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“Slug? Hey! Can you- can you even hear me?”
A groan escapes Chuuya’s lips and Dazai swallows his panic. There is so much blood. It’s not like he isn’t used to seeing blood, considering he used to be a mafia executive, but this is Chuuya who is in a pool of his own blood. And it really isn’t a great sight.
Dazai quickly grabs Chuuya who doesn’t even resist and starts carrying him out. Dazai has mild injuries himself too but they are not important right now. He can handle more than having to carry out an almost unconscious Chuuya out of the scene with a sprained ankle and a few more scratches here and there.
“Hatrack,” Dazai huffes as he tries to keep Chuuya awake- they don’t really do this, Dazai always requests Chuuya to rest but this time it’s different, Dazai can’t hide his worry, “Talk with me, have you lost your annoying voice?”
“S-shut up,” Chuuya tries to say.
“You know that’s not really my specialty.”
Chuuya mumbles something in response. Dazai isn’t happy with his unresponsiveness but he can’t keep talking with that slug, a real slug at the moment when one takes a look at how bad they both cling onto each other.
Dazai's mind works frantically to decide what his next move should be. Chuuya would be okay, he isn’t the type to give up –his only trait that Dazai finds useful at the moment– but that doesn’t mean he can afford wasting time. He has to get them out of here, immediately. Maybe to a safe house or Chuuya’s own place; to which one of them is quicker.
There are weird collapsed buildings everywhere and with the dust it’s really hard to manage his way out of the ruined place. It isn’t nearly safe and Dazai tries to take the route that has the least possibility to have them run into some more ability users.
Dazai can see a way out and rushes towards, he dodges some rocks falling over them and some more. Maybe he should’ve taken the other route. It doesn’t matter, now. They are already out he just needs to took Chuuya out of here-
Crack!
Dazai almost tumbles down not-so-gracefully. Almost. He doesn’t loose his grip on Chuuya. But he knows that at that moment, he messed up. His already sprained ankle has bent in a very unnatural way, judging by the feeling of it. It’s stuck between some ruined rocks he couldn’t manage to get out. He still manages to stay upright, but it doesn’t last long; the next step he takes lands very, very wrong and promptly collapses. He swears out loud.
This isn’t the time for his unimportant injuries to act up. He is going to treat them. But later. Not now. He can’t let this ruin everything so he tries to get up again and regrets trying.
He hardly supresses a groan. That is not going to work. Even if he managed to get Chuuya to somewhere safe, he would be useless to provide the aid needed.
But of course, even at his hazey state, Chuuya recognises his voice.
“Mackerel?” his voice is raspy. He isn’t stupid and while he was so close to pass out, he is still aware that something went really wrong. Dazai would imply threats, crack dirty jokes and come out with interesting insults; but he almost never really swears. Hearing him swear out loud startles him.
Chuuya starts to gave out to exhaustion. If the situation is that bad, he can use some rest-
“Don’t sleep, Chuuya,” is all Dazai says like a warning before pulling out his phone- still working, thankfully- and calling the ADA. He gives a vague explanation and requests back up.
The phone call doesn’t last long and he sighes deeply once it’s over.
“We just have to wait, Chuuya. Try to stay awake.” Alive,wasn’t said but implied.
“...Idiot,” Chuuya breathes out, “You’re bleeding.”
“All of this is your own blood, hat rack. Unlike some certain slugs, I know how to prevent injuries that cause this much blood loss.”
Dazai scolds him but it’s just to keep Chuuya talking with him. He tries to clean some blood, but it isn’t worth the struggle cause more keeps coming. Not good.
Dazai checks the road. It's not possible for the help to arrive this quickly but he still hopes they are close. Chuuya would always need care in his Post-Corruption state, but this time it’s more urgent than the previous ones. It's bloodier, worse and Dazai can’t be much of a help.
“S-shut up,” Chuuya coughs and of fucking course more blood comes out from his lips, “I’m sick of your ass.”
Chuuya is lying on Dazai’s thighs in a pretty weird position. Dazai wants to fix him to a better position but one of his foot his trapped -and probably broken- under some heavy bricks. He landed really bad on that fall. He is supposed to be better than this- he doesn’t know what has gotten to him.
“Shit...” Chuuya groans. He feels his body getting heavier and can’t even lift his head to look at Dazai’s frowned face. He feels like the oxygen can’t quite reach his lungs and lets out a small whine.
Dazai leans towards him, wincing in pain when his trapped ankle protests his sudden movement. He lifts Chuuya to have his head on his shoulder so that Chuuya can actually breathe.
Dazai’s frown deepens when Chuuya coughs up some more blood. Not good.
Dazai holds onto Chuuya even more, “Hey, hey hey,” he tightens his embrace, “Just focus on breathing, will you? I can’t have you as my loyal dog if you die on me,” he jokes but his voice is a bit more grim for it to be just a joke.
Chuuya, finally out of his coughing fit, leans on Dazai’s touch and rests his aching head on is shoulder. He tries his best to stay awake but his body is getting limper by each second.
Unlike Chuuya, Dazai is wide awake. He needs to stay calm. He is known for being able to stay unbothered in tough situations. He needs to be the calm and collected one. Yet he feels his own breaths turning into gasps with each passing second. Not now, he tells himself. He can’t afford losing himself over anything right now. His brain feels cloudy. He recognises the feeling a bit too well. He can’t keep going like that. He puts more force to get his leg out but it’s not the best idea, judging by the risk of causing more destruction. They are really stuck.
Shit shit shit- fucking Chuuya-
Chuuya squeezes his hand the best he can manage. They don’t need words to communicate. Dazai’s distress relieves significantly when Chuuya’s gesture of he is okay reaches to his brain.
They will be okay.
Dazai won’t admit this later on, but keeping a tight grasp Chuuya does help him keep composure.
“Slug? Are you there?” he checks after several minutes of silence.
Chuuya hums in response. His previously firm grip on Dazai is now one sided, with only Dazai holding him and Chuuya is just lying there. Dazai misses the mutual embrace just for a second.
“...’zai... hey, Dazai...”
Dazai is alert more than ever, “Yes, Chuuya?”
“I’mma pass out,” his voice is nothing much than a small whisper.
Dazai has forgotten he can’t move and tries to sit up in a haze.
“What? No! If you pass out, who is going to keep me entertained,” he tries to joke but it doesn’t really sound like that from his voice.
“Shut up... I won’t- won’t-“ he trails off and promptly faints.
Dazai slaps his cheeks.
“Chuuya? Hey! Wake up!” his efforts seem to go unnoticed, “Fuck...” he breathes out. Chuuya is now loose in his arms but he doesn’t dare to let go.
“Dazai!”
Dazai immediately looks at the source of the voice. He wants to cry from happines when he spots a familiar Agency owned car.
Dazai is silent, matching with Chuuya. He watches Kunikida and Yosano rush towards them.
“Dazai, what’s the situation?” Kunikida asks, trying to release his foot from where it had stuck. Dazai also takes notice of Atsushi lifting some of the ruins.
Dazai has lost his voice. He just stares at the people around them. He is barely aware of Chuuya taken away from him and he is being helped to the car.
Just when he sits down, he sees his hands. Painted red with Chuuya’s blood. The metallic smell of it makes him nauseous, for some reason.
“Dazai-san,” Atsushi is trying to speak with him, he realises, “Dazai-san, are you with us?”
Dazai glances at him, wide eyed, “What’s happening?”
“We’re going to the Agency,” Atsushi worries his bottom lip, probably concerned about Dazai’s unresponsiveness.
“Your ankle needs medical attention,” Kunikida declares, “Are there any other injuries we should know?” probably not trusting Dazai’s word, he asks Atsushi to check him.
“...Chuuya?” Dazai asks.
Atsushi gives him a look like he has grown a second head, “Yosano-sensei is in the other car with him, Dazai-san. Do you not remember?” he uses a tone like he is talking with a small child, “She is going to treat him once we get to the Agency. She has already told you this.”
“Did you hit your head?” Kunikida mumbles.
Dazai didn’t hit his head yet he feels like he has. His mind is blank, still staring at his bloody hands. He mindlessly remembers the last time his hands were soaked up with another persons blood.
Not good, he thinks. He thinks of Odasaku’s lifeless form. He thinks of Chuuya going limp in his arms and compares the two of them. There is blood in his hands, would that make him responsible from this? He can’t get enough air, for the second time in the same day. He wants to cry or throw up or maybe pass out.
“Dazai!” Kunikida’s stern voice reaches to him from the front seat, “Breathe, will you?”
Dazai realizes he is trembling and tries to fix his breathing pattern to a normal one. Kunikida helps him with it, match my breaths, he has said.
“Good, now calm down,” Kunikida uses an unexpectedly gentle tone with him, “We are about to reach the Agency. Atsushi, make sure he doesn’t throw himself into another panic attack.”
Kunikida then turns back and takes a call from his phone.
Dazai keeps quiet and calms down significantly. He watches as they drive to the Agency.
***
Dazai startles. He opens his eyes to face a distressed looking Chuuya shaking him violently.
“Hey, hey, hey! Calm down, will you?” Dazai complains and rubs his shoulder. He will never admit to this but he didn’t like seeing Chuuya lying still in that infirmary bed. He prefers to have Chuuya awake instead of... that.
“Mackerel!” Chuuya doesn’t take Dazai’s request of ‘calming down’ to account, “Where did you bring me to, explain! What is going on?”
Chuuya is demanding an explanation. Like usual. But Dazai can see he wasn’t just being his usual bossy self. He looks like he really needs those answers in order to actually calm down. Dazai can’t blame him.
Normally, Chuuya would have tried to escape here despite his weakened state. But he is turning to Dazai for explanations. Chuuya knows Dazai wouldn’t bring him to a hospital -he doubts that it’s a hospital, though, Dazai wouldn’t want to be here himself too- if not necessary. He makes it very clear in every oppurtunity that he hates that walking bag of bandages, but Dazai is his only source of any explanation at the point.
“Get your hands off me and listen, maybe?”
Chuuya stops shaking Dazai but still doesn’t take his hands off him. They are trembling, Dazai realizes but doesn’t point out. Chuuya just needs to listen him thus Dazai can handle Chuuya’s touch for a while.
“You used corruption, do you remember that?”
Chuuya nods. Dazai tries to push him back to bed.
“I had to brought you to the Agency. Here, you have your explanation.”
Chuuya resists to Dazai trying to lay him back to bed. It’s hard to do that while sitting and Chuuya is back on his feet again.
“What were you thinking, dumbass?” he exclaims, “Get me out of here, fuck-“ Chuuya loses his balance and holds onto Dazai’s shoulder to steady himself. Dazai’s arm, once again in the same night, is violated by Chuuya's firm grasp.
“I told you to stay in the bed, didn’t I? Chuuya never listens to me!” he sighes.
Chuuya climbs back to the bed, he can’t fight the dizziness once it comes. It’s easier to scold Dazai sitting.
“Okay, Mackerel. You know I’m not dead. And I probably won’t die in the next few hours so let me out of here.”
“I actually can’t do that, Slug.”
“The fuck you mean? You can get away with everything yet you refuse to do one thing nice for me?”
“No, Chuuya doesn’t understand because he is an idiot but I can’t get him out until our doctor Yosano-sensei says.”
“Come again?”
“I can’t walk in the present moment, you see,” he gestures to his left foot.
Chuuya takes a look at it and starts massaging his temple, sighing.
“You jackass why is it in a cast?”
“Not a fashion statement, I’m afraid,” Dazai whines, “It hurts! I hate pain but no one lets me have any more painkillers. The amount Yosano-sensei allows is simply not enough!”
“Dazai, you-“ Chuuya gets interrupted by a coughing fit.
Dazai leans forward to him, “You’re clearly not in the shape to make a run from here. Take this time to recover, maybe.”
Chuuya looks at Dazai, tries to make something out of his behaviour and his unusual soft tone but exhaustion gets the best of him. With his tired mind; he at least realizes it’s not possible for him to break out of the Armed Detective Agency without Dazai not helping out, it’s not that he needs that waste of bandages but Chuuya’s body isn’t it’s best at that point and he doesn’t really look forward to push his limits.
He sighes and lies on his back. He sees Dazai smirk at him, too.
“What’s so funny, you asshole? You’re not one to laugh at me when you’re in a worse condition than me.”
“I knew Chuuya was stupid but never thought he was this much of an idiot,” Dazai has a fake cheer in his tone which lessens with each word, showing the true meaning of his words instead of his act of claiming he doesn’t care about Chuuya’s condition, “Chuuya tries to make fun of my one broken limb when he is the one who was on the verge of death just hours ago. How weird.”
Hearing Dazai saying it like that, Chuuya shivers. He doesn’t have a clear memory about the incident that brought him here, at Armed Detective Agency’s -Dazai’s- care, and it’s really embarrassing; but judging from the things he recalls, it is truly near a miracle for him to be awake and -mostly- well at the moment. Dazai’s voice, even with him leaving out most of it, is uncharacteristically concerned too. It explains a lot than his words.
Shit, Chuuya thinks, That shitty Dazai saved me. He doesn’t like it. Not a little bit. But despite Dazai’s comments about the manner, Chuuya is not stupid and he comes to decision that he is stuck here until further notice. He sighes, this isn’t good.
“Chuuya,” Dazai says, his voice whispery for some reason, he must be sleepy too, “If that makes it better, I was there the whole time when our doctor was doing her treatment.”
And that revelation, much to Chuuya’s annoyance, makes it better. He wants to punch Dazai’s guts for making him stay here, but he can’t help but relieve that Dazai was on his side the whole time. He feels sick to have admitted to this.
“Yosano-sensei uses her ability to heal. Nothing involving other types of medical procedures. Once she got you out of critical condition, she didn’t do much,” he represses a yawn with his hand, “You can sleep, Chuuya.”
“It seems like you’re the one who wants to sleep,” Chuuya grins.
“Rude, Chuuya!”
Chuuya can’t resist sleeping even if he wanted to, his eyelids are slowly closing. It's inevitable, his body is always too beaten up to stay awake for long periods after using Corruption.
But it does feel better. Chuuya knows Dazai wouldn’t get the Agency involved if he didn’t have to. And while he hardly holds down his urge to strangle the bandaged idiot, he -unfortunately- is the person he would trust with his life. It's not new, it has always been like this.
Dazai smiles at the sight of Chuuya sleeping better and he gives out to the exhaustion, too.