Chapter Text
"Thank you, Hiro-san... Are you sure?"
"Yes, don’t worry. This happens with others too" the doctor said with a grin.
Ango might have believed him—if not for the bandages and scratches covering the man face and hands. The doctor nonchalant attitude only made Ango more unsure, even worried. Still..., the man gave him a reassuring look.
Ango hellcat, on the other hand, looked completely content in the doctor arms, purring loudly and snuggling up without a care for the damage he have been caused while staying. Seeing that, Ango could only sigh in resignation.
"Thank you again" he said quietly as he took Nyanzai and the carrier from the doctor. With one last polite nod, he turned to leave.
Nyansaku followed close behind, flufffy brown reddish tail held high. He meowed at Nyanzai like a scolding older brother checking on a mischievous child, and Nyanzai meowed cheerfully back.
"You’re in big trouble," Ango muttered.
"Maow?"
Without another word, Ango gently but firmly placed Nyanzai into the carrier and locked the latch, ignoring the pointed glare the cat gave him through the bars. He then set the carrier on the front passenger seat and turn on his car.
"MAAOOOWW?!"
"Oh, hush. I’m dropping you off somewhere first — Oda house is not safe at the moment" Ango mumbled, ignoring Nyanzai dramatic protests. Nyansaku calmly hopped up and curled beside the carrier, perfectly unbothered.
With a sigh, Ango started to pulled out of the parking lot, driving toward Emi and her ‘brother’ apartment.
.
.
.
Knock knock.
"Just a sec!"
The door swung open, and Chuuya appeared, leaning casually against the frame, wearing that familiar green jacket.
"Hey, Doc Glass. I see the demon back," he greeted with a tired smile, glancing down at Nyanzai, who had struck a dramatic pose inside the carrier after being ignored the whole ride by both Nyansaku and Ango.
"Good day, Chuuya-kun. And yes—he is just been cleared," Ango replied with a faint smile, watching his troublesome cat with a mix of amusement and exasperation, while Nyasaku waiting beside him, tail swaying lazily.
Chuuya raised an eyebrow, stepping aside to let Ango in. “Emi is not here, by the way. She already out of town. Didn’t she tell you?”
Ango paused, visibly thrown. “She did mention she’d just stop by before leaving, but… I didn’t realize that was today.”
Chuuya gave him a look. “Guess that’s what you get for ignoring her texts past midnight.”
“I was working,” Ango muttered. Oh, he could already picture how she was going to yell his ear off when he called her back. Not to mention the demands. Or worse—making him stay with her the next time she visited. Just imagining it made him cringe. ‘and that is all his fault’. walking inside and setting the carrier on the table with more care than the cat inside deserved, Nyanzai immediately threw himself against the bars with a pathetic thunk.
"MAAAAAAOOOOOW—"
“Oh, shut it,” Ango sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Nyansaku leapt gracefully onto the table beside the carrier and stared at Nyanzai like a disappointed older brother. Another scolding mrow.
“Honestly, I don’t know why you keep bringing them here,” Chuuya said, closing the door and watching the chaos unfold with something between amusement and pity. “You’re the one who raise the hellcat. Should’ve adopted a cactus instead. At least it wouldn’t bite the vet.”
“He didn’t bite him,” Ango said defensively.
Chuuya shot him a flat look.
“…He bit him, yes,” Ango admitted. “But only after the blood draw.”
“That makes it worse.”
There was a loud clang from the carrier as Nyanzai attempted to roll it off the table.
Ango caught it just in time, giving the feline a cold look. “You are going to stay here with ‘Uncle’ Chuuya like a civilized creature.”
Nyanzai gave a whiny meow, which Nyansaku echoed, though with less enthusiasm—more like reluctant agreement.
“Wait, I’m watching them?” Chuuya blinked. “That wasn’t part of the deal.”
“I didn’t realize Emi was gone.”
Chuuya crossed his arms. “And your plan is just to abandon the chaos spawn with me until she gets back?”
“Yes, well at least until future notice?..... I won’t leave them with you forever” Ango tell him weakly, He couldn’t exactly explain that the place he was staying was compromised. And he definitely couldn’t let those two meet under these circumstances. Not when he remembered how Dazai told him they met in the past. If this turned out to be anything like that—there would be hell to pay and a mountain of property damage. And that he have write for his paperwork and hiding or giving excuse to Taneda and the goverment.
Chuuya narrowed his eyes. “Do I look like a damn pet hotel?”
“You’re the only person I trust with them.”
“That’s a lie.”
“…You’re the only person I trust who’s actually at home right now.”
Chuuya rolled his eyes but sighed in defeat. “Fine. But if he claws up my couch again, you’re paying for the upholstery.”
“I already did,” Ango reminded him, deadpan. “Twice.”
“Yeah, and it still smells like burnt hair and catnip from the last time.”
As Ango crouched to open the carrier and let Nyanzai out, the cat immediately bolted across the room like he’d been launched from a cannon—knocking over a throw pillow and dive-bombing the sofa like a gremlin he is.
“…And there it is,” Chuuya muttered.
Nyansaku, ever the diplomat, hopped down more calmly and settled himself with a sigh on the armrest like a tired old man watching the youth waste their energy, Chuuya walk toward the cat and pet Nyansaku fur making the older cat purring content.
Ango stood up and brushed invisible dust from his sleeves. “They’ll be no trouble. Probably.”
Chuuya looked ready to protest again—but then paused. His gaze lingered on Ango just a little longer than expected, a flicker of concern in his eyes.
“You look exhausted,” he said, tone shifting subtly.
Ango blinked. “Do I?”
“Yeah. Like more than usual. What happened?”
Ango hesitated, then glanced toward the door. “I should get going. I’ve still got work to—”
“Uh-huh,” Chuuya said, leavig the cat and stepping in front of him before he could escape. “Sit down. You can lecture or scolded me about being a brat after a cup of tea.”
“Chuuya—”
“Sit. Down.”
“…Fine.”
.
.
.
Chuuya slid a steaming mug across the table, then leaned back in his chair with his own cup in hand ( he can’t give that man another cup of coffe, knowing he must already have too much). The apartment had gone quiet—almost peaceful—except for the soft sounds of Nyansaku grooming himself on the windowsill and the occasional rustle of Nyanzai stealthily crawling under the couch in a misguided attempt at stealth.
Ango took the tea with a quiet nod of thanks. “This is... surprisingly calming.”
“You say that like I usually drug it,” Chuuya said dryly.
Ango didn’t answer. but he do 'know' someone have done 'that' to him, so he ignore the remark and sipped the tea and let his shoulders slowly relax.
The silence stretched comfortably between them, not tense or awkward but familiarity filling the gaps in conversation. Chuuya didn't push, even though it was obvious he wanted to ask again. Ango didn't offer, even though the weight of unspoken thoughts tugged at his posture.
They both had too much practice at holding their tongues.
"So Emi left you with the hellspawn alone, huh?" Chuuya finally said, breaking the silence.
“Just for a few days,” Ango murmured. “Though, judging by the doctor state, I may owe him a formal apology. Possibly flowers.”
"Or a tetanus shot."
Under the table, something thumped against Ango leg. Then again. He looked down just as Nyanzai launched himself up from under the tablecloth, straight into his lap with all the force of a furry bowling ball.
“Maow!” declared Nyanzai, utterly triumphant.
Ango inhaled sharply as claws dug briefly into his thigh. He tried to hold onto the tea, but it sloshed dangerously, and Chuuya quickly reached over to steady his hand.
“Careful, doc glass” Chuuya muttered. “That thing gonna give you a heart attack one day.”
“It already has,” Ango said flatly, adjusting his glasses.
Nyanzai sprawled out with absolutely no shame, purring loud enough to rattle the mug. He pawed at Ango chest once before curling up as though he hadn’t just ambushed him.
Chuuya shook his head. “You spoil him too much.”
“Says the man who let him sleep in his beanie last time.”
“That was one time, and he got stuck in it.”
“Which you took a picture of.” Ango twiched a smile.
“Damn right I did. It’s still my phone wallpaper.”
Ango huffed a quiet laugh under his breath, just for a moment.
Then the silence came back—gentler now, but still weighted.
Chuuya studied him over the rim of his cup. “You don’t have to talk about it, y’know. Whatever it is.”
Ango hands stilled over Nyanzai’s fur.
“…I know.”
‘I’m staying with someone I know will die because of me. I'm trying to stop it , And someone else—someone who will come to resent me—just showed up. I feel like I’m suffocating. ’
“I mean, I won’t judge.” Chuuya voice lowered a little. “We all have our own mess. Mine included.”
Ango looked at him then—really looked—and saw it, that same flicker of weariness behind Chuuya sharp grin, the one he always masked with sarcasm and bad coffee. The weight they both carried.
The secret that Ango already know, the one with the future that he tried to stop from happening and fail. now.... he can’t do anything but to let it roll and can only just ignored or blind, letting Chuuya kept that secret to himself and from Emi.
Ango offered the smallest of nods. “Then I’ll return the favor. I won’t ask, either.”
Chuuya blinked, then smirked. “What, no interrogation? No clipboard?”
“I left it in the car,” Ango deadpanned. “With my sense of optimism.”
Chuuya snorted. “Fair.”
They fell quiet again, this time more at ease—two men who seen far too much, one still young while the other already have old soul in young body sitting in a cluttered apartment while a demon cat purred between them like a content bomb.
But after feeling bore Nyanzai left Ango lap and play fight with Nyansaku away from the living room and them.
Ango and Chuuya ignored the cats as they try to have some calm time together, away from the struggled their life have for a moment.
...........
CRASH!!!
Both of them flinched.
“…Don’t tell me you left food out,” Ango said.
“I didn’t.”
They looked at each other.
“…Nyansaku?” Chuuya called.
A pause.
Then Nyansaku walked calmly into the room, sat down in front of them, and stared.
Completely innocent.
Which meant—
“…Nyanzai.”
From the kitchen came the distinct sound of something ceramic shattering.
Ango closed his eyes and breathed deeply.
Chuuya clapped him on the shoulder. “He is your kid. Go deal with him.”
“I should’ve adopted a cactus,” Ango muttered, rising with grim determination.
Chuuya leaned back, sipping his tea with a smirk. “Told you.”
.
.
.
“Y’know, Doc Glass, adoption is always open…” Chuuya said, looking at him with amusement.
Ango clothes were rumpled, his hair is messy, and his glasses slightly askew from the earlier tussle with Nyanzai. Honestly, it was a miracle he didn’t have a single scratch on him. Nyanzai was back in his carrier now sulk, wearing a cat cone—punishment for trying to scratch and bite himself, nearly tearing off his new bandages. Nyansaku sat beside the carrier, casting a disappointed look toward his sulking feline brother.
“I’d feel bad for anyone who decided to adopt him,” Ango muttered, looking exhausted from the chase around the room. But both of them knew—joke aside—that there was no way he would ever send that cat to a shelter, not with how much he cared about him. Much to Chuuya displeasure too, Nyanzai had also started warming up to him.
Rrrrrrrr
Oda: where are you? You are coming home right?
“ got somewhere to go?” Chuuya tilted his head, seeing Ango open his phone.
Ango gave a tired nodded “ yeah, a minute....”
Ango: yes, just putting the cat on Emi place first, i am on my way
Oda: alright, what do you want for dinner?
Ango: anything is fine, how about your guest?
Oda: hold on......
Oda: he said he want something like crab can? Do we still have some?
Ango: Yeah, I think there’s still some in the second kitchen cabinet.
Oda: k, drive safe
Ango smile a bit before putting his phone back into his jacket groaning internally, knowing he can’t push back his meeting with them anymore. He attempted to smooth the wrinkles in his jacket, though he still looked disheveled, covered in cat fur.
“Work calling?” Chuuya asked.
“No, actually… just my roommate just ask me to join dinner. I have to go.” He turned to the cats, suddenly serious. “You two behave, alright?”
Nyanzai continued to sulk in silence. Nyansaku answered with a dignified “Mrow.”
Chuuya snorted. “One of ‘em’s bound to cause trouble. Well then, take care.”
Ango gave him a weary nod before heading out of the apartment. He made his way to the parking lot, climbed into his car, and mumbled to himself as he turned the key in the ignition.
“…Alright, alright… I can do this…”
.
.
.
Now… he was standing in front of the door.
The anxiety had returned—slithering back into his chest after the brief calm he’d managed to find at the library a few days ago. His hands were trembling slightly.
He took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. Then, slowly, he reached for the doorknob, turned it, and stepped inside the house.
..........
And immediately froze.
“…What the…”
There, sitting on sofa in the living room, was a child Dazai—looking bored, but clearly well taken care of. He was wrapped up like a worm in a thick blanket and his feet were… chained together? (Wait, what?)
The boy perked up the moment he noticed him, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
“Oh hey! You must be Odasaku secret boyfriend!” he chirped cheerfully.
Ango choked. “WHAT?!”