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Going out to eat with Dazai wasn’t necessarily Chuuya’s favorite thing to do in his downtime, but hey, at least it got him something to do when during the nights where work was slow.
In fact, sometimes, eating out was more exciting than work, at least in terms of seeing something different.
Like how just a couple of nights ago, there was a proposal at one of the restaurants he and Dazai went to. Some real fancy, candlelit, Italian sit down one where the two teenagers got looks for being . . . Well, teenagers, and thus it was assumed that they wouldn’t have any money to pay. However, they couldn’t just be denied service, so the hostess sat them with a wary look on their face. Chuuya had no idea why Dazai picked this spot, after all, neither of them were fans of places where they’d get denied good alcohol—Dazai loves whiskey, and what can Chuuya say, he likes his wine! But he went along with it anyway because that shrimp scampi he saw on their online menu looked real good.
It was only midway through their meal when gasps rang out around them, and the pair turned to see a couple a few tables away from them, the man down on one knee with the woman sitting in a chair in front of him with a hand over her mouth. Silence came over the restaurant as more people turned to look, coos and gasps replacing the chatter when they realized what was happening. Even the waiters and waitresses stopped in their tracks, watching the scene unfold.
Now Chuuya and Dazai were too far to hear what the man was saying, and frankly, Chuuya was too lazy to read his lips to figure it out. But whatever the man said was a good thing, as after his speech the woman in the chair nodded vigorously with tears in her eyes, one hand still covering her mouth as she outstretched the other for the ring. Right after her boyfriend—now fiancé—slipped the ring on her finger, he immediately stood back up and kissed her in a sweet gesture, one that made the people around them start cheering and clapping. And because he felt like he had to as well, Chuuya clapped a bit, glancing over at Dazai who was still staring at the couple, although with a look that just screamed that he had a scheme of some kind cooking up.
Chuuya wordlessly kept his eyes on Dazai, watching as the man continued looking over to the couple until a waiteress came up to the couple’s table, speaking to them about something that Chuuya couldn’t hear—she was probably congratulating them though, if Chuuya had to guess.
Dazai then turned back towards Chuuya, a smirk on his face as he continued their conversation from before, as if none of that had ever happened. “But how could Chuuya say I cheated! You can’t rig those arcade games!”
Dismissing Dazai’s more-than-unusual behavior, Chuuya blocked the newly engaged couple out of his mind as his sole focus was back on Dazai, and immediately, he didn’t hesitate to argue back, naturally.
He wasn’t sure if they were going to see something like that again this time around, but something was definitely up if Dazai wanted to go here again, especially so soon. It wasn’t like the food wasn’t good—that shrimp scampi he had hit the spot—but Chuuya felt that this fancy dinner shit was nowhere near Dazai’s alley. He only went along with it the first time because he thought Dazai just wanted to try something new. However, seeing that Dazai insisted on going here again . . . It ticked something off in Chuuya’s mind, he will admit.
He just couldn’t figure out what, and it bothered him the entire time they headed to the restaurant, got seated as the hostess looked at them in confusion as she have recognized the teens, bothered Chuuya as he looked over the menu while occasionally taking glances at Dazai, during the entire time Dazai wanted to make small talk with Chuuya, all up until they were done with their meals and it was time for dessert.
That is, until he heard gasps around him when he was looking at the dessert menu. Confused, Chuuya looked around him again, wondering if, somehow, there was another proposal like the night before. Yet as he turned to the faces around them, he found that they were all gazing back at him, soft smiles on their faces or their jaws agape in a shocked, yet fond expression.
It was then Chuuya turned back towards Dazai in front of him.
Dazai was not in front of him.
He wasn’t in his chair.
Chuuya’s eyes shifted downwards, towards a familiar mop of brown hair nearing the bottom of his vision.
Dazai was there.
On one knee.
Proposing.
His hands were resting on his knee, cradling some kind of small box. Chuuya heard a couple of chuckles and “aw”’s at him “not realizing” and “being confused,” and it was only after they quieted down was when Dazai spoke up.
“Chuuya,” he started gently with just his name, yet Chuuya wanted nothing more but to strangle the man in front of him. Literally what the fuck was this about!? What the hell was he doing? “You, more than anybody, know of the hardships that has plagued me. You know how I never truly lived before, yet as soon as you entered my life, I was never able to take my eyes off you. These past few years with you have been some of the best by far, and you, Chuuya, have given me a reason to live again.”
The people around them cooed at that, some of which turning towards their own partners at the sweet words. Dazai’s just lucky that there are other people around, otherwise, Chuuya wouldn’t hesitated to punch this bastard’s face in right then and there as he continued his little “speech.” Was this all on the spot or did this asshole really have this shit prepared?
“It was like I found a candle in the darkness, the light at the end of a tunnel, and never have I ever been so grateful for being born into the night. For you, my Chuuya—” Is Dazai serious? “My Chuuya!?” What the fuck!? “—you are that light. You are what brightens my entire day, what I look forward to every morning when I wake up . . . I know we’re young, my love—” Are you fucking joking? “—but if I may ask—” No. “—will you, Chuuya Nakahara . . .” Absolutely not. “Will you make me the happiest man alive—” No. No, Dazai cannot seriously be doing this right now. A proposal? And for what fucking reason!? There were only two thoughts during this entire thing, one being how much he wants to sock Dazai in the face for pulling this stunt and the other questioning just why he’s doing this in the first place? But as the words left Dazai’s mouth, Chuuya couldn’t help but just stare in disbelief as the man on one knee in front of him uttered the three words Chuuya would never have thought to hear spoken to him in his lifetime, and from Dazai no less. Even if it were a joke and nothing more, even if Dazai was pulling his leg like he always does, Chuuya couldn’t help but just stare as Dazai’s hands moved to open up the box and present the simple silver band that Chuuya wouldn’t be surprised was a mere 1000 yen at some general store, at the same time as those three words slid past Dazai’s lips . . .
“And marry me?”
Chuuya didn’t answer at first. He didn’t know how to, for saying “No,” was going to be his immediate answer. Although what made him stop was the look in Dazai’s eye. The way his expression shifted ever so slightly, his gaze hardening as if daring Chuuya to say no and see what happens. The redhead would be lying through his teeth if he said he didn’t humor the idea. He was just about to let the “no” slip past his lips, just to embarrass Dazai and make everyone in here uncomfortable because somebody needs to pay for this public humiliation, however, thinking about it more, so many people were watching them and Chuuya felt that it was unfair to ruin their nights by watching a botched proposal just because Dazai’s being an ass like usual.
So putting on his best acting skills, the most genuine fake smile he can muster, looking absolutely ecstatic and swooning at the prospect of getting engaged, Chuuya stated, with a hilariously faux smile and artificial tears in his waterline, his response to Dazai’s question.
“Yes,” he said quietly, nodding for added effect even as he spoke through his teeth saying the words, giving Dazai a glare only the other could make out. “Yes Dazai, I’ll marry you.”
Dazai beamed as the people around them clapped and congratulated them as if they just put on the best fucking show in the world—which isn’t far from the truth, if you think about it—and Chuuya had to restrain himself from closing his hand into a fist to punch Dazai as the brunet took his left hand and slid the ring on his finger, and Chuuya felt how the ring wasn’t even metal at all; it was just plastic with a silver paint coating!
Dazai then leaned in for a kiss—and fat fucking chance Chuuya will let that happen—so the redhead turned his head to the side at the last minute, feeling that Mackerel’s stupid lips on his cheek instead. Chuuya only recoiled when that fucking asshole had the damn audacity to flick his tongue out of his lips, and Chuuya felt the wet tip of his tongue touch his cheek—which, gross!
He pulled away from Dazai, watching as the other teen just burst out laughing—presumably at Chuuya’s reaction—as he returned to his seat and he only calmed down after their waiter came up to their table.
“Congratulations!” He said, collecting the plates and dishes on the table. It seems that tonight’s fun night wasn’t done just yet, so Chuuya put that fake smile on again and laughed awkwardly in response.
Luckily for him though, Dazai took on speaking instead. “Thank you!” He said graciously to the waiter. “We’ve been dating for years, had to tie the knot at some point.”
No the fuck they haven’t.
“Yeah,” Chuuya “agreed.” He was actually seething inside, cursing Dazai in every which way for dragging Chuuya along with this stunt, still not knowing what Dazai wanted out of this! “If he waited any longer, I might’ve just broken up with him!” He joked, although he knew how forced his laugh sounded. It was a good thing that the waiter didn’t seem to be that observant, for he seemed to take it as a loving—ew—joke and didn’t say a word on how strained Chuuya’s laugh was and instead turned towards Dazai again.
“Would you two like dessert?” He asked, looking between the “newly engaged” couple. “On the house, to celebrate your engagement!”
Hearing the word “engagement” to refer to himself and Dazai makes Chuuya want to gag.
Although before he could take a look at the menu to refresh his mind on the desserts they had, it suddenly clicked in Chuuya’s brain on just why Dazai did this. He stared at the man in front of him, slack-jawed, watching as Dazai didn’t acknowledge him whatsoever as he placed their order.
“The molten lava cake, please,” Dazai said with a smile. The waiter nodded and walked off, and that’s when Dazai turned back towards Chuuya, a sneaky smirk gracing his lips.
“You just wanted the free dessert,” Chuuya scolded immediately, a hollowly amused smile coming to his face.
Dazai shrugged. “They say the molten lava cake here is to die for, Chibi.”
“And we couldn’t’ve just bought it?”
“Not for 3500 yen!”
“Dazai, we’re rich . . .”
To that, the brunet just pouted before perking up again in a blink of an eye, as if his mood was never down in the first place. “But this was much more fun, Chuuya!”
“Maybe for you.”
“Oh come on, Chibi!” Dazai whined, slumping down on the table and not caring about how it looked to others—the fact that to outsiders, a young man who just got engaged is pouting on the table like a little kid. “You have to admit that it was fun . . .”
“Embarrasing me is fun?” Chuuya asked with a raised eyebrow, propping his elbow on the table and resting his chin in his palm, eyes shining in amusement as he gazed down at Dazai. Chuuya chuckled, knowing it was a question that he already knew the answer to. He asked it without expecting a genuine response from Dazai, and like he thought, the brunet turned his head towards Chuuya so he can look at him, arms still hiding a cheeky smirk Chuuya would bet was on his face.
“Of course it is,” Dazai said simply, eyes sparkling with interest. “Chibi has the best reactions.”
Chuuya grumbled at that, rolling his eyes despite the poorly hidden smile on his face. A glimmer in the corner of his eye caught his attention, and Chuuya lifted his left hand from off the table where it rested, examining the cheap ring Dazai placed on his finger. It was especially comical, for Dazai slid the ring over Chuuya’s glove, and none of the outsiders seemed to truly notice the detail in favor of the bigger picture. Just goes to show how many people actually pay attention to the finer details. A lot of them probably didn’t even realize that Chuuya and Dazai couldn’t have looked over twenty, just waiting for the two strangers that they know nothing about to share a sliver of their private life with those around them.
“You’re gonna pull this stunt everywhere now, aren’t you?” Chuuya asked, examining the ring Dazai got him. Honestly, you wouldn’t even know it was plastic unless you actually touched it—it was just so Dazai in that regard; putting in the laziest amount of effort yet still getting the job done in the end.
“How dare my fiancé accuse me of such things!” Dazai whined, causing Chuuya to glance back up at him with a raised eyebrow, watching as Dazai was now mirroring Chuuya’s pose, a pout on his lips.
Chuuya brought his hands down to rest one of his forearms on the table with the other out in front of him, leaning forward towards Dazai. “We are not engaged,” he emphasized, even as Dazai brought the arm he wasn’t leaning on towards Chuuya’s hand out in front of him, mindlessly playing with his fingers. Chuuya gave a single glance towards the action and a huff of amusement before looking back at Dazai, who was focused on their hands. “We’re not even a couple,” he stated with conviction, yet even then, Chuuya didn’t flinch or pull away as Dazai interlaced their fingers together on the table and rubbed his thumb against his his.
Dazai just stared at him in response, his thumb still mindlessly drawing a line back and forth down Chuuya’s thumb. Chuuya didn’t glance down, nor did he acknowledge Dazai of any kind except for gazing straight into his eyes, saying nothing, waiting for Dazai to do something first.
And it seemed that his waiting paid off, for it was then he saw Dazai mouth something, the movement from his lips so miniscule, Chuuya would’ve missed it if he weren’t paying attention. And even then, he could only barely make out the words:
I want to be.
The redhead’s eyes widened by just a fraction and his lips parted ever so slightly, movements so minute that the common man wouldn’t even sense that anything’s changed. Yet Dazai was nowhere near the common man. He knew, and he saw.
Dazai squeezed his hand in response.
And Chuuya squeezed back, the silver of the paint-coated ring catching the corner of his eye.
And despite it being fake, despite this whole thing being just another ploy from Dazai for yet another petty, childish reason, Chuuya has a feeling that he’ll never take this ring off.
(Dazai was right by the way, the molten lava cake was purely impeccable.)