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The sound of keys jingling in his pocket was unfamiliar, to say the least.
Unlike regular office-goers, Dazai wasn't used to carrying around the keys to his home with him. For one, to him, home was always a certain person first and foremost. And if it was to be talked about in the terms of it being a place, that would be wherever that certain person decided to live.
Chuuya had an apartment to his name, and while Dazai did always have the key to that place, he much rather preferred breaking in.
Also, the fact remained that he ended up losing the first set of keys he received within half an hour of receiving them. He couldn't be sure, but he reckoned that it fell from his pockets when he was trying out a particular river as his daily suicide trial. Or maybe he lost them on a mission. Either way, Chuuya had to change the locks, and of course, he yelled lots at his partner.
Dazai would much rather avoid all of that hassle, and just break in instead. Simple, see?
It was always like that in the mafia. Dazai never really had a proper place to go back to; especially because Chuuya insisted that the shipping container that used to be his abode was actually no abode at all. Dazai figured that wasn't very true, but he let it slide anyway. After all, he was always where Chuuya was, no matter what.
Unfortunately, that could no longer be the case anymore. For one, Dazai wasn't even in the Mafia. He betrayed his organization about two years ago now. Declared a traitor, it was obvious that he couldn't step onto Port Mafia grounds as recklessly.
So, when he was not busy tying up loose ends and maintaining certain underground connections to last him at his new work, he could always be found at Chuuya's secret apartment, lazing around and absolutely doing nothing. Not that anyone except Chuuya knew where to find him, of course.
Ah but now, Dazai had finally succeeded in getting a new job. One that helps people, just like Odasaku had wanted. Personally, Dazai couldn't really care enough about being a good person and giving back to society and all that bullshit. But his faith in his friend was strong, so he'd honor his wishes and give his best hand at trying to be a good person.
Which is precisely why he went out there and got a job at a reputed Detective Agency. One that employed ability users. Which was fancy and all fine, really. But. But, it was just such a pain! Waking up every morning at a fixed time, just to go to an office and do paperwork all day long?
Geh!
At least when he was in the Mafia, he could force all the paperwork onto his chibi partner. Chuuya was much more efficient when it came to boring things like that anyway. Just like a dog, ne? Oh, it was just so satisfyingly hilarious.
That aside, back to the house keys.
They were really just a constant annoyance. Dazai had to carry them around everywhere and keep them safe consciously, making sure not to lose it. Of course, he could totally break in, if he did end up losing the keys; but Chuuya said that he won't let him break in anymore! Wasn't that just rude?! To be expected to enter his own home like a normal person, using a proper set of keys; really, wasn't that just too much that Chuuya was asking for?
But nevertheless, Chuuya was cute, so it was okay.
Presently, relief came in the form of gentle yellow lights glowing through the crack of the main door. Dazai noticed them as soon as he stepped into the corridor, and the joy at the lights being on inside his home was rather evident on his face. It was the first sign that Chuuya was already home, after all.
Within five quick strides, he was already at the door, pushing it open, only to step into an unusually dimly lit living room. Further in, the dining table was illuminated by candles. And it appeared that dinner was most certainly ready.
But most importantly, Chuuya was absolutely home. In the comfiest set of clothes, his hair put up in a cute little bun, he was seated at the table, playing on his phone. One, Dazai hasn't seen his partner properly in little over a week now. Two, he looked so cute.
The now detective peeked his head into the dining room, practically chirping, "I'm home~"
Unflinching, Chuuya turned around calmly, only to cause unnecessary heart attacks with a simple, small smile, "Hi. Welcome back."
Giving in to natural urges, Dazai poked the other's bun, "Hi. What's up with this dinner setting?"
Chuuya rolled his eyes at once, "Candlelight dinner, idiot. Will you fucking sit already?"
Hands already washed and getting ready to sit down, a teasing smirk from the other, "What's the occasion, Chibi? Or are you just that overwhelmed by your love for me?"
The mafioso snorted, "You wish. I haven't seen you properly in fucking ages, and this is how you appreciate all my hard work? You can sleep on the couch for all I care. Damn bastard."
Dazai laughed, leaning over to kiss his partner's head, "No, it's not that! You are just, so cute!"
Chuuya rolled his eyes some more, "Yeah, yeah. I'm cute, you miss me; I get it. Can we eat? I'm fucking hungry."
Finally sitting down, Dazai hummed as the other went ahead to serve the food, "I do miss you. Really."
A pause in step, ladle full of soup hanging in the air, "I miss you too. Obviously."
Clearly uncomfortable with the sudden change in mood, Dazai joked lightly, "How about I become a house-husband actually? You can do all the work and-"
Laughing along, Chuuya threw a knife at the other, "Shut the fuck up. You'd be useless as a housewife. Besides, why the fuck are you assuming my proposal, damn it!"
Dazai gasped dramatically, "You're not going to propose?!"
Naturally, Chuuya kicked him, "Of course not! Who would propose to you of all people, shitty Dazai."
A very hurt wail, "Chuuya, this is so mean! I thought you loved me!"
Sagely, Chuuya nodded, "I do love you. But just enough to make you crab soup. Not nearly enough to propose marriage."
Dazai sighed deeply, "I feel betrayed."
His partner just very rudely laughed at his pain, "You'll be fine. Anyway, wine?"
He shrugged, "You can compensate all the heartache you've caused me by sharing your wine. Uncorking a new bottle?"
Chuuya hummed, "Fits for the occasion."
"There is literally no occasion, Chibi."
"Exactly."
"What."
"Nothing? So, Petrus then?"
Dazai just blinked, "Sure. Which year?"
The wine connoisseur went through his collection rather thoroughly, before coming up with an answer, "A 1982 should pair just perfectly with this spaghetti."
His whiskey-preferring partner just nodded along, "Sounds good."
And that was all that was said before Chuuya uncorked his wine and poured them out into wine glasses. This was followed up with a meal eaten in fair silence, with the occasional conversation as a way of catching up about the past one week.
Sometime between his third and fourth glass of wine, Chuuya finally spoke out the words he's been wanting to since the beginning of the night. Speech slurring just a little bit, he whispered, "I will."
Curiosity activated instantly, Dazai leaned in, a grin fixed on his face, "You will what?"
Chuuya huffed very cutely, "Propose. I will propose someday."
For a second, Dazai said nothing. Heart thumping too loudly to coherently form words, see. Then, he asked with the softest smile on his face, "Yeah? When will that be?"
Eyes glossing over, Chuuya answered very seriously, "As soon as the rings are done! I swear, that jeweler is taking forever to make a simple set of rings!"
Well, it was safe to assume that Dazai had been rendered properly speechless this time. He asked, incredulous, "You're already having the rings made?"
Chuuya sighed mournfully, "It's been in the shop for two weeks already, damn it."
Dazai just laughed this time, "In that case, I don't think you wanted me to know all of this till it was actually ready. Because I'm a nice doggie owner, Chuuya; I won't tell you that you practically already proposed to me."
Already half asleep at the table, Chuuya hummed, "Make sure not to tell me. Pretend to be surprised when I propose, okay?"
Grinning extra wide, Dazai leaned over to kiss his partner, "I'll be sure to do so, then. Come on, let's get you to bed."
Now, Dazai might not be super strong or athletic or anything, but he could most certainly carry a cute, chibi redhead to bed from the mere dining table. And if he did almost drop said redhead when he whispered 'I love you's in his very, very drunk state, that was just his business.
Chuuya had absolutely no excuse to be this cute, in the first place!
As expected, Chuuya passed out as soon as Dazai deposited him on their shared bed. So, the night did end at that.
But it all came rushing back, when exactly about four days later, Chuuya actually did propose with a pair of black and silver rings. It was nothing too extravagant. They were just hanging around on the balcony, looking at the stars, when Chuuya just decided to slide over the box of rings with a simple,
"Marry me, shitty Dazai."
As promised, Dazai pretended to be surprised. His reaction akin to something along the lines of, "Oh my god, are you serious?! Wait, Chuuya-!"
He was a cut off by a very disgustingly fond, exasperated sigh from his now fiancé, "Drop the shitty act. You're a terrible actor. I wonder how you ever managed to get through all those spy missions."
Dazai hummed, as he tried out the weight of the ring on his finger, "You know, I don't think you're supposed to be insulting me during a very cute wedding proposal."
Chuuya sighed some more, before kicking the other, "Just say yes already, so we can fucking go to sleep. I'm exhausted."
Intertwining his hands with gloved ones, Dazai huffed, "So unromantic, Chuuya! Fine, yes. There, go to sleep now."
Chuuya giggled under his breath, before reaching up on his tiptoes to kiss his partner, "I love you. Really."
Cheeks tinted with rouge like their favorite wine, Dazai was very obviously avoiding eye contact and instead counting stars when he gave his response,
"I love Chuuya too."