Request/prompt: What if for days after Dazai's death, he follows Chuuya around, not realizing he is a ghost till Chuuya gets to his grave?

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"Owhh, my head…"

Dazai rubs his head, sitting up slowly. The throbbing in his head is so immense he can't get himself to stand up. He doesn't even know what happened.

It hurts so badly, he lays back down and takes deep breaths, trying to get it to dissipate. His eyes are foggy, and he can barely register the space around him—

Until he sees a familiar mass before him.

"Ch…Chuuya…?" he whispers. He is met with no response that his ringing ears can hear. His eyes gradually flutter shut for just a moment.

When he opens his eyes, the pain is a bit more bearable, and Chuuya is gone. Dazai is able to slowly get to his feet, and he rubs his head a bit more. He looks up and sees before him a tall building.

"Heh, wow…did I pass out in the middle of the street? It's a miracle I didn't get trampled."

His back feels stiff. He tries to crack it, but feels absolutely no relief. No matter what way he moves or stretches, his back stays stiff and uncracked.

He sighs, and decides to abandon that, dealing with his stiff back and throbbing headache. He turns around and starts to walk away, deciding Chuuya can possibly help. After all, based on his experience, any issue of his he couldn't solve, his beloved Chuuya always could.

Dazai suddenly feels a bit better upon thinking of Chuuya, and happily marches to Chuuya's place. Upon arrival, he does his usual and picks the lock, entering Chuuya's house.

"Chuuyaaaaaaaa! I'm heeeeeeeeere! Sorry I was away so long, I guess I had a hell of a nap~!"

No response. Odd, Dazai thinks. Maybe Chuuya isn't home?

However, as soon as he thinks that, Chuuya comes down the stairs. His back is slouched, and he looks quite solemn.

Dazai immediately perks up again, running over to Chuuya.

"Chuuya! Hello! Why didn't you respond?"

Chuuya just keeps walking, saying nothing.

"Chuuuuuuuuuuuuya," Dazai drones. "Hellooooooooooo?"

Chuuya walks to his liquor cabinet, taking out a bottle of 1869 Chateau Lafite, closing the door with no care. He rips the cork off and immediately starts drinking out of the bottle.

"Chuuyaaaaaaaaa! What's going on?!" Dazai whines. He steps in Chuuya's way, crossing his arms. "What's gotten into you??"

Chuuya just walks right on by, taking a seat on his couch, taking another slug of the wine.

Dazai scoffs, turning and staring at Chuuya. "Fine! If you're gonna be like this, I'll just ignore you, too! Meanie."

Dazai starts stomping up the stairs, stopping at the top, turning to look at Chuuya, wanting to give him one more chance.

Chuuya takes out his phone, gripping the neck of the Lafite right in his other hand.

"Hey, boss," he stammers. He sounds broken. The saddest Dazai thinks he's ever heard Chuuya sound. "C-can I…have the day off tomorrow? I…need some time to myself…thank you. I'll…try to get back into working condition the day after. I'm sorry…"

Chuuya hangs up his phone and puts it down, taking another large slug of his wine.

Dazai immediately feels awful, and he sprints down the stairs, jumping onto the couch next to Chuuya.

"W-wait, Chuuya, I was just kidding! I'm sorry. I'll be right here for you. What's wrong?"

Chuuya says nothing to Dazai, slouching into the couch, sighing.

"O-okay…you don't want to talk. That's fine. I understand. I can just be here to comfort you."

Dazai wraps his arms around Chuuya, snuggling him. Chuuya's face does not change, as if he doesn't notice it at all. But Dazai keeps hugging him anyway.

~

Dazai spent the rest of that day snuggling Chuuya, even after Chuuya fell asleep. Dazai did not feel tired at all, and so he stayed awake, hugging Chuuya sweetly.

By the next day, Dazai feels much lighter. The stiffness in his back was gone, and his headache was miniscule. However, when Chuuya opens his eyes, he looks just as somber as the day before.

"Hey, Chuuya…" Dazai whispers, "what's wrong? Please tell me…"

"Fuck…"

Chuuya puts a hand on his head and groans, rubbing his head. Must be hungover, Dazai thinks. "Silly Chuuya…you should remember not to drink wine right from the bottle…remember what happened when you did that when you were eighteen?"

Chuuya doesn't acknowledge that, standing up slowly. His legs are wobbly. He slowly trudges up the stairs. Dazai jumps up from the couch and follows shortly after. He finds Chuuya in their bedroom, changing out of his wrinkled work clothes and changing into all black.

"Hey, Chuuya, what's with the edgy look? Come on, you know that's my thing," he teases.

But Chuuya doesn't acknowledge the teasing, and just finishes getting dressed, silently. He goes back down the stairs, grabbing his hat, and walks out the door.

"H-hey, Chuuya, wait! Where are you going??"

Dazai runs out the door with Chuuya, following alongside him.

"Look, Chuuya, I understand you're dealing with something painful or something. But please stop ignoring me! I just wanna help you! This isn't fair to me!"

Chuuya doesn't acknowledge that, and he walks to a flower cart, Dazai following closely and angrily.

Chuuya takes out his wallet and looks at the vendor.

"I'd l-like one bouquet of red roses, and one of spider lilies, please."

The vendor gives him both of those, and Chuuya pays the allotted amount. "Roses?" Dazai echoes, following Chuuya as he continues to walk to what seems to be an additional destination. "Aww, those are my favorite. Perhaps an apology for ignoring me? How sweet~"

Chuuya says nothing, and eventually arrives at—

"A graveyard?"

Dazai looks around, perplexed.

"Why are we here, Chuuya?"

Chuuya walks over to a specific gravestone, sighing. Tears well up in his eyes, and he places the two bouquets before it and removes his hat, kneeling down in front of it. "Oh, Osamu…" he whispers.

Dazai looks at the headstone, and inscribed on it is O. Dazai.

Dazai blinks, processing what's going on as he starts to feel lighter. So I must've committed suicide by jumping off that building, and forgot…my head hurt because I hit it hard. Chuuya wasn't ignoring me…he just can't see me. I'm…dead.

Dazai looks down at his hands, paler than ever before. He doesn't know how he didn't realize what happened to him.

And that was indeed Chuuya that I saw. He found my corpse. No wonder he's been so distraught.

Dazai wraps his arms around Chuuya. In this setting, it's almost as if Chuuya feels it this time, because he puts a hand on his chest, right over Dazai's hand.

"I'm so sorry I couldn't save you…I…I swore I'd never let it end this way, but…I guess you're not the only one who can break promises."

Dazai's eyes well up at that. "Oh, Chuuya…it's okay…I was never upset with you…"

"I remembered red roses were your favorite. I…hope you appreciate them. I promise you, I'll…I'll visit you as often as I can. Much like…how you did with Oda. I'm so sorry…I can't believe I let you slip away…"

Chuuya starts to sob, removing his hand from his chest and putting it on the headstone.

"I love you, Osamu…I always did. And I always will. I wish we were able to say those words sooner…I wish I could've…said them to you one last time…"

"Oh, but Chuuya…I can hear you. I love you, too. I love you, too…"

After crying for a long time, Chuuya slowly stands up, holding his hat over his heart. Dazai lets go of Chuuya, looking at him solemnly.

"I'm…really gonna miss you, Chuuya…the one who should be sorry is me. I'm sorry…I should've thought about how this would affect you. I love you…I'm sorry…"

Chuuya wipes his eyes and looks down at the ground. Dazai takes this opportunity to hug Chuuya. He knows deep down that Chuuya can't feel it. In fact, he can barely feel it himself. He just did it to perhaps make himself feel better.

Chuuya takes a deep breath and steps further back, sitting down a bit further away from the gravestone, looking at it.

"I suppose I should…tell you about my missions? Wouldn't you…like to hear that?"

"Oh, Chuuya…I'd love to hear it."

Slowly, Dazai's ears start to ring again, but he cherishes the last few moments he can hear Chuuya's voice.

Spirits walk the earth due to unfinished business. Perhaps Dazai just needed to hear Chuuya loved him one last time. Because he can't think of anything else that is possible to be fulfilled. Sure, he would've loved to read Oda's book, but he couldn't. Not in this universe. He knows nothing can be done about that.

He's content hearing Chuuya's voice one last time, as the last thing he ever heard, as he fades away, with tears on his cheeks, and a smile on his lips.