Fragments of Us - Soukoku Oneshots

15. The Persuasion Playbook: Chuuya's Winning Tactics ❤️‍🩹

It was a rare quiet evening at the Port Mafia headquarters. After days of chaos, missions, and tension, Chuuya and Dazai had managed to carve out a moment of peace. Well, at least it was peaceful for Dazai, who sat at his desk, lazily flipping through mission reports. Across the room, Chuuya had been unusually quiet for the past few minutes, which instantly piqued Dazai's interest. When Chuuya was silent, it usually meant he was scheming something.

The sun was setting, casting a warm, orange glow through the windows of Dazai's office. Chuuya paced back and forth, tugging on his hat nervously, occasionally glancing at Dazai, who 'looked' utterly disinterested. His lips twitched, like he was holding something back. It was that hesitation that made Dazai smirk to himself.

They had just returned from a mission together, and as much as Chuuya tried to focus on the debriefing, his mind kept wandering back to the thing that had caught his attention on the way home: a small, scrappy puppy that had followed him down the street.

He's planning something, Dazai thought. It wasn't every day that Chuuya acted so... contemplative.

"Oi, Chuuya," Dazai finally called, tilting his head lazily toward him. "If you keep pacing like that, you'll wear a hole in the floor. What's got your tiny brain working so hard?"

Chuuya stopped in his tracks, shooting Dazai an irritated glance but not rising to the insult; another sign that something was up. Normally, he'd bite back with a snarl or a kick. Instead, he crossed his arms over his chest and took a deep breath.

"I've been thinking..." Chuuya muttered, his voice trailing off. He wasn't sure how to phrase it; how to convince Dazai to even consider what he was about to ask. But then again, what did he have to lose? Dazai always found a reason to tease him no matter what he said. Might as well go for it.

Dazai blinked, feigning shock as he straightened up. "Thinking? You?" He gasped dramatically, placing a hand over his chest. "This is a rare occasion! What could possibly be important enough for the great Chuuya to strain himself?"

"Shut it," Chuuya grumbled, clearly getting annoyed, but his eyes betrayed a certain softness, something almost... hopeful.

Dazai's curiosity deepened. Whatever Chuuya was about to say, it was important to him. His eyes narrowed playfully. "Well? Out with it."

"I want a puppy."

Silence. Dazai's hand froze mid-flip, and he finally looked up from his documents, his amber eyes narrowing in disbelief.

"You want... a what?"

"A puppy," Chuuya repeated, more confidently this time. "I saw one earlier; cute, scruffy thing, big eyes. It followed me for a few blocks and, well, I was thinking... maybe it could stay with us..?"

Dazai blinked slowly, then leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Absolutely not."

Chuuya gaped. He hadn't even had the chance to present his case! "What do you mean 'absolutely not'? You didn't even think about it!"

"I don't need to think about it," Dazai replied flatly, his poker face firmly in place. "It's a terrible idea."

Chuuya slammed his palms down on the desk, leaning forward aggressively. "How the hell do you know it's a terrible idea!? I haven't even explained anything!"

Dazai sighed dramatically, clearly unfazed by Chuuya's sudden intensity. "First of all, you work for the Port Mafia. We don't have the kind of lifestyle that supports taking care of...pets. You know, like animals that need things such as food, attention, and, I don't know, safety? What happens when we go out on missions? Are you going to bring the puppy along with us while we assassinate people?"