Nakahara Chuuya was a man of many talents, he was also smart and handsome – at least he liked to think so himself. Then there was Dazai Osamu who'd turn everything upside-down in a blink of an eye.

Yes, he was slightly jealous of his ex-partner and yet at the same time he wasn't.

To be completely honest Chuuya hoped to never see eye-to-eye with that bastard Dazai ever again yet by a trick of fate he never really could let that man go. It was driving him bonkers to the point of no return. And of course there was a case of "Apple Suicides" which once again lead him right into lap of no-other but Dazai himself. Taller male's touch was soft, caring.

Almost.

Once fog cleared he felt like he wanted to say so many things, he wanted to scream and curse and punch that suicidal maniac again but—before he knew Dazai was already letting him go. As heartbreaking as it was Chuuya still smiled towards Akutagawa once Dazai's persona was slowly disappearing out of his view.

"What an asshole" he couldn't help but murmur under breath slowly standing up. He was still way out-of-it when he's done so though and world swam before his eyes for a second.

Akutagawa was gone by then too. Sighing Chuuya pouted, it seemed there was nobody to lend him a hand after he literally saved entire Yokohama and that asshole Dazai, it was so—typical. What a way to thank a hero.

Trying his ability to stabilise own steps he made his way towards the exit however—or what he hoped was an exit. It's not as if his body didn't scream bloody murder at him with each step—which it did, no surprise there—but the last thing he really needed was to be found by Armed Detective Agency when he was at his most valuable.

Damn that bandage freak.

Leaving him like this.

Valuable, alone.

Turning his back at Chuuya as if it was the most natural thing in the world to to—but then again, for Dazai it was the most natural thing to do. Chuckling sadly under nose Chuuya was reminded of the young man Dazai once was—the harsh, ever cunning and empty shell of Port Mafia's executive.

Shuffling tediously his feet he kept on walking ahead, grabbing nearby rubble and tagging himself along. His mind was still reeling with everything that happened and he most certainly didn't like that. As if—he hoped that bastard would finally find bloody means to end his existence so Chuuya could find his own peace.

No, he wouldn't shed a one bloody tear if he got a notice that Dazai was found dead by his own hand—of course, he wouldn't. Well, no, he actually would probably though. Chuuya could lie to himself and keep his mind in denial but he knew—he knew he cared, a bit too much about bastard known as Dazai Osamu.

Coming to a stop his ears picked upon voices. Thinking fast he hugged the rubble that perfectly hid his persona—no, he wasn't that short, damnit!—and slowly peaked out. It was probably the first time he actually seen the mythical weretiger right then and there and his eyes narrowed into slits, observing—

The boy seemed relaxed at first but there was a certain stiffness to his smile, smile that was directed at Dazai.

Bastard responded with one of his own slow, methodical ones.

—and Chuuya's eyebrow ticked when he noticed that Dazai actually let himself pet the weretiger —Atsushi— he corrected in his mind upon picking on the name that fell carelessly from bastard's lips. For a second a wild thought of 'why he's so special' filtered through his fuzzy head but it died quickly once he noticed how the two of them conversed.

Atsushi seemed to glow with trust towards taller male and that was mortifying, at least it was for Chuuya.

"Oh boy, he has no idea does he?" he whispered still watching the exchange between the two. "I wonder how he'd react if one day he woke up to a bomb hidden under his car" he added a bit jaded as his eyebrow ticked nervously a bit more.

Well, it wasn't his business though, was it? If weretiger was that oblivious to how slimy and terrifying Dazai Osamu truly was, he wasn't going to correct him anytime soon. Maybe one or two backstabs were exactly what young male needed to realise that world wasn't all that perfect.

Nor was Dazai.

Bastard that chuckled loudly before laughing out loud as if he wasn't on death's doorstep just seconds ago. The fact that weretiger joined him right there and then only stupefied him even more almost making his skin crawl.

"That boy has it bad—so, so bad—I almost feel sorry for him."

A/N: chpt 1 is my headcanon that Chuuya is wary of Dazai and how manipulative the guy can be (but low key still trusts him no matter what he says)