Mei and Shizuma Reincarnation AU

Credits to El as cowriter for this.

Main CP	盟/冥静/清
Low CP	大/有
DOOMED CP	日/清
Cast	盟冥静清大有

盟: I hope next time, we can be brothers again.

Instructions unclear. 盟 and 静 are now twins.
Despite being a brocon, 静 isn’t 盟’s type.
He does try to eat him in the womb because he knows something is wrong. It doesn’t work out though.
盟 won’t play with 静.
静 is fine with this. He doesn’t really want to play with 盟 either.
盟 is miserable about it though. He’s constantly complaining that he wants a new brother! He doesn’t like this one!
- 盟’s soul will accept being 冥’s big brother! It might be hot!

盟

They go on a school trip to see one of Pluto’s plays and 盟 locks the fuck in.
- He cries through the whole thing.
  - The teacher tries to usher him out, thinking he’s upset, but he won’t go.
He goes home and writes Pluto fan letters in crayon.
- 冥 is charmed enough by the enthusiasm to hold on to them.
He keeps writing fan letters as he gets older and they’re getting less charming and more unsettling but kids are weird.
- 冥 has all the letters from crayon to pencil to pen but he’s starting to think he can throw out some of the newer ones.
盟 writes detailed “reviews” (gushing) about all his shows.
冥 is starting to scan the crowds, trying to see if he can figure out who his little fan is.
- He doesn’t spot 盟, but 盟 eventually spots him.
  
  盟: I saw you the other night! You were wearing a red shirt! I knew immediately it had to be you. You looked for beautiful.
  - This one is getting burned.
  - 冥 decides against going to any of the shows for a while.
冥 gets talked into doing a career talk for the school theatre club (it comes with a hefty donation) and he convinces himself it’s unlikely he’ll run into his fan.
- He unfortunately has the worst luck.
He ends up with 盟’s club, but just writes 盟 off as really passionate about theatre, which isn’t at all unusual for theatre kids. Every theatre kid he’s met has been incredibly excited and passionate about their first taste of the real stage.
- 盟 hasn’t asked a single question about actual theatre work. It’s all questions about 冥.
  
  盟: Tell me about yourself!
  
  冥: No.
  
  盟: Please, just tell me about your life?
  
  冥: No.
  
  盟: Do you have a family?
  
  冥: No.
  
  盟: Are you single?
  
  冥: Yes.
  - He instantly regrets answering the last one.
盟 gets in trouble for being rude to their guest but he got what he wanted so he doesn’t care.
静 sees 盟 obsessing over an older man and is just why would you want some old creeper going after you? If you want one so bad, I know one you can have.
- 盟 refuses. He also thinks 清 is gross.
盟: Do you even know his name?

静: From giving my statement to the cops for the 40th time, yeah.
- 清 pays off the cops, so it’s not really a problem for him.
盟 has a magazine cover of 冥 hanging up in his room that is somewhat worn around the mouth.

静, outside 盟’s room: You have 30 seconds to stop whatever you’re doing with that picture.
- He used to just barge in but he couldn’t put up with walking in on that.
- They used to share a room until 静 begged their parents to let him have his own room.
静 throws rocks at 清 every time he sees him.
- 盟 will join in when he feels like it.
清 eventually clocks that if he gets 盟 access to Pluto, 盟 will do pretty much anything he wants.
清 pulls a few strings to get 盟 access to the cast after the show.
- Small price to pay for a chance to actually talk to 静.
  - 盟 makes it clear that if he doesn’t see Pluto himself, the whole deal’s off.
  清: I will tie Pluto up and deliver him backstage if you want ok just get me in a room with your brother.
  
  盟: Promise?
  
  清: wait
盟 lying awake the night before.
- Will 清 actually tie up Pluto?
  - The things he could do to a tied up Pluto…
    - NO! He has to be the one that rescues him! Pluto will think he just happened to walk in on him being kidnapped and saved him.
      - Maybe he’ll even give his dashing rescuer a kiss like in the plays…
Instead, the response is a lot of “What are you doing here?” “Where are your parents?” “Its late. You need to get home.”
- 冥 getting pissed and shoving 盟 into a cab, paying his fare.
  
  盟: Don’t you want to come home with me?
  
  冥: Of course not. 盟: Don’t you want to know my address?
  
  冥: I’m giving the driver 100 yen and that better do it.
- 冥 does not want this kid’s parents accusing him of ANYTHING.
- 盟 desperately trying to recite one of Pluto’s plays by heart, begging him to at least introduce himself? To give him his name? He’ll hold it in his heart forever if only he would give it to him.
  - He’s putting his acting to as much use as he can.
  - He grabs 冥’s hand and stares at him with the most pathetic eyes.
  - 冥 sputters and tries to shake him off and ends up accepting giving his name is a small price to be rid of this kid.
盟, leaning through the open window of the cab, dreamy eyed.

盟: Then from tonight on, I’ll be Mei too.
- The cab leaves before 冥 can respond.
  - He’s not convinced he didn’t just encounter a demon.
    - He shouldn’t have given his name.
冥 collapsing at home, wondering why this has to happen to him.
- Why is romance suddenly trying to break down his door when he has happily committed to being an extremely single cat person?
  - He’s not interested in some kid, but it’s weird and annoying.
  - There’s been many people that have confessed to him, but this is the most impactful (probably because someone tied him up.)
    - He keeps thinking about his uni days and he hates thinking about those.
盟 always signed his fan letters with just “your biggest fan” (something he did initially because he was a kid and forgot you were meant to put your name, then carried on as a tradition to keep himself identifiable among the many letters) now poring over if he’ll start signing them as めい or 盟 or leave the mystique and let Pluto’s loyal letter writer and the cute boy (as described by 盟) that rescued him be two separate people he may fall for.
- The temptation to write “めい✕めい” under an umbrella eventually wins out.
  - 冥’s horror that not only has this weird demon child latched onto him and stole his name, but he has some weird parasocial crush on him from all these years of fan latters.
    - Is it okay to call a kid a stalker?

冥: What would you do if a cute [said to imply young rather than looks] boy was obsessed with you?

大: I married Ariake-san within 10 days of us meeting.

冥: Not like that (and Ariake isn’t even cute.) like… a ki- a teenager!

大 is now busy thinking about what he would do if he saw a 15 year old 有 again.
- He mentions it to 有 when he gets home and 有 has the uniform ready.
  - 大 is not proud of how long that uniform stayed on but the cap stayed on the whole time.
    - 有 suggests shaving his head next time.
      - He’d have no problem answering 冥’s question. (hence why he wasn’t asked.)
      - No one at works wants to know why 大 is bald. They can tell what the answer will be.
冥 constantly reassuring himself that 盟 will grow out of it, but he’s really just minimising the situation in his head.
盟 doesn’t even know why he’s like this. He just knows he was always miserable until he saw Pluto’s plays and suddenly he was overcome with feelings he couldn’t deal with.
It isn’t until 盟 assaults him that he remembers how scary kids can be.
- Something he definitely should have remembered from being a kid but he spent so long trying not to think about it and he’s actually somewhat managed to in the past few years so why is it back to bite him now!
- Even 盟 knows he’s gone too far. He never wanted to scare him. He doesn’t know what’s up with him. He just wants to see him. He wants to be one of those love interests 冥 writes.
- 盟 has a breakdown before things can go too far and just starts crying and apologising.
  - He just feels like he’s going crazy.
- 冥 ends up patting his head but doesn’t know what to say and he’s still so shaken himself but what is he meant to do when a kid is crying.
  - He eventually settles on telling him not to stalk people and to find someone his own age.
  - 盟 insists he knows plenty of people! He’s pretty popular actually! It’s just that Pluto is the only one he loves. Nothing feels real to him except this.
    - 冥 internally comparing him to the OG!盟 and his brain begging to ask if maybe OG!盟 went through similar…
      - But he can’t dwell on that.
    盟: Pluto’s single, right? Can’t he try loving him back?
    
    冥: ABSOLUTELY NOT WHAT WOULD THE PRESS SAY- YOURE A CHIL- LOOK WHAT YOU DID TO ME!
    
    盟: Did you not like it? I’m sorry, I swear I can do bette-
    
    冥: NO
  - He tries to offer him two free tickets to calm him down, but the suggestion of bringing a plus one just makes him start crying again.
    - 冥 suggests he could bring his twin but 盟 insists that 静 doesn’t care about theatre at all! He always says 盟 is supporting some dying culture and if Pluto were a real writer he’d be on TV by now!
      - 冥’s heart hurts a bit as he says they should get along better.
        
        They get along fine, they’re just not close.
        
        盟 extremely interested in what made 冥 give him that look though.
盟 is really curious about the scars (who could have done that to Pluto…) but he only saw them because of the assault situation, so he can’t really bring it up.
盟 keeps coming to shows, and he manages to catch 冥 occassionally.
- He’s been renamed to “brat”.
- 冥 is threatening to call the cops on him if he causes any trouble.
  - 盟 gets a little too close and he threatens to get security.
- 冥 asks him about school (call it reformation) and that’s enough for 盟 to actually start trying at school since he’ll get some mild approval if he has something good to report.
  - 静 tries to use this to get 盟 to do his homework while he’s busy with 清.
    - 盟 only does it once because 冥 lectures him about giving in to his brother “bullying” him and that he needs to stand up for himself.
      - 盟 is intrigued since there’s not a lot of information publicly available about Pluto’s childhood so he tries to ask questions, but 冥 won’t answer.
        
        冥 is starting to suspect this kid works for a tabloid but surely they wouldn’t sink so low as to have a young reporter assault him
        
        Luckily he doesn’t mention this to 盟 who would have completely ruined any normal vibes he had left by offering to kill any such reporter.
Eventually, 盟’s parents crack down that he can’t go to one of the shows because all the showings are during exams and he needs to take his exams seriously.
- At least the good grades will make Pluto happy.
- By the final showing, the entire cast and crew have been notified to Not Talk To Pluto. He’s in a bad mood because that kid hasn’t shown up.
  - He didn’t say that was the reason but he gets worse if anyone mentions the kid.
Everyone thinks he should be comping 盟’s tickets at this point.
- 冥 has offered, but 盟 refused because he wants to prove he can support Pluto financially (with his allowance(from his parents))
冥 skips the crew party and starts walking home, only to have someone jump at him from an alleyway and he’s not even paranoid anymore, he just immediately shouts that he told him not to do that!
- 盟 couldn’t help it! He hasn’t seen Pluto-san in so long!
- He’s sorry he didn’t let him know but he didn’t have his number so he couldn’t get in touch.
  
  盟: You should give me your number so I can tell you next time.
  
  冥: You should have just wrote a letter like you always do.
  
  盟: A letter would have taken too long! And I didn’t have time to write a letter. I had to study for exams.
  
  冥: If you don’t have time to write a letter you don’t have time to talk on the phone!
  - 盟 is already imagining driving up the phone bill talking to 冥 for hours.
  - 冥 insists he doesn’t have time to talk to 盟 on the phone. He also has things to do.
    - 盟 has talked to the troupe enough to know 冥 is a solitary person; what could he possibly have to do that’s better than talking to him!
  - 冥 eventually relenting that he won’t give 盟 his number, but he can call the theatre and ask for him.
    - He very quickly amends that to he can leave a message for him.
      - But when reception says there’s a call from 盟, he answers.
      - When 冥 genuinely can’t take the call, the poor receptionist is writing down the message completely stonefaced before handing it to 冥 and explaining they were told to draw little hearts around the edges but they only did two because they didn’t have the time.
        
        冥 sits and does the rest during the show then debates burning the whole note.
        
        Whatever, the receptionists has already seen it, he may as well keep it.
盟 finds out the troupe refer to him as “fan-chan” and asks where it came from (isn’t he a bit old for that?) and one of them is enough of a loose talker to say Pluto called him that (of course, he’ll never use 盟’s name and it was before he became “brat”)
- 盟 is so happy… Pluto talks about him… has a nickname for him… He’s the one fan that matters.
  - The next time 冥 says no to him he can’t help bringing it up.
    
    盟: Can you really say no to your Fan-chan?
    
    冥: Where did you get that from.
    - 冥 tells him off for overthinking something some stagehand said. They were clearly teasing him.
      - He’s making a mental note to kill said stagehand.
盟 wanting to smoke so he can smell Pluto’s smell every day and he keeps asking for one of 冥’s cigarettes and 冥 just scolds him for trying to pick up bad habits.
- You’d need a career like his to fund the amount he smokes.
- 盟 tries to grab one he throws away while they’re talking and 冥 is horrified.
  
  盟: I love you, isn’t this normal when you love someone?
  - ABSOLUTELY NOT.
  - 冥 scowling seeing him hold the cigarette. He holds it just like OG!盟.
    - Kid needs to get better habits and hang out with kids his own age.
  盟: Wouldn’t you rather I smoke under your supervision than go out and do it without anyone keeping an eye on me?
  
  冥: I would rather you not smoke at all, but if you don’t care what I say then I can’t do anything about it.
  
  盟: So if I don’t smoke, it’s proof of how much I love you?
  - That is NOT what he said but fine do whatever you want he doesn’t care anymore.
- 盟 leaning into the smoke. It doesn’t count as smoking. He’s just absorbing the smell for later. - 盟 and 静 never get their clothes mixed up because the cigarette smells are different.
  - 静 is desperately trying to scrub the smoke out of his clothes.
    
    盟: Why is your smell so much stronger [冥 does his best to keep smoke away from him]
    
    静: I WISH I KNEW.
盟 is begging 冥 to spend time with him.
- He’s seeing most shows multiple times and it’s really hurting his wallet.
  - The troupe have made it clear, they’d let him sit backstage for free if he wanted and they keep mentioning the comp tickets but 盟 won’t take them.
  - He’s going to get a part time job but that’ll eat into his seeing Pluto time…
    
    静: Isn’t your old man giving you money?
    
    盟: NO!
    
    静: Then what is he good for.
    
    盟: I’m supporting him.
    
    静: The award winning playwright?
    
    盟: See. Now you know he’s won awards!
    
    静: Only because you mention it all the damn time. I thought it meant he was buying you nice things.
    
    盟: How would I prove myself a good husband if he did that.
    - AND he needs to save for a ring to propose…
      - He should have a few years to save for that but what if someone swoops in!!
One day, 盟 goes back stage, but 冥 is talking to 大.
- 盟 charges over to ~~stake his claim~~ introduce himself.
  - 冥 calls him an obnoxious fan but 盟 is butting in.
    
    盟: I’m Pluto-san’s boyfriend, who are you?
    - Married and his wife would not appreciate the suggestion he’s interested in 冥.
    大: [Intelligence 2] Is this the that boy you were talking about?
    
    盟: !! Wait tell me everything!
    
    大: [Intelligence 2] He called you cute.
    
    冥: NOT LIKE THAT.
    - Why is 冥 mad at him? That’s what he said. The kid looks happy; that is cute.
      - 盟 is thankful 大 gave him this knowledge, but he’s still suspicious.
    - He wants to ask why 盟 calls him Pluto if they’re so close but 冥 doesn’t have a good answer for that; 盟 knows his name BUT HE SWEARS THEY’RE NOT THAT CLOSE. HE’S JUST A FAN.
    盟: Pluto is the name that changed my life when I first heard it. But I wouldn’t mind calling him something else if he wanted. But I’m Mei so it would need to be something a little different-
    
    冥: Stick with Pluto.
    - Honestly, “Pluto” has been so synonymous with everything they do, there’s a certain intimacy about the fact that 盟 only ever uses it to refer to 冥 specifically.
      - There’s something nice about it, not that 冥 will admit.
    - 盟 doesn’t want to use 冥’s name in public either. That’s a secret 冥 shared with him (unwillingly)
      - If he ever uses it, it’ll be when they’re alone (冥 insists that is not happening.)
      - He’ll whisper it at the same time he takes the eyepatch off (thoughts that have got him off twice a week)
冥’s only fantasies about 盟 are potentially getting credit when he graduates valedictorian.
盟 ends up going to the same university 冥 did and decides to dig through the school archives and find out everything about Pluto’s uni days.
He manages to find a troupe photo.
- Young Pluto was so cute.
- Who the fuck is that guy standing so close to him.
  - They’re like that in every single photo and it’s giving 盟 a headache (probably from jealousy.)
  - Well, 冥 never smiled around him so he can’t be that important.
    - Not that 冥 ever smiles for him either.
      - He’s smiling internally. 盟 knows it.
      - Unlike here, where he looks genuinely unhappy.
There’s plenty of legends around the university about Pluto’s school days.
盟 is trying to subtly ask if he was single before giving up and unsubtly asking if he was single.
- Everyone who knew him says oh no, no one could go anywhere near him! Bad vibes and bad luck too apparently.
  - Lot of incidents. People ended up in the hospital. The troupe got the worst of it.
    - And, of course, one of them got it the worst of all.
  - 盟 constantly wants to defend him. He knows Pluto and nothing has ever happened! But also he doesn’t want to let on he knows Pluto. Their relationship is private and they might not tell him the gossip if they know he knows him.
  - If anyone got injured, it’s because their love wasn’t sincere enough and they approached Pluto with nasty shallow thoughts.
  - 盟 is making a note that Pluto could STILL be a virgin though. He’ll be normal about this.
    - Dorm life is NOT suiting him.
盟 generally gets along great with everyone but every day off he’s getting on the train to go visit someone.
- Everyone knows he has an older partner off-campus.
Every time he sees 冥 he wants to ask about all the legends but he also wants 冥 to tell him himself rather than being asked.
All 冥 asks about is 盟’s uni life and if he’s met anyone yet.
- He keeps trying to ask if the old theatre is still standing. He never brought himself to check while visiting.
When 盟 mentions anything or anyone from the old days he gets a look on his face and makes a neutral comment.

冥: Oh that cafe’s still shit huh?

盟: Where should I eat instead?

冥: How should I know. It’s been, what, 18 years.

盟: What would you want to do if you were with me?

冥: Write while you went to your damn classes and studied.

盟: If I join the theatre troupe, will you come watch me perform?

冥: Isn’t it time you got back.
- 冥 keeps thinking about it after he leaves though.
  - Would he? He doesn’t owe the kid anything so why should he but.
    - The fact it may be the same theatre is both a yes and a no.
  - It might be interesting to see if the kid has learnt anything from years of obsessively watching his plays.
  - He could be a famous actor crediting 冥 for all he’s learned.
盟 lightens his hair at one point (bringing it closer to how his hair was when he died)
- 冥 almost has a heartattack when he sees him.
  
  盟: Pluto-san, does it suit me?
  
  冥: No. Shave it off and start again.
  
  盟: You look so nice going grey, I wanted to give it a try too.
  
  冥: I’M NOT THAT GREY.
  
  盟: Is it just stress? Maybe we should go away somewhere so you can relax.
  
  冥: WHY ARE YOU INVITING YOURSELF. YOU’RE MY MAIN SOURCE OF STRESS.
盟 manages to get the lead and asks 冥 to rehearse with him.
- 冥 has an awful headache.
- 盟 must have him mistaken for someone else. When has Pluto EVER been an actor.
- And like 盟 hasn’t heard his opinions on actors for years.
盟 went through the troupe archives and found an early Pluto script that was completed but never staged. The troupe was super on board since it seemed like easy ticket sales.
- He needs to invite 冥 but he can’t just invite The Pluto to the university for an unlicensed production of his own lost play.
  - Well. He already did but he’d kind of forgotten he’s Pluto and other people would care about that! Other people will see him! They’ll realise he’s cute!
    - 冥 has given guest lectures for years without anyone finding him particularly cute.
      - Clearly 冥 is too oblivious to people’s lustful gazes.
      - He didn’t even realise the whole university troupe was in love with him (THAT IS NOT TRUE.)
        
        Well, he’s certain at least that one guy in all the photos was. He recognised the look he was giving 冥.
盟 wondering if the guy from the photo is still lurking out there somewhere. Most people say no one could get close to Pluto, but others say he was secretly dating someone (盟 doesn’t want to hear that.)
- But if they were… did they break up or is he still there? Did 冥 lie about being single? Did he never give him his number in case his boyfriend picked up?
  - He’s going to kill this guy-
    - No. He has to be normal. If this guy makes 冥 happy then
      - THERE’S NO WAY A GUY LIKE THIS MAKES 冥 HAPPY LOOK AT HIS SMUG FACE.
  - What kind of boyfriend can he be if 盟 has stalked Pluto all these years and even assaulted him (only time he’ll admit he’s a stalker) and this guy has done nothing about it!
    - If it were him, he’d have killed him by now!
盟 trying to subtly ask if 冥 is living with anyone but 冥 isn’t picking up on it because they’ve known each other so long, it’s a silly thing to be asking him now.

盟, giving up: Are you living with anyone?

冥: ? Yes, I have two roommates. We’ve been living together for years.
- Two? 盟 is going to cry.
  - What has he spent his whole life doing that he didnt know he’s already lost Pluto to not one but TWO guys
- 冥 smiles when he talks about them too.
冥: I keep telling them to take it easy. They’re not as young as they used to be.
- 盟 dying. Pluto likes older men…
- He’s wasted his life. How did he never know? Why didn’t Pluto say? Did he really just see him as some cute kid? Was he really supposed to take what Pluto said at face value this whole time?
- 冥 talking about having to chase them out of the bed because they leave too much hair and 盟 is too wrapped in his thoughts, he just thinks how he would do anything to sleep on Pluto’s floor.
  - 冥 even brushes their teeth for them. What he would give…
- 冥 eventually mentions Oosaki-san and 盟 thinks “This is what that bastard meant when he said he had a wife? A wife AND Pluto?!”
  - 大 is his mortal enemy.
    - And his wife Takanawa-san.
盟 is going to confront 大. How could he lie to him like that?
- 大 comes home to a very upset 盟 sitting eating caramel with his wife
  - 盟 has no idea who 有 is. Where’s Takanawa-san?
    - How many side pieces does 大 need. If he had 冥, he’d never want anyone else.
  盟: If I can’t have Pluto-san, what’s the point of living?
  
  大: Shoutarou, can you go to the bakery and get some cakes for our guest.
  - Luckily, 盟 tunnel vision love for 冥 is keeping him for falling for the way 有 is looking at him.
大 (Intelligence 2): He’s obviously not listening to or believing anything I say. The best way to resolve this is to give him Shinbashi-san’s address so he can see for himself. I’ll drive him there.
- 冥 who has spent years making sure this kid doesn’t get his address or phone number because boundaries.
大 and 盟 show up at 冥’s front door and the colour drains from 冥 and 盟’s faces while 大 is talking to Oosaki-san.
Oosaki-san attacks 盟.
- There’s a lot of screaming and swearing and 冥 has to bring 盟 in to stop the bleeding.

大, sniffling from allergies: I’ll be going now.

冥: I’LL GET YOU FOR THIS LATER.

盟 is still trying to work out where Oosaki-san and Takanawa-san are.
- When he says their names, the cats come over and try to attack him again.
  - He showed up with hostile energy towards them.
They manage to clear the misunderstanding up but then 盟 processes that he’s actually in 冥’s house, alone (except for the cats who have been locked in the other room), 盟’s shirt is off, 冥 is touching him (to treat his wounds) and 冥 is, once again, single.

盟: Will you go out with me?

冥: No.

Asked and rejected in sub-5 seconds.
He would have fought for 冥!! Doesn’t this prove his sincerity!
- He lost to two cats.
What reason does 冥 have to reject him! If he didn’t like him, he’d have got rid of him back when…
- And he’s an adult now!
冥: For one, you’re half my age.
- What does 盟 care!! He loved Pluto when he was 3 times his age.
盟 quoting all Pluto’s plays about being in love with century old immortals and it’s making 冥 cringe so hard.
- Then he quotes one that OG!盟 also read and just sees 冥’s entire demeanor shift.
  - He keeps pushing and quotes one from the unstaged play and 冥 immediately stops him and asks where he heard that.
    - 盟 gets excited and starts talking about having found the script and it’s such a good play but before he can gush any more, 冥 has dragged him off the couch.
    - 冥 staring at him so intensely like he’s trying to work something out and he’s furious and confused and scared.
      - 盟 is getting a little scared but it’s hot.
      - 盟 continues reading it but when it comes to the character name he switches it to the name he picked out for when he’d use 冥’s real name: “Mei-chan”
        
        冥 hits him.
        
        It takes them a few minutes to move again and 冥 apologises but 盟 is so happy for reasons he can’t quite understand.
        
        冥 is barely holding it together. He can’t be mad at this kid. He didn’t know.
        
        冥: Get out. We can talk later but you have to go home or to uni or… Wherever the Hell! I don’t care!
        
        盟 doesn’t want to leave but he’s never seen him so genuinely upset. He didn’t even hit him when he assaulted him.
盟 going back to his dorm and trying to process it.
- He didn’t think he was doing anything worse than usual (guy who is always pushing it.)
- Keeps thinking about the moment 冥 hit him.
  - He’s been so careful about not touching him.
He runs into 静 on his way back and asks how things are with 清.
- 静 always complains so much, it has to cheer him up.
静, exhausted and pissed: He’s trying to get me to move in with him again.
- 盟, struggling to hold back tears.
  - 静 looks at him and sighs and offers to go drinking with him. 清 very kindly donated some booze and if 盟 needs him to share it.
    - 静 won’t offer much as actual comfort, it’s just not how their relationship is, but 盟 can cry and 静 can drink until it doesn’t bother him.
    - 盟 doesn’t even know how to verbalise any of it.
      - It was look 冥 was really looking at him for the first time and maybe even hated him. And it hurts. He’s sorry for whatever he did to upset him so much.
        
        But also he needs 冥 to look at him like that again. He doesn’t want him to hate him. But he wants 冥 to be well and truly looking at him.
        
        Might get off on it.
        
        All these years, he’s wanted to hold his hand and kiss him but who knew being hit could do this to him. He doesn’t want to upset him. He loves him more than anything. But it was so good.
        
        This was the most attention he ever got from 冥. Something without him writing him off as just some kid.
冥 feels so bad about the whole thing. He worked so hard to be over this and it just keeps chasing him and he took it out on some stupid kid who looks up to him.
- He spent years protecting this kid and doing the right thing and now he’s ruined it.
- He needs to break this whole thing off. He never should have let it get this bad.
  - But that feels like he’s punishing 盟 and 盟 will definitely take it as him being punished rather than 冥 looking out for him.
  - He’s old enough now that 冥 can’t just treat him like some kid mistaking admiration for a crush.
  - He’s going to have to accept the reason 盟 is so intense is he genuinely thinks he loves 冥.
  - Well least he knows Oosaki-san and Takanawa-san hate this kid so that should be all the evidence he needs
Ends up spiraling a bit, thinking about how old Oosaki-san and Takanawa-san are now. Someday they’ll be gone and he’ll be alone and he thought he was fine with that but. Maybe he isn’t.
- They don’t have long left and he doesn’t want to be alone.
- He’d thought about getting some kittens but he’d never really committed. He hadn’t really felt he was going to be that kind of lonely when they died.
  - He’d miss them but he’d had someone else always attached to him.
盟 thinks about writing an apology but he still doesn’t fully understand what he’s apologising for.
- Did he come on too strong? Was he rushing things? Oh God, did he butcher the lines?
  - He’ll hold back on the apology and practice the lines more. He’ll have it perfect for the actual play to prove how much he truly respects Pluto’s work and this isn’t just some silly teen crush.
    - He’s going to look for any old notes from the original rehearsals, any rewrites, anything that may suggest how Pluto envisioned it.
They bump into each other and they’re both so stunned and just stare at each other silently until 盟 croaks out a “please don’t break up with me.”

冥 who at the same moment was about to apologise: What.
- 盟 is so visibly heartbroken but 冥 is still processing what he said.
  - He still thinks we’re together.
  - He still WANTS to be together after that.
  - He wishes he had some mature adult advice to offer. 盟 shouldn’t stay with people who hurt him.
    
    盟: What would you do?
    - Historically, kill them.
    冥: You could just walk away. there’s no reason you have to stay. It’s not like we’re family.
    - He didn’t mean to say that last part. That didn’t matter in this situation.
    - It hurts both of them to hear it though.

盟: Pluto-san, have you ever been in love?

冥 can’t really bring himself to bullshit 盟 anymore. Maybe he has been. He honestly doesn’t know how to tell. If he was, it was a mistake.
盟 tries to describe how love feels to him but he’s not a writer and he’s been in love basically all his life and doesn’t remember how it feels not to be. This is just his natural state.
- He’d like to figure it out together.
  - 冥 doesn’t want to give into the whims of some confused kid.
    - But he wants to fall in love.
    - He wishes he could be like this kid and honestly he might be getting punished that he’s have to witness so many of his characters brought tolive as one kid.
冥 refuses to agree they’re dating but agrees to let 冥 find someone for him to fall in love with.
- They both know 盟 will only work on making himself that person.
冥 can internally accept he may have some feelings for 盟 and when he flirts with him, he won’t immediately change the subject or make him leave.
- He just gives and exasperated sigh and maybe smiles a bit and it’s so cute, 盟 is dying.
  - And 盟 is happy to tell him how cute he is he’s so lucky he gets to see Pluto smile.
  - 冥 gives him shit for calling a man in his 40s cute.
    
    盟: You are cute! You’re the cutest person alive! You’ll probably be even cuter when you’re older too!
    
    冥: So you’re saying I probably wasn’t cute when I was your age?
    - 盟 whines to object but can’t help feeling that 冥 will tease and snark him is progress.
      - He has 冥’s student photo in his wallet with that clingy guy cut out.
        
        He almost pulls it out as evidence but catchs himself in time.
        
        The clingy guy’s photo has been thoroughly destroyed.
      - What all has 冥 held back from saying to him? He wants to hear it all.
    冥: Everyone who knew me at your age would have agreed. They all avoided me like the plague.
    
    盟, trying to pretend he didn’t know this: Well they were idiots.
    - He wants to ask about the clingy guy so bad because clearly that guy liked him just fine.
      - That guy understood 冥’s appeal.
    盟: There’s no way no one ever confessed to you.
    
    冥: The whole time.
盟 desperately wanting to ask about the guy from the photos but he’s afraid of the answer he’ll get. He doesn’t think 冥 would be lying but his previous answer to having been in love was so vague it could mean anything.
- He shouldn’t be so focused on a guy who clearly isn’t in 冥’s life anymore but his brain feels like it’s physically itching when he sees him.
- He needs to know who he was to 冥.
- He has to have been in the lost play. He has those unbearable actor vibes even in old photos.
盟 finds a copy of the script with penmanship similar to Pluto’s that’s covered in notes for direction and everything.
- The love interest has been renamed.
- He gets a bit excited and considers showing it to 冥 but decides it’s better to make it a surprise.
- He’ll play it like it’s fate that he knew how to play the part perfectly and can come clean about it later.
  - He’s seen so many of Pluto’s plays, it makes sense he’d understand so well.
    - Though Pluto’s style has changed somewhat since this.
The play is a lot more personal than any of Pluto’s later work. He knew it was never going to actually be successfully performed so he just put his everything into it and contains some of the best stuff he’s ever written.
About a month later, 盟 invites him to the show (still trying to not let on that they’re actually performing it and he didn’t just find the script) and 冥 reluctantly agrees.
He arrives the morning before, before everyone else and 盟 sneaks him onto set and 冥 is freaking out as he’s dragged through the manifestation of his fucked up psyche from twenty years previous.

盟: Isn’t it amazing! Okay, can you help me rehearse?
- He’s worked so hard. He knows he has everything perfect. He wants Pluto to hear it before anyone else.
- He doesn’t really wait for an answer because 冥 is acting kinda weird but he’s probably just stunned from it being real so he just starts and gets half way through the first page before hearing the most croaked “Mei…”
  - Amazing! Pluto’s never said his name before!
  盟: Pluto-san, do you want to see me do the flying scene? I’ve practised it a lot.
  - 冥 grabs him before he can go and suddenly he’s hugging him- or trying to choke him? He can’t tell- is Pluto crying?!
  冥: let’s go home… please… it’s not raining… we can just go home…
  - His voice is so much higher and he sounds so scared and 盟 can’t help but kiss him.
    - And 冥 kisses him back and he’s clinging to him… had he actually been waiting for this for a long time?
    - He keeps telling him not to leave. 盟 gently reassures him he won’t go anywhere without him.
      - No matter what, he’ll always come back to Mei-chan.
    盟: Are you in love with me, Mei-chan?
    
    冥, pained and sobbing: We should be dead.
    - Not a no!
    - If Pluto wanted to die together, he wouldn’t be against it.
    - Maybe it’s a really strong confession?
    - 冥 buries his face in 盟’s neck.
    冥: I wish I could make it stop.
    - Okay that. This is a yes.
    - It worked. It really worked. It worked better than he ever expected. He’s definitely dating Pluto after this. He’s so glad he didn’t wait till opening night. Tomorrow, they can do the show and after he can run to Pluto And
    - 冥 is breathing so heavily, maybe it’s best he sits down.
    - 盟 tries to offer to go get him some water, but he keeps begging him not to go.
      - 冥 is so sweet and clingy 💘
      盟: You can’t escape me that easily.
      - 冥 is laughing and crying.
    - 盟 understands Pluto better than anyone else. He read the script and could see how personal it was. He knows Pluto more intimately than anyone else.
      - He loves him so much. He’s so beautiful.
      - No one else has ever known Pluto like this nor ever will.
    - They sit on the stage, 盟 running his hand down 冥’s back and he wants to take the eyepatch off so bad but it’s too soon for that kind of intimacy and he doesn’t want to blow this.
      - He’ll just hold him and tell him how much he loves him.
冥 eventually calms down enough for them to get out of the theatre (still clinging to 盟 but willing to walk) and then can truly start to calm down.
He’s apologising and trying to take it back.
- He doesn’t know what came over him. He thought Mei was…
- 盟 tells him to look him in the eye and say he doesn’t mean any of it and he can’t! He did mean it! Maybe he still does. There’s a lot of feelings right now and he’s not even sure what feelings belong to what person and how did it all get to this point.
- Part of him saw 盟’s ghost in there. It was the ghost that kissed him and 盟 didn’t want anyone else to have him and it seems silly to believe that this 盟 is the same person.
  - But right now he doesn’t know.
  - What kind of horrible person would try to take the place of his brother like that ^{unrelated image of another universe’s Oosaki}
    - 大 sneezing and 有 fussing over him.
    - 清 sneezes over the parfait he was about to eat with 静. 静 is disgusted.
  - He just knows when he thought 盟 (either 盟! Both 盟s!) might be leaving him there, it was horrible.
- He’s shaken up enough that he lets 盟 hold his hand on the way back to his house.
  - God he forgot this kid knew where his house was. And someone on the train definitely thought he was Mei’s sick father hes gonna fucking-
  盟 inwardly: omg we’re going home because it’s my home too now right. He said he wanted to go home and we’re going home.
  - Is staying over too much when you technically just started dating (?) but he’s known Pluto his whole life.
  - Everything feels right when they’re close. He’d feel even better if he didn’t have to stay in the guest room.
    
    盟: Pluto-san, wouldn’t you feel better having your boyfriend cuddle you?
    
    冥: It’s fine, I have Oosaki-san and Takanawa-san.
    - Those Damn Cats.
    - 盟 tries to give him a goodnight kiss to change his mind and 冥 might have given in, but Oosaki-san scratched 盟.
      - Sex with Pluto would have definitely improved his performance tomorrow but he was hoping for too much.
      - Does he really want to be covered in scratches when he goes up on the rig?
        
        Yes he does and he’s going to anyway but these ones aren’t sexy!
盟 is absolutely dying trying to keep his mouth shut about his boyfriend.
- No one needs to know he’s Pluto.
- Everyone already knows he’s dating some older person.
  - But now he’s dating him for real! They even kissed on set!
    - He’s staring at the stage because that’s where they kissed! That’s where Pluto kissed him as hard as he could! He even used his name!
      - Ignore he was having a panic attack.
冥 is screaming and Oosaki-san and Takanawa-san are too old to be putting up with this.
- If they could understand, they’d be telling him to dump 盟.
- His memory of what happened in there is so foggy and oh god he’s dating a kid half his age he feels like a criminal.
  - He is a criminal and that’s feeling very related.
    - Poor An.
    - This is the closest he’s ever felt to guilty about what happened to OG!盟.
      - He’s been doing everything he can to not draw conenctions between them but.
      - It’s definitely different. OG!盟 never would have kissed him so sweetly or loved him so patiently.
        
        盟 would have never let 冥 hurt him without retaliating.
        
        But he did. Didn’t he.
        
        It’s just the name. That’s what’s tripping him. He doesn’t want to rush anything but he needs to stop seeing 盟 in him.
        
        If he can then great. This 盟 is so sweet and devoted to him. They could be together forever just like 盟 wants.
        
        Does he deserve that?
        
        If he can’t, he’s never felt such powerful emotions in his life. What is he supposed to do with his.
        
        What does this mean for how the OG!盟 felt about him. What does it mean for how he felt about the OG!盟.
- He promises himself this isn’t love yet. This is just a trial run. He’ll give it a few months.
  - He’s not really in it yet, then! There’s a potential end date and he doesn’t have to destroy everything just because of his godforsaken brother.
  - He tries to be clear with 盟 this is just a trial run but 盟 takes it as 冥 wants to take things slow and of course they can.
    - He can give 冥 a few months to get over any lingering insecurities and then it’s happily ever after.
It’s raining the next day.
- 盟 suggests they share an umbrella on the way but 冥 is so skittish, he barely seems to hear.
  - Which means he isn’t objecting!
Since 冥 seems on edge about being in the crowd for the play, 盟 invites him to stay backstage during the perfromance.
- That way when he gets off stage he can kiss him! (冥 will NOT allow something that public.)
冥 trying to keep a low profile back stage.
- Someone spots him and word starts to get around that Pluto is at their performance for some reason?
When 盟 is getting ready for the flying scene, 冥 comes over and obsessively fiddles with the harness and his hands are shaking.
- 盟 trying to work out if 冥 is nervous or really into harnesses (something to explore later)
- The rig has been replaced since he was at school, of course, and it has to be safer now but. He wrote that scene for someone else.
  - If he’d known sooner, he’d have rewritten it.
- He desperately wants to press their foreheads together and will 盟 to be safe.
  - 盟 waits for everyone to look away so he can kiss 冥’s forehead.
    - 冥 had barely even noticed when 盟 grew taller than him.

盟: If I do a good job, can I see under the eyepatch?

盟: I’ll make it an unforgettable performance.

冥 wants it to be the most forgettable performance. He wants it to be so run of the mill it could be any production.

冥: You’re acting like an amateur. This is opening night, you have six more shows so you better not burn out now.
The rig operator who is very dedicated to their job and has checked the rig a dozen times and done all the practice runs only for it to jam in the middle of the scene and their lead actor is visibly struggling.
- The crowd are all muttering and the director is shouting to get him down.
- The rig isn’t working. They can’t get him down. And 盟 is struggling, so it’s got caught around him and
  - Award Winning Playwright Pluto runs over with a knife and cuts the wire, sending your lead actor plummeting to the ground.
    - 盟 falls like completely dead weight.
      - The show is fucked.
        
        There’s a long moment before they notice 盟 move. He’s not getting up, but he’s twitching. He could still die but he’s not dead yet.
冥 runs out onto the stage screaming his name.
- The crowd are all muttering because holy shit Pluto?
They quickly drop the curtain and the crowd is left wondering if maybe this is just part of the show.
- Why else would Pluto be here?
  - Maybe it was someone playing him. Surely the uni didn’t actually bring Pluto in.
盟 dazed and staring at 冥 and weakly reaches up to ruffle his hair a bit.

盟: Couldn’t kill me this time, huh?

He passes out before 冥 can respond.
冥 holds his hand in the ambulance all the way to the hospital.
- 冥 brought some grapes and crumpled some flowers on purpose.
  - He hated leaving for the few minutes to visit the shop but. It was important.
- He’s still holding 盟’s hand when 盟 wakes up in the ward even though he’s fallen asleep.
  - 盟 sits and holds his hand like that for five minutes before he says “Mei-chan” and 冥 wakes up instantly.
    - 冥 has a moment of not knowing what to say before getting at him! What was he thinking putting on that cursed play! Was someone dying last time not enough!
      
      盟: Well, that had nothing to do with the play, right?
      - 冥 is horrified.
      - He’d hoped what he’d heard before 盟 passed out was him hallucinating again.
      - He pulls away and he’s terrified because he can see his cute Fan-chan that followed him like a puppy all those years.
        
        But if it’s 盟. He’ll want revenge.
        
        盟 grabs him and his grip is really tight for someone who almost died.
        
        盟: What’s wrong, Mei-chan? You’re shaking so much. Do you think this changes anything? I love you and I loved you back then too.
        
        冥: are you going to kill me?
        
        盟: Why would I do that when we’ve finally found each other again?
盟 slowly kissing 冥’s hand before ripping the eyepatch off with the other.
- 冥 is on the verge of a panic attack but 盟 is so happy! It’s as cute as ever!
盟: You promised I could.

冥: …you didn’t do a good show.

盟: There’ll be other nights.
- The university are freaking out that they’re going to get sued and the director is freaking out they’re not going to graduate.
  - And the rig is broken.
  - The understudy is fucking terrified.
  - The play is 100% cancelled.
- 盟 tries to kiss 冥’s tears away.
  - His eye is still so cute…
  - His ribs loudly protest when he sits up though, so 冥 pushes him back into the bed and tells him to stop moving so much.
They sit in silence for a while.

盟: Anyway, I forgive you. Have we both done enough to forgive each other, Mei-chan?

冥: It can’t be that easy.

盟: Why not?
- He’s lived almost his entire life again. Isn’t that enough time?
- Has any of this been easy?
冥: And what was Mei like before meeting me?
- 盟 tells the truth. He hated 静, they never played together, he begged for a better brother. He was better but.
  - Well, they both know even this 盟 isn’t an angel.
    - He still assaulted 冥 after all.
    - He hasn’t actually redeemed himself.
    - But he tried to be better for Mei-chan. He kept trying to be better.
      - If 冥 will take him, he’ll keep trying.
  - 冥 didn’t ruin his beautiful new life or anything. He was always missing him and he found it when he found Pluto.
冥 is at risk of getting swept up in everything, but what about his 盟? Is he really still his 盟? Will he still love him like that, even knowing everything that happened before?
- And there’s the age gap.
  - Does 盟 still feel the same seeing him like this?
- Oh God, did he have feelings for 盟 all these years?
  - WAS HE SERIOUSLY IN LOVE WITH HIS BROTHER HIS WHOLE LIFE?!
- 盟 can’t tell what’s going on in his brain, but he can guess and just sighs affectionately.
  
  盟: Mei-chan always worries so much. That’s why you’ve got so many wrinkles at 40.
  
  盟: Do you have to worry about everything now? We have the rest of our lives.
盟 staring at the ceiling and coming clean aobut so much stuff.

盟: Oh my god I was jealous of myself
- He shows 冥 the photo in his wallet.
盟: Mei-chan, your nii-san is embarrassing.

冥: Don’t call yourself that when you’re half my age!

盟: Remember when I thought you liked older guys…

盟: But now I’m both! So it’s fine!

盟: And I thought you were dating Oosaki-san.

冥: Yeah, that was absolutely idiotic. It would be idiotic even if we weren’t talking about a cat.
- Debating mentioning the magazine cover but maybe that’s too much.

盟: Mei-chan, how much did you think about the old me?

冥 doesn’t answer but 盟 doesn’t need him to.
- He can think back on all the times 冥 would get distant and evasive when they talked about university or his childhood.
  - He’d love to know if 冥 ever got off to him but he’s not going to answer that.
    - 冥 wouldn’t count dreams!! He didn’t agree to those!
      - He had one dream about the assault…
      - And a more fucked up dream after hitting 盟…
        
        That one counts for both 盟s and 冥 hated himself.
        
        It definitely didn’t help his anxieties about the relationship.
    - 盟 would happily tell 冥 how many times he’s got off to him (uncountable but he’ll make a rough estimate for just this life)
      
      冥, wrestling between the horrors and his own horniness 4 stat: NO.
      - He can round to the nearest hundred
      冥: HUNDRED?!
      - You got older, 冥, maybe your libido died down but some of us went through puberty twice.
盟 asking if they still have to take things slow. He’d wait another lifetime if that’s what 冥 wants but surely this helps some of his worries?
Can he at least get kisses to feel better?
- 冥 staring at the nurse station outside.
- 盟 keeps whining and trying to sit up. Fine, maybe just one quick kiss on the cheek to settle him.
  - 盟 turns so fast, their noses collide.
    - 冥 doesn’t even feel the pain, he’s too busy making sure no one saw.
      - oh God Pluto can NOT be accused of kissing his nephew thats half his age and all the crew hes worked with for like over 10 years have seen this kid and could sell stories to the papers and
      - As soon as 冥 draws the curtain, 盟 grabs him for another kiss.
静 came to the hospital but is elsewhere since it’s not like him sitting there is doing anything.
- He did lie and say 冥 was their uncle so they’d let him stay.
静: You can be his twin in my place. I got places to be.
- 清 offers to upgrade 盟’s room, but 静 drags him out.
- He comes back after 盟 draws the curtain to kiss 冥.
  
  冥: You have 30 seconds to stop whatever you’re doing.
  
  盟: DON’T YOU HAVE AN OLD MAN TO BE KISSING TO?
  
  静: Unfortunately, he came with me.
  
  盟: MY OWN BROTHER! ABANDONING ME FOR HAMA-SAN! WHEN I COULD OF DIED!
  
  静: you were fucking stable and your boyfriend was holding your hand shut UP
  - They both know he’d have been pissed if he woke up and 静 was thirdwheeling.
  - He didn’t even think about 静 until he walked in.
  - He’s absolutely holding it up to him that Hama-san was more important to him than his own brother who almost died and will do for the foreseeable future.
  - Seeing them arguing helps 冥 let go of some of his insecurities.
    - It’s easier to see that he isn’t one 盟 or the other. He’s both.

清: Hi Shinbashi-san! We’re going to be brothers now, aren’t we?

冥 who has heard PLENTY from 大: Do NOT start with that.

清: I meant brothers-in-law.

静: I haven’t said anything about that-

盟: YES.

They’re both confused because Shinbashi calls 清 “Daiba Shizuma”.

盟: You guys have the same name like us?

静: Pluto’s name is Mei? No, his name is Hama Kiyo isn’t it?
- 冥 extremely confused because no he got stuck on a damn island with a man impersonating this guy. He knows who the fuck this is.
  - His voice takes a certain tone when he says “Daiba Shizuma”
    - He’s still not convinced he didn’t get his letter.
    - 盟 shocked ot learn there’s STILL Mei-chan lore he missed out on!
      
      静: When did it go from Pluto-san to Mei-chan- whatever I don’t care. I don’t want to know.
      - He’ll write it off as 盟 hit his head really hard.
RE: Sugar Baby Client

清: So you were going to sugar daddy my Shizuma?
- 盟 lunges out of bed but immediately falls back cause his damn ribs.
- He is going to kill 静 because he knows this is 静’s fault somehow.
  - Sweet shy Mei-chan who was so maddeningly careful not to lay a finger on him would NEVER.
  静: It was a lie!
  
  清: Oh? So you were lying about seeing other men after all.
  
  静: NO I SAW OTHER PEOPLE JUST NOT THIS ONE.
  - He’s had plenty of sex and he’d have had plenty more if he didn’t always have to check what they’d ate beforehand!
  盟: YOU LIED ABOUT HAVING SEX WITH MY MEI-CHAN.
  - 静 is sick of hearing “Mei-chan”! He’s getting confused!
The nurses get sick of them causing a commotion and start ushering them out.
- 盟 is on the verge of tears, holding 冥’s hand, so they reluctantly let him stay as long as they don’t cause any more trouble.
  - If they didn’t, there was serious risk 盟 would discharge himself.
盟 tries to convince 冥 to let him move in with him but 冥 insists he has to finish uni first.
- And Oosaki-san and Takanawa-san need to get used to the idea. They still don’t like 盟.
  - 盟 is silently glad he’ll outlive them.
When 盟 gets back to school everyone is swarming him.

Director: IS PLUTO-SAN SUING US?

盟: No, we made out.

Director: DON’T MAKE FUN OF ME! MY LIFE DEPENDS ON THIS!
- The rig operator skipped town already and they need to know if they have to follow!
- They don’t have any money! How are they meant to get a new identity!
盟: I’m serious, I’ll invite you to the wedding!
- The university is not going to say anything about 冥 destroying the rig. It would have been a lot worse if he hadn’t.
冥 is visiting the school a lot now.
- He insists he’s there for completely unrelated reasons but. Everyone saw him freaking out on stage.
  - Not that they can say that to Pluto.
    - Except for 盟, who loves to talk about his boyfriend.
    冥: Stop calling me your boyfriend!
    
    盟: Sorry, I mean my Fiance
    - He didn’t agree to that either! Weren’t they meant to be going slow!
      - This too is Daiba Shizuma’s fault! The real one this time! (Not the real one. 清.) All Daiba Shizumas are nothing but trouble!
        
        静 sneezing.
        
        大’s nose twitching.

静

日 who has been dating 清 and in a few years, he’ll inherit his fortune.
- He’s deep into his 静 LARP and has put in so much effort.
- Only for 清 to do an emergency stop and bolt from the car because he just saw the 静 he first fell in love with.
  - Poor 静 got approached by some old pervert who then got dragged away and beaten up by a nice onee-san.
清 who is trying to look in the fence of the primary school.
- 静 is always the first to report him the second he turns up.
  - He never talks to him, just immediately gets a responsible adult.
- 日 is pissed because suddenly 清 has completely lost interest in him.
  - The fact 静 is being so unrecptive is making 日 feel he was going too easy on him.
    - Was he too easy in general…
- 盟 and 静 both get predator alarms but 盟 gives his to 静 to keep him extra safe since that creep is clearly focused on him.
清 tells 大 that he thinks this kid is 静 reincarnated and they both agree 日 can never know for 静’s safety.
- 大 is sure this kid is completely unrelated to the OG!静 and doesn’t deserve to be killed by 日 because of a misunderstanding.
  
  清: Don’t you think you’d be able to recognise Ariake-san if he was reincarnated?
  - This still seems stupid but…
  - 大 comes home to 日 crying in his room and non-verbal.
    - He didn’t actually like 清! It’s fine!
      - He’s just mad he was treated as disposable…
      - He’s setting fire to his closet of 静 cosplay.
大 has to come deliver the bail money (清’s own money, of course.)

大: Still not given up yet?

清: Not yet!
- 清 drives 大 home and 大 always says 日 was asking about him.
  - He doesn’t really care for the relationship they had, but 日 was upset.
    - 日 never actually asks about him.
日 convinces himself that living well is the best revenge and someday, 清 will regret leaving him.
- He won’t. But 日 will live a great life.
While 盟 is in drama club, 静 is in art club, desperately trying to avoid 清.
Once 静 realises how much money 清 has, he becomes more receptive to 清 (静 fully intending to take advantage of him)

盟: Isn’t that comp dating?

静: Not if I don’t let him do anything.
- Author’s Note: It is.
- 静 insists he simply knows his worth, unlike 盟 who obsesses over some weird old guy who writes dumb animal musicals or whatever.
  - It’s one of the few times 盟 actually hits 静.

清, showing 静 his massive shrine of OG!静 photos in hopes of jogging his memory: This is my brother. Don’t you think he looks like you?

静: Not as good looking.

清 caught in the dilemma of not being able to agree or object.
清 initially kept trying to trigger any past memories but eventually gave up.
- He likes 静 as he is. He can’t quite say he prefers this 静 because that would be betraying past 静. He loves them both equally.
  - He keeps thinking 静 should be rejecting him more but when he actually looks at him. That’s his 静.
静 always drags 清 to fancy patisseries.
The more 静 torments him, the more convinced 清 is that this is his 静. This is exactly how it felt before.
静 feeling like he has to sweet talk him a little every so often just to keep him interested and does little things like hold 清’s hand for a couple seconds or whisper that he likes him.
- 清 is just. 静 wouldn’t do that.
  - but he always wished he would…
- He knows they’re fake. He needs 静 to not just see him as some creepy old pervert, so he’ll reject these feelings in hopes real ones will develop.
  - But he’s at risk of crumbling every time 静 says he liked getting to eat 清’s dessert.
静 trying to guess what kind of fetish guys like this have and calling him “uncle”.
- 清 recoils a bit but then thinks on it a little and. Maybe?
RE: Clothes smelling of smoke

静: The money’s great EXCEPT I HAVE TO KEEP BUYING NEW CLOTHES.
- Every time the smell fades, 清 smokes harder.
- He has a box of “putting up with Hama-san clothes”
- He’ll sometimes wear them when he’s painting since it doesn’t matter if they get dirty.
  - 清 walks in on this once and needs to take a moment.
  - 静 tells him off for hugging hime while he’s trying to paint.
    - 清 struggling against confessing his undying love to this kid but he went 静’s whole life without confessing, he can hold off still.
      - But maybe if he confesses this time, it’ll fix everything. Maybe now is the time. Maybe he should do it.
      - While he’s contemplating, 静 swipes paint on his face and laughs at him and 清 is completely smitten.
Every so often, 清 will mumble things like “how long before we get married” and 静 will pretend he didn’t hear and ask when 清 is going to pay him.
- Keeping some old pervert happy is a pain in the ass.
静 hits on 日 at one point and it just made everything worse for 日.
- 静 thought he was beautiful and 清, ever trying to appease him, suggested a threesome and 日 threw his drink at him.
  - He immediately panics that there could have been gluten in it and then hates himself for worrying.
  - 清 laughs it off and tells 静 that 日 has always been like that.
    - 日 took that to mean “stupid enough to seriously fall for a guy like him.”
      - He swears he didn’t fall for him.
    - 静 orders him a replacement drink and 日 considers throwing that one at 清 too but it’s not this kid’s fault. 清 is the freak that groomed him.
  - 日 lowkey expects 静 to turn up after being dumped, asking him for advice.
    - It never happens.
    - He tries to tell 静 to be careful of 清. He loves playing with the hearts of little kids like him and then tossing them away for a newer model.
      - 静 hopes so. He can’t stand this guy.
At some point, 清 stopped buying him cakes and he raised his pay in exchange for at least one kiss and 静 is pretty certain the sugar baby gig hasn’t been worth it since.
- He’s an art student and half his department are sugar-babying.
  - As soon as he mentions he’s sick of 清, people are jumping for a chance with the rich old man that doesn’t even expect kisses.
    - 静 tried baiting 清 with a few of them and 清 went for it, but he barely calls on them. He has a clear favourite.
      - Some of them have even gone further than 静 ever has, but they’ll only do it occassionally cause they hate the stress of staying gluten free before.
      - They all feel sorry for 静 not eating gluten.
        
        Sure, he has nicer supplies than all of them and a private studio but is it worth it?
        
        Sometimes a newbie will invite him for ramen with everyone and everyone quickly hushes them immediately and apologise.
        
        He’s actually not that bothered by it. He’s used to it.
        
        Missing out on things with his classmates sucks though.
        
        He flops on 清’s shoulder, emotionally exhausted from always missing out.
        
        清 goes to soothe him but he just get’s told not to touch him.
        
        清 is happy 静 relies on him like this at least, even if he can’t voice it.
        
        Even if he can’t touch 静, he’ll descreetly smell his hair.
        
        静 knows exactly what he’s doing, but doesn’t have the energy to argue.
    - He suggests to 清 he’s thinking about geting a new client and 清 starts squirming when he tells him about the other candidates he’s met.
      - He only does it once because 清 start kissing him and goes way above the quota they paid for.
        
        At least 清 can pay the excess bill which the other clients wouldn’t be able to afford.
        
        清 has been hoping if he kisses him good enough 静 will turn off the running bill in his head but it hasn’t worked out yet.
      - He has to make up a few clients just to pad out the list and halfway through describing one he realises he’s describing Pluto because 盟 talks about him nonstop.
        
        Immediately changes tack because no he doesn’t want that one.
        
        清: Hm? He sounds familiar, what were you going to say?
        
        静: No. I just got mixed up because I’ve been talking to too many old men. They’re all the same after a while.
        
        清 is a little glad that he’s the standout one.
        
        THAT’S BECAUSE HE’S BEEN STALKING HIM HIS WHOLE LIFE.
        
        AND IT’S HIS FAULT HE CAN’T GO TO THE CAFE WITH HIS FRIENDS.
RE: Sleeping With Other People

清: So, you look out for me even when you’re with other people?

静: I hope you crash this car.

清: If you and your brother want a joint wedding it’s fine. I think we have a lot of the same friends anyway. but I also want to do something private for just the two of us.

静: I’m going to grab the wheel.

清 is trying to work out if its a faux pas to invite 大.
- 大 wouldn’t see why it would be a faux pas. They all know each other and 有 would be very happy to attend.
  - 有 loves seeing former love rivals get taken off the market.
  有: What did he want to talk to you about?
  
  大, already forgetting as much as he can: He and Shinbashi-san are getting married.
  
  有: To each other?
  
  大: No. I’ve forgotten. Let’s go get something to eat.
  - They’ll figure it out when the invitations arrive.
    - Which is never if 静 has his way.
    - 有 calls 冥 because he’s curious and wants to give him shit but 盟 picks up.
      
      盟: Oh, Takanawa-san?
      - It takes 有 a few moments to realise who it is.
        
        He congratulates him. He respects a good stalker game when it has nothing to do with 大.
        
        He tells 大 after that it’s “Stalker-kun”
        
        大 still doesn’t remember who 清 is marrying. There’s ominous beeping in his head whenever he thinks too much about it.
  - He calls 日 to tell him 清 is getting married (still unclear who to.)
- 大 will always be his little brother (大 would rather not) but it seems maybe true love does find a way (doesnt want to understand the connection between these statements)
  - 大 is dialing his intelligence stat down to get out of understanding this conversation.
冥 is suspicious after 盟 regained his memories and asks 静 what he knew about 清’s brother.

静: Oh, that. I didn’t listen. He wanted me to pretend to be his brother, that’s all I needed to know.
- It was weird, but 清 was willing to pay for it.
- 静 avoided asking any questions about 清’s past. He didn’t want him thinking this was a real relationship.
- He has no feelings for 清 and he never will.
When they do get married 大 tries to destroy 日 invitation before he ses it, but he insists on going.
- 日 spends hours putting together his best Ooe An inspired outfit just for 清 to pat him on the head.
  
  清: Hinode-chan, you’ve grown up.
  - Even 有 feels a little bad for him.
    - 有 gives him a biscuit with gluten in it he snuck in and 日 eats it and tries his best not to cry.
      - It’s fine. He’s over 清. He can eat these all he wants. Maybe he could kill 清 by- No.
      有: Hinode-kun’ll meet a wonderful guy some day that looks nothing like Daiba Shizuma.
      - Maybe around his own age. Maybe younger. Younger guys can be fun.
        
        HOW COULD HE NOT CONSIDER THIS. THEY’RE AT THE QUESTIONABLE AGE GAP CONVENTION 1975. HIS EX IS MARRYING A 21 YEAR OLD.
        
        He should have stole 静 when he had the chance.
  - 冥 had a stronger reaction to the outfit than 清 did.
    - 冥 is trying to leave his own wedding.
      - Eventually 盟 talks him down to going outside to smoke three cigarettes while 盟holds his hand and keeps trying to steal them from him.
静 complains the whole run up to the wedding that he shouldn’t have agreed to it.
Half way through the party, 静 and 清 disappear to make out in the closet.

清: Hahaha wow I don’t have to pay per kiss anymore.

静: Of course you’re still paying. What do you think you’ll be doing for the rest of your life.
- 清 is happy with the rest of his life.
- The shared bank account is getting abused.
清: Maybe more than kisses now? We’re married so, maybe more?
- 清 having to negotiate rates before he can even get into his wedding bed.
  - Maybe in a week, 静 will let him jerk him off.
  - 清 is aiming for being so irresistable the 静 caves after three days.
    - It’s never worked before.
静 is secretly insecure that once he lets 清 have everything, 清 will get tired of him.
- What 日 said has stuck with him more than he’d admit.
- Maybe if he just blueballs him until he does… How long can he have left? 20 years?
- He’s wrestling with his own horniness 4 stat.
  - He’s never had to think about his own horniness stat due to who he’s been around.
  - 静 doesn’t climb into people’s laps unless they’ve paid for it and that means he must have great self-control.
    - Ignore how many people paid for it. That’s their lack of self-control, not his.
静 cracks at the three day mark.

静: Fine! Whatever! I’m tired of you being pathetic. You can jerk me off.

清: Oh? How much is that worth to you? My starting figure is 5000 yen-
- 静 walks out.
  - 静 in the bathroom glaring at his boner when 清 bursts in, promising it was a joke.
    - He ends up writing a big cheque for the privilege of jerking his own husband off.
      - And it was worth every penny.
        
        But he did get told off for trying to get the menu expanded to sucking him off.
        
        静 says it’ll be two weeks, but he caves by day five.
静 will make up for it by charging him to call him his husband.

清: How about wife then?

静: Ex is free.
静 is pissed when he’s out with his friends and he automatically calls 清 his husband.
- He mentally charges himself for it.
  - There’s a husband jar 清 has to put money in every time he says it.
- 清 can never find out or he’ll never hear the end of it.
静’s drunk friends when 清 drives over to pick him up: Oh hey, Shizuma-kun, it’s your HUSBAND!!!!
- 静 very aggressively insisting they’re just making a joke.
- 清 keeps pressing so 静 sucks it up and calls him “nii-san” to make him forget about it.
  - 清 would give up calling 静 anything else if he could keep the brother thing.
    - Clients are very confused when 清 stops talking about his husband/wife and starts talking about his cute little brother.
      - His polycule is in fucking shambles.
静 eventually remembers his past life and, rather than bring it up to 清, he begrudgingly brings it up to 盟.

盟: So, you know when you fell on stage and hallucinated and talked a lot of nonsense?
- 冥 staring at 静 terrified he’s gonna ask something 冥 doesn’t want him to know.
- 盟 is pretty discreet about it. He likes to keep things secret between him and 冥 but it is fun to watch 冥 squirm a little.
静 goes home and stands next to the bed, staring at 清 and frowning.

清: What’s up?

静: Your hair is going grey.

清: Luckily it doesn’t matter because I’ve already landed a beautiful husband.
- 静 “forgets” to charge him for that one.
  - He’ll charge him for the cuddling though.
    - He won’t. This time…