Shipping the SDRA2 Cast With Each Other

Hashimaku/Syobai Hashimoto x Hajime Makunouchi

Warning: mentioned drug use

Syobai was getting really tired of people bothering him while he was just trying to smoke.

When evening fell over the Isle of Nowhere, the broker had gone out before the nighttime announcement to have a quick cigarette to calm his nerves before he went to sleep. It had always been his nighttime routine so that he could go to sleep quickly and easily, and it hadn't failed him many times before.

But as he took a cigarette out and was about to light it, somebody called out to him. "Hey, what the heck are you doing?!" A high-pitched voice exclaimed, which he recognized as Hibiki's.

"...What does it look like, little shit?" Syobai sarcastically turned to the vocalist, his displeasure clear on his face. "What are you doing out here anyway? Just fuck off, would you?" He huffed, turning back to his cigarettes.

"You really shouldn't be doing that! I know enough from school to know that smoking's gonna kill you!" Hibiki continued.

"Good, an early grave means that I can get more sleep. No skin off my nose." The broker rolled his eyes. "What are you going to do, cry to your younger sis? What's the littler shit going to do to stop me?"

"No, I'm not going to call Kanade. I'll just tell your mom on you." The vocalist replied with a shit-eating grin. Before Syobai could react, Hibiki turned around and called down the hall. "Hey Haji, Syosyo is smoking again!" She yelled, quickly darting back into the Monocruise soon after.

The broker fumed as he heard heavy footsteps coming. If it weren't for the fact that there was a 'no violence' rule and that Hibiki was out of range of him, Syobai would have stabbed her right then and there. Now he had to deal with yet another lecture from the group's resident health enthusiast.

"Seriously?! You're smoking AGAIN?!" Hajime shouted, as if he couldn't believe that it was still happening.

"Why are you surprised? It's not like I don't do this everyday. Why are you on the warpath for me specifically when Newsie can't even eat a proper meal to save his life?" The broker grumbled, putting back his lighter and preparing to tune out the boxer's incoming rant.

"Do you know what cigarettes are even made with?! Half of the ingredients can kill you on their own, I have no idea who thought it was a good idea to make them into a drug!" The boxer began, and Syobai was barely paying any attention to him. "They're terrible for your body and taste bad too, you'll die of lung cancer if you keep smoking them!"

"Two things wrong with your little lecture. One, drugs wouldn't be sold everywhere if they didn't work in any way. These help me relax, and I haven't found anything else that works." Syobai refuted. "And two, they taste bad? How would you be able to know that if you haven't tried them yourself?"

"You're right, I did try them long ago. I joined a gang as a stupid and young teenager, and I did a lot of terrible things to my body like drinking alcohol or smoking tobacco. Stuff like that." Hajime admitted. "But a while after that, I was set straight by an old boxing pro, and he taught he to actually give a damn about my body. Honestly, you should too."

"Look, that's the difference between us." The broker began. "You had someone to help you, be it a gang member or an old fool, so you weren't alone. I had no one, just material possessions and a will to live. I never had anyone to guide me or calm me down, so I've had to rely on these little things. We can't change the past."

"But you can at least change your future. Or at least alter it enough to not die from lung cancer." The boxer contested. "There are a lot of people here now and some snacks at the mart, so there's still hope that you can find a way to kick the habit, somehow."

"You say that like people can be trusted. The only thing you can trust is what they have." Syobai sighed. "If I put this out, are you gonna fuck off?"

"Yeah, at least until you light another one." Hajime agreed. "I won't even get mad if you switch to snacks for your smoke cravings instead. I temporarily used some small candies to kick mine, you I think you should-"

Ignoring the boxer, Syobai reluctantly tossed the cigarette into the ocean and put back the cigarette pack in his coat. He had a feeling that Monocrow would either get on his case about it or not care, but at least Hajime looked satisfied.

True to his word, Hajime silently nodded and left in peace, not bothing the broker more. Syobai huffed and waited until he was out of sight before slipping into the Monocruise, not wanting to be locked out for the night.