Chasing Strays (Soukoku- Dazai X Chuuya)

Chapter 10/ Offering Help

Dazai and Chuuya have been going out together a lot recently. The two having lunch, (and sometimes dinner) together almost every other day.

Dazai was really happy about this, because any time he spent with Chuuya, he could spend seeing the world how it was meant to be.

Full of life and color.

-

"So, how's the new home going?" Dazai said, looking at the ginger walking next to him.

"It's going alright, though it's more peaceful when you're not around."

Dazai squinted at Chuuya's words, his eyes rolling. "What, am I that bad of a neighbor?"

"Very." Chuuya teased.

-

The two had decided to walk around town after their lunch, something they didn't normally do.

The weather was slowly starting to turn colder, so they wanted to enjoy what could be the last warm day of the year.

"I hate when it gets cold." Chuuya said, looking around the town. "This warm weather is too good to lose."

"I think you just like it because it's good weather to ride that death trap of yours." Dazai chimed in, a slight smirk on his face.

"Okay and?! Can a man enjoy nice weather and hobbies in peace?"

"No he cannot.~"

Chuuya rolled his eyes as he playful hit the brunette. "Oh shut it!"

"Make me.~"

"You're so insufferable!" Chuuya shouted, though despite his words let out a small chuckle afterwards.

"But you still hang out with me?" Dazai said, his tone sly yet teasing.

"Keep up this attitude and that won't be the case."

"You couldn't do that Chuuya, I'm just too much fun whether you want to admit it or not."

"You are not, you're just tolerable." Chuuya said with a sigh, the two boys now crossing the street.

"Whatever, besides where are we going anyway?"

"Just downtown, I thought we could walk around there. You need a break from whiskey and the bar anyway."

"You're one to talk!" Dazai said, chuckling as he followed the ginger.

Dazai needed whiskey to make it through the day. Sometimes going an hour without at least a shot could even make him twinge.

Though when he was with Chuuya it didn't matter, Chuuya being even better then a fix of whiskey when he needed it.

-

The two continued to walk around town, the night seeming to never end.

The joy of one another's company seeming to alter reality in their favor.

That was until Chuuya brought up Dazai's work.

"Hey Dazai?"

Dazai hummed in response, his gaze turning to face the ginger.

"Why are you still doing jobs for that guy? I mean you get hurt all the time, and I know you said you're fine... But you've had a noticeable limp all night. You shouldn't be straining your body constantly like this for some cheap con-man. Why not be an artist instead? You'd make a very good one, I've seen your art."

Dazai laughed, a hint of nervousness lacing his voice as he tried to play it cool. The man trying to change the subject from Chuuya's question. "Aww you do care about me!~"

"Don't change the subject Dazai. I'm being serious." Chuuya said, stopping in his tracks, grabbing ahold of Dazai's sleeve to make him stop as well.

Dazai was slightly caught off guard by his actions, A slight sigh escaping his lips before looking away.

"It's a long story, but in simple terms, when my parents died in a, well, unexpected accident I was given their decent sum of money that was left. I then proceeded to spend it all because I didn't expect to be alive this long, so I ended up making a deal with sum guy and getting myself stuck in a huge sum of debt." Dazai said, his hand rising up to rub the back of his neck. "I originally wanted to be an artist, though life had other plans."

Chuuya looked at him, understanding for the brunette in front of him filling his thoughts.

Chuuya knows what it's like to be broke, and to have to do things you don't want to survive.

In fact the ginger grew up in a poor household, his parents having to sacrifice everything to barely keep him and his brother afloat.

"I understand, then the question is how much yen do you have left to repay him?"

There was a sigh from Dazai, his eyes averting to the ground. "A lot, that's all I can say."

Chuuya frowned, sympathy for his new friend settling in.

"If you need any help, just ask." He said before putting his hands in his pocket and continuing on with their walk.

Dazai smiled slightly, the generous offer making him happy, though he knew deep down he couldn't bare to burden the ginger with his issues. The brunette soon followed after the ginger as they headed back to their shared apartment complex.

-

Dazai was laying in his bed of his apartment. Thoughts of the previous afternoon swarming his mind.

Chuuya had offered to help him pay off his debt, without Dazai even having to bring anything up about it.

Chuuya cared enough to worry about him, then cared enough to offer to take money out of his pockets for someone he had only known for less then a year when he too was already struggling himself.

It made Dazai feel something he's never felt before, made him see the world in colors he never knew could be so beautiful.

Chuuya was probably one of the only people that were capable of truly being seen as human in Dazai's eyes, everyone else just the same copy and paste robots that seemed to be put on this planet to take up space, or to test his patience.

Dazai continued to ponder the situation until he soon fell into sleep. (Well the best he could with his insomnia.)

-

"Why must that damn dog always get himself into trouble." Chuuya mumbled to himself from the other side of Dazai's wall. The ginger pacing in his new apartment kitchen as he downed a cup of wine.

He too was recalling the previous evening, the ginger mainly concerned for Dazai's health.

Despite how he acts, or what he tells himself to try and convince himself not to get attached. (Because of his past with being abandoned by friends and family.) He genuinely cares for Dazai's health and wellbeing.

He moved to sit on the couch, a sigh escaping his lips as he poured another class of wine.

He wanted to help Dazai, which was something out of character for Chuuya.

Everyone he's ever been close to had left him, or used him for their own gain. So chuuya resorted to acting like everyone that gets close to him has an ulterior motive to protect himself, therefore he'd never help them even if he felt they were being genuine. This having caused the genuine ones to leave him as well.

Though something about Dazai was different, something about his aura made Chuuya feel welcomed and cared for. Making him feel he could risk being vulnerable with the bandaged man across the hall.

Chuuya had seen Dazai's artwork, seen that he would make it great in an art major if he tried. Yet all his potential went into getting beat up and paying off a ridiculous debt that was set up to never be possible to pay off.

It wasn't fair and Chuuya hated it, he hated the fact that people used others, and he hated the fact others put up with it.

He hated just about everything about life, though there was still enough things he did like to make living worth it.

So he was determined to show Dazai that as well. Whether he liked it or not.