Chapter Text
It started raining from the sky. No, Chuya adored rains, cloudy weather and thunderstorms. But now it was completely inappropriate. Nakahara was late for his bus and now he was running for the second quarter under a furious downpour, awkwardly balancing with an indecent amount of packages. Chuya was in a hurry home. He should have been there already twenty minutes ago, but now he was only half way. Osamu. He was probably really angry, and God only knew what he would do to Chuuya when he finally got there.
When Chuuya finally started to think about the consequences of his tardiness, his stomach twisted in a sharp pain. Dazai had come to his work the day before. Chuuya hadn't noticed him right away, being caught up in a conversation with a colleague. He hadn't noticed Dazai until he was pushed against the wall as soon as they crossed the threshold of the house, and he was being strangled. Chuya couldn't hear what he was saying, and he was glad. It was better than hearing every word.
As Chuya was lost in thought, he reached his house. Well, here goes nothing.
Chuya set the bags on the ground, dug through his bag, and pulled out a set of keys. Finding the right one, he inserted it into the keyhole and turned it. Touching the doorknob, Chuya slowly pushed it open. The door swung open. There was a deathly silence that sent chills down his spine. Chuya hated silence. Gathering his courage, he called out in a low voice:
"Osamu?"
There was no response.
Chuya looked at the door to their bedroom. It was closed. He slowly approached it, taking off his shoes. Gently opening the door, Chuya was shocked by what he saw. Dazai, the same Dazai who had strangled him the day before for talking to a colleague, was lying in bed. Naked. And, of course, not alone. Jake Spier, the lead singer of Dazai's band, was there. Chuuya couldn't believe his eyes, even though deep down, this was exactly what he wanted.
He hated Dazai Osamu. When they first started dating, he was sweet and caring. Dazai supported him, was a pillar, did everything to make Chuya feel good, to make him happy. But this idyll did not last long.
About a couple of months into the relationship, Osamu showed his true colors.
Dazai supported him, was a pillar of strength, and did everything he could to make Chuya feel good and happy. However, this idyllic relationship did not last long.
After about a couple of months, Osamu revealed his true nature. He yelled at Chuya when he started talking about his walk with his best friend, Tachihara. Dazai forbade Chuya from associating with him, threatening to leave if Chuya ever saw him again. From then on, things changed. Over time, Chuya came to hate him. He tried to leave Osamu twice, but Osamu was a master manipulator, forcing him to stay. Chuuya hated this "talent" of Osamu's. Osamu loved to use the excuse that he had never cheated on Chuuya in his life. In his opinion, any meeting with friends, any conversation with colleagues was a betrayal. Naturally, these rules did not apply to Osamu himself.
And now, here we are! Osamu had handed Chuuya a "justified" reason to leave on a silver platter. In silent triumph, he approached the closet. Quietly opening the door, he retrieved a small stack of clothes. Chuuya then headed to the storage room. Finding his suitcase, he tossed in some clothes and a few trinkets. Closing the suitcase, Chuuya removed the keys to Osamu's house from his pocket and placed them on the hallstand. Finally, he glanced into the room where Dazai was sleeping with his lover. Chuya took a picture of them, already knowing that he would give it to Dazai if he decided to dig deeper. No, things would not be going according to his rules anymore. After putting on his shoes, he took one last look at the house he hated and left with a smile on his face, quietly closing the door behind him.
***
The rain was beating on the car's window, and Queen's music was blaring through the headphones, drowning out all other sounds. Chuya was tapping his fingers in time with the music. His very perception of music, his ability to enjoy it, was the only proof that he was still alive. Somewhere, far away in his mind, Chuya began to realize that just twenty minutes ago, his life had taken a sudden 180-degree turn. It was hard to believe. It was all over.
In the two years he had been with Dazai Osamu, Chuya had almost lost himself.
He didn't hate it, but he couldn't find the strength to leave. Chuuya was genuinely afraid of Dazai, and he always succumbed to his manipulations. It was foolish and humiliating, but he still held out hope that things would change. How foolish he had been. Now, there was no fear left. It seemed that everything Chuuya had felt for two years—love, affection, fear, and submission—had vanished in an instant. He was no longer dependent on anyone or submissive to anyone. Now he was free as a bird, and no one could take away that beautiful feeling from him.
The driver, looking at Chuya through the windshield with a sullen expression, couldn't understand what was bothering him, but he decided not to dwell on it. He was taking Chuya to the airport. It wasn't clear yet why or where he was going. However, the driver knew two things: he wouldn't stay in London, and he wouldn't leave the country. Wales? No, he wouldn't return home. The choice was reduced to two options: Northern Ireland or Scotland?
After a short while of thinking, Chuya settled on Scotland. As a devoted Harry Potter fan, he couldn't resist. Plus, his best friend, Ozaki Koyou, lived in Edinburgh. They both attended a dance club. Koyou was three years older than Chuya. She had run away to Scotland to escape her family. Chuya was fifteen at the time, and exactly three years later, on his eighteenth birthday, he repeated her actions. They had been in contact all this time, and they had even seen each other a couple of times. Therefore, it was likely that Koyou would be happy to see him.
Without wasting any time, Chuya purchased a plane ticket for the next available flight, which departed in two hours. Upon arriving at the airport, he checked in for his flight and dropped off his luggage. After successfully passing through security, he headed towards the shops. Deciding that he could definitely use some coffee, Chuuya ordered a large Americano. It was his favorite coffee, but he couldn't drink it with Osamu. Dazai would definitely add sugar and milk as soon as he saw what Chuuya had made. And now he was calmly drinking his Americano. "Fuck you, Dazai," he said in his head.
As Chuya was floating in the clouds, thinking about the future, the plane was announced to be landing. Upon entering the plane, Chuya turned on his playlist, which was designed for long flights, and immersed himself in an endless stream of thoughts that he could not silence.