Timeline: PM, 16-year-old Dazai
Dazai woke with a groan, the darkness surrounding him like a comforting blanket. He dreaded the thought of work, the tedious cycle of it, but he knew it was inevitable. The sound of the blaring alarm dragged him out of the brief peace he had found. Slowly, he opened his eyes, squinting against the dim light that barely pierced through the shipping container. The cold air nipped at his skin, and he sat up, his blanket sliding off to the side. The hard, unforgiving floor beneath him made his muscles protest as he rose, moving slowly as though weighed down by the very thought of the day ahead.
After a long sigh, he got dressed, the task feeling like a chore, then sat in the corner of the container to wait. Time stretched on, each minute blending into the next, until finally, the sound of a car door slamming shut reached his ears. Footsteps. His body stiffened in anticipation. Mori would be here soon. Dazai stood, pushing himself to his feet, and stood silently as he waited for the door to open.
The familiar click of the lock echoed through the container, followed by the harsh flood of light from the outside world. Dazai squinted against it, letting his eyes adjust before stepping into the light.
Time Skip
Dazai sat alone in a small chair in the main room, his posture slouched, eyes tired as he stared blankly at the ground. The clock on the wall read 4:27 AM. The others should be arriving soon, but he felt detached, lost in his own mind as the minutes passed in silence.
His fingers absently scratched at the loose bandages wrapped around his arm and legs, the fabric shifting, but he didn't care. He exhaled, already bored with waiting. At 4:31 AM, Chuuya walked in, his presence unmistakable. Dazai barely acknowledged him, the familiar pattern of their interactions already playing out in his mind. Chuuya walked over and sat on the couch across from him, but Dazai continued to stare at the ground, unbothered by his presence.
"Good morning, Dazai," Chuuya said, breaking the silence.
Dazai took a moment to respond, his voice slower than usual, deeper, thick with exhaustion. "Well, good morning to you too, Chuuya~" He dragged the last syllable out, a fake smile gracing his lips.
Chuuya didn't buy it, narrowing his eyes as he studied Dazai. The way he stared made it clear he was trying to read him. Dazai just held the grin a moment longer before blinking and tilting his head to one side, pretending not to notice.
"I don't know what you're talking about~" he replied, playing dumb.
Chuuya sighed, rolling his eyes. He muttered something under his breath, but Dazai didn't care to listen. He was already zoning out, letting his mind wander while his body shifted, moving upside down in his chair. His legs draped over the back as he hung his head low, his usual "ADHD outbursts" taking over. Chuuya was used to it by now, so he didn't bother commenting.
After a few minutes, Mori walked in, handing Chuuya the mission papers. Dazai tuned them out, knowing full well that Chuuya would explain the details to him later. His mind already wandered again, lost in thoughts that didn't matter.
Mori finished giving the mission instructions, then started to leave. But before he exited, he paused, casting a glare at Dazai. With a snap of his fingers, Dazai snapped to attention, instantly standing straight with his hands at his sides. He lowered his gaze, waiting until Mori nodded and walked away.
The second the door closed behind him, Dazai exhaled in relief. He turned to find Chuuya staring at him, an eyebrow raised, but Dazai ignored the scrutiny.
With a grin, Dazai walked over to him, his usual nonchalance creeping back in. "Sooo~ What's this mission we got?"
Chuuya rolled his eyes again, his voice a mix of annoyance and resignation. "We're bombing—"
Dazai immediately stopped listening, tuning out as soon as he heard "bombing." The rest was irrelevant.
After a few more minutes of Chuuya speaking, he finally realized Dazai wasn't paying attention. With an exaggerated sigh, he handed Dazai the mission papers.
"Fine. Just read it then."
Dazai groaned but took the papers, reluctantly reading through them. He finished in less than five minutes, handing them back to Chuuya. "Done."
Chuuya nodded, grinning. "Good. Now, let's go get ready. Mission starts in 10."
