[OPEN] bite & arbeit

[halfmoon]

Who: Makoto and you!
When: Throughout mid-September
Where: All in Aefenglom - shopping district; industrial district; vampire bar maybe??; etc.
What: Part-time work, quests, full moon changes.
Warnings: Threads set at Victorious Secret are likely to be a little racy. Will edit if anything else comes up!

Starters are in the comments!

Comments

[proficience]

Taking a quick bite of the pasta, Dazai blinks and slowly sets the fork right back down upon the table, almost as if he doesn't believe those words. No bond means certain doom, from what he'd been told; he'd rather his friend not end up in trouble due to not forming one.

"Don't you have friends here? Didn't you tell me you did when we first met?" Even if one isn't a witch, they could still form a bond. They should, in fact.

"Even if they're all monsters, you should form at least one. This place encourages it to a point where I think it may be necessary." Or that there's a catch, ultimately, but he has yet to figure that out for certain.

"I'd just formed one with a witch, myself, so I hope it slows my changes."

[halfmoon]

[ His words make him wince because he knows he's right. Worse than right - he hadn't considered the possibility that his lack of any bonds is what's made his monster changes come in at such a seemingly fast pace. ]

...the topic hasn't come up with any of them. [ It's a meager explanation, but it's true. They hadn't talked about bonds at all yet, whether with each other or anyone else. He'd heard Shinjiro made some, but only secondhand. ]

How did you meet a witch to bond with? It seems so intimate.

[proficience]

[He's hoping that, at the very least, this conversation will lead to Makoto forming a bond with someone. Even though he himself is still slightly wary of what the reason the bonds are encouraged might be, he's still aware of the fact that they do help monsters cope with their changes. Witches help far more than other monsters do, though, which is why Dazai quickly responds to that question:]

Oh, I met him on the network! He was asking about friendship or something like that, and we ended up meeting in person. He reminds me of my protege -- uncannily so!

[But in terms of intimacy --]

Our bond was certainly nothing intimate. Same with my second one. I feel as if bonds here don't need to be associated with anything of the sort. [A pause.] Do you have anyone close to you? Not a friend, but as something more, perhaps?

[halfmoon]

Yeah... I've got a few.

[ Makoto smiles subtly, not caring whether he took that as a joke or not. If Dazai pressed him, he'd tell him about his various indiscretions, both in Aefenglom and at home, but he won't offer such information spontaneously. He doesn't want to brag.

Makoto signals to the bartender for another drink and looks back to Dazai. ]

...I guess the reason that I'm hesitant is that "bond" has a little bit of a different meaning to me. To me bond is a special connection to make with someone else... Not necessarily a friendship. It can be a rival, a mentor, even an enemy. Just as long as the two of you are showing your true selves to one another. [ He pauses, seemingly thinking of his next words. ] Here, bonds are more of a concrete thing than that. They serve a purpose. And the mental connection sounds completely different.

[proficience]

[Nodding in complete understanding as he listens, Dazai pushes the plate out of the way and intertwines his fingers together, resting his chin on them. Smiling, he responds:]

I see. Well, all three of mine are special. I have no regrets. The first was a bond based off of not only friendship, but a complete understanding of one another. The second, I'll admit, wasn't nearly as -- close, but I'd known him for a long time. Mentored him for a while. [He pauses.] The third, I've already told you about. [But is he showing his true self to all of them? No. Only the first. In time, however, he's sure to unveil some of his actual feelings and actual reasons for being with them, but --

He'll keep on putting a facade over himself in the meanwhile.]

I hope you find someone soon, Makoto-kun. For your sake, I think a bond is important for you to have.

[halfmoon]

[ Makoto listens quietly as Dazai talks, but his mind wanders back to that nagging suspicion of his that the other man is hiding something. Still, even though they have met with each other several times at this point and enjoy each other's company. Being the secret busybody that he is, he can't help but wonder who that one person is - the one who was both Dazai's friend and who had a "complete understanding" of him. That sounds much more like a real bond to him.

He closes his eyes and looks away, wondering if he ought to say something about what he's thinking. If Dazai doesn't come back from Dorchacht, or some other unknown things goes wrong, would he regret not saying something? He supposes it wouldn't matter much if the other vampire is dead, at that point... but his bonds might care.

He opens his eyes again, but does not look back to Dazai. ] I think it would be good for you too, Osamu-kun. I know we're talking about two different "bonds" here, but it sounds to me like you've only got one that I'd consider a bond. [ he shakes his head. ] It's lonely. I remember.

[proficience]

[The fact that Makoto doesn't look directly at Dazai again after he's finished speaking is enough to make him wonder what was on his mind. Was he curious about who his bonds are? He wouldn't mind giving out that information, since he personally doesn't consider the other vampire a threat. But without being asked, there's no reason to do so.]

Well, if all three were considered the same to me, then that wouldn't necessarily be fair for the first. [Lifting up one shoulder in a half-shrug of sorts, he continues:] I was thinking that once he and I return from our trip, I was going to ask a very important question. Before it's too late to do so. Given that I'm not entirely sure how long he'll stay looking the same as he does now, I figure that what I want to do should happen quickly.

But -- I'm going to need money to do it. [And the cafe job he's been working is strictly daytime only. Which means that he'll have to quit very, very soon.] This bar, is it hiring?

[halfmoon]

[ Makoto had not said anything about the three of them having to be "the same" - does Dazai think that only one person should be privileged enough to know whatever he's hiding? That's just what he was alluding to - lonely and sad and to a certain degree, self-centered. Assuming he's not mistaken about Dazai, he would relate to him in a sad sort of way. Makoto used to be just like that. ]

I think it is. I'm going to be starting here as a busboy in a couple days. [ He gestures towards the bartender and finally looks back at Dazai. This time, there's a hint of a smile on his face. No need to dwell on his worries; working together might be a good way to get to know him after all. ]

Why do you need money to ask an important question? Unless you're going to ask him to marry you. I'm sure magical weddings are just as expensive.

[proficience]

[Akutagawa will never know everything about him, that's a fact. Emil, while a very nice young man, is too new of a friend to be given such detail about the detective's life.

Oda, however, has been his closest friend in times past, and is his closest friend now. He's the only one Dazai truly trusts to know everything.]

Excellent! [He slams a fist upon the table quite excitedly at that bit of information.] I'll apply for something as soon as we're done talking. [Considering how charismatic Dazai can be, he's sure he can get a decent position here. Experience at a 'regular' cafe will help, too.]

You're quite the intelligent man, Makoto-kun. [Grinning, he relaxes in his seat, arms behind his head.] I don't have much time, as I'd said, so I hope I can earn enough money quickly.