In Memory of a Dark Era

Behind a Closed Door

Dazai Osamu.

Wavy locks of brown, bandages and those enticing pools of auburn for eyes that you could never mistake to be someone other than Dazai's.

It ought to be him.

Everything about this man screamed Dazai Osamu aside from the missing couple of inches in height and the bandage on his right eye, that is. Those simple differences added to the list of evidences that this indeed is the past and a younger Dazai.

What business did he have here?

Why was he hostile?

Does he work with or against that organisation?

Was he referring to himself with the executive talk?

All kinds of questions crashed your calm front, leaving you utterly incapable of masking your shock or forming any coherent thoughts.

He chuckled softly before commenting mockingly in a choatic, tranquil melody, "didn't expect to be caught that badly?"

Overwhelmed by how exploited your mind was with the addition of the flare of emotions that bombarded your body, you failed to find a reply. You didn't know what to question and if it were acceptable to question it which left your lips zipped in a tight line as you hoped for a miracle to take place.

For once, you were lucky enough to be saved.

Approaching voices had Dazai in a foul mood as he clicked his tongue, sighed in resignation and lowered his gun to his side. Without a word spoken, he sauntered past your frozen figure and rebuked only after he felt no reaction originating from you, "if you know what's best for you, you'd better get a head start."

Hesitantly, you turned back and contemplated on running but that would lead you to the starting point where that man in black, Akutagawa, would be. Perhaps it was safer to go with someone you knew, even though this Dazai seemed far from the one you were so familiar with.

He petrified you.

You had a feeling that the bandaged man was using a self-made persona, nothing compared to the original. But you hadn't the slightest idea of how he could originally be and, as matter of fact, something rejoiced in you being clueless and only now did you understand why.

Still, you were willing to follow someone who'd take reasons into consideration before rescheduling your visit to the after-life, if that's a trait that Dazai had or has at the moment.

Gulping all the uncertainties away, you put an effort into your first steps towards the man who was proceeding leisurely towards somewhere. You didn't know what this Dazai would do, but you knew, unlike Akutagawa, he wouldn't wordlessly drag you around while shooting poisonous daggers through his eyes at your trembling form.

To confirm that assumption, you inquired with a small voice, "where are we going?"

Dazai gazed at you over his shoulder, displaying the outline of a roguish grin on his lips, "Somewhere... private."

You gulped heavily keeping a defensive hand over your chest as you tried your best to ease your drying, widened eyes and the frantic beating of your heart.

From then on, you transitioned into a walk between (Y/N), Dazai and silence.

(Y/N) being there only physically.

You were too busy thinking of the worst scenarios and, as a defensive mechanism, finding the best solutions to prevent their occurrence.

The minutes seemed to be seconds as before you knew it, you were standing in front of an apartment complex.

Your curious eyes found Dazai already going up the stairs and when he noticed the staring, he stopped midway and said charmingly, "want me to hold your hand to the second floor?"

"N-no!" you replied almost instantly and then mumbled to yourself as you walked to the stairs, "If I'm going to die, at least I can go to hell knowing that no one led me there."

"That's a good girl," Dazai complimented marching to a door, unlocking it and holding the door open for you. "After you."

'What could go wrong?' you thought. 'If anything weird happens, I can... I can do something?'

You stepped in hesitantly keeping your arms folded against your chest as your senses were fully devoted to every move made by Dazai.

The bandaged man had walked in and kicked the door closed with his foot not desiring to miss any reaction or expression you might betray.

"Now then," Dazai began as you turned to meet the undertones of wickedness in a display of innocent words, "don't you think of pulling any mean stunts on me or else I might get just a tad be rough~"