The Stray Dog (Manjiro Sano x DazaiReader)

The Month that Didn't Happen

Cold

Dark

Lonely

It was November 1st when Shinichiro stopped by the sister orphanage to the one his younger brother goes to. Izana told Shinichiro that he heard there was a troubled kid who's already tried to kill themselves more than three times before they locked them up in a room. He was determined to help them. "Always playing the hero," Takeomi always teased him. This time it was different, he'd be helping someone and who's life was literally on the line.

When he parked his motor bike out side, he entered the gates and saw kids playing in the playground, children climbing trees, and caretakers frantically stopping kids from getting themselves hurt. Shinichiro noticed a middle aged woman approach him with a kind smile. "Anything I can help you with?" Returning the kind smile, he shocked the caretakers in the area with one sentence. "I'm here to see Dazai Y/n."

Normally, the caretakers of the establishment would've asked more questions; however, these caretakers didn't really want this child to stay. She scares them, being in the same room scares them, talking to her scares them. Therefore, if this young man could free them from her grasp, by all means they will let him take her.

"Dazai-chan," the woman called softly only to let out a startled scream when she saw the girl about to jump from the bed post with a knoose around her neck. The other end of the knoose was tied to one of the ceiling's support beams. Without even thinking about it, Shinichiro quickly freed her from the rope, and set her down safely on the bed. "Are you okay?" he asked softly. She stared at him in silence, her eyes void of light stared into his dark eyes-- into his soul. After what seemed like a minute went by, she finally spoke, "are you the devil?" Laughter filled the room after that, confused Y/n stared at him and his expression, calculating, observing him. "Why don't we go out side for a bit, Dazai-chan?" With a curt nod, she took Shinichiro's outstretched hand,and let him lead her. What's the worse that could happen? She'd die?

Walking outside the orphanage, Shinichiro finally noticed how her body was covered from the neck down with bandages along with around her eye. With a worried glance,he gave her the extra helmet that he'd normally give Mikey. "We're going for a drive," he told her and led her to his motorbike. As they drove away from the orphanage, an expensive looking car rolled up to the orphanage.

With that he took her around and showed her to his favorite stops before stopping at his shop. "This is my bike shop," he showed her around. "Do you have a savior complex," Dazai bluntly said for the first time since they left the orphanage. It was more of a statement that a question. She couldn't wrap it around her head. 'Why would a stranger show up at an orphanage just to see a suicidal kid?' It didn't make sense. Shinichiro frowned and squatted down to her hight. "Dazai-chan, why do you wish to die?" Y/n looked up at him with that lost look in her visible eye. "Let me ask you, sir, could you tell me if there is any value to this thing we call living?" His eyes widen at this and quickly brought her to a hug, shaking slightly. "I don't have a definite answer to tell you," he said slowly before the hug tightened, "you might not see it right now, but life can be beautiful and I'll help you till you can tell me yourself the value to life."

She didn't say anything after that. Instead, she slept on the couch in the S.S. Motors Shop. For once, even if it was just for a few seconds, she felt peace. That night, Shinichiro stayed overnight working on the bikes that were near due, so that he'd have more time with the girl before he'd eventually bring her back to the orphanage.

"Dazai-chan," Shinichiro called opening the door to the lounge in the back. There he saw Y/n up and stretching. "Morning," was all she said. Her eyes still dull, lifeless, and void of anything. "Are you hungry?" he asked, he grabbed two helmets before tossing the appropriate size to the girl. "I don't get hungry," she said, "I still don't understand the concept of 'getting hungry'."