Double Black

where i was (that april 29)

 A/N: Happy Birthday Chuuya! 2024 version! (There's a 2022 version somewhere here, called 'for chuuya to live as a human being'. title from High Infidelity- Taylor Swift

Chuuya wasn't even sure what he should be thinking at this point of time. Just like it did every year, the 29th of April rolled around again. It wasn't secret knowledge that this date marked one of the Mafia Executives' birthdays. It was also a known fact that Chuuya was easily the most approachable higher-up they had at that workplace. 

He was well liked, and fairly popular, so people tended to remember his birthday. Some because they were truly close friends or colleagues and cared enough to remember, and others because they believed in currying favor with someone high up on the hierarchy ladder. Well, Chuuya didn't mind either.

As much as appreciated everyone who remembered and wished him, and even got him presents in some cases; there were only a select few people and memories he found himself pondering upon, especially on his birthday. As for occasions, he wasn't too fond of them. Birthday parties and such.

After all, nothing could top the little get-together his old friends threw him for his one-year anniversary of working at the mafia. The Flags were a group of people that still a good number of Port Mafia members remembered; they were an eccentric bunch of characters. But nobody thought of them the way Chuuya did. He'd been friends with them only for a year before they unfortunately passed away, but those relationships were important to him.

Other than them, Chuuya always found himself thinking of Rimbaud on his birthdays. Amongst all the people he'd seen die before his eyes, Rimbaud's were the only last words he had etched in his brain. Something he couldn't forget even if he tried his best to.

"Chuuya, can I ask you a favor?"
"Live."

Even Chuuya himself wasn't too sure as to why Arthur Rimbaud and his words to him were so important; something he held close to the very existence of his being. Maybe it was because even after all that had happened, the ever-freezing man had only asked one thing of a fifteen year old he'd given parts of his life for. To live wasn't as difficult for Chuuya, as compared to a certain other person.

But it wasn't the easiest things either. It had been especially hard after the Flags died, followed by other friends that died by Shibusawa's hands. Then the entire ordeal with Verlaine. Now that he thought about it, it was always really one thing after the other, wasn't it? But well no matter, Chuuya was strong and could hold his own against everything but his shitty ability. That part of himself, unfortunately, was entrusted to a very ridiculous mackerel. Even though they were technically enemies now.

Well, all of that was really something depressing, wasn't it? It was best not to think about such things too much, Chuuya decided. It was his birthday again, and he was one year older. Yet, unfortunately, the same height. That was besides t he point but still!

He was twenty one, this year. He wasn't sure how he calculated that, actually Considering he'd only come to consciousness when he was allegedly seven or eight. According to that timeline, he'd be twenty one this year. But well that was too much calculation; it was just easier to keep track of how old Dazai was turning and base his age off that. They were the same age, after all.

Just like his birthdays for the past three years, Chuuya woke up by himself in his apartment on the auspicious day. The same old routine followed; a quick shower, toast and eggs for breakfast and then off he went to work on his beloved bike. Parking his bike in his designated spot, off he headed into the infamous Port Mafia building.

It started the moment he stepped in through the doors. The lower recruits politely bowed to him, wishing him another healthy year ahead, as he walked past them and acknowledging their well wishes. Soon after, he found that his office had been overtaken by a whole bunch of people that he liked enough to not make the ceiling come crashing down upon them just for committing the crime of stepping into his office whilst he was away.