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

[ninjou]

[Oda-Ango-Dazai. Just think on it.]

Old man, old man. If you talk about back pain, I'm disavowing knowing you.

[tenimuho]

[He'd rather not think about that actually.]

Okay, I won't talk about it.

[ninjou]

[Ango has a cute face~~~

Actually, Dazai is the jealous sort so that wouldn't work at all.]

I'd sigh, but it's pointless. [He moves closer and tries to link his pinky with Odasaku's, testing.]

[tenimuho]

[It's a good thing neither of them are likely to get old and grey, huh.

Odasaku curls his pinky around Dazai's and looks up.]

...The moon's beautiful tonight.

[ninjou]

[Ah, to die young and beautiful.]

I can't get over how you look.

[...]

I meant the moon.

[tenimuho]

That's an easy slip to make.

[Does he actually think Dazai meant that? No.]

[ninjou]

It's super easy. I mean, no wonder we can't see the stars. It's nearly a full moon. It drowns everything else out. Even the boats in the port look half lit up.

[Dazai is not a romantic, but he really... has an Odasaku problem. He has pined for him and respected him and tried his very best to impress him for years.]

[tenimuho]

I don't think that's how the moon and the stars work.

[...that might be a deliberate bit of obtuseness there.]

[ninjou]

[Dazai looks at him, shakes his head, and drags him into a small alleyway between buildings.]

Look up. The moon's almost straight overhead. Let your eyes adjust and see if you can see as many stars as you usually can.

[tenimuho]

[Okay, being dragged along is a thing that's happening. Odasaku nods and looks up, trying to make out the stars.]

[ninjou]

[Dazai's right beside him, pointing up.]

See?

[He sighs.]

It's different. Very big, bright things can distract us from everything else.

[tenimuho]

Oh, you're right.

[That is strangely deep and yet also completely literal.]

Then we'll have to come back out again when the moon isn't as bright if we go stargazing.

[ninjou]

[He nods faintly, still looking up.]

It's better to do it on the new moon.

[tenimuho]

Sounds good.

[...Dazai gets a kiss on the cheek while he's still looking up.]

[ninjou]

[He relaxes instantly, puts a hand on Odasaku's waist, and leans into him just a little.]

I know a few good places to hide to do it. I never got caught before, anyway.

[tenimuho]

You shouldn't need to hide to stargaze. It's not a crime.

[Odasaku slips an arm around Dazai gently.]

[ninjou]

I was supposed to be back at HQ reporting after missions. Work... it's more important.

[This is silly. This is dumb. But they're out of sight and Dazai is free to finally tip his head down and rest it on Odasaku's shoulder.]

[tenimuho]

That's true.

[Still, it doesn't mean he has no sympathy at all.]

If you only do it once in a while it should be fine. Everyone needs breaks. Even mafia prodigies.

[ninjou]

I can now. When I was... eight, nine... That was a different story.

[He turns his head and speaks right against Oda's jawline.]

I used to think about leaving. Every once in a while.

[tenimuho]

[No need to ask why he didn't. That doesn't have a high survival rate, historically. But...]

I think you could probably do it now if you wanted to.

[ninjou]

Why would I?

[It's a genuine question.]

I have everything I could possibly need.

[tenimuho]

...No, there's no reason you would.

[ahahaha.wav]

[ninjou]

I can't, anyway. They'd try to kill me before I was out of the building.

[He's thoughtful.]

Do you think I could just cut the elevator cable and die that way?

[tenimuho]

You'd inconvenience a lot of people if you did that. No one wants to walk that many stairs.

[...it might actually work, though.]

[ninjou]

Ah, true. I do't want to make a huge mess. That's really annoying. I'll keep thinking, then.

[Though... He...]

Sometimes I don't want to die. Is that weird?