That's the rhythm he has. That's the soft sound of ice clinking against the glass as Dazai pokes at it, his head nestled in the crook of his elbow, lamenting something or another as he awaits his partner. There's no rhyme or reason to it save his own amusement, and perhaps some thought that nudging the highball will make his friend come faster. It won't, but that only makes him lean his head in a little more, and hold the glass sphere down a little longer before releasing it and watching it bobble up to the surface of the whiskey glass. ]
Odasaku is late...
[ He almost sounds like a pouting child, one who's been so wronged despite not having been done so at all. He had just come here with a certain expectation, as he is wont to do, and now his eyes trail and follow the bartender for that absence of his friend. ]
[Otoha looks up and blinks. He was just cleaning the bar, so he probably looks like the bartender even though he mostly does stock. But this person knows Odasaku - well. A lot of people here probably do. Still, it couldn't hurt to ask...]
You're Dazai, right? Odasaku said I should meet you.
[... He picks up a glass and pours himself a drink. Also whiskey, though neat rather than on the rocks.]
[Maria thought that after everything, Otoha needed the bar visit. something nice and surrounded by simplicity rather than the destruction they had seen. than the dark thoughts that clearly plagued Otoha.
and she needed it, too.
so they'd come up with a date and time and Maria showed up in her usual strapless dress though without the jacket this time. she showed up early enough, hoping to be there before Otoha was because she wanted to be able to set the mood. she didn't even know what he may want from this outing, if he might consider it a date or something. Maria was trying not to get ahead of herself on that end.]
[Otoha has not dressed up at all, but as long as Maria feels nice that's what matters. He wanders in a few minutes after her, his usual coat on his shoulders. He looks around and nods to Maria, going over and sitting down near her.]
Sorry for being late.
[He's not late, he's right on time. Still, he's later than her...]
[Maria was putting on more of an act that this wasn't so new for her. in theory it wasn't supposed to be. she should have been around the block a few times.
but actual experience, this was new.
she looks at his hand and then squeezes back, smiling.]
I've been all right. Things have calmed down a little bit. ... Bar's been a little busier, but that's pretty normal after something where it shows people stuff they don't want to see.
[He'd had a few himself, so it wasn't like he was immune to that.]
To be honest, I don't really know what the steps are. ... Most of the women my brother had around weren't... serious relationships. He just thought of them as... accessories. I'm... you're way more than that.
[He swallows hard. How to even explain this?]
I want to know more about you. What you like, what you don't... what sort of things make you smile. I want... to make you smile, any way that I can.
[then does this mean he's looking for something serious with her? it gives her a pause because Maria never expected this for herself. that someone might want that and she doesn't know for certain if that is what Otoha is implying...
but what he says about her, it seems like he does truly like her and his words make her smile.]
You're sweet, you know that? Well, I've never been taken too seriously so a first for everything.
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branchandroot
mid-julyy
Date: 2025-07-13 11:52 am (UTC)That's the rhythm he has. That's the soft sound of ice clinking against the glass as Dazai pokes at it, his head nestled in the crook of his elbow, lamenting something or another as he awaits his partner. There's no rhyme or reason to it save his own amusement, and perhaps some thought that nudging the highball will make his friend come faster. It won't, but that only makes him lean his head in a little more, and hold the glass sphere down a little longer before releasing it and watching it bobble up to the surface of the whiskey glass. ]
Odasaku is late...
[ He almost sounds like a pouting child, one who's been so wronged despite not having been done so at all. He had just come here with a certain expectation, as he is wont to do, and now his eyes trail and follow the bartender for that absence of his friend. ]
no subject
Date: 2025-07-13 04:05 pm (UTC)You're Dazai, right? Odasaku said I should meet you.
[... He picks up a glass and pours himself a drink. Also whiskey, though neat rather than on the rocks.]
Bar time!!
Date: 2025-09-04 01:24 am (UTC)and she needed it, too.
so they'd come up with a date and time and Maria showed up in her usual strapless dress though without the jacket this time. she showed up early enough, hoping to be there before Otoha was because she wanted to be able to set the mood. she didn't even know what he may want from this outing, if he might consider it a date or something. Maria was trying not to get ahead of herself on that end.]
no subject
Date: 2025-09-04 03:07 am (UTC)Sorry for being late.
[He's not late, he's right on time. Still, he's later than her...]
no subject
Date: 2025-09-04 01:04 pm (UTC)I just got here early.
no subject
Date: 2025-09-04 10:46 pm (UTC)[He was ready for it to be his fault... he knows he needs to stop doing that, but it's difficult.]
You haven't ordered yet, have you?
no subject
Date: 2025-09-05 06:17 pm (UTC)[and she gives him a wink. she's still gonna flirt.]
no subject
Date: 2025-09-05 06:45 pm (UTC)I don't really know date rules. Never been on one before.
[He reaches out to squeeze her hand gently.]
But uh... I'm glad to see you. Really.
no subject
Date: 2025-09-05 07:03 pm (UTC)but actual experience, this was new.
she looks at his hand and then squeezes back, smiling.]
I'm glad to see you, too. How have you been?
no subject
Date: 2025-09-05 07:12 pm (UTC)[He'd had a few himself, so it wasn't like he was immune to that.]
What have you been up to?
no subject
Date: 2025-09-05 07:21 pm (UTC)[tale as old as time.]
Surviving, I guess. Taking it day by day. Hasn't been so bad for me lately.
no subject
Date: 2025-09-05 07:32 pm (UTC)That's good. ... You live alone, right?
no subject
Date: 2025-09-05 07:38 pm (UTC)[whether she should tell another guy that she doesn't seem bothered with.]
But he's not good for much conversation or comfort. I'm out of the place more than not.
no subject
Date: 2025-09-05 07:42 pm (UTC)[He's not stealing someone's girlfriend? Good. He'd feel a little bad about that.]
My door's always open if you need somewhere quiet to crash. Got an extra room -
[That sounds like... oops.]
Not that I'm running to the 'live together' step, just... if you need to escape.
no subject
Date: 2025-09-05 08:46 pm (UTC)and then Otoha is saying all that and she smirks, rubbing her foot up against his leg.]
Well if you're not jumping to that step then what step we getting to?
[flirting was so easy for her. something she could default to.]
no subject
Date: 2025-09-06 03:48 am (UTC)To be honest, I don't really know what the steps are. ... Most of the women my brother had around weren't... serious relationships. He just thought of them as... accessories. I'm... you're way more than that.
[He swallows hard. How to even explain this?]
I want to know more about you. What you like, what you don't... what sort of things make you smile. I want... to make you smile, any way that I can.
no subject
Date: 2025-09-06 05:42 pm (UTC)but what he says about her, it seems like he does truly like her and his words make her smile.]
You're sweet, you know that? Well, I've never been taken too seriously so a first for everything.
no subject
Date: 2025-09-06 06:39 pm (UTC)[He pauses as their drinks are ordered - just hard liquor for him.]
But I'm just trying to listen to my feelings. I'm trying... to be more of a person. You're... a good person. Despite what you might think.
... You're different than those people. You're more real than them.
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From:Text; un: Koromaru
Date: 2026-01-05 11:45 pm (UTC)It's me, Ken. When are you free to talk?
no subject
Date: 2026-01-06 01:38 am (UTC)now. what's up? do you need me to come over?
no subject
Date: 2026-01-06 01:17 pm (UTC)...I wanted to ask if you ever dealt with death before.
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Date: 2026-01-06 04:22 pm (UTC)what happened?
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Date: 2026-01-06 06:38 pm (UTC)How do you manage it?
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Date: 2026-01-06 08:36 pm (UTC)it probably depends on how it happened. but if you don't want to say anything it's ok.
no subject
Date: 2026-01-06 11:39 pm (UTC)My teammates and I had to fight the God of Death. And let's just say I lost two friends because of it.