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A means to an end

Chapter 44: Finally

Summary:

Dazai and Chuuya have a cup of tea in the mountains.

Notes:

We arrived at the final chapter at last. It’s short for a reason, and I won’t put more of my own comments below the story so I don’t dilute the conclusion with my ramblings. I’ll put some words here instead.
This story has accompanied me almost every day since July, and certain parts date all the way back to 2016/2018. I’m glad I could share this with you all and even got such great responses. Please feel free to let me know about your thoughts.

Dazai’s suicidal tendencies have always been too tragic for my liking, and I really like thinking that somehow, he’ll end up with just enough support from his surroundings to get past them after all - to develop his own will to live.

This chapter concludes the story. If you feel like something is missing after reading it, feel free to come back to these notes and decipher the following cryptic words for a bit of character development that you may or may not have noticed:

.retpahc lanif sih(t) ni neppah ot detnaw dna detcepxe eh tahw eno retpahc ni kcab yaw eht lla denoitnem iazaD

Again: thank you all for joining me on this journey :-)

Chapter Text

Dazai and Chuuya, 59 and 60, May 25th

A cozy cottage stood in the mountains, amidst fields of flowers. Two men sat on the patio and enjoyed a hot cup of tea.

A goat climbed the hill in the far distance, and a sparrow chirped in the tree behind the house. The flowers on the meadow swayed in the mild spring breeze.

“I like this place,” Chuuya mused softly, “I could rest here for a long time.”

Next to him, Dazai hummed in agreement, “A gentle, beautiful rest to a gentle, beautiful life.”

Ever so slowly the sun sank towards the horizon.

Chuuya took another sip of his tea and arched an eyebrow at the empty cup. “I’ll get some more,” he murmured and moved to stand up from the bench.

Grumbling softly, Dazai wrapped his arm around his partner and kept him sitting by his side. “Just have some of mine.”

Chuuya sighed in defeat and accepted his husband’s tea.

“Dazai...” he warned and glowered into yet another empty cup.

“Stay a bit longer,” Dazai murmured and rested his head on Chuuya’s shoulder. “We can have more tomorrow.”

Chuuya sighed softly.

“And the day after that,” Dazai added, “and the day after that and –”

“I get it, I get it,” Chuuya grumbled and placed the cups on the table. He leant his head against Dazai’s and reached for his hand.

They watched the sunset in comfortable silence.

“Tomorrow will be good, too.” Chuuya whispered at last.

“I agree,” Dazai smiled.

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