Made by @cataclysmiceve1 on Twitter!
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this chapter is SO short but I didn't want to squeeze it into the two other scenes, and since this is updating once a day, I don't feel as bad. Enjoy!
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Two days later, Atsushi is groaning, digging his heels into the turf as he rams his hip into the equipment rack, struggling to roll the damn thing towards the practice field.
"Need a hand with that?"
"Please," he whines, wiping sweat from his forehead as he straightens up. "It's too hot for Edogawa-sensei to make me push this by myself, I—" he freezes. "...Dazai-senpai?"
His cleats were pushed all the way into the back of his closet—but they still feel the same. "I was just kidding, it is too hot—but I'll have Kunikida-kun come back for you!"
Everything looks the same as the way it was when he left—Tanizaki and Kukikida are leading warm ups, Oda is strapping in his leg guards—and when he looks up to see Dazai striding towards the field, his eyes soften.
"What are you doing here?" Dazai has the decency to be sheepish. He turns around to face the coach (who also happens to be their literature teacher) who is staring Dazai down, his head cocked to the side. "Well?"
Dazai smiles lopsidedly "I heard Ango's pitching was pretty awful." Edogawa-sensei raises an eyebrow. "And," Dazai sighs. He bows deeply from the waist, "I missed playing. I understand if I can't come back, but—"
Dazai freezes as he feels the weight of Edogawa-sensei's hand rest on top of his head, ruffling his hair. "Consider it forgotten—now go warm up, before I make you help Nakajima."
Dazai grins, nodding as he runs off to join the others. In spite of how everything felt before he left...this feels good—like he's taking back a part of his life from before. Even the team manager, who is normally a dictator, smiles when she hands him a bottle of water. "We missed you, Dazai."
That, to Dazai's surprise, makes him choke up. "Thanks, Yosano."
When he walks home with Odasaku that night, Dazai has his head buried in his phone. "Are you texting Chuuya again?"
"So what if I am?"
"You're a surprisingly dedicated tutor."
// Dazai: You were right—it wasn't actually that bad.
// Chuuya: I told you so—I'm glad you went!
// Dazai: AND I made Ango mad when I took his position!
// Chuuya: Don't make me regret being proud of you, asshole.
Dazai stares at the screen, biting his lip to hide his smile.
"What's with that look?" Oda raises an eyebrow, leaning over to see, only to get elbowed away by Dazai.
"When did I say you could snoop?"
"I guess you didn't—"
"Then eyes off, Oda, geeze."