foundfate | PSL (closed)

PSL (closed)

[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.]

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[That did explain a lot, actually.

Dazai clutched his chin, considering this twist.]

Then, shutting off my ability is the simplest solution.

Shall we trade on the basis of time? The hours I spend on those assignments, for your thirdwheeling.

[He was tempted to say no, but he actually stopped himself to think about it. It would be a fair balance of prices, and no extra cost would be taken from him as a result. It also didn't make it a permanent trade, which was probably healthier in the long run since Dazai would probably just leave and not come back once Odasaku passed on from this world. It was better not to be married to someone who was only using you to see someone else. He would just get teased about it for the next century or two, knowing the spirits who visited him frequently.]

Alright, we can do that. Let's say both amounts of time must be completed within a week of each other?

[Normally his magic would take the price within a day, but if the wish was set up to allow for a week to find time to do it then it should be fine.]

Two weeks? Or if that's stretching it, a week and a half?

[He smiled apologetically. This was a touch delicate, knowing what backlash Watanuki got from delays.]

I'd hate to land you in a situation where you can't call for a doctor. Imprisonment and hiding, I'm afraid, are occasional hazards of my usual job, and I'd also rather avoid calling attention to my trips here.

Though I've no doubt you can give him a taste of his own medicine, my former cellmate's still rather unpleasant to deal with.

[That bit on marriage, too, was something that also wouldn't sit well with Dazai. In his view, getting hitched and not having the consequences limited to paper wasn't something he could actually arrange with his usual candor. On top of being a private person, he also had a certain amount of budding respect for a shopkeeper who actually valued and stuck with a fair deal. It was kind of like Dazai's fondness for Kunikida's perpetual chasing of ideals.]

[That was fair. And if feelings grew between them, Watanuki would revisit the idea later. But for now, this was a better arrangement.]

Two weeks, then. Also, giving you the sight will have to come here at the shop. Outside of the barriers it is too dangerous for me to be without my ability. I have many, many enemies who would take advantage of that. Not to mention all of the people in your world who would take advantage of it too. There's one witch in particular who I know can see my presence, and I'm not looking forward to meeting with her.

[At least Dazai had a warning that there was going to be trouble in the future? Because there was definitely going to be trouble in the future.

Of course, Dostoevsky promised to be just as much trouble as that witch would be. Dazai's world was a hazard in of itself. As much as Watanuki wanted to go out and see things, he was still wary of the trip.]

We also need to sort out a weapon for you and have it fitted to accept your power. You had something in mind, yes?

That's a given, and already accounted for.

[Not being able to use No Longer Human wasn't a good thing to advertise, either. Watanuki's own ability was something Dazai'd prefer to keep, too. If the number of people discovering the shop couldn't be prevented (hitsuzen and all), slowing the spread of information was the next option.

All that, he explained away with a wink.]

I'll keep you to myself a while longer, if you'll oblige.

Shall I ward this particular witch away from you?

[The head of the Clock Tower, if he had to guess, unless there was someone else. None of the female ability users the Agency encountered so far quite fit the bill.]

Odasaku's guns. I'll bring them with me tomorrow, if that's convenient.

[He wasn't in a hurry, no, but delaying something of use was also pointless.]

Edited 2019-10-07 16:42 (UTC)

No, it's fine. As a witch, I can handle other witches. It's just a pain to deal with.

[He said that all while waving Dazai off. So yep, men could be witches too. And Watanuki considered himself one as well. Another can of worms has just fallen into Dazai's lap.

Dazai was right in his assumption, though. Agatha Christie was the witch Watanuki had been referring to.

When Dazai mentioned Odasaku's guns, Watanuki looked up abruptly to where the cold spot lingered. For a moment, Dazai would hear one side of a conversation:]

Do you disagree with that?

...

Well of course he kept them, just look at him.

...

No, I'm saying he considers you important to him and is sentimental about your things.

[Then he sighed and glanced to Dazai.]

That's the most I have heard him speak this entire time, you know.

[Dazai blinked at that abrupt exchange.

Being affronted aside ("just look at him," indeed; did Watanuki have to put it that way?), it did mean that Oda hadn't caught what Dazai meant earlier.

His next words were painful to mention, too, and Dazai hid it with practiced nonchalance.]

I think I can imagine.

Ne. I kept your old matchbook, too, Odasaku.

...is it that surprising?

[Whatever Odasaku said in response, it got a moment of shock, followed by a glance between Dazai and the spot where Odasaku was. When Watanuki stopped on the cold spot finally, it was with a sad look on his face.

He looked like he had something to say about it too, but he held off. Probably for Dazai's sake.]

...anyway, bring the guns the next time you visit, and I'll have a weaponsmith visit to make alterations to them.

[Yep, he's not translating it.]

[While Dazai paid close attention to Watanuki's side of things, it was still difficult to tell what Odasaku was thinking. Based on the shopkeeper's expression...

Did Dazai want to know?

Watanuki's instruction, for better or worse, closed off that line of questioning.

(For now, perhaps.)]

Mm, got it. [Dazai studied the bottom of his sake cup. Feigning that he was limited to casual interest was an art he'd perfected over the years.] What sort of changes are we talking about? They're properly maintained, and I'd hate to see them modified too much.

It's nothing physical to it. Rather, the weaponsmith would work with the weapon's soul to make it more willing to accept your ability. You felt resistance when using Doumeki's bow, did you not? That was because that weapon is attuned to Doumeki's soul.

A weapon will become naturally attuned to its user over time, but 'time' is something we don't have much of. The process could take a decade or more if the weapon is particularly fickle. The smith I have in mind for this will speed up the process considerably.

On the outside, they will look the same as always. It is an internal change that will occur.

[Watanuki's fingers twitched slightly. He was itching to smoke his pipe, but it was inside the store currently. Damn.]

Tsukumogami?

[Another instance wherein an object's soul was mentioned. Dazai drank and poured himself another cup, as well as filling his host's. If someone like Watanuki, who emphasized the inevitable, was in a rush to prepare, in addition to the things he'd already mentioned earlier... yeah. Something big was coming.

Mind, he wouldn't mind if Watanuki ducked inside for a bit to get his pipe. Dazai had recovered enough to walk home, anyway, and he did need to get those guns out of their hiding place.

Naturally, his next visit was late in the afternoon, thanks to having to deal with a minor hangover when he woke up around lunchtime.]

[The response to that question was a nod. Though Odasaku's guns weren't a hundred years old yet, the idea was roughly the same.

He didn't pursue Dazai when the man left for the night, either. He would be back, Watanuki knew as much already.

The next day when Dazai did come around, Watanuki was wearing a simple kimono as he worked on airing out some blankets and futons on the clothesline in the backyard. The two girls were helping as well, laughing as they beat the futons with large sticks.

There was also what appeared to be a yellow scarf hanging around Watanuki's neck, but if Dazai looked more closely he would see that it was made of fur, not cotton.]

Ah, you've come earlier than I expected. Please wait for a bit, I'll have drinks prepared once we're done with-

[And he promptly gets gut-punched through a blanket by one of the girls 'accidentally' hitting him from on the other side of the blanket. Give him a moment, that totally knocked the wind out of him.]

[Fur-lined clothing items weren't new.

Dazai would make fun of Watanuki for picking such a tacky accessory - even this guy, it seemed, had his off days - but that came after, y'know. Smiling brightly and raising a hand, without a trace of sympathy on his expression.

Look, he worked with Kunikida and Yosano. This sort of routine was ordinary.]

Yo! You'd be the first to call me punctual. It's a pity recording you isn't in the best interest of your safety, or I'd have done so already. One of my coworkers would've been so scandalized!

[Yep.

On his shoulder, by the way, was a knapsack stuffed with old, clean socks. He had to conceal the shape of the metal case somehow.]

As if I would put up with a recording!

[He tried to sound threatening as he said that, but mostly he gave off the appearance of a hissing cat. But hey, he was finding his breath again at least?

The mention of Kunikida was apt here too. Watanuki, when provoked, definitely resembled that man. He even had glasses like him too.

The girls also didn't help Watanuki up off the ground, and he instead had to push himself up. He leaned against the pole for the clothesline once he was on his feet, though, as he was still recovering from that precision strike.]

[Still winded? Ah well. Dazai could wait. He's just that nice.]

You must suck at marathons.

Besides, that recording isn't for you, unless you're some sort of vampire that doesn't show up on reflective surfaces. Wouldn't you want to be my character reference and the sole living witness of me at my best behavior?

Of course I would suck at a marathon, do you really see me as running around at all here?

[The yard of the shop is small, after all.

But yes, Watanuki was straightening up before too long. There was a purpose to Dazai's visit, after all. ]

Are you saying you only behave for me? No wonder you would need a witness to show your co-workers.

You're pretty energetic right now, aren't you?

[He'd follow Watanuki inside, if that was where the shopkeeper was headed. Any signs of that weapon smith?]

And now, now, don't be like that. Or is this you declaring a preference for my naughty side?

[He was indeed headed inside, and off to the kitchen in fact. There was a phone hanging on the wall, which was his destination. ]

Your 'naughty side' is tame enough to be disappointing.

And how would you know? Did you imagine me in such a scenario? Extremely kinky BDSM might not fit my image, but I might just surprise you.

[Really, he didn't care to prove anything; riling Watanuki up was just amusing.

And oho, a telephone in a shop that appeared in other worlds. How exactly did this work?]

[Dazai would find out in a moment, but not quite yet. Because Watanuki was calling that bluff.

Watanuki paused, phone in hand, and slowly looked back to Dazai. He seemed to be studying the man for a moment. Then he abruptly reached out with his hand to grab some part of Dazai in an attempt to drag him closer. His chin was preferable, but the front of the shirt or a sleeve would work too. And if he was successful, he would spend a long few seconds carefully studying Dazai up close, like he was judging him for kinky possibilities.]

[Watanuki would be successful with that chin grab, because no one ever touched Dazai's face outside of interrogations. The move was so abrupt, in fact, that Dazai actually blanked out for a second, stumbling a step, causing him to stoop a few inches to meet Watanuki at eye level.]

...eh?

[He blinked. Wait, wasn't this a touch too intimate?

Dazai's eyes widened. To his horror, his cheeks began to warm, though the twist in his chest was enough to kick his brain back into gear in time for a comeback.]

Are you asserting yourself as the dom in this relationship?

[The touch may have been intimate, but that was the point. Watanuki could invade personal spaces when it suited him, and Dazai was being annoying enough for him to do it.

And it really was an intimate move. Something about Watanuki's gaze made it seem like he was staring right through Dazai's eyes and into his very soul. Given his ability to 'see that which was not normally seen', it was possible that's actually what he was doing.

But after a moment he sighs and lets go, answering Dazai's question flippantly.]

Someone would have to be. You're a complete, 100%, no denying it, bottom.

[Well that certainly was something?]

[Talk about an invasion of privacy on two levels.

Time to play tit for tat, with Dazai reaching up to pinch both of Watanuki's cheeks. This had the bonus of helping hin regain his footing - look at who was looming over whom, now.]

Oi, oi, oi, Mr. I-Have-Better-Suitors. Is this part of some non-traditional omiai interview that I'm not aware of?

[Watanuki flinched at the pinching, but really it was more annoying than anything. His hands immediately went up to cover Dazai's in hopes of pulling them off of his face.]

Of course not, I'm not in the market for a bride!

[It was at that point that the fuzzy scarf around Watanuki's neck finally moved. A tiny fox-head poked out from where it had been resting, and it made an angry squeak before bopping its head against Dazai's arm.]

It seems the Nakodo doesn't approve of you anyway.

Eh!?

[The fur boa was alive! The bop wasn't actually painful, though Dazai did take a step back, clutching his arm and leaning back in dramatic fashion. What sorrow! What despair and utter misery this afternoon has come to!]

Ahh, I've been rejected! By an angry squeaky fur accessory, no less! [He hugged his knapsack, because it was the 'safety blanket' within reach, and pressed his face on it while giving loud, fake sobs.] How could you?

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Rou is just Watanuki's personal fashion show.

P much. I'll never run out of outfits for him. There's even matching outfits too!

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