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“HOW COULD YOU DO THIS??”
Both boys flinched. Mori never yelled. Ever. It was always a calm, cool, deadly voice like a knife. This was a cannon ball.
“It wasn’t on purpose, boss,” attempted Chuuya, trying to soak his words in respect and submission. He hated it but he knew how to grovel.
“How did this happen?” growled Mori. He was seated at his desk, fingers pressed so hard together they looked about to snap.
“We must have shared too much of the plan with our squad,” attempted Dazai, realizing now wasn’t the time for joking.
“No really. I expected better of the both of you. I don’t understand how the afamed Soukuko could make such a rookie mistake.”
Chuuya loved praise more than anything. He wanted to know he was doing a good job and his efforts weren’t in vain. On the flip side, hearing something this harsh cut deep.
“Now tell me who spilled this information?”
Chuuya and Dazai exchanged a glance and in that glace they conveyed a simple message
Don’t tell him.
Mori’s brows furrowed deeper. He stood up and buried his scalpel deep into the table. The entire desk shook.
“I suggest one of you answer me before I really get mad.”
Chuuya glanced at Dazai, and saw the brunette flinch.
Dazai had been with Mori for years. Dazai had never spoken of a time before Mori or any other family to speak of. In that time Mori had cut him into the shape of the next boss. Chuuya only knew that the process had been painful from the nightmares Dazai had woken up screaming from. As soon as they moved in together Chuuya became aware of the violent night terrors the brunette endured.
However much loyalty Chuuya held for Mori, he had more for Dazai. There was nowhere in his head that Mori deserved more of his respect after learning of the god awful things Mori did to people to gain control. That was not leadership. That was sadism.
“I did,” said Chuuya, lips moving of their own accord. “I’m sorry Mori-sama, I told them. I have not yet realized how much information they require.” Chuuya dropped into a deep bow, knowing it wouldn’t be enough. “I apologize for my failure and I guarantee it won’t happen again.”
Dazai was probably staring at him right now, wondering if he lost his fucking mind (Which to be fair he might have). Still Chuuya didn’t rise from his bowed position. There was a squeak as Mori’s chair slid back. Footsteps drew nearer until Chuuya could see the tips of black shoes.
A hand yanked him up by the hair and Chuuya bit his lip against the pain. Mori forced the red-head to meet his eyes.
“I'm not worried about that,” he said, voice quiet. “Dazai can tell you how I treat failure.”
Dazai shuffled back a few steps but Chuuya didn’t even try to look at him.
“I understand Mori-sama,” said Chuuya solemnly.
“Good boy,” said Mori, patronizing. “See Dazai? You should take some tips from Chuuya.” Mori stared down at Chuuya a moment longer before facing Dazai. “Get out of here. I’ll call you back when I’m done. Because Chuuya is so willing I won’t make him find his own way home.”
“Yes Mori-sama,” said Dazai with a short bow. He vanished from the room within seconds and Mori turned his attention back to Chuuya.
“Now now, what should I do with you?” He grinned. “Oh wait, I have an idea. If you are so intent on spilling secrets maybe keeping you from talking will help you learn your lesson hmm?”
Mori rifled through his desk before pulling out a large metal bottle. There was a white sticker on it with a bunch of words that Chuuya didn’t understand, but he got the gist.
Acid.
“Come here,” said Mori. Chuuya stepped forward a lot more hesitant now. “Open your mouth.”
“Boss-” started Chuuya. He didn’t know where he was going with that statement. Was he going to beg for mercy? What could he say to keep Mori from doing what he wanted.
Remember you are doing this for Dazai thought Chuuya.
“Will it do permanent damage?”
“Oh no,” said Mori, though Chuuya wasn’t sure Mori was even telling the truth. “You have such a wonderfully commanding voice I wouldn’t want to ruin that permanently. Besides, I don't like intentionally crippling my Executives. It will not be permanent. Though I will tell you if you fuck up this bad again then I will make it permanent.”
Chuuya swallowed thickly and nodded.
“Now open your mouth.”
Against every fiber of his being, Chuuya opened his mouth. He didn’t need to make Mori angrier. Mori leaned forward and tipped the bottle into his mouth.
It was lava.
Whatever the package said it was lava.
Like sour patch kids flavored lava.
It burned in his mouth and Chuuya could feel his flesh cooking in his mouth. On reflex he tried to spit it out but Mori pressed a piece of duct tape over his lips. Chuuya’s hands came up to rip it away but Mori smacked them aside. Tears blurred Chuuya’s vision as he started to shake from tha pain.
“Now then, be sure not to swallow it. I’m not sure what it will do to any internal organs so why don’t we just avoid that. Now I think we will leave that in for…. Say an hour. Sound fair?”
Chuuya groaned, the noise ricocheting up through his nose. He couldn’t take another minute of this, much less an hour. His brain was already trying to shut down his body, the pain becoming too unbearable.
But he needed to do this.
Chuuya dropped to his knees, pain taking over his brain. He couldn’t see anymore and everytime he moved his mouth doubled in pain. Red hot sparks. Chuuya slumped over, muscles trembling. They weren’t able to function but somehow overworked because of all the trembling.
“It’s alright, only 59 minutes to go.”
*******
Dazai just waited outside the door. When Mori finally messaged him, an hour later he nearly broke down the door. He should have predicted Chuuya would take the fall. The stupid dog was just too fucking loyal! And now Dazai had spent an hour, dying from anxiety.
“That was fast,” remarked Mori. “You can spit it out now Chuuya.” Mori held up a metal bottle and held it out for Chuuya.
Chuuya was curled up on the floor, back to Dazai. The brunette sprang into action, running over to help pick Chuuya up. A strangled whine left the red-head, as Dazai grabbed the metal container. Duct tape held Chuuya’s mouth closed so Dazai ripped it off.
A strange liquid came tumbling from Chuuya’s lips into the bottle. Strangled, mutilated noises fell from Chuuya’s lips. Tears mixed in with the acid in the bottle. Because that’s what it had to be. That is why Chuuya’s face was bright red and he was shaking so badly.
“Hey Chuuya,” said Dazai, nudging Chuuya. The red-head was completely out of it, staring at the ceiling like it held the secrets of the universe. “You are okay Chuuya I’m going to get you home. Can you hear me?”
“Even if he could, he likely couldn’t respond,” quipped Mori. Dazai shot him a dirty glare and helped ease Chuuya off the floor. The red-head tried to stumble but his limbs were all but useless.
Still Dazai dragged him out the door. They made their way through the mafia headquarters, near empty at this time of day. They stumbled downstairs where Dazai opened up Chuuya’s car. He was very careful on the drive home not to scratch Chuuya’s precious car.
They got back to their apartment and Dazai dumped Chuuya on the red-head’s bed. Chuuya startled, a pained moan slipping from his lips.
“Shit,” muttered Dazai. “Shit shit shit shit shit.” He stared at Chuuya a moment longer trying to think of something to do. “Chuuya can you open your mouth?”
The red-head must have been sort of conscious because he did and Dazai nearly shouted. The entirety of Chuuya’s mouth and tongue was reduced to red charred flesh. Blood leaked from his mouth down his throat and his teeth were stained the ugly green color of the acid.
“Oh my god,” muttered Dazai. “Chuuya can you hear me?” Chuuya nodded, eyes peeling open slightly.
“D-daz-” Every sound that was pushed past his lips was accompanied with tears.
“No, don't try to speak,” said Dazai quickly. “I got this okay. I can fix this uhhh.” Dazai trailed off. He ran to the kitchen trying to think. What would help with a burned mouth? It wasn't like he could just google it. I mean: how to fix a mouth burned by acid. Bet there wouldn’t be a whole lot of useful results
Dazai left Chuuya for a moment to go to the kitchen to rifle through the fridge and cabinets looking for anything that could ease the burning. He found water, milk, honey, and popsicles. On the way back to the bedroom he also grabbed Advil(because that would do a lot for the pain).
The brunette dumped everything he found on the bed. Chuuya had struggled into a seating position to stare at it then up at Dazai.
“Do you think any of this will help?” he asked. Dazai was clueless when it came to healing people. Chuuya was always the one helping people. He was the only one who patched Dazai up when he got hurt or hurt himself. Chuuya was the one who would patch up their subordinates so they could get home or to a doctor Chuuya was the one who put Akutagawa back together when Dazai tried to break him apart. Dazai had always seen it as a weakness before. He never thought about what would happen to them if Chuuya was the one who got hurt.
Chuuya leaned forward and snatched up the bottle of painkillers and the water bottle. He tossed four pills in his mouth and tried to drink the water.
As soon as the water hit his tongue Chuuya’s eyes went wide. He lurched forward, hands clamped to his mouth. He managed to swallow, tears dripping down his cheeks.
“That’s going to be a problem,” muttered Dazai. Chuuya nodded, rocking, hands not leaving his mouth. Dazai rubbed a comforting hand on Chuuya’s back feeling utterly helpless. Chuuya would have known what to do to make it better. But instead of getting the treatment he deserved, Chuuya was stuck with an idiot.
Chuuya crumpled back against the bed and stared up at Dazai.
“I’m sorry I can’t do this,” said Dazai, increasingly upset.
He hated not being qualified for something, That’s why he made sure he was qualified for everything. He always knew the best strategy, he knew how to fight, hell he was even a master of video games. But helping people was the exact opposite all he did was hurt people. He was the reason Chuuya was hurt now. Chuuya had taken the fall for them.
“I’m sorry I got you hurt,” Said Dazai, dropping so he was eye level with Chuuya. “I’m so sorry I can’t fix it.” Dazai let his head fall so it was buried in the blankets of the bed. His knees would hurt tomorrow but what would it matter? Chuuya likely wouldn’t be able to eat or talk well for weeks.
A gentle hand ran through Dazai’s messy curls. Dazai raised his head. Chuuya continued to massage Dazai’s head gently. Not for the first time Dazai loved how close he and Chuuya were, that he could tell what the gesture meant.
It’s okay Dazai.
A few gentle tugs at his hair brought Dazai up onto the bed with Chuuya. Dazai wrapped his arms around Chuuya, thankful that the red-head let him. It was always comforting to have Chuuya near, for reasons he couldn’t understand. Chuuya snuggled closer and closed his eyes. Dazai grinned. At least he was able to give Chuuya a respite from the pain, even if he was completely helpless in all other ways.
*******
Chuuya wasn’t able to talk for two weeks.
So Dazai did all the talking for him. For those two weeks the Demon Prodigy commanded their squad and anyone who asked why Chuuya wasn’t talking was told off by the sharp tongue of the Demon Prodigy.
Dazai also spent a large amount of time trying to find food that would help ease the pain, or at the least not make it worse. So everyday when they got home Chuuya would deal with the paperwork and Dazai would try out new recipes.
And throughout it all he didn’t tease Chuuya for it. He didn’t abuse the red-head’s forced state of silence in any way.
Once Chuuya could talk again their bickering went back to normal but they themselves never quite did.
Dazai wouldn’t forget how Chuuya had taken Mori’s punishment when he knew Dazai couldn’t handle it
and Chuuya wouldn’t forget how Dazai had set their rivalry aside when Chuuya really needed him.