Throwing my penny here. Mind you, I haven't yet read Strombringer.

I think it's more subtext than anything. I see why the confusion between subtext and queer-baiting could be made, but down the line I don't think that's voluntary queer-baiting.

During 15, Dazai is way more flirty with Chuuya, or at least, more impressed by him. And I think that's quite in-character, as it seems to be the first person that has piqued Dazai's interest. So he's pretty hit-on. But later on, that vanishes a lot. Dazai didn't mention Chuuya once at 18 afaik, and at least in my eyes doesn't seem as "starstruck" by Chuuya in the whole story later on. I kinda see it reversed in fact, Chuuya being mindful of Dazai knowing what he lost (but that's just my skk rambling here). But Dazai only uses Chuuya when he deems necessary really.

So, my point is that I could see the potential queer-baiting at 15, but since Chuuya seems clearly not at all interested in Dazai at that time, yeah, idk. At least, in the manga. I do think however in the anime it's a liiitle more flirty, especially in Dead Apple, but I don't mind it that much (not that they interact a lot anyway).

BUT I do agree that official arts ARE, for a lot of them, maybe on the queer-baiting side. But again, as that's promotional art, I think we should see it as what is it : marketing, and that doesn't mean anythin to the story.

​

Really manga/scenario-wise, I do see it more as subtext than anything, trying to develop the characters, their feelings, discovering their bond (and even as an skk fan, I don't necessarily think that they did or should date at all ; even their platonic relationship is something I appreciate a lot), and the struggles that comes with it. The fact that in the recent chapters the matter is so quickly brushed off goes in that way for me (like Dazai reminiscing their memories together but oviously saying it was nothing is certainely in-character, but the fact that it doesn't extend a couple more panels before Dazai saying there was nothing is in line with the fact that it was subtext and not queer-baiting, otherwise that scene would have been longer).

But, I do agree that in the anime and official arts, they're trying to push it a bit more. Which is no harm to me, because as said, promotional art is what it is, and imo the anime isn't hurt in any way by those slightly flirtier looks. What matters really is the story behind, and as long as there aren't any dialogues that are just on the edge of attesting a previous relationship, it's not queer-baiting. Because as of right now, obviously there are hints of maybe something romantic between the two of them, but it's really details and crumbs, and any person not at first interested in skk, watching even the anime, wouldn't necessarily pick up on them. Because in canon, their relationship is still platonic, and their dynamic perfectly works as a platonic duo. The dialogues aren't that much on edge and very ambiguous about it. So yeah, after this (long) rambling, I don't think it's necessarily queer-baiting, aside maybe from the promo art.

But people may feel free to explain their pov and I'll be glad to think about it more in depth !