Their first time.

It coincided with the first time they said "I love you."

But Dazai did not take off his bandages.

Nor did he the second. Or the third.

Until one day, it was their fifth or sixth time.

Dazai collapses against the mattress, hands above his head on top of the pillows. Chuuya looms over him, about to devour him, until he pauses.

He puts a hand on Dazai's chest gently.

"Bandages?"

He says it gently. Sweetly. In a way that let Dazai know there was no pressure.

Dazai stares at Chuuya for a bit, then swallows.

"The ones on my chest and stomach. The rest stay."

Chuuya feels like he may melt. He figured it would take ages until Dazai was willing to take off his bandages. Even if it wasn't all of them, it was still huge progress.

The redhead straddles the taller man, a taster for what may come, and delicately searches the man's body until he finds the end of the bandages, gently pulling them off until they were undone, neatly wrapping them in a spool and carefully dropping them to the floor. He leans in and trails kisses along Dazai's torso, being sure he does not miss a single scar.

"Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful."

He trails his fingers along the brunette's bare chest and stomach, amused at the way he shivers slightly out of sensitivity.

"Beautiful everywhere. You're lovely, Osamu."

He leans down and presses a loving kiss to Dazai's lips. He feels the other's arms wrap around him slowly, and hears a whine as he pulls back, chuckling.

"Don't worry, I'm not done yet."

The redhead's hand runs south and a whimper escapes Dazai's lips.

Chuuya smiles again at the effect he had on his old partner. He never tired of seeing him like this. So open, so vulnerable, so beautiful.

"I love you."

It's soft and quiet. Hardly recognizable as Dazai's voice.

Chuuya freezes. He lets his mind process what Dazai just said.

I love you.

The words echo back.

It's not like it was the first time Chuuya has heard them from the brunette. But every time he heard it, it sure as hell felt like the first time all over again. He feels his heart pound and soar. He feels his cheeks turn red. He feels himself smile again.

He starts his movements again, relishing the way Dazai continues to tremble. He'll never tire of this.

"Oh, Osamu. I love you, too."

~

The ninth time.

Dazai lays down under the redhead, a smirk on his lips as the shorter man fumbles with his shirt buttons and undoes them.

When all the clothes are away, cast to the floor, Chuuya positions himself once again, and pauses like he has been.

He puts a hand on Dazai's chest, asking silently.

The smirk fades. Dazai closes his eyes and lowers his voice to nearly a whisper.

"You can take them all off this time."

Chuuya freezes. All of them? Has he heard him right?

Methodically, Chuuya removes the bandages on Dazai's torso, drawing his finger along each and every scar, still loving the way Dazai trembles as he does so.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." I know I can trust you.

Slowly, Chuuya takes Dazai's left arm, carefully untying the bandages wrapped around it, neatly rolling them and placing them beside the couch they are on. He kisses Dazai's forearm softly. Then, he takes the brunette's other arm, undoing these bandages, too. He starts at this arm, taking in all of the scars on it. Some old and yellowed, others new and red. Chuuya needn't ask, he knows what they're from.

He kisses the one that looks newest, then looks back into Dazai's deep, red-brown eyes, as one more "Are you positive you're okay with this?" Dazai nods one last time.

Chuuya raises Dazai's hips and lifts his legs, to give himself better access. He gently puts his hand against Dazai's inner thigh, slowly undoing the bandages on his left leg. The taller man shudders a little more at this. It's understandable his legs would be sensitive. Chuuya cannot recall a time he has ever seen them when they weren't doing this.

He moves to Dazai's other leg and unties these bandages, too. Rolling them up neatly, placing them with the other rolls of bandages, now Dazai is completely bare. All of his scars visible.

Chuuya smiles softly. "Absolutely beautiful."

He closes his eyes as he slowly pushes into Dazai, still not tired of the noise the taller man lets out every time they do this.

Dazai reaches up and cups Chuuya's cheek. "Chuuya..."

Chuuya looks at him. "What is it, Osamu?"

Dazai pauses again and stifles a beckoning sound. "You know, nobody has ever seen me without my bandages before."

Chuuya caresses the side of Dazai's torso. "I know."

"You know, I trust you unconditionally. Right?"

Chuuya looks directly into the brunette's eyes—typically it is hard to catch his eyes when they're doing this; Dazai is too bashful to meet Chuuya's gaze.

This time, however, it is different.

"Yes, I know."

"You know I love you, right?"

Chuuya smiles. "Yes, I do."

He relishes the way Dazai trembles once again at his movements. God, he's beautiful.

"I love you, too, Osamu. I always have, I always will."