Rhythm Of Love || Bungou Stray Dogs || Chuuya x Reader

- 9 -

The Armed Agency did not stop their running until it was past dark. You had to lead the way with a torch, your arm aching even after 10 minutes. But you pushed on until an hour later, when everyone agreed to stopping at the next clearing they find.

Another half an hour later you find an open space with a river passing through. You tie up Taniyama and everyone else follows suit.

You quickly hand out tasks to everyone and they don't object. Yosano, Ranpo, and Tanizaki were to gather firewood. Atsushi and Kunikida left to examine the area.

"We've packed enough dry meat to last us a few weeks. But if you kill us a bear every once in a while, that could really help." Dazai looks at you with a smile. You roll your eyes, rummaging through the basket of food.

"Oh? You guys really prepared..." You put out a small pot, something you could use when boiling water. There are three water pouches already filled.

"As soon as everyone comes back, we'll pass it around till there's no more water. Then we can start boiling water."

"The commander is so smart~"

"It's called common sense." You throw a water pouch at his face but he catches it. Dazai hears you click your tongue in annoyance.

"What about Taniyama and the other horses?" Chuuya asks. You look up at the stars, thinking through the situation. The two look at you expectantly.

"Uhm... In all honesty, we're probably going to have to sell them for money and equipment. It'll be easier to walk on foot than have to take care of horses. I mean.. We can keep one or two to hold our equipment? But we still have to feed them..."

At that moment everyone returns. Yosano, Tanizaki, and Ranpo drop off their small stacks of wood. Atsushi has a small handful of apples for the horses while Kunikida is mindlessly writing in his journal. 

After getting the water situation solved, you volunteer to take first watch. You silence everyone's protests with a glare and they decide to give up, only knowing how stubborn you could be.

"Just tell us when you want to sleep." Atsushi says and you nod your head. One by one, everyone begins to pass out.

You shuffle up closer to the fire, poking it with a stick every once in a while to adjust the logs. It provides a great amount of heat, something you dearly need in this cold winter.

You mind begins to blank out, nothing processing through your mind. It only stares at the fire, watching the flames lick around the wood, devouring it whole. It puts you at ease.

"/n)... (f/n)!" You snap out of your trance, a stick shooting forward to stop a burning log from falling on to your foot. You let out a sigh.

"Be careful..." Chuuya mumbles, readjusting the logs so that they aren't in any position to suddenly fall.

You stare at Chuuya for a moment. He looks up after not hearing an answer from you.

"Why aren't you asleep?"

Chuuya sighs, "I'm not tired."

You scoff, dropping you chin onto your palm. "Liar."

"I could say the same for you." Chuuya snaps, gesturing to your deep eye bags. You look down.

Chuuya doesn't say anything for a bit and you avoid his gaze. At the moment, he has no right to tell you what's right or what's wrong. Your peaceful thoughts take a bitter turn.

"Just take your damn hat back." You snap, throwing the white fedora over the fire. Chuuya catches it with surprise.

"...You kept it?"