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“Even though we are going to shatter thousands of lives, wearing white is gonna make the blood look so pretty.”
Ladd Russo (Baccano!)
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red against white
a soukoku fanfiction by chikage
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A few simple words, that’s all it takes for the whole room to erupt into chaos. The words were whispered into the ears of the man who sat amidst the large crowd.
”Don't you want your revenge? C'mon just one punch, after all, what’s one, punch compared to what she did to you?” the demon whispers into his ear. The man does as he's told.
He jumps off of the table and strides towards the woman sitting in the far corner of the bar.
He punches her.
Her drink flies through the air and spills onto the couple across a few feet away.
Call it the snowball effect or call it the domino effect, but when the man decided to listen to the demon and extract his revenge, the effect took place. One thing led to another and a full-fledged bar fight took place.
The demon responsible for all of the chaos smiles as he watches what he has caused. After tilting back his hat, he leaves the bar.
”And that's how it's done, Kyouka, ” the demon says.
”I see,” she replies. ”But, Arahabaki, how were you able to do it with just a few words.”
”You've gotta hit it where it hurts,” Arahabaki says. ”Increase the temptation.”
”Oh. I think I get it now.” Kyouka tilts her head causing a few bangs to fall in front of her eyes. ”Akutagawa does it differently.” Her nose scrunched up as she spoke of her mentor.
”I know.” Arahabaki looks down at Kyouka, taking his hand out of pocket, he ruffles Kyouka’s hair. ”But remember Akutagawa is still young.”
”He looks old.”
”Being a demon for only a little over than two hundred years isn't old. And besides, Akutagawa looks like he's in his mid-twenties. ”
”Arahabaki?” Kyouka looks up at said person.
”Yes.”
”You said you killed yourself when you were alive.”
”Yes.”
”How old were you when you died?”
”Eighteen.”
”Oh. Is that why you look young? Because you died young?”
“No, we all stop aging at different times..” The two demons are nearing their destination, an old abandoned building in the middle of nowhere. ”And, Kyouka,” Arahabaki says as he drops her off at the front door.
”Yes?”
”My name’s Chuuya now.”
Kyouka nods as she pushes open the broken wooden door in front of them.
As Chuuya begins walking away, his surroundings change. The streets have turned to wood flooring and the trees and grass around him become furniture.
Finally, he's home. But it's not his house.
There are a few drops of blood on the floor. The scent of it is familiar and causes Chuuya to groan.
Walking into one of the bedrooms, he finds an all to familiar face looming over Dazai. Even if Dazai is fast asleep, the words being whispered into his ears don't have any less of an effect on him, they still become dirty thoughts.
”The fuck are you doing here, Dostoevsky?” Chuuya growls.
Blood drips onto the floor from said person’s hand. ”Unlike you, I'm doing my job.”
”You've never been here before.”
”You've gone soft,” Dostoevsky spats as he takes a step toward Chuuya. ”Why the hell are you here if not to kill this sucker?”
”What the hell are you doing here, Fyodor?”
Fyodor’s eyes widen in realization. ”So you have grown soft.”
”What happened to you, Arahabaki.” Fyodor punctuates each sentence by taking an accusing step closer to Chuuya. ”What happened to the man who caused more than half of the world’s most devastating events? What happened to the man who caused the first World War which led to the second World war? What happened to the man who started black death by using animals as their toys? What happened to the worst demon in history?” He stops right in front of Chuuya. ”Well, Arahabaki?”
”None of your business,” Chuuya looks straight into Fyodor’s eyes.
”Lovecraft has taken your place. Did you know that he's the one who caused the holocaust?” Fyodor inquires. ”The others have been saying that Lovecraft is the best out if all of us. Are you really going to let him take your place?”
”I don't care,” Chuuya calmly said.
”C’mon, Arahabaki, put on your white shirt and let's go have some fun. We’ll shatter thousands of lives. Don't you remember how good it was to paint a white shirt red?”
Chuuya losing his patience now and that isn't good. Fyodor is pushing the buttons on his temper. His fist keeps curling and uncurling just waiting to punch Fyodor in his stupid face.
”I've grown bored of that life,” Chuuya. Stated.
”Liar.” Fyodor accuses. ”Kouyou would be disappointed,” he whispers.
Chuuya punches Fyodor.
Fyodor stumbles and drops onto his ass as he dodges the attack.
Chuuya waits for Fyodor to get up.
He kicks Fyodor into the wall once he's fully standing.
Fyodor glares at Chuuya before leaving. Chuuya returns one of his own as he watches Fyodor disappear into the air, and off to god knows where.
Once he's sure Fyodor is gone, he looks at Dazai and contemplates whether he wants to wake him up or not.
He does.
Dazai groans and mutters, ”Go to sleep, shorty.”
After a few minutes of shaking awake Dazai, Dazai finally gives in.
”C’mon,” Chuuya says.
Chuuya drags Dazai to the amusement park by the shore. Chuuya stares at the Ferris wheel that looms in front of them.
”C’mon.” He grins a Dazai before climbing up.
It's almost two in the morning and Dazai just wants to sleep, groaning he follows after Chuuya.
Chuuya is already sitting on the bench, head leaning back and eyes closed. Dazai places his head into Chuuya’s lap and his knees and bent over the ledge of the seat, feet dangling in the air.
”Well?” he says. ”Can I sleep now?” he doesn't really want to sleep, well at least not anymore. He doesn't need to look up at Chuuya to know what he's thinking. Chuuya only ever plays with his hair when he's thinking about something. Good or bad, Dazai needs to know what's going on.
Chuuya laughs, carefree and genuine. He laughs and he laughs. Eyes still closed and hand still twisting Dazai’s hair.
Chuuya doesn't care if Dazai is beginning to think he's crazy. It's been a long night and right now he feels like he's on ecstasy. He wants to stay up here forever with Dazai’s company.
Kids stop seeing demons the minute they turn eight and a half and Chuuya doesn't know whether it's a strange blessing or a curse that Dazai can still see him when he's fifteen.
Maybe it is a lot like ecstasy. Maybe he'll feel happy right now, and the shitty in the morning when everything sinks in.
”Earth to shorty? What the hell is wrong with you?”
He doesn't want it to end. He freakin' loves Dazai and doesn't want his time with each other to end. Dazai is just so Dazai-ish and Chuuya loves it.
He stops laughing as he turns around in his seat and leans looks at Dazai staring in the eyes. He smiles.
Maybe tomorrow it'll be sunny and he’ll go out and spend time with Kyouka. Or maybe it'll rain as he and Dazai lie down in the park, shirts drenching and red hair looking like to the fabric of Daza’ white and black shirt. Whatever happens, Chuuya doesn't care.
Because life is a bitch
Because Fyodor is a bitch.
Because he is content and happy with where he is in life, sitting on a Ferris wheel in the middle of the night, with only Dazai for company.