"They tied me back together, but they didn't use double knots… I can feel it, but every time I check the bandages, they're dry."

-Laurie Halse Anderson

Age 14

After Mori became boss, the doctor was unavailable to wrap Dazai up after a mission or session. The job fell to Chuuya by proxy.

This time a bullet had left a bloody trail over Dazai's left shoulder.

The blood had been cleaned up, although it still sluggishly oozed drops of scarlet every minute.

Chuuya cleaned the wound with an anti-infection agent as Dazai winced.

Dazai hissed as Chuuya pressed hard on the patch of bandages.

"You could be more gentle," Dazai whined.

"You could have been more careful. I know you could have dodged it."

Dazai smirked. "But then your hat would have taken a hit."

"I'd prefer a ruined hat to bandaging my partner up," Chuuya said with a scowl.

"Aww, so you do care," Dazai chirped.

Chuuya glared at his partner and tightened his hold on Dazai's lanky arm.

"Shut up before I break your wrist."

XXX

Age 23

There were many mysteries in the ADA. One that had never been solved was underneath Dazai's bandages. This was a mystery even Ranpo hadn't solved. Dazai kept them on at all times in the office.

It was late at night in the office. A crazy, city-wide case ended up with entire streets demolished and a fragile alliance once again established with the Port Mafia.

"I'm going for a coffee run," Atsushi announced. "Who wants something?"

"Hazelnut, two sugars," Kunikida requested.

"Green tea, teaspoon of sugar," Ranpo stated. (A spoonful of sugar, makes the medicine go down~ *cough* that was an accidental reference.)

"Nothing for me," Tachihara tacked on.

Yosano stuck her head out of the infirmary. "French vanilla, three creamers, five sugars."

"A noose," Dazai declared.

The office stared at Dazai, unamused. The brunette shrugged. "Fine. Some dark roast, with mocha syrup."

XXX

Atsushi was waiting in line. I really don't want to mess this up, Atsushi anxiously thought.

Suddenly, it was the weretiger's turn to order. "Oh, hi. Uhh. Dark roast with mocha syrup, green tea, hazelnut and French vanilla," Atsushi read off from his mental list. The man chuckled nervously. "Oh and… A cafe mocha please."

"Name for the order?" The cashier asked.

"Atsushi."

The ADA member awkwardly waited by the other end of the counter with three other customers.

A minute or so passed, until all of Atsushi's drinks came. The weretiger cautiously placed the drinks into a tray and then went over to a counter where the sugar and creamers were.

The weretiger mentally went down the list and put in the appropriate amounts.

Atsushi double-checked the orders. "I got everything."

Dazai hadn't asked for any sugar.

I'll put some sugar in, just in case, Atsushi decided.

XXX

Atsushi arrived back at the office, the tray of coffee in his hands.

Ranpo walked over and grabbed his cup. "Thanks."

The blond detective stopped signing paperwork and got up. Kunikida thanked his junior. "Which one is mine?"

Yosano stepped out of the infirmary. "There you are."

"This one, Kunikida. This is yours, Yosano." Atsushi explained.

"Thank you," the doctor replied.

Dazai had his head on his desk.

"Here's yours." Atsushi placed the mocha coffee on Dazai's desk.

The brunette lifted his head and stretched. "Thanks Atsushi-kun, I almost fell asleep."

Then the white-haired junior had a horrifying realization. He had put salt in Dazai's coffee instead of sugar.

Atsushi lunged for the coffee, yelling "no!"

He successfully stopped Dazai from drinking the coffee. Unfortunately in the process, the scalding hot liquid soaked Dazai's forearm.

Atsushi cringed. The hot coffee stained about a foot of Dazai's bandages with a light brown.

The brunette winced, the liquid burning against his skin. The heat brought back the memory of the nicks and scrapes that had been inflicted long ago in that area.

"Atsushi-san, grab new bandages from Yosano," Kunikida ordered. Atsushi dashed towards the infirmary.

Dazai tilted his arm up to start unraveling some bandages. The brunette had failed to account for physics. The puddle of liquid slid down his arm.

He grimaced as the heat uncomfortably hit his old torture scars. He shook off the pain that was both mental and physical and stood up.

"Dazai-" Atsushi was cut off by the bandaged brunette.

"I'll take those," Dazai cheerfully demanded as he grabbed the roll of bandages off of Atsushi.

The weretiger opened his mouth to argue about the others in the ADA helping Dazai since it was obvious the brunette was in pain. Kunikida shook his head, a frown instead of a scowl marring his face. Atsushi frowned at Kunikida; regardless, Atsushi held his tongue.

"See you guys later," Dazai practically sung. The office wasn't fooled; they knew Dazai was going to go treat his wounds. Wounds that hurt a great deal considering how Dazai's smile had broken for almost twenty seconds.

Ranpo ate a truffle and frowned. His facial expression was mirrored by all the people in the room.

Dazai went to his apartment and shot off a text. He knew the content would infuriate Chuuya.

XXX

Dazai's irritated former partner slammed his fist against Dazai's door in a rough imitation of knocking.

Dazai opened the door with a grin.

"You're big enough to wrap yourself up. And what, are you afraid of nightmares?" Chuuya growled.

Dazai said nothing. Just stood there with an empty smile on his face.

Chuuya tched. "It was the hot iron ones that really hurt? Yeah?" Chuuya predicted. A serious look crept into his eyes.

The slight thinning of Dazai's lips meant Chuuya had hit the nail on the head. Dazai gave a large smile right after, in an attempt to keep his former partner from realizing the truth. But his smile faltered under the weight of Chuuya's somber glare.

Chuuya sighed. "Alright, Mackerel. But then you delete all your pictures of me when I got stuck on the ceiling."

"Of course. I knew I could count on you, Chuuya."

"Yeah, yeah. Let me in before one of your colleagues sees me and flips out," the redhead grumbled.