Hidden Truths

4

"Any guess where he could've gone?" Chuuya asked as they wandered the streets in search of their attacker.

Dazai yawned, stretching his arms over his head. "No idea..."

The shorter clicked his tongue, glaring up at the other. "Aren't you supposed to be good at this detective stuff?"

"He left in a hurry using the smoke to mask his escape, I only saw the direction he went in; but there is no trail to follow, no distinctive things to look out for, and no known habits that we could rely on..." Dazai rubbed his chin, thinking on it for just a second before ultimately shrugging in defeat. "I'm stumped."

"Then call that other guy uhh, Rampo was it?" Chuuya suggested.

"Rampo wouldn't be interested."

"Still! Ask him!"

"Don't wanna."

"Ugh you're such a-" Chuuya paused, his sentence cutting off. "A-..."

Dazai stopped walking, turning curiously toward the latter. "Such a what?"

"A...." The red-haired looked as if he were struggling to say his next words, his brows slowly knitting further together as nothing seemed to come out. He eventually huffed, shaking his head. "Ah, n-nothing..." 

The scowl he wore on his face as he continued walking showed an expression of confusion and annoyance that Dazai couldn't decipher the source of. The taller male followed, a puzzled expression on his own face from Chuuya's behavior.

"That was weird." He announced.

"Nothing was weird."

"You hesitated to insult me. Weird."

"I didn't hesitate! I just..." Chuuya faltered again, as if words refused to come out of his mouth. "I..."

Dazai leaned in, towering over the latter. "What's wrong with you?" 

Chuuya adjusted his hat, groaning in frustration. "Agh, I'm tired out because of you! My head is all over the place."

"You sure you're just not stupi-"

This time Dazai cut himself off, pausing mid-sentence. He stopped walking again; his mouth hung open as if he'd just forgotten what he was about to say.

Chuuya slowed, glancing back at the raven-haired man standing confusedly in the middle of the sidewalk. "Not what?"

"S-Stu..." Dazai attempted to complete his thought again, but could barely get it out. His brows knitted together as he let out a pensive hum.  "...huh."

"What? What is it?"

"I'm not sure..." The taller mumbled out as he continued to walk, deep in thought.

"Dazai." Chuuya called, receiving no answer as he followed him. "Dazai I hate when you don't answer, let me know what you're thinking!"

"Shh."

The red-head groaned, kicking a rock that flew probably 100 feet away as a result of his agitation. "I should've punched you in that handsome face a long time ago..."

At that comment Dazai stopped abruptly, resulting in Chuuya running into his back. He turned, his eyes widened at the latter. "Huh?... W-What did you just call me?"

Chuuya's frown slowly turned into shock as he registered the words that come out of his own mouth. That wasn't his intention... complimenting Dazai straight forward like that was the last thing he'd ever do. Yet, how did he end up saying it so carelessly?

"Wh-What... what did I just say...?" The shorter mumbled, his hands rising to cover his mouth that somehow betrayed him. "...Why did I say that? Why the hell did I just say that!?"

"You're asking me!? I have no idea!" Dazai retorted.

"I didn't mean to-- that wasn't-- I don't know why that came out--..."

"Can't argue with me being handsome, but when it comes from you it feels-" Dazai trailed off, again unable to finish his sentence. "...it feels..."

He had planned to say it feels gross or unsettling, but for some reason, the insults he used to be able to throw out with ease were suddenly next to impossible to say. Instead, the thought of being complimented by Chuuya made him feel warm and fuzzy, and he had to stop himself from letting his true feelings slip.

He was confused for a moment as to why his mouth was betraying his mind, until a connection suddenly popped into his head, making him gasp in realization.

Chuuya attentively looked over at him, recognizing that reaction. "What?"

"Did... did the gas do this?"

"The gas?"

"It's making us say things... that we don't usually say to each other..." The Agency member explained, slowly nodding as he put things together. "That's why we couldn't insult each other, the gas stopped us. Or rather, that guy's ability stopped us."

"You're saying that Tanaka dude sprayed us with some gross sappy serum as his ability?"

"It seems that way..."

"Ugh! This is the worst! Not only do I have to spend more time with you than usual, but now I gotta actually be nice!?" Chuuya complained, nearly stomping his feet like a kid. "We need to find this guy, ASAP!"

"Agreed..." Dazai nodded-- just before his stomach rudely interrupted them with a loud growl. "But... hungry."

Chuuya blinked, shaking his head in protest. "Wha- there's no time for that--!"

Dazai grabbed the smaller by his wrist, yanking him down the street. "I doubt Tanaka has gone anywhere far; there's a reason he sprayed us, so he's probably wandering around nearby. We can afford to stop for a bit."

"Dazai-!" Chuuya yelled, tugging hard to break free of the latter's grip. He ended up slipping out just a bit and almost freed himself-- until Dazai tightened his hold just before Chuuya could escape, now squeezing the redhead's hand in his own.

Dazai prevented Chuuya from using his ability to escape, forcing the latter to follow him hand in hand to wherever he had decided to get himself some food. What he didn't notice was how Chuuya's cheeks flushed in the midst of his panic, the latter complaining the entire time their hands were locked together.