It has been years since Dazai met his former partner, Nakahara Chuuya, but on this day their ways crossed. Both males stood in front of each other, metres apart, nothing but silence as their eyes met. Chuuya's eyes were cold, but a glipse of sadness was hiding in them.
Dazai averted his gaze as soon as the redhead's mouth opened to speak.

"Dazai. . . "

It was just one word, his name, but it made Dazai's heart beat faster than before and the atmossphere suddenly changed. He expected Chuuya to shout at him, attack him... hate him for what he did, but that soft tone of his name wasn't what he expected at all, and he hated it.

"Why. . . just tell me, why did you just abandon everything and everyone like this?"

Dazai knew he had to confront this question one day, but he still wasn't prepared to answer it honestly.

"Do I need an explanation for what I do? You know me, I always do things just like this. . ."

Dazai forced a low chuckle out as he looked back at his former partner again, but as soon as he saw how serious the other's eyes stared back at him, the chuckle faded and his expression changed. He couldn't fool Chuuya this time, perhaps it was time to face the truth.

"Tell me, Dazai. . . !"

Chuuya's voice got louder as he took a few steps towards the other male, eyes full of desperation and frustration. All he wanted to know was why the other left him alone, without any words.

Dazai bit on his lower lip before letting out a sigh.

"I guess I cannot longer run from you, huh?"

"Not until I get an explanation."

The taller male knew, that he had no chance, because Chuuya would probably follow him to the end of the world now. Surprising enough that he could hide for so long.

"I had no other choice. I had to leave. . . after Oda's death, I realized that painfully."

His head dropped and his voice got more quiet.

"Oda. . . so it was all about him after all? I know he was your friend, but what about me?! Did you not give any about me at all, Dazai?! After all those years... after all of this..."

Chuuya shouted, frustration and disappointment clearly heard in his voice, after all he had been in love with Dazai ever since.

The other male lifted his head again, eyes slightly widened at the sudden outburst of the redhead.

"Chuuya... you got it all wrong. The truth is, I did it because of you."

Silence. Chuuya couldn't quite understand what Dazai meant with those words. Because of him? What kind of sense does this make?

"Hah... you're talking nonsense again, Dazai. Just tell the truth for once!"

"But I am!"

Dazai's voice got louder aswell, both of the males staring at each other.

"After I lost Oda, my bestfriend, I realized how painful it really is to lose someone who is close and important to you. You know I never really were the type to talk about feelings or something related to that... but his death opened my eyes. I suddenly thought about what I would do, if this happened to you. If I suddenly find you dying somewhere and I couldn't do anything. I thought about it and it terrified me..."

Dazai paused for a moment. A sad smile was showing on his lips as he looked at the more than surprised Chuuya, whose eyes began to water slowly.

"What do you even mean by that? Dazai!"

Chuuya was confused by his words, but for some reason he also felt warm hearing them.

"I could never have lived with the fact of losing the person that has always been the most important to me, you Chuuya. And so I decided to run away, from everything, because I was afraid. Afraid of one day experiencing the same with you. I knew.. it would have broke me even more."

Following the words of the taller male, tears ran down Chuuya's cheeks,if he wanted it or not, he couldn't help it.

"You moron... Dazai you big moron..!"

Chuuya sobbed as he slowly walked towards Dazai, stopping just in front of him to look up.

"Even though I ran.. I never stopped loving you, Chuuya. I am indeed a moron."

And with that, a soft smile appeared on Dazai's lips as he pulled the taller male into a hug. Something he always wanted to do, but never dared to. He knew of Chuuya's feelings, and the redhead probably knew too, but both of them never stopped playing the 'hate' game.

"I always loved you, moron. Stop running away from me now, I won't die so easily... and if I do, you'll just join me."

The redhead mumbled into Dazai's chest and the taller male couldn't help but let out a soft chuckle.

"From now on... forever even in death, I'll go with that, Chuuya."