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Day 6 - Cuddling
Dazai had been discharged for about two weeks at this point, and the most obvious thing that had changed about him was how clingy he was.
Now don’t get Chuuya wrong, the bandage-wasting mackerel had always been pretty clingy, just… never this overt about it.
People were always saying that near-death experiences could cause changes in people, Chuuya had just never considered that witnessing someone else’s could have the same effect.
He didn’t know much about what’d happened that night beyond the basic summary of ‘Dazai got maimed, you almost died from corruption overuse’, which was… not the best explanation he could’ve gotten, considering he’d already figured most of that shit out by the time anyone bothered to even try and fill him in. Apparently the agency—who had been in charge of that information—hadn’t trusted him enough to give him exact details, despite him and Dazai living together and the fact that their organisations were in a truce.
He’d only been given the information he did know because he was a) there when it happened, and b) apparently Dazai’s emergency contact?
He didn’t know whether he should feel touched that his ex-partner hadn’t changed it in all these years, impressed that Dazai hadn’t gotten injured enough that this had come up before, or concerned that Dazai hadn’t changed it to one of his new friends in the four years where they had been separated—when Chuuya’s opinions on him had been a lot less favourable.
He was brought out of his thoughts by a faint shuffling sound, and there Dazai was, in all his bandaged glory.
Chuuya watched silently as the other man hobbled forward on his crutches, knowing that his ex-partner would just withdraw from him if he offered to help. Dazai had always been touchy about situations where he didn’t feel fully in control.
The brunet slowly lowered himself into Chuuya’s king-sized bed, lifting his legs up with his hands to avoid jostling them as he settled on top of the duvet.
“How’re you doing?” Chuuya asked, voice slightly hoarse from not speaking much that day.
Dazai stared silently at the wall ahead, as if Chuuya’s fancy wallpaper contained the secret of how to say what he needed, without coming across as weak.
Chuuya waited patiently. He’d had enough experience looking after Dazai after particularly rough missions that he knew rushing would get him nowhere.
After an uncomfortably long silence, where Chuuya was almost convinced that Dazai just hadn’t heard him, the other man finally spoke.
“Can we…” he pulled a face as if he’d just bitten into a particularly sour lemon, “…cuddle?”
Chuuya barely bit back a laugh at the way Dazai sounded—like he was having his teeth pulled with every syllable—knowing that his ex-partner would take it the wrong way.
“Yeah, of course we can.”
Despite being given permission, Dazai showed no signs of moving.
“C’mere then, you big lump.” Chuuya carefully pulled the other man towards him, being mindful that he didn’t accidentally hurt his injured leg.
Dazai released an undignified squawk, instinctively clinging onto Chuuya’s pyjama shirt.
“I wasn’t ready! Bad dog! Chuuya’s sooooo mean!”
“Yeah, I’m pure awful for letting you stay in my bed, aren’t I?” He raised a brow.
Dazai grumbled something incomprehensible under his breath.
“What was that?”
“I said,” Dazai huffed, pouting, “that if Chuuya doesn’t want me here, he should kick me out.”
Despite his words, Dazai looked deeply uncomfortable at the idea of having to leave. Well, at least he did to Chuuya. Most people would fallen for his mask, Chuuya just knew him too well for it to work on him.
“Mmm… I could, yeah, but I like having you here. So I think I’ll pass.”
He could feel his ex-partner relax at his words, adjusting to make himself more comfortable.
“…you sure?”
“Yeah. I’m sure.”
Dazai hummed out a noise of appreciation, arms wrapping around Chuuya’s middle and head resting right over his heart.
Chuuya shimmied around a little, until he was able to pull the covers over them.
“Night, Dazai.” He mumbled, sleepiness hitting him like a truck as he curled his arms around his mackerel in a move both protective and comforting.
“G’night…”
The two slept soundly that night. Dazai reassured by the constant beating of Chuuya’s heart; Chuuya comforted by the constant pressure of his partner resting on top of him.
They had a long journey ahead of them, but so long as they had each other, they’d make it out alright.