Please, release me ✩ Dazai X Reader

Chapter 4

You remained where you were until Tanaka arrived to take you home; it was a silent walk back, and only he felt the awkwardness of the silence. Once home, you both went to bed as it was late; however, you never slept that night. You couldn't, not after what transpired today, not after you saw him. You sat in bed staring at the wall that night, recounting the memories of what one would consider their dark era. One would expect a person to writhe in fear, horror, pain or anything, but not you. Any regular person would act in such a way; however, you didn't have the luxury to feel or act like a typical person not anymore. Even a wild beast would have had kinder training and punishments than you did those years.

And thus night became day, and you readied yourself to face Dazai, a man who has complete control over you. Tanaka had hung out today's outfit for you as you had long been unable to have an opinion of your own, so he would hang outfits for you to wear that day. It was one of the many little things he did to try and give you a somewhat ordinary life. After Tanaka sees you off, you head towards the location on the note Dazai had left you.

And to your surprise, it was an art gallery, a busy one at that. Despite the amount of people around, it didn't make you feel any safer from the man waiting for you inside. Walking inside, you try to ready yourself, but the attempt is futile. A small part of you wishes to run; however, your body persists in moving forward to the one man who pulls your strings, somewhat like your puppeteer.

It wasn't long until you found your puppet master standing there peacefully, staring at this strange-looking art piece. He had a grey blazer thrown over his shoulders, formal black pants and a white shirt with 2 golden roses on his chest. There was once a time in your life when it would have made you happy for him to reach out to you, but you aren't the same naive and hopeless romantic as you once were. Instead, you only feel the fear and trepidation flood you as you walk towards him, "just in time, Y/N," he chimes as he turns to face you, holding a white rose close to his face. "Come closer, I won't bite," he playfully jokes, and you can do nothing but follow his orders. "What a weird painting, right? I bet even I could do it," Dazai jests, and it was indeed a strange painting, not that you had much of an opinion on the painting; you stopped having an opinion on most things. "Let's move on from here," he comments as he takes ahold of your hand and lightly kisses it with that charming smile of his, a smile you used to fall for every time in the past. Keeping a hold of your hand, he leads you elsewhere and exits the gallery.

6 Years Ago (Age 16)

You could hardly believe it; here you are in a bar while underaged and with a teenage boy whose name you didn't know. Though you had to admit it was exciting, you had never done something like this, yet here you were with this mysterious teen in bandages in a country you had run off to. "U-um, will we really be okay here?" you timidly ask as you stare at the alcoholic drink in your hands. Despite illegally drinking in a bar, that wasn't what was making you so nervous; the male sitting beside you was, having gone to an all-girls school before running off to Yokohama; your interactions with boys your age were limited, especially with someone as good looking as this male. "Of course, I know the bar owner," he reassures you while he drinks as if this was normal. Despite having only met this teen a few times, you had somewhat quickly accepted his invitation to drink at Bar Lupin. Pausing, you finally decide to try the drink and finish it in one go. Something you failed to see was a bad idea, especially for your first time drinking and a strong liquor at that.
It wasn't long until you started to feel the effects of the strong alcohol. Without your knowledge, the male quickly notices you becoming tipsy; however, instead of making sure you're okay, he signals the bartender to pour you another drink. "Thanks," you mutter as you finish your second drink just as quickly as the first. The male turns to you and smiles as he leans his chin into his hand. "We can come again if you like the drinks so much," he offers as you smile back at him, and you remain oblivious to his true intentions. "You're such a mysterious person, you know?" you tell him while clutching the empty glass as if waiting for more to appear. "I never got to do anything fun back in my home country, so this is fun even if I don't know you well..." you start to ramble on the alcohol affecting you more. Once again, the teen signalled the bartender to refill your drink, and just like before, you drank it as soon as you got it. "Y/N-chan?" he calls to you, now seeming like a faint voice amidst your drunkenness. "Yeah...?" you reply after some time, your responses becoming slower. He says something to you, but you no longer can make the words out. "Aren't abilities a strange thing; some of them do amazing things..." you ramble on, your face now flush from the alcohol. "Mine's not so great though..." you add as you notice the glass in your hand is filled again. Hesitant, you finish yet another glass and begin to trace your finger around the rim of the empty glass. "Names are a powerful thing when it comes to mine..." you continue while not noticing how sober the male beside you was or how his glass remained full this entire time. "You must be glad I don't know your name, huh?" you ask him just before blacking out and falling asleep, leaning against him, and he sighs.

Present Day

After following Dazai to several places in Yokohama, he finally stops outside a familiar bar. It was the very same one he used to frequent while he was in the mafia and brought you along a few times only to get you drunk and confess stuff to him.
Walking inside, you sit side by side, and the bartender pours the drinks you used to have before disappearing behind the bar. "It was your favourite, drink up," he tells you, and you can't help but do as he says. However, unlike those years ago, you only had a bit of it, rather than having it in one go. You knew the only reason he used to bring you here was to get information out of you. However, he can order you to answer his questions, so you can't help but be perplexed as to why you're here or went to the places you did today. An art gallery, dessert cafe, library, even Cosmo World, an amusement park and now bar Lupin? It was a few of the places you would frequent together before you became trapped in the shipping container he once called home. It was the 2 months of freedom before the 2 years of being trapped.
So now you couldn't help but become terrified that it was the freedom before the entrapment as the last time you were in this bar, he had drugged your drink, and you awoke within the shipping container. However, despite your despair and desperation to get away, your body refused to do as you wanted. Instead, you sat there with an empty expression, finishing your drink. "Let's do this again," he cheerfully comments while he sips his usual drink. "Bartender another!" he happily demands as he appears to refill your drink before disappearing again. Still following his last order, you drink once more. Luckily, your alcohol tolerance seems to be much higher than the first time.
This continues for some time until you finish your 6th glass, and the alcohol has begun to dull your senses. "Let's go!" Dazai finally declares like a little child as he stands up and looks at you. Due to your drunkenness, Dazai takes hold of your hand and leads you out of the bar, where the cold air suddenly hits you, not that it does much to help. "Follow me!" he beams as he drags you off towards who knows where.
It isn't long until you hear keys and a door opening still being tugged along; you follow, yet little did you know that amidst your drunken state, your body and mind relaxed to the point of refusing orders. After leading you into a room, he finally lets go of your hand, and rustling soon follows; however, you stand there in drunken confusion and wait. "Come lie down," he tells you, and you do exactly that, though due to you being drunk, you didn't realise it was his futon you were laid down on. So here you are, staring at the unfamiliar ceiling as he lay on a different futon beside you.
He says something, but you have already blacked out and fallen asleep.

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Just what does Dazai have in plan for you?

At last another chapter, it took some time but I hope you enjoyed this new chapter. As always I enjoy the comments you all leave for the stories I create <3