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Post by Behax on Apr 26, 2020 11:23:21 GMT
Chuuya narrowed his eyes when Dazai pulled him close by his collar, getting the final word in between them.
“Good thing it’s not a threat. It’s a promise.” Chuuya retorted as Dazai began to walk away. After what happened with the Sheep the next person to stick a knife in him, be it literally or figuratively, wasn’t going to live long.
He hopped off of the cot he’d been sitting on, Elise giving him a crutch so that he wouldn’t need to keep putting weight on his bad ankle.
“And my belongings?” He asked as he followed Dazao out. Not that he had many. He still lived in Suribachi city after all, where it was generally a good idea to not own too much.
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Post by quinnlocke on Apr 26, 2020 11:40:04 GMT
"if you're that attached to what little things you keep in that hovel I can arrange for someone to retrieve them for you." Dazai said, still walking with his back to Chuuya. "If I were to kick that crutch out from under you, would your reflexes be good enough to immediately use your ability?"
He didn't bother waiting for Chuuya to answer, just continued walking out of his office and into the hallway. His gait wasn't as long as it should be for someone his height. Though Chuuya couldn't tell if it was deliberately done to allow him a chance to keep up without injuring his leg further.
The ride up in the elevator was quiet, they stopped at the floor just below the very top. The penthouse didn't have a button, only a thumbprint reader.
"These rooms are for my employees who choose to stay here rather than seek out lodgings elsewhere. Rent is covered so long as you're in my employ. Dazai Corp as you know is a legitimate business, we have dealings in trade, shipping, international stock markets, and recently a training program for those who wish to look into a career in....," He glanced over to Chuuya. "Security"
He led Chuuya down the halls, still talking a mile a minute of what his company was involved in before stopping in front of a door with the number 5150 on it. He glanced at the door then down to Chuuya.
"Would you like to move 8 doors down? It will only be for two days," his smirk was...playful. The mocking was there, but somehow he managed to say it in a way that held no spite. Like his origins were some inside joke between them.
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Post by Behax on Apr 26, 2020 11:58:39 GMT
“Why don’t you try it and find out,” there was an edge to Chuuya’s tone that suggested he wouldn’t stop at just stabilising himself if Dazai did try to trip him in such a manner. He followed Dazai out of his office, and didn’t actually seem to be struggling over much, likely because he was already using his ability to offset his weight and balance to make it easier to walk, and with as little strain as possible on his various injuries. At least his wrist injury was on the opposite side to his ankle.
“But yes, there are things I would much rather have back.” He didn’t argue about Dazai’s description of his home…..Former home he supposed. Suribachi city was where the poor and abandoned of Yokohama went. The whole place existed inside of a cone shaped hole in the ground, allegedly caused by a large explosion. Chuuya now knew that much at least to be untrue. He had caused it….
He listened to Dazai talk without comment, though couldn;t help but snort at the name ‘Dazai corp’. He knew enough to know it had once been called ‘Mori corp’. Not very original when you thought about it, but he supposed it didn’t really have to be. He quirked a brow when Dazai mentioned training people in ‘Security’.
“This will be fine,” he said, tone flat and rolling his eyes. Clearly he found the joke in poor taste, but had enough sense to not blow up over it.
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Post by quinnlocke on Apr 26, 2020 13:43:08 GMT
A courier arrived the next morning with a box containing all of Chuuya's belongings. Later that afternoon a forlorn looking young man with white tipped black hair came in and requested Chuuya stand while he took his measurements.
The fact that he was using his own coat as a tape measure was not a subject they discussed as the boy remained silent the whole time.
"Good day Nakahara-san," he said with a bow, opening the door to reveal a young raven haired girl with eyes the same silver as his own. "Gin."
"Dazai-san asked me to deliver Nakahara-san's lunch and to bring you to his office."
"Is he..."
"He is in good spirits."
True to his word Dazai did not return until the third day. He waltzed in like he, we he did, own the place; not even bothering to knock.
He eyed Chuuya up and down since all he was wearing was a loose pair of sweat pants.
"We have a brunch in ten minutes, we'll discuss your contract, pay, benefits, and living arrangements." He looked down at his watch. "Afterwards we'll see about purchasing your wardrobe."
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Post by Behax on Apr 26, 2020 13:58:09 GMT
Chuuya didn’t own much, but growing up on the street you did come to treasure what was yours, because it was yours. Though his belongings did also include a few items that didn’t necessarily have good memories attached. One such item was a medical bracelet that looked like it had belonged to a small child. It had Chuuya’s name, his date of birth and A5158 written on it. Another item was a flip lighter with a ram skull motif on it. Aside from that it was just a few items of clothing or accessories. Some of it likely stolen.
When the young man turned up to take his measurements the next day, Chuuya found himself a little put out. The boy was reluctant to talk, and Chuuya wasn’t even sure why he wanted his sizes. He put up with it regardless.
“You can just call me Chuuya,” he ended up explaining to Dazai’s two subordinates with a sigh. He’d never much liked being referred to by his last name, it felt too formal, too stiff.
Chuuya didn’t outright complain about Dazai just letting himself in without so much as knocking first, but his expression showed he was clearly vexed by the lack of courtesy. At least he was feeling much better by the third day, hardly like he’d had a fight at all.
Chuuya went into the adjoining bathroom to get dressed properly as Dazai spoke. He made a choked noise when Dazai mentioned getting him a wardrobe.
“Excuse me?” He questioned sounding a little indigent as he walked out, pulling on a jacket that looked far too expensive to be owned by someone who essentially lived on the streets, his boots did too for that matter.
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Post by quinnlocke on Apr 26, 2020 14:23:48 GMT
Dazai eyed Chuuya's outfit, it seemed the chibi could make anything look good. Though he suspected he didn't actually pay for the clothes he was wearing. But judging from the quality, he had expensive tastes.
"While you do pull off the brooding type perfectly, I'm afraid you'll have to look slightly more professional when seen out and about with me."
He gestured for Chuuya to follow as he swiftly turned round to exit the apartment, the walk to the elevator was quick and when the doors opened again they were standing in the foyer of Dazai's penthouse. A full meal was set up at a dining room table that was far too large for just two people sit at.
The girl from the day before...Gin, he remembered, stood ready to pour coffee. "Good morning Chuuya-san," she said, her voice was soft and airy, but her demeanor was that of someone who only looked soft. Chuuya would notice a weapons harness under her suit jacket.
Dazai narrowed his eyes, one meeting and Gin is onna first name basis?
He took a seat and accepted his cup of coffee, already loaded with sugar and a healthy amount of cream. He handed Chuuya a file with a contract inside.
It stated Chuuya would be a freelance agent, directly employed by Dazai, not his company. He would be given an apartment, a new wardrobe for work purposes, a company car, and access to all floors of the Dazai Corp campus as well as an ID badge indicating his instructions were to be obeyed.
The one small clause Chuuya would notice was he was on the clock 24/7, expected to be at Dazai's side the moment he was asked for.
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Post by Behax on Apr 26, 2020 15:10:53 GMT
Chuuya scowled,but found that well he couldn't really argue with that logic. The Port Mafia did have a number of legitimate businesses, which it probably wouldn't do well to turn up with someone who essentially looked like a street thug in toe. While Chuuya’s appearance might cause other criminal types to underestimate him.
He followed Dazai to the elevator, looking around a little when they entered the penthouse. The other half really did live quite well. He did however pull a face at the ‘san’ that followed his name.
“Just, Chuuya is fine,” he corrected. He both wasn’t used to, or comfortable with formality on a whole. It wasn’t something many people bothered with in Suribachi city. You were all scraping the bottom of the barrel after all.
He pulled another face at the monstrosity that was Dazai’s coffee, only adding milk to his own. He took the file and made sure to read it thoroughly, quirking a brow at the part indicating any of his instructions had to be obeyed. That seemed a little bit odd, especially considering he wasn’t being formally brought into the mafia and was just there for Dazai.
The clause about him being on the clock 24/7 didn’t particularly surprise him. He was going to work as the bodyguard to the boss of the Port Mafia. He doubted Dazai kept regular hours.
"I assume you want me to sign this?" He might have grown up in a slum, but he had worked for people before. Not doing too dissimilar work as it turned out.
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Post by quinnlocke on Apr 26, 2020 15:38:19 GMT
"only if the terms are acceptable to you." Dazai said, picking apart a danish, occasionally a morsel or two would end up in his mouth. But for the most part he was simply taking it apart.
"Your apartment is connected to my penthouse. Through that door over there." He gestured, snapping his fingers. Gin came forward with a set of keys. "Keys to the car, your apartment, my penthouse, and a skeleton key for this building."
Deciding he'd had enough of his danish, he pushed the plate aside for Gin to take. "I don't use my kitchen so you are free to use it for yourself. I'm afraid your studio is lacking a kitchenette. But you will find it spacious enough, compared to where you used to live."
He accepted a refill of his coffee, but didn't add more sugar or cream, simply stirred the fresh coffee into the dregs of what was left. No more food was placed in front of him, the spread it seemed was for Chuuya alone.
"When you're finished eating I'll have the stylist come in."
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Post by Behax on Apr 26, 2020 16:03:01 GMT
Chuuya watched Dazai pick at his food with some irritation, but he man was an adult he could do what he wanted. He looked at where Dazai gestured. So it was less that his apartment was adjacent to the penthouse, and more that it was actually a part of it.
“Isn’t giving me access to the whole building a little?” He trailed off as he asked his question. They were practically strangers, and Chuuya wasn’t even a part of the Mafia. “Aren't there going to be plenty of people unhappy with an outsider having such high level privileges and clearance?” Not that Chuuya couldn’t take care of himself if anyone took issue with him, but it wasn’t even as if Chuuya was any outsider, but one who used to lead a rival organisation.
“Can I have a pen?” He asked. He didn’t see any issues with the contract itself, it honestly gave him a lot more than he’d been expecting, and his life would improve dramatically. Though he didn’t doubt that acting as a bodyguard to Dazai was going to come with its own challenges, and inconveniences. While he waited he started helping himself to some of the spread in front of him.
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Post by quinnlocke on Apr 26, 2020 16:15:37 GMT
Gin handed Chuuya a pen and again refilled Dazai's coffee. "It's exactly that reason I am giving you as much access as I am. I want to see who bristles, who challenges, and who accepts. You will speak to no one unless I have told you to. You will attend me at all my meetings and will maintain a presence at my side whenever I am outside of this penthouse."
He pushed away from the table and took his coffee with him to stand at the floor to ceiling windows. The sunlight coming through only served to highlight just how thin he was. Clothed in black and purple, he looked more a grim reaper than a boss.
"Someone in my organization is plotting my demise. I daresay dying would be pleasant compared to this empty life. But if I die, I die on my own terms."
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Post by Behax on Apr 26, 2020 16:37:18 GMT
Chuuya raised his eyebrows a little, but he supposed it made sense. Deliberately rattle the nest to see who reacts, and who stays in their place. He watched Gin refill Dazai’s coffee again, Chuuya hadn’t even finished the first. Did this man just run on caffeine and little else?
The’ not talking to people unless told to’ seemed a bit harsh, but ultimately not something Chuuya really considered worth arguing over, he was already getting a pretty good deal out of this. Especially if Dazai let him have those files.
He raised a brow at Dazai’s comment but didn’t say anything. He was starting to wonder just what kind of person he was about to sign a contract with though. Ruthless, calculating for certain, but there was also something not quite right here.
Chuuya signed the contract and finished his meal and coffee without saying much else.
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Post by quinnlocke on Apr 26, 2020 17:40:36 GMT
The stylist arrived and it was like a bomb had gone off. Everywhere Chuuya looked there was some sort of apparatus, cream, tool, or torture device that was going to be used on him.
Dazai sat there with a bored expression watching as Colette went to work. "I doubt he's seen a barber in over a decade," he mused, occasionally looking up from his book. The spine was well worn and the red kanji on the cover were mostly faded away.
When Collete took Chuuya's hair out of the bun he'd loosely knotted it into, it cascaded in waves down to the middle of his back. The sunlight coming through the window made it shine gold and Dazai found himself staring.
He'd already decided Chuuya was aesthetically pleasing but now, now he was absolutely beautiful. The curls somehow softened his face, he looked less like a hardened criminal and more like a model meant to grace the runway.
He looked away when Chuuya's gaze turned to him.
"Keep it long," he said, waiting to see if Chuuya would object. "But straighten it up, intimidating but classy, respectable but dangerous."
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Post by Behax on Apr 26, 2020 22:05:46 GMT
Chuuya was dubious and more than a little overwhelmed by the stylist. It was a little much, and he had to fight his fight response to not punch them. He glared at Dazai for his comment, but only offered a clipped retort, “3 years.”
It’s not like he often had the money to get his haircut, and it wasn't high on his priorities. In actual fact the last person to cut his hair had been Yuan, and that was hardly an option anymore.
Chuuya sat as Colette appraised him, shifting a little under her scrutiny. Chuuya did raise a brow at Dazai’s instructions to the stylist. What? He couldn’t even decide his own hair cut? Well...He supposed Dazai was paying for it. He felt a little weird when she lifted his chin and made him turn this way or that.
Then she got to work, cutting a few inches off the bottom, and thinking and brushing out the rest. Chuuya would wince, and frown as his hair was tugged this way and that as Colette clipped it out of the way. It was clear Chuuya wasn’t used to being handled in such a way. He felt a spike of panic when he heard and felt a hair clipper. He thought Dazai said leave it long?
In the end he had an undercut, with the main body of his hair reaching just below his shoulders and pulled to one side. Colette had left the curls that framed his face, but had tidied them up a bit. Chuuya found in the end that he couldn’t really complain too much. But it certainly was….Different.
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Post by quinnlocke on Apr 26, 2020 22:15:36 GMT
"You are perfection Mon petit," Colette murmured, eyeing her work. "Such lovely jawline."
She gave him a manicure, yelling at him in French. Dazai chuckled quietly, only to have Collete remind him that his nails only looked the way they did because he kept them gloved.
"Then I'll be sure to save your hard work by putting gloves on Chibi."
Dazai smirked at the way Chuuya glared at the nickname. But he couldn't get up to do anything about it while Colette worked.
"Give him newer and cleaner jewelry," he said motioning to Chuuya's selection of piercings. "Platinum for his ears, black gold for the eyebrow."
Dazai felt a strange sensation as he gave orders for Chuuya's makeover. It was almost excitement.
He happened to glance over while Chuuya wasn't burning his gaze into him lkke he could set him on fire. A serial number was tattooed on the back of his neck. A5158
Ah, he recognized that number. That would need to be covered. He wasn't going to chance Chuuya's shirt collars doing the job. Plus, that pale neck deserved to have some adornment.
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Post by Behax on Apr 26, 2020 22:53:14 GMT
He blushed a little at the compliment. He didn’t hear many like that often. He wasn’t completely oblivious, he’d certainly been catcalled and propositioned enough times to know he wasn’t hideous, but that's what they were...Propositions and catcalls. No one had actually said it like that before. (Though he might have been a little less happy about the compliment if he knew mon petit meant ‘my little’.)
He didn't understand a word of what she said while she was yelling at him about his nails. He actually had to look to Dazai for guidance. The language at least sounded nice.
It wasn’t as if being attacked for his lack of height was anything new, it was the easiest thing about him for people to pick at. Still it annoyed him for reasons he couldn't fully express to be called ‘chibi’. He only kept himself restrained because of Colette..Both for her safety but also because he wasn’t sure she wouldn’t stab him with a nail file if he moved.
His eyebrows shot up with surprise when Dazai said to give him platinum jewellery, he was also pretty sure he forgot to breathe for a moment. Wasn’t platinum insanely expensive?
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