Work Text:
All Dazai could focus on was the frantic pounding of his shoes to the forest floor.
He was still in his dress shoes, horribly out of place in his current predicament. Dazai hadn’t exactly planned on a supposedly routine job ending in a chase through the woods. His coat had been abandoned ages ago, but the cold air couldn’t cut through the heat of his overactive heart. The issue being that his phone was in his coat, so he had run as far as he could, before making a looping path back toward where they’d come from.
There was a stitch in his side, and Dazai took that to mean he’d been running far longer than he initially thought. He wished- for perhaps the first time- that he had an ability more suited for combat, or even enhanced movement. Because from what he’d observed of his pursuer, they far outclassed him in both categories. Dazai’s only advantage was a headstart, and his mind.
Dazai needed to come up with some sort of plan to lose the one chasing him before he totally ran out of stamina. It had gotten better in the year since ‘The Incident’, but he still wasn’t able to stack up physically with most of the higher ranking members of the mafia. But Chuuya had insisted Dazai work on it, likely for situations similar to the one he found himself in. Had he been forced to run for this long two years ago, Dazai would’ve been caught twenty minutes ago. Small mercies.
He’d been running long enough to determine which way he was going. The trees around him were showing no signs of thinning out, and Dazai happened to know that this forest was longer than it was wide. So if he could lose the tail, all he would need to do would be to switch and run perpendicular to his current path. Once he broke the tree line, he would be more exposed, but then he could call for backup.
Now all that was left was to put his plan into action. Scanning his surroundings, Dazai found a suitable tree after several more minutes of running.
His lack of stamina was actually helping him in this situation, which he wished so badly he could rub in Chuuya’s face, had the slug been there. His pursuer likely knew that Dazai wasn’t praised for his athletic ability. With any luck they’d be looking toward the ground for his slumped, exhausted figure. So Dazai needed to go up.
It was a stroke of luck that Dazai was actually pretty adept at climbing. It was a very little known fact, with only Mori ever having found him in whatever high space he’d lodged himself into.
Scrambling up a tree was not Dazai’s most elegant moment, but he would sacrifice some dignity for speed. The slowly setting sun cast a shadow over him, which he was immensely grateful for. He’d only been up for long enough to get his breathing under control when he heard the footsteps.
Without consent, his heart began to kick up at the noise. There was something about the slow, deliberate crunch of branches under their feet. Maybe the fact that they weren’t running? Dazai knew that it had to be a psychological trick, as there was no way this person could keep up with his dead sprint just by walking. But the knowledge that it was just a trick didn’t diminish its effect on Dazai’s body. It was also messing with his head that they weren’t making an effort to disguise their presence. Why wouldn’t they be attempting to sneak up on him?
It clicked in his brain far too late. So much for his so-called genius. There was no reason to play tricks unless they knew Dazai was hiding, and more importantly, where.
He was so, so fucked.
The forest was completely silent now. Dazai knew it was coming. He just had to wait for the right time.
The barest whisper of a chuckle.
Warm breath barely gracing his neck.
Dazai’s heart, pounding in his chest.
And finally, fingers mere inches from his hair.
There.
Whatever Dazai’s would-be captor was expecting, it was certainly not for him to very literally throw himself out of the tree. The ground approached him at a dizzyingly fast rate, but he forced a sense of calm.
Rolling with the impact, Dazai felt something in his ankle twinge with distress. But there was no time to stop for it. He could already hear his pursuer touching down as well, and his headstart this time was minimal.
Both of their footsteps rang out like funeral bells in Dazai’s ears. He had no idea what this person would do to him if he was caught, but he had no intention of finding out. If the toying was any indication, he was sure this freak was the sadistic type. He couldn’t allow himself to fall prey to them. All he needed to do was get back to his phone.
His body had other ideas. Dazai could feel it shutting down on him, poor self-care skills biting him in the ass. But he didn’t need it to hold out for much longer, as the trees were finally thinning, and through the gaps Dazai could see the building they’d left behind. If he could just get there, he could find where he’d dropped his coat, and finally call this off. They’d broken the tree line, and Dazai could only see the building, growing steadily closer.
Unfortunately, he’s focused too much on his prospective escape, that he fails to notice a dip in the uneven ground.
He stumbles, but manages to stay upright. It’s still a fatal error.
Dazai is tackled with such force, it sends pain ricocheting through every inch of his body.
One hand around his throat, one easily immobilizing both his hands.
“I caught the Demon Prodigy.” This is said through sadistic laughter. “What should I do with you now?”
Ew.
“Chibi is such a pervert.”
Above him, Chuuya began sputtering.
“I am not- Oh whatever, call me names if you want, doesn’t change that I won.”
Dazai can’t help laughing at his slug’s expense.
“So Chuuya is giving me blanket permission to call him an obedient little doggy for the rest of our lives? He is ever so grac- ah!”
He’s cut off by the other boy stifling laughter into Dazai’s neck. Suppressing the heart creeping into his cheeks is one of the hardest things he’s ever done.
“What are you, a vampire?”
Chuuya huffs from where he’s still pressed into Dazai.
Teeth lightly clamp onto his neck, and his fight against the flush becomes utterly hopeless. It takes far longer than it should’ve for Dazai to push the other off of him. He’s bright red while Chuuya sits on the floor, still laughing.
In an attempt to save face, he stands, intent on making his way to his coat so the two could finally leave. He was already about to start shivering from the night air, growing colder by the minute. But he hadn’t accounted for the hell he’d put his legs through that night already. They were trembling as he pushed to a stand, but gave out as soon as weight was put on his ankle.
Pitching forward with an undignified yelp, Dazai braces himself to meet the cold ground once again. Only to be suddenly weightless.
Chuuya makes it look infuriatingly easy to sweep him up into his arms. The horrible slug hadn’t even stopped chuckling. In fact, Dazai thinks it might be ramping back up.
“Aww~ Does the princess need someone to carry him?”
Dazai turned away from him with a huff, decidedly not pouting.
Without leaving any time for a response, Chuuya cuts his laughter off with a delighted gasp. There was no way Dazai was going to like whatever terrible thought he’d clearly just had.
“Oh mackerel, I think I’ve decided exactly what I want my prize to be.”
-----------------------------------
Her boys were late.
Not that Kouyou was especially shocked, but it was frustrating anyway. This was to be the first year all three of them could spend Halloween together.
They didn’t have anything crazy planned, just some candy Kouyou had sourced, and some scary movies lined up. She’d grabbed all the spare blankets in her apartment, throwing them into the dryer for a little while so they would be warm. Her dear always complained about the cold, and neither she nor the lad would allow it.
She’d even dressed up for the occasion. Her apartment never saw many trick-or-treaters, but there were some in the building, and she would not allow them to be disappointed. It was a relatively simple costume, an artfully raggedy black dress, and a pointed hat.
Finally, there was a commotion outside of her door, and Kouyou could hear it open. It was clearly her boys, and as she walked back to the front room, she nearly dropped the warm blankets in her arms.
Because Dazai and Chuuya had also dressed up. Most of Chuuya’s costume was obscured, a crown nestled in ginger hair. But the shock came from what was in his arms, covering up the bulk of his outfit.
Dazai. In a ballgown. And a tiara. Face blazingly red, and doing his damnedest not to make eye contact with her. She could also see a cast on one of his feet, which explained why he was still allowing Chuuya to hold him.
Kouyou set the blankets down on the couch, still staring at the pair.
She opens her mouth, and doubles over with the force of the laugh that leaves her.
Through her fit, Kouyou hears Dazai wail, and it only makes her laugh harder.
“Ane-san!”
She’s practically wheezing now, Chuuya not far behind her. And amazingly, when manages to look up, Dazai is hiding a smile as well.
“Well dear, you look positively radiant. Shall we start the movie, your Highness?”
The loud whine that follows keeps Kouyou’s chest feeling warm for hours afterward.