chuuya: …… i fucking hate you
Nikolai: awww love you too <333
Fyodor: I see
Chuuya: oh shit
Chuuya: anesan’s calling for me gtg
Nikolai: awhhhh bye bye chuuchuu :(((
Sigma: Goodnight Nakahara-san
Fyodor: Goodnight Nakahara
Chuuya: gn sigma, Dostoyevsky
Nikolai: HE DIDNT EVEN SAY BYE TO ME?! TT-TT </3
Sigma: Your fault
Nikolai: i didnt do anything! DD:
Sigma: I’m going to leave as well, goodbye
Nikolai: WAIT SIGMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA :((((((
- - -
Where the hell are they?
Don’t tell me I got scammed or something… I bet Nikolai fucking played a prank.
Chuuya arrived at the location, thinking that he was late because he sort of overslept but turned out, nobody was there when he made it so it didn’t matter in the first place. He let out a distressed sigh, adjusting his bag and kept telling himself ‘one more minute and you should just leave’...
The monotoned sky loomed over him, dark grey clouds and the sun had barely escaped amongst them, peeking out once and a while. White specks fell out of the sky as his orange hair caught and nestled into his scalp, suppressing him into a shiver.
I should go. No one’s going to show up.
He pushed him off the wall he was leaning against and took one step towards the direction of home before a freezing hand was placed on his shoulder.
Chuuya flinched from the sudden chill and looked behind him to see Fyodor almost out of breath and bent down to catch his breath.
“Dostoyevsky?”
“Sorry… I… I got lost…” He managed to say back.
“Lost?”
How can someone get lost?
The Russian took a few deep breaths before answering his question, “Yes, I haven’t gotten out a lot after I transferred. I thought it would be easy to navigate the subways but I guess not,” he explained, “has Kolya and Sigma-kun arrived yet?”
Chuuya tried his hardest to laugh and held it in, shaking his head.
“I thought it was some sort of prank from Nikolai since nobody showed up when I arrived 10 minutes ago and I was going to walk back home.”
“Ah. It wouldn’t be the first time Kolya has done that but I never fell victim to it.”
Why did you have to phrase it like that?
Fyodor’s eyes shifted to Chuuya's hair, whose head was coated with snow, “Do you mind if I do something?” he asked out of the blue as Chuuya gave him a confused stare.
“Hm? Do I mind if you do what?”
“You got some snow in your hair,” he replied while pointing to his head.
The redhead blinked, it was strange that Fyodor was acting polite towards him because Dazai had tainted his image of what he thought Fyodor would be like, and also Chuuya’s been around Dazai way too much and forgot manners existed.
“Uh…” He didn’t know what to say back. How was he supposed to know what he was scheming?
Fyodor broke into a small smile, Chuuya didn’t understand what he was asking for and took a step forward brushing his hand over Chuuya’s head and patted the snow away.
“There, it’s all gone.”
He stared blankly at him, “Thanks?”
“Kolya and Sigma probably aren’t going to come, how about we go somewhere warm?” He suggested.
“That’s fine with me.”
“Then let’s go to the library, I heard from Kolya and Dazai-kun you needed help with English. Although one said it more than the other I’m sure we both know who that was,” he said with a small smile but seemed more like teasing to him.
Chuuya deeply sighed and buried his face into his scarf.
“I’ve dealt with that mackerel for long enough besides, he can fail French for all I care,” he muffled back, hiding the small blush of embarrassment.
Fyodor softened his expression and nodded his head and said nothing back.
- - -
Usually, when Chuuya studies or gets ‘tutored’ by Dazai, they would usually mess around and none of them gets accomplished with any of their school work. They would get into long arguments and ridiculous debates and will never agree with one another’s opinion.
One time, Dazai came over to his house and spent half of his time eating all his snacks in the pantry and sat on the couch while Chuuya had to, quite literally, beat some sense into him.
He’s already memorised the excuses Dazai makes every year if he can’t help him out one day.
“I’ve got to be a good senpai and help out my kouhais first, Chuuuya~!”
“I would help you if I knew your height wasn’t going to trick me because Chibi fits in with all the first years no problem!”
Chuuya raised his eyes, he was supposed to be writing short sentences out but he couldn’t help but look at Fyodor, peacefully reading the book in his hands.
How the hell can he look so elegant when reading?
Every time shitty Dazai reads it looks like he’s about to commit murder (on himself)
“Are you done, Nakahara?”
He flinched, he got distracted at admiring Fyodor’s elegance from just reading a book, he didn’t know that Fyodor had looked back at him.
He shook his head, “Sorry, I was just thinking,” he replied, trying to cover it up.
The other raised a brow of amusement, “By staring at me?”
Caught red-handed as per usual.
Thinking on his feet, he responded with, “A habit.”
That’s a goddamn lie and sounds fucking stupid!
What the fuck, Chuuya?!
Fyodor got up from his seat and made his way around the table to take a seat beside Chuuya. He dragged the book the redhead was writing in and slid it towards him so he could check it.
His eyes scanned through the words and met with Chuuya’s nervous stare, “It’s looking good so far but it wouldn’t be ‘a hour’ it would be ‘an hour’.”
“Wait what? But I thought you said any word with vowels needed ‘an’. ‘H’ isn’t a vowel… right?”
“No, it’s not but the English language is confusing. If I explain it to you, I think you’ll be much more confused but that’s about the only thing. You’re doing well, Nakahara, a quick learner.”
He slid the book back to Chuuya who only just stared at his book, perplexed.
What? How?
Is that what Dazai felt when he claimed the French language was confusing because he’s experiencing confusion with the English language?
He reached out to his pencil and went back into writing the English translations while Fyodor’s staring went unnoticed by Chuuya.
“You have surprisingly good handwriting, Nakahara,” he commented.
Chuuya perked his head up and frowned, “That sounds like a backhanded compliment to me. What? Did you expect my handwriting to be like Dazai’s?”
“Mm… I’ve never seen Dazai-kun’s handwriting.”
Chuuya huffed, what a blessed person, “Good for you then, I’ve suffered seeing it for so long I can actually read it. His kouhais ask for his notes and whenever he gives them his notes it’s barely legible. Sometimes they would go to me and ask for mine instead or ask me to read it out for them.”
Fyodor’s interest piqued, “Say, Nakahara, how long have you known Dazai-kun?”
“Since elementary school.”
“That’s quite a long time.”
“Yeah, one year was enough but I’ve stuck with that leech for 10 years now,” he groaned.
Fyodor’s been quiet for a while now, from the looks of it he seemed to want to say something but it might’ve been a bad idea if he asked.
Chuuya, losing his patience, placed his pencil down and turned to his dark purple eyes, “What’s—”
“You and Dazai-kun seem to be close, are you two perhaps in a relationship?”
Speechless.
Completely speechless.
“ WHAT? ”
Forgetting that he was in the library, he was immediately hushed by everyone around them. Chuuya apologised, sitting back down and looking at Fyodor in disbelief.
“Where did you get that idea from? Why would I date someone like him if I hate him? I’m not some kind of masochist,” he whispered back.
“I beg to differ but alright, I’ll take that answer.”
“I can’t believe you thought we were dating…” he mumbled with hatred filled in his voice.
“Usually people who are that close can be assumed to be in a relationship, I think I wasn’t wrong for asking, Nakahara-kun.”
Chuuya still was grossed out at the thought, “So it’s okay for me to ask if you and Nikolai are dating because you two are always together?” He asked with a raised brow.
“Jealous?”
He slammed his hands on the table, “WHAT?! NO!”
They ended up being kicked out of the library due to Chuuya’s loud outburst happening twice. The first time was already a warning but the second time they weren’t having it, and now were standing outside the building.
The good thing was that the weather cleared up and the sun was beginning to come out.
“That’s the fucking fifth time that’s happened! I knew libraries were cursed!” Chuuya grunted with an annoyed expression while Fyodor was finding too much amusement in this.
He stifled a laugh, covering his mouth with his hand and chuckled, unable to hold it in.
Chuuya turned over to him with a glare, “What the fuck are you laughing about?”
“That’s the first time I’ve ever been kicked out of a library. I’m quite a valued visitor here,” he said, biting back another round of laughter, “to think you’ve been kicked out five times already—it’s funny to me.”
Chuuya averted his eyes while crossing his arms with a small pout, “Yeah, yeah, laugh it all out. It’s stupid, I know.”
“It’s not stupid, I think it might be the best thing that’s happened since my stay in Japan.” Fyodor smiled to the redhead, “thank you for that, Nakahara.”
Chuuya was slightly starstruck by his smile. His ears flared up in red as he looked away, trying not to fall for his charming looks.
Damn him for being so pretty.
A small smile appeared on his own lips and he returned the smile.
“Whatever, stop teasing me.”
They fell quiet shortly after, gazing into each other's eyes for a while. No words were exchanged but their hearts were beating in a rhythmic pattern that was indescribable to them.
Fyodor opened his mouth and broke the silence between them, “There’s a reason as to why I asked if you and Dazai were dating.”
The shorter one blinked a few times, “What reason?”
He lowered himself down, his lips to Chuuya’s ear, “Would you be interested in going on a date with me, Nakahara Chuuya?”
Chuuya slapped a hand over the ear Fyodor whispered in with his blush to his ear reached to his cheeks as the other laughed again.
“I don’t think the library would’ve been suitable for our date so why not start over again?”
Huh?
HUH?
DATE?
“Wait, this was a date?!”
Fyodor laughed and nodded his head, “I apologise for Kolya’s way of matching making. He isn’t quite the best but if you’ll give me a chance, let’s go on a date sometime that doesn’t involve us getting kicked out of the library or studying. Just a casual date.”
The redhead was about to combust.
This was too much all at once.
Too speechless, he could only reply with a, “I—uh. Sure? I don’t mind…”
“Wonderful, then, I’ll plan our first date, Nakahara-kun,” he replied, intertwining his fingers with Chuuya’s and holding his hand close.
“Chuuya…” He murmured.
“Hm?”
“If we’re going to be going out then…” He spun his head around averting his eyes from Fyodor’s stare, “you can just call me, Chuuya…” he quietly said but loud enough for the purple head to hear it.
Fyodor squeezed his hand, “If that’s the case, call me Fedya.”
“Fedya? Isn’t your name Fyodor?” Chuuya questioned.
“Think of it as a nickname that close ones call you. Such as a loved one.”
Chuuya used his free hand to cover his face, “Please stop… you’re having too much with this…” He mumbled back.
“I think you’re very adorable, Chuuya,” Fyodor replied while tucking a strand of hair behind his ear, “I can’t help it, it’s a habit, kind of like when you stare at me.”
“Shut up, Fedya.”
- - -
After a few weeks of trying to date, chaos is let loose when students pass by seeing Fyodor and Chuuya walking into school holding hands.
Dazai demanded love therapy for Chuuya and requested changing his boyfriend immediately,
Nikolai and Sigma celebrated the new couple with an abundant amount of confetti, streamers and balloons when they walked into the student council room.
All of Chuuya’s friends congratulated him, Gin and Tachihara were exchanging money on the side, as Chuuya soon found out they made a bet about their senpai dating by the end of the year or whether or not he’ll forever be single during his time in high school.
Chuuya went and watched Fyodor’s chess tournaments against Dazai before he found himself falling asleep and waking up with his boyfriend’s blazer over him as he’s peacefully reading his book across the table and Chuuya took the time to capture his beauty while it lasted.
“Your habit is acting up again, solnyshko.”
“Shut up!” Chuuya propped his cheek on his palm with a grin, “keep reading!”
Fyodor chuckled and did as he was told, looking back down on his book.
“Fedya.”
“Yes, Chuuya?”
He fondly smiled at him, even when he wasn't focused on him.
“Ty moy edinstvenny, ya tebya lyublyu.”
Fyodor’s grasp on the page of the book he was about to flip went all stiff. He looked up from his book and snapped it close, there was something more interesting than the book he was reading in front of him.
“Ya tozhe tebya lyublyu, solnyshko.”
Chuuya puts Fyodor's blazer on properly before leaning closer to the edge of the table, “Do you think my pronunciation was good, Fedya?”
“Yes but I wish you would put more effort into English words,” he replied in a teasing tone.
He pulled back with a frown, “Hey, at least I got a passing score. It doesn’t matter anymore and I don’t need to hear that shitty Dazai’s stupid fucking song again,” he said with his arms crossed.
“I quite liked it.”
“No, you didn’t, fucking liar.”
“I’m telling the truth.”
“Someone wants to break up so soon,” Chuuya rolls his eyes with a scoff.
Fyodor tapped his finger on the table in a pattern, “I just like seeing your adorable reaction. It’s a habit.”
“You’re never going to let that go, are you?” He asked, unamused.
“No,” he replied with a playful smile.