Soukoku One-Shots

O' Love, Wake Me Not

Present

BSD Manga Chapter 101: Sinking to the Bottom Spoilers

a/n: this was written right after chapter 101's release (before we knew what was actually going on) so keep that in mind!

"It's very simple, really, but I don't blame you. You're only a three-year-old, after all," Dazai "It's very simple, really, but I don't blame you. You're only a three-year-old, after all," Dazai hummed, watching the doors to the central command room pull themselves open. "It would be unfair of me to expect you to understand my genius."

Sigma's eyes were wide as he watched, and Dazai half wanted to chuckle—something about Sigma reminded him of Atsushi.

"Come now." He gestured to the cavernous opening and allowed Sigma to step in first. He was clearly shocked at the bodies littering the floor, but Dazai barely paid them any mind.

Fyodor and Chuuya were certainly there. The room was likely already filling up with water.

He swallowed.

"You did all of this?" Sigma breathed—Dazai had nearly forgotten him.

"Of course," was his even answer. "You sound surprised."

"I just didn't think that you..."

"Had it in me?" Dazai finished, chuckling lowly. "Many people make that mistake. I won't fault you for it, though I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit hurt. I thought you knew me better than that, after all we've been through together."

He could imagine Sigma's grimace very well.

Dazai stepped over awkward limbs and pools of blood as he made his way over to the glass screen that looked out to the flooding room. He could hear the slosh of the water even before he could see it, and squared his shoulders before he took the final step to the microphone.

His heart nearly stopped.

Because there was Chuuya, and he was drowning.

Teeth gritted, thrashing against the water like some kind of animal, trying to punch his way out (Dazai nearly laughed at that, pained and choked, because even as a mindless vampire, he was still Chuuya). He still wore his ridiculous hat, and he still fought for his life with the same visceral intensity Dazai had always found so curious for so long. He still did.

And oh, god, Dazai felt sick knowing it was all his fault.

"So, Fyodor," he began, speaking into the microphone and doing his best to tear his focus from Chuuya—Chuuya who was drowning, Chuuya who was suffering, Chuuya who was dying—

"How does it feel to drown?"

He ignored Fyodor's murderous stare burning into his skin and swallowed the panic building up in his chest, in his throat. He did not fail. He wouldn't.

"Chuuya," Dazai began, squaring his shoulders and steeling his nerves the best that he could. He still felt like he might choke on his words. "This is my goodbye to you as well. We've done nothing but quarrel with each other for... seven years, now? Time flies by when you're having fun, I suppose. Of course it's felt like so much longer."

He took in a deep breath and made the mistake of looking back out to the water.

And seeing Chuuya there, thrashing amidst the rocking water, Dazai's words nearly caught in his throat.

"Now that I think about it, perhaps there were moments when we connected," spilled out of him before he could stop it, and Dazai had to pause when his head was suddenly overcome. Worn memories flashed over his eyes—moments of kindness, of vulnerability, of heartache and passion and beautiful, terrifying color. They were small treasures, glittering diamonds that curled up snugly against his skull in warm comfortability.