Begin Again (Chuuya x reader)

Chapter Three

Y/n POV

After that night, our walks became a regular thing. Mostly, they took place after or before training sessions. They seemed to be helping me. Since we'd begun our little tradition, I had begun to gain some control over my ability. I was getting stronger every day.

We would go for a stroll outside and we would just talk. Sometimes he would listen, sometimes I would. We talked about Dazai, about our lives. Chuuya talked about his goals and complained about whatever missions he had to go on or work he had to do. On occasion, we were joined by people like Akutagawa, people who I never even knew existed past a name and the stories or complaints Dazai had shared with me. Other people who had loved him, other people who he had ruined. It gave me an immense amount of comfort to know I wasn't the only one.

None of us could completely understand what the others had gone through, all of our experiences with him had been shockingly different, but there was still a sense of solidarity in the fact that we had all suffered and were continuing to suffer at the hands of the same, deadly man.

On this particular day, Chuuya and my training session had run over by a few hours. I seemed to have broken through some barrier in our morning training session and was now able to summon my ability much easier. We had worked through our lunch break and into the afternoon. By the time it was evening, I only occasionally had to make a request. A little question like: "Claws please!" Was all that had to be said and then Chuuya would order me to have claws and they would appear.

Even though it was late and we were both exhausted after such a long day, we decided to go on our customary walk.

"I didn't realize it had gotten this late." I mused as we exited the Port Mafia's main building to see the sky nearly dark and the rising moon bright.

"Yeah." mumbled Chuuya, shoving his hands in his pockets, "You did good work today."

I smiled brightly as we headed down the street, feeling my cheeks flush. It was still such a foreign thing to hear such an honest compliment, and one directed towards my ability at that.

"Thank you." I managed to stutter out.

Chuuya laughed slightly and patted my head with a genuine fondness I was also yet to be used to. We continued on into the night in silence.

I let my gaze wander around the now completely dark city. As we approached the water front, the neon light emanating from bars and restaurants slowly gave way to the soft yellow light of street lamps and then, to nothing at all.

I looked up and nearly gasped aloud. Who would have guessed the stars would be this bright when we were still so close to the center of the city? I had never seen so many in one place before.

Chuuya POV

Just as we were about to turn onto the little promenade by the beach I had been intending to take her to, I noticed a distinct lack of Y/n's presence by my side. I stopped walking and turned to see her standing stock still, eyes turned to the sky. I smiled slightly at her look of absolute awe before calling her name.

Her head immediately snapped to face me and fear flooded her features. She quickly corrected her posture and bent her head.

"I am so sorry sir, I promise I won't do it again."

I sighed and walked over to her, lifting her head up by her chin so her eyes met mine. She looked terrified. I looked at her for a moment before turning my eyes to the sky.

"They're beautiful, aren't they?" I asked.

I felt her nod.

Slowly, I took my hand from beneath her chin and held it out for her. She paused in apparent shock for a moment before hesitantly taking it. We began to walk.