Network -> Action

[darkdisgrace]

[The dumb thing about Chuuya and Dazai is that they both have an incredibly sensitive sixth sense about the other. Perhaps it's something about knowing each other after so many years, but Dazai just being gone in the morning, his shoes left behind, everything where it had been left the night before sans the man himself-- it set off alarm bells.

This wasn't the 'Dazai is fucking with me again and I need to make sure all my groceries haven't been replaced with dog treats or my clothing hasn't been shrunk 2 sizes' feeling, this was the 'Dazai is doing something incredibly dangerous and stupid and is in Trouble' feeling.

Chuuya's out of bed, dressed and out the door in moments, charm in hand.]

If anyone has seen Dazai Osamu, a stupid asshole with a fake smile and bandages all over him, give me a call. You might recognize him from his dumb radio show. Ideally tie the bastard to a tree so he doesn't leave, but I've got dibs on kicking his ass.

[That's all Chuuya says for now, because he's setting off to search the town more. And after searching the town with Kotone, he's off searching further out.

Sometime at 3am that night, there's the distant booming of an explosion. It looks like there was a rockslide over on the side of the mountains, from this distance. In reality, Chuuya has just blown a hole in the mountain from sheer frustration (and fear. Lots of fear).

Over twenty-four hours after that query on the network, Chuuya can be found in the tavern, absolutely wasted in the early afternoon. His eyes are bloodshot, face lined with exhaustion. He hasn't slept, and alcohol is only a small portion of the reason he looks like hell.]



[OOC: Dazai disappeared for a canon update! TW: Some of the threads on this post might contain allusions to suicide, since uh. Dazai is Dazai and Chuuya is Concerned about that. I will warn whenever that comes up.]

Comments

[darkdisgrace]

[Usually, Chuuya was the same. Usually, he's be out there doing anything possible to resolve a problem, to fix things. He's never been a 'sitting still and thinking' kinda guy.

But this was digging at old wounds, old hurts that had never truly healed. Maybe Dazai had just left. Maybe he was dead. Both meant Chuuya had lost his partner again.

And yet his grip does relax a little when Kotone touches the back of his hand. Since she's here, he doesn't want to cause problems.] And what guarantee is there he'll come back?

[No 'not that I want him to', no 'i'm better off'. Dazai was an ally he thought he could count on here, and now he's gone.]

[orphne]

[The honesty is kind of refreshing, really. She'd gotten so used to both of them blustering about how much they hated each other that it's nice to hear it spoken plainly for once. Not that it's a surprise.]

There isn't one. [Sorry, Chuuya. After everything she's been through, she's not the one to give pleasant platitudes about having blind hope.] But think about how annoying he'd be if he saw us sulking about him being gone.

[Her fingers wrap gently around his hand, not quite holding it, the angle is a little wrong, but doing what she can.] So can you help me look after we eat?

[darkdisgrace]

[It was complicated. The admissions of hate weren't false, in truth. But it was more a hate borne of a uniquely terrifying uncanny understanding of each other.

But what was it they said, about hate and love? Two sides of the same coin. Neither of them could ever be indifferent to the other.]

If he comes back. But that's the thing about Dazai, y'know? The bastard is always trying to run away from everyone and everything, one way or another.

[He allows Kotone to tuck her fingers around his hand, still gloved. They're not exactly clean-- there's signs of dust and dirt, scuffmarks from where he'd taken out his anger on rocky landscape.

He sounds so tired.]

[orphne]

Yeah.

[Yeah. Dazai is a handful. Even for the short time Kotone's known him, he's clearly not the type to stay in one place very long. She tilts her head and lets it bump against Chuuya's elbow, still keeping her own pillowed on the table.]

You've always found him before, though, right? We don't know that this is any different.

[There's no guarantees, but it is a pattern, right? No matter how far Dazai runs, Chuuya's been able to find him again.

The bartender sets two bowls of stew down, one in front of each of them, and reluctantly, Kotone raises her head to grab her spoon.]

Smells good. Try some? [Please.]

[darkdisgrace]

No, I haven't. Not really. And if Dazai really, really tries, he's a hard man to be found.

[Chuuya does lean just a little closer to Kotone though, offering the support of his elbow or shoulder if she needs it. He's always been someone who expresses affection in physical ways, in tiny acts, and he understands, even as drunk as he is, that she's trying to get his spirits up.

It's just an uphill battle she's fighting, against years of this. He stares at the stew when it comes, stomach churning a little.]

Either this actually settles my stomach or the opposite entirely, with how much i've drank.

[He lets out a defeated sigh nonetheless, reaching for a spoon. Letting food go to waste would be against his principles.]

[orphne]

[She doesn't actually need it, but she takes it anyway. If Chuuya thinks it's for her sake instead of his own, so much the better. And besides... she'd be lying if she said she didn't appreciate it, really.]

Try just the broth, at least. If you start to feel sick, we can get something else.

[She, on the other hand, pushes her stew around with her spoon for a moment before forcing herself to take her own bite. Like him, she's not actually hungry, but she knows she has to eat or Shinji will scold her. Thus, if she has to eat, Chuuya has to eat.]

When's the last time you got some sleep?

[darkdisgrace]

Sure. [He lets out a sigh, tugging the bowl closer. He's still slumped against the bartop as he spoons up some of the broth to take a taste.

It's rich against an alcohol saturated tongue, and he grimaces a bit, but... he's not throwing up, at least.]

...Night before Dazai disappeared.

[Yeah. Yeah.

And Kotone has probably noticed that Chuuya at least tends to try and keep a half-decent sleep schedule, though 'try' is a big word here.]

[orphne]

[She lets out a disgruntled, upset little noise, but doesn't say anything out loud. Dazai, she'd expect that from. Chuuya? Not a chance. Change of plans.]

Then after you have some of that, let's get some water and get some rest. We can look after you sleep.

[Hesitating just a beat, she adds,] After both of us get some sleep. I'm worried about him too, you know. You don't have to do it all alone.