For ninjou, yandazai~

[tenimuho]

[Someone who knows Odasaku as well as Dazai does surely noticed from the moment that Odasaku entered the bar, but he's in a surprisingly good mood tonight. He's humming a little, his steps are lighter, and there's even the hint of a genuine smile on his face as he sits down.

Ango's not here tonight, so it's just the two of them and the bartender.

Inquire as to what's made him so pleased?]

Comments

[tenimuho]

Fukuda Chiyo. I think she's too low-ranking for you to have much to do with her.

[They might have crossed paths once or twice, but she wouldn't have worked with him.]

[ninjou]

[Smile smile smile smile.]

Oh, Fukuda? I've heard of her...

[A lie.]

She has... long hair, kind of big eyes, right?

[tenimuho]

It's a little past shoulder-length. I don't really know why you'd keep it that long, even if it looks good. Someone could grab on it in a fight.

[Not that he'd offer unsolicited criticism on her hairstyle.]

[ninjou]

She doesn't clip it up or anything? That's a bad idea... She could get hurt.

[Let's see how he reacts to that, just to gauge fair interest...]

[tenimuho]

[It gets a frown - he wouldn't like her to get hurt.]

Should I say something? But we just met.

[ninjou]

[Wow. Wow.]

Probably not. Women are really sensitive about their hair. She might get mad at you.

[Another grin, and he nudges Odasaku, though the light's gone a bit from his eyes.]

Do you like her?

[tenimuho]

She seems nice, and we have some of the same interests. ...So, I do.

[Not in any romantic way, of course. But he's happy to spend time with her.]

[ninjou]

[Wrong answer. There's the perfect poker face kicking in, Dazai smiling so hard it makes his cheeks squish and his eyes narrow, but the back of his mind features a voice gently screaming, plotting...

This woman is going to have a nice talk with him.]

Love at first sight.

[Sounds... ominous, doesn't it?]

[tenimuho]

I don't like her that way, Dazai.

[What are you talking about? It sounds like normal teasing from Dazai. And Odasaku trusts him implicitly - so he isn't concerned. Not just yet.]

[ninjou]

Yet!

[Assuming a lot, isn't he? These waters have to be tested to Dazai's satisfaction before he creates a living hell for this woman.]

[tenimuho]

I don't think it's a good idea to assume I'll fall in love with people I just met.

[Not denying the possibility that it could happen, because, maybe? But assuming it is strange and probably uncomfortable for her if she finds out.]

[ninjou]

You're that type of person, Odasaku! You're a romantic. You're in love with books... and words... and being really nice to people you care about. I don't think it's so far fetched that you'd fall in love with a person, too.

[Ominous yet? He sounds cheerful enough, but there's a dark undercurrent he's hiding a little too well.]

[tenimuho]

Maybe someday, but it's not a priority right now.

[Everything is fine here what are you talking about.]

[ninjou]

Priority or not, love happens. But you might have a point...

[Dazai takes a long drink.]

Sometimes we don't notice what's right in front of us.

[tenimuho]

That's true.

[Odasaku's especially bad at it, sometimes. And other times he's perceptive. It seems like there isn't a middle ground for him.

...so how badly is this woman going to suffer, anyway?]

[ninjou]

[He must be terrible, to not know how long Dazai has wanted him, and tried to get his attention, and done everything short of being painfully straightforward and coming right out to say it. He wants to, but he'll be rejected. He won't stand a chance.

But if he can't have Odasaku, he's not going to lose him, either.]

Well. I should go. I hope you have fun on your date!

[tenimuho]

It's not a date. ...But thanks, I will.

[It's a Dazai-shaped blind spot, it looks like.]

You take care, too.

[ninjou]

I will, I will~

[It sounds too much like a date for Dazai. So he has to stop it. There are any number of possibilities, from outright murder to gentle suggestion... he'll settle for the latter unless this woman is stupid enough to question an executive.

Off the goes to track down and meet up with the perpetrator of this offense against him... And when they meet, he smiles. Of course he's recognized, but not so much that she simpers. It's unfortunate.

It's doubly unfortunate when she resists his request. He wants to work it out nice and amicably, but she refuses to listen. It's rather clear that she's fond of Odasaku, to the point of stupidity. Silly woman. That's Dazai's job.

So he draws a gun and hands it to her. The speech begins with a touch of her history... a little of this, a little of that, the people she's killed, including family members. And somehow, in his miraculous way, he gets her to pull the trigger.

And she drops dead.

Smiling again, muttering how it's really too bad, he leaves to return to the offices.]

[tenimuho]

[Odasaku finds out when she doesn't show up for their appointed meeting. He asks around and finds out that she killed herself.

It doesn't make any sense. He knows people can hide that kind of pain behind a smile and he'd never be able to tell, but why would she make plans with him if she wasn't intending to survive to fulfill them?

It doesn't make any sense at all.

The next time Dazai sees Odasaku in that bar, his mood is the complete opposite. A dark shroud seems to hang over him as he sits down at his usual place and immediately orders something heavy.]

...Did you hear about Fukuda?

[He doesn't know if Dazai pays attention to little things like when the mafia's low-ranking members shoot themselves.]

[ninjou]

[Dazai... almost feels a sliver of guilt over it, but only because it makes Odasaku look like he's going to evaporate and never return. He doesn't want to hurt the man, but... it's for his own good. Only Dazai is worthy of his company. Maybe Ango. Threesomes. But other than that, no one can be good enough to practically worship the ground Odasaku walks on.

That is generously kept in check by his look of curiosity.]

Ohhh... how did your date go?

[tenimuho]

[He's too confused and hurt by all this to correct him that it wasn't a date.]

She didn't show up. Apparently she shot herself the day before.

[Odasaku's frown intensifies, his eyebrows furrow.]

I don't understand why she'd make plans with me and then do that. It doesn't make sense.

[ninjou]

[He'll feign grim-faced shock.]

That's... unusual. She didn't leave a note or anything?

[tenimuho]

No, none.

[...This doesn't sit well with him at all.]

Something feels wrong.

[As surely as if Flawless had told him so - something is wrong.]

[ninjou]

Does it?

[Dazai just stares, hiding a smile, hiding his glee that Odasaku feels something. He can break that. He can make Odasaku his, and his alone.]

I don't know what to tell you.

[tenimuho]

...Hm.

[It bothers him, but...]

It's not your problem. I won't trouble you with it.

[After all - he wouldn't want to impose on Dazai, who's been too good to him already.]