Mid December

"Your fiancé is coming so get ready", Mori says curtly to the young man sitting on the bed before slamming the bedroom door shut behind him.

Dazai scowls, his already sour mood dampening even further. It isn't like he doesn't know. With all preparations going on around the house since morning, it is impossible for everyone and their mother to not know. Honestly, it seems like the king's son has been invited rather than an ordinary boy with his family.

There is a knock on the door and this time Fukuzawa comes inside. He stands in Dazai's doorway, observing the boy for a little while before coming inside and letting the door shut quietly behind him. Unlike Mori, Fukuzawa respects their son's space and tries to understand him. When the arrangement of Dazai's marriage to the Nakahara boy had first been announced and a screaming match had erupted between the two, Fukuzawa had taken his son's side.

"Let the boy get ready of his own volition, Mori. He is still twenty-two, he has several years ahead of him. He has to marry eventually and it is a big decision for him. Letting him get ready for it on his own terms is the least we can do to make him comfortable."

"Fine. We will have an engagement for them but they have to be ready for the official marriage ceremony within an year."

It is still too less a duration for two complete strangers who are getting married to each other but it is better than nothing. And that is how Dazai and Chuuya became fiancés without ever having met each other before.

Fukuzawa sighs. He has no idea of how to start this conversation without putting the child off even more.

"Dazai. Nakahara Chuuya is a good man. He is very kind and will take good care of you. Would you be willing to give him one chance? Just for my sake, please."

He tries to run his fingers through his hair but the boy moves away. Fukuzawa sighs again, giving it up.

"They will be coming in thirty minutes. Get ready and dress nicely."

Despite his initial misgivings about his fiancé, Dazai has to admit that Chuuya is very pretty. A little too pretty for him, he privately thinks. The young man has ginger hair brighter than the hottest flames and they curl around his slender face perfectly, with a little bit of it falling over his shoulder and two long strands falling down the middle of his forehead. And his eyes, God, the eyes - they are a deep sapphire blue, deeper than the ocean itself and they are twinkling like the brightest stars. Dazai stares and stares at him in a trance until Mori clears his throat loudly and then he flushes and looks away, absolutely mortified. Luckily Fukuzawa leads the family to sit in thier dining room then so everyone's attention turns away from him. He is seated in the middle with Fukuzawa and Mori on either side. Mori places a hand on his shoulder and Dazai just barely holds himself back from flinching.

"This is my son, Dazai Osamu. How about spending some time together after dinner, Chuuya? Get to know each other better!"

Dazai looks horrified at the prospect but Chuuya shrugs easily. He has always liked being around people and getting to know them.

"If Dazai is willing, sure."

His voice is attractive too - husky and deep and Dazai finds himself having to keep his thoughts in check once more. Mori gives him a smile that would have fooled anyone else but Dazai.

You have to agree because you don't have a choice here.

Dazai nods without making eye contact with anyone and without saying a word.

Dinner is a merry affair. Or at least it is for everyone who is not named Dazai Osamu. While everyone else around him is chatting away to one another, Dazai is sitting quietly and picking at his food, a gloomy expression on his face. Chuuya keeps observing him throughout the dinner, taking note of everything from his body language to his face expressions. Unlike Dazai, he is curious and interested to know more about the person that has been chosen for him to spend the rest of his life with. And what he has picked up from his time observing him is that his other half has gotten roped into something that he really didn't want to be a part of. He is highly disinterested, answering the questions asked from him with just one-word answers, until everyone eventually leaves him alone and talk to one another instead. Chuuya also sees the frightened and miserable boy underneath all the casual disinterest. It is not just the marriage arrangement - something else is bothering him too and he wonders what it is.

While everyone is distracted by dessert, Dazai slips away from the table. No one sees him go except for Chuuya. He gets up from his own seat and follows him outside, making sure to be quiet and to keep his distance. The only light source outside is from that of the full moon and it outlines Dazai's sillouhette sitting near a pond, his face illuminated by the silver moonlight. Chuuya goes over and sits down a little way away from him.

"Hey. Nice weather tonight, isn't it?"

It really is. There is a steady wind blowing, making for a very cool night. Dazai doesn't answer, he just keeps staring at the Koi fish swimming in the pond. Chuuya doesn't mind, something is clearly bothering this poor boy and he doesn't want to make him uncomfortable with his chattering. He notices the bandages peeking out from underneath his suit's sleeve for the first time but doesn't comment or ask any questions about them, much as he wants to. The silence remains unbroken between them until Paul calls for Chuuya.

"Chuuya, we are leaving!"

"Coming!" he calls back.

He gives the brunette a genuine smile.

"It was nice to meet you, Dazai Osamu. I hope that we can get along well."

Chuuya really means it but both boys know that it will be a long time before anything of the sort happens. Right now it is just said in formality, even if sincerely. Before they leave, thier parents make them exchange numbers too, in the hopes that it will help deepen thier bond.

Dazai internally groans.

Great. Now I will have him on my tail 24/7, whether I like it or not.

Dazai has already planned to not text him and to studiously ignore all his messages but before he is about to go to sleep that night, he receives a text from an unsaved number.

From: +81 19060012903

You should talk and smile more, pretty boy :)

(Delivered 12:00 AM)

Good night.

(Delivered 12:01 AM)

Dazai stares at the message incredulously.

Pretty boy?!

He almost wants to type a reply back, saying "You are the pretty one, not me!". Instead, he leaves the message on read, closes his phone and goes to sleep.

"So, how'd your first meeting with your fiancé go?"

Chuuya is staring at the message that he sent to Dazai, now marked as "read" on his tablet. Not that he was expecting a reply back in the first place but it really shows how averse Dazai is to this whole thing.

"I honestly don't know, Tachi. He is pretty good-looking and all but really closed-off. Like he isn't even willing to text with me. It feels like he's been forced into all this marriage shit, if you get what I mean."

"Give him some time, man. It was literally your first time meeting each other. Maybe he's just naturally reserved?"

Chuuya sighs, leaning his head back against the headboard of his bed.

"I don't think so. I kept observing him throughout and his body language was more than just reserved, it was weird - fidgeting with his hands, sitting hunched up and absolutely refusing to talk or make eye contact with anyone. Either he is just a spoilt brat or - "

He pauses, considering his next words.

"I'm dealing with someone who has a lot of trauma and issues here. And I felt like it was the second one more than the first one."

There is a pause on the other end of the line.

"Oh man, that's rough. What are you going to do about it?"

"I don't know. Keep trying right now, I guess. We still have one year before the official marriage so I can at least try to get to know him better. If it still doesn't work out within this time frame then well... I'll ask my parents to break off the engagement. It's not fair ruining his life like that, he can heal and find someone better along the way if I let him go. Someone who he genuinely wants to be with. I have no right to take that chance away from him."

"And what about you?"

Chuuya sighs.

"I am sure my parents will find someone else for me too."