crowspace | Thread continuation for thetaintedsorrow.

I'll come over. Count on it.

[And in the early evening, he rings Chuuya's doorbell again.]

[This time Chuuya is completely sober when he answers the door and welcomes poet-Chuuya inside, but he isn’t smiling. His expression is an odd mixture of neutrality and something dangerous glinting in those sapphire eyes.]

Hey. You want a drink or anything?

[There’s something off about the way he walks over to the mini-bar. It’s like he’s struggling to keep himself upright despite being completely sober.]

Anything you want in particular...?

[He grips the bottle of sake so hard it shatters in his hand, glass shards embedding themselves into his leather glove.]

Oh. Oops...

[Mafia-Chuuya's expression is a little weird, but poet-Chuuya doesn't have enough time to decipher it before-]

Hey, don't-

[-mafia-Chuuya breaks a glass bottle.]

Shit, hold still, where do you keep your antiseptic?

[As opposed to his minimal response to killing Dazai, just mafia-Chuuya potentially getting hurt gets poet-Chuuya worried.]

It’s fine...

[Chuuya mutters under his breath; if Poet-Chuuya looks closely, he’ll see a glowing red mark in a tendril like shape climbing up Chuuya neck and stopping right beneath his collar. It’s the unmistakable source of his odd behavior, as well as his inability to feel much pain as he clenches his first and drives the glass in deeper, shredding his glove and embedding it into the palm of his hand.

Beads of crimson well up and drip down his hand, but all Chuuya does in response is smile an incredibly unsettling smile.]

It’s fine...it’s fine...it’s fi...ne...

[Only once before has Corruption activated on its own, and that was the night Dazai betrayed the Mafia, and Chuuya in turn. Now that the bastard is dead it’s happened again, and the only reason he hasn’t completely lost his mind already is because Corruption’s progression is much slower when he doesn’t activate it on purpose.

His eyes look bleary and unfocused as he turns to look at poet-Chuuya. He looks terrifying, like something out of a horror movie.]

I should be happy...yes...happy...am I happy...? Tell me...

Edited 2018-01-29 04:27 (UTC)

[The marks are familiar.

He hasn't seen them before. They aren't the same as the ink markings that cover Chuuya when he breaks down. But he knows what this is, because there's only one thing it could be.

There’s also another part of my ability, it’s “true form” I guess you’d say. Once I activate it I just keep destroying everything in my path until I die. Unless someone nullifies it.

How do I stop it?

You find a shitty bastard named Dazai and get him to nullify it. That’s the only way I know.

And Chuuya just killed Dazai.

Against Chuuya's better judgment, he takes a step towards the terrifying apparition that is his boyfriend.]

It's fine.

[No, no it's not fine, and Chuuya's aware that there's not much he can do in this situation.]

I think you'd be happier if you took a nap. Lying down with you makes me happier.

[Maybe if mafia-Chuuya goes to sleep, his ability will turn off automatically, or it'll give poet-Chuuya an opportunity to steal his phone and beg for some kind of help. Even if it puts him squarely in the mafia's sights, it's better than letting his boyfriend go insane.]

[The good news? Chuuya isn’t currently experiencing the usual urge to kill and destroy everything in his path like he had during previous uses of Corruption. It’s more of a taint than a full on corruption just yet, but Chuuya is far from in his right mind. He peels off his glove, dislodging most of the glass from his hand in the process and leaving it dripping blood onto the floor.

The last time he’d been in this situation he’d been able to be snapped back to his senses by Akutagawa and Kouyou, just in time.

There’s still a chance for him to come back to his senses, and if anyone could do snap him out of it, it’s Poet-Chuuya.

He takes a few steps towards his boyfriend, walking as if he’s being weighed down by some invisible, heavy force. He stops a few inches away before reaching out with his bloodied hand to cup other-Chuuya’s cheek.]

How did it feel? Killing him?

Edited 2018-01-29 04:57 (UTC)

[That is good news. Chuuya would hate to be killed by his boyfriend - that's more of Dazai's thing.

There's blood on Chuuya's cheek. There's blood on Chuuya's cheek because mafia-Chuuya is cupping his cheek with his bloody hand. Mafia-Chuuya is far from stable right now.]

I was glad he wasn't going to bother you anymore.

[Chuuya lightly squeezes his boyfriend's arm.]

I should’ve killed him a long time ago...

[Chuuya admires the way his boyfriend looks painted in blood, and he slowly edges him backwards toward the couch, eyes finally regaining the sharp focus of a predator.]

I loved him once...once...a long time ago...

[He crowds poet-Chuuya until he has no choice but to fall back on the couch.]

You must’ve been beautiful in that moment...the moment you took his life...

[He straddles poet-Chuuyas lap, arms sliding around his neck as he nips at his earlobe.]

I was supposed to be the one...I wanted to see his face...when he died...

[Chuuya’s breathing is hot and heavy as he laps at the quickly drying blood on poet-Chuuya’s cheek.]

You saved me...didn’t you?

Edited 2018-01-29 05:26 (UTC)

[It's impossible not to be afraid now. Mafia-Chuuya can easily crowd him back onto the couch, can easily straddle him and do whatever he wants. Mafia-Chuuya's tongue on his cheek makes him shiver.

But - poet-Chuuya can't give up yet. He'll keep trying to help his boyfriend.]

You're the one who saved me. And now you're going somewhere I can't follow.

[Insanity isn't a refuge for long. Chuuya has enough memories of sterile white walls and ink stains to know that it doesn't last.

That said, it must be utterly mad for him to wrap his arms around his boyfriend, holding him tight.]

You told me you wouldn't leave me. You said you wouldn't leave.

[His boyfriend’s pleas are definitely heard, but they’re much like distant echoes within Chuuya’s head than an actual voice. The loud, terrifying buzz of Corruption spreading through his veins drowns them out, and his answer is to sink his teeth deep into the flesh of poet-Chuuya’s neck.

He can taste ink, and it mixes wonderfully with the blood in his mouth.]

I’m not leaving. I’m right here.

[There’s a fight going on in Chuuya’s head right now; his original self is screaming and crying at him to stop, and his heart wrenches in his chest when he feels the familiar warmth of those arms wrapping around him.

When he looks at Poet-Chuuya once more, ink and blood dripping from his lips, it’s with a terrified expression.]

I don’t...want to leave...

[A single tear rolls down his cheek. The mark on his neck is very slowly beginning to recede.]

Save me...

Edited 2018-01-29 05:42 (UTC)

[The bite on his neck stings - he's too terrified and worried to be turned on by any of this.

That doesn't matter right now, because, mafia-Chuuya is starting to come back to himself.]

I've got you.

[He holds his boyfriend even closer, desperately praying for things to be okay.]

I love you. I'm not leaving you, so please don't leave me.

[It’s slow, and Chuuya is shuddering the entire time as if he’s fighting off a cold, but eventually his eyes regain a hint of warmth where previously they were cold as ice.]

Chuuya...

[He repeats it for himself as well as his boyfriend, over and over again until the mark finally disappears from his skin. Without Corruption’s influence, however all the pain comes rushing back to him, and he flinches as he looks down at his bloodied hand.]

What...what was I...doing?

[He holds his head, trying to steady himself. The taste of ink and blood are still strong on his tongue.]

[Chuuya should really offer to get his boyfriend something to clean up his injuries with and some bandages, like he did earlier.]

Thank god you're okay...!

[But his first priority is hugging his boyfriend as close as he can.]

[He hugs his boyfriend back with a confused expression before reality finally dawns on him.]

Oh no...

[Shit. Shit shit shit. How could he have let that happen again???

He’s mortified when he sees how upset other-Chuuya is, and his gut churns when he sees the brutal bite mark he’d left.]

I’m sorry...I’m so sorry...

[He could’ve killed poet-Chuuya, or at the very least seriously injured him if he hadn’t snapped out of it sooner. He holds his boyfriend tight, shaking slightly.]

You shouldn’t have had to deal with that...

[The bite mark still stings, but who gives a shit about that when mafia-Chuuya is alive and sane again? Poet-Chuuya will wash the remaining blood off his face later.]

If I wasn't here to deal with that, things would've been worse. I'm just glad you're alright.

[He rubs other-Chuuya's back gently. They're both going to be alright.]

[Even from beyond the grave Dazai is still fucking with him...

But Chuuya is safe in his boyfriend’s arms now, and he doesn’t want to budge, blood be damned.]

I’ve killed so many people...I don’t know why I let his death get to me...

[He knows exactly why, actually, but he’d rather forget all about that. He kisses other-Chuuya’s clean cheek.]

No one can know. Let them think it was the Mafia.

Alright.

[If that's what his boyfriend wants, then that's what his boyfriend gets.

Poet-Chuuya doesn't have anything to say about the first bit. The death of someone you used to love is something he doesn't have the right to comment on.]

We really should clean up your hand. Where do you keep the first aid kit?

[Or maybe mafia-Chuuya has more than just a kit, considering the dangers of his job.]

Got a cabinet full of medical supplies in the bathroom.

[Everything from ointment to sutures can be found within, because knowing first aid is absolutely vital to keeping a job in the Mafia.

He slides off his boyfriend's lap so that he can go get the supplies. Normally he’d get it himself, but he just feels so weak right now. ]

Waste of good booze too...damn.

I'll buy you more sake later.

[Chuuya goes to fetch the necessary supplies, and soon comes back to clean up mafia-Chuuya's wounds and bandage them. He doesn't bother with saying 'it'll sting' because obviously his mafioso boyfriend knows that.

It takes a bit, but eventually...]

There, done. Now there's nothing left to do but cuddle all night.

[It does sting like a bitch, but it’s hardly the worst pain he’s experienced.]

Thank you...

[He flexes his hand to try to work out some of the soreness.]

You sure? Do you need anything?

[Chuuya flops down on the couch again.]

If you don't come snuggle, I'm going to need to hit you with a pillow.

[Not really, but it's easier than saying 'I need to hold you and reassure myself you're real and okay'.]

You drive a hard bargain.

[Chuuya curls up next his boyfriend and tugs a blanket up over the two of them.]

I’m sorry that you had to see me like that.

[Much better. Chuuya cuddles up to him as close as he can.]

You've already seen me with markings on my skin and a less than stellar mental state. Fair's fair.

[...He just couldn't have potentially killed mafia-Chuuya like that.]

When I was partners with Dazai the Mafia used me as a weapon in that state. Full Corruption is much worse; I would’ve leveled the building and probably killed you in the process if I’d gone completely under.

[Double Black wasn’t infamous for nothing.]

I hate it...not having a surefire way to snap out of it...

I can't even imagine.

[Even when he's breaking down, he knows what will fix him again, and he'd never snap out of that state to find that he'd killed someone important. It really doesn't compare to Corruption except in a superficial sense.]

As long as I'm around, I won't stop trying to bring you back to your senses. I promise.

Thread continuation for thetaintedsorrow.

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