Chuu-Chuu Chamber | Kaname Date

[loveauthority]

... And just him, huh?

Well. This isn't normally allowed, really... it's supposed to be a couple's activity, you know? But it's late enough at night it circles around to it become interesting in theory, so the crew turns a blind eye for some potential b-roll footage they can use in their Sexy Kaname Date Highlight Compilation.

The bedroom is nice enough, bereft of any odd housefriends this time, and the timer remains at 5:00 since there's little point in punishing someone for not kissing if they're alone. The mirror seems to be angled just right for someone to narcissistically watch themselves get off too, if that's his jam.

So, well.

Have at it. Enjoy your alone time.

Comments

major major major aitsf spoilers

[gumai]

[ Date waits until everyone is asleep, until there's not much of a creak in the house anymore. That's when he slips away from his spot at the couch to the chuu chuu chamber, knowing it's the only place in the house for true privacy. Which he so, so, so desperately needs right now.

And when he steps inside, he's surprised to see a different room but — grateful too, because this is exactly what he needs too. A calm, quiet place to just... have a tiny bit of a breakdown. This is not what he wanted to do, not what he thought would happen to him over the course of these four weeks. Hell, it's only week two, but his fragile sense of self is already cracking at the edges.

Boss thought it'd be funny. Put him on a dating show, see him spin his wheels and be a pervert at people who weren't prepared for it, get a wish in the end and come back as a champion. Ryuki did it, why can't Date, after all? So Date thought yeah, of course he would, he'd have a good time of it.

But then he actually got accepted into the show. That's when she sat him down and told him the #1 rule of being here. Do not, under any circumstance, show his true self to anyone here. His identity is a state secret. He's not allowed to give it to anyone, to reveal the truth. He wears his mask because this is the face people know him as, the face that is Kaname Date. Not Hayato Yagyu. That man is dead, gone, no one he will ever be again.

He sits down on the bed, in front of the mirror and stares at his reflection for a long moment. Quietly, he pulls his eyepatch off and continues to stare back at the reflection.

And then his hands reach up, feeling around the edges of his hairline and starts to peel. His mask, the one thing he's not allowed to take off. Nearly indistinguishable from real skin and almost invisible at the edges. Date peels carefully, quietly, knowing he'll have to put it back on after this but for a moment — he just needs to see his real self. Just needs his real skin to breathe.

When it comes off, there is the face of a man, though he doesn't really look like that anymore. Maybe more like this? He places the mask on the bed next to him and rubs at his face, taking a deep breath and staring back into the mirror. His hand drifts down to his chin, rubbing it gently. He mumbles — ]

Need to shave...

[ And then continues to look at his reflection. It's not a reflection familiar to him, not something he actually likes or resonates with. His real self is the other face, the face he stole, the one he will continue to wear outside this room. But is that the truth? If he got the wish — he could make it true. Have his body back, have his face back. Live a normal life as a result. He wouldn't have to hide.

But is he hiding? He doesn't know. Maybe he could live with this face but it doesn't feel right. It's not him, it's not his. It's the face of a criminal, the face of a man who killed so, so, so many people. The face of a man with hands covered in blood. That's not Kaname Date. That's not him.

Kaname Date is a beloved father, an upright detective, an unabashed pervert. He's banned from multiple cabaret clubs and Reika-chan has his number blocked. He's solved so many cases. He loves his family. He loves his car. He has the best detective partner in the world. That is Kaname Date.

This man... this man is not Kaname Date.

Kaname Date is the one on the dating show. Kaname Date is the one grappling with his stupid crush on Gustave. Kaname Date is the one making friends and trying to figure out their perfect matches. Kaname Date is the real person.

This man is not real. This man is a shadow. A corpse. A ghost.

Date frowns deeply, looking angrily at his reflection for a moment. He can't stand it. He can't stand this face. This isn't him. This isn't him! This is the vagabond, the ghost, the man who wandered the country for six years because he couldn't remember who Kaname Date was. This isn't someone who he recognizes.

Date shakes his head, wipes his face with his hands a few times and grabs his mask. He doesn't want to look anymore. This isn't him. This is no one.

Slowly, he watches his reflection as he pieces the mask back together, putting it back into place. Just like that, he's Kaname Date again. Just like this, his face is his own. Just like that, he's whole again.

He breathes a sigh of relief. ]

Okay... two more weeks.

[ Yeah. Two more weeks.

With that, he gets up and leaves. Better to not get caught. ]