the sakura tree - soukoku

chapter 5 ~ banter

c/w // mentions of suicide, swearing, queers /j

(a/n - creds to my stupid ass dazai and chuuya alters for this one woohoo)

(song - Lonely Day • System of a Down)

-

A few days later, Chuuya had his feet up on his desk, chewing on a pen, deep in thought, while Dazai was disassembling his own pen and putting it back together.

Chuuya must've noticed Dazai slacking off, as he kicked off the desk, his office chair sending him over to Dazai's desk. "Hey, mackerel, what the hell are you doing? We have a case, you know."

Dazai didn't respond, he was just humming an awfully familiar tune as he screwed the ink cartridge back into the pen.

"...If you're singing that damn suicide song again, I swear I'm gonna beat your ass, Osamu."

-

The pen was finally put back together, and Chuuya could relax, knowing his dear business partner was going to actually make himself useful.

"I'm gonna tell you again, cause you weren't listening the first time. Some idiot's tearing up Yokohama, and we gotta put an end to it. You got that?"

Dazai's nimble fingers flipped the pen in between them. He tapped his foot on the floor to an unknown beat, but he nodded nonetheless. "Yes, Chuuya, I got it. No need to worry."

"The heck are you on about? There's plenty of need to worry! You're Osamu Dazai, the most useless member of this whole organisation. The only thing you're good for is pissing off Kunikida and getting everyone in danger."

Dazai put the pen down and poked Chuuya's nose, shaking his head. "Aren't you forgetting my ability? You'd be dead several times over if it weren't for me. Hey, come to think of it, so would everyone else here! My nullification ability is one of the only things keeping this company, and everyone in it, on its feet."

"Whatever you say, shitty Dazai." Chuuya couldn't help but smile to himself, looking away to hide the faint pull at the corners of his lips.

It was just banter, something they had all the time. It was almost constant. The insults from Chuuya, the retorts from Dazai. Everyone in the office knew about their tendencies to argue.

Chuuya couldn't help but love every second of their banter. It had started long before Dazai left the mafia, and had continued long after. Their childhood fights, their teenage arguments, their adult battles. Both of them would never admit it to themselves or each other, but they loved that about their relationship. The possibility to have banter like this, publicly as well. Dazai randomly clinging to Chuuya to embarrass him, Chuuya purposely tripping Dazai up in public.. the two were practically inseparable in that aspect.

As much as they claimed to despise each other, they knew they'd do anything for one another. As much as they wanted to kill each other, they'd happily die for each other too. When that aspect is taken into their account, it leaves an almost bittersweet aftertaste. Just like Dazai, apparently.

Dragging them from their seemingly connected thoughts, Dazai spoke again. "So, this rampant is destroying Yokohama, correct? Can we not just station police around the city until we catch whoever it is?"

The redhead sighed, putting his chewed pen on his desk. "I suppose that'd work in the short term. But we have to find out who this is, and their motive."

"Oh, look at you go. Little detective in the making, hm, Port Mafia executive?" Dazai chuckled, crossing one leg over the other. "Looks like Chibiko is finally making himself useful."

"Oh, shut up, you asshat. I'm only doing this so I don't get fired. You know I don't have anywhere else to go." Chuuya grumbled, spinning on his chair.

"Oh, my dear darling Chuuya called me an asshat, whatever shall I do? Oh, what a predicament. What a tragedy! I fear I may never be the same.." Dazai placed the back of his hand on his forehead dramatically, laughing at Chuuya's irritated expression.

Typical Dazai, always being an annoying little shit. Oh well. As long as they had no field work together, Chuuya should be fine. He only had a limited amount of times he could use Corruption before it overtook him completely. Not even No Longer Human could fix that mess.

If Dazai was gonna keep annoying him like this, he might as well tune him out. He put a song on the portable radio on his desk. He didn't bother checking the name, but it was one he recognised. Surprisingly, it silenced Dazai, as he recognised it too. It was a good song, that had to be said. And both of them knew it, which was good.

They both sat in comfortable quiet, basking in the warmth of the song playing. That is- until they reached the chorus.

Dazai grabbed Chuuya's hand and pulled him up, twirling him around, ignoring the indignant yelps of the other. His voice was clear and soothing as he sang.

"And if you go, I wanna go with you."

Chuuya bit his lip and gave in. That shit eating grin on Dazai's stupid face wasn't leaving anytime soon, so he may as well humor him.

"And if you die, I wanna die with you."

Dazai's eyes lit up as he heard Chuuya's reluctant, yet strangely beautiful voice singing the words. The two voices joined together, singing the separate harmonies. Dazai had intertwined his fingers with Chuuya's gloved ones, slowly dancing with him. Chuuya rolled his eyes, a reluctant smile on his face, as he danced with his work partner, his other half.

"Take your hand and walk away..."

* ~ *