For ninjou.

[tenimuho]

[Tonight, Dazai is really drunk.

This is not different from most other nights in their favorite bar, save for a few things.

1. Ango isn't here.

2. Dazai is really drunk. The kind of drunk that has Odasaku concerned that he might be trying to die through liver failure. That drunk.

And so, it's with hesitation that he speaks up.]

Maybe you should stop drinking for tonight.

Comments

[tenimuho]

I'd like that.

[Also quietly. It sounds sweet, especially if done while more sober than the last time one of them walked the other home.]

[ninjou]

I wanted to do it sober.

[Reading your mind, Odasaku. He missed him... For a whole day, sure, but it felt like forever being in emotional limbo.]

[tenimuho]

That sounds much better than the first time.

[He didn't mind the walking home part, exactly - he would have even given up his bed without complaint.]

[ninjou]

[He cringes a little, and hopes Odasaku doesn't notice. He didn't think it was so bad... It was strange and silly, but if he hadn't walked him home drunk, he wouldn't have had the courage to kiss him and caused all the problems oh.]

I'll try to keep from getting that drunk around you.

[tenimuho]

Thank you. -I won't get that drunk around you either.

[For one, he just doesn't drink that much, and for another he doesn't think Dazai is the most responsible person to deal with someone falling-down drunk. Ango, maybe.]

[ninjou]

[Yep. He feels a little dumb, but he won't show it. No more getting drunk, probably ever.]

Alright. When do you want to leave?

[tenimuho]

Whenever you want is fine. You just got here.

[A drink or two is still okay.]

[ninjou]

[ONE DRINK LIMIT.]

I'll be good. When you're done, we can leave. [He gestures to the glass in Odasaku's hand.] Ango won't be here tonight.

[tenimuho]

...Do you think he'll be surprised if he finds out?

[Keeping it a secret from Ango would seem weird, but then again, telling anybody is bad, and Ango is an anybody.]

[ninjou]

[WELL Dazai's turn to choke.]

Are we telling him? We're not dating or anything, I'm just... you know. In like. And you just want to... you know. With me.

[tenimuho]

When you say it like that it sounds like you don't think I'm in like.

[Which is wrong, and Dazai should stop thinking that.]

We can tell him if you want.

[ninjou]

Sorry. Not what I meant.

[A sigh.]

I'm still not used to thinking about you caring about me. I've been hanging on to you for years, you know. But I was a kid.

[And now he is less of one and he knows what he wants.]

Do you want to tell him?

[tenimuho]

...I think we wouldn't be very good at hiding it from him anyway.

[People they don't talk too much, or together, are one thing. Ango is another.]

[ninjou]

So it's better not to wait until he figures it out?

[Ango won't judge... hopefully?]

[tenimuho]

Wouldn't that make things more awkward? We should just come out with it.

[ninjou]

I'll tell him.

[This is a terrible idea. Terrible. Godawful.

Oda, be the voice of reason.]

[tenimuho]

Please don't be unnecessarily mean about it.

[He knows you, Dazai.]

[ninjou]

I won't. I'll just tell him that I kissed you and we decided to go to a movie.

[Hrm.]

We're not dating, are we?

[tenimuho]

[if you get into the sexy parts Ango will die and Odasaku will break up with you]

You said we weren't. So we're not.

[ninjou]

[Dazai is not talking about your erection, Odasaku. No worries!]

Great. Maybe sometime, but... I'm really not good to date.

[He's never actually tried.]

[tenimuho]

Maybe. But I think you're good to like.

[As good as anyone can be, in the mafia. They've all got their issues.]

[ninjou]

[I mean, since he's constantly trying to kill himself, he's bad to like in general. Think about it.]

Do you really think so?

[tenimuho]

I can't speak for anyone else, but I think you're good for me to like.

[Maybe other people have different standards.]

[ninjou]

I'm glad. It's not a very safe thing to say, but I'm really glad you think so.

[Is he settling a hand over Odasaku's for like .0001 seconds? Yes he is.]

[tenimuho]

It's not. But it's true.

[Dazai's just getting this smile when Odasaku feels that touch.]