The last sunset

Chapter 5: A Week Later, A Heartbeat Closer

A week had passed since that bizarre night where everything between Chuuya and Dazai shifted—an awkward truce after years of tension, insults, and near-violent arguments. For Chuuya, the shift was confusing. Sure, Dazai still annoyed the hell out of him, but there was something else beneath the surface now, something he wasn't sure he was ready to face.

It had started with small things—catching himself thinking about Dazai a little too often, replaying their banter in his head, and wondering what Dazai was up to when he wasn't around. It was unsettling. Chuuya didn't like it.

Still, here he was, standing in front of Dazai's apartment door, bottle of wine in hand.

"Why am I doing this?" Chuuya muttered under his breath, glaring at the label on the wine bottle like it had personally offended him. "This was a stupid idea."

Before he could turn around and bail, the door swung open, and there was Dazai, leaning lazily against the doorframe with that signature smirk of his. He was dressed more casually than usual, wearing a loose button-up and some slacks, his hair slightly messier than normal.

"Ah, Chuuya," Dazai greeted, his voice dripping with amusement. "I thought I smelled wine and frustration outside my door."

Chuuya groaned. "Shut up, Dazai. If you're gonna be annoying, I'm leaving."

Dazai's smirk softened a bit, and he stepped aside, gesturing for Chuuya to come in. "Come on, don't be like that. I'm always happy to see you, especially when you come bearing gifts." His eyes flickered toward the wine bottle with interest.

Chuuya hesitated for a second, then sighed and stepped inside. "I don't know why I'm here."

"Because you missed me, obviously," Dazai said, closing the door behind him and moving to the small living room, where books and papers were scattered everywhere. He grabbed two wine glasses from a cluttered shelf, clearly prepared for Chuuya's visit. "Wine?"

Chuuya rolled his eyes but followed Dazai to the couch, plopping down with a grunt. "You're insufferable."

"And yet, here you are," Dazai said with a wink, pouring the wine.

The room was quiet for a few moments as they both sipped their drinks, the air heavy with unspoken thoughts. Chuuya felt his skin itch with the silence, the awkwardness gnawing at him. It wasn't like them to sit quietly—there was always noise, always banter, always tension. But this silence was different. It wasn't uncomfortable—it was just unfamiliar.

"Why didn't you check in all week?" Chuuya asked suddenly, breaking the quiet. He wasn't sure where the question came from, but once it was out, he couldn't take it back. It wasn't like him to care so openly, especially when it came to Dazai.

Dazai paused mid-sip, raising an eyebrow. "Missed me that much, huh?"

Chuuya's face flushed. "That's not what I meant, idiot! I just... you made a promise, remember? To come to me if you were feeling, you know—"

"Self-destructive?" Dazai finished, his smirk fading slightly.

Chuuya looked away, staring into his glass. "Yeah. That."

Dazai leaned back, swirling the wine in his glass, his expression unreadable. "I didn't need to."

Chuuya frowned, looking back at him. "What do you mean?"

Dazai tilted his head slightly, a small, almost thoughtful smile tugging at his lips. "I mean, I didn't need to come to you because I wasn't thinking about it."

Chuuya blinked, confused. "That's... a good thing, right?"

Dazai shrugged. "I suppose so."

"Then why do you sound like it's not?" Chuuya demanded, narrowing his eyes.