jigokulogs | [open] a real nightmare

[ Maybe he finds a bit of bullshit a little entertaining. He gets pushed into the role of responsibility because he knows the yakuza well, but he's just a dumbass hooligan himself. From that perspective, he likes what he sees; when he gives himself the permission to see it. The list of positives is solid, whereas the disapproval list boils down simply, ]

Ya don't like to do what yer told. It's gonna cause trouble down th'line. So it's a little smarter not t'be in your blast radius.

[ Yet, here Majima is anyway. He does not claim to be all that smart, actually. He looks up when the waiter stops at their table, whiskey is always the answer with Majima. It's the snake possessing him that has the love affair with sake. ]

Rules are meant to be broken~ [Dante practically sings in that breathy timbre he’s known for.] What can I say?

I’ve always been a rebel at heart.

[While that might be true, that doesn’t quite explain why Majima is here. Isn’t he concerned about linking up with a disaster like him? There’s bound to be some fallout eventually. Dante has made it well known that he doesn’t give a fuck about this yakuza stuff. Yet even so, Majima is right here. It seems someone likes rebellious forty-year-olds.]

Just admit it, you like rebels.

[He teases before snatching the the entire bottle of whisky from the waitress rather than the glass. This is going to be a hefty bill tonight but Dante doesn’t mind splurging.]

Bad boys are always sexier, right?

[He pours Majima’s glass first before his in a subtle sign of respect. They might be the same rank in the clan but Majima been a gangster longer than him.]

Edited 2022-05-21 03:53 (UTC)

[ Majima opens his mouth to say something but it doesn't even come to him. He has no defense for himself. No one has ever really talked to him about his taste in men before. It's not something you discuss with your yakuza buddies. It's something that can be tolerated by the yakuza as long as it's kept silently behind closed doors. So while Majima has no problem with the reality of his sexuality, it becomes much more complicated to him when someone wants him to say things out loud.

He accepts his drink, a little flush in the face. ]

Didn't swear up t'meet losers, did I.

[ Obviously he romanticizes outlaws. Defiance and strength and unruliness. He takes a small sip of that drink before he can get any more embarrassed. ]

[Is Majima getting a bit flustered now? Cute.

Dante can't help but grin like the little gremlin he is. Internalized homophobia is a thing and all, but thankfully they're on the same page here. He doesn't care what anyone thinks about him, especially not some gaggle of punks like the yakuza. Dante grew up on the not-so-kind fringes of society. He's an outsider, so he can't relate with Majima in terms of his ties to the yakuza. However, he is glad to know Majima is quite aware of his tastes.

That makes everything so much easier.]

Neither did I, bad boy.

[He blows a kiss to Majima before taking a generous sip of his glass. This particular brand of whisky has a hint of caramel to it that makes it a little sweet but not overly so. It blends surprisingly well with the oaky notes but it's a tad dry.]

That's why I'm with you.

Edited 2022-05-21 13:42 (UTC)

[ He can't help it, laughter bubbles out of him. Maybe it's because he was genuinely uncertain about how this conversation would go and now the tension is broken, but he just doesn't laugh like that very much anymore. That's probably a point in Dante's favor. ]

All right.

[ He agrees to this assessment when he's stuffed the laughter back down, but the amusement lingers in his expression. ]

Then it's your turn, to pick something ya don't like.

[ It was probably for the best that they snagged that whole bottle, they are a pair of half-demons with a high alcohol tolerance between them. ]

[That dorky laugh baffled Dante at first but it was so infectious that he started laughing too. For someone who looks so menacing and dangerous, Majima sure does have a funny laugh. Maybe it's because he's half-snake or something but man, Dante can't stop grinning now.]

Alright, alright. Lemme see--[He studies Majima for a long while, idly pondering what to say. There are a lot of things he likes about Majima so far. However, there is one thing he doesn't necessarily like. It's no biggie or anything but it's something Dante noticed about Majima.]

You're bossy.

[He states with a half-hearted smirk.]

A little too bossy sometimes but it's kinda cute, I guess.

[ This checks out. That Dante does not do as he's told, and that Majima tells him what to do too much. Majima definitely isn't offended by the assessment. Goromi especially is incredibly bossy, knows what she wants and will have it. ]

Got in th'habit when I was runnin' th'cabaret clubs. Even th'most experienced staff still act like clueless kids sometimes and need ya t'come clean up for 'em.

[ He often talks like he hated that job and that helping lead the Shutens now isn't what he wants but in reality he's always trying to help and support people. Get them on the right track, get them the right skills. If that comes out domineering sometimes, so be it. ]

Ain't gonna get less bossy.

[ For the record. He outranks Dante as it is and he'd have to really fuck up to lose Toraguma's attention now. Not that royally fucking up is out of the question, this is Majima we're talking about. ]

Edited (sweet double negative) 2022-05-22 01:22 (UTC)

Makes sense.

[He can't help but smile as he sips his glass. Majima is a hard worker through and through, but imagine having to work with a bunch of idiots every night. It's no wonder why Majima can be so bossy at times, but thankfully Dante finds it oddly charming. Though, Majima sometimes can irk his nerves occasion.]

You're lucky I like you, bud.

[Dante finishes the rest of his glass with a satisfying sigh before pouring himself another glass. However, he's quick to fill Majima's glass too.]

Also, do you prefer steak or seafood? This restaurant is pretty good with both.

So ya put up with me tellin' ya what t'do, an' I put up with ya not doin' it?

[ Is that how this is supposed to work out? Now that they've talked about it that way... sure. Why not.

Although there is always the problem of Nishitani, who has already shown he will gladly show his teeth at people who buck Majima's direction. That's an entirely different conversation that Majima is not ready to have.

So he thinks about food instead. ]

I haven't eaten a steak in ages.

[ That kind of meat is prohibitively expensive in Tokyo when you're just a low tier yakuza. ]

Only place t'eat in Hakagemachi was the convenience store an' one ramen shop. Kinda nice bein' around real restaurants again.

Edited (sweet mobile typo) 2022-05-22 03:02 (UTC)

Sounds about right. So, do we have a deal?

[Yeah, why not? Dante is willing to make things work with this little compromise. While he's a bit hardheaded sometimes, he typically means well. The same goes for Majima and his inherent bossiness.

As for the topic of Nishitani, Dante really doesn't know what to say about that dude but he's curious. That loudmouth changed his fucking tune so fast, and Dante knows it had nothing to do with him. However, he'll inquire about all that when the time comes.]

Ew, convenience store steak?! That doesn't sound good at all.

[Japanese-inspired convenience store food is nice and all, but Dante isn't fond of eating that crap. If he's going to destroy his gut, let it be something greasy with loads of mozzarella cheese on top.]

Then how about we both order steak? It comes with a decent salad and some tasty veggies.

[Dante isn't much of a vegetable person but even he has to eat his greens.]

Edited 2022-05-22 03:17 (UTC)

[ Hm? Majima pretends to give this consideration. Yakuza never accept any deal at the jump, it is customary to make the other person sweat for it a little. But when he looks back up, his smile is a little rakish. He'll even raise his glass to it, ]

Deal.

[ For good or bad, Dante doesn't know the half of what was horrible about Hakagemachi. The convenience store food was not even among the worst offenses. Majima has a rule about not talking about the ramen incident over food, so he's sure not mentioning it now. ]

It was this one 7-Eleven, still runnin' in th'middle of an abandoned yokai town. Not much else to choose from. [ A small shrug. ] Mostly lived on cigarettes an' whiskey anyway though.

[ He occasionally still does depending on how dark his mood gets. ]

So I'm lookin' forward to somethin' nice.

[ Thanks for the dinner, old man. ]

[Dante can't help but roll his eyes as Majima pretends to think about it. It's a fair deal and Majima knows it. That's why Dante doesn't look too concerned. It's a "Yes" or "No" question. Even if Majima declined, they would still be good enough friends and enjoy dinner nonetheless.

Dante is cool with whatever but he can't stop himself from grinning now.]

Asshole. [He mutters before flagging down the same waitress from earlier.] Two steak dinners with a salad for me and my friend here.

[He was briefly tempted to refer to Majima as "aniki", but that probably would've ruined the mood.]

Medium-rare, btw. I doubt there's any man in Jigoku-cho who would want to ruin a fine slab of meat by turning it into overcooked leather.

[That parting comment wins a smirk from the waitress, who's a youkai, of course. Some pretty red-head fox lady who's been giving them the eye. The two of them make a striking pair, especially since Majima here has a friggin tail.]

You really should give the cancer sticks a rest, ya know.

[He teases once the waitress jots down their order onto her notepad.]

Whiskey is a healthy enough choice but cigs? Nah!

[ He is an asshole, and he smiles blithely in response to Dante's grin. Assholes must be someone's type. His attention flicks up to their server with patient attention, they are eye-catching and they're in the Shuten chain of command. She's probably wondering if they're going to be a problem for her later. He quietly sips his drink while Dante quips with her. He won't be explaining to Dante at the moment that his yokai has been known to like raw meat of a particular kind. ]

Runnin' cigarettes was my first job when I was... dunno thirteen? Yer gonna be hard pressed gettin' any yakuza t'stop.

[ It's a deeply ingrained cultural thing for the yakuza. They'll give it up over their cold dead fingers, to be quite honest. ]

Pretty sure I ain't all th'way human anymore anyway.

[ If he was, he wouldn't be able to handle how much Chijoku smokes, drinks, eats. ]

Edited 2022-05-23 00:09 (UTC)

[Dante might be half-demon and all, but he still prefers his meat semi-cooked. His more demonic side could probably eat meat raw but that's something Dante isn't ready to explore yet. The keyword here being yet. He probably won't have much a choice in the future since this is yokai town.]

Really? That's a better task for a kid than devil hunting.

[He was rather young when got into the whole mercenary business. Young and violent for the most part. He had no real authority figure in his life minus a few badass women he met along the way.]

Well, no shit. [He can't help but grin as he regards Majima.] You're kinda like me.

Edited 2022-05-23 00:28 (UTC)

No devils in Tokyo t'hunt. Just regular old assholes t'fight.

[ Majima was one of many unwanted children who ended up out in the streets. The Japanese government has some issues with getting out its social services, it has a preference for simply pretending problems don't exist rather than taking action. It's excellent recruitment material for the yakuza. So Majima spent his childhood fighting for everything, on his own. That's how you get the feral in front of you now; a sensitive and loyal feral whose potentials were squandered by an uncaring world. He went looking for purpose in the yakuza and ended up like this instead: down an eye and alone again. ]

Got there a little different, but sure. I don't mind bein' half-yokai. Some of th'other people from Hakagemachi aren't so down on it either.

[ Not everyone though. Some of the possessed still long to be free of it. ]

[Ironically enough, Dante used to be just as feral. He grew up on the fringes of society in a hellishly dark world comprised of violence and strife. Poor Dante had to grow up quickly to survive. As long as his father's demonic blood flows through his veins, he'll always be a target. That's just something he's grown to accept, especially nowadays.

However, he can only imagine how hard Majima had it. Just the idea of being some normal kid growing up in such a grimdark world makes him a little uneasy. It doesn't seem fair, honestly. At least Dante was a friggin demon and all.]

So, you sorta like it? [He questions with an arched brow.] Forsaking one's humanity for power is a common theme as of late.

[Dante almost lets out a scoff as he thinks of Vergil. The two of them are long overdue for a talk. If Dante ever sees his brother again, they're going hash things out with words rather than swords. That's a promise.]

The snake isn't listening to us now, is it?

[This is an A and B conversation, so the damn snake can "C" her ass out of it.]

[ Majima coughs into his drink. Haah, well, ]

He's always listenin', he's just gotten polite enough not t'interrupt every five minutes.

Oh yes, I am exceedingly polite.

[ The snake isn't normally visible when one isn't looking. But when he speaks up, people tend to start looking and that is when the ghostly serpent is perceived. He's wrapped all around and through Majima, a knot of thing that is impossible to undo. ]

We were gonna die in Hakagemachi, if we didn't do somethin'. Wasn't really about human or yokai. But we... got a good partnership goin' on. We're both gettin' what we want.

[Dante can't help but make a face once he hears the serpent. Snakes are cool and all, but talking snakes give him gross biblical vibes. It's bad enough that his parents named his brother and him after a fantastical god-fearing poet but this snake business takes the cake.

Even so, Dante can't complain too much about the dumb snake. If it wasn't for Chijoku, Majima probably wouldn't have survived.]

If that's the case, I guess I can Venmo snakey's portion of the bill.

[He's joking, of course. Dante has this entire dinner covered.]

Well, I can certainly relate to that. My devil side doesn't speak to me, but I always feel its presence as clear as day. It's oddly...comforting sometimes.

[Even when in Devil Form, Dante is still Dante. He has complete dominion over his body and mind regardless of what form he takes. It's kind of fascinating.]

Gochisousama.

[ The snake says wryly. As long as he's getting fed and boozed, he's really not that inclined to cause a disturbance. It's that Nishitani fuck he wants to mess with. Majima's mouth just twists into a slightly embarrassed little smile. ]

Guess ya understand then.

[ Majima is not a big talker about feelings, so that's probably as close as he's going to get with that sentiment. Chijoku has his back, no matter what. Their fortunes are tied together and they're determined now to see what they can do, where they can go.

Maybe that has a lot to do with why Majima decided to come out tonight. Jigokucho is difficult. It's so much like home while not at all being home, but it's a place where he's free and a place where he has some control and power in his situation. He's doing his best and trying to find himself again. ]

Yeah, yeah.

[He tries his best not to crack up but he does. Chijoku has a dry sense of humor that only a seldom few can appreciate. Thankfully, Dante is among the few.]

Now scram, scaly. I'm trying to flirt with your handsome friend here.

[He laughs before taking a generous sip of his glass again. It takes a while for the alcohol to kick in but after several glasses of whisky, he's starting to feel a little buzzed.]

That I do, in more ways than one.

[A grin lingers upon his lips before he suddenly asks the next question.]

So, what do you like about me?

[ It's unusual and amusing for a man to be so direct about the fact that they're flirting with him. Most of the time... he really just kind of crashes into people. Most of the men he hooks up with are people he's gotten into fist fights with in the street and it just... went from there. This is not anything he's familiar with. ]

Supposed t'flatter ya now?

[ He sits back languidly in his chair with his own drink, looking down into it contemplatively. He shrugs after a moment, as though to say might as well, ]

Funny, friendly, good in a fight, handsome.

[ That last one is dry and pointed, turning the word back at him since he started it with that one. It's probably easier to inject some sarcasm around that one, it's a little intimidating to him to acknowledge that out loud. ]

Flattery is the best policy~!

[Dante teases while puckering his lips together and making kissy sounds. He’s being annoying and he knows it, but it’s sorta cute. It’s also a testament to how buzzed he is right now. Drinking on an empty stomach is bad for anyone, even a half-breed like him. However, that’s about to remedied soon.]

C’mon, Majima! I’m already know I’m hot, but I’m glad you think I’m funny.

[Funny and friendly isn’t a bad combination, right? That means Dante isn’t nowhere near of an asshole as his twin brother. That’s always a plus in his book.]

You’re not so bad yourself. I like your honesty.

Edited 2022-05-23 03:53 (UTC)

[ Aside from the handsome part, none of that was hard to admit. It's a skill from his cabaret club days to look at people and understand their strengths and weaknesses. That was how he figured out how to train them in what, which customers to sit them with, which girls to pair for the most profitable results. Now he's lieutenant of all these Shuten goons and needs to know who is good for what. ]

Maybe a little too funny.

[ His own sense of humor is clearly dry, but he's obviously a lot more relaxed right now than he has been in a long while. Dante's antics are a nice soft landing pad, really he's not ungrateful but he could easily see it being unwelcome when shit gets serious. ]

Good in a fight was th'important part anyway.

[ A small smirk. What use is there seeing a guy if you can't scrap with him? ]

Mentioning fighting, I want a rematch.

[All joking aside, Majima is a formidable opponent. That much is apparent from how easily Majima defeated Dante in their impromptu sumo match. He kind of loathes how quickly Majima was able to toss him out of the arena, especially since Dante was trying his best to dominate the match. However, this young gangster managed to get the better of him. It was pretty surprising and honestly quite exhilarating since not too many people can take Dante in a fight.]

This time no funny business, man!

[He declares just when the waitress arrives with their orders in tow. Two delicious steak dinners of the finest beef with a lovely salad on the side, and of course more alcohol. The waitress even tossed in a few buttered garlic bread rolls too. It's clear she's working hard for a nice tip.]

[ He smirks. Yeah, he's sure it will go a little differently this time, with Toraguma's attention they've each regained some of the power they had lost. When they were both new and base-level, it was a different story. Majima had simply been more tactical and a little more familiar with the game. He doesn't answer immediately because the meal has arrived, he contemplates the food.

The last time he really ate something like this... Was probably some horrible, stilted dinner with Sagawa. His handler sometimes liked to make such gestures to show how generous he could be, if Majima continued to behave. Sometimes those thoughts bother him, but honestly... the last person in the world who is trying to play mind games with him is Dante. It's just a nice meal. It's welcome. ]

Didn't realize ya were such a sore loser.

[ A smile. ]

We can fight any time. We ain't even tried th'demons against each other yet.

[ Giant snake versus insect knight, right? ]

Itadakimasu.

[open] a real nightmare

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