Spain Without The S!

Chapter 13: Reconciliation

  Elise lay awake in bed. She couldn't sleep. She felt bad for making Chuuya angry. She knew that he was probably right that Dazai wasn't going to come back...
  Elise just couldn't seem to get the conversation out of her mind. She had to do something!
  So, in her nightgown, she traversed the building and went down all the same hallways she had so many times now. She eventually came to the room Mori had especially prepared for Chuuya to occupy after he had used corruption.
  Elise hesitated, her hand poised to knock. Chuuya would probably be asleep... and Kouyo was probably sitting awake in the chair like usual...
  Elise took a deep breath before carefully pushing the door open. The light was off. Odd.
  "Kouyo?" Elise whispered into the dark. The only light in the room was coming from a nightlight on the other side of the room. It emitted just enough light so that she could see the outline of the furniture.
  She closed the door as quietly as possible, "Kouyo?"
  No response again. Maybe she went to the bathroom or something.
  Elise carefully tiptoed over to the bed, where Chuuya was asleep.
  Elise had the thought she should leave and go back to bed. But she shook her head and looked forword with determination.
  She reached her hand out and poked Chuuya's arm. He didn't stir. She poked him again. Nothing.
  She grabbed his arm and shook it a little, "Chuuya."
  Slowly his eyes opened, looking tired.
  "Hey," Elise whispered.
  "Elise?... what are you... what time is it?..." he mumbled.
  "It's almost three in the morning..."
  "What are you doing awake?... and in here?..." he asked.
  Elise paused, nervously fiddling with her sleeve, "I wanted to apologize..."
  Chuuya breathed out deeply, "no... I should apologize. I shouldn't have raised my voice at you over something so stupid..."
  Elise shook her head, her blonde curls bouncing, "no. I should have listened first. I just really liked the idea of a real life princess story..."
  Chuuya paused, "well, I forgive you." He reached out his hand towards her.
  She took his hand in both of her tiny hands, "you sleep with your gloves on?"
  Chuuya laughed tiredly, "yeah... pretty silly, huh?..."
  Elise nodded, "I forgive you, too. I won't try to make Dazai kiss you anymore... actually, I can't promise that..."
  "Pff, well, gee, thanks," Chuuya said sarcastically.
  Elise let go of Chuuya's hand and climbed onto the bed to sit next to him. "You know, he does care enough to keep you from killing yourself."
  "That is true..." Chuuya said carefully, "but he's also an idiot, so he's probably just confused."
  "But you two always work really well together, too," Elise stated. "Haven't you known each other for a long time?"
  Chuuya paused, doing mental math, "seven or eight years..."
  "Then how come you guys still fight a lot?" She asked.
  "That's a fair question... and I honestly don't have an answer. He's just always pushing my buttons..." Chuuya began to smile, "like this," he poked her in the stomach.
  She giggled, "hey, no tickling after midnight!"
  Chuuya chuckled, "okay, okay, fine."
  "How did you even know where I am???"
  "Well your voice is right next to me, so I made a guess." He shrugged.
  Elise sighed, wiggling her feet from side to side.
  "Haven't you only lived fifteen years?" Elise asked after a moment of calculating.
  Chuuya thought a moment, "yeah... I guess so..."
  "So that means you've known Dazai for more than half your life."
  "I guess..." Chuuya sighed, "he's always enjoyed annoying me... but that's because I always retaliate... I seriously need to stop enabling him."
  "Then why don't you just ignore him?"
  Chuuya sighed, "because sometimes, Elise, when people are annoying you just really want to punch them in the face."
  Elise giggled, "I think a good punch in the face would knock some sense into him."
  Chuuya nodded, "exactly what I mean." Then he sighed tiredly, "you should probably go back to bed."
  Elise laid down next to him, "nah, Kouyo isn't in here, so I'll keep you company. Besides, I don't like sleeping in that big room all by myself..."
  Chuuya paused for a moment, "yeah... I get that..."
  Elsie turned on her side to face Chuuya. After a second she whispered, "you smell like peach flowers."
  "Oh, is that what it is?" He chuckled, "Ane-San brought me a bunch of shampoos and conditioners and just a lot of everything. She gave me, like, a whole essay on each product. I thought I was going to fall sleep listening to her." He chuckled, "I told her to just pick one of each so I could just bathe already."
  Elise giggled, "now you smell like the flowers we have on the nightstand."
  Chuuya smiled, "then I guess she wanted me to match the room."
  "But you still smell like you," Elise said.
  "What's that supposed to mean?..."
  She giggled again, "it means you aren't a peach flower."
  "I guess that's good..." he smiled a little, "I always thought men's shampoos and stuff have the weirdest scents. "Sawdust" and "hickory smoke" or something like that just doesn't sound too appealing..."
  Elise nodded, "I agree. It sounds gross."
  "I'm much happier smelling like a flowers than whatever "extreme blast" smells like."
  "That's a smell???"
  Chuuya laughed tiredly, "apparently."
  Elise got a bit closer and yawned, "you're like one of those portable space heaters..."
  Chuuya chuckled, "it's kinda weird how warm I am, huh?..."
  She nodded, almost asleep already, "mhm..."
  Chuuya placed his hand over her head in an almost protective manner.
  "Oh," Elise whispered, "you're supposed to be sleeping."
  "So are you," he said.
  She narrowed her eyes, "mmm you weren't supposed to say that..."
  Chuuya laughed under his breath, "okay... let's both go to sleep, then."
  ".... fine."

——

  It was early, early in the morning when Kouyo returned. She hadn't meant to, but she fell asleep while speaking with Mori about Chuuya's condition and what to do.
  She smothered a yawn as she silently opened the door.
  As light spilled into the room, she noticed an extra body on the bed. She furrowed her brows, then noticed who it was.
  A smile came to her face as she sat down in the chair. When had little Elise wandered in?...
  Chuuya had an arm around Elise, as if shielding her from something.
  Kouyo sat back and quietly watched them, waiting for when they would wake up.
  And, eventually, Elise stirred, her body slightly shaking her awake. She blinked her sleepiness away and sat up, pushing Chuuya's arm off of her. She rubbed her eyes, peering through the dark.
  Kouyo stood and turned the lights on, "good morning."
  Elise frowned, "darn it. I fell asleep first."
  "Was there a contest that I'm unaware of?" Kouyo's shoulders shook from her suppressed laughter.
  Elise narrowed her eyes, "it's a secret."
  Kouyo smiled, "is it now?"
  "Yes," Elise folded her arms.
  "Well, I'm glad you two have made up."
  Elise looked over at Chuuya, "yeah..."
  "So you've given up on your Prince Charming theory?..." Kouyo asked as she took a seat.
  "Nope," Elise smiled. "Dazai did wake him up, so I'm sure that has to mean something."
  Kouyo chuckled, "alright. Then, what are you going to do now?"
  "Somehow get Dazai to come back," Elise pressed her hand to her chin, thinking. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, "I wonder if he'll secretly come back on his own to check on Chuuya... maybe he cares that much..."
  "And if he doesn't?" Kouyo asked.
  "Then I guess I'll have to come up with a convincing emergency," she smiled.
  Kouyo smiled back, "don't go causing too much trouble, okay?"
  Elise nodded as she left, "I won't!"
  Kouyo laughed to herself, knowing she would. She directed her attention towards Chuuya, who seemed to still be asleep.
  Chuuya was no longer attached to any machinery. He lay alone.
  Kouyo stood and leaned over the bed. She watched Chuuya's chest rise and fall ever so slightly. She listened carefully for the soft sound of his breathing.
  She exhaled in relief as she lowered herself back into the chair. She knew she shouldn't worry so much, but the fear was lingering in the back of her mind...
  The fear that Chuuya might go to sleep and then never wake up again.