Parental Struggles ~Daddy!Dazai Osamu X Mommy!Reader~

👶🏻 Twenty-Seven: Pillow Talk 👶🏻

An exasperated groan escaped your lips as you tossed and turned in your bed. Reaching your hand out towards the bedside table, you grabbed your phone and checked the time. It was almost 3 a.m. and you hadn't even gotten a wink of sleep.

By this point, you had tried every sleeping position known to man and every sleep-inducing hack that you could find on the Internet. You let out a tired and hopeless sigh. The small, irritating voice at the back of your head that kept constantly nagging about how you had to wake up and go to the work in a few more hours only grew louder with each passing second. Eventually, you gave up on attempting to fall asleep and started writing a text to the only person whom you assumed would be the most likely to be awake at this ungodly hour.

From: (Y/ N)

To: Dazai-san

Hey... You awake?

Almost immediately after you sent the message, your phone started ringing.

"Hello?" you picked up the call, knowing full well who the caller was without even needing to look at the name.

"Let me guess," Dazai's voice spoke up from the other end. "Someone is having a hard time falling asleep."

You breathed out another sigh. "Yes, and I'm so sick of it, Dazai-san. I'm so damn tired and I still have to get up for work in a few more hours."

Dazai let out a thoughtful hum. "Care to share what thoughts are wreaking havoc in that pretty little mind of yours this time, (Y/ N)-san?"

"Oh, I... I don't know!" you groaned as you ran a hand through your tangled locks in frustration. "There's too much to think about- to worry about! I just... I guess... most of it can just be summed up as the issues that come with adulting."

"Ah, those are always the most complicated ones." Dazai commented with a soft sigh. "My apologies, (Y/ N)-san, but even I haven't quite figured out how to navigate through this complex stage of life."

"Figures," you sighed as well. "Growing up is so much more difficult than we ever thought it would be. My admiration for adults who have their shit together just gone up immensely."

"Well, they do make it look easy, I'll give them that." your companion chuckled and you couldn't help but crack a small smile at the familiar and pleasant sound.

However, your smile faded as fast as it came and you rolled onto the left side of the bed while keeping your phone against your right ear. "I'm scared, Dazai." you whispered, your voice sounding raw and vulnerable. "I'm scared that I won't ever be able to figure things out and get my life together."

"(Y/ N)-san..." Dazai murmured your name and you felt a momentarily tug in your chest. "All I can say is that... life is hell for the most part, but there are some occasional moments where even I believe are worth living for."

You closed your eyes as you allowed his words to sink in.

"And if it makes you feel any better," he continued. "At least you aren't alone. As you probably already know by now, I'll always be here for you, and it's not just an attempt at winning your heart. Although it would be absolutely amazing if you do reciprocate my feelings, I honestly care more about your happiness than my own."

You could almost see his smile through the phone. "I suppose you can say that I love you too much? Or more than it's advisable for my health?"

The ends of your lips tugged up at his words. "I don't believe in such a thing as loving too much though."

"Oh, really?" he hummed, sarcasm lingering in his tone and making you roll your eyes even though he couldn't see you.

"Yes," you said, smiling. "And for your information, I do reciprocate those feelings of yours."

Your confession was followed by a rather long pause from Dazai that nearly made you think that the dark-haired detective had fallen asleep. "Um, hello?" you asked.

"Oh, I'm sorry for that, I had to take a moment to make sure that you had actually said that you loved me and it wasn't just a figment of my imagination caused by the countless bottles of sake that I've been downing." he finally replied.

You sighed at his words. "You know, you should really calm down on the sake before you end up falling into the downward spiral of alcoholism." Rolling onto the other side of the bed, you continued. "And I never said I loved you... or not yet at least, but I do like you, Dazai-san."

"In that case, I'll take you out on a proper date when I'm more sober," your companion hummed in a pleasant tone. "And I'll make it certain that you fall hopelessly in love with me, (Y/ N)-san."

Your face broke into a wide smile and you had to bite down on your bottom lip to prevent it from turning into a mouth-splitting grin. "I'll be looking forward to it then."