Archive of Our Own ^beta

The city at night had a way of swallowing a man whole.

Chuuya’s footsteps echoed faintly on the slick pavement, his reflection flickering in the puddles that stretched like mirrors across the empty sidewalk. The rain had stopped an hour ago, but the air was still heavy with it, clinging to his coat and hair. He adjusted the collar with a sharp tug, more out of habit than discomfort from the weather.

It was late, later than he’d meant to stay at work. The studio lights always made him restless, the endless back-and-forth of directors and photographers asking him to pose this way, tilt his chin that way. He was good at it, but it felt like too much effort sometimes. Despite enjoying his job, some days were just too busy that he could not even tolerate them.
The bridge came into view as he walked. He slowed as he approached it, letting his gaze fall over the water below. He always lingered here, though he wasn’t sure why. Maybe the time he spent here in the past... The kind of nights when he would come back bloodied from a job, leaning against this same railing with a cigarette in his mouth, staring into the dark until the adrenaline wore off. Though now that he thinks of that, it was not a very nice way of living for a 15 year old. He was glad that he had this life now.

He pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, hands moving with almost muscle memory as he lights it, he felt a wave of calmness as he inhaled. It was a feeling thats so familiar; the cigarette, the night, the weather... And all in a comforting way, almost. His habit of enjoying his time here never changed. He sighed and looked around, there were not many people here in this hour usually, it wasnt any different tonight. Until...

A sound cut through the night.

Not the usual restless murmur of the river, but something sharp, violent. A splash, heavy enough to know it was most likely something being thrown or ‘someone’ going into the water. His body went rigid. He leaned over, eyes scanning the dark surface below, that was when he saw it. Saw ‘him’...
A figure. The water dragged him hungrily, pulling him down only to spit him back up again, just long enough for a faint gasp to break the surface. Though he person, weird enough, did not seem to be panicked at all. Chuuya was not able to notice that in the dark of the night, however.

“Oh shit...”

Chuuya didn’t think. He climbed the railing and vaulted over in one motion, the icy plunge of the river knocking the breath from his lungs. The cold hit him like knives, biting into his muscles. He caught the man by the collar, pulling his head above water. though his own chest burned from the effort. The man didn’t respond, only let out a faint groan before slipping against him like dead weight. Probably as he tried to be...

Dragging him to the bank was brutal. By the time he carried the body onto the gravel, his arms shook from the strain. He collapsed to his knees beside the man, chest heaving, water streaming down his face.

“Idiot,” he muttered, shoving wet strands of hair back from the man’s forehead. “If you wanted to die, you could’ve chosen anywhere but under my damn bridge.”

No response. The man coughed once, weakly, water spilling from his lips. Chuuya turned him onto his side, rubbing his back with a practiced motion. It wasn’t the first time he’d pulled someone half-dead from water, or saved from suicide, thanks to a certain someone... However, his attention was caught by something else as the man came to his senses slowly, looked up to Chuuya with confused and irritated eyes.

Around the man’s neck, a chain glinted faintly in the light. A necklace, with an aventurine stone pendant.

His hand went to his own one, the same necklace but his was a labradorite. A matching necklace he got with a friend years ago. It was a habit of his to wear it all the time at this point

Chuuya’s breath hitched. His hand moved before he thought, brushing the wet collar of the man’s shirt aside. There it was. The charm. The exact same one that still hung, aged and worn. It was so unexpected he did not even know what to think.

“No way…” His voice was hoarse, caught somewhere between disbelief and recognition. Then came back to reality with the man’s weak voice talking to him.

“Why on earth would you do that...” It wasnt even a question, the man looked pissed off, it was a blaming on him. “Let alone risking your life for a stranger, its not your busines... You should have let me go. I was going to make it this time, for sure.”

“Yeah no, Im not watching someone die. Stranger or not.”

“Bullshit..” The man tried to sit up properly, holding his head that felt too heavy. He looked at Chuuya with confused eyes for a moment. “Though... Would be nice if you could tell me where I am.”

Chuuya raised an eyebrow, “What do you mean where you are? Dont you remember what you just did, smartass?”

“No... No I dont remember. I mean I know what I did but before that is kind of foggy, you know.”

Oh... The man must having a short term amnesia from that, Chuuya thought.

“You know... The city park. Yokohama?”

“Yes, yes I know its Yokohama. I just dont remember around, somehow.”

It was weird for him to not remember those, in other ways, remembering the basics but also not remembering the easiest things. But our redhead was used to that, thanks to someone, he knew it was most probably short termed one. He let out a half annoyed half tired sigh, he had doubts, he was confused with the man. And the idea of leaving him like this felt wrong but he did not know what was the right thing to do in this situation. He asked with an unexpected, gentle tone;

“Do you remember who you are? Your name?”

He earned a sigh from the man as well, shook his head. “No, no I dont think I know my name.”

Oh...

“Well, I’m Chuuya. Chuuya Nakahara.” He stopped to carefully examine his reaction to his name, maybe, just maybe it was what he tought it was. However he didnt want to keep his hopes up. It was just a stupid necklace that you could buy.

“Okay, Chuuya... Thank you.” He nodded, looked up to him as Chuuya gor up to leave. “Goodbye..?”

“Not a goodbye. You think I can just leave you here like this? I dont want trouble upon me. Come with me, let me at least dry you up properly and make sure youre fine.”

“Ah well... I guess I dont have much choice with no identity or any mwmory, eh? Lead the way.” He got up as well to follow Chuuya.