6

The black box felt heavy in Dazai's damp palm. He licked his lips for what seemed like the hundredth time, his leg bouncing up and down.

"Wine, sir?" A waiter spoke up from behind him.

Dazai nearly jumped in his seat, his anxiety peaked.

"Not now, thank you," he replied smoothly though his grip on the box had tightened.

With a dip of his head, the waiter disappeared to another room.

Dazai sighed, rubbing his face with a hand. Chuuya was late again. Had Mori held him back with another assignment? Dazai was seriously going to slit Mori's throat if he prolonged Chuuya for an hour more.

Dazai had booked a flight to Las Vegas for two and, lo and behold, Mori decided to assign Chuuya another mission on the day of their departure. Of course, Dazai had predicted such a possibility, however, he still had to rush to make last-minute preparations for this date due to the restaurant's popularity.

It was a 1980s restaurant that went by the name of Mutekirou. One could book a private room; a single table for two while watercolor paintings lined the walls.

Despite being a fancy and popular restaurant, the Mutekirou didn't guarantee a one hundred percent chance when it came to marriage proposals.

Dazai had a rather intelligent mind - one that could predict a myriad of possibilities to come in a situation or even hide his true intention from his enemies, but when it came to proposals, it just seemed to shut down. It was like flipping a coin, either 'yes' or 'no'. There was a fifty-fifty chance Chuuya would choose either one of them.

Dazai took in a deep breath, the black box secured between both palms.

Surely, Chuuya wouldn't say no, right? He'd probably stick up his middle finger as a response first, then proceed to spit out a string of profanities at Dazai before actually answering the question.

A pair of light footsteps entered the hallway, turning in the direction of the occupied room.

"Alright, shitty Dazai. What's the deal with the fancy restaurant?" An irritated voice snapped from behind him.

Dazai didn't turn around to face the newcomer. It wasn't like he needed to, anyway.

"Oh? I thought you were fascinated by French culture, are you not?" Dazai spoke with a tinge of amusement in his voice as Chuuya took the seat in front of him. "I see you wore the suit I sent you."

"It's fucking itchy." Chuuya pulled at his collar in a desperate attempt to free his throat from the chokehold.

Dazai chuckled,. "Glad to see it suit you, chibi."

Chuuya growled at the nickname, his eyebrows furrowing. "Why did you choose such a fancy place for a date? Hell, how did you even manage to pay for it?!"

Dazai shrugged just as the waiter came in with a bottle of wine.

"Is that... Petrus?" Chuuya gaped.

"Surprise, surprise, mon cher," Dazai said while he took the wine, swirling the liquid in the cup. "Would you like to see what else they have to offer?"

"You still haven't answered my question yet, mackerel."

"I saved up."

"Since when were you the person to 'save up'?" Chuuya drew air quotes at the sides of his head, rolling his eyes.

"Don't ask. Just enjoy this."

Chuuya raised an eyebrow, evidently suspicious at Dazai's responses.

The dinner came in three sets, as usual; appetizer, a main course and dessert. Chuuya attempted to look more nonchalant then swayed by the meals (he probably didn't want to admit that Dazai had chosen the right restaurant for once, Dazai mused to himself), but the glimmer in his eyes said so otherwise.

''Fess up," Chuuya demanded once the table was cleared.

"Confess what?" Dazai raised his eyebrows in mock confusion.

"Why you spent all this money on a simple date."

"So you're complaining now?"

'I'm not complaining." Chuuya pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "I'm just curious. That's all."

"Curious? Since when has chibi ever been curious?"

"Shut the fuck up and answer my question," Chuuya hissed.

Dazai's leg stopped bouncing, his body going rigid. The black box felt heavier than ever in his hand as if the contents inside had tripled in weight. This was it; one shot at making Chuuya Nakahara his forever (that is, if Chuuya accepts).

Placidly, Dazai stood up, one arm hidden behind his back as he walked to the opposite end of the table.

"O-Oi! What the hell are you doing?! Don't tell me this is one of your stupid tricks again," Chuuya sputtered, but gave no sign of running away from Dazai.

Licking his lips, Dazai went down on one knee, sweat beading at the back of his neck. His eyes caught Chuuya's blue ones, capturing the other's gaze. His heartbeat fluttered wildly, undeterred by Dazai's struggle to steady it.

"Chuuya Nakahara," Dazai began, his fingers positioned to open the black box set in front of his face when the time came. "Will you-"

"Oh, Chuuya, what a pleasant surprise to see you here."

Dazai's breath hitched, his head snapping to the feminine voice that had cut through his proposal.

"Ane-san!" Chuuya exclaimed.

Oh, hell no.

Kouyou's expression flickered, her eyes unblinking as she drank in the view in front of her.

"I'm terribly sorry. Did I interrupt something?'

Dazai scrambled to his feet, brushing invisible dust particles off his suit. "No, no. You weren't interrupting anything. I was simply trying to pick up something that fell onto the floor."

Chuuya raised an eyebrow, a heavy frown on his lips. "Really? That didn't look-"

Dazai cut through Chuuya before the redhead could say anything more.

"Anyway, what are you doing here, Ane-san?"

"Me? Mori and I have dinner here tonight in celebration of the day I joined the Port Mafia."

"Really?" Dazai mustered a fake smile, his fingers twitching at his side. "That's very nice of him to do so."

"What are you lads doing here, then?" Kouyou tilted her head, a spark of mischief dancing in her eyes.

Dazai forced himself not to swallow the growing lump in his throat.

"The bastard took me on a way too expensive date," Chuuya pipped up.

"Did he now? I'm sure he's just trying to express his love for you."

She knows.

Chuuya frowned, scratching the back of his head.

"Well, I'll leave you two be now." Kouyou waved her goodbye before walking away.

Dazai's shoulders did their best not to slump in defeat, but a say was definitely noticeable.

"Looking for something under the table? Really? What the heck were you doing anyway?"

If Dazai hadn't felt so depressed at that moment, he may have just laughed at how dense Chuuya was.

"Nevermind. It was nothing." Dazai shrugged, earning another puzzled look from Chuuya. "Oh, yeah. Do you mind taking me home?"

Guess he'll need to try again another time.

5

"Seriously, what's with you and expensive dates?"

Dazai glanced at Chuuya, a light smile plastered on his face. "Nothing, nothing. Why would you say that, mon cher?"

"Because this is a goddamn popular Japanese garden."

"Just because it's popular doesn't mean it's expensive. Besides, can't I spoil my dear chibikko?" Dazai leaned in for a kiss, only to be slapped away by a gloved hand.

He rubbed his cheek, pouting. "Aww, Chuu Chuu's aggressive today."

"I am not aggressive."

'You're cuter when you're more aggressive~"

"Shut the fuck up!" Chuuya kicked poor Dazai in the shin.

'Someone's embarrassed- Ow!"

Chuuya cracked a smile when Dazai slumped over in pain. "Heh. Serves you right, you vagabond."

Besides Dazai and Chuuya, the garden was drowned in absolute silence with the exception of the humming of dragonflies and cicadas. The garden was suspended over a body of water, filled with lilies and occasional flowers here and there. A wooden walkway passed through the garden, leading to teahouses and such.

Mori had finally given Chuuya a break (most likely because of Kouyou) and immediately, Dazai seized the chance to propose to Chuuya again.

"Chuuya..." Dazai's voice became serious, snatching the redhead's attention right away. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you."

"If it's about double suicide, my answer will always be no," Chuuya snorted.

"No, it's not double suicide."

"Oh, oh, wait. Let me guess. Is it about killing yourself? That would be a yes."

Dazai frowned at Chuuya's lack of faith in his questions.

"No, it's not about death."

Dazai went down on one knee again, the box set in front of his face.

"Chuuya Nakahara, will you-"

"Dos-kun! Look who I found!" An overly hyped male's voice resonated through the silence, shattering it to bits.

In the distance, a blond man accompanied by a black-haired man materialized into view.

Although the temperature was in the near nineties, the black-haired man wore a coat as well as a fluffy white hat that could suffocate anyone just by looking at it.

Dazai shot upright, shoving the box down the pocket of his lapel coat.

"Ah, Fyodor. Nice to see you here," Chuuya greeted.

"As of you." The man, Fyodor, dipped his head in respect.

"Hi, Chuuya!" The blond man waved enthusiastically at Chuuya as he clung to Fyodor.

"Hello, Gogol. Is Fyodor taking care of himself?"

Fyodor rolled his eyes, seeming to bite back a chortle. "I have, there's no need to ask him."

"You three are mutually acquainted, I take it?" Dazai took Chuuya's hand in his (a sign of possession, but Dazai refused to admit that).

Fyodor smiled, his eyes flickering to their intertwined hands. "Yes, we met back in elementary."

"Now Chuuya's a mafioso!" Gogol gushed.

"Being a mafioso's not that big of a deal..." Chuuya chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.

Through his rage and infatuation, Dazai forced the smile to stay on his face. He didn't care if Chuuya was friends with Fyodor and Gogol. He didn't like how Fyodor was looking at Chuuya or how those two had interrupted his proposal.

"If you'll excuse us," Dazai drawled, his hand squeezing Chuuya's, "my boyfriend and I will be on our way."

The faint drop on Fyodor's lips blessed Dazai with a moment of satisfaction before the male regained his composure.

"Of course. My apologies for keeping you two out here in the sun. "We'll also be taking our leave now." Fyodor turned around, one hand in the air as a sign of farewell. "Take care of yourself, Chuuya."

Once they were out of view, Chuuya ripped his hand away from Dazai's grasp, scowling at the man/

"Why'd you tell him we were boyfriends?" Chuuya hissed through gritted teeth.

"Because we are. I was merely stating facts."

"More like you were jealous." Chuuya stared up at Dazai's eyes, unyielding and fixed. 'Were you actually...? Oh my god, you were." Peals of laughter tumbled from Chuuya's lips.

"Dazai, Fyodor's a friend. I can't believe you-" Chuuya cut off with a chuckle, a hand on his forehead. "I'm just... I'm just going to leave now. Go back to the Detective Agency and cool that shitty mind of yours."

Dazai's hand shot out in front of him reflexively, trying to grab Chuuya's coat and tug him back into his arms. "Chuuya-"

Dazai hung his head, frustration bubbling within him like a volcano. Why couldn't it just work out the way he wanted it to? He had to get it next time; he couldn't bear to have Chuuya leave him over a petty argument.

Next time, Dazai would succeed.

4

"Out of all places, you bring me to Chinatown."

"Well, chibi did say that he didn't want to go anywhere fancy. Take this as an apology for what happened, too," Dazai said sincerely (though he wasn't sorry for claiming what was rightfully his).

"Fine, then."

"What about ramen first?"

"I'll have one without mackerel, thank you very much," Chuuya scoffed.

"Awww, Chuu Chuu's meaner today~"

"I still haven't forgiven you."

Dazai placed a hand on his heart in feigned pain. "Ouch."

Chinatown was bustling with people, one of the downs of having a date with Chuuya on a weekend.

"Hey, chibi!" Dazai called from a stand. "Come over here for a second."

Chuuya placed an object back on its shelf before walking toward Dazai with his arms folded across his chest.

"What do you want now, you waste of bandages?"

Swiftly, Dazai placed an oversized sun hat over Chuuya's normal one.

"Doesn't this fit you well, mon cher?"

Chuuya's hands balled into fists as he ripped the hat off of his head.

"You son of a-" Chuuya threw punches and kicks, though they were proven feeble when Dazai dodged every one of them.

"I will fucking strangle you," Chuuya panted.

"You're too short to even reach my neck~"

"I SWEAR TO GOD-"

Dazai didn't hear the rest for he was sprinting through the streets, away from the angry short stack.

Truth be told, he wasn't running for his life (not that he really cared about it anyway), but for the sake of ditching Chuuya to go buy something for him.

Yosano had brought a jewelry store to his attention, one where the manager could create any design out of any jewel for a reasonable price.

The store was right around the corner of one of the less crowded streets, hidden by an alleyway. The tinkling of wind chimes greeted him when Dazai opened the door. The store looked rather old, with a musky smell lingering overhead and antiques that no one bothered to dust.

"Hello, may I help you?" An old man at the counter asked.

"Yes. I heard that you can create any design with a gemstone?"

The old man beckoned Dazai to come closer, motioning for him to take a seat.

"What will it be today? A heart? A swan?"

Dazai shook his head. "A fire symbol."

"A fire symbol?" the man parroted. "What a unique request."

Fire because Chuuya's hair was as bright as an ember on the dying hearth, because Chuuya was an embodiment of fire itself, of chaos and calamity, eating everything that dared oppose him.

"Bracelet or necklace?:

"Necklace, please," Dazai answered, a faint smile residing on his lips.

"Done."

~

Chuuya nearly choked on his noodles when Dazai placed both hands on his shoulders.

"Look who's back~" Dazai singsonged, taking a seat beside Chuuya.

"You were the one who left me first," Chuuya spat.

"Aw, but that was because chibi was about to kill me," Dazai fake frowned.

"Where did you go, anyway? To flirt with some women?" Chuuya shot back, more agitated than usual.

Dazai flinched, an invisible arrow piercing through his heart. "I would never do that now that I have you."

"Cheesy saying for a sticky-brained person like you," Chuuya rolled his eyes.

"I went to get you an apology present." Dazai took the mini white bag from his coat pocket, sliding it toward Chuuya.

Placing his chopsticks down, Chuuya gingerly took the bag and opened it, revealing a fiery topaz shaped like a flame. The symbol was threaded through a black string.

"Here, I'll put it on for you." Dazai wrapped the string around Chuuya's neck, knotting it at the back. The topaz sat under his collarbone, catching the rays of light and reflecting them with an orange hue.

"What's this? A replacement for an engagement ring?" Chuuya chuckled.

Dazai's stomach flipped at how accurate Chuuya's guess was.

"Something of the sort." Dazai smiled. "Now, will chibi forgive me for having the wrong idea?"

"Treat me to ice cream first and then I'll make my final decision."

Oh, his poor, poor wallet.

"Whatever you say, mon petite mafia."

Luckily, there was an ice cream truck parked outside the Chinatown, sparing Dazai of any attempts to search for a cheap yet decent ice cream shop. Besides, it was the perfect place for Dazai to propose.

"Chuuya..." Dazai started off for the third time, "I wanted to ask you something."

Chuuya raised an eyebrow, hands on his hips. "Then... ask it? You don't need my permission. Unless it's something embarrassing or related to death."

Dazai shook his head, sinking onto one knee and taking out the black box from his lapel coat.

"Chuuya Nakahara-"

"Seriously, why do you start with my name every time you want to ask me a question?"

Wow, chibi was dense as fuck.

"Chuuya Nakahara," Dazai tried again, this time locking eyes with the redhead, forcing him to remain silent. "Will you-"

"Dazai-san!"

Oh, hell to the fucking no.

This time, Dazai stayed where he was, the feeling of despair overwhelming him.

"Dazai-san! Oh! Chuuya-san!" Atsushi called, waving his arm frantically in the air as he came dashing over like a bull. Following him were none other than Akutagawa and Kyoka, who, unsurprisingly, were glaring daggers into each other's soul.

"Atsushi, nice to run into you here," Dazai remained calm, shoving his hands into his pocket, hiding the black box.

More like you ran into my proposal.

"What are you two doing here?"

"We're on a date," Chuuya answered for him.

"Oooh, I see. Was it fun?"

"The bastard ditched me at the beginning."

"I apologized already, chibi!"

"I still haven't gotten the ice cream you promised yet."

"What are you doing here, Atsushi?" Dazai changed the topic.

"Oh, Kyoka-chan wanted some crepes, so we came here to get some. Funny enough, we ran into Akutagawa. Apparently, he was running some kind of errand for Gin." Atsushi tapped his chin thoughtfully.

Yeah, 'funny' enough. Have you seen the way he looks at you?

"Anyway, we need to leave now, right Chuuya?" Dazai grabbed the shorter man by his arm, tugging him along.

"Hah? What?"

"Bye, Atsushi!"

The couple ran off, leaving a dumbfounded Atsushi behind.

Next time.

One more try.

He would definitely propose then.

3

Dazai spun in his chair, the wheels of the seat squeaking as he went in circles. A pair of headphones were placed on his ears, the music loud enough for him to hear but soft enough for Dazai to be able to catch the noises around him.

He hummed, singing along to the verses of the song. "Ah, huh, double suicide~"

Abruptly, Dazai's headset was torn from his head right when his favorite verse began.

"Dazai!"

Dazai frowned, tilting his head upward, his eyes meeting a pair of glasses.

"Oh, heeey, Kunikida," Dazai singsonged, still humming despite the loss of his headphones.

"Go do your work! The President requested a written report about the ability user from three weeks ago, and it's due by the end of the day, so you better start working," Kunikida snapped.

"No." Dazai snatched back his headphones swiftly, faster than what Kunikida's eyes could follow.

"Dazai!" Kunikida yelled. "Hey, Dazai! Are you even listening to me?!"

"Nope," Dazai said, popping the 'p'.

"You-"

Kunikida lunged for Dazai, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Kunikida, Kunikida. Please do calm down." Dazai leaped out of the way and jumped onto the couch.

"Dazai, you've lazed around enough already! It's time to do some actual work!" Kunikida hollered. "Hey! Put the phone down and listen to me!"

Dazai blatantly ignored the blond man, indulging himself in swiping through his phone. He had a date with Chuuya at six, and he couldn't afford to miss it. He swore to himself that this would be the last time anyone ever interrupted his marriage proposal.

"Stop texting women and asking them if they'll commit double suicide with you!"

Dazai's eyes were half-lidded as he glanced up from the screen. "You're just jealous that I got a girlfriend before you, isn't that right, Ku-ni-ki-daaa?" Dazai stuck his tongue out in a mocking manner.

"I'm not jealous or envious! I don't care about affairs!"

"Well, your notebook says otherwise," Dazai hummed, returning to scroll through his phone.

Dazai was so focused on the little notification bell next to the evening event on his calendar that he nearly missed Kunikida's infuriated words.

"That's it! You're not leaving this place until you've finished all your work for the past week," Kunikida shouted with a heaving chest.

Shoving his phone back into his pocket, Dazai slowly took off his headphones, his gaze directed at Kunikida. "Now, now, Kunikida. There's no need to-"

"That's final." Kunikida finished, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

A flare of panic went up in Dazai's chest, his heart leaping to his throat. Surely, Kunikida was joking, right? If he missed this date with Chuuya, he would have to wait another week, not to mention that his patience was growing thinner by each failed attempt.

"Atsushi! Hey, Atsushi!" Dazai whispered, waving at the white-haired boy to come over.

"Dazai-san? Is something the matter?" Atsushi inquired, his expression morphing into one of concern.

"Oh, nothing too bad. I just need you to cover my work tonight."

"Why?"

"I'm going on a date with Chuuya, and I really, really need to do something important during that date, so please?"

Atsushi blinked. "Why don't you just tell Kunikida-san that you have a date with Chuuya-san?"

"Because I want to see the look on his face when I finally ask Chuuya to be mine. Then I can flex on him all I want."

"Ask him to be yours?" Atsushi repeated, tilting his head to the side.

"Yep. So can you please take my pile of work for me? I'll treat you to chazuke tomorrow."

As much as Dazai hated to bribe Atsushi like this (the sweet smile on the boy's face made it ten times as hard to not feel guilty), Dazai had no other choice. Judging by his tone, Kunikida wasn't in the mood for playing today.

Atsushi nodded rapidly (the poor boy; Dazai's heart squeezed in guilt), returning to the computers to finish his, or rather, Dazai's work.

Discreetly, Dazai pried open the window, sticking his head through the opening. The fall wasn't that tall; Dazai could make it without breaking any of his bones.

He was halfway out the window when someone gripped his collar, yanking Dazai back into the Detective Agency.

"You're not getting away that easily this time, Osamu."

Oh, fuck.

Dazai looked behind his shoulder, his eyes locking with Kunikida's heated ones.

"K-Kunikida!" Dazai stuttered, waving his hands around wildly. "I was just uh-"

"Go do your work. You aren't expected to leave until you finish it all." Kunikida threw Dazai into his workspace, proceeding to stand behind the other to prevent any escape routes.

"Kuni-Kunikida-" Dazai fumbled for words.

"AND," Kunikida began again, slicing Dazai's words in half. "And, you have to finish the report by midnight exactly. Punishment for bribing Atsushi."

From the other side of the room, Atsushi flashed an apologetic look at his mentor.

"Now, work." Kunikida dropped a stack of paperwork next to Dazai's computer, emitting a loud thud that almost had Dazai jump in his seat.

Dazai sighed, grabbing the paperwork on the top of the stack, disappointment welling up in his chest. The lump against his knee reminded him of yet another proposal failure.

Guess promising things to himself wasn't the best way to make his wishes come true.

It was back to square one.

2

"Kunikida kept me in, I didn't mean to," Dazai whined, his arms wrapped languidly around Chuuya's neck as they walked down the street.

"Oi, bastard, stop clinging to me. You sound like a kindergartener who couldn't participate at recess because the teacher punished you by keeping you in," Chuuya stated matter of factly.

"That's exactly what it was."

Chuuya clicked his tongue in disapproval. "What are we doing here again?"

"We're on a date~"

"I know that," Chuuya readjusted his hat, "but what exactly are we doing on this date?"

"Anything you want, mon cher."

Dazai chuckled as Chuuya slapped him across the face playfully. His eyes caught the corner of Chuuya's lips twitching upward in a smile, much to his delight.

"We could always go hat shopping. Your hat's too tacky for me; it's hurting my eyes."

"Maybe then you should get your eyes checked," Chuuya retorted, shooting a glare at the taller man.

"But my eyes are checked! You're looking beautiful as always, so there's nothing wrong with my vision!"

Dazai watched as a deep shade of red crawled up Chuuya's face, an excellent addition to his features that matched his eyes.

"You son of a-"

"That was supposed to be a compliment, chibi," Dazai wagged his finger from one side to the other.

"Tch." Chuuya averted his eyes, pulling the brim of his hat to hide his face.

"What if we went to admire the cherry blossoms, chibi? Would you like that?" Dazai coaxed.

"Do whatever you want."

"But this is our date, not mine."

"Treat me to a drink," Chuuya said.

"A drink? Haven't you had one too many already?"

"I don't drink every day, shitty mackerel."

Just as Dazai opened his mouth, a drop of water hit his forehead and the sky rumbled.

"It's... raining," Chuuya lifted a hand, catching the droplets falling from the sky.

Dazai frowned. The weather forecast stated that it would be a day with sun, not rain. He should have known better than to trust weather reporters.

This time, he had planned to propose in front of the cherry blossoms and hopefully catch the attention of bystanders to cause a scene. That plan was better off in the dump, now.

Fate just hated him that much, huh.

Before the pair knew it, the clouds had gathered, forming dark gray lumps in the sky as lightning flashed from above. Thunder crackled through the sky as rain fell in sheets.

"Into the convenience store!" Dazai hollered through the rain, leading Chuuya by the arm to the building.

At that point, Chuuya and Dazai were both soaking wet, their clothing clinging to their skin.

"Well, this is one hell of a date," Chuuya laughed lightly, wringing his shirt to rid of the rainwater.

Dazai, on the other hand, was starting to feel the symptoms of despair. He had tried his best to propose to Chuuya five times in a row, and out of those five tries, none of them succeeded. Dazai was starting to doubt whether he should even propose or not, considering the number of times he was shot down by his colleagues or the course of fate itself.

"Oi, Dazai. You okay?"

Dazai caught a glance of Chuuya's worried expression, something he thought he'd never see from his petite mafia.

"Oh, so chibi's concerned about my welfare? How considerate of him," Dazai smirked, placing his hands in his drenched pockets.

"You wish."

"You certainly looked worried there for a second."

"I told you to go check your eyes, did I not?"

"I said-"

"I know what you said, asshole," Chuuya huffed, removing his jacket.

"You two, take a deep breath, please." The store manager poked his head from behind the cashier.

"I'm not going to practice Hamon, thank you very much," Chuuya shot back.

Hamon?

"No one said you needed to, sir. I was merely asking you to calm down for a bit."

Chuuya turned around so that he was facing the sliding doors instead of the manager.

Dazai debated whether he should propose to Chuuya in a convenience store or not. On one hand, he was desperate enough to do it, but on the other, he'd rather spare himself from telling others how he proposed to his future husband.

He could barely begin to imagine what he would have to tell his child when they asked how Dazai asked Chuuya to marry him.

"Dad? How did you propose to father?"

"Well, I bent down on one knee and asked him to marry me in a very loving tone while we were soaked to the bone in a random convenience store."

Yeah, not happening.

Dazai heaved a sigh, picking two umbrellas next to the cashier.

"Is there anything more you would like to add to your purchase, sir?"

Dazai shook his head, hastily paying for the umbrellas.

It was better if they went home, anyway. With this weather, there was no chance that Dazai could ask the big question nor could he take Chuuya for a drink.

"Chibi, here's an umbrella." Dazai poked at Chuuya with the newly bought umbrella.

"We're walking through the rain?"

"I promise not to let you drown, considering how tall you are."

"Hey! Shut up about my height, you vagabond!"

Dazai laughed, bounding into the rain before Chuuya could turn the umbrella into a murder weapon.

Dazai's proposal may have failed again this time, but hey, at least he got to jump in a puddle and splash Chuuya's shoes with dirty rainwater.

1

Osanbashi Pier was listed as one of the most romantic places in Yokohama.

Or, that's what Dazai read, at least. With a glorious sunset in the background, Dazai believed that he could turn this date into yet another chance to propose.

This time, he made sure to check everyone's schedules as well as finish all his work (much to Kunikida's surprise), and, not to mention, the weather.

"Why are you taking me on so many dates? Don't you have anything else better to do?" Chuuya asked with a cocked eyebrow.

"Can't I spoil you even more? Is that not allowed?" Dazai countered.

"Peh. Fine."

They strolled along the pier, watching as children ran about, their parents chatting at the sides. They were here for the somewhat same reason Dazai and Chuuya were.

To experience the sunset.

When the blue ascended further up into the sky and a fiery orange-lined the horizon will Dazai go down on one knee, and this time, pray to God, succeed to make Chuuya his forever.

"You're still wearing the necklace I gave you?" Dazai pointed to the topaz hanging around Chuuya's neck, dipping beneath his collarbone.

"Yeah, of course. Why wouldn't I?" Chuuya asked if it was an overused rhetorical question.

"I thought mon cher would throw away everything I gave him, like the bouquet of flowers and chocolates and cards..." Dazai listed off, counting them with his fingers.

"What makes you think I threw them away?"

Chuuya's response nearly knocked Dazai off the balls of his feet.

"You... You didn't?"

Chuuya blushed, fumbling with the edge of his glove. "Of course I didn't, you idiot."

Dazai's heart swelled with euphoria. "Then why did I see scraps in the dumpster?"

"I was trimming the flowers so they could fit in the vase and cutting the card so it could fit in the frame," Chuuya looked away, crossing his arms.

The orange-red hue rays of sunlight spilling across the pier reminded Dazai that it was time to propose.

And, by all means, Dazai started off with a cheesy pickup line.

"You know, Chuuya, there's only one thing about you that I would want to change."

"Hah? I bet it's my height, isn't it? So you can make me shorter."

Dazai shook his head, reaching into his pocket and bringing out the black box.

"The only thing I would like to change about you is your last name."

Chuuya's eyes widened, in confusion or shock, Dazai didn't know; he didn't care at this point.

"My... last name?"

"Chuuya Nakahara," Dazai fell to one knee, something he didn't need to practice for; his nerves no longer jittery as it had been the first time he did this, "will you accept the honor of becoming my husband?"

His fingers open the black box to reveal a silver band with a sapphire gem settled in the middle.

Dazai swallows thickly, his eyes fixed on Chuuya's face. Chuuya's eyes fell to the ring, and Dazai swears he can hear the other's breath hitch.

The answer came out as a breathy 'yes', but Dazai didn't mind. His fingers plucked the ring out of its velvet seat, slipping it onto Chuuya's gloved ring finger.

Chuuya's arms wrapped around Dazai neck instantly, forcing the brunet to bend down as Dazai's lips came into contact with Chuuya's.

They were both breathless when they parted, but nonetheless, kissed each other again (Dazai just couldn't get enough of Chuuya, and Chuuya just couldn't get enough of Dazai).

"Will you be forever mine, chibi?" Dazai chortled, bending down in a mock bow as he kissed the ring sitting on Chuuya's finger.

"Yes. Je t'Aime Toujours, mon cher." Chuuya laughed, wrapping his arms around Dazai, embracing him in a hug.

"So, when do you want the wedding to be?"

~

"I still can't believe you're getting married before me," Kunikida sighed, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes.

Dazai's fingers played trills on the tabletop while he bit his lower lip.

"Jealous?" Dazai stuck his tongue out.

Kunikida groaned, smacking Dazai hard between the shoulder blades.

"Don't be anxious, Dazai-san!" Atsushi pipped up from the back of the dressing room. "Chuuya-san won't ditch you at the altar."

"That's... very reassuring, Atsushi. Thank you."

Dazai pulled at his white collar for the millionth time, attempting to steady his rapid heartbeat.

"My ultra deduction states that you will definitely be able to marry Chuuya today," Ranpo added on from the corner, munching on a bag of chips.

Dazai laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck.

"How many times did it take you to propose to him again?" Atsushi asked.

"Six times. Including the successful one."

"Six?!" Atsushi gasped.

"I can pin the blame on Kunikida for one of them."

"I didn't know you were going to propose that soon." Kunikida defended, shifting on his feet.

"That soon? My, my, Kunikida. Are you that oblivious to my actions? I've been dating that hat rack for two years, and you haven't noticed?" Dazai clicked his tongue.

"Proposing after two years is very soon!" the blond insisted.

"Now, now. Don't fight right before Dazai-san's wedding." Atsushi placed a hand on Kunikida's shoulder.

Kunikida relaxed, heaving a sigh."You're one lucky man, you know that?"

"I know, I know." Dazai stood up when the door creaked open.

"Dazai," Fukuzawa beckoned.

"Good luck, Dazai-san!"

"Don't you dare break down into a bucket of anxiety."

"What's the cake flavor?"

Dazai chuckled at his friends, following Fukuzawa out of the dressing room.

Dazai walked onto the altar, butterflies fluttering in his stomach. He swallowed and tugged at his collar for the last time before the wedding began.

All of Port Mafia was here, as well as the Armed detective Agency. The seats were filled, the aisles lined with flowers.

The soft, flowy music started, and Dazai stiffened, his muscles going taut. His breath stopped when a certain redhead appeared in front of him.

At the end of the red carpet came Chuuya, his hair neatly combed and falling freely around his face, framing it. Beside him was Kouyou, who looked more than happy to escort her younger brother to his groom.

The rest of the procession went by in a blur, the vows quick and simple. They exchanged rings, the metal sliding onto their fingers perfectly.

And, finally, came the words, "I now pronounce you husband and husband."

The crowd roared, chanting for Chuuya and Dazai to share their first kiss as a married couple.

"What do you say, mon cher?" Dazai asked softly, "Should we grant their wish?"

Without a moment's hesitation, Chuuya locked his arms around Dazai's neck, sealing the man's lips with his own.

The audience exploded, screams and shouts filling the room. The last part of the procession was sealed with a red ribbon that tied Chuuya and Dazai's hands together, symbolizing their marriage and relationship as husband and husband.

"Slow dance with me?" Dazai murmured after the cake had been cut and served.

Chuuya placed his hand in Dazai's, allowing the taller man to sweep him off to the center of the room.

"You know, you were too dense to notice that I was proposing to you," Dazai chuckled into Chuuya's ear as light music played around them.

Wise men say only fools rush in
But I can't help falling in love with you
Shall I stay?
Would it be a sin
If I can't help falling in love with you?

"It wasn't my fault. You always got interrupted before you could actually confess."

"But you saw the box, you should have known," Dazai mused.

Like a river flows surely to the sea
Darling so it goes
Some things are meant to be
Take my hand, take my whole life too
For I can't help falling in love with you

"You should have known that you were going to be interrupted. It shouldn't have been hard with that brain of yours."

"I'm actually an idiot, you know?"

"I'm aware."

"But I'm your idiot."

Like a river flows surely to the sea
Darling so it goes
Some things are meant to be
Take my hand, take my whole life too
For I can't help falling in love with you

"Je t'aime, mon petite mafia."

"Je t'aime aussi... mon cher."

For I can't help falling in love with you.