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At Port Mafia, everyone knew how much the two young men hated each other.
Dazai and Chuuya hated each other and that was certain and known by the entire Mafia.
Not that they were the only teenagers in the mafia, but they were certainly a pair that caught everyone's attention.
It was no surprise if they spent days without seeing each other.
It was no surprise when they passed each other without exchanging a word, just a hostile brush of shoulders as they passed each other.
If the two were aware of the buzz they were causing with their actions, they didn't show it.
Or they didn't care.
At all.
Of the two, Chuuya was certainly the easiest to communicate with, since Dazai assumed the non-existence of practically everyone.
However, Chuuya was feared by everyone, especially after of having defeated Guivre.
Even though few knew the truth, they knew that the short, seemingly friendly boy was not someone they wanted to cause trouble with.
As for Dazai, since he had joined the mafia, he had remained cold and indifferent to everything and everyone, so it wasn’t much of a concern.
They were the opposite of each other.
Ever since they had been declared as the eternal rivals and as the soukoku duo, the two had been further apart than before.
Not that it bothered anyone else, but it certainly had a place in the conversations of the other mafia members.
People commented on them over alcohol and casual conversations in a nearby bar, but no one deigned to comment on it.
Not directly.
It wasn’t as if Dazai and Chuuya were the unapproachable mafia teenagers who spread endless terror.
But it was preferable not to get involved in these matters.
Especially when it was Dazai Osamu who was involved.
It was common knowledge that whenever one saw Dazai and Chuuya together, it could mean two things.
They were both on a mission or had just come off a mission.
Or it was a childish dispute between the two.
Missions alongside Dazai and Chuuya were not as common as expected.
The two of them didn't handle simple missions well when together.
They almost always complicated the obvious, so they gradually received several missions on their own or together with other members.
There was no telling whether this would please them.
But on the one hand, they ensured the integrity of peace in the mafia.
Whenever the subject was of great relevance, they were the ones called.
On the other hand, this meant that the two demons found a way to meet on other occasions.
Some were less professional and, for the most part, consisted of those challenges and bets that sometimes turned the mafia inside out.
As result most people were already more than familiar with the two’s tactics.
Furthermore, the two boys somehow brightened up the darkness of the mafia.
Although in those days, that light was seen less and less often.
But this was what the others said.
And it wasn’t like Dazai and Chuuya didn’t care what others said about them.
They didn't care about the rumors, but they also didn't take pleasure in hearing the murmurs about them.
So usually no one told them anything.
They ended up finding out about the gossip through other means, of course.
And they didn't seem too concerned about it.
They were so unbothered about it that, even though they were aware of the gossip, they continued to make it clear to everyone, without caring what others thought of them.
Maybe they knew they were weird after all.
One of the moments when the two met took place after a mission.
On post nights mission in which the two headed to a bar of choice purely for security reasons.
As mafia members, they couldn't risk being recognized, so they had to rotate the location of the bars in the area.
Sometimes they would ask the Mafia boss for advice, to recommend a bar where they could have a drink.
And Mori Ougai would gladly tell them.
Nights like these, were spoken of by no one.
And since the bar they went to was different every time they went there, no one knew who they were.
And if they next day, they woke up in bed with a stranger or lying on top of each other….
They exchanged suggestive looks and said nothing at the same time.
“This….”
A weak nod.
“Never happened”
Agreement was essential in a partnership.
“Right.”
And both half-naked, just with their pants on, they didn’t look at each other even once after that.
If the shoulders and neck of the two boys were tattooed with small reddish circles and slight teeth marks, this was also not to be talked about.
And they repeated the cycle every time they finished a mission.
It wasn't always like this.
They often just headed home after drinking.
However, sometimes they asked for control and... this happened.
Impassively, the two ignored the existence of any interaction outside the comfort zone and rivalry that everyone knew and was aware of.
It was much better this way.
On one of those post-mission nights, they realized that all the bars had already been frequented at least once.
So they decided to go to the place where they had first started that ritual.
The first time they had started drinking together.
Cleaned and freshed up, fresh from a quick shower to wash away sweat and relieve accumulated tension, they casually entered the place.
The two made a peculiar pair.
A tall, expressionless boy, bandages on his face, eyes almost dead.
A short boy, clean white skin, aggressive and stormy eyes.
One next to the other seemed to be the support each other.
The two approached the counter and sat down side by side.
“One whiskey” Dazai said with an inexpressive voice; then turned to the side with a slightly brighter expression, looking at the other boy “No alcohol for the child here- Aw!”
Chuuya put his hand in his pocket with expressionless eyes.
“A glass of wine." then he paused calmly "Red wine, if you have it."
Dazai massaged the spot where Chuuya had hit him with a pout.
The bartender, his face full and pale, waved slightly, leaving the counter with agile steps typical of a skilled worker.
The taller boy glanced sideways at the other boy who was taking the box of cigarettes out of his pocket.
“Before drinking?" he arched an eyebrow, resting his forearm on the wooden countertop with a half-smile.
“Nope.” Chuuya replied with a sigh, slamming the cigarette box on the counter “But I don't plan on drinking much today"
Dazai held back a laugh that bubbled in his throat, hiding the smile that had formed on his lips with the hand that supported his face.
When he spoke, Chuuya didn't even look at him.
“Any problem?”
“None.” he said, removing his hand from his face and sitting down in the counter chair; Chuuya did the same, dragging the cigarette box with his hand.
Neither of them spoke, briefly noticing the atmosphere in the bar.
It didn't look cozy, but it wasn't at all unpleasant.
It smelled of alcohol, cigarettes and perfume.
The few tables there were occupied by customers who seemed to be talking a little louder than they should.
The lighting was dim, but what was there was reflected against the striped wooden wall.
Dazai knew Chuuya would comment on the poor quality of the alcohol.
Just by the smell he could understand the rusticity of the drinks.
Not that it mattered to him.
For Dazai alcohol was alcohol.
Chuuya was another story.
Gloved fingers drummed casually against the counter as Chuuya looked around.
He remained silent as he inspected the place and then, knocking his knuckles on the counter, he turned to Dazai with a blank expression.
“There’s no music”
Dazai did not fail to agree with him.
Some soft jazz would go well with the setting, it would always be better than the drunken conversations of others.
“Sucks.” he agreed with an absent-minded hum.
Chuuya stared at him for a moment, then, tapping the counter with his fingers, he turned back to face forward, resting his forearms on the wood.
“How the hell did we chose this one?”
Dazai shrugged, supporting his cheek with his hand and his elbow on the table.
“It's the first bar we've been to." he sighed “Besides, we've been to all the other places"
"Hm."
Chuuya didn't seem very talkative that night.
Maybe it was because of that night's mission, which included punishing a mafia traitor.
And Dazai knew how much Chuuya hated the mafia ritual, not because it was an execution, but because it didn't involve any physical fighting.
Chuuya didn't like killing people when there was no way for them to defend themselves.
As for Dazai, it didn’t make any difference.
But judging by Chuuya's blank and bored expression, the other boy was clearly bothered.
And for that reason, Dazai decided to approach him, leaning sideways towards the other, trying to start a conversation with him.
"Soooo…” he began by saying, being met with a blank look from Chuuya "Chuuya doesn't look very pleased"
He sighed, looking away somewhat annoyed.
But Dazai continued.
“The mission was successful." He gave him a light bump on the shoulder with a smile. "We should celebrate!”
At that, Chuuya glanced sideways at him, with a flat look , with his elbow on the counter and his gloved hand on his cheek, supporting his head.
He still glared at him for a few seconds.
Until he sighed, shifting in his seat.
“Don't even try.”
Given this, Dazai decided to wait for the drink that would surely cheer Chuuya up.
Not that he wanted to cheer him up or see him happy, but a silent Chuuya was a boring Chuuya.
So he waited.
He waited for the drinks to come and with them Chuuya's vivacity.
So, after thirty minutes…
“I hate executions. Don't call me anymore!"
As expected, half of the cup had activated Chuuya's social skills.
He wasn't completely drunk, but it was possible to see a certain blush on his cheeks illuminated by the circle of yellow light
And as expected, Chuuya was annoyed by the execution.
He had explained to Dazai that he didn't like killing when people had no way of defending themselves.
“Uhhh. I don't know, it's boring?" after a sip of wine, Chuuya said.
And in this, Dazai did not disagree.
He nodded slightly, raising the glass to his lips.
Dazai liked to wait for the ice to partially melt before drinking. Normally, he would have spoken to Odasaku, but since Chuuya was the one standing next to him, Dazai only heard the boy's disconnected words.
“Say Dazai… Don't you think the missions are being boring?" he questioned, looking sideways at Dazai.
“Missions are generally boring Chuuya.”
And he turned back to the front, with thoughtful eyes.
“Hm. You might be right on that one.”
After that, Chuuya snapped his fingers, calling the bartender and ordered another glass of wine.
Dazai suppressed a sigh, having foreseen such a thing.
"Say Chuuya...” Chuuya looked at him, in a second, eyes that suddenly seemed big and immense; Dazai swallowed, suddenly looking down at his glass, twirling the rim of it with his finger. "What have you been doing, these days?”
The big eyes closed and opened.
Chuuya tilted his head to the side, surely confused by the question.
But then he recovered his posture as much as possible.
“Nothing interesting." He sighed, his voice muffled by the hand on his cheek. "Mission after mission. It's always the same damn thing."
Once again Dazai did not fail to agree with him.
Drunk Chuuya was a profitable Chuuya, he decided.
“And it doesn't get better once you're an executive" Dazai completed, leaving the air silent, except for the other chattering customers behind the two.
It was the background noises that seemed to fill both of their disappointment with the mafia life.
At the same time that it irritated them.
“It doesn’t huh?” Chuuya muttered slowly.
Dazai sighed.
An unconscious silence settled in.
It wasn't reflective or thoughtful, but it was a vacuum in their disjointed conversation.
Then Chuuya rudely placed the glass on the counter, then grabbed the cigarette box.
He turned to Dazai with a smirk.
“Care to join me for a smoke?”
Needless to say, Dazai, albeit a little hesitant, accepted.
And Dazai was hesitant because whenever he was alone with Chuuya, his highly developed brain stopped working properly.
Not that that stopped him from smoking with his partner.
It just made his stomach tighten seeing Chuuya's soft gray eyes.
Illuminated by the yellow light his red hair seemed to burn like flames, hot and warm.
He realized, when he looked down to adjust his pants a little, that his knees were lightly touching.
Either way, he swallowed down those indistinguishable feelings and looked at Chuuya with a smile.
“Lead the way partner “
**
It wasn't Dazai's custom to smoke.
Much less smoking after drinking alcohol.
But he only smoked when he was in someone's company, anyways.
Chuuya and him were outside the bar.
Although some people smoked inside the bar, Chuuya didn't seem to agree with the behavior.
In the dim light of the night, Chuuya's rosy cheeks were not visible.
Perhaps because of the side light from the bar's entrance, which only hit Chuuya's back, Dazai was able to see something there.
In a swift movement, Chuuya handed him the already opened cigarette box, offering him one.
The lighter illuminated the darkness of the night, between the two boys who were not very far from each other.
Chuuya's eyes seemed to melt like liquid wax as the incident light reached his eyes and his flushed cheeks seemed to feel soft to the touch.
The hair gently swaying in the night breeze looked like sunbeams gently coming out of the boy's head.
He smelled good too, Chuuya.
Dazai didn't recognize the perfume used, but it wasn't like he was this close to Chuuya usually.
He took a step forward, eyes downcast, and gently placed the cigarette between his lips.
His hands didn't seem to be shaking, and although Dazai knew he was clearly out of it, he could see some awareness on his face.
He imitated Chuuya's gesture and he looked ahead, the wind blowing against the flame coming from the lighter.
"Come closer." Chuuya looked at him. "The wind will extinguish the flame." He explained.
He didn't wait for Chuuya's answer.
He grabbed his wrist, bringing him closer to him.
Dazia didn't know why he did it.
But Chuuya didn't seem to care.
Raising his hand with the lighter, and Dazai cautiously circled the flame, Chuuya's eyes met Dazai's single eye.
They both leaned their necks forward, intending to light their cigarettes at the same time.
The newly formed smoke floated between the two, only to move away moments later.
It had been a strange, yet strangely familiar situation.
The two turned their eyes to the immensity of the night.
Despite all the silence and discomfort, Dazai had the strength to stir Chuuya like someone fanning a flame.
“Chuuya’s brand sucks.”
Chuuya removed the cigarette from his lips and exhaled a cloud of smoke.
He didn't seem impressed.
“Fuck you.”
Dazai just laughed, taking the cigarette to his lips.
The night wind brought silence and carried away the smoke.
With the cigarette in his lips, Dazai smiled.
And there they remained in silence, for a few minutes.
Even after they finish smoking.
If you ask Chuuya he would say it was two minutes, if you ask Dazai he would say:
“Thirty minutes”
It turns out that the one who would be right would be Chuuya, because they had only smoked for two minutes.
The remaining twenty-eight minutes remained a secret to the gods.
**
They went back inside the bar after that time.
Chuuya didn't order another glass of wine, nor did Dazai order another glass of whiskey.
They both sat down, noticing that the bar was emptier and calmer, in the same place as before.
The tension between the two was palpable.
And besides being visible, it was inexplicable.
Perhaps the intimacy of sharing a lighter flame had awakened something different in them.
Chuuya's cheeks had softened their blush and neither of them had spoken.
In reality, neither of them knew what to say.
Casual conversations weren't something they used to have.
Conversations were impossible between the two, as they both chose to throw sharp words at each other.
They also had no reason to speak.
At that moment, there was nothing to say or tell.
They shared bits of these rare, quiet moments on post-mission nights.
The atmosphere in the bar was, by far, pleasant and quiet, but each other's company was perfect for the occasion.
Chuuya's eyes were absent-minded.
Dazai knew he was thoughtful, at least as thoughtful as the alcohol would allow him to be.
He had his hand supporting his chin and his elbow on the counter.
He never stopped wondering about the absence of Chuuya's voice, when the boy was silent.
It was almost a depressing sight, seeing a young man with heavy eyes and a contemplative face.
It was also beautiful to see the progressive decline of the full posture.
Dazai liked to silently look at his partner.
There were rare times when he didn't notice him.
Not because he was someone flashy and handsome, but because he had a characteristic aura of someone who had been through a lot.
Few were the days when Nakahara Chuuya shone.
And oddly enough, those few times were all due to Dazai.
“Don't you understand? He wants to see you, boy." Kouyou, Chuuya's former mentor, outside the infirmary had said softly.
And at the time, Dazai had a hard time believing that Chuuya wanted to see him, but as soon as he pushed open the door, he saw the dull eyes light up a little more.
And because of that, Dazai had started taking days off to drink with Chuuya.
Even if he had convinced himself that it hadn't been for Chuuya, deep down it had been for him.
It was depressing to see Chuuya silent.
The boy's elegant and delicate posture belonged to a melancholic painting in monotonous colors.
But that wasn't how Nakahara Chuuya was, no matter how beautiful it was.
Nakahara Chuuya was loud, noisy, annoying and barked like a dog.
This was not the boy Dazai had met on the outskirts of Subarachi.
It was beautiful, because it was sad.
Dazai's ideal of beauty had never been reasonable, anyway.
The darkness of fate, of the mafia, of blood and death, had sucked the color out of the boy he had known.
He saw him fall, get up, fall again, and now he was limping.
But was he supposed to stop?
No. Chuuya wasn't going to stop.
He would stop when he died.
“That’s … beautiful.”
That's what Dazai had told him, weaving the periphery of the glass, with a melancholy and apprehensive smile on his lips.
Chuuya used to talk to him more openly when drunk.
That night, however, he didn't seem very open.
It was all... incredibly human.
He pushed away the contagious thoughts, focusing on the fate of that night.
Usually, nights like those ended in bed with a stranger or they both ended up in an unfamiliar bed.
Usually Dazai would get involved with an attractive girl and leave Chuuya behind.
But that night, he wasn't willing to leave his partner there alone.
Maybe he really was too beautiful, and Dazai was under the spell of the loneliness that enveloped him and the beauty that surrounded him.
He predicted that that day would be the second hypothesis.
And it wouldn't be the first, nor the second time.
They had never gone very far and most of the time Chuuya was too drunk to remember it.
That night, however, was to be different.
Dazai was still relatively sober just with a lighter head and Chuuya was drunk, but not that drunk.
For some reason he had only had two glasses of wine, so he was still aware of what he was doing.
Tense silence settled in for a few moments.
Dazai looked around and verified what he already knew.
Then he looked at his partner.
And he looked back, almost timidly.
They looked at each other silently for a moment.
Normally, that was the moment when the two would come closer and take each other's lips.
However, Chuuya seemed too distracted and almost tired, looking at Dazai blankly.
Eyes incredibly absent and facing Dazai.
Looking at each other for a few moments, the two, not knowing for sure who was first, began to approach.
Dazai opened his mouth, a little hesitantly, something that was not common in his dictionary.
Something in the boy's face had caused a change in his chest.
Or maybe it would be the alcohol.
He didn't know.
"This….”
Chuuya nodded readily and Dazai leaned his torso forward.
As he approached, he opened his mouth to explain the reason for his action.
“It's… it’s just because there aren't any pretty girls here..."
Again, Chuuya nodded his head affirmatively.
He seemed unusually nervous.
“Right…” he said, feeling the heat of Dazai's face, getting closer and closer; then he added a slight doubt written on his eyes, "But here?"
That had been the green light to advance further knowing that Chuuya was aware of his actions.
Dazai blinked his one eye and just smiled, placing one leg over Chuuya's thighs, making him come closer to the other boy.
Chuuya didn’t offer any resistance.
“It wouldn't be the first time"
Chuuya's eyes widened.
In fact, Dazai and Chuuya, if they kissed, it wouldn't be the first time.
It usually happened after competitions to see who could hold the most drinks.
If they knew each other very well, they would end up giving in to the effects of alcohol, kissing each other madly as if they wanted nothing more.
That night, since there was no place for the competition, Dazai was just looking for a cue to pull him in for the usual kiss.
Or kisses.
It all depended on Chuuya.
“Wha-“ he started but without success, as he had been prevented by his partner's lips.
However, Chuuya had been too drunk to remember such a thing.
So that would be their first kiss.
Disappointing.
There weren't many people there, which facilitated the fluidity of movements.
Chuuya, predictably, had closed his eyes, surrendering to the touch and placing a hand on Dazai's warm cheek.
The gloved fingers touched the cheek, stretching down to below the ears, the fingertips reaching the hair.
The hat bothered Dazai a lot, but he didn't take it off.
This time.
He simply slid a hand over Chuuya's lower back, circling the entire length of his waist, feeling the stiffness of his muscles from the obvious physical effort.
Dazai's fingertips pressed against his body, getting a better feel for each muscular surface.
The position, however, was still somewhat uncomfortable.
But the warmth of their lips against each other, and the not-so-discreet touching, made up for it.
Dazai could hardly remember the slightly soft texture of his partner's lips, occasionally feeling the traces of tobacco with his tongue that brushed insistently against them.
He could also feel traces of wine in the relatively softness of his lips.
But all of that was visibly pleasant when combined with the intimate warmth and human closeness.
They kissed.
Dazai decided that he liked to kiss Chuuya after drinking and smoking.
The kisses were long and tasted like burnt and warm cigarettes.
It was good, but it wasn't enough.
They proceeded forward.
They inevitably moved forward and their taste buds detected the flavor of bitter wine and sweet whiskey.
Even though Dazai wasn't a wine apologist, the texture on Chuuya's tongue wasn't at all unpleasant.
He also felt the sweet wishkey that mixed elegantly with the acidity of the wine, as their tongues entwined.
Then the oxygen failed.
The miserable gas of life.
They leaned back.
“Hm… Chuuya’s wine sucks” Dazai said with a teasing smile on his lips and a mysterious glint in his eye.
The other boy didn't seem pleased with the comment.
“Your whiskey sucks" he retorted, and he looked completely serious.
They both agreed that on the tongue, either drink tasted good, though.
Dazai's leg came off Chuuya with a sight.
“Chuuya's uncomfy” he muttered, slowly getting up, sliding his hand down Chuuya's lower back and feeling his hand slide down his cheek, until the heat completely faded.
Dazai saw Chuuya lick his red lips.
And he saw the smug smile on those same lips.
He felt the urge to kiss them again.
“This time… just this time… you are right.” he said, causing Dazai to look at the boy questioningly with his gaze; then Chuuya grabbed his hand, pulling it towards him, causing Dazai to lose his balance. “A bed is much comfortable."
Dazai’s heart nearly stopped as he fell forward, inches away from Chuuya's smiling face.
And it wasn't a genuine smile, but that didn't mean Dazai couldn't help but admire Chuuya's arrogance, did it?
His brain, however, stopped.
"What? Cat got your tongue?” Chuuya arched an eyebrow, gently squeezing Dazai's wrist.
The flirting was evident and Chuuya's lips had curved into a treacherous, tempting line.
While he was lost in the moment of surprise, Chuuya had tilted his head to the side, sealing his lips with a kiss, bringing a gloved hand to his hair.
Honestly, Dazai couldn't help but to give in to Chuuya’s kisses.
Although the fact that Chuuya was the one who had taken the initiative irritated him, he offered no resistance.
Even Chuuya's hat stopped bothering him, as his attention was on the whirlwind of sensations that Chuuya's touch gave him.
The gloved fingers gripped his hair gently but firmly, touching his scalp, producing a series of sensations.
It had been compared to an electric shock.
"You know… “Chuuya leaned back after a while, licking his lips “bar… the bar has a room," he said.
Dazai widened his eyes, seeing the key turning on his partner's gloved finger.
And a smile adorned Chuuya's face.
“If your plans were to be with a pretty girl, shitty Dazai, you can forget it.”
Strangely, Dazai didn't have the courage to deny him such statement.
Perhaps because of the malevolent glint in Chuuya's eyes, who despite being drunk didn't seem to be as drunk as Dazai had thought.
As expected.
His face expressed the satisfaction that Dazai had whenever one of his plans went well.
And for a moment, just for a brief moment, Dazai was in awe.
Then he just sighed and shook his head.
“Desesperation does terrible things to a human being” he said plainly.
Chuuya's confidence seemed to waver for a moment, lowering his hand with the key and looking straight ahead without reaction.
His eyes had a distant, unfamiliar glow.
Maybe that was why Dazai had continued.
"But I suppose I can… I can give the satisfaction to a teeny tiny human… as tiny as Chuuya. Aaand sleep with him!”
Chuuya frowned, but he was not very surprised.
"Wasn’t that the plan?” Dazai asked, noticing Chuuya's gaze.
He pressed his lips together, seeming to decide something unknown.
Looking sideways, appearing lost in thought.
He opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it, waving his hand dispassionately.
“What?"
Chuuya just glared at him, warningly.
“I don’t speak dog’s language”
The boy rolled his eyes and nodded towards the people who had settled down at the bar.
This didn't seem to worry Dazai in the slightest, who leaned in to kiss him again.
This time Chuuya covered his partner's mouth with his hand, pushing him away slightly.
“Whaht”
Chuuya narrowed his eyes in warning.
“Unless you want to be the hot topic in the mafia’s tongue tomorrow, I suggest you should calm the fuck down!” he hissed through his teeth, near Dazai.
Dazai raised his eyebrows and Chuuya slowly removed his hand from over his mouth.
Or rather, Dazai grabbed Chuuya's wrist and pulled it away from his mouth.
Chuuya then, sighed.
"We shouldn't have chosen this bar," he muttered, his eyes on the mafia members.
Not looking the least bit worried and taking advantage of Chuuya's distracted and drunken cue, he lowered his arm and with it Chuuya's arm, until they were stretched out.
Then, he decided to slip a finger under the soft glove, earning a sort of silent scream from Chuuya when his fingers, beneath the fabric, reached his.
Immediately, Chuuya turned to Dazai with a disapproving expression.
To which he shrugged nonchalantly.
“What? I've always wanted to do this"
Chuuya just glared at him.
"And you couldn't have waited, you bastard?"
Dazai replied with a languid smile.
Chuuya sighed.
"Nevermind- We need to get out of here, without being noticed.”
The other boy sighed.
"Where is the room?"
"Upstairs." he paused thoughtfully “And for the record I didn’t bought it to sleep with you, I did it because-“
"Yeah, yeah I don't care" Dazai waved his hand dispassionately.
Chuuya narrowed his eyes in dissatisfaction, but with a glipse of curiousity.
Dazai smiled under his breath.
“You were going to end with me anyways.”
Chuuya's eyebrows jumped in surprise.
As expected.
“Wha- weren’t you going to choose a beautiful girl to hook up with?”
Dazai smiled at him sideways, almost arrogantly.
“This bar, I already knew, didn’t have any pretty girls.” Dazai nodded to the group of boys, without any girls. "The ones who come here are males.”
Chuuya didn't react.
But then he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, now free from Dazai's touch.
“So... if you already knew that... Then you had already planned for this to happen" turned to the mafia group, noticing their presence "Including them.”
Dazai laughed.
He laughed, because he had, indeed, sent those nobodies there just to force Chuuya and him to hide from them.
Inside a room or something similar.
In reality those guys didn’t even know them.
They were hunded percent safe.
“Why- I had to make sure Chuuya wouldn't escape like the slug he is!”
Chuuya just glared at him.
Dazai sighed boringly.
“Don't worry about them. They're new, they don't know who we are," he commented absently.
Then he paused.
“Now that I've told my part, I want to know why you have the key to one of the rooms in this bar." he paused again “Or rather, how did you know about the existence of this room."
Relaxing his posture significantly, Chuuya turned to Dazai.
“I had already been here"
Dazai froze unexpectedly and, Chuuya seeing this, continued with a teasing smile.
“And I remember that the bed springs were resistant “
Silence fell, only muffled by the side conversations of the other customers.
Until Dazai spoke very slowly and cautiously.
“Girl… or… boy..?”
Chuuya hummed, seeming to think about something.
“Mhhmm… dunno. I was too drunk to remember” then he tilted his head to the side, looking at Dazai with a smile "Remember? This happened the night you left me for a pretty girl?"
Remorse was rare, but apparently Dazai had felt tremendous regret for having given in to the charms of that girl, whose name he didn't even remember.
And if he remembered correctly, Dazai was too drunk that night to remember that.
So he pretended.
“Ahh… that one.”
Chuuya didn't look impressed.
“Yes. That one.”
Dazai laughed helpelessly and then he suddenly stopped, face stoic.
“I can’t remember her name.” he told him plainly.
"Tch. Figures.”
They both turned to the front, in contemplative silence.
"Chuuya?"
A sigh.
"What.”
"Are you still thinking about using the room key?” as he spoke, Dazai had reached out and put his hand in Chuuya’s pants pocket “Why don’t you drink more?”
Chuuya snorted.
“Not a chance. I am not drunk and I told you, I plan to be like this until the end of the night.”
“Uh-um.”
The key was successfully stolen.
"C'moooon! I promise I won't tease about your height when we'll-"
Chuuya sighed exaggeratedly loudly.
He was done with that play.
He was too tired to play with him, to begin with.
“Dazai... I have to admit that you surprised me today." he began by saying a little slower "But what can I say?” he sighed not looking towards Dazai “Desperation is something that makes human beings make… hasty decisions." then looked into Dazai's eyes "Human beings such mackerels… especially annoying mackerels.”
And Chuuya's smile shone brighter than the yellow light.
He swallowed hard.
And all Dazai could say was
“Ah-“
And when Chuuya leaned towards him, getting close to her face, placing a hand on his bandage-free face…
He realized that Chuuya was, in fact, not aware of himself.
Chuuya was drunk.
Or was he?
Dazai no longer knew if his partner was sober or not, all he felt was Chuuya's warm, wet mouth on his jaw and the teeth that lightly caressed the skin.
All his plans, vanished.
He knew he probably wouldn't sleep with Chuuya and he suspected that... Chuuya knew that too.
He just slid his lips over Dazai's skin, down his neck, brushing his nose so gently that Dazai... either from the previous words or from the drink, felt like crying.
He didn’t cry, of course.
Even when he felt the absence of bandages on his neck and the fingers next to his skin, he didn't react.
But he was close to crying, hearing Chuuya's words once, twice, three times in his head.
And for some reason…. for some unknown reason, he felt happy.
Alcohol or pleasure provided by Chuuya's lips that pressed against his thirsty and sensitive nerves, Dazai felt less empty than usual.
It wasn't the same feeling that the Bar Lupin gave him, calm and familiar.
No.
It was intense, stormy, and an avalanche of unknown sensations that Dazai wanted to taste.
They were just cigarette kisses, alcohol and wet saliva against his cold skin.
He wasn't even as stimulated as usual.
Nor Chuuya was.
But for some reason, it felt right.
Kissing, biting, sucking, licking.
Even if the next day they had to wake up in the room that the keys in Dazai's pocket would open.
Even if the next day they would ignore that night.
They would ignore the harmless kisses and bites that were to cover their skin.
They had to ignore the sensations of that night, all in silence.
Even though Dazai knew this, he ended up letting himself be carried away by that moment.
How could he not?
“Let's move from here..."
To which Chuuya replied, voice muffled by his skin
“No”
Despite this response, the two ended up going up the stairs and into the room.
As they settled into bed between kisses and innocent touches, alcohol took over their senses.
Or rather Chuuya's, who ended up falling asleep on Dazai's shoulder while kissing the partially bandaged skin.
Dazai just laughed and stroked Chuuya's hair, laying down with him.
The two boys fell asleep.Chuuya with his head on Dazai's chest, and Dazai with one hand on Chuuya's back.
Needless to say, when they woke up….
Dazai got a brand new bruise.
And he was about to complain about the brutality of his partner, but then he opened his eyes and looked at Chuuya.
He noticed that Chuuya's face, his cheeks were indeed flushed.
A small smile formed on his lips, opening his mouth to say something that had been prevented by a cushion.
"Shut up Dazai!"
And Dazai just laughed.
After that, neither of the boys spoke of that night.
Much to Dazai's disappointment.
He smiled to himself, watching Chuuya put on his shirt and leave the room wordlessly.
The room felt warmer with Chuuya in it.
It felt cold and empty.
But that feeling was soothed by Chuuya’s words.
Human beings such as mackerels, especially annoying mackerels.
Totally worth the pain.