Chapter Text
02:59
The doorbell rang.
With an annoyed groan, and too few hours of sleep after the last meeting, Chifuyu rolls out of bed. Whoever could be at that hour of the night, they better have a serious reason if they wish not to meet the wrath of a sleep deprived pet shop owner first, and a criminal secondly. Especially if they wanted to see the light of the day again.
Another ring, longer, aggressive. As they were trying to push the button all the way through the concrete wall. "CUT ME A BREAK, I'M COMING" the young man screams in response, by now a few steps away from the door.
If only he knew…
If only…what?
What could he possibly have done to prevent that?
"Hey~ ♡ '' a breathy, labored voice greets Chifuyu,
"Nice, you're awake… Or sorry for waking you up, i guess..."
Hanma was standing in front of him, leaning on the door frame with an expression he swears he never expected to see on the reaper's face – pain and fear, masked behind half attempted smiling eyes that he was struggling to even keep open, with Chifuyu's horror reflected in the deep purple framed in scarlet red.
The iron smell makes him shiver.
"WHAT HAPPENED? ARE YOU OK?"
Please, please tell me the blood isn't yours…
"You should see the other guy…"
he can hardly answer, with a lively laugh.
He never changes. The smug acting, though, is quickly broken by a pained huff and his legs giving up. Chifuyu promptly catches him, heart racing so fast and loud he can't hear Hanma making fun of him for how its accelerated beating is making his cheek jiggle against the younger's chest.
It's the appearance of a third person, alarmed by Chifuyu's scream, that shuts him up for a couple of seconds out of surprise. "Hey tiger~ Long time no see! Can you excuse us? We're having an intimate moment h—" he can't even finish the phrase, passing out from the excessive blood loss that was now forming a little crimson pool at their feet. Oh he fucked up bad, this time…
"Tora… TORA. CALL AN AMBULANCE"
Quick. Quick. Quick.
"...You're kidding right? FOR HIM?!?"
Just fucking do it already.
"IF HE DIES IT'S ALL OVER. CALL IT BEFORE I MAKE YOU REGRET WALKING OUT OF THAT PRISON"
I'm sorry… I'm sorry I don't mean it, I'm sorry...
I need him, Tora. Forgive me, I need…
…Shuji?
He had been silent for too long. Chifuyu winces.
No " No... Nonono wake up you idiot"
No
No "Shu… Shuji please ..."
No
No "PLEASE SHU I… I CAN'T—"
No
No "I can't lose you too…"
No
No "I can't do this a second time, don't…"
No
No "...Don't leave me asshole,
No don't you fucking
No DARE—"
No
No PLEASE, NO
No
Feeling so infinitely small and helpless, all Chifuyu manages to do is dropping on his knees while holding tighter a body so much bigger than his, soaking Shuji's bloody jacket with tears, sinking nails in the fabric as to prevent his soul from leaving. He won't allow it. He can't allow it.
The ambulance is on its way, stay with me
"Please. Please. Please… " his desperate chant, interrupted by uncontrolled sobs he almost chokes on. I love you, left unsaid, but so deafening in his head it covers every other noise, his sobs, the sirens… And his flatmate's vain attempts to calm him, as a familiar fear swallows him whole. Mercilessly.