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The mission was relatively easy compared to some of the ones that soukoku usually have to deal with. They had finished earlier, deciding to stay the night at a safe house since it was already pretty late. Chuuya is lying down, the only thing between his head and the grass being his black leather jacket.
He’s been staring at the sky for who knows how long. It’s always calmed him when nothing else could. Despite it being four in the morning, Chuuya doesn’t feel drowsy at all. He woke up a while ago from another nightmare he doesn’t remember and walked off to a hill to settle his thoughts. Just him and the stars.
He’s startled from his trance when he hears that annoying voice he’s grown accustomed to.
“Chuuya, what the hell. It’s the middle of the night,” accuses Dazai.
“You’re one to talk. How’d you find me, anyway?” snaps Chuuya.
Dazai sighs. Chuuya hates him for it. He always finds some way to be condescending.
“I planted a tracker in your hat.”
“You did what?” demands Chuuya, sitting up to face the taller boy.
“What are you doing here?” asks Dazai.
Chuuya lies back down and faces the night sky again.
“Watching the stars,” he mutters.
“Speak up,” says Dazai, exasperated.
“Watching the stars,” repeats Chuuya louder. He’s always somewhat irritated around Dazai, but this has been something he’s been doing ever since he can remember. It’s intimate, and he’s never shared it with anyone. Certainly not someone who will definitely make fun of him for it.
His head snaps to his left when he hears the sound of Dazai putting down his own jacket next to him wordlessly. He lies down next to Chuuya as the latter does his best to hide his bewilderment.
Chuuya watches Dazai’s eyes widen a fraction when he lays his eyes on the sight above them. There are thousands of stars looking back at the two, shining in the darkness of the night. It’s breathtaking.
“You do this often?”
Chuuya turns back to the stars.
“Every chance I get,” he answers quietly.
The two of them lie next to each other in silence for a couple minutes. Or a couple hours. What even is time?
“This is why I like when we have missions further from the city,” says Chuuya, speaking gently as if treading softly over the comforting quiet.
Dazai hums in understanding. A beat passes where neither of them say anything. Then, “Why do you love the stars so much, Chuuya?”
“When I look up at them,” says Chuuya, “it feels like the universe is endless. Space is huge, and looking at the existence of it makes me feel small. My problems too. Somehow, they just feel little and insignificant in comparison to everything I see and don’t see up there.”
“How much smaller can you possibly get, chibi?” says Dazai with a teasing undertone.
“Shut the fuck up,” says Chuuya, attempting to punch Dazai, who dodges effortlessly. He’s still looking at the sky, so the fond look from his partner flies over his head like most things do.
“Why are you up so late?” asks Dazai.
“You and all your damn questions,” scowls Chuuya.
“I wouldn’t ask a question I don’t think you would answer,” Dazai says simply.
“I already said. To look at the sky.”
“Yeah, I got that. There’s more to it though, isn’t there?”
Chuuya shoots Dazai a menacing glare, but he’s unaffected. You have to build up some kind of tolerance after being around Nakahara Chuuya as often as he has.
“Why are you up so late?” counters Chuuya stubbornly.
“I asked first,” says Dazai matter-of-factly.
“You’re such a child,” huffs Chuuya.
“We’re literally fifteen.”
“I had a nightmare and I was clearing my mind, all right? Is that what you wanted to hear?” He’s already shared one thing really special to him. The bastard is pushing his luck.
Chuuya can’t see it, but Dazai’s expression morphs into something like surprise.
“I thought you weren’t capable of dreaming?”
“I do dream, I just can’t remember them at all. Your turn,” says Chuuya.
“I’m up because you disappeared. I had to make sure my dog was alive. Who else would satisfy my needs? Plus I couldn’t sleep.”
“I’m not your dog! And I can take care of myself, asshole.”
A few minutes pass without conversation, but neither of them mind. Chuuya eventually breaks the silence.
“You tired yet?” he asks. His voice is practically screaming “don’t go.” In spite of his initial reluctance to Dazai interrupting his alone time, he finds that he wants him to *stay*. Dazai may have a habit of riling him up, but Chuuya would trust him with his life. He’s also found that he’s comfortable around him more often than not. That’s something he doesn’t take for granted.
“Not at all, Slug. I’ll stay as long as you’d like,” replies Dazai.
Chuuya’s face flares. Fucking Dazai always reading his damn mind. Instead of vocalizing the taunt on the tip of his lips (something like *who the hell said I wanted you to stay at all*), Chuuya just lets out a sigh.
“Whatever,” he grumbles.
“Do you know any constellations?” asks Dazai.
“Yeah.”
Dazai waits patiently for Chuuya to elaborate. But he doesn’t.
“Well?”
“Oh, you want me to show them to you?” Chuuya smirks.
“Yes, obviously, why else would I mention it?” says Dazai, rolling his eyes.
“I don’t care. I’m not going to.” Dazai pauses because what the fuck? “Look, constellations are full of shit. Take Capricornus for example. It’s supposed to be half fish half goat, right?”
Dazai doesn’t answer. Truthfully, he didn’t even know that Capricornus is a sea goat.
“The actual constellation itself looks like a triangle. It’s a fucking triangle!” continues Chuuya. “It’s like Greek astrologers were blind or something!”
“Chuuyaaa, stop being such a pessimist,” whines Dazai.
“If you’re not going to move on to a different topic, then you show me constellations, mister demon prodigy genius or whatever,” says Chuuya.
“I really only know one,” says Dazai honestly.
Chuuya grins widely at that, finally knowing more about something than Dazai. He can’t wait to hoard that over him in the future.
“Okay, let’s hear it. Which one?”
“Sagittarius.”
“The Archer,” says Chuuya with a nod.
“I don’t know if you can see it this time of year,” admits Dazai.
“You can. August and September are actually the best times to see it,” Chuuya excitedly points out.
Dazai smiles in a mocking, but genuine way.
“Chuuya! You’re an astronomy nerd! We’ve finally found something you’re good at!” exclaims Dazai.
“Fuck off. If you want me to show you, you’ll shut up.”
“You already know where it is?”
“I’ve been staring at the same goddamn sky for hours, I would be an idiot if I didn’t.”
Dazai opens his mouth to remind Chuuya that he’s an idiot either way, but closes it because he’s quite curious about the Archer.
“There.” Chuuya points to a group of stars in the sky, forming a centaur with a bow and arrow in his hand.
“I see it,” says Dazai, his voice full of wonder.
“Yeah?” Chuuya’s voice is laced with adoration for the constellation. Even after his whole talk about them being full of shit, only a fool wouldn’t be able to see his love for the subject.
“Beautiful.” Dazai says it sort of breathlessly, like he’s really entranced.
“It is, isn’t it?” replies Chuuya.
His eyes are still on the centaur, so he completely misses how Dazai’s eyes aren’t. They’re on Chuuya.
The two boys lay there together until sunrise. They exchange words, enough to ensure they’re both still there, but not too much to where the night is disturbed. And Chuuya thinks, maybe, this is what life is all about.