Summary: Dazai reminisces while setting a car bomb to say goodbye. Oneshot.

"Goodbye doesn't mean forever. If it did, we ought to be saying 'badbye'."-Anonymous

Age 18

Night in Yokohama was bright, from the lights of the buildings and streetlamps. This was the time when scum crawled out of the dark into the city. This time was when the Port Mafia thrived, when they ruled the entirety of Yokohama.

In the parking lot for his and Chuuya's apartment, Dazai was crouched beside a car. He fiddled around the lock, trying to open the door.

This car had history. It was the first large thing Chuuya bought, a beaten up black coupe. At that point in time, Chuuya had just moved out of Kouyou's apartment and was sharing one with Dazai.

Chuuya had made renovations over the past few years. The engine, the carpet, the seats...Partly because of regular wear and tear, partly because of a few unfortunate attacks that had happened while they were driving.

The lock gave a small click. Dazai grinned as he opened the car door. He swept his gaze over the interior.

Both of them tended to get blood on the car doors and upholstery after missions. Chuuya carefully cleaned off the red stains with soap and baking soda. The car seats had all suffered through spilled ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, and various drinks. Dazai helped to clean up those. And now, those things wouldn't happen ever again...

The floors had seen many rainy days and dirty shoes. There were still crusted bits of mud on the passenger side. The rug on the floor still had bits of grass stuck to it.

The glass in the windows had been replaced twice. After becoming an executive, Chuuya had stopped being a cheap skate and used bullet glass.

Dazai sat in the passenger seat. He leaned the chair back and relaxed. He always had the passenger seat reclined way back.

This was the car he had learned how to drive in. Chuuya tried to teach Dazai how to. But they went to Hirotsu after Dazai almost hit another car. It was barely better with Hirotsu, Dazai almost gave the old man a heart attack every few minutes.

Dazai put his feet up on the dashboard. If Chuuya was here, he'd would immediately push Dazai's legs off. But Chuuya wasn't, Dazai could have do whatever he wanted.

XXX

Age 17

"If you say one more thing, I will shove this thermos down your throat," Chuuya threatened. He shot his partner a brief glare before making a turn. "And yes, choking on metal would be a bad way to die."

Dazai put his palms up and sank back into his seat. Agitating his partner while stuck in an enclosed space was a death sentence, of the drawn out painful sort. Since that last part was the exact way Dazai was trying not to go out he would keep his mouth shut, for once.

XXX

Age 18

Dazai sighed. He pulled a package out of his pocket, placing it in between the front seats. He set the timer for about 7:15, might as well inconceivence Chuuya. His partner would have to find another way to get to work, knowing Chuuya, he would probably just walk. Dazai took his feet off the dash and exited the car with a frown.

He sighed as he looked at the scratched black car. "Goodbye Chuuya." He pushed the door closed.

Early next morning, Port Mafia Executive Chuuya's car exploded. Someone had planted a bomb in it.

During the night, Port Mafia Executive Osamu Dazai defected. He seemed to have disappeared into thin air. His files in the Port Mafia and government archives had disappeared over night with him.

XXX

Age 22

Four years later, Dazai was once again breaking into Chuuya's car. It was the same model as Chuuya's old one, but definitely bought brand new. Chuuya's salary was probably ridiculous at this point.

Dazai sat in the passenger seat. He was bored, so he started snacking.

Chuuya scowled as he opened the car door on the driver's side. "What do you want?"

"I brought fries," Dazai sang. He shook one of the containers.

Chuuya rolled his eyes but sat in the driver seat and closed the door. "What do you want Dazai?" He repeated his question.

"To eat," Dazai chirped. A grin was on his face, he looked nauseatingly cheerful. He tilted the container of fries towards Chuuya, offering his partner some.

Chuuya inserted the key in the ignition while snagging two fries for himself. "Just don't spill them," he grumbled. "Where do you want me to drop you off?"

Dazai cocked his head in confusion.

"Ehh? I'm not here for a ride?"

Chuuya rubbed the bridge of his nose. He leaned back in the seat, they weren't going anywhere for a bit.

"Then why are you here?"

"I wanted to hang out with you." Dazai grinned. The line was presented with a cheer that could make Santa envious.

Forcing Dazai to give up an idea he had committed money to or included food was impossible. Chuuya had tried and failed before. And if the idea also included annoying him, then Dazai would not budge. He sighed. "Fine." He grumbled, "At least the weather is nice."

"Are you saying you don't want to hang out with me?" Dazai asked, dramatically gasping.

"Dazai, if you were any other Port Mafia traitor and I wasn't allowed to, I'd break your jaw and shoot you in the chest right now," Chuuya deadpanned with a scowl.

"But I was your partner," Dazai protested. He put a hand over his chest in horror.

"Yeah, my partner who is an a*s." Chuuya shot a pointed glare at Dazai. "My partner, who openly admitted to blowing up my car among a million other things."

Dazai put up his palms defensively. "But that's all in the past," he countered.

"Uh huh," Chuuya sarcastically replied. "Put on your seatbelt. We're going to the park." He took another fry from Dazai.

Dazai smiled.

A/N

I wondered about what Dazai was thinking when planting that car bomb and came up with this.

Also, I still headcanon that teenage Soukoku/Double Black lived in the same apartment.

-Silver