Dance of song | Soukoku dance au |

Family Dinner

France was nice, a time away from everything, to forget all the pain waiting here. He'd enjoyed the time he got to spend without worries or memories of the suffering either of them endured.

The summer sun settles just above the horizon, slowly falling away to give room for the night. It's a miracle Dazai agreed to this. Honestly, it's Chuuya who convinced him to do it. He insisted that he try. Mori's trying, and so he should at least go to this. Mori wanted a nice dinner, one where he insisted that Dazai should bring Chuuya along. It's not that he's nervous, he's worried... not about himself, but for Chuuya. He doesn't want things to break and fall apart. It's a possibility that Dazai might be overthinking, because this will be Chuuya's first honest glance into the nightmare that is whatever you want to call Dazai's dysfunctional household.

It's worse than he thought... Mori found out Chuuya's family was in town to take care of tuition for the next year, and he'd apparently invited them along. Though he's interested to see how both Kouyou and Yosano handle Mori. If there's a fight, he'll be all for it. His bastard of a father deserves every snarky comment that gets tossed at him. The only somewhat alright thing about today stands with his residence. He won't have to stick around after. He's been staying with Oda since the school year came to a close. Truth is, he didn't want to go home, not with all his progress. The last time he'd truly set foot here, he'd nearly lost it all.

Standing beside Dazai, Chuuya wraps his hand in his. He gets this must be hard, he can see the desire to back out surrounding his partner. Chuuya takes the initiative to knock, but before he can do so, the door opens to the unfamiliar woman. She looks... sweet? Of course, he doesn't doubt a word of the warnings he's been given. Dazai was clear they should avoid her. If Elise is any sign, then that's the plan. Elise probably gets the entitlement from her. He's been around Mori enough to know the guy's stuck up, but the sort of thing Elise has is not a superiority complex, it's something different. It's more like a child acting out to be coddled and spoiled. Somebody had to put into her head that the only way to get attention was the spotlight. It's a crap way of thinking. At least Chuuya doesn't understand it, while also understanding at the same time. He pushes himself to be the best, so perhaps it's a little like that. "Come in." She hardly speaks, there's no formal greeting, she just steps aside eyeing Dazai, and no amount of smiling or light pushed forward into her eyes will hide the scorn in her face, the obvious dislike for the boy. "Darling your guests have arrived, least of all your... our son and his... friend." That irks Chuuya, who opens his mouth, only closing it when Dazai squeezes his hand. Leave it, he seems to communicate.

Stepping out of earshot, Chuuya groans, tilting his head back. "Oh, she's going to be infuriating all night." Dazai snickers with a nod as he glances over the halls. He spots something odd, and his heart wavers. In the corner, there's one more seat. He steps further into the formal dining room and stares. He's seated in the middle facing the window. To his left is a card for Chuuya, but to his right... he picks up the nameplate and his hands shake a little.

Clearing his throat, Mori walks in, setting down a basket of biscuits. "I... Figured if she were... she'd have wanted to be here to meet them. I hope you don't mind..." Dazai slid his eyes to Mori, setting back the nameplate. He kept it... it's still the same gold plating as the rest of the family, still carved with her name. The others for those not related by blood have yet to be made, and all that's there are their names written in cursive, no doubt that woman's handwriting.

Chuuya steps to take a look at what they were talking about, and he can't help the soft sigh. She'd... be happy for the two of them. She's the reason he persisted in helping this idiot... the reason he... No, there had been feelings long before he came to meet her. Neither of them wanted to admit they had anything until there was no room to keep the feeling closed off. "Bet that... bet Elise's mother hates the very fact this is even out. She's not very pleased to have either of us here." Mori shrugs a little, so what? Dazai's skeptical, beyond skeptical. Mori has never been the one to not go by her whims. So much of the reason he's been so screwed over was due to that woman's requests and woe me acts.