toffee.

he's not too sure when or how you two became close, seeing as you, a subordinate, would have little business with the port mafia's boss' pupil- but you and dazai had recently been spotted in each others' company more frequently.

and chuuya hated it.

you were so nice, and intelligent, and a being far superior to the likes of dazai, who was horrid and cruel in every sense of the term. but chuuya nakahara wasn't jealous. no, he simply knew that you deserved better than dazai- you deserved better company, you deserved him.

you and chuuya spent time together on missions a few times a week, sure, but never anything outside of business, whereas you and dazai hung out on evenings and any free moments in the port mafia's lair.

he despised seeing you and dazai laughing in empty rooms, and he abhorred watching the both of you converse in the corners of gatherings. he thought he did a pretty good job of hiding it from you, though.

he'd never bring up dazai to you, and you didn't mention him often either. but you seemed so much more subdued around chuuya and it grated on him to think that you might be more comfortable around his rat-faced companion than him.

and speaking of dazai: chuuya could hide his not-jealousy from you, sure, but keeping it from the demon prodigy was a whole other story.

in fact, he didn't even have a chance of keeping it on the down low. dazai simply found out, just like that.

"oh my god," he had started out of nowhere. chuuya and dazai were walking to meet a car that was meant to take them home from their mission. he'd frozen in his steps and his eyes held a familiar glow- a shimmer of condescending amusement.

"you like her."

chuuya sputtered. "i do not, you ugly horse. i don't like y/n."

"who said anything about y/n?" dazai's grin grew tenfold and chuuya lacked the words to defend himself.

from then on, dazai had been a relentless tease about the situation. after he'd caught on to chuuya's crush, his jealousy-not-jealousy was easy to pick up on.

"careful with your staring," dazai had playfully chided at some point, sidling into the seat next to chuuya, "your eyes might fall out of your head."

chuuya scowled. "i wasn't staring."

"so you were just watching me and her talking. and making a gross face when i put a hand on her shoulder. i see."

if they weren't in the middle of a crowded meeting hall with a surplus of port mafia members, chuuya would strangle dazai. "i wasn't watching anything."

dazai smiles. "careful, chuuya. some people are going to start catching on, and envy isn't a good look on you-"

he's promptly cut off by chuuya slamming his fists on the table with fury written all over his face. "i am not-"

he stops himself. you're hurrying over to where the both of them are seated, glancing around furtively.

"chuuya, dazai," you all but scold, "how about you save that for later? maybe when a whole room of people aren't watching?"

dazai stands from his chair and feigns a sigh, flopping onto your shoulder. you laugh and it sounds like music and chuuya feels a vein pop in his forehead.

"my sincerest apologies," dazai bemoans, "it's just that the little one here seems to bring out the worst in me."

chuuya's clenching his jaw so hard that his teeth might grind themselves to ashes, and you playfully shove the taller boy off you. "play nice."

dazai sits back down and you take the empty seat next to him, and chuuya looks straight ahead as he listens to the two of you blabber on about some nonsense.

he's mad, he's really, really mad because he can't find it in himself to insert himself into the conversation and you look so happy talking to dazai. and really, who wouldn't be happy?

dazai was charming and charismatic, even if he was a piece of shit. he was humorous and actually kind of easy-going (looking past the murderous tendencies) in a way chuuya only claimed to be.

chuuya was angry, angry enough to admit yes, maybe he was a little jealous of dazai's closeness with you. but he had no idea what the hell to do.

chuuya can't decide if he's lucky or unlucky when the answer falls right into his lap.

it's a sunny day in january, something rare and unusual. chuuya's day has been pretty normal for a 16-year-old boy. so far, he's overseen 2 jewel trades and still had daylight to spare. he's unhurried as he wanders the hallways of the port mafia headquarters, looking for something to occupy him.

that's when he runs into you.

you're leaning against the wall of a common room, tapping away at your cell phone with your headphones on. they're sitting on your hair oddly, making the strands stick out in an awkward way. he bites the inside of his cheek, despising how the littlest things endeared you to him.

he calls your name, and you look up. a bright smile forms across your face. "hey chuuya."

"hey. not doing anything?"

you shake your head. "nope. i was about to leave, actually, to go grocery shopping. you?"

"i finished early today."

"ah. cool."

"yep."

chuuya hates how stale this conversation is. he knows he can do better but the way you look at him ties his tongue in knots and he can't seem to muster the words he wants to. he thinks that if he were dazai, it would be easy to get out what he wants to say. luckily for chuuya, though, you do it for him.

"if you're not busy," you say, "would you want to come with me? i can make you lunch back at my apartment, if you'd like."

chuuya smiles and it takes his whole being to not beam at you with all his teeth. "that sounds good."

the walk to the local grocery store is uneventful, but a constant chatter is exchanged. you talk and chuuya replies, and he feels the ice in his throat melting.

this, he realizes, is the first time he's been in your company outside of an assignment. he thinks he loves it.

you're quick to fill silences, and there's never a lull in the conversation. you laugh and smile and you seem so genuine that chuuya's heart is thundering in his chest whenever you do.

the grocery store itself is small and quaint, with windows lining the walls. sunlight filters in and stains your skin with its gold. it's peaceable, chuuya decides, the way you lead him around and gather products in your basket. it's lovely, he thinks, whenever you look at him. he could get used to this.

but chuuya is not a lucky man, it seems, because a very loud and very familiar voice cuts through whatever you were saying:

"oh, i didn't expect to see you both here, outside of work! chuuya, i'm impressed, you finally told y/n that you're hopelessly in love with her?"

chuuya freezes, staring straight ahead at the apple shelves. you straighten, wide eyes looking at him. dazai is grinning.

"you fucking piece of shit," chuuya snarls, whipping to face him.

dazai raises his hands in the air with a serene smile. "not in public, chuuya, please! think of the children!"

dazai grabs an apple from the stands and takes a bite. he turns to leave without paying. "i hope your relationship is wonderful and prosperous!"

chuuya stares at his shrinking figure, hoping that the other boy can feel his gaze burning through his back. his endeavors are only interrupted by your voice calling his name.

"chuuya?"

his attention snaps to you, and he opens and closes his jaws like a fish. "uh, yeah?"

he hates how dull and hesitant his voice sounds. he hates how confused you look. he hates dazai.

"what was dazai talking about?"

chuuya puffs out his chest, sensing an opportunity to lie his way out of this. "i have no idea, i guess that blubbering idiot has finally gone fully insane-"

"no, tell me truthfully, please."

he resists the urge to curse, having forgotten how perceptive you were. "uh... well..."

"you like me?"

silence. chuuya looks at you. you look at him. he's not sure what else he can say.

"yeah."

you blink. and then you smile. "okay, cool. i like you too."

and just like that, you move on, continuing your search for the scallions. chuuya's still frozen, so he jogs to catch up with you.

"wait, so like," he spouts disbelievingly, "for real?"

"yeah."

"just like that?"

"yep."

"it was that easy?"

"probably!"

chuuya sighs deeply and you giggle. "chuuya, i'd have said yes if you asked me out the day we met, if i'm being honest."

he gapes at you. "serious?"

"mhm. and i knew you liked me, by the way. i was just waiting for you to say it. i guess dazai got impatient."

he is flabbergasted. "what gave it away?"

you shrug your shoulders, gathering a bundle of scallions and a few heads of garlic to place in your basket. "you don't hide your envy well."

chuuya huffs. "i don't get jealous, actually."

"sure you don't."

"really, though! i don't!"

chuuya protests but he's smiling, and you are too. you bump him with your shoulders and his hand finds its way around your waist.

okay, so maybe chuuya nakahara got a little, tiny bit jealous- but for you? he thinks it was worth it.