PSL (closed)

[foundfate]

[The shop had finally settled again. It was a bit of a relief, because it hadn't anchored to a world in nearly two weeks, and Watanuki's food stores had started to run low. A shopping trip would be in order, mostly to replenish his nonperishable before the shop set out looking for another world in need of his help.

Usually Watanuki could guess when a move was about to happen, but sometimes it happened out of the blue. Like this last move, which had come so soon after arriving in the previous world. That usually meant that his services were in dire need and that people's souls were calling out to him, even if they didn't quite know it themselves yet. Watanuki would just have to wait for them to come to him.

His first visitor, at least, wouldn't take too long to get there. Watanuki always had a sense of when someone was to arrive, and as soon as the shop's gates had opened and revealed itself to the busy streets of Yokohama he had felt the impending arrival of a customer. It was enough to pique his interest, because he didn't usually get a visitor on the same day after a shop move. Someone was very perceptive, it seemed.

By the time his guest would arrive, Watanuki had already set up some tea in one of the sitting rooms. The summer was at its end, and the cool breeze felt nice enough that Watanuki had decided to open the movable doors to reveal the backyard, which was still bathed in the greens of summer. They could stay cool without the need of an air conditioner that way.

From there, he waited. He had a feeling that his guest was a particularly clever one, so he felt sure that they would find their way to the sitting room on their own.]

Comments

[neverwashere]

[The smile was painfully fixed onto his face as he shed off his clothes, starting with his bolo tie and the buttons on his vest. The methodical activity was always something to focus on that was decidedly not the exposure he signed up for, and the added cost of not hearing Probably-Odasaku's message.

(It wasn't that he thought Watanuki was lying. Rather, he just couldn't process that entire exchange in full right now, close as it was to grief.)]

I don't suppose you have a privacy screen or something?

[He extended his leg and tugged up the hem of his pants. Yep, more bandages. Unless Watanuki didn't mind being subjected to a lazy strip show that rivaled his own?]

[foundfate]

You can use the room next door.

[He pointed to the wall, which was one of those sliding walls that could also function as a door.]

You could have asked from the start too.

[Not that he was honestly complaining or anything. Nor was he oogling Dazai's shirtless self. It was what it was, and he didn't seem particularly take by nor uncomfortable about Dazai's half-nudity.]

[neverwashere]

And here I thought you wanted a show. Ta.

[A flying kiss and a wink. Humor was a fantastic coping mechanism.

The coat, vest, and shirt went with him to the side room. He'd take in the furnishing - an added distraction - as he stripped, maybe taking his time to undo his bandages. There was something to be said about the strange awareness this'd be the last time he had to take these off, of parting with the comfortable familiarity he found in the simple texture of gauze.

Streams of white covered the floor when he was done. Putting on his clothes afterwards was such an alien experience. His skin, finally able to breathe, would thank Watanuki for it. Not that gratitude was the first sensation Dazai had to contend with - no, that was reserved for the sheer discomfort in walking out with his neck uncovered above his collar, the cool air pebbling his skin.]

Here we go.

[Don't mind the mass he just dumped by Watanuki's feet. That was just Dazai's latent spite of everything in general working to derive stinging amusement.]

[foundfate]

[A pile of bandages was fine. Watanuki merely held out his hand, palm-up, and the bandages slowly lifted up and started to roll in on themselves until they made one tight roll in his hand. Hm. Must have been some wish-granting magic.]

Very well. The price for your wish has been paid.

[Then, finally, Watanuki got up off of his couch. The bandages stayed in his hand, and he carried them with him as he walked over to the door that led to the hallway.]

Follow me. The item I need to grant your wish is in the store room.

[neverwashere]

[Don't be surprised if Dazai started making very specific comments over the next few visits, Watanuki. For how ill-defined certain Abilities could be applied, they still had certian limitations. Levitating strips of cloth seemed to be a bit of a strech for wish granting, if there was an element of equivalent exchange involved in that one.]

Item?

[He'd follow Watanuki and discreetly check if Atsushi was hanging around.]

Don't tell me you're going to store those, by the way. Even I know using second-hand bandages can be unsanitary.

[foundfate]

Of course I'm going to store them. They're a physical representation of the price you have paid. It's not like I'm making these deals for my clients' health, I do get something out of the exchange.

[The fact that the bandages seem to be energized with 'something' was a sign that his words might have some truth to them.

When they reached the storage room, Watanuki slid the door open with a hand and stepped in. It was packed in there, stored floor-to-ceiling with various items and objects. The bandages were deposited onto a shelf on one side of the room, and then Watanuki moved down to a box in another section. He had to dig around for what he was looking for, so it would take a moment.]

The item is just a way of transferring the wish. A vessel, so to speak. Once it is used, Atsushi will have no need to keep it if he doesn't want to.

[If Dazai wanted to poke around, though, Watanuki wasn't about to stop him. There was plenty to see too. Though if he stole anything, there would be consequences later.]

[neverwashere]

[Dazai gave him a Look. He wouldn't know about that energy, too used to thinking of himself as a nullifier that was decidedly the opposite of abilities -

Come to think of it, how was he even affected by Watanuki?

Something to ponder over as he looked around the storage room with an appreciative whistle.]

I see.

In any other context, you'd be mistaken for a pack rat. Some of these look positively ancient.

[Anything of historical significance in here?

Not to worry, no theft was going to happen. Dazai was only a pickpocket in certain contexts, and it helpef that he rather appreciated Watanuki's frankness with his dealings.

If the presence he sensed earlier stuck around, well. He couldn't exactly do much about that, other than to wonder.]

[foundfate]

[That, actually, was a very good question. And perhaps one Dazai should look into. There's a specific reason why Watanuki knows Dazai will not find out Odasaku's message before he needs to, after all. Even if his powers should be nullified by Dazai's touch.]

Some of these have been in here for over a thousand years.

[Interesting, given that the architecture of the building seemed to say 1500s, and thus wasn't nearly old enough to have been a shop for a thousand years.]

But I know where everything is, I keep careful track of- oi! Don't touch things.

[The cold presence was definitely there, and now a book was levitating off the shelf slightly. But as soon as Watanuki spoke up, the book dropped back onto the shelf.]

[neverwashere]

[The levitating book sent Dazai into a fit of belly-aching laughter. He'd return to that thousand years thing later, but - ahh, wasn't this just like Odasaku?

At this point, it was safe to say his suspension of disbelief held up.]

He's not the type to listen to just anyone. [The fondness in his tone was unmistakable.] Not even our old boss, which was pretty ballsy of him.

[Dazai obviously approved.]

[foundfate]

Well he's going to get kicked out if he- HEY!

[Speaking of ballsy, that sure was a ghostly hand tugging on Watanuki's obi. Watanuki totally would have been exposed if not for his quick reflexes. Now he's drawn his arms tight across his front to try to keep from showing off any noodly goods.]

Kindly tell your pervert of a friend to knock it off before I call in an exorcist!

[neverwashere]

Ehhh?

[No, Oda wasn't a pervert, nor was he prone to stripping random people without provocation.

That only meant -

A twinge of nostalgia ran through him, terribly fond and rather sad. Oh, Odasaku. The man could've been free in the afterlife, possibly with the need to fend off Gide, but this?

Dazai leaned on one of the shelves against the wall after making sure it wouldn't topple over. What did he ever do to deserve such an ardent defender of his dignity?]

A deal's a deal, Odasaku. Thank you, but there's no need.

It'll be fine.

[He didn't know how honest that last part was, but Dazai would've said it even if he was about to go off and, oh, sell a kidney or something if it was the last resortv and the price was right.]

[foundfate]

[Hooray, Dazai got the meaning! The response wasn't quite what Odasaku wanted to hear, but there wasn't much that could be done about that. Regardless, the grip on Watanuki's obi dropped, and Watanuki was free to hurriedly rearrange his clothes.]

I told you he was protective of you.

[Someone was salty.

That someone also managed to find the item he had been looking for before too long too. It was a small box, and inside of it was a set of round orbs that glowed and flickered like the sun. He pulled one little orb out of the box, and he held it out for Dazai to take.]

Here you go. If he eats this, he will have control of his powers.

[neverwashere]

[Oh, someone was definitely heading to Lupin after this. Dazai took a moment to study a figurine on the shelf in an effort to compose himself - this was just too much.

When the crack in his smile had gone away (pushed down, more like it), he held out his hand to receive the orb, giving the box a scrutinizing glance before testing the bauble's weight.]

Guess I'll have to come up with something that isn't 'candy.'

The other one is connected to this?

[foundfate]

It is, yes. They are two pieces of sunlight from a long-dead sun, the last remnants of that galaxy. As long as one is shining somewhere, both are.

Atsushi-kun's problem is darkness and moonlight. with a tiny piece of a sun inside of his body, he won't fall victim to the pull of the moon. And that sunlight will remain inside of him until he dies, or until it is called back by this space in the box being vacant for too long.

[In the orb's place, he put the roll of bandages.]

Which won't happen unless the bandages are removed, and that won't happen so long as you don't cover yourself up anymore.

[neverwashere]

[Sun? Galaxy?

What in actual fuck.]

I'd hate to be a critic, but your attempts at waxing poetic need work. Try adding a better rhythm to it.

[How literal or literary was that description?]

[foundfate]

It's not a poem. It's literal. You are holding a sun in your hand right now.

[Hello Dazai, welcome to the world of 'what the fuck is this magic bullshit'.]

[neverwashere]

[Oh for the love of -]

Jeez, give a guy enough warning, will you? It's one thing to know my dead best friend's hovering around me when he should be doing other things contented deceased people do, and entirely another to reveal that balls of gas do, in fact, hold mystical powers, and can be condensed to not burn my skin off.

[Why yes, that was also a pointed jab at Odasaku. Dazai might be more than a little happy that the man was still hanging around him, probably even hearing all the little things mentioned at his grave over the years, but why?]

I don't suppose even local folklore applies as well? You may not go out much, but it's impossible for the rest of us to avoid crossroads in urban areas.

[foundfate]

It doesn't even have to be urban areas. You're in a crossroad right now.

[Surprise surprise!

Watanuki shut the box and set it back on the shelf, right next to several other trinkets and items. It really was a mess in the storage room.]

Powers between worlds always interact weirdly, though I have found that the powers contained within my shop try to conform to the world it is connected to. Which is probably why the barrier reacts to you. Or maybe you're just that strong regardless. It's an interesting question that should be looked into further.

[But it was time to leave the store room, and if Dazai didn't go of his own volition then Watanuki would attempt to drag him away and back to the sitting room.]

[neverwashere]

[He raised an eyebrow and pointed at the ground.]

For all that a shop is an establishment people could cross roads and meet, this is still technically a building on the side of a road.

[Following Watanuki out was fine - he couldn't exactly appreciate the full worth of the storage room with how his mind buzzed with too many possibilities and thoughts.

Being described as 'strong' was also new. Sure, his ability was something people were cautious of, but it wasn't something he associated with raw power.]

I suppose I'm all ears, if it can be used as an advantage. Are you proposing anything in particular?

[foundfate]

[Come on Dazai, you're more observant than that! Watanuki had thought Dazai knew it already, or at least suspected it.]

If you say so.

[A hint that Dazai's way of thinking was wrong, but no confirmation as to what was right.

Instead, he held out a hand to Dazai.]

Let's start here, and see if you nullify mine.

[neverwashere]

[Dazai huffed, running a hand through his hair.]

Oh fine, fine, Mr. Dimension Witch. Not everything in this cozy corner of town is as it seems.

[Yep, he suspected - already, he was calculating how much this encounter was shifting his world view, whether he liked it or not. At the end of the day, it was a matter of sniffing out the internal consistent logic of the matter, an insight he'd appreciate later for the mental flexibility it afforded him, but for now -

He clasped Watanuki's hand and waited.]

[foundfate]

[The world didn't seem to fall apart, so there was that. Watanuki did frown thoughtfully as he looked to the space just past Dazai, though.]

It seems you nullified the powers I was born with, but not the ones I inherited. Interesting.

[neverwashere]

[While the shopkeep looked off at the distance, his palm was being studied. Thin with bony fingers - but would he have callouses?]

It is, isn't it? Not even someone with an Ability akin to a curse was able to affect me.

[Yumeno Kyuusaku. The kid who was sealed away somewhere in Mafia HQ.]

The only logical explanation is that the power you inherited isn't an ability. No Longer Human is absolute - that held true, even when I encountered something like an Old God masquerading as a human.

By any chance, how disinclined are you to fulfilling requests for curses? I have a lot of enemies, you see, and I'd hate for them to go after you if someone discovers this exchange.

[Both a heads up and a stab at assessment.]

[foundfate]

[Not really callouses, but there were dozens and dozens of tiny scars all over his hands. Some were clean slices, likely from kitchen accidents and the like. But others were jagged, or round puncture wounds. He had been hurt many, many times in the past, and by many different things. And those scars seemed to continue up his arms and into the sleeves of his kimono...]

It clearly isn't absolute, since it cannot block some of my powers.

[SHRUG

He wasn't saying he was stronger than an old god, but he totally was.He sounded unapologetic as he said that too. But the next part got a more serious answer.]

It depends on the nature of the curse. I don't deal in death, but I can be convinced to do other things if they don't lead to death.

[neverwashere]

[Hmm, interesting. Not that Dazai would immediately pry - after all, most Ability users tended to have troubled lives.]

All with the appropriate price and consequences, I'm sure.

I'll keep that in mind.

[Admittedly, it was the cost that reduced the potential list of requesters. Only the desperate and cornered might believe it was worth it.

If Watanuki was done, he'd take his hand back.]

Is it because of you that I'm able to tell he's here? Or did he just show up now, as opposed to my last visit?