touch me and I'll kill you

16

Dazai carried Chuuya in his arms and brought him inside the house. He placed him on his bed and knelt down beside it. Dazai grabbed Chuuya's hand in both of his. There was no response. Barely a pulse. 

"Sir..." Akutagawa stood beside him but didn't dare try to console him. He'd been requested to stay silent so he would. 

"What did he tell you?" Dazai asked without looking toward Akutagawa. When Akutagawa didn't respond, Dazai stood up and grabbed his shoulders. He dug his nails into his skin as a shadow crossed his face. "What did he tell you?" he repeated. 

"He just asked that I wouldn't tell you of his condition..." Akutagawa replied. "I know nothing about it other than he was in bad shape..." Dazai's nails dug further into Akutagawa's skin, making him bleed. "He didn't want you to try to look for a way to break the curse. That's all I know..." Akutagawa winced feeling the blood drop down his back. 

Dazai released him and turned to the bed. He climbed onto it and grabbed Chuuya's hand again after lying down on his side. He stared at Chuuya's face to make sure he was still breathing. 

"Get out, please," Dazai muttered. 

Akutagawa nodded and made his exit. He wandered into Chuuya's study and searched through the books. Even if Chuuya didn't want Dazai to look for a solution...that didn't mean that he couldn't try. Akutagawa wiped his eyes and flipped through pages. Maybe there was something in this building that had the curse itself written down. If he could know the details...maybe he could think of a loophole. That was something Dazai used to say. However, the days when Dazai taught him things were long past. He sighed and returned the book to its shelf, picking up another one. 

"I don't want him to hate me..." Akutagawa stated quietly to himself. A small shadowy face poked out from the clothing on his arm. It nuzzled Akutagawa's cheek. "I suppose I'll always have you, won't I?" Feeling the slightest bit of comfort by the strange state of his ability, Akutagawa raised his hand to pet it. The smallest of ideas crossed his mind. Perhaps he did have a way to save Chuuya. 

"Sir..." Akutagawa muttered and ran back to Chuuya's bedroom. He pushed open the door. "Sir!" he repeated. 

Dazai didn't look at him or register his existence other than the small "What?" that escaped his lips. 

"I think I have an idea-"