Work Text:
"New hit single by The Armed Detective Agency just ranked #1 most streamed song in 2024! Alley Rose, composed by the lead singer Dazai Osamu-"
"Next up, Alley Rose by everyone's favorite band-"
"The Armed Detective Agency at it again with another #1 song on the billboard hot 100. This is the fifth time the Japanese pop-rock band has took over the #1 spot, their first ever single being No Longer Human-"
_______
"And tonight on Special Deduction, The Armed Detective Agency, what a strange name, will perform their newest hit single Alley Rose right after this!"
Dazai rolled his eyes at the comment, the older always made sure to make fun of them when given the chance. He sighed, they had 5 minutes till it was showtime. Everyone was mostly at ease, except for Atsushi of course. The 18 year old was pacing back and forth, giving himself a poorly scripted pep talk. The brunette chuckled, a small smile appearing on his face at the sight of his protege. Despite what many may think, Atsushi had come a long way when it came to overcoming his stage fright. He could still remember just how bad it used to be, the other would avoid stages like the plague. The sight of him now made a bit of pride spark in his chest as he walked over to the younger, softly placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Now now Atsushi-kun, I'm sure the performance will go perfectly fine!"
The teen jumped a bit, reminding Dazai of a spooked kitten. He could almost picture the tail and ears too, the thought made him chuckle lightly.
"Ah- I know it will Dazai-san, I'm not necessarily worried about the performance part..."
Atsushi's eyes widened as he awkwardly started waving his hands around. "W-well I am nervous, but it's about something.. else?"
This only made Dazai more suspicious, raising an eyebrow like a barely convinced parent.
"Well then, what are you worried about Atsushi-kun?"
The younger lightly scratched his cheek, making eye contact with everything but the man in front of him.
"Um- well- we aren't really supposed to tell you- "
He was quickly disrupted, much to Atsushi's relief, by the bands manager.
"WE GO ON IN 2 MINUTES! Atsushi, Dazai get to your places already!"
The blonde man angrily walked up to the two, glaring at the notebook in his hand before scribbling something down.
"You're going to make us give another bad impression on television, hurry it up you two!"
"AH- SORRY MR. KUNIKIDA!!"
Atsushi quickly ran over to his position, stumbling to pick up his dark blue guitar. The blonde simply sighed at the sight before turning to the man in front of him.
"You too Dazai, we don't need a repeat of last months concert!"
The brunette just smiled at the other man, knowing it would tick him off.
"Of course Kunikidaaaaaa~"
The other's left eyebrow twitched, expressing his annoyance.
"GET TO YOUR PLACE RIGHT NOW DAZAI OR I SWEAR TO-"
Dazai quickly walked away and over to his microphone, tapping it twice to make sure that it was on. He looked over to the blonde and gave him a thumbs up, which only made the other roll his eyes and storm off stage. Dazai chuckled quietly, grabbing his mic with one hand. He could hear Ranpo welcome back the audience, before taking a deep breathe and waiting for the music to start. At the sound of Kyouka's keyboard, he begun the first verse.
"I picked you up from the corner store, your eyes were red and your lips were tore. So much you say that subjects sore.."
He could already start to feel the emotion building up in his chest. Alley Rose would always be an important song to him. It's verses telling a story he knows from begining to end. He always wished there was a cliffhanger to it, wanting there to be a sequel to his favorite masterpiece. But he gave up on that dream years ago.
"..so much you've changed since you were born. You wrapped your fingers around my neck, and pulled me into your desperate breath."
He can imagine the moment so clearly in his head, the day he last saw that fiery red hair and dark blue eyes. The others were about sick of him talking about the redhead by now, especially Kunikida. Yosano didn't seem to mind as much, but you can only hear about another's first love so many times before the glamour starts to fade.
"The way you kissed me, hard and fast, I knew it'd be the last~"
It was Kyouka who recommended that he turned the story into a song. Saying that she was certain their fans would love it, and of course, she was right. Kenji even brought up the idea that it could bring his mystery man back, his eyes sparkling in childish wonder. Dazai only smiled, they'd never know how much he wished it would.
"Don't leave me hanging alone again! Don't leave me hanging alone again! Oh where'd you go go, Alley Rose? Oh where'd you go go go?"
He took a deep breath, but before he could start the second verse, another voice picked up where he left off.
"You told me 'I'm just so nervous dear'"
The voice was a bit raspy, but sounded almost angelic to his ears. A glance behind him only showed that the rest were in on it, his friends smiling suspiciously. He raised an eyebrow at them, but only received knowing looks in return.
"..well how the hell do you think I feel!? I've waited all year at your feet, like maybe you'd love me! SOOO~"
He starts up again at the chorus, looking around to see if he could at least tell where the voice was coming from.
"Don't leave me hanging alone again! Don't leave me hanging alone again! Oh where'd you go go, Alley Rose? Oh where'd you go go go?"
Their voices molded together so perfectly, almost like the song was made to be a duet. The voice was so familiar too, he just couldn't place figure out why. His eyes finally landed on a figure slowly walking out from the back stage. Breathing immediately forgone as he looked at them. Out walked Chuuya Nakahara in all his beautiful glory. The red head barely changed in the 4 years they were apart. He was slightly taller sure, and his hair was longer on one side, but his eyes remained the same beautiful blue.
"And I don't even care, if it makes me sound insane!"
He stepped off the stage almost in a trance, slowly stepping forward towards the other. It was like he was finally saying what he wished he said when they were 18. Chuuya slowly matched his pace, making sure to keep his eyes solely on him. Each step he took made Dazai's heart stutter in a way it hasn't in a long time. He was so entranced by the other that he almost forgot to sing the second verse.
"I run my fingers through your hair and I thank God to touch the flame. Cause I swore necks were made for bruising, I swore lips were made for lies.."
They stopped in front of each other, Chuuya only reaching up to his about shoulder. Dazai cupped the others cheek in his unoccupied hand, which the other immediately leaned into. It was almost as if their minds never stopped being in synced, something the brunette was secretly grateful for.
"..and if you ever leave me that I'd be the reason why.."
He remembers how empty he felt after the redhead left. It felt like losing his other half, and with Odasaku's death right after.. It wasn't a fun time.
"And I don't even care! If it's just a summer fling- if it's all experimental and you go back to sacred things!"
Dazai's eyes widened a bit at that. He didn't write that line...
"Cause I swore hands were made for fighting, I swore eyes were made to cry.."
Chuuya sighed, a small smile tugging at his lips as he sung.
"..but your the first person that I've seen to prove that might be a lie~"
Dazai's chest felt ready to explode at this point. His chibi has always been the type to spout sappy stuff out of nowhere. He already knew that his ears were red if the others sudden smirk was anything to go by.
"So, don't leave me hanging alone again."
The brunette couldn't help but smile as he sung the next line.
"Don't leave me hanging."
"Oh where'd you go go, Alley Rose?"
"Oh where'd you go go go."
He leaned forward and kissed the others lips softly before singing the last line, the other's wouldn't mind if he skipped a few verses anyway.
"Oh where'd you go go, Alley Rose? Oh where'd you go go go~"
The sound of clapping immediately started up as the last notes were played, and they were immediately popped out of their little bubble. Shouts and yells of encouragement, most likely from Yosano, rang out from the crowd.
He pulled Chuuya into a tight hug, the shorter being fast to reciprocate.
"I'm kinda upset the slug didn't contact me as soon as he came back to Japan."
Chuuya pulled away a bit to look up at the others face, his freckles on full display. Dazai remembered spending afternoons as a teen trying to count them all.
"Your friends tracked me down in America. Told me that it was gonna be a surprise for you, which was a surprise in itself cause I didn't know you were a singer. Honestly thought you offed yourself with how much you used to talk about it."
There was something akin to relief in the other's eyes, which was a topic Dazai did not want to explore at the moment. He pulled the other back towards his chest, burying his face in his hair.
"To be fair I didn't know you were one either chibbiko."
Chuuya's head tilted a bit in confusion.
"I'm not a singer, mackerel. Your friends just suggested that it was a good idea."
Dazai made a questioning noise at this.
"Really? The chibi has such a beautiful voice, it made me forget that he was actually a dog in disguise."
At this Chuuya immediately pulled away, slapping him on the back of the head.
"I'M NOT A DOG YOU STUPID BEANPOLE!!"
Dazai simply shook his head while tutting at the other mockingly, "Ah ah ah, Chuuya will always be my dog, we made a bet. Remember?"
"A BET YOU CHEATED ON!!"
"Ah, what was that? I thought I heard a dog bark."
"I'M NOT YOUR FUCKING DOG!!"
Dazai smiled softly as the other raged at him, his heart finally feeling whole again.