You said let's revel in our time [closed & open]

[proficience]

Who: Osamu Dazai proficience & various.
When: First half of August
Where: In spooky, infected areas of the land and other places.
What: Wilder Training and continuations from the intro log.
Warnings: NSFW, smut in at least one thread.

Comments

[closed] Oda - Wilder Training

[proficience]

[No notes allowed. Interesting. Well, at least Dazai isn't nearly as keen on taking notes as Kunikida, so -- that rule won't be an issue. He's not dissuaded from taking these lessons, after all.

It's pretty much inevitable at this point that he is, in fact, slowly turning into a vampire. Why this is, he still has no idea, and he'd love to figure that out; however, his first priority is getting used to these changes. Blood is messy, after all, so the fact alone that he'll soon have to survive by only consuming that substance is somewhat unnerving. He'd consumed blood once now, back during that first dream, and the one he'd fed from was his closest friend -- the one person he thought he'd truly never see again.

If he could be selfish, he'd state that he never wants to lose him, but he knows that may not be an option. Oda could vanish in the blink of an eye; this place is unpredictable, Dazai knows that much at this point, at least.

Currently, however, he knows one thing for certain -- that he and his closest friend are outside of the city's walls, waiting to be led to the edge of the Wilde.]

I wonder what adventures await us, Odasaku! [He beams; honestly, he's excited to see what he learns today. Even without No Longer Human, he's confident that the two of them will remain unscathed during this excursion, and he's also confident that by the end of the day, he'll have learned something about being a vampire. Perhaps -- some recipes or similar 'mundane' tidbits.]

[closed] Akutagawa - Wilder Training

[proficience]

[Did Dazai agree to trekking through the Wilde for some important and crucial lessons on being the Best Vampire He Can Be with Akutagawa? Apparently, he had, possibly after having one too many drinks, so --

He's currently stuck standing next to his former protege, waiting for a rowboat to take. When it's their turn to hop into one, he does with no hesitation whatsoever, gesturing idly for the other man to follow suit. Once Akutagawa is in the rowboat across from Dazai, the brunette will insist he do most of the rowing.

Yes, Dazai is going to take advantage of the impressionable man's company for this. Why wouldn't he?]

Get us there safely, Akutagawa-kun! We have a long journey ahead of us, and so much information to learn! [He'll just grin like an idiot while he says this.]

[clothes]

[ details, details-- why dazai agreed to this, akutagawa won't question. instead, he vows to use this opportunity to prove to dazai that his trust hasn't been misplaced. akutagawa is going to be the most worthy ally dazai can have in a place like this, totally more worthy than that dork!! oda sakunosuke!!!, and it all starts here...

...by rowing them out to their destination in the wilde. inwardly, akutagawa couldn't be less excited to perform a task, but the disdain doesn't reach his expression. instead, he remains focused, plopping his ass down onto the seat.

as he clutches the handles of the oars-- ]

Yes, Dazai-san. You have nothing to worry about. I will see to it that our journey is swift and--

[ ...why aren't they moving?! akutagawa tries pulling at the handles again, and they simply refuse to budge, as if they were stuck in a river of cement. akutagawa gives a grunt of frustration as he strains at the damned things. SAY THE MAGIC WORD, BOZOS. ]

[proficience]

[Yeah, Akutagawa can keep thinking that he has a chance to become Dazai's most worthy ally here, but that's just not going to happen. Unless Oda leaves, but --

That would present a whole bunch of other problems namely, a sad Dazai, so that's not even worth spending a moment of thought over. Instead, Dazai is content enough just using his former protege for his needs. Which in this case, means paddling the rowboat.

He can't help but blink a few times as he watches the other man try (and fail) to get the rowboat started. Hm.

Before Dazai can come up with a Master Plan to help get things rolling, here, the Witch guiding the expedition notices their plight and gestures, uttering some word that he can't really pick up on. But the oars start to move on their own, which both delight and fascinate the detective.]

Oh!

Well, I suppose these oars have some magic in them. [He'll poke at a handle out of curiosity, not that doing so will teach him a thing.

After a short amount of time, the air will turn cool, sending a chill right down Dazai's spine. He's still wearing his standard trenchcoat, but it's thin -- not thick enough to block the bitter cold.]

Cold. It's -- very cold. [Are his teeth chattering a little? Yes, yes they are.]

[clothes]

[ akutagawa is only paying half-attention to his surroundings, so he ends up starting when the boat begins to suddenly move. he gives dazai a tight frown, but otherwise remains silent as usual. he ends up sitting, arms and legs crossed, and watching the scenery as dazai eventually settles down.

the quiet is appreciated, because there really is something curiously beautiful about the tundra-like landscape, and akutagawa is just about to treat himself to some deep and poetic thought, but dazai is once again a distraction. ]

Mm. Yes... It is.

[ akutagawa glances at him, and dazai looks utterly miserable. why he didn't wear any extra layers is beyond akutagawa, but he supposes not everyone gets cold easily like he does-- and anyway, his trench coat is just enough to keep the cold from being uncomfortable.

as much as akutagawa would like to offer dazai his coat (which is, not at all), he knows there's no possible way his sickly body wouldn't catch its borderline death out in these elements. he would definitely get sick, and seriously ill at that knowing his lungs. akutagawa knows how to take care of himself in such situations, but why risk it?

plus, dazai is a big boy with fully operational lungs. he'll be fine. ]

[proficience]

[In a way, Dazai is genuinely impressed with how well Akutagawa is handling the sudden change in temperature. He's a sickly man, very thin in stature (much like Dazai,) so the fact alone that he isn't freezing at all is -- well, it's enough to elicit a comment from Dazai:]

How are you handling this?

[The trenchcoat he's wearing can't be that thick; Dazai remembers it well enough from his days in the Mafia. It's not a winter coat or a puffer jacket, or anything of the like. It's relatively thin, enough to where bitter cold can pierce right through it if it wants.

Wrapping his arms around his chest just a little tighter, Dazai attempts to clench his teeth so they no longer chatter. He doesn't bother to say anything, not even a word, since doing so would break his focus. But thankfully, the boat ride doesn't take long, and before he realizes it, they've arrived at a camp.

Camps tend to have campfires, so he's excited.]

Looks like we've arrived. Hah -- finally!

[When the boat is docked by the power of magic, just like how the oars had moved on their own, Dazai hops out from his seat and restlessly bounces around on his feet while he waits for the other man to follow.]

[clothes]

[ truthfully, akutagawa is cold, but curiously enough, it isn't as painful or all-encompassing as it usually is for him. while he isn't necessarily warm at the moment, he almost feels as if he'd gone for a brisk jog or something to that effect already. this has been the situation for days, honestly, but akutagawa chalked it up to an oncoming fever or something of the sort.

akutagawa looks to dazai at his question, before how cold it really must be truly dawns on him. he has to admit, it is a little jarring to have his body temperature heightened like this, but it isn't a bad thing for right now. that being said, he has no intention of letting dazai in on the minute change in his body, lest the other man fuss him into leaving this excursion. he does not want to look weak in front of dazai!!! ]

I'm fine. There's no need to be concerned for me.

[ he's grateful for the silence, since no conversation means no chance of him saying something balls-to-the-wall crazy or awkward, but akutagawa is grateful as well when they finally make dock. with deliberate, elegant steps, akutagawa follows dazai out of the boat, before looking to and fro. there are a few other boats that had landed before them, akutagawa notes. ]

I wager the camp is that way.

[ he nods towards That Way, a wall of evergreens. ]

There are footprints, coupled by the lingering scent, of other people in that direction. Everything is probably just behind those trees.

[ their fellow monsters and witches sure smell...strong. akutagawa wrinkles his nose. ]

I smell fire as well.

[proficience]

[Considering the fact that Dazai's body has been undergoing changes as well, he wouldn't be surprised at all to hear that Akutagawa's is undergoing something. If anything, Dazai could hazard a guess that there has to be a change of some sort occurring, seeing as how he's handling the sharp temperature change so well.

But for now, he personally needs that campfire. Badly.]

You smell all of that? [Wait.

What?

Since when can his former protege pick up on scents like this? Dazai blinks and tilts his head a moment as he ponders the possibilities. He doesn't have an acute sense of smell, not at all, so if Akutagawa is changing in any way, shape or form, he can't possibly be turning into a vampire. Which means that he may be shifting into a different type of monster altogether.]

Hm. Now I'm curious -- have you felt different since arriving here?

[He'll walk in the direction of those evergreens as he asks this, because he needs the warmth of that fire like, yesterday.]

Change in what you want to eat, perhaps?

[clothes]

[ akutagawa blinks, taken back by how incredulous dazai seems of his observations. the fire, the stench of other people... all of it seems fairly obvious to him. ]

Yes. Of course. Do you mean to tell me you do not?

[ at first he wagers it might have something to do with blood and scent and vampires, some lore he isn't aware of, but the more dazai seems to ponder, the more akutagawa has his doubts about that as well. he, too, assumed he would change in some way since he isn't a witch, but nothing has outwardly appeared, unlike what he's seen happen to others. ]

I suppose I have had a craving for meat and tubers lately...

[ any kind of meat he could get his hands on, really. he's always liked squashes and taters n crap, but he's been ravenous for them lately. ]

Ah, and blueberries. Especially blueberries.

[ meat, squishes, and blueberries......the favorite foods of dogs...or wolves... how peculiar! ]

[closed] Everett - intro log continuation (NSFW)

[proficience]

[cont from here.

Dazai follows Everett into the first bedroom, and is slightly surprised at the small desk in the corner. The cottage certainly seems well furnished, especially considering that it was free to rent. Which is still incredibly fishy to him, but --

He's a bit too riled up at this point to think too in-depth about the whys or hows behind the cottage being so easily rented, so he'll just make his way over to that bed and sit on the end, crossing his legs with a very wide smile on his face. He'll then shrug off his trench coat and toss it onto the floor. However, his vest and dress shirt will remain on, since -- a near-stranger doesn't need to see his myriad of bandages.]

This will do. Tell me, before we start -- are you in the mood for anything specific tonight?

[rollfordiplomacy]

I'm a versatile man.[and an experienced one, but he won't say that, too uncouth. He closes the door to the bedroom behind him and steps out from his boots. His overcoat and the ribbon looped around his neck are next to be shrugged away, though he'll fold both and set them neatly upon the desk. The ribbon is rather peculiar, far too thin to be a scarf, more like a very long blindfold. One end clatters against the desk as he sets it down, a pair of rings dangling there.

With those out of the way, he has only his tunic, slacks, and gloves left on. And glasses, of course. No getting those or his gloves off of him, which he adjusts with a tug.]

You're the one who seems to have certain preferences. What is it you want?

[proficience]

[He'll watch Everett remove those (admittedly many) layers of clothing, nodding slowly all the while. He does, at least, kick off his own dress shoes while he observes, so that he's not just wasting time. His pants remain on for the time being, though.]

Oh, I just want to have fun~ [He teases, turning his head to watch where that scarf now lies. It's an interesting piece of cloth, one that could certainly be used in interesting ways.]

But if you need specifics, that cloth you've just placed on the desk -- it looks useful. Bring it here.

[rollfordiplomacy]

[Everett raises an eyebrow at the request, looking back to the ribbon, before firmly denying the request.]

No, it will remain where it is. That is not meant for games. [it didn't have it's magical qualities here, Everett knew, but he still saw it with more significance than any other piece of long fabric.

He crosses to Dazai and pointedly straddles the other man's lap. Stating his intentions outright,]

I shall need to distract you in other ways.

[proficience]

[Dazai pouts at that, since he was genuinely hoping to have that cloth used on him, to cover his eyes and add an extra thrill to all of this. But --

He can't force Everett to indulge, so he quickly smiles again and sighs contentedly when his lap is straddled.]

And what ways are you speaking of?

[He'll lift a hand to place a finger on the other man's lips, but only for a moment. That hand slides away as quickly as it was brought forward, and he leans in to press their lips together for a quick, but still heated kiss.]

[rollfordiplomacy]

[The answer is best given without words. Everett would rather meet the kiss and expression his intentions that way. Dazai may mean for it to be brief, but Everett pushes to length it. His arms wrap around Dazai's shoulders, one cradling the back of the man's fluffy hair. Everett's lips are soft, just he kisses with a demanding manner. A man at his age and experience isn't going to be shy, or at least he isn't going to be.

He'll also let more of his weight relax down into Dazai's lap. He's not grinding against the man, though he had every opportunity too. The restraint is better, he thinks Dazai will find that more intriguing than Everett giving everything away upfront.]

[proficience]

[Even though Dazai had intended for the kiss to be brief, he doesn't protest by action at all when it's prolonged and deepened. Instead, he finds himself gasping a few quiet moans into it, his tongue pushing forward to explore the other man's mouth. Which, interestingly enough, still has hints of that coffee from earlier lingering about.

The weight on his lap is nice, very nice, and he soon tries to push his hips upward a little to start grinding on his own. He's slightly impatient; it'd been a while since he'd done anything intimate, admittedly.]

[rollfordiplomacy]

[Contrasted to the building tension, Everett is relaxing more and more into the act. His hands combs through Dazai's hair with an affectionate touch, encouraging each moan. The older man has a distinct sort of tenderness about him, open and accepting. His lips part around Dazai's tongue, lapping at him in return. That drives a hum of his own, appreciative of the feeling, soft and wet within his mouth. A little bitter from the coffee, but also invigorating.

When he breaks the kiss for air, there's a line of saliva between them. Everett can't help but lean back in briefly to lap it free of Dazai's lips.]

To your liking, sir?

[closed] Oda - intro log continuation

[proficience]

[continued from here]

[As he listens to those words, Dazai pulls away from the other man to sit dead center on his stool again, turning slightly to finish his drink. The bottle he'd poured into both glasses is about halfway empty, but he doesn't really want any more right now. Figuring that he can just take the remains, and the unopened bottle to their new place, he reaches across the counter to retrieve the cork that had kept the bottle closed and gently sets it into the opening, and then finally turns to face Oda once again.

He's smiling, but it's clear that the threat of tears are lingering in the corners of his eyes. This has been an emotional rollercoaster, of sorts, for Dazai -- something he's not quite used to actually expressing. But with Oda, he feels as if he can express these feelings. He trusts him; he cares about him tremendously.

Which is why, when Oda is finished speaking, Dazai pays for his bottle (he can't afford paying for both, otherwise he would) and jumps off of his stool, reaching for his friend's hand again.]

Let's get that house. Grab the two bottles, please.

[This is all he says; this is all he can say for now -- before even giving the other man a moment to speak, he'll have tugged on that hand to drag him out of the bar and down the block to where he believes one is to go to arrange living situations. Dazai makes a point to request a house, and not an apartment, since he knows he may very well have to bond with at least one other person in the future. He's planning for it; he's planning for needing the extra space.

Thankfully, a house is available, and even though he's sure there has to be some sort of catch involved, he takes it, receiving two keys and handing one to Oda.]

From this moment forward, the two of us have begun a new life.

[He sighs contentedly, and then:]

I know where this house is, I think. Come, let's go and get settled.

[With that, he'll lead Oda to their new house, which isn't too far away. It's fairly big, which should work out, all things considered, but Dazai doesn't feel the need to stand outside and admire how it looks. He wants to unlock the door and celebrate -- celebrate their reunion and their future.]

[notawriter]

['That house' isn't likely to be a cottage by the sea, but Oda's not especially picky about that in a place like this. Not when he's still trying to accept this life as a second chance to become what he couldn't once Gide forced his hand. He pays his share before collecting their two bottles and getting tugged along by Dazai. Before long, they've pushed through the streets, Dazai's signed them up for a house, put a key in his hand, and then they were back on the road again, if only for a short while.

When they reach the front door, Oda does a quick survey of the exterior before Dazai rushes them through the door. Judging from the outside alone, it'd be a large house if it were only for the two of them, but Dazai had already mentioned earlier the possibility of bonding (and living) with others.

As soon as they walk in, Oda performs yet another brief study of the interior. It's something of a habit when looking at a place to stay or live in—he'd destroyed plenty of lives at a young age and carried that level of caution into his mafia days. Of course, it doesn't take long for him to determine the house is a relatively safe place to stay.

There's still some furniture about, with some things more worn through than others, but most is in decent enough condition to continue its use. Could use a little bit of dusting and tidying up, and he'll have to see if anything needs fixing, but as a mafia grunt, Oda's more or less a jack of all trades. So it can't take all too long to turn this place into a home.

He places the wine bottles atop a nearby table before starting to slip out from his coat, revealing his holster vest and the couple guns on his person. Draping his coat over the arm of a sofa,]

It looks good. [Then, turning to Dazai,] So, how do you want to do this?

[proficience]

[When Dazai enters the house, the first thing on his mind is that there may be cameras around -- somewhere. Consider that a result of being in both the Mafia and the Agency, and also being far too observant for his own good most of the time. However, after watching Oda seemingly scope out the house to gauge how safe it really is, Dazai decides that his judgement is sound enough, and relaxes. He, too, tosses off his jacket and sets it across a the sofa next to Oda's, and then turns to face him completely. He'd just set his own pistol in one of the inner pockets on his jacket; he has no fancy holster, nor does he really plan on using the gun that much at all unless he really needs to.

Ideally, he'd rather not have to kill anyone here. He's not the same as he was four years ago, in that sense.

That question hits him like a truck, because, while he's a planner at heart, he didn't really plan that far ahead. He'd expected to share some more wine with his friend, discuss the house and potential additions and changes to it, and then --

He's not entirely sure. He does know that if Oda understood what he'd meant by taking things further to be the same meaning as he'd intended when he'd stated that, then there's a chance everything could change between them from that point forward. Then again, Dazai was told that their friendship, their bond couldn't be broken.

His gaze falls to the floor for a moment, and then he sucks in a breath before quickly looking right into Oda's eyes; taking a step forward, he reaches for one of his hands again, giving it a tight squeeze.]

First, I want to kiss you.

[His heart races as he says those words. This isn't like when he'd wooed women at bars for a one night stand. This is completely different; this is meaningful, this is --

Terrifying.]

[notawriter]

[The reality is Oda doesn't actually know what Dazai means by taking things further because he's not the sort to read between the lines. He's a man who tells things straight—albeit without context at times—and generally expects others to do the same. Besides, where his idea of friendship is concerned, there are precious few boundaries and limitations to what he'd do for a friend. So the concept of taking things further than virtually countless possibilities is a little difficult to fathom.

In short, Dazai need only ask outright, and Oda would deliver him practically anything he desires. Right down to his core, Oda is truly a selfless man. Though at least Dazai's response now finally clues Oda into what taking things further entails. Because a kiss is only the start, isn't it?]

Then I'm yours to kiss. [His voice is a soft and low whisper. After letting Dazai take his hand, Oda slowly and carefully draws his friend closer... and closer... Until they're close enough for Oda to lean in and lightly brush his lips against Dazai's before pulling away just enough to add,] Unless I kiss you first.

[proficience]

[When the two of them close the distance, the feeling of worry, the near-terrifying feeling that was trying to overwhelm him, vanishes. Unless he's mistaken, Oda seems to feel the same way; that's wonderful, honestly, and even though this is something completely new for Dazai, he's willing to give it a shot. He's willing to do pretty much anything to ensure his friend's happiness throughout their time here, however long that may be.

After Oda brushes their lips together, Dazai decides to continue what he'd started without uttering a single word. He shifts slightly, pressing his lips against the other's again, but this time, the kiss doesn't end instantly. While what Oda had done could have been construed as more of a tease, or a test to make absolutely sure that there's a mutual interest, Dazai's action to initiate an actual, longer lasting kiss can only be construed as desire. Desire and adoration, in all honesty.

Squeezing Oda's hand again, Dazai moves to deepen the kiss, pushing his tongue past the other man's lips and therefore proceeding to pick up on the faint, subtle hints of the wine he'd had recently. As the seconds pass, he inches his entire body even closer, wrapping his arm around Oda to rest a hand against his lower back.

Eventually, he'll break the kiss to breathe and to say, quietly:]

I've been wanting to do that for quite some time.

[notawriter]

[Oda hadn't so much tested Dazai as much as he'd invited him to do what he wanted. So when Dazai accepts the invitation by actually pressing their lips together, Oda responds not with passionate desire but instead with the tenderness and devotion that only come with love. He's not merely an illusion, he's here for Dazai, he's with Dazai, and Oda wants not only to stay with Dazai but to give himself completely to him.

Their kiss deepens and their bodies move closer as Oda allows Dazai to take as he desires. Still clasping on to Dazai's hand right back, Oda moves his free hand to Dazai's side, lightly feeling the contour of his body through the fabric of his clothing.

So when they pull away, something about Dazai makes him more beautiful than usual. He takes a small breath before murmuring,]

Good things come to those who wait.

[A beat.

And then Oda's hand carefully leaves Dazai's side and takes hold of his holster vest. Not to ruin the mood or anything, but the weight of his weapons is going to be a tad on the distracting side.]

...Speaking of waiting, would you mind if I—? You know...

[proficience]

[After having waited over four years, in a sense, for all of his actual feelings to come pouring out almost tenfold, waiting a few more minutes really won't pose a problem; in fact, Dazai needs the break to catch his breath and ponder a plan, of sorts, in regards to what he wants to do tonight. His original idea of working on those wine bottles before any form of intimacy would come into the picture is now thrown out the window, but --

He's not complaining. In all honesty, he's just happy that his worry about his friend being an illusion has been proven wrong. He is here, he is real, and he obviously feels the same way about Dazai as Dazai feels about him.

Dazai isn't the type of man to think that he necessarily deserves the kindness and love Oda would provide, but any concern over that won't happen tonight. He has other things on his mind.

Before giving Oda the space needed to remove whatever he needs, he takes the opportunity to lean in one last time to delicately brush his lips against the other's. Then, he steps back, releasing Oda's hand from his own. Placing both hands behind his own back, Dazai smiles, making a point to really look at and appreciate all of the other man's features. He's indescribably attractive, so much so that he has to stop himself from leaning forward and initiating yet another kiss so soon. Thankfully, he manages to quell that urge and simply watch Oda remove his holster vest, but once he's finished, will reach for one of his hands again.]

Ready to move to a better location?

[notawriter]

[That last brush of their lips was too short, but there's still plenty of time for that and more later. After Dazai steps away, Oda removes his holster vest and places it down on a nearby table. He also takes his time slowly undoing the cuffs of his sleeves and the buttons down his shirt so his skin peeks through the opening.

He'd just barely finished when both he and Dazai take each other's hands.

Actions speak louder than words, so Oda tugs Dazai's hand and leads him to a room where the bed is actually dressed. He situates them just beside the bed before pulling Dazai close enough that their bodies press together. Then Oda moves in for another kiss—one that's gentle and loving, soft and a little sweet. With one hand in Dazai's, the other hand moves to Dazai's hip.]