Archive of Our Own ^beta

The sound of a phone ringing filled Chuuya’s penthouse apartment as he was getting ready for bed on the evening of January 10th. Irritated, Chuuya picked it up to see who was calling and felt a flash of anger fill him upon seeing the caller ID. Why was that shitty Dazai calling him so late, or at all? At first, Chuuya wanted to ignore it, wanted to hang up on the damn bastard that wasn’t even worth a second of his time, but something in his gut told him to pick up the phone. That something might actually be wrong here.

So Chuuya picks up the phone, telling himself that if it's nothing, he’ll hang up on the bastard and continue his nightly routine. Something in his gut tells him that won’t be the case. Accepting the call, Chuuya brings the phone to his ear. “What do you want, Dazai? If this is some-” Chuuya starts to growl into the phone before he’s cut off by a small “Chuuya…” coming through the speaker. He pauses. That didn’t sound like Dazai. The line remains quiet for a couple of seconds before Chuuya speaks again. “ Dazai? What's going on?” He asks in a quiet tone. It takes another couple of seconds before Dazai answers him.

“I wanted to apologize before I go, Chuuya. I know I haven't been the best partner, and I hope you can forgive me for this, but I’m tired, Chuuya. I’m sorry for all I’ve done to you.” Dazai’s words send a dagger to Chuuya’s heart, and a jolt of fear races through him. “What are you talking about, Dazai? What do you mean before you go?” He stands and starts to pace in his room, waiting for Dazai to answer him. Dazai chuckles a bit before answering. “You’re the only one to have answered Chuuya.. I tried to call the others so I could apologize to them as well. I’m glad you answered so that you wouldn’t hear it through a voicemail.”

“What do you mean, you bastard! You never apologize, so why are you now?” Chuuya’s voice rises in false anger, hiding his fear at Dazai acting so strangely. Chuuya’s nightly routine is a thing of the past as Chuuya focuses on his conversation with Dazai. “Chuuya has always been quick to anger; he really should see someone about that,” Dazai says, knowing that Chuuya isn’t really angry. “Do you think he would be proud of me?” He asks before Chuuya can retort to his previous comment. “Do I think who would be proud of you?” Chuuya asks in confusion. Where was Dazai going with this? Something in Chuuya’s gut told him something wasn’t right here, and he couldn’t shake it.

“I’ve done as he’s asked, and I lived how he wanted me to. I just can’t take it anymore, Chuuya, I’m tired.” Is Dazai’s reply, skirting around Chuuya’s question. Dazai’s answer only causes Chuuya’s fear to spike. “ What do you mean, Dazai? Are you disappearing on me again? I thought you were past this trick already.” Chuuya feels a spike of anger and hurt run through him. Then he thought, ‘At least he’s telling me this time without a blown-up car.’ Chuuya calms down a bit, thinking that this was all because Dazai was just leaving again like he always did. “Something a bit more permanent than just disappearing, silly slug.” Is Dazai’s quiet reply that causes Chuuya to stop breathing.

“Dazai, where are you?” Chuuya bites out when he finally forces himself to breathe again. Not even waiting for an answer, Chuuya is flying out of his room and into the living room. Tearing through the room looking for his keys. “I can’t tell the silly chibi otherwise he’ll try to stop me!” Comes Dazai’s cheerful reply, his speech is slurred at the end. This causes Chuuya to scramble faster. He finally finds his keys and rushes to the door, barely pausing to put on his shoes. “You shitty Mackerel, I don’t care what you think! Where are you?”Chuuya all but yells into the speaker of his phone, taking the stairs down three at a time when he deemed the escalator too slow.

“Such a silly Chibi, I guess I can tell him since it's already too late. [insert Oda’s graveyard and gravesite location]. Don’t cry for me, Chuuya? Please..[beep beep beep]” At the sound of the line disconnecting, Chuuya reaches his car and curses under his breath. “Damnit! You shitty, shitty Mackerel! Don’t make me have to say goodbye.” Chuuya flies out of the parking lot he’s in and flies down the road, trying to make it to his stupid partner. The moments fly by as Chuuya hurtles towards his destination, praying that he arrives on time. Pulling up to the place, Chuuya barely slows down when he swerves into a parking space before he tears out of his car and into a place he vaguely recognizes.

A quick sweep of his eyes has him locating a figure slumped against a grave that is on top of a hill and under a tree. Rushing forward, Chuuya collapses next to the figure, which he can now recognize as Dazai. Next to Dazai is a half-empty orange bottle and his unlocked phone. Chuuya’s contact is displayed on the screen. “No, no, no, no, no, no. Dazai, get up, Dazai! This isn’t funny, Dazai.” Chuuya scrambles to check for a pulse as he pulls Dazai’s limp body closer to him. Something in his heart tells him it's already too late. “Please, Dazai. You can’t leave me too. Not like this, I was- Not like this you damned shitty mackerel.”

Finding no pulse, Chuuya hits Dazai in the chest. “You damned Mackerel, always going on about suicide. I didn’t- I thought. You can’t leave me like this!” It’s at this point Chuuya gets a brilliant idea for himself, and a terrible idea for the rest of those he held close. “You were always going on about doing a double suicide with a beautiful woman, I hope I’m beautiful enough for you, you shitty makeral bastard. Wait for me, will ya? Partners till the end, right?” At this, Chuuya reaches out and grabs the unlabeled, half-full medicine bottle and takes the rest of the pills one at a time until it's empty. Then he curls around Dazai’s body and waits. When Chuuya finally passes, he does so with Dazai in his arms. When their bodies are found, great upset is felt through both organizations, but what Chuuya said was true. Partners to the end.