Chapter Text
Dazai sat at his desk with his head laying down on the wood, looking like his soul had just left him. Everyone simply stared at him while Ranpo gave an amused grin. Yosano was in her office with Chuuya, the latter having asked the former if she could give Tsubaki a quick checkup and the doctor was happy to oblige.
"Um, I'm sure it's not that big of a deal, Dazai-san," Atsushi said carefully as he decided to be the one to break the ice.
"It is a big deal!!" Dazai yelled in dismay. "I'm in love with a chibi!! How can I be in love with a chibi!?"
"You've always been in love with him," Ranpo said bluntly. "You've just repressed it for so long that you even convinced yourself that you weren't in love with him. Now that Chuuya has become a mama, your feelings have resurfaced and were finally set free~"
The brunette stared at the other detective before his eyes widened. "Holy shit..."
"Yep," the candy loving detective said with a pop. "So if you wanna win yourself a lover, then I suggest you think of a way to confess."
As if on cue, Chuuya and Yosano both stepped out of her office.
"Well, she's perfectly healthy," the doctor said. "Feel free to come to me whenever she needs a regular checkup."
"I appreciate that, thanks," Chuuya said before kissing Tsubaki on her cheek. "Who's a healthy baby~ You are~ Yes you are~"
The baby giggled at the kisses she was receiving and Dazai's heart clenched tightly at the sight. Why oh why did Chuuya have to be so damn adorable!
He glared as he heard Ranpo snickering at the side and gulped when he caught Yosano smirking at him. Chuuya didn't notice anything, and continued to hold Tsubaki lovingly in his arms and give her his undivided attention.
"Hey Chuuya," Ranpo called. "Quick question."
The ginger gave him his attention. "Shoot."
"If someone approached you and asked you out, what would you say?"
"...... I'd refuse."
Dazai choked on air as the whole background shattered into little pieces.
"Well, first off, it's kind of impossible," Chuuya said as he sat at the couch with Tsubaki in his arms. "I'm pretty much in hiding from the Port Mafia, so dating is an absolute no go. Plus, I have Tsubaki to think about. She's my top priority over everything else."
Everyone looked at Dazai, and the bandaged man looked like his soul had left his body once again. This time for a different reason.
"Wow, you've really dedicated yourself to your daughter, huh?" Yosano said.
"Well, what he said is very accurate," Kunikida said, pushing his glasses up. "Tsubaki is still an infant, therefore Nakahara must give her his undivided attention since he is a single parent, other than putting his attention to work as well to provide for her."
"Glad to know you get it," Chuuya said, rubbing his baby's little hands as she hummed.
"Being a parent must be a pretty big deal for you," Ranpo said as he opened up a bag of chips.
"It is," the ginger said as he smiled down at his daughter.
Everyone looked at Dazai, who tried hard not to sulk but was failing miserably.
Dazai was the one to escort Chuuya back home. It was great that he didn't notice the brunette sulking because the bandaged man felt utterly embarrassed that he even was sulking about being rejected without outright confessing his feelings.
Speaking of feelings, he thought about what Ranpo said. Dazai didn't remember developing feelings for Chuuya, but it is possible that he repressed them for so long that he actually convinced himself that he didn't fall for the chibi. He looked at Chuuya as the shorter man cooed at his giggling baby, and his heart clenched. Okay, hypothetically speaking if he did have feelings for Chuuya, then Dazai had basically lost to a baby. Still, seeing the chibi so damn happy just from holding Tsubaki made his heart beat rapidly.
"What're you staring so intently for, mackerel?"
Dazai blinked and he realized he had been staring judging from the confused looked Chuuya was giving him. He played it off with a smile. "Just seeing two chibis is all~"
Both man and baby gave him unimpressed looks, and the bandaged man seriously needed to convince the ginger to do a DNA test because they look so much alike!!!
"See, Tsubaki, this is why we don't hang out with fishes," Chuuya told his daughter. "At least not mackerels anyway." Tsubaki hummed in agreement and that caused the ex executive to smile. "You know not to hang out with mackerels, don't you~? Yes you do~ Yes you do~"
Dazai gripped a hand over his heart as he felt like it was about to combust any second by the sight of unlawful cuteness. But it looked like he wasn't the only one who thought so. Two women witnessed this and they all swooned.
"Aw, it's so nice to see a family man~"
"I know right? You don't see moments like these anymore~"
Dazai's eye twitched at this, a surge of jealousy flowing through his veins as the women continued to ogle Chuuya. Normally he would've offered a double suicide with a beautiful woman. But now? He wanted to throw those women off the damn cliff!!
"Hey, mackerel, you coming?"
The brunette blinked and quickly followed the ginger. "Yeah! I'm coming!"
It didn't take long for them to reach Chuuya's apartment, but the ginger stopped to have a chat with Mito and her kids.
"Hey, Mito," Chuuya greeted. "Hey Jin, Kota, Emi. You guys off to the park?"
"Yeah! I'm gonna play on the swings!" the little girl, Emi, said happily.
"Ah, that sounds like a lot of fun," the ginger said with a smile.
"Who's that bandaged weirdo behind you?" the smaller boy, Kota, asked as he looked behind Chuuya to see Dazai. "Is he a mummy?"
"Yes," Chuuya confirmed. "An annoying mummy who can't seem to find his tomb and is asking me for help. If you take off his bandages, he'll turn to dust!"
"Really!?" Emi asked.
"Yep! Sadly, I can't seem to get rid of him because he sticks to me like glue," the ginger sighed. "I've tried to chase him away, but he always seems to come back..."
"Why doesn't he just find a map?" the slightly taller boy, Jin, asked.
"Because the guy who sells maps kicked him out for being annoying," Chuuya said.
"Wouldn't he just go back to the afterlife if he turns to dust?"
"I think he got kicked out of the after life."
"Oooh," all three children said in understanding.
Dazai's eye was twitching the entire conversation while Mito simply chuckled in amusement.
"Well, we better get going if we want to get to the park," the woman said as she grabbed Kota and Emi's hands. "Have a good day, Chuuya."
"You too, Mito," Chuuya said as the family left before turning to his door and unlocking it. Dazai let out a grumble before following the ginger inside. "Alright, Tsubaki, how about we--" The ex executive blinked when Tsubaki suddenly yawned and chuckled. "Ah, sleepy already~? Let's go take a nap yeah?"
The brunette simply sat on the couch as the chibi went and put Tsubaki to bed for a nap. He couldn't help but wonder what Chuuya did for Tsubaki the whole month, besides the food and diaper changes. From what he could tell, Chuuya seemed to know what he was doing when it came to his baby. Did he memorize the times she would be hungry? When her diapers needed to be changed? How often she gets sleepy and puts her down for a nap? Dazai perked up when Chuuya came back into the living room.
"Well, that was fast," the brunette said.
"I sing her to sleep when she gets tired," the ginger said as he sat beside him. "Helps make her go to bed quickly."
"Makes sense," the bandaged man said before they fell into comfortable silence.
Dazai took this time to observe the whole apartment. It was very spacious for a place meant for two people. There were a few toys on the floor that Chuuya probably forgot to pick up, and from his spot, the brunette could see a high chair in the dining room.
"Dazai…"
He turned to the host. "Hm?"
"Thank you," Chuuya said. "I didn't think I would be welcomed in the ADA, but after talking to the president... I have high hopes that I can protect Tsubaki this way."
Dazai's breath hitched when that beautiful, genuine smile was being directed to him.
"I owe you a lot for this," the ginger said.
The brunette gulped and he had to remember to breathe. "She's important to you," he said. "With how happy she's made you, I don't think I could just sit by and let the Port Mafia do whatever they wanted if they found you."
"Still, I'm grateful for this," Chuuya said.
They both were silent for a few more moments before Dazai gave a cheeky grin. "You still have your wine stash?"
"I sold it."
The brunette choked a little. "Come again!?"
"I sold my collection," Chuuya said nonchalantly. "As much as I love wine, I can't be drunk when I have a baby to take care of."
Dazai blinked once, twice, thrice... He just couldn't believe that Chuuya actually sold his wine just like that! Ranpo was right. Being a parent really was a big deal for Chuuya.
"Well, if you're done gaping like a fish," Chuuya said, breaking his train of thought. "You can go ahead and see yourself out."
Dazai cleared his throat and nodded. "I guess I'll see you tomorrow," he said as he got up.
"Sure," the ginger said, waving him off.
The bandaged man took this chance to quickly walk out the door and lean against it once he was able to breathe. He really didn't expect a thank you from Chuuya, but for some reason, it made Dazai happy.
"Wow.... I really am in love with him, aren't I?"