Love & Torture | BSD Various x Fem Reader | Bungou Stray Dogs

[Prologue] Wonderful Lies, Terrible Truth

"No." She responded immediately, looking up at her bandaged friend, eyes still wide with disbelief. "Please dont do this." She begged, grabbing his hand and squeezing it tightly.

He tenses at her touch, knowing he'd miss her, but he'd made up his mind. He looks down at her, his eyes softening at the sight of her.

"I'm sorry, Belladonna." He sighs, crouching down slightly and cupping her face gently, using his thumbs to wipe away her tears as the ones that followed wet his hand. She furiously wipes the droplets away, looking at him angrily.

"Please..." She utters, her entire body quaking with a deep, unpleasant sludge of emotions brewing inside of her, fighting for control. Anger, betrayal grief... He smiles melancholically and gently presses a kiss to her forehead. She looks up at him, her cheeks flushed, her gaze getting lost in his.

"Don't worry about a thing..." He grins at her stupidly, tears flowing down his own face. "I-"

You jolt awake in a cold sweat, your hands cold and clammy, your face damp with tears.

"They've been getting worse..." You sniffle, grabbing the box of tissues you'd started keeping by your bedside table and aggressively wiping away the tears. You wanted to ignore it, you wanted to forget, but you couldn't... that idiot was one of your closest friends and he mercilessly ripped a part of your soul away.

"Dazai..." you mutter his name before slumping back into bed and falling deeper into the warm embrace that was slumber.

———

Chūya didn't usually butt into others' problems, but this was a particularly obvious problem that was invading his personal life and workplace.

He glances over at you, his eyes softening in concern as he watches you type away at the computer, most likely working on a report. His gaze wandered over to your disheveled hair and the dark circles under your eyes, ones that you'd stopped caring about covering and were now on full display.

His heart aches for you, his only friend, and without a second thought, he abandons his work and walks over to your desk, placing a hand on your head like he always does when he talks about something serious to you.

"You look like shit, what's wrong." He questions, leaning down and using his most soothing tone, as if talking to a small defenceless animal. He stares at your dull eyes, his heart sinking at the sight of your usually happy eyes now lifeless.

"I'm fine." You respond tiredly, smiling at him. It was strained, and didn't quite reach your eyes. He notes it down mentally, gently grasping your hands, his demeanour growing even more serious than it already was. He didn't know how to convince you to open up, but he knew he'd try anything.

He purses his lips, his grip on you tightening.

"You're a terrible liar, you know that, right?" He questions softly.

"I know."