soul drunk, space-loving, science nerd.

Amplification.

Dazai's is Nullification.

Soukoku's two-sides-of-the-same-coin dynamic, them being utterly different but complementary on a level so profound it's litterally written in their very bones... It was ineluctable. They were born on the same earth, one facing down and one facing up. They always were destined to look at the world differently.

But they're also the only two ability users we've seen whose gift is to affect other abilitiy users, leaving them effectively defenseless. Or so it was supposed to be, because Chuuya ended up with gravity manipulation, erasing what could have been their only mutual understanding.

Once again thinking about this manga panel, but not because of eepy Chuuya this time. (though that's usually why asdfhjk)

But because Dazai, who was previously knelt down and teasing Chuuya, completely relaxed now that the fight is done, stands up as soon as John emerges from the trees.

John who is an enemy, who even though he's unarmed is an ability user who could still easily attack Chuuya and comes into the clearing behind Chuuya.

Chuuya who is too tired and worn to defend himself right now, Chuuya who has a weakness to attacks from behind and surprise attacks.

Dazai blew up Chuuyas car. On the surface level? Petty, annoying, fits their outward image. Deeper level? He knew Chuuya so well, so intimately that he knew he'd be destroyed. First, he didn't want Chuuya following him. He wanted to disappear. But more than that. He didn't want Chuuya to risk himself in any way *for* Dazai. Because he knew that was a possibility.

Whether it was just following Dazai and risking the status of his loyalty to the Mafia in Mori's eyes, of whether it was getting drunk and getting hurt or killed while driving, or both even--Dazai was protecting him by removing his car from the equation.

And Chuuya isn't dumb. He's not the same level of genius as Dazai, but he's not dumb, or he wouldn't be an executive. Executives aren't chosen on power alone because Mori is too smart for that. So after the initial shock, Chuuya would've KNOWN there was more to Dazai blowing up his car than just being petty. He probably would've known it was to protect him, to some degree.

And he DEFINITELY would've gotten the message of "don't follow me" (let's be real, he has more than one vehicle). So instead, Chuuya goes home. He takes out a prized possession--an outrageously expensive bottle of wine, possibly the jewel of his collection--and opens it, destroying all value it had. Losing it forever, likely hurting himself in the process. And likely drinking it all at once, not enjoying it, thinking about Dazai.

That's the surface of the wine. But then, like the car, there's a deeper level. There are a few things we KNOW Chuuya cares about--his job, his hobbies/collections (wine), his appearance, his character (loyalty, responsibility, etc), taking care of people around him and close to him, etc.

Why did Dazai leave? Because *he* was hurt. He lost Oda. Oda died on a mission that, realistically, could've been handled by Double Black. It would've been hard, but probably doable. Chuuya would be able to put that together. But he wasn't there. So Oda dealt with Mimic and died, hurting Dazai, and Chuuya wasn't able to save or protect anyone in the end. Even, or especially, his partner. As a direct result of this failure to protect, he lost yet another person he cared about--Dazai. Sure, he's not dead, but he might as well be since he effectively disappeared from the planet at this point. And Chuuya is already carrying the weight of the Flags' deaths and Verlaine and The Sheep and so much more. All people he failed to protect and lost as a result. But because of his loyalty and trusting nature, he doesn't put together that Mori is the cause, and instead blames himself.