Chapter Text
Dazai sighed as he walked through the lifeless hallways, the early hours breeze reflecting off his face, hair, and clothes from the windows that were slightly open - someone would certainly get in trouble for not closing them before leaving, but, well, that wasn't his problem. The sensation, which should have been smooth and pleasant, was like sharp knives slowly crawling across his skin, not deep enough to cut, but enough to create an uncomfortable pressure that made him want to vomit.
He knew the cause of this feeling. It was Mori. The man he would meet that day. It had been a while since he had been able to go to that place, but it seems he could no longer avoid the inevitable, much to his misery.
The boy let his mind wander as he entered the elevator and prepared to go up to the top floor, where Mori's office was. He had mixed feelings for his boss. On the one hand, there was the pure, unadulterated hatred that seemed to take over his mind every time he looked at Mori's face. On the other hand, he had ugly, irritating affection that penetrated the edges of his heart, refusing to die. Dazai was an intelligent boy, much more so than most people his age, he knew that he had been conditioned to feel such grotesque emotions. And still, he couldn't shake it.
Even after everything.
He clenched his fists in his pockets, before forcing himself to relax completely as he stopped in front of Mori's door. He felt his hair stand on end and a freezing cold run down his spine, but he didn't back down, despite his will. Mori does not tolerate disobedience.
'Everything will be fine.' The brunette tried to calm himself, despite how doubtful he was. Obviously none of this showed outwardly; he was known for being one of the best at hiding what he really felt. Not that there was anyone to see, but he was afraid that Mori could feel his tension, even though their bodies were blocked by a large wooden door. 'He's just going to assign me a mission. Just that.' He thought, although he knew something was strange. It wasn't like the boss to call him like that, at the last minute, in the middle of the night and on a Saturday, unless it was for impure reasons.
Dazai approached the door and kicked it open. He tried to put on a facade of confidence and indifference, although inside he was trembling. He entered the room slowly, until he stopped in front of Mori, who smiled warmly at him.
"Osamu-kun!" The man greeted with a sickeningly sweet tone, but Dazai didn't fall for his flattery. He knew his warm smile would burn him and his sweet voice would give him diabetes. The brunette grimaced, his own name sounded like poison coming from Mori's mouth. He did his best to control his heartbeat as he listened to it, he was stuck between feeling disgusted and wanting to hear more of it. Was he crazy?
He was brought out of his inner ramblings when his boss pointed his hand at the chair next to him, elegantly. Dazai did as he was asked and sat down, patiently waiting for his orders, although he raised an eyebrow at the fact that the chair was next to Mori and not in front of him as it was usually.
Contrary to his hopes, Mori placed one of his hands on his wavy brown hair and began to comb the strands slowly. The gesture, which should have been comforting, only made a chasm seem to open in his stomach. He deeply wished that the glass in the room's windows were not reinforced, so that he could commit autodefenestration right then and there. From that height he would certainly die, right?
He snapped out of his reverie when he heard his boss's voice.
"Osamu-kun, have you been avoiding me?" It was formulated as a question, but Dazai knew better. Mori just wanted to provoke him. The brunette shivered when he felt the hand in his hair move to rest on his thigh. "What did I do to you, darling?" The nickname uttered and the man's gesture made the boy want to run, but he remained rooted to the spot, unresponsive, as he controlled his heartbeat with an expression as impassive as he could manage. His boss stared at his face for a while, but then sighed and walked away, disappointed that the boy hadn't broken down right away.
"Anyway." Mori crossed his legs and clasped his hands. "Even though I was upset with my little Osamu avoiding me, I'm afraid we'll have to stop this little game for now." His voice acquired a serious and professional tone. "You have one more infiltration mission."
Dazai allowed himself a small smile. Infiltration missions were usually easy! He's easily trusted when he plays dumb, it's like taking candy from a child.
However, of course, nothing is made easy in his life.
"You must infiltrate UA High School."
Dazai's eyes widened slightly. "What?" He let out, before composing himself again. "Why? I thought it was an explicit order not to get involved with the heroes."
Mori, who was watching him closely, smiled. "This order will be withdrawn for you and you alone. Now, the reason..." He seemed thoughtful, knowing that he would irritate the boy. "That's for me to know and for you to find out. Why don't you give it a try?"
Dazai felt his left eye twitch slightly in irritation, but he didn't show anything more than that. Damn Mori, handing him puzzles at such unholy hours of the night.
He tried to think about the reasons. Perhaps the heroes were invading Yokohama territory? After all, it wouldn't be the first time this happened. But he quickly ruled out the possibility: every time this happened, Mori took care of it quickly and usually didn't even involve him - he always managed to resolve things diplomatically. After all, heroes obeyed the government, and while the Mafia wasn’t exactly part of it, it still held solid control over it. That said, it was probably a threat that was not under government orders and was certainly dangerous enough to make his boss send him on such a mission. New organizations? No, if that were the case, there would be no need to contact heroes. Villains?
He looked up and saw Mori's smile and realized that he was probably right about the last option. The man probably already knew his train of thought. Even so, his doubts were not resolved. Why send him on a long-term infiltration mission? What would Mori gain from sending his best executive away? And why in a school of heroes and not directly in the threat?
With that, he had no qualms about fixing his gaze on Mori's cold eyes and asking. "Why there? We have enough resources to find out who this villain is and infiltrate wherever they are operating. What's the need to enter a school of heroes, where my face will be known? It's simply counterproductive." Dazai narrowed his eyes, but did his best to control his tone of voice. "What the hell are you planning?"
His boss let out a loud, deep laugh, before turning to the boy. "Sharp as always, Osamu-kun!" He vocalized, and Dazai shivered at the way his name was sung. Mori approached the brunette and placed one of his hands on his cheek, pretending not to see the grimace of disgust that crossed the boy's features for a second. "Everything I do has a reason, you're right about that. I'm sure you'll realize it eventually." He finished, without answering his questions, with a falsely affectionate tone, caressing the skin of the boy's face.
Dazai frowned and opened his mouth to continue questioning, but he felt the hand on his cheek squeeze painfully. A cold, primal fear settled in his stomach and his brain screamed warnings for him to flee, but he stayed in place, knowing the consequences of defying Mori.
"I thought I educated you better when it comes to questions, Osamu." The man spoke firmly, the sweet smile looking out of place on his face. "Are you going to behave from now on?" His smile stretched, letting go of the cheeks only when Dazai nodded stiffly. "Excellent. In that case, you are dismissed. Your registration has been done for some time and you will leave for Musutafu in the morning, be ready by seven o'clock, don't be late."
The boy stood up and forced himself to walk at a calm and steady pace towards the doors, feeling numb. He clenched his fists and dug his nails into his palms, trying to feel something to ground him. Arriving in front of the door, he raised one hand and turned the handle. Just as he was about to leave, a playful voice came from behind.
"Osamu-kun! I forgot to tell you!" Mori called, with the same silly tone he used with Elise. "Elise-chan didn't like one of the dresses I bought for her and it would look perfect on you! Come here and-"
The door was closed, leaving the adult in the room talking to himself.
Dazai walks slowly out of the building, despite the implied threat about being late. He wasn't worried about it, he didn't have many things to pack. Upon arriving outside, he sighed heavily in relief, even though he knew he would never truly be out of Mori's reach. He didn't understand himself: he feared the man and, at the same time, longed for his presence. He felt like killing him and yet he sought his approval. They were infinite illogical and contradictory feelings that he never wanted to have to dissect, it wasn't a Pandora's Box that he was willing to open.
For a moment, Dazai pondered whether he should say goodbye to Ango and Odasaku, but he knew they probably wouldn't be at the bar at that time, so he decided he would just text each of them.
Suddenly, he felt the sensation of someone running towards him and immediately identified who it was. An almost genuine smile stretched across his face and he dodged as a fist flew past him.
"Slug!" Dazai shouted, in false joy, knowing that this would irritate the other boy. "What are you doing here?"
The redhead in front of him seemed to growl - like a rabid dog, he realizes! "You, you bastard! You left me alone on our last mission yesterday while you went for fuckin' ice cream!" He gritted his teeth, his fists ready to knock Dazai's lights out.
The brunette laughed and shook his index finger. "Too bad for you, doggy, but now I have another mission to go on!" His laughter intensified when Chuuya made a face at the nickname.
The redhead raised an eyebrow. "Alone?"
Dazai's smile fell slightly. He would admit, he had gotten used to always going on missions with Chuuya, to almost always having someone to cover his back. But it's not like he's never been alone before, so he swallows the bad feelings and covers them up with a playful smile. "Yup. You will be free from my wondrous presence for a long time! Try not to miss me~"
"Tsk! I hope it's forever! I won't even remember you." The redhead exclaimed loudly, but then looked at him. "Don't try to kill yourself until I'm there to stop you, okay? I won't let you have the satisfaction of killing yourself." He finished, his sentence completely contradicting the previous one.
"Oh, how cute, my little dog is worried about me! Even if he's being a bit rude, not wanting to give me satisfaction and all." He teased, laughing when the other's face flushed and the redhead started throwing punches in his direction. Dazai checked his phone and noticed that it was already past four in the morning. He had three hours to get ready. With that, he quickly said goodbye to Chuuya and began walking towards his house, disappearing into the early morning darkness.
If the smallest of affectionate smiles graced his face, only he would know.
"It's here, kid." The woman who accompanied him said when they stopped in front of a room on the third floor, handing him the keys, before turning and leaving. The brunette stared at the door for a while, realizing that it was already better than his old container.
Dazai huffed in annoyance, readjusting his backpack. Mori, fortunately, had already rented an apartment for him. It wasn't in an exactly nice part of town, nor was it very luxurious or picturesque. In fact, it was a rather ordinary place, and could easily pass for a simple apartment paid for by a loving father who encouraged his son in his dream of becoming a hero.
The brunette laughed briefly at the story, before becoming expressionless again, opening the door and entering. Fortunately, it would be easy to find bars that were willing to sell alcohol to minors in that area of town for a little extra money - he would make sure to spend as much of Mori's money as possible. He took out his cell phone and reluctantly opened his boss's contact details to check the latest messages sent by the man.
Disgusting old man: Osamu-kun!! ❤️
I got you an apartment with the essentials, and you have access to that card I gave you in case you want anything else.
You will know where UA employee files are.
Do not let me down.
A sudden urge to throw the device on the floor and crush it mercilessly almost took over his being, but he restrained himself, putting it away without taking another look.
The brunette took off his shoes and left them in the genkan, before he opened his backpack and took out a pair of old, boring blue slippers, and put them on quickly.
Dazai took the time to look around the house. The walls were a light grey with small cracks at the edges and there was one long corridor. Dazai moved forward and opened the first door on the right. There was a small room, consisting of a medium-sized dark grey sofa, a small glass table in front of it and, in front of both, a thirty-inch television that was positioned on a white stand with some drawers and shelves.
Dazai walked further into what he deemed the living room and noticed a door leading a balcony on the right side of the room. He slid open the door and realized the railings were higher than on most balconies. Dazai sighed internally, supposing it was to help prevent some "accidents".
He turned around, closed the balcony door and walked out of the living room. He took a few steps into the corridor to open the first door on the left. Inside, there was a small kitchen. There were black countertops with stools, a refrigerator and a stove. In the middle of the kitchen, there was an island with stools on one side and built in cupboards. On one of the stools, there was a small water dispenser, the type you'd find in an office.
He left the kitchen and continued down the corridor. He opened a door that was on the right, finding an almost empty room. The only things there were a bed with white sheets, a desk and a closet. The walls this time were a soft, light olive green and there was a medium-sized window.
He walked out and went towards the room on the left, opening the door and turning on the light. It was another room with grey walls, containing a single box-spring bed that was located in the corner of the room in black and white. Next to the bed, there was a bedside table and a sizable window, half-covered by a blackout curtain. It only let tiny beams of light through. Parallel to the bed, there was a wooden wardrobe and, on the other side of the room, a desk with a chair that looked somewhat uncomfortable. Next to it was a small metal trash can.
That place seemed to be much more decorated than the rest of the room, so he assumed it was his room. He noticed that a floorboard was slightly displaced just below the bedside table, making it barely noticeable, and immediately recognized it as a small compartment where the information he needed would probably be located. Before going to get it, however, he decided to finish his little tour of the house.
Leaving the room after placing his backpack on the chair, he headed towards the last room which was at the end of the corridor. He opened the door and realized it was a small bathroom, containing a bathtub with shower, a square sink with a cabinet below and a mirror right above (which could be opened), a toilet, a trash can and a small basket. Everything was in shades of grey, black and white. There was a shared laundry room in the building, so he didn't worry too much about how he was going to wash his clothes. Since the bathroom was nothing noteworthy, he quickly returned to his new room.
Dazai carefully pushed the nightstand away, before starting to slowly pull the loose floorboard away so it wouldn't get damaged. Not long after, he managed to lift it enough so that he could reach out and grab the papers. After closing the compartment, he sat on the bed and began leafing through the files.
Each page was accompanied by small photographs of the staff, their names, ages, genders, roles they held at the school and quirks - and how these worked. One of those who caught his attention was Aizawa Shouta, known by students as the "executioner" teacher. The man had a power similar to his own, but a weaker version.
Another piece of information that caught his attention was about the practical exam. Use of robots, right? It's not as bad as he thought it would be, he could handle it.
After memorizing all the important information, he pushed aside the curtain and opened the window. He tore the papers into pieces and threw them into a metal trash can with a lid, keeping it open by stepping on the foot pedal. He set its contents on fire with a lighter he brought with him from Yokohama. He thought about the possibility of the fire spreading and burning him alive and then grimaced, thinking about how painful that would be. He removed his foot and let the lid close, putting weight on top of it to make sure no sparks escaped.
He wasn't worried about what the neighbors would think, the location was chosen on purpose because the people who lived around that neighborhood didn't really care what others did and, if that happened, he could just say that he tried to cook something and failed.
Eventually, he slowly lifted the lid, not caring how hot the metal was, to see if anything was left. Fortunately, there was nothing left but soot. Dazai went to the kitchen to look for a bag and luckily he found one. He returned to the room and dumped the burnt paper into the bag, tying it tightly. He sighed, realizing he would have to clean the trash can, but decided to leave it for later.
He decided to take a shower, since he smelled like smoke. After that, Dazai wore a simple black long-sleeved shirt and grey sweatpants. His bandages were still present, but he had removed the one from his eye, leaving only those on his neck and wrists visible. It was a bit uncomfortable being without his usual eye covering as he only had about twenty-five percent vision in his left eye, but he swallowed the feeling with practiced ease.
Soon after that, he took his bag, his cell phone, his keys and Mori's card and headed to the front door, realizing that it was already dark. He paused for a moment, before going back inside and grabbing a scrunchie, tying his hair into a small ponytail. He also decided to grab a black mask. He sighed when he noticed the length of his hair: it was already in need of a cut. He would leave that for when he was back in Yokohama. He put on his shoes and left the apartment.
Fortunately, no one stopped him on the way out of the building he was staying in. He was able to walk calmly to the nearest alley, carelessly throwing the bag into the trash can. Initially, he was worried about the fingerprints, but realized that the chance of anyone knowing about it was almost zero.
After getting rid of the trash, Dazai clapped his hands together and headed to the closest convenience store he could find. Fortunately, it was very close to the building where he would live for the next few months and seemed to sell everything. He entered the store, exploring its sections in search of canned crab and some sweets.
When he found what he wanted, he started to head towards the register, but was met with a tall, solid body. The brunette looked up, about to tell the man he bumped into to get out of the way, but stopped when he recognized his appearance.
Aizawa Shouta, dressed in his hero outfit, stared at him. "Careful there, kid." He said. A flicker of concern flashed across his expression, but it was soon erased by feigned neutrality. Dazai guessed it was due to the bandages, but was grateful that the man didn't ask him about it. However, Aizawa still asked questions. "Where are your parents?"
The boy remembered that he was mostly in disguise, so he didn't force a cheerful attitude. "It doesn't matter." He replied sharply, avoiding the hero and heading towards the cashier. He didn't miss the way the worry in Aizawa's eyes seemed to deepen, but he seemed to understand the situation. However, the man reached out and placed his hand on Dazai's shoulder, who tensed for a second.
The brunette turned around, seeing that Aizawa took out a piece of paper and a pen and started writing. Dazai looked at him with confusion, wondering where the man had gotten those objects from. His perplexity intensified when the man handed him the paper. It was a number.
"That's my professional number. Call me if you need anything."
Dazai nodded quickly and ran to the register. He paid for everything as quickly as he could, almost laughing at the cashier's shocked expression when he saw the black card. He left the store in a haste and took longer shortcuts to get to his apartment, just in case Aizawa decided to follow him. Though, he knew he was being nothing more than paranoid.
He allowed his mind to wander. Eraserhead was probably patrolling that area and for some reason passed by that store. Or maybe it was some separate case? No, he would know if something had happened there since he lived nearby. Dazai sighed in annoyance. It seems that his neighborhood was a patrol point for the hero, so he would have to be careful.
It didn't take long for him to arrive at his house, although he only entered the building when he was sure he wasn't being followed. He let out a sigh of relief as he entered his apartment and locked the door, quickly changing his shoes and heading to the kitchen. He placed the bag on the counter and opened it, taking out all the many cans of crab and chocolate bars. He put the bars in one of the cupboards and the canned goods in the fridge.
Dazai looked at the bottom of the bag, spotting the paper he had thrown into it, picking it up. He let out a snort when he saw the number written in stiff handwriting. What kind of hero would hand out a number like that so carelessly? Was the cell phone that received that calls and messages adequately protected, or could anyone hack it and discover the hero's address and kill him while he slept? Well, he wouldn't be the one to find out. Certainly, keeping this would be a shame, an indication that he would need help at some point and, therefore, would have someone to turn to. He thought about throwing it away.
But instead, he added the number to his phone and promptly pretended it didn't exist.
It's not like that would hurt anyone, right?
Notes:
edited 31/07/25 by eli for grammar and wording! (๑>◡<๑)~❤
Chapter 2: 2
Summary:
Dazai goes to a certain beach, discovers some things and receives an unwanted call.
Notes:
TW!!
Suicidal thoughts (typical of Dazai)
Sexual harassment (implied)
Anxiety crisis
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
It was a peaceful day. And a stunning one as well. The sunset painted a beautiful and peaceful scene on the horizon, the sky harmoniously mixing in shades of blue, red, orange and purple in the late evening. Birds flew across the vast sky, oblivious to humanity's intricate and frivolous dilemmas. People walked the streets calmly, some talking in low tones and even the horns of passing cars seemed to compliment the peaceful and calm environment. Overall, it looked nice.
And it was a great day to commit suicide. At least, that's what Dazai thought.
Deciding to do something about it, the boy walked to the beach slowly, dragging his feet. Mori certainly wouldn't mind a little suicide attempt before the start of his mission, right? If it worked, he would be free of this. If not, well...it would be a disaster, but he would deal with it. Either way, it was worth a shot.
The brunette felt people passing by him without sparing another look at the boy with wavy hair and disheveled clothes. It was, in a way, a liberating feeling, being able to walk freely on the streets without being recognized or running the risk of being arrested. However, he still felt small, powerless, weak, seeing that the people of this place didn't fear him. It as strange as most of the citizens of Yokohama - those who knew him and his sins, of course - would.
He didn't allow the discomfort of not being recognized to overwhelm him and maintained a calm expression. It didn't take long as he soon reached his destination. Dazai grimaced in disgust, seeing the amount of trash that the beach accumulated, a putrid and disgusting odor being emanated into the air. He wanted to die, but getting tetanus would be a very painful death. He noticed, however, that part of the beach was clean - or rather, in the process of being cleaned.
The brunette started to approach the sea, but stopped when he saw two people. A tall, skeletal blond man with deep blue eyes and baggy clothes. A boy - who he assumes is his age, maybe a little younger - with curly green hair and eyes the same color, with freckles and gym clothes. It was clear that the boy was the one cleaning the beach, judging by the sweat running down his skin. Dazai turned to leave, after all, whatever those two's goals were was none of his business, but he stopped when he heard a bit of their conversation.
"Midoriya-kun, my boy!" The blond man applauded. "At this rate, you won't have any problems with my power!"
Now, this caught his attention. And Dazai was nothing if not a connoisseur of riddles.
With that, he approached. He hid behind the trash and made as little noise as possible. He only stayed close enough to hear the conversation more clearly..
"All M- Sir!" Dazai narrowed his eyes, not missing the mistake the boy made. "Thanks! I hope I can meet your expectations!" That was all the boy said. The brunette stared at the older man, memorizing his characteristics. Something clicked in his mind.
This skeletal and almost sick man he saw was none other than the number one hero: All Might. Of course, it wasn't 100% confirmed and isn't willing to look for more information about this at the moment. However, digging deep into his memory for All Might's characteristics, he realizes that they match those of this man, added to the mistake made by the boy. It was a little stupid that they were talking like that in a public place. Anyone could be hiding and listening to them, just like he was doing himself. Were heroes really that careless?
But many holes have not yet been filled. How and why was the supposed All Might like this? Were all those muscles always fake and nothing more than some kind of transformative power? What did he mean about the boy having no problem with his power? Was it something transferable, in some way?
And this boy, Midoriya, what did he have to do with the man? Was he some kind of protégé? Just like he himself was to Mori?
He shuddered at the last thought, and really hoped not. He wouldn't wish such a fate even on his worst enemy.
Thinking about it would not bring any benefit to his mission. With that in mind, Dazai reached into the pockets of his sweatpants and walked away from the beach, making sure to keep the noise to a minimum so that the other two wouldn't be alerted, no matter how much his curiosity itched under his skin, begging him to find out more.
Maybe drowning wasn't the best idea, he realized. He wouldn't like salt water getting into his mouth and eyes, nor would he want to agonize in it like last time. Drowning was one of the most painful ways to die, after all.
Dazai closed the door behind him, bending down, exchanging his sneakers for slippers. Entering the house, he threw himself on the sofa and allowed himself to let out a sigh. Of relief? Of annoyance? Of boredom? He couldn't say. Maybe it was a mix of the three. Relief at being, once again, away from social life, annoyance and boredom at having absolutely nothing to do.
He glanced at the calendar that was hung on the wall next to the refrigerator. It had only been a day since he arrived in Musutafu and it was the beginning of March. It was the end of the school year and most people his age were supposed to be at school. Mori made sure his files stated that he had been homeschooled since he was nine, so he wouldn't have a problem with that. The UA entrance exam was in a few days, so he still had time to prepare properly, which included sending a request to the school so he could use support tools for the practical exam.
This made him think about his options. No matter how much he wanted to carry a pistol, it would be very suspicious that someone his age knew how to handle one as proficiently as he did, using rubber bullets or not. Perhaps, later on, he would ask to use them, but he couldn't risk raising suspicions before the mission even began.
Another weapon that came to mind immediately was the bō. The bō was a 6-foot long staff typically made of wood. Dazai wouldn't lie, he wasn't the best at hand-to-hand combat, but he could handle his own when using a staff. The files showed the robot models used and it didn't take long to identify their weak points, those being the red dots that could be identified on their bodies. It was kind of obvious, but they were a bit hidden so there was clearly something there.
A bō, then.
Dazai hurried to grab his cell phone and start writing an email to the UA support team. The faster he sent the request, the faster he would receive a response. He wasn't worried in case he was rejected, he just needed to see if he could get a leg up. There was nothing about a score for this in the file Mori sent him, but since it's a hero school, he assumes it would have something similar.
He sighed in frustration when he wrote another word wrong, realizing that he would need to buy a notebook soon. The phone's keys were very small and gave him little space to write quickly the way he usually does. It didn't take long for a sizable text to be properly written and Dazai sent it quickly. He looked out the window, realizing it was already night. He stretched and let out a yawn.
He was about to get up to take a shower, and then go to sleep, but was stopped by the vibration coming from his phone. The brunette looked at the screen of his device and picked it up. He froze when he saw the caller id.
Mori's contact glowed on the screen, as if it was mocking him.
His finger hovered over the answer button, thousands of possibilities of why Mori would be calling him running through his mind. On the fourth ring, he finally answered.
"What." His voice came out harsher than he expected and he hoped his boss couldn't hear the fear in his voice.
His hopes were not met, apparently, as Mori let out an amazed laugh. "Ah, Osamu-kun! I hope you're happy to hear my voice again, I miss you already!" The man spoke, the falsely sweet tone in his voice seemed to be dripping with venom.
Dazai clenched his fists, doing his best not to throw the phone at the wall. "We saw each other two days ago." He replied calmly.
The man on the other end of the line hummed but didn't back away. "But still, I miss your silky hair, your childish behaviour..."
Dazai's stomach turned as Mori continued, and his discomfort only intensified with his boss's last words.
"...Your soft skin." That's what came out of his mouth. The brunette bit his lip, hard enough to draw blood. Despite this discomfort he felt, he could still feel his stomach getting warm, with the possibility that he was important to someone.
He wanted to shoot himself, disgusted by the intrusive emotion he felt. He knew Mori wasn't genuine, he didn't truly care about him, he just saw a sick pleasure in breaking him and rebuilding him, only to shatter his pieces once again. It was sad, it was harmful. He hated it, but he couldn't let go of it.
"Do you miss me too, darling?" He vaguely heard his boss's voice, which seemed to come out almost in a purr, over the phone and could almost feel his malicious smile.
His mind ran through several possible answers.
'No. Go to hell.'
'Yes. Please come and get me.'
'Do you think I'm human to feel such a feeling?'
He felt that all three were right, but that they were also wrong. After all, what the hell did he know about feeling? He was nothing more than a doll, a demon without feelings. Mori made sure to instill this certainty in his mind, leaving no room for any other erroneous thoughts regarding the matter at hand.
Dazai knew the man was provoking him. That he wanted to see him fall apart. What did he gain from this other than the sick pleasure provided by the feeling of power over someone?
Feeling the immeasurable emptiness in his chest expand, he realized that Mori got what he wanted. But he wouldn't give the man that satisfaction, no.
He hung up the call, without answering the question asked.
The brunette gently placed his cell phone on the table in front of the sofa, before heading towards the room where he would sleep. He didn't bother taking off his clothes, he just threw himself onto the bed and wrapped himself in the duvets - which was a luxury he never thought he'd get.
His breathing came out ragged, frantic and desperate, as if he was gasping for air. He closed his eyes, wishing he would suffocate to death right then and there. He felt pathetic. In crisis over something as silly as words? He was the Demon Prodigy, for God's sake!
The brunette almost let out a choked laugh at the situation. Mori really had him in the palm of his hands, being able to crush him whenever he wanted.
It wasn't long before the amount of oxygen entering his brain registered as insufficient and his senses began to go haywire.
Despite the situation he found himself in, Dazai allowed himself a small victorious smile as he felt his consciousness slipping away.
He hadn't shed a single tear.
Notes:
So, I just wanted to say that Dazai didn't think All Might's knowledge was that important because Dazai didn't know he was going to be a teacher! (In my mind, Nezu did a great job of hiding this fact from the public until school started, but it's been years since I actually saw MHA to know)
Yeah... Mori is a sick bastard... (it's only going to get worse)
I tend to put some of my feelings and experiences into my favorite characters, Dazai is the victim this time, I'm sorry :(
Anyway, thanks for reading!! I'm not sure when the next chapter will come out.
edited 01/08/25 by eli (๑>◡<๑)~❤ for grammar and wording
Chapter 3: 3
Summary:
Dazai takes the exam, struggles with alcohol addiction, and a certain slug makes an appearance!
Notes:
I just wanted to say that I saw mha about 5-6 years ago, so I don't remember almost anything. Expect a lot of mistakes, because I do everything from memory (and a wiki with little precise information)!
So, I had no idea what exams are like in Japan and my research wasn't very useful, so I used my country's exam model (ENEM) as a reference, since I saw that the Japanese exams are a bit similar to the Brazilian ones! Even so, I still made many changes to better fit the context.
I had a hard time finishing this chapter, I'm taking up almost all my free time learning Japanese...
Note: I have 0 technical knowledge about addictions, I'm just sharing experiences that I had myself (not with alcohol addiction, but with addictions in general)
Tw!
Alcoholism (implied)
Self-harm and blood (explicit)If you want to skip the SH part, skip from here: "..With that in mind, he opened the drawer next to his bed and took out one of the many blades he kept stored..."
To here: "...After all, he wasn't committing any crime by doing this to himself, right?"
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Dazai stared at the giant H-shaped building for a while. Teenagers of all types walked past him, staring at due to his bandages. Although the ones on his arms were not so visible, the ones wrapped around his neck and left eye were almost like a billboard painted in neon colours. He didn't pay much attention to them, however.
Finally, the day of the entrance exam had arrived.
He had spent his time up to this point without many highlights, just getting to know the city - memorizing all the alleys close to his residence in case he needed, by chance, to run away and lose someone. He would admit that shortly after his arrival, he visited a bar relatively far from his address. It was difficult, but he managed to get the barista to sell him a shot of whisky. At another bar, he had managed to order a drink that mixed vodka and crushed strawberries. It was more expensive, but Dazai was more than happy to waste Mori's money. And it was delicious, so that was another plus.
These little "drinking escapades", although good, made him miss the time he spent with Odasaku and Ango at Bar Lupin. He couldn't just run to them like before, so Dazai just enjoyed his alcoholic drinks on his own.
However, it had been a few days, maybe two or three, that he hadn't had even a drop of alcohol. He needed to stay "clean" so as not to arouse the teachers' suspicions and concerns. He would say it sucked, if you asked him.
A tuft of green hair caught his vision, breaking him out of his thoughts. He looked in the teen's direction and saw that same boy who accompanied the supposed All Might walking past him, only to trip over his own feet and almost fall, being saved by a brown-haired girl.
The brunette resisted the urge to laugh and focused on something else, smiling with a hint of affection: the girl had an gravity quirk, reminding him of a certain red-haired boy. It made him wonder how his little dog was doing without him there. Was he behaving?
Dazai didn't dwell on this for long and quickly moved on. After entering the school, he walked into a large auditorium and sat on one of the bleachers at the top. He was a tad bit shocked by the size of the school when he walked through the halls to the auditorium. It was ridiculously big, almost like an entire city.
He rested his head on one of his hands and pretended to be asleep, although he kept his eye half-open, watching the room slowly fill with candidates. The brunette pretended not to notice the curious looks directed at him. He looked down at his hands and noticed them shaking slightly, before sighing and clenching his fists, trying to force himself to stop it.
Damn Mori and this damn mission.
Eventually, all the seats were taken and a blond man entered. Dazai looked up at him, raising an eyebrow to at hair. It looked like a banana. He recognized him as Present Mic, a hero whose quirk is Voice. The hero's quirk allowed him to amplify the volume of his voice to a sonic scream. Dazai noticed two almost invisible hearing aids in his ears and concluded that they were probably the result of his power. He kept asking himself, however, shouldn't the man have some kind of resistance to his own power? Likely it's biological limitations
His interest in the man was quickly drained when he began shouting. The brunette lowered his head again, letting the explanation fade into the background. It's not like he needed it, seeing as he had already obtained the files, though he wished he hadn't read them — a challenging surprise would certainly be fun. Either way, there is no going back to change the past now.
He has no idea how long he stayed in that position, until a small commotion caught his attention.
"Mr. Present Mic!" A boy with dark blue hair and square glasses shouted with his arm raised, then pointed to a paper he was holding. "About the robots, there are four of them here, but only three were mentioned! It would be truly disappointing to make a mistake of this caliber at a school like UA!" He finished and Dazai wanted to laugh, once again, at the boy's robotic tone. However, the next thing this boy said was the funniest thing of all. "And you, boy with the curly green hair! Stop grumbling! You are getting in the way and disturbing the other candidates, if you are not going to take this seriously, leave!"
Dazai couldn't stop a small snort from escaping, noticing said boy's horrified expression. He wasn't the only one who tried to stifle their laughter. The other teenager seemed ready to say more, but was interrupted by the adult.
"A nice observation, little listener, but don't worry, everything's fine! The remaining robot, called Pointer Zero, is worth zero points!" Present Mic hurried to explain, in order to avoid an unnecessary discussion. "That said, I don't recommend that you go after him!" He finished with a wink, this time addressing all the participants.
After that, he continued his explanations and Dazai realized that, in fact, nothing was mentioned about helping points. Still, he wouldn't rule out the possibility.
It didn't take long for them to be released to take the written test. Each participant was assigned to a room. The brunette noticed that people from the same school or the same family were separated into different rooms to avoid cheating. There were also metal detectors, which he passed without any problems after leaving the apartment keys and his cell phone in a plastic bag that was offered.
The test contained forty-five basic questions from all types of subjects, which he easily passed. What caught him a little off guard were the five open-ended questions, which asked them to talk about subjects related to heroism. He grimaced at these questions, but "embodied" the number one hero and responded in the most morally correct way possible, despite being anything but it. His handwriting had come out messy and less elegant than normal due to the tremors that kept running through his hands, but he had no problems beyond that. For a moment, he wondered if he should pretend to get some questions wrong, but he decided that he wanted to show off a little - and getting all the questions right wasn't even that absurd, after all, the test was extremely easy, from his point of view.
When he finished, there were still a few minutes left before the minimum time, so he turned the test upside down and looked around. He noticed the students: some were sweating and writing intensely; others seemed desperate but not completely hopeless; while others looked absolutely defeated. The brunette felt a little dizzy and decided to lower his head to rest a little, but he was still unable to let his guard down.
It didn't take long for the minimum departure time to hit. Dazai stood up and handed in the test, being followed by a few other students who probably guessed all the answers, if one were to consider their downcast expressions.
He left the room quickly, being careful not to forget the package his keys and phone were in. As soon as he left and walked away from the room, he tore open the package and put the key in his pocket, taking out his cell phone to check the time. It was exactly noon, two hours after the start of the test. The practical exam would begin at 3:30 pm, thirty minutes after the end of the written test.
The brunette was surprised that they hadn't set the time for after lunch, but he assumed that the school would offer snacks that could adequately replenish energy and nutrients. He should probably eat something, he hadn't had anything but water since the day before. However, he shrugged, dismissing the idea. If he was still alive, he had no problem.
Dazai began heading towards the Support Department, following the signs scattered around the campus, in order to get his bō. Unfortunately, they didn't let him take one of his own, but they did provide one made by the school. They hadn't rejected his request, that was what mattered.
Walking through the corridors, he began to notice a greater flow of students with each room he passed. Some seemed confident, others completely dejected. Some were even crying while being comforted by their friends. Dazai laughed at the scenes and continued to his destination.
After walking for some more time, he saw a sign that indicated he had arrived where he wanted. He stood in front of a giant door and pulled it open.
"Hello?" He called, soon seeing a short shirtless man with some kind of yellow excavator covering his face. He recognized him as the pro hero Power Loader. "Good afternoon, sir. I came to get my equipment, if it's not too much trouble." He said, making a small bow with a falsely shy tone.
The man in front of him let out a laugh. "How polite." He replied, before signaling for him to come closer. "Come on, kid. What's your name? And what weapon did you request?"
"My name is Dazai Osamu. I came to get a bō." Dazai said simply and followed him around the room, realizing how big it really was. It made sense, it was the place where support equipment was created and would need considerable space in case of accidents, or even if they needed to build larger equipment.
"You certainly came early." The hero began, trying to start a conversation while looking for the weapon. "Did you guess all the questions in the written part, by any chance?" He laughed.
Dazai forced an artificial smile onto his face. He wasn't in the mood for small talk, but he continued playing his role. "No, sir. In fact, it was quite easy."
Power Loader made a suspicious expression and looked like he was about to say something, but was distracted by the sight of what he was looking for. He quickly handed him a black-colored stick that could be bent. "Here! That's it, right?"
"Yes, yes! Thanks!" The brunette replied excitedly, taking the item and walking quickly to the door, before the man could lure him into another unnecessary conversation.
"Good luck, remember: go beyond, Plus Ultra!"
"Thanks!" Dazai replied, before walking away as quickly as he could from the room, sighing in annoyance. Socializing was tiring and that motto was stupid. He looked around, seeing that the hallways were slowly becoming crowded, with students heading in what he assumed was the way to the cafeteria. He took out his cell phone to check the time and saw that fifteen minutes had already passed. A soft yawn left his lips.
He would like to look for a place to take a nap, but, as it wasn't safe at all, he decided to look for a place to continue reading his precious book about suicide - he hadn't taken the physical one, but he had the digital version on his cell phone, obviously pirated.
As soon as he found a relatively quiet corner, he sat down and began reading, right after setting an alarm for 15 minutes before the practical test began.
He couldn't help but wonder: if these robots accidentally crushed him, would he die?
Shouta watched a boy with wavy brown hair and black clothes waltz through the half-destroyed city, destroying robots with proficiency and still occasionally helping other candidates, as if he belonged in that apocalyptic and chaotic scenario. The boy's almost exceptional control over his weapon caught his attention, not to mention the visible bandages around his neck, his eye and those that occasionally appeared under his sleeves. He felt a little worried about the possible reason for their existence, but he didn't dwell on it too long. He feels a slight sensation of having seen him before, but dismisses the idea quickly, he would probably remember someone as... weird as him.
He looked away from the file he had in his hands. This boy was Dazai Osamu, whose quirk was called No Longer Human. A certainly strange name. He noted, with interest, that it was very similar to his own quirk, although it seemed the only limitation was contact. Great potential, especially if the boy wants to be an underground hero. However, he couldn't help but feel uncomfortable when staring at the empty, almost lifeless eyes that the boy sported. He filed these details away to be looked at later if the boy passed the exam.
His eyes turned to the screen and Shouta continued observing the other students. He made a point of making some notes about those who caught his attention, like the boy with spiky blonde hair or the boy with green hair who hadn't gotten any points so far.
The man took the last one's file. Midoriya Izuku was his name. His quirk, however, was super strength. Shouta frowned at the new information, before sighing. Probably someone who relaxed in training because he was born with a strong power, considering that the boy hadn't used it until now.
The exam went without much trouble, until the Zero Pointer arrived on the scene. Shouta's gaze was drawn, once again, to the boy with bandages. He gave a small smile of approval as he noticed him focusing on helping the other candidates get out of the way of the debris thrown by the giant robot. However, another situation caught his attention.
It was a girl, trapped right where the Zero Pointer would step. The hero was calm, like all his colleagues, the girl would not die. Power Loader could make it stop with just a button, so if no one came to help her in time, they would simply stop the robot. It wasn't an ideal situation, much less one that was expected, but they needed to be ready for any possibility.
As soon as the robot was close to the girl, Shouta noticed two figures advancing. Dazai went close to the girl, using his stick to lift the piece of metal that held her leg, pulling her up quickly and starting to run, holding her so she wouldn't fall. At the same time, when the Zero Pointer was threatening to crush them, the green-haired boy, Midoriya, jumped into the air and punched the robot, almost completely destroying it. It didn't take long for gravity to act and the boy began to plummet, his arm turning a purple hue, but the girl was quick to use her quirk on him so that he floated and didn't hit the ground.
Certainly, the three of them had secured a place on the heroism course with this feat, although he was worried that Midoriya's quirk had broken his arm. They would have to argue about this eventually.
Shouta looked away to Power Loader, who was next to him and who was staring at the screen with clenched fists and probably teary eyes, as he muttered lightly under his breath "Did you need to destroy my robot completely? What did he do to you?"
After that, it didn't take long for the test to end and Recovery Girl went to the locations to heal the injured.
Shouta already had in mind those who had a high chance of passing and he already felt a headache forming.
Dazai sighed, staggering to his room and throwing himself on the bed, not bothering to change his clothes.
The day had been exhausting. It wasn't enough to take a fifty-question test, he also had to destroy robots and help other people. And socialize, ew.
The brunette looked at his hands, seeing that the shaking had intensified. He bit his lip until he felt the metallic taste being captured by his taste buds, trying to contain the urge to run to a bar and satisfy his hunger for alcohol. The abstinence symptoms had started not long after he abruptly stopped drinking, but he had completely ignored them. Even during the test, he noticed himself feeling worse and worse, but he continued to pay no attention to the detriment of the mission. A big mistake, he realizes now.
His breath came in short pants and the edges of his vision began to darken, but he forced himself to stay awake. A figure that looked vaguely like Mori knelt in front of him, with a fatherly and, at the same time, frightening smile. Dazai jumped back, hitting his back against the wall, an action that seemed to knock the air, which was already lacking, out of his lungs.
"Replace one addiction with another." – That's what Mori told him to treat abstinence. If he was in his right mind, he would know better than to trust the man: despite not being a quack doctor, he was not at all trustworthy, his focuses of study came from no sources other than his own sick research. However, in the state of semi-consciousness he found himself in, he clung to Mori's words like a fervent Christian clinging to the Bible.
With that in mind, he opened the drawer next to his bed and took out one of the many blades he kept stored. It was old and covered in dried blood, but it was enough for the expense. He quickly removed the bandages covering his arms, taking a moment to admire the new and old injuries that painted his skin in a morbid work of art, before beginning to open new wounds.
It didn't take long for his breathing to even out and he felt infinitely more at peace. He was careful that the cuts weren't too deep, it wouldn't be much fun if he needed stitches. And he wasn't even trying to kill himself at that moment, he was just looking for relief.
He lost count of how many he had done, only stopping when his arms were in ugly, bloody messes. It looks like he would have to throw that outfit away, what a shame.
Dazai stood up slowly, heading towards the bathroom, ignoring the dizziness that attacked his senses mercilessly. Upon arriving at his destination, he leaned against the sink and turned it on, placing his arm right under the stream of water, watching as the blood steadily went down the drain. He felt stabs of pain, but he couldn't bring himself to care.
The brunette had a strange relationship with pain. He hated it more than anything, but at the same time, he couldn't help but cling to it, as if it was the only thing in this miserable world that anchored him in real life. It was an addiction he couldn't shake, just like every other. Mori had never stopped him from hurting himself, instead only teaching him how to accomplish it without killing himself in the process.
As soon as he deemed his arm clean enough, he undressed and turned on the shower, then got in. He looked at the dirty clothes, wondering how he would get rid of them without arousing suspicion. He shrugged, going back to rubbing his hair. That was a problem for future Dazai to solve.
It didn't take long for it to be clean, and as soon as he got out, he grabbed the small first aid kit that was stored inside the bathroom drawers and opened it, taking out a small bottle of saline solution. He had already cleaned his wounds with water, but decided to apply the serum, after all, he didn't have time to deal with an infection. After applying the solution, the brunette carefully wrapped his arms in bandages, being careful not to make them too tight.
After that, he put on his clothes and left with the dirty clothes in hand. He decided to just gather them in a bag and leave them in a trash bin, where they would be taken away by a truck.
After all, he wasn't committing any crime by doing this to himself, right?
His finger hovered over a certain person's contact on his phone. Dazai debated whether or not he should make a call. He felt empty. Just like every time after he got hurt, and he desperately yearned to feel something, anything.
Mori's contact certainly seemed tempting.
The brunette knew that the man would make him feel something. Fear, disgust, despair, terror. They weren't feelings he wanted to feel, but they would still make him feel alive. He wanted, more than anything, to feel human.
But Dazai was anything but that, no matter how much he pursued utopian desires to be one. He was as far from human as possible, he was a lifeless puppet with strings tied to all his limbs, a demon who delighted in the downfall of others. He was not and would never be a human.
His working eye flicked past Odasaku's contact, but he made no move to call the man. He didn't want to burden his... drinking buddy? friend?... with his emotional problems. And he really didn't want to bother him.
His gaze shifted to another contact. Chuuya's.
The brunette envied him, in a way. Despite being the literal vessel of a god, Chuuya was more human than he could ever be. But he couldn't feel sad about it, on the contrary, he was happy for the boy he would come to consider a friend for being a real human. Still, it was fun to annoy him by calling him a dog. They had exchanged a few messages and calls during the time they were apart, but it never lasted long.
Dazai didn't even realize he had clicked the call button until he heard the dialing sound, but didn't hang up. Maybe Chuuya would be able to make him feel something.
The brunette expected the redhead not to answer or simply hang up on him, but he was surprised when he was answered on the second ring.
"What do you want, you idiot?" Chuuya's tired and irritated voice sounded from the other side of the screen. Oh yes. It was half past two in the morning. "Dazai? I hope you didn't try to fucking kill yourself, or I'm going to fly there!" The other boy spoke with a slightly louder and more desperate tone, which made Dazai realize that he had been silent for a long time.
"Hey, Chibi..." The brunette spoke slowly, pondering what he should say. "Are you handling things there, or can't you do anything without your owner?" He decided to provoke.
"Fuck you, son of a bitch!" Chuuya shouted and Dazai felt a smile bloom on his face. "I'm not your dog!"
"You are!" The brunette replied in a petulant tone, the same one he knew the redhead hated.
"I'll show you the dog, you-"
They continued insulting each other for a while, until Dazai was laughing loudly. Annoying Chuuya was actually fun. After a while, however, the conversation died down, but it didn't stay that way for long.
"Everything has been going normally here, but I've been busier than usual with your absence. How have you been?" The smaller boy asked with a calm tone that was rarely used when he talked to the brunette. Dazai didn't expect him to try to continue the conversation, but he decided to enjoy every moment of it.
"I've been... Same as always, I suppose." He replied simply, with a tired frown. "I did the first part of this mission and it was really tiring!" He sighed dramatically.
"Where are you? And what mission is this, anyway?"
Dazai paused for a moment, wondering if he had permission to tell him. Mori had not given explicit orders to remain silent, but he knows the man and he would probably like the brunette to remain silent. Going against his better judgment, he decided to give some information.
"I can't tell you what exactly the mission is. But if my little dog misses me so much and wants to come see me, I'll send him my location!" Dazai exclaimed, practically feeling Chuuya's irritation on the other end of the line. He laughed and promptly sent his location.
"So... I have a mission in the morning, I need to go to sleep." Chuuya announced after a few more moments of meaningless conversation, which caused Dazai's spirits to reduce slightly. "Get some sleep, you walking waste of bandages." It was said in a brusque tone, but Dazai knew that everything that was uttered was genuine.
"Good night, Chibi." He responded with an almost imperceptible smile and the call ended.
If his chest remained warm even after the call ended, well, only himself would know.
Dazai sat on the couch with an envelope in hand. It was white with red and blue decorations that simply screamed "expensive." It was UA's response regarding his entry into the school. From the weight and shape of the paper, there was a small circular object inside. Probably a hologram, after all, the school certainly had enough conditions to send answers to all the thousands of candidates through holograms.
It had only been a week after the entrance exams. Everything was assessed pretty quickly, he noted. How many poor souls were enslaved to correct the monstrous amount of tests in such a short period of time? Even more so with five essay questions from each student. These people definitely got paid a lot for this job. Or not, maybe the UA director is corrupt. But, after all, what does Dazai know?
Without further ado, he opened the letter carefully, spotting a small black circular device, almost invisible in the darkness of the room - he had left the envelope open at night and hadn't bothered to turn on the lights. The brunette picked it up and placed it on the table and a myriad of colors soon exploded above the object, causing him to blink rapidly so that his functional eye adapted to the light. A man with black hair and clothes and a tired appearance greeted his vision, his bulky gray scarf almost obstructing the view of his face. Even so, his expression remained impassive. Dazai recognized him as Aizawa Shouta, the same man he had seen at the co-living store on his first day in Musutafu.
The paper with the man's number seemed to mock him from his place on the television rack.
The man didn't take long to talk about his score, mentioning how he got a perfect score on the written test and how he came first on the practical exam. According to him, Dazai had accumulated a total of twenty-eight villain points and fifty rescue points. He will admit, he didn't expect the rescue to weigh so much, just to give it a little extra score. He hoped he didn't attract more attention from the teachers than he already had, that would certainly be troublesome.
The video ended with a tired "Go beyond, Plus Ultra" from the hero and the screen went blank. Dazai yawned right after that. He would have to hurry to buy uniforms, after all, classes start in the first week of April and there were only a few days left. He would also need to buy school supplies - the mere thought of acting like a real student made him feel sick, but he would need to at least pretend to be one so he wouldn't draw even more attention - and maybe a new roll of bandages. Maybe he should also look online for tutorials on how to socialize. Or can he pay as a mystery student?
Again, these are all problems for future Dazai. The Dazai of the present let himself lie completely on the sofa and close his eyes, slowly falling asleep and not caring about the discomfort of the furniture.
Notes:
Aaaand another chapter here!
I would just like to say that my hyperfixation on Dazai and crossovers with him has gotten out of control. That said, I plan to write another bsd crossover fic, but this time with one piece!!
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter <3
partially edited by eli!!! it's been a little bit and i haven't finished editing this chapter yet. i decided to post it anyway because i felt like something is better than nothing. fully edited version coming soon - eli (๑>◡<๑)~❤
Chapter 4: 4
Summary:
Dazai makes it through the first day of school, makes some friends and bumps into someone suspicious.
Notes:
The ao3 writer's curse is real...
I had a huge writer's block for this fic and, right when that ended, my dog caught leishmaniasis and became anemic (fortunately, the treatment has already started, but it still really discouraged me)Anyway, as this is a post-writer's block chapter, it's probably not as good as it could be. I hope you can forgive me for that! (Remembering that I haven't seen MHA for a few years and I don't want to rewatch it either, I'll do it according to my memory.)
I just realized that I'm projecting my own teacher in Aizawa, I'm sorry if he's too OOC!
Tw!
Alcoholism (implied)
Self-harm (implied)
Sexual harassment/rape (implied)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Dazai slowly tightened his red tie, feeling the soft fabric against his skin. He looked at himself in the mirror, before grimacing at the sight that greeted him. That uniform was, for lack of better terms, horrible. The colors were abominably bright, something the brunette wasn't used to, the only exception was when Mori forced him to wear dresses.
He shuddered at the turn his thoughts took and quickly tried to clear his mind of such memories.
Dazai continued to stare at his own appearance in the mirror. The bandages on his neck remained visible, while the ones on his arms were barely noticeable, but the ones on his eyes were the most obvious. The brunette had thought about whether he should remove them completely, but decided against it: he would already have to work six hours a day, five days a week, if he had to do all that and without the comforting weight of the bandages, he would definitely kill himself. As a result, he kept the bands on his left eye. Other than that, her hair and clothes were presentable. Everything seemed in place.
Even so, he couldn't help but reach out to his arm, below the sleeve, and scratch it lightly, feeling as if something was missing. Maybe it was the lack of a pistol or a knife. Maybe it was the effect of the lack of alcohol. Or was he just being paranoid?
His attention was drawn to his arm when he felt a twinge of pain where it was itching. He looked, before sighing in relief, seeing that his bandages hadn't become soaked with that same crimson liquid that colored his dreams, which meant he had only lightly scratched his arm.
The brunette took his hand off his arm and looked at his fingers. His nails had grown considerably, he realized as he felt a small smile bloom on his face. Mori used to make him cut his nails all the way down because he didn't like Dazai scratching him during... that. Still, the boy did his best to make them as big as possible to cause as much damage as he could, but it didn't always end well for him. Either way, he found some comfort in seeing them grow back, and this time he wouldn't have to cut them for long.
Maybe he could paint them, if that pissed Mori off even more. He smiled at the thought, before going back to preparing for the day.
Dazai adjusted his gray blazer, thinking for a moment about Mori's coat that rested innocently at the back of the closet, feeling happy that he didn't have to wear it, but at the same time, uncomfortable that he wasn't wearing it. Wearing the blazer was nothing like the coat, although it hugged his body in a similar way – he had ordered a size larger than his –. The piece of clothing he wore wasn't comforting, but it wasn't suffocating either. He'd say it's a nice half term.
The brunette stared at his hair for a while, pondering whether he should tie it up, but opted to leave it loose. It wasn't that long, it only reached halfway down his neck, but he was starting to like his hair a little that way.
It wasn't long before he had his briefcase in hand and was on his way to school. Dazai discreetly faced the reactions of the people he passed and realized that the simple fact of wearing the uniform of a prestigious school inspired respect in people, who seemed to look at him with something akin to approval or admiration, depending on the age of the passerby. It was, undoubtedly, very different from the respect he was used to receiving in the Port Mafia, he realizes. In the Mafia, respect was accompanied by fear and frightened looks, while in this place where he found himself it was accompanied by warm and encouraging smiles thrown in his direction.
He didn't know how to feel about this, honestly. However, he knew one thing: he was not worthy of receiving such smiles.
With that in mind, he followed his path stiffly, doing his best to leave no room for anyone to come and talk to him.
Dazai rested his head on one of his hands, looking around the room and cataloging the appearance of all the classmates he would have to coexist with for a long time. He had arrived relatively early, but the room was already almost completely full. He noticed that these children were too loud and lively for his liking, with the exception of a few. Many of his colleagues looked at him strangely, probably because of the bandages, but the brunette made a point of returning their looks with a charming smile. He didn't think he would have a problem with any of them, but one in particular irritated him.
Bakugou Katsuki.
At first, his angry attitude reminded him of his interactions with Chuuya, which made him think that maybe he could say something to the boy. However, his thoughts were soon thrown out the window when he realized that Bakugou was simply unpleasant, unlike Chuuya.
The redhead could explode at him, but it was only when Dazai provoked him - which was practically all the time - other than that, he was cool. Bakugou, on the other hand, threw insults everywhere and simply acted as if he was superior to everyone around him. Simply irritating.
The brunette realized, with amusement, that the boy probably had some superiority complex covering low self-esteem and, to feel better, he felt the need to act as if he were the last coke in the desert. Either way, it wasn't his job to fix this, so he would just do his best to avoid Bakugou. Or maybe he should irritate him, see what his limit for jokes is! His expression when his explosions didn't work on him would certainly be funny.
He shifted his gaze to the door, spotting Midoriya Izuku. He noticed that the boy's shoulders were tense and an awkward smile graced his face and he seemed to shrink even more when a brunette girl touched his shoulder. Midoriya was clearly stressed by the chaos of the room and Dazai could agree with that sentiment.
The brunette accidentally locked eyes with the cinnamon-haired girl and noticed the excitement filling her eyes, which made him flinch slightly. He quickly regained his composure as the girl reached him.
“Hello! You are my other hero! I'm Uraraka Ochako!” The girl greeted excitedly, which made Dazai shudder slightly at the noise, but he soon recovered and returned a friendly smile. He thought for a moment whether he should ask the girl to commit double suicide with him, but decided against it.
“Hello, Uraraka-chan! My name is Dazai Osamu.” He replied, almost equally excited - even though it's fake.
“I'm so happy you made it through too, Dazai-kun!” The girl said, shaking her hands a little, before lightly scratching her chin. “I was a little afraid of having delayed you, I even tried to transfer some of my points to you, but they wouldn't let me.”
Dazai felt his eyes widen slightly. That was... Really cool. He expected these kids to be more selfish, but he wasn't really complaining.
“Well, the important thing is that we're all here, right?” The brunette replied softly. “I hope we can become good friends.” Saying that sentence was extremely strange, but he thinks he should get used to acting that way.
The girl's eyes practically lit up. “Of course!” She exclaimed, before taking out a pink flip phone. He noticed a small strawberry mochi sticker stuck to the back of the device and decided to save the information for later.
Judging by the model, Dazai imagined that she didn't come from a very wealthy family - not that he was condemning her for that, he wouldn't be in a much better condition if it weren't for Mori -. This was something he could use to his advantage if he needed to.
“How about we exchange…” Uraraka started to ask, but was interrupted with a small scream.
The brunette suddenly noticed a yellow mass lying right behind the green-haired boy. He leaned over a little to get a better look and had to stifle a laugh. It was his teacher there, looking like a caterpillar. When the man began to speak, the room fell silent.
“It took eight seconds for you to calm down. This is inappropriate for people who want to be heroes.” He said, coming out of his brightly colored cocoon while the standing students ran to sit down. Dazai gave a small wave to Uraraka as she ran to her seat.
The teacher soon left the door. “Put on your gym uniforms and go to the training field, I'll be waiting for you there.” He spoke, before stopping for a moment. “Your clothes will be in your respective lockers.”
After that, the teenagers in the room ran out, making an unnecessary commotion until they reached the changing rooms. As he entered the place, Dazai scratched the bandages lightly. This had not been calculated. He had never been to a school before, he didn't know that the changing rooms wouldn't have separate cabins. Of course, he had done some research on schools before, but most of those rooms had cabins. It seems that UA liked to be the different one in everything, much to its misfortune.
Teenagers were certainly curious and inconvenient creatures, who would not hesitate to pester him about the bandages that covered his arms, legs, neck and eye. Furthermore, he didn't wear bandages on his torso - he didn't see the point in that, after all, he was always wearing many layers of clothing, plus it would restrict his movements - which meant that his other scars would be completely on display.
It was barely the first day and he had already made two mistakes. How lovely. The brunette wasn't religious, but he would thank all the gods that may exist that Mori wasn't present at that moment.
Dazai quickly found his locker and grabbed his clothes, heading to one of the corners of the room. He quickly changed his pants, feeling grateful that the teens were too involved in their conversations to notice him. However, he knew he wouldn't have the same luck with the top, but he quickly had an idea: he turned his back to the other boys and did his best to keep the blazer on his back while removing the shirt underneath. Fortunately, he was successful and was soon able to change his clothes. Unfortunately, however, the sleeves were only up to the elbow, which meant his bandages were still showing.
He turned around and immediately felt eyes going from his face to his arms.
“Dude... Are you hurt?” A boy with red hair spiked up asked hesitantly, approaching him. Judging by the looks on some of the other boys around, it was clear that this was a question that many of them had wanted to ask for some time.
“Maybe you need to go to Recovery Girl…” A black-haired boy joined the conversation, with a worried look.
Dazai found the feeling strange. They didn't even know him, why the hell were they worried? Were they making fun of him?
He was brought out of his thoughts by a loud bang. It was Bakugou, who had brutally closed the closet. “This bastard is just trying to get attention!” He shouted, which started chaos in the room.
“Bakugou, despising the pain of others is not very heroic of you! As a student of heroism, you must-”
Dazai, feeling a headache forming, forced a loud laugh, causing the others to stare at him in amazement. “It's okay, I'm not hurt! Bandages are only fashionable in my hometown, you know?” He stated in a docile voice, although some strange looks did not disappear. Maybe these kids aren't so stupid after all.
“That's cool, bro! It really gives an air of masculinity…” The redhead said, with stars in his eyes, seeming to have immediately believed his words.
Forget it. These kids are stupid.
Bakugou was still staring at him strangely. “So you're blinding one of your eyes on purpose?” The boy practically growled. “What, you think you're better than me!?”
Dazai felt irritation well up in his being as he faced the angry blonde dog, but he maintained a friendly and cordial smile. “Oh, actually, I'm legitimately blind in that eye.” He replied, feeling the mood in the room decrease considerably. Even though he was not yet completely blind in that eye, he decided not to comment on it specifically. Watching these people feel uncomfortable was strangely amusing.
The brunette noticed, from the corner of his eyes, the sharp gaze of a boy with two-tone hair, who seemed to be trying to dissect him, although he was clearly not succeeding. Ah, the son of Endeavor! But what had he done to attract so much attention from the boy? He had a feeling it wouldn't take long to find out.
“S-Still, if you need anything, you can count on us!” Midoriya stuttered quickly, attracting his attention, followed by several nods of agreement from the other boys who were still present.
Dazai didn't understand them. Why are they so worried about someone they just met?
'They are human, unlike you.' – A voice whispered in his mind, but he silenced it before his expression darkened. Instead, the brunette showed a gentle smile.
“Okay!”
Shouta sighed deeply, patiently waiting for his students to appear. It didn't take long for the kids to start arriving at the training camp.
The man's gaze quickly glanced at those who had already arrived and settled on a boy with wavy brown hair, causing Shouta to frown when he saw the bandages running up the boy's arms.
Dazai Osamu stared back, giving him a sweet smile, but one that looked painfully fake to the hero's trained eyes.
The boy still remained an enigma to him. Soon after receiving confirmation that Dazai would be in his class, Shouta was quick to read his file - just like he did with all his students -, however, to his surprise, he had found very little information about the boy. The most relevant information the paper had was that the brunette had studied at home since he was nine years old, but there was also no record of his behavior before that - there were no complaints or compliments.
Recovery Girl had mentioned something similar at the last faculty meeting before classes started: Dazai's medical record was completely blank. The older woman had mentioned calling the boy to the nurse's office so she could fill out his information manually, but it was still worrying - they couldn't let the boy get sick during class because of an allergy if it could be easily avoided.
They both took their concerns to the director, Nezu, but the rat just dismissed them with that same calm, calculating look he always had on his face, saying that all they would have to do was keep an eye on the boy. The teacher had the feeling that there was something more to this, but decided not to dwell on it.
The bandages that surrounded Dazai's body also made questions arise in Shouta's mind. As a teacher, he had dealt with similar situations many times - teenagers hurting themselves, living in an abusive home - but he would never get used to it or find it any less horrible. Whenever a situation like this comes to light, Shouta does everything he can to help the victim. His friends say he has a soft spot for children, but he knows he's being nothing but rational.
And Dazai seemed dangerously close to standard. From the short time he spent observing the boy at the entrance exam, he noticed that the boy had almost impeccable control over his body language, but he had still noticed a few moments when the boy seemed tense and about to run away. Not to mention his eye. Shouta felt uncomfortable staring at him for a long time, since his gaze seemed dead, empty to the core, comparable to a black hole. He also never stopped wondering what had happened to the other eye.
All of this painted a worrying picture, but the man knew he still had to investigate much deeper to find out - and he hoped with all his heart that he was wrong.
Dazai wasn't the only one who drew concern from him. Endeavor's son, Todoroki Shouto, carried himself in a similar manner, but his facade was much more slippery and readable than Dazai's, and knowing what his father was like, Shouta knew he would probably have to pay more attention to the boy throughout the year.
There were also other people he made a mental note to pay more attention to: Midoriya Izuku, with his quirk arriving about ten years late, which was worrying - it implied that, before this, the boy didn't have a quirk and Shouta knew the statistics -; Bakugou Katsuki with his possible anger issues; and many others whose problems he wouldn't have time to dissect at that moment.
It wasn't really his job to fix these problems, but these kids are his students, so he would try everything in his power to help each one of them, even the ones he might end up expelling.
That thought brought him back to the present, seeing that the last student, a yellow-haired boy with black lightning - Kaminari Denki, his mind supplied -, had just arrived. This was the first test that would say who will go and who will stay.
Shouta thought for a moment about who he should call first, feeling the weight of the small ball in his hand. The first place in the exams was a good option. With that, he soon fixed his gaze on the skinny bandaged boy and called him.
“Dazai, how far could you throw the ball during middle school?” He asked. Despite knowing that the boy had never attended school, he wanted to know what the boy's response would be.
Apparently, his intentions were clear, as Dazai gave him a knowing smile before responding. “I never went to school, sir. But my tutor made me do some tests and the most I could throw was fifty-two meters.”
Shouta nodded briefly at the answer, being careful not to show any reaction. No tutor had been mentioned in his file, only that he had been tutored at home. Really interesting.
The teacher didn't take long to throw the ball to the brunette, who caught it easily. “Try again now. I know your quirk won't help, but try your best. Anything goes, just don't leave the circle.” Shouta spoke calmly as Dazai walked to the place where he should be, before the teacher lifted a device he kept in his pocket. “This device will tell you the specific distance the ball will travel.” He said, this time speaking to the whole class, that he kept looking at everything in awe. The professor turned his gaze to the brunette. “You can start whenever you want.”
The student in question looked at the ball with a thoughtful look, as if he was weighing his options, before his one eye lit up.
“Uraraka-chan, could you come here for a moment?” Dazai called with a sweet and charming voice.
Said girl looked in Dazai's direction, confused and with a slightly flushed face, before looking at Shouta. “Is this allowed, Aizawa-sensei?”
The teacher suppressed a smile when he realized what the other boy was planning. He shrugged. “Like I said, anything goes.”
With that, Uraraka hesitantly approached Dazai, who quickly approached the girl and whispered in her ear. The other students stared at them fixedly, some with confused looks and others with disapproving looks - probably having also understood the boy's objective -. It didn't take long for them to move away, before an excited look crossed the girl's face and she nodded. Soon after that, Dazai handed the ball to the girl and Uraraka made it float.
Shouta smiled, staring at the device. It didn't take long for the infinity symbol to appear on the screen.
The teenagers soon erupted into chaos.
“It's not fair, sensei! He didn't even use his quirk!” One of the girls whined, earning a nod of agreement from some others.
“Depending on others like this is totally inappropriate for a hero! He-”
“Silence, everyone.” Shouta interrupted before the complaints could take shape. “Like I said, anything goes, as long as he doesn't leave the circle. The idea was for him to use his quirk, but, as his wouldn't be useful in this regard, he went the other way and used lip service. I don't know what Dazai said to make Uraraka agree to this, but it clearly worked.” He stated, before looking away at the said students. “In fact, if you want to share with us what it was, feel free.”
The girl opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by Dazai's hand, who gently squeezed her shoulder with a playful smile. “Actually, we don't mean to say!” He replied in a happy and mysterious tone. Uraraka looked at him and gave a small laugh.
Shouta sighed, before nodding. “Well, that score will count for both of you.” He said, before the two students returned to their places in the crowd. The teacher soon turned to the class. “Today we will do several tests to test your capabilities, mainly involving your quirks. Give your best.” He spoke with an expressionless tone.
Murmurs of excitement and joy filled the air around the teenagers.
“That looks fun!” A girl with pink skin and hair - Ashido Mina - exclaimed, jumping up and down. The teenagers around her seemed equally excited.
Shouta's expression darkened briefly. Memories of Shirakumo and many other partners who lost their lives on this road took over his mind. He couldn't let these kids not take this business seriously. Otherwise, he would just be sending cattle to slaughter.
“Fun?” He began, making the students silence and look at him with wide eyes. “This isn’t meant to be fun. Whoever comes in last place in the ranking will be considered without potential and will be immediately expelled.”
Shouts of discontent exploded throughout the place.
“This is unfair, Aizawa-sensei!” Uraraka complained, with features that showed insecurity.
“The world isn’t fair. The duty of all of you as heroes is to fight this injustice.” He stated in a strong voice, which made the students silent. “If you still wish to be one, do not take this or any other tests lightly from now on. Remember, you are at UA, halfway has already been done. You just need to stay in line.” As soon as he finished his little speech, he saw determined looks blossom in the students eyes.
Well, almost all students.
Dazai's expressions remained unchanged since he had joined the other teens, his face decorated with just a faint smile.
The man sighed, already tired. “That said, let's get started. The first test is…”
Dazai walked quickly, letting out a small yawn.
The only interesting moments of the day up to that point were those in the first schedule. When his teacher talked about tests, the brunette imagined something more difficult. Or maybe he was just used to the types of brutal tests Mori put him through to test his capabilities.
Either way, Dazai had achieved a solid tenth place in the overall rankings. He would admit that he only achieved such a score because he used his own ability to nullify his opponents’ powers. Dazai thought he would have made a lot of enemies for this, but most of them saw it as fair play since he also needed to show off a bit.
The brunette had been a little afraid when Aizawa said he would expel the last place in the scoring rankings, but he was calm, knowing that he would be able to get a decent score and that's what happened.
The one who came last was Midoriya Izuku.
Dazai had been amazed by the boy's performance in the throwing test and had been especially intrigued by his quirk. The brunette could feel something more in that power, as if it had a life of its own. It was fascinating and scary at the same time. However, despite being powerful, Midoriya was clearly poorly educated. Whoever was in charge of his training was doing a terrible job.
Dazai wonders, if he offered to help train the green-haired boy, could he study more about his quirk?
Anyway, despite how good Midoriya had done in the throwing test, he had still done poorly in everyone else.
At that moment, he briefly wondered if Aizawa would really expel him, but it soon became clear that he wouldn't. Although the teacher claimed it was nothing more than a ‘logical ruse’, Dazai knew the truth: if he didn't see potential in someone, he would expel them without thinking twice, considering his track record.
The stress passed through the room was soon cushioned by Cementoss's two consecutive Modern Literature classes. Dazai won't deny it, that class was boring - but it wasn't his fault that the teacher spoke so slowly and calmly! -. Right after that, it was English class with Present Mic, the same noisy man from the entrance exam. The brunette wanted, without any joke, to rip his ears off with every scream the man let out.
Either way, he had survived it and now they were on break for lunch. Dazai planned to look for some quiet corner so he could get some rest.
Before he could walk out the door like his other classmates, however, he felt a small tap on his shoulder. He turned to face whoever was calling him and came face to face with the girl whose help he asked for earlier, Uraraka.
“Dazai-kun, would you like to have lunch with us?” She offered and Dazai realized that Midoriya and the boy with licked hair - Iida Tenya, his mind supplied - were behind her.
The brunette really wanted to deny it and run to be alone. But instead, he forced a friendly smile onto his face. “Sure!”
After that, they quickly walked to the cafeteria in order to get a good seat. As soon as they entered, Dazai sat down at one of the tables, seeing that the place was slowly getting crowded.
“You can go get your lunches, I’ll save our place here!” He exclaimed with a carefree tone of voice.
The other three frowned. “Aren't you going to get food too?” Midoriya asked.
“I'm not hungry, I had a very filling breakfast today!” Dazai blatantly lied, but celebrated internally when none of his three noticed.
“We'll be right back!” Uraraka exclaimed, before disappearing into the crowd with the other two in tow.
The brunette enjoyed the time he spent alone, but unfortunately, it was short, as his colleagues returned before he could even notice.
Once everyone sat down, Iida gave Dazai a worried look. “Are you sure you're not going to eat? It's very important for your health, and, as a developing hero student…”
Dazai's smile grew a little stiff as he interrupted the boy. “I’m sure. No need to worry, when I get home I'll eat!”
The blue-haired boy looked like he was about to protest, but he just nodded and let out a resigned sigh.
Suddenly, Midoriya, who was next to him, poked him. “You were really cool in that test today. You had a problem with your quirk not being able to be used in that test and you fixed it quickly!” The boy exclaimed when Dazai looked at him. “After all, what did you say to Uraraka?” He asked with a curious tone.
The said girl stared at him, as if she was silently asking him if he would say it. Dazai didn't return the look, just smiling.
“I promised that if she helped me, I would buy her a pack of strawberry mochi!” He admitted, smiling.
“Just that?” Iida asked with a raised eyebrow.
Dazai saw the blood rush to Uraraka's face. “It's almost twelve hundred yen, I can't spend it like that…”
The brunette saw that Iida's face still showed confusion. Ah, so he was from a family with good or even excellent conditions. Looking at Midoriya, he saw that the boy showed a certain level of understanding - maybe he wasn't struggling, but he still wasn't rich.
Dazai himself sympathized immensely with the girl. He knew what it felt like to see something you like and not be able to have it because you might not have enough money for something else more important. He knew what it was like to have to count every penny and hope that he would have what he needed to survive the next day.
Even so, he did not offer this purchase out of sympathy, nor because he identified with her, much less out of pity. He needed a favor from her and this was his form of payment, that's all.
“Let's buy it today, right?” Dazai asked, taking his focus off the girl and looking at the other two when she nodded. “Are you coming along?”
The other two boys looked at each other for a moment, before they smiled. “Okay!” Iida replied.
They continued eating and talking peacefully. When everyone had finished, Midoriya seemed to remember something.
“I have a question for you, Dazai-kun, if it doesn't bother you!”
Dazai raised an eyebrow, placing his head in one of his hands. “Go ahead.”
“Can you tell me about your quirk? It's just that it’s so similar to Aizawa-sensei!”
The brunette pondered whether he should really say something - after all, it could be used as ammunition against himself - but, before he could say a single word, the shrill sound of the signal echoed through the cafeteria, scaring the other three.
Instead of answering the question, Dazai smiled. “Ah, looks like we have to go back to class.” He echoed. “But I can answer your questions another time.” He stated when he saw the disappointed face that Midoriya made, which soon brightened up with Dazai's speech.
The brunette got up to leave, but, upon seeing the crowd that had formed at the door of the cafeteria, he felt the little energy that was stored in his being decrease a little.
The school environment was exhausting, but at least there were only two schedules left until classes ended that day. He would just have to hold on.
“And... We're here!” Dazai exclaimed, pointing to the store where they would buy the mochi.
The girl next to him seemed to have lost her breath. The brunette looked at her for a moment, wanting to make sure if she was still alive. Fortunately, she was just staring at the establishment, petrified.
“But here... It's so expensive here…” She whispered. “I can't pay you back.”
Dazai waved his hand, dismissing her worries. “No, I'm the one paying you for your help earlier.” He said simply, before giving a small mischievous smile. “And the more Mori money I spend, the better.”
Soon after that, the four entered the store. Dazai noticed both Uraraka and Midoriya looking at the decorations with some admiration, while Iida seemed a little more familiar with the place. Maybe he should get something for Midoriya too? Staying on people's good side would come in handy in the future. If he was seen as someone kind, everything would be easier for him.
“Choose a package.” Dazai called Uraraka, before turning to Midoriya. “You too.”
The green-haired boy blinked, perplexed. “A-Are you sure?” He stammered.
The brunette yawned. “Quickly, before I give up! I don't owe you anything, I'm offering it out of the kindness of my heart!” He stated, although it was a blatant lie. There was no kindness in his heart, he just wanted someone to defend him if everything went wrong. But no one but himself needed to know that.
Midoriya seemed about to ask a second time, but a look from Dazai shut him up and the boy quickly pointed to an All Might-themed soda can that was in one of the store's freezers. The brunette quickly caught it, before turning to Uraraka.
“Have you chosen?” He asked and was answered by a nod, before she handed him a package. He realized, with amusement, that it was the cheapest package among the mochi available in the store.
After that, he was quick to pay and he couldn't help but laugh at his colleagues' expressions when they saw Mori's black card.
“I didn't know you were that rich, Dazai-kun!” Uraraka exclaimed as soon as they left the store. Midoriya and Iida, who was eating a small cookie he had bought for himself, nodded in agreement.
Dazai laughed. “Mori is just good for that.” He stated. “Mori is my... Father.” He explained quickly when he saw confused looks being directed at him.
The three exchanged worried glances briefly, but soon asked again. “What’s his job? He’s a hero?”
“Nothing like that. He's just a boring doctor.” He said, before letting out another yawn. “I think I'll go, I'm really tired.”
“Don't you want to walk with us to the station?” Iida offered.
Dazai shook his head. “My apartment is nearby, I can walk there.”
“Oh..” Midoriya echoed, before smiling. “In that case, see you tomorrow! Be careful!”
The brunette walked away soon after waving his hand. He doesn't think he should be careful, but rather those who cross his path with bad intentions towards him. But anyway, he gave them one last smile.
"You too!"
As soon as his three classmates were out of sight, Dazai let his smile fall and a tired expression took the place of his previous expression, looking up at the almost dark sky.
Being a normal teenager was exhausting. How did people do this?
Suddenly, he bumped into a body and briefly scolded himself for getting distracted.
He looked up, coming face to face with messy blue hair and pale, bruised skin, making him look like an anemic vampire. The other man's eyes were deep and looked at him with burning fire, looking him up and down and appearing to remain in the UA uniform.
Dazai quickly dodged him and continued on his way, wishing immensely that he had his weapon at that moment. This man reeked of trouble, and as he felt the withering gaze on his back, he thought he was right.
He had a feeling he would meet him more often.
Notes:
I had to correct the chapter in a hurry, so I'm sorry if there's anything wrong.
About the frequency of chapters in this fic: I post when the chapters are ready, which will always take at least a while, as I want to deliver the chapter as well written as possible.
My biggest current problem is that I'm going through the bogeyman of young Brazilians: enem. That said, I spend eight to nine hours a day studying and I don't have time to write uninterruptedly like I like to do, which ends up delaying me a little in posting the chapters.
Even so, I'm going to do my best to finish this story by the exam and, if I don't manage to do it, I'll have about three months with nothing to do to focus on this fic!Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter <3
EDIT: Guys, someone told me that some parts of the chapter were in Portuguese and I just quickly corrected them (I'll do a better review later), but does anyone know why this is happening? It's happened other times, but I'm sure I translated and corrected these parts... If anyone knows, please tell me!
Chapter 5: 5
Summary:
Media invasion and heroism training! And someone is in a bad mood...
Notes:
At the moment I'm writing this note, it has around 2700 hits and 190 kudos... I can say for sure, you guys are awesome 🥺... And the comments! You guys are so cool and it really motivates me to keep going, so I thank you all!
It's a little difficult to write these first chapters, I planned a lot about what will happen later and I neglected a little what will happen now... But I'll still do my best :}
Remembering that English is not my first language and I translate with Google Translate and correct it manually, there may be some errors! (Feel free to correct me if you find any <3)
Speaking of this, I noticed that sometimes the chapter isn't in English, even if I'm sure I translated it. Does anyone know what can it be?Note: When I was halfway through the chapter I realized that the heroism training and the media "invasion" occur on different days, but, as I don't want to lose track (and the desire) to write, I condensed everything into one single day and, therefore, many things will change!
Tw!!
Self-harm (implied)
Violence
Suicidal thoughts (typical of Dazai)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Dazai blinked slowly, his eyes adjusting to the brightness of the room that seemed about to blind him - as if it wasn't enough to be almost blind in one eye. With his eye clouded with sleep, the brunette looked away to the window, seeing that he had left the curtain open. He swore under his breath, before making a move to sit down.
However, a searing pain in both arms made him step back and let his back hit the mattress again. The boy looked down at his bandages, seeing them soaked with what was once a crimson liquid - now almost dry and brownish - with a metallic smell, before letting out an annoyed sigh as he felt the memories of the previous night coming back.
It appears he didn't die in his sleep after practically tearing his arms apart once again. What a shame.
He wasn't sure what had triggered it. Maybe it was Mori's call from the day before - nothing much had happened other than his little teasing and a request that he send him a report every Sunday, but just hearing the man's voice made him want to vomit and have an immense desire to cut his own throat - or maybe Dazai was just a pathetic addicted.
Before making ‘art’ with his skin, the brunette tried talking to Odasaku and even Chuuya, but no amount of words of reassurance that the two could offer him took away his need to paint his epidermis with even more permanent marks. He supposed there really was no salvation for someone like him.
Coming out of his thoughts, Dazai made an effort to stand up once again, only succeeding on the third attempt. As soon as he stood up, he felt his blood pressure drop slightly and black edges appeared at the corners of his vision. He leaned against the nightstand that rested next to the bed, breathing deeply until his vision returned to normal, trying to ignore the discomfort of the blood-soaked sleeves that stuck to his skin covered in dirty bands - fortunately, the wounds had already stopped bleeding, but the clothing had not dried completely and was still extremely uncomfortable.
When he was able to see everything normally again, the brunette slowly staggered to the bathroom, almost immediately feeling the effects of blood loss. When he arrived in the room, he made a face at his reflection in the mirror - if it were someone else looking at him, they would mistake him for a walking corpse.
Doing his best to ignore the image of himself, Dazai undressed, tossing his clothes into a corner. The bottom half of his clothes were intact, but he would have to discard the long-sleeved shirt he was wearing - fortunately, it wasn't his school uniform -. Putting it out of his mind, he walked over to the shower and turned it on.
He didn't wait for the water to heat up, getting into it without thinking twice. The icy water was like a blessing for his fresh injuries, despite the stings of pain it seemed to send through his nervous system. Dazai didn't mind it, taking the soap and carefully scrubbing his body and especially his cuts. The crystal clear water that ran into the bathtub drain had turned a vivid red, but it faded as the minutes dragged on.
The brunette debated whether he should sit in the bathtub to rest, but noticed that he hadn't even checked the time beforehand - he didn't know if he was late or not - and also because he didn't trust himself not to try to drown himself immediately.
With that in mind, he finished cleaning himself and turned off the shower, slowly getting out. After drying himself, he noticed that he had forgotten his clothes in the bedroom and promptly headed towards the room, purposefully ignoring the large stain of dried blood that colored his sheets - he would make sure to be more careful next time, it wouldn't be productive to have to stay getting rid of clothes and sheets all the time.
Dazai was quick to get dressed again, taking special care with the bandages, tying them tightly so there was no chance of them slipping out of place during class.
Thinking about it, the brunette remembers that he needed to check the time - he couldn't afford to miss that day, after all, it was his first heroism training class. He quickly grabbed his phone and let out a sigh of relief when he noticed that it was still eight in the morning sharp, which meant he had about half an hour to get there and it only took him about a ten to fifteen minute walk to school. Looks like his biological clock wasn't so fucked up after all!
After that, Dazai was quick to pack his things and leave his apartment, despite his entire being screaming at him to throw himself on the couch and rot there for the rest of eternity. He noticed only halfway through that he hadn't eaten anything, but shrugged his shoulders - he had eaten some canned crab for breakfast the day before - and went on his way.
As soon as he saw the large school building, he almost immediately noticed the crowd of people gathering at the school gate. Dazai remembers the rumors that had been running through the school halls during the week about All Might teaching at the school and it seems that the rumors were correct and the media had somehow found out about it.
His first thought was to turn around and look for an alternative entrance - it was practically impossible for the school to have just one gate, after all, if there was an emergency, there would be other exits due to the large number of students - however, before he could make a single step away from the crowd, he felt himself being pulled into the lions den.
Microphones and cameras were almost shoved in his face, people around him asking if he knew anything about All Might.
Dazai knew he should remain calm and gently dissuade them from going and attacking someone else. His first idea was to pretend to be just a general education student and go unnoticed, but his mind went blank when one of his arms was grabbed, feeling the stinging of the cuts.
He opened his mouth to try to say something, but not a single sound came out. The reporters were getting closer and closer to him like hungry wolves looking for the rabbit that would be their next victim, and the brunette felt suffocated, starting to breathe heavily and trying to suck the air back in - when did it leave? -, feeling his vision become slightly blurry.
His instinctive reaction to this situation was to draw his gun and blow the brains out of whoever was causing such an unwanted sensation, but he found nothing in the usual place he carried his pistol, making the anguish in his chest feel even heavier.
Dazai sighed deeply, controlling his breathing as best he could. 'How pathetic' he thought to himself. He's been through so much worse than this, and what makes him freak out is just a few people around him? Mori would certainly abuse it if he discovered this weakness. Still, the brunette supposes he'd be more comfortable if these people were just trying to kill him instead of yelling at him.
As soon as he regained control of his senses, he noticed that some of the reporters had found other victims to bother, but there were still others around them, including one who was holding his arm.
Dazai smiled as friendly as he could - despite wanting to send all these filthy mutts into a ditch -, slowly moving away from the one holding him. “I'm sorry, guys, I'm not a student of the heroism course, I won't know how to answer your questions!” He exclaimed, shaking his hands gently, although he could see his fingers twitching slightly.
The reporters looked like they were about to insist, but they were interrupted by loud footsteps.
“I would like you to leave my student alone.” A deep, angry voice came from behind Dazai and the boy immediately recognized it as Aizawa. He allowed himself a small sigh of relief, turning to see the unhappy frown his teacher wore.
The man's gaze softened almost imperceptibly as he looked at the brunette. “Come on, class will start soon.” He called, before guiding him through the crowd to the inside of the school.
“Phew! You saved me there, sensei!” Dazai cried with a slightly trembling voice, purposely exaggerating his reaction. He suddenly noticed his teacher looking at him with concern and straightened up.
“Are you okay, Dazai?” Aizawa asked with furrowed eyebrows. “You had a little freak out there before I arrived.”
The brunette felt his heart drop when he noticed that he was noticed, but he didn't show it outwardly, skillfully masking his emotions with a playful smile. “Don't worry, I was just trying to scare them!” It was the first excuse that came to his mind. “Maybe they would move away if they realized they were scaring a child.”
The teacher didn't seem to fully believe it, but he didn't question it further, which was already a victory in Dazai's books. Instead, the man gave a small smile. “It didn't work and so you decided to lie.” He stated.
“Yes!” The boy replied happily. “Will I be punished for this?”
“This time it was justifiable. Just don't get used to it.” The professor replied blankly, before returning outside. “I'm going to help some more students, go to your classroom.”
“As you wish, boss!” Dazai replied with a playful smile, walking quickly inside, missing the exasperated look his teacher gave him.
Moving forward, the brunette allowed his smile to diminish, but not disappear completely - after all, there were still people around. Discomfort crept uncomfortably under his skin, but he did his best to ignore the sensation.
He had a feeling he would feel like this for a long time.
“I'm here walking through the door like a normal person!” A scream echoed through the room right after the bang of the door opening, causing incessant restlessness in most of the teenagers in the room.
Dazai felt like smashing his skull into the table over and over again until he suffered head trauma and fell into an eternal coma. It was only the second schedule and they were already so excited? He should buy noise canceling headphones at this point. As if it wasn't enough that the media cornered the students at the gate, now he'll have to deal with overly excited teenagers and a loud hero.
Or maybe the brunette was just bitter. It was definitely not a good day and all he wanted to do was lock himself in his room. Or throw himself in front of a speeding truck. This second one would be much better, in his opinion.
Dazai knew that his bad mood would eventually lead to him treating someone badly and that was the last thing he wanted in that situation, so he was careful to keep conversations to a minimum. He did his best to ignore the worried looks he received from Uraraka, Iida, and Midoriya when they realized he was trying to isolate himself.
Either way, this was a perfect opportunity to dissect his colleagues weaknesses, even though he wasn't necessarily their enemy. It was just good to have an ace up his sleeve when everyone eventually turned against him.
It didn't take long for All Might to inform them of the training location they needed to go to after changing into their clothes and the teens were soon on their way to the locker rooms.
As soon as he arrived at the changing rooms, Dazai retreated to a corner and quickly changed his clothes, ignoring the occasional glances at his bandages - he had made sure to wrap them around his torso this time. Fortunately, none of them made a comment, the challenging looks that Dazai returned to them seemed to be enough to make them keep their questions to themselves.
The brunette allowed a small smile to blossom as he looked down, seeing his own clothes. Initially, he was just going to wear the usual black mafia suit, but decided to make a small change - but, of course, he didn't want to do it himself and had his little dog do it for him! - The outfit consisted of a kind of long-sleeved white Victorian shirt, high-waisted pants with some pockets - where he could store knives and weapons - and boots of the same color. There was also a big black coat - not Mori's - that was designed to stay attached to his clothing, but which he could still wear if he wanted to. In his pants pocket was a retractable bō and in one of his coat pockets was a roll of bandages - he had considered carrying a pocket knife with him, but soon abandoned the idea, as if anyone caught him with it he would definitely be reprimanded.
Dazai thought, briefly, that he felt like some kind of prince from the Victorian Era, but he felt like immediately slapping himself at such a childish thought.
His attention was attracted by some boys calling him, much to his annoyance. “You look very good, Dazai-kun!” A boy with yellow hair - Kaminari Denki - exclaimed, but then raised an eyebrow. “How does your costume help with your quirk?” He asked, receiving nods of agreement from some others.
The brunette forced a bright smile on his face. “Nothing, actually. An outfit can only do so much to improve my power.” Dazai was quick to respond. “I chose to focus on aesthetics and comfort!”
Iida, who was next to him, raised his glasses slightly, a slight frown plastered on his face. “There are always points that we can improve... And don't you feel uncomfortable with all these layers?” He asked, moving his hands robotically. Dazai noted that he was having some trouble putting on his own costume, but didn't comment.
“Actually, this is as comfortable as possible for me.” The brunette replied, shrugging his shoulders, before forcing another smile and heading towards the door, giving a small wave. “See you there!” After saying that, he quickened his pace to move away from the place, not looking back.
He let out a tired sigh. Dazai was fully aware that he couldn't escape social interactions forever, but he couldn't help but feel extremely uncomfortable. It wasn't unusual for him to feel this way, however, in the Mafia, he could just scowls and it would let everyone know that he didn't want to interact that day. At this school, he didn't have that luxury if he wanted his facade to last long enough to complete his mission.
Before he knew it, he was at the door of the place where the exercise would take place, entering without further ado. Looking around, the brunette noticed that it was one of the places that had been used for the practical part of the entrance exam. This school really had money, huh.
His eyes fell on the burly hero with shiny clothes, who had his back turned to him. Dazai smiled, silently approaching the man, leaning a little to the side to see what the man was reading.
He had no plans to actually interact with the blonde, but he couldn't help but let out a small snort when he saw the title of the book, startling All Might. The hero turned to look at Dazai, quickly hiding the book.
“Young Dazai!” He exclaimed nervously. “You changed your clothes faster than I expected. You are…” The hero's eyes analyzed the boy's clothes from top to bottom. “It's not what I expected from a hero, but it's great!”
“Thank you, All Might.” Dazai thanked him, before giving a toothy smile. “‘Teaching Tips for Amateurs'... It's an interesting reading material, certainly.” He teased, giving a small laugh when he saw the hero's flushed cheeks.
All Might cleared his throat. “I humbly ask you not to tell anyone about this…” He asked.
Dazai was about to tease some more - to see, perhaps, what the hero's limits were - but he was interrupted by the arrival of two girls.
“Dazai-kun!” Uraraka called, waving excitedly at him. Knowing there was no way to escape, the brunette slowly walked towards him, not missing the way All Might sighed in relief at the subject being dropped.
“What’s up?” He simply greeted, offering just a small smile.
“You were a little away from everyone today, is everything okay?” The girl asked, a worried frown etched across her features.
Dazai waved one hand, as if he was trying to physically shake off the worries. “I'm just tired, I didn't sleep very well the night before.” He lied. Fortunately, Uraraka seemed to believe it.
A girl with long black hair tied into a ponytail and revealing outfit joined the conversation. “You can try drinking a calming tea, such as chamomile or lemon balm, to get a better night's sleep.” She said with a shy smile.
“You're right. What is your name?” Dazai replied, smiling gently.
“Yaoyorozu Momo, but you can call me Yaomomo.” The bigger girl said, returning the smile. “Your name is Dazai Osamu, right?”
The brunette nodded. Uraraka seemed about to say something else, but was interrupted by students entering the room in succession. Eventually, everyone in the class was present.
With everyone there, Dazai made a point of perusing his classmates outfits and he had to suppress a loud laugh. Some weren't that bad, but others seemed downright stupid. Todoroki, for example. He looked like some kind of extraterrestrial monster, he would scare anyone he tried to save. The brunette also noticed that Midoriya tried to make a reference to All Might, but he looked more like a rabbit, no one would take him seriously in that outfit. Bakugou's clothes weren't that bad, but his personality was already a very efficient people repellent.
Dazai planned to continue his internal judgment session, but was interrupted by All Might drawing the students' attention and asking for silence.
“Here's the thing, young people! You will be divided into ten teams through a draw, half being heroes and the other half being villains.” He began, with a proud and booming voice that made Dazai's eardrums hurt. “The villains must protect a bomb, while the heroes must find and deactivate it. If the heroes manage to capture the villains or reach the bomb and touch it before time runs out, they win. For the villains to win, they must either capture the heroes or protect the bomb until the end. Doubts?”
Many hands were raised, but some began to ask questions before they were even called. The brunette zoned out as he waited for All Might to draw the teams, fixing his gaze on a point in nowhere and daydreaming about a beautiful, peaceful, painless suicide.
Dazai only came back to reality when he heard his name being called. He felt his vision focus again and turned his head slightly, facing his exercise partner, Aoyama Yuuga.
The blonde looked at him with an enthusiastic smile, sending him a wink.
The brunette suppressed the urge to groan in frustration. Great, another extroverted teenager to deal with.
Dazai felt his curiosity piqued when he heard Midoriya and Bakugou's names being called as opponents. This would certainly be a very informative fight.
After the five minutes of planning, the battle began. After a few tense seconds, the brunette noticed the explosive boy's arrival towards Midoriya and Uraraka.
Unfortunately, there was no audio, just images, but it was something. Dazai saw the two boys shouting at each other, before Midoriya turned to Uraraka. From the movement of her lips that he managed to capture, he assumes that the green-haired boy was asking the girl to continue without him.
His theory proved correct when, after an attack from Bakugou, Uraraka ran down the hallway, out of the blonde's sight. Midoriya had managed to successfully dodge the attack, only losing half of his mask.
The brunette couldn't help but narrow his eyes as he watched the fight between the two boys unfold. Midoriya seemed to know Bakugou's movements too much, who seemed to become increasingly frustrated. Even so, the blonde remained at the advantage, all because Midoriya was scared.
Well, maybe fear isn't the right word to describe it. The boy seemed determined to prove that he deserved his place, but he still seemed reclusive, as if he didn't have enough courage to truly challenge his opponent - who, although he seemed to know very well, still had much more training than him.
As if he had read his mind, Midoriya turned and ran, heading in the opposite direction to where Uraraka had gone.
Despite not continuing direct combat, Dazai gave a small, almost imperceptible nod of approval. It seems that the green-haired boy had identified that the biggest threat to his victory at that moment was Bakugou and worked to get him out of the way and his strategy seemed to be to lure him away from Uraraka and it seemed to be, somehow, working. Again, Midoriya demonstrated abundant knowledge about the explosive boy's behaviors.
The brunette thought, briefly, that he should be more careful with Midoriya. The boy may not have been encouraged to develop this aspect, but he was certainly intelligent and, given enough time, might be able to see through his facade - and Dazai wouldn't want to get blood on his hands anytime soon.
For a long time, no aspect of the fight caught his attention and he allowed his mind to wander, until he heard All Might shouting at Bakugou and saw the blonde pulling one of the pins on his gauntlets. After that, a huge explosion crossed the room, knocking down some walls.
Smoke obscured the cameras view for a moment, which made the air in the room feel cold due to the tension the other students were in. However, an almost collective sigh of relief was heard when the screen showed Midoriya still standing.
Dazai just stared at the screen with an expressionless look. He didn't know how Bakugou's quirk worked, but now he had an idea. The school wouldn't make a flammable liquid available to a student - a volatile one, on top of that - so easily, so it was probably the blonde's own sweat, which probably had some property that made it combustible. Anyway, he could just ask Midoriya to confirm his doubts.
Despite not showing any reaction, he still felt a hint of surprise. Bakugou clearly didn't intend to kill, far from it, in fact. But he simply acted without thinking. The broken wall was exactly in the direction Midoriya was facing, so if the green-haired boy had mistimed it by a mere second, he could have been charred on the ground at that very moment. The blonde was intelligent and skilled, but his unstable temperament made him reckless.
From the way Midoriya's shoulders were visibly shaking through the screen, it seemed like the boy had realized the same thing as him.
The physical fight between the two boys lasted a while longer, while Uraraka tried, but unsuccessfully, to touch the bomb - she was at a great disadvantage, since Iida had gotten rid of all the items she could use to her advantage.
Dazai's eyes widened when, in the middle of the fight, Midoriya's arm began to glow red. Not like the red of Chuuya's ability, but a vivid red that made his eye hurt when he stared at it for too long. In the blink of an eye, the green-haired boy directed his arm upwards, creating a current of wind and destroying the floors above.
Gasps of shock and admiration echoed through the room, but Dazai's gaze fixed on one specific face. The brunette narrowed his eyes, seeing that the hero was looking at Midoriya with hidden pride, even if his characteristic smile remained unchanged.
Similar powers... Proud look...
It makes a lot of sense, but the mafioso isn't going to say anything, he's not the type of person to jump to conclusions without being one hundred percent sure of his theories. He guesses that this was a mystery that Mori would definitely like to know.
It wasn't long before the heroes were announced as winners and Midoriya was rushed to Recovery Girl, sporting a broken arm and numerous injuries.
Dazai noticed, out of the corner of his eye, that Bakugou was slightly hyperventilating, but was being comforted by All Might. He quickly looked away, trying to give him privacy, despite not liking the blonde.
After that, the battles took place normally, but the brunette turned them off, getting lost in his own mind as he waited until his name was called.
Dazai yawned, stretching his arms behind his head, before looking at his partner. “So, what is your quirk and how does it work?” He asked pointedly, despite already having an idea.
The blonde looked at him with a bright smile. “Isn't it obvious, mon chéri? It's a navel laser!” He replied, and Dazai almost felt physical pain with the nickname. “I just get a stomach ache if I wear too much and I always need to wear a belt, but it looked great with my outfit!” The boy finished, doing some poses.
“We can work with that.” The brunette returned a friendly smile, before looking away, doing his best not to frown. Everything about this boy seemed artificial, from his annoying personality to his quirk. However, that was a thought he would shelve for later, he would just make sure not to let his guard down around him.
“And what’s yours like?”
“Oh, it’s an annulment. There's not much to explain.” Dazai replied, being careful not to elaborate. Fortunately, Aoyama seemed to accept the answer.
“Do you have any plans?” The blonde looked at him questioningly, before his smile grew, running a hand through his hair. “I bet I could defeat them with just my brilliance!”
An idea formed in the brunette’s head and he smiled.
His opponents were Shouji Mezou and Ojiro Mashirao, who would play the heroes. A really strong guy and a fighter, certainly terrible combinations for him and Aoyama, who were practically twigs that could be knocked over with a breath of wind. However, they will be able to win if they use their heads.
From what Dazai observed on the first day of class, Shouji could create more limbs related to the five senses and he would most likely create more eyes and ears in this exercise, which meant he could suffer sensory overload more easily. While it wasn't enough to take him off the field completely, it was enough to distract him.
He hadn't paid that much attention to Ojiro, but he assumed that the boy didn't have very good balance without his tail - as he had spent a lifetime with it - and it was the perfect opportunity for Dazai to test whether his ability worked with mutant type quirks. Not to mention that he had his retractable bō as support.
With that, the brunette looked around the room for something thin and his eyes lit up when he found a metal stick thrown in a corner of the room. When he picked it up, he was quick to hand it over to Aoyama.
The blonde looked at him with slightly widened eyes. “I don't think we should try to murder our colleagues…” He said nervously.
Dazai let out a laugh. “Of course not!” He exclaimed, although the idea was really tempting. “You will use this bar to hit the walls, the items you find along the way, even lightly hitting your own armor! Make as much noise as you can once you’re away from this room. Don't worry about not being heard, it will echo.” He said. “At the same time as you make noise on one side, I will make noise on the other. We need to separate the two. Preferably, let the big guy come to you.”
“And you want to make Shouji-kun come to me!?” The other boy exclaimed, indignant.
The brunette shook his head. “Trust me, you have a better chance than me.” He said, shrugging his shoulders.
It wasn't completely a lie. Even if Dazai managed to nullify Shouji's quirk, he would still be easily overpowered in a physical fight. To win, he needs the element of surprise and that would be practically impossible with Shouji's capabilities. However, he didn't bother explaining this to Aoyama, following to explain his plan.
“If he finds you, you run. If he corners you, you can try to avoid him for as long as possible. Can you do this?” He spoke quickly. There were only three minutes left until their opponents entered the building and they still needed to get into position.
Aoyama nodded. “I think so. And you? What are you going to do?”
Dazai replied with a confident smile. “I find my ways.” He replied, before heading towards the room door. “Come on, I'll stay on the third floor. Can you stay in the second one?”
“Yes!”
It wasn't long before they were in position and the exercise began. Going over the plan silently in his head, Dazai remembered that the bomb was on the fifth floor, which was the last. He should keep the fight against Ojiro in the third, since from the fourth onwards it was already too risky.
The brunette briefly pressed the tape he was holding in his hands as he began to hear the drumming that echoed throughout the building. He suppressed a shudder, trying to resist the urge to cover his ears. ‘This was only temporary’ - He thought to himself.
With this in mind, he began to make his own noise: he took his baton and began hitting the walls and cabinets that covered the room he was in. There was still a chance that the two of them would come together or that just Shouji would come, but he was pretty confident in his plans.
Not long after, loud and frantic footsteps were heard coming from the hallway that ended in the room he was in. Fortunately, it was spacious, but it was just a hallway away from the stairs to the fourth floor. However, that wouldn't be too big of a problem.
As soon as he spotted a lock of blonde hair, he left the ribbon as inconspicuous as possible under his sleeves. He thought for a moment if maybe he should hide, but it was useless since the other boy was already aware that someone was there.
Ojiro stopped in front of him, getting into a clearly experienced fighting stance, ribbon in hand. Fortunately, he was alone.
“Hey, Dazai-kun. You can surrender now and I will go easy on you.” The boy in front of him said, clenching his fists slightly.
Dazai allowed his smile to stretch. “I think…” He pretended to think for a moment, placing a finger on his chin. “I don't want!” He gave a playful smile.
“Well, you asked for it.” Ojiro said, before advancing against him, throwing punches and kicks.
He noticed that the other boy continued to aim at his blind spot, but he didn't bother. The brunette was able to dodge every blow until that moment, without making a single move to attack back, which seemed to be irritating the other boy.
“Aren't you going to fight?” He asked, with his eyebrows furrowed, without stopping his blows.
Dazai smiled mischievously, still dodging the attacks almost perfectly. “If that's what you want.” He said simply, with an amused tone of voice.
With an agile and experienced movement, the brunette turned his bō in one hand and opened it, before aiming it at Ojiro's neck. The other boy was able to dodge, although hanging by a thread, clearly not expecting such a brutal attack right off the bat.
Wasting no time, Dazai pulled his baton back and aimed for Ojiro's chest, who raised his arms to defend himself, but was surprised when the brunette spun his bō and changed its trajectory to his knee, hitting it squarely.
The blonde backed away with a pained gasp and a frown etched onto his features, before rushing at Dazai, a punch aimed at his jaw.
Dazai, in turn, yawned. He thinks he left Aoyama alone for too long, it was time to go and find him.
With that in mind, the brunette caught Ojiro's fist in one of his hands easily, squeezing firmly when the boy tried to remove his hand. It wouldn't take long for the other boy's brute strength to overwhelm his, so he would have to do it quickly.
The blonde's eyes widened impossibly, before looking back, seeing that his tail was gone. Fortunately, his shirt was long enough to cover the empty part of his pants.
The mafioso noticed that Ojiro tried to pull away once again, only for his knees to almost give out. Seeing that the boy momentarily lost his balance - just as he had predicted -, Dazai didn't allow him to recover, releasing his fist, sweeping his feet and stretching the ribbon, before wrapping it deftly around the blonde. Looks like years of experience tying bandages weren’t for nothing after all!
“Ojiro Mashirao has been captured!”
The brunette sighed deeply, before flinching slightly at the noise. As he fought, external noises had been momentarily drowned out so he could focus solely on the task at hand, but now they were louder than ever.
Without sparing another glance at Ojiro, Dazai put away his staff and ran towards the source of the noise. Only about five minutes should have passed since the start of the exercise and it would last ten minutes. Aoyama was really holding his own well. However, at some point, the noise stopped.
After arriving in a specific hallway, he saw Shouji, with his back to him, but he could still see a ribbon in his hands. Right in front of him was Aoyama, looking nervous and scared, muttering a few sentences in French.
The brunette bit his lip. Trying to keep his steps silent wouldn't do any good, he was wearing boots and all the noises echoed in that structure. Shouji would definitely listen, if the extra members were any indication. He was definitely expecting a surprise attack.
An idea formed in his mind when he noticed that the corridor divided into two.
Without thinking twice, Dazai grabbed his retractable bō and threw it into the empty hallway, immediately attracting Shouji's attention, who rushed to the source of the noise - clearly expecting an ambush from there. Well, he wasn't entirely wrong.
The bigger boy's mistake was his delay in realizing that the noise wasn't from Dazai, but from his weapon on the ground. This lapse of time was enough for the brunette to run after him and place a hand on his back, causing all the extra limbs to disappear. Without further ado, Dazai gave a strong kick to the back of Shouji's knees, which caused him to almost fall.
The brunette smiled, pulling his own ribbon. However, before he could wrap the piece of fabric around Shouji's arm, a large hand grabbed his wrist and threw him over his shoulder, causing him to hit his back brutally against the wall, before he fell to his knees.
Dazai let out a groan of pain, trying to get up. He looked at his wrist, feeling the agonizing pain from the fresh cuts. Hopefully, they wouldn't have started bleeding again, but with his luck, he knew the chance of that was almost zero. His left knee and shoulder also hurt a lot. He thought, for a moment, that perhaps they had been dislocated, but quickly dismissed the idea when he managed to stand up, although still a little shaky.
The brunette let out an annoyed sigh when he saw Shouji approaching. Damn, there goes the element of surprise. And now he's probably going to be used as a broom, since all of the other boy's extra limbs were back. Simply incredible.
Contrary to what he thought, however, a blue beam flashed across Shouji's cheek, slightly burning his mask and cheek and attracting his attention. Without missing the opportunity, Dazai ran and tried to wrap the ribbon around the bigger boy's arm. Fortunately, another lightning came from the other side, which gave the brunette the opportunity to grab Shouji's wrist - he had to focus on dodging - and wrap the tape in one quick movement.
“Shouji Mezou has been captured! The villain team wins!”
Dazai took a deep breath for a moment, before unwinding the tape from Shouji's arm and walking away.
“You fought well.” The bigger boy said to the two, seeming to be smiling beneath his mask. “I'm going to get Ojiro-kun, where did he stay?”
“Thanks.” Dazai replied, tired, feeling his back throbbing with pain. “On third floor. I'm going back now.”
Both Aoyama and Shouji frowned at his state, apparently noticing the way the brunette's responses were kept almost to a minimum.
“I think you'd better go to Recovery Girl, mon chéri.” The blonde spoke in a worried tone, earning a nod of agreement from the other boy.
However, Dazai just shook his head, giving a reassuring smile - obviously fake, although it wasn't that obvious to teenagers. “I'm fine! I'm just a little tired.” He said, before heading towards the exit. “See you outside!”
As he turned away from the worried gazes, Dazai couldn't help but get lost in his own mind again. It wasn't a lie, he was fine. He still felt pain, but that was nothing compared to the pain Mori had already put him through in training. The brunette shuddered at the thought, but immediately reprimanded himself. He may not have liked Mori's methods, but he couldn't say it hadn't worked, because it had.
The ends justify the means, he supposes.
Dazai walked slowly behind Aizawa, heading towards the infirmary, a pout on his face.
As soon as he left the exercise building, All Might immediately sent him to Recovery Girl. However, he made a mistake: he let him go alone, even though some of his colleagues offered to take him. Dazai was happy to see that a simple calm and confident smile was enough to ease their worries and made them focus on the rest of the class.
With that, the brunette had wasted no time in looking for an empty corner where he could wrap his arm again - as soon as he noticed the bandages starting to get soaked with blood, right after leaving the exercise area, he pulled his sleeves up, keeping them away from the crimson liquid -. Luckily for him, there weren't any students in the hallways he went to.
It didn't take long to find an empty classroom and he promptly redid the bandages - but not before locating the room's camera and positioning himself in its blind spot -, adding extra layers and tying them tightly so that the bleeding would stop and not leak onto clothes.
Once he was done, Dazai stuffed the dirty bandages into one of his pockets and walked away calmly. He didn't know if he could take his hero costume home, so he would have to get to the living room and put them in his briefcase. Maybe he was being paranoid, but he didn't want to throw them in some trash at school and risk being seen and questioned. You can never be too careful, after all.
On the way to his class, he let his mind wander for a while. However, as soon as he saw the gigantic door of 1-A, he also noticed the presence of a man with long black hair and a thin beard.
Dazai promptly turned around, starting to head back to where he came from, but was stopped by firm gray bands surrounding his body in a deadly embrace and lightly pulling him back. He suppressed a shudder of pain as he felt his teacher approaching, although he wasn't one hundred percent successful.
“Shouldn't you be in class, kid?” Aizawa scolded with a firm tone, although he softened a little when he noticed the shudder. “Are you hurt?”
The boy turned, sporting a smile that he hoped was reassuring. “All Might asked me to go to Recovery Girl, but I got lost!” A half-truth was the best path he could take at that moment, so that's what he did.
This only made Aizawa give him a hard look. “Let's go to Recovery Girl, problem child.” The man ordered with a tired sigh, releasing him.
And that's how Dazai ended up in this situation, following his teacher to the nursery in dead silence.
The silence was broken by Aizawa muttering under his breath with an irritated tone of voice. “Is All Might an idiot? Doesn't he know not to let injured students wander alone?”
The brunette let out a small laugh, attracting the man's attention to him. “I don't think he has any kind of license to teach teenagers.” He said, with an amused and knowing smile, which made one of Aizawa's eyebrows rise.
“And how would you know that?” The man asked blankly, without confirming or denying.
“It's just a guess.” Dazai smiled enigmatically. He debated whether he should tell Aizawa about the book the number one hero was reading, but decided to remain quiet.
Before he knew it, the two were already in front of the nursery door. The teacher knocked twice lightly on the door, opening it after hearing a confirmation from Recovery Girl.
The familiar and uncomfortable smell of antiseptic filled his nostrils, the environment awakening unwanted memories in his mind. The image of Mori clung tightly to his mind, making him want to turn and run away, but he remained obediently standing still.
The brunette noticed that one of the beds was occupied by Midoriya, who was still unconscious.
Dazai was tempted to squeeze his arm until his nails pierced his bandages and skin, but he held back as best he could. His hands were slightly shaking, but he hoped neither of the two heroes present noticed it.
“What happened, dear?” The woman asked kindly, guiding him to an empty bed.
“There was a heroic exercise today, but I'm not injured, just a little pain in my back.” The boy explained quickly.
Recovery Girl stared at him for a while, as if she was analyzing him. “My quirk won't work on you, I suppose. We will have to use the traditional method.” She informed him.
Dazai felt himself tensing for a second as he saw the older woman going to the table to get some device, before forcing himself to relax. “It is not necessary! It's just a little pain, pain medicine helps…” He said, shaking his hands slightly, although the movement made his wrist hurt briefly.
He suddenly felt hyperaware of the feeling of eyes on his bandages and felt the urge to cover himself, but he didn't show anything outwardly.
“I still have to check if everything is alright, kid.” The woman said, with a frown.
“Really, there's no need.” Dazai stated once again, with a firmer voice.
Aizawa and Recovery Girl looked at each other, concern clouding their gazes, before the healer let out a long sigh.
“Well, I can't make you do anything.” She conceded, before taking out a small box from one of the drawers and handing it over. “You can take a five hundred milligram dipyrone tablet every eight hours for two days, but come to me if the pain persists.” She said with a firm tone, but not sharp.
Dazai nodded, relieved. Still, he didn't plan on taking any medication, he didn't trust himself to be in possession of any kind of medication while he was alone. Maybe he could just leave the pills in a stranger's bag.
After that, he was quick to get up and head for the door to go to his next class, but was stopped by Recovery Girl.
“I would like you to come back here to the infirmary later so we can fill out your medical file, since it is empty.” The woman said. “Don't worry, I just want to make sure you're healthy.” She explained when there was no response.
Dazai forced a gentle smile, nodding. “Okay!” He exclaimed. “Now I'm going, I still have to change my clothes.”
As he walked away from the infirmary, he didn't miss the two pairs of eyes that seemed to stare at his back.
Alarms echoed through the halls, panic noises resonated among the students as everyone rushed out, loud and frantic footsteps could be heard - if anyone fell into the crowd, they would likely be immediately trampled amidst the chaos.
Well, maybe ‘everyone’ was a lot of people. Dazai had remained quiet in his place in the classroom, despite both Uraraka and Yaoyorozu calling him to have lunch with them. The brunette had claimed that he would use the time to get some sleep, since he was very tired - which he didn't do, since he couldn't let his guard down enough to sleep, but he still appreciated the time he could spend without contact with other people.
In the time before the lunch break, Aizawa had announced that they would hold a vote for class representative in the last schedule - since there were still students in the infirmary -, which made the teenagers, who were already excited, even more excited. Iida Tenya looked particularly determined as well.
However, now they had other concerns, the main one being a possible intruder on the school grounds.
Slowly getting up from his seat, Dazai went to the window, trying to get some view that could confirm or deny the information. Fortunately, his classroom had a reasonably good view of the gate, so he was able to see the wreckage of the barrier, along with the invading media.
The brunette narrowed his eyes. There was definitely something more to it. This was too convenient, plus he doubted it was the work of any reporter - he doesn't think any of them would risk losing their jobs with such a risky maneuver -. But that wasn't planned either. It seemed more like someone saw an opportunity and grabbed it.
Suddenly, Iida's voice echoed through the halls, informing everyone that it was just the media. With that, the desperate noises that could be heard through the walls slowly quieted down until everything became silent again.
Dazai pressed his lips into a thin line, looking at the gate again. At that point, of course, it was really just the media.
But how long would it be like this?
Dazai yawned, slowly walking towards the school gates. His desire at that moment was to run to the nearest bridge and jump.
The vote took place and Iida won almost unanimously, although Midoriya, Yaoyorozu and Dazai himself - oddly enough - had been in close competition for the vice position. However, as neither Midoriya nor Dazai wanted him, the girl remained as vice representative.
The brunette remembers, with a hint of annoyance, that he was pelted with questions about the fight as soon as the class ended - apparently, Aoyama had told them about the plan he formulated to win -. At that moment, he just smiled and answered their questions as friendly as he could, even though he felt like dying.
That's exactly why he felt relieved that class was over and he could go back to his apartment. Studying was so tiring! Seriously, how have normal teenagers done this for almost fourteen years?
Before he could continue, he heard a voice shouting for Bakugou and immediately recognized it as Midoriya's.
Dazai debated whether he should just leave, but decided to hide behind a tree to listen to what would be said.
Fortunately, it wasn't in vain, as the green-haired boy soon said that he had received his individuality from someone else, but Bakugou didn't seem to believe it.
A smile appeared on the brunette's lips. The puzzle is slowly coming together, it seems. It won't be long before he has all the pieces.
Dazai was quick to discreetly walk away when he heard Bakugou start to cry. He didn't have the slightest interest in feelings, that was the other boy's problem and his alone.
As soon as he walked out the gate, he began to quietly hum a song about suicide.
Fortunately, the next day was Saturday and he planned to try and sleep all day to replenish all his energy, even though he knew it would be practically impossible. But it couldn't hurt to try, right?
Oh, maybe he could call his dog to annoy him a little!
Notes:
What did you think of this chapter?
I confess that I feel a little insecure about the strategic part, since Dazai is a very intelligent character and I am the complete opposite of that, so I just stick to the basics and the obvious. I hope the fight wasn't too bad, I'm terrible at writing them!
Just reinforcing what I had already said before, I do everything from memory and that's exactly why some things can be very different! This chapter is a great example of my memory failing, lol (but I hope I still managed to fix my mistake!)
To be clear, All Might is a genuinely good guy, he's just a terrible teacher (exactly what you'd expect from a man in his 50s who has never worked as a high school teacher).
The ending was a bit rushed for two main reasons: I didn't remember enough to make it more detailed and the chapter was getting too long (originally, there was supposed to be one more scene, but I decided to postpone it for a future chapter)
Anyway, thanks for reading <33
Chapter 6: 6
Summary:
Izuku overthinks, Dazai revisits some good memories and spreads misinformation, scaring everyone. Not exactly in that order.
Notes:
I apologize for the delay! I'm struggling with my health (both physical and mental) and it's killing my motivation to write, plus the fact that now I'm legally an adult and have more (official) responsibilities than before...
Anyway, I did my best to deliver a quality chapter for you! <3
Tw!
Dehumanization
Child abuse (implied)
Violence
Self-harm (implied)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Dazai woke up with a start, his eyes blinking rapidly in the darkness, unable to see anything with his only working eye. He panted for a few seconds, the adrenaline in his brain slowly fading as the noises of crickets became audible.
Despite how heavy his chest felt, the brunette forced himself to relax, sighing deeply until his breathing evened out completely.
It soon became clear: he had a nightmare.
Night terrors were almost routine for him, but he almost never remembered their content for a long time after waking up. His only memories of these terrible dreams are the lingering phantom pains, the panic that grips him every time, and the feeling of warm, cozy arms wrapped around his body that soon turn cold and dead.
Dazai picked up his cell phone that was on the table next to the bed and turned it on, checking the time. Almost three thirty in the morning.
He noticed that he had slept longer than usual—he had gone to bed at midnight. He usually cannot sleep more than two and a half hours a day due to the state of hyperconsciousness that was built into him from an early age. Maybe he had exhausted himself enough in the last class to practically black out, since he slept a little more than usual over the weekend — unfortunately, it was already Monday again.
Knowing that he would be unable to go back to sleep, the brunette took his phone and slowly got up, using the brightness of the cell phone screen so that he wouldn't hit the furniture and walls, before heading towards the kitchen to drink some water.
After hydrating himself, he plopped down on the couch and started randomly scrolling through his phone. He allowed a small smile to blossom upon seeing the photos the device housed.
The last one that was taken was one that showed Odasaku, Dazai and Ango. That day, the brunette had asked the bartender at Bar Lupin to take a photo of the three of them, although the other two men reluctantly agreed. In the image, Dazai had a big smile and both arms were thrown around the shoulders of the other two men - who had moderate smiles -, pulling them both towards him.
The brunette remembers, with a little fondness, that he was pretending to be drunk that day. He obviously didn't get drunk that easily – he had only had 4 glasses of whisky – but he had made the other two believe he did. The reason was a little silly, perhaps childish, but Dazai liked it when they both thought he was drunk and took care of him. Sometimes Odasaku even let him sleep at his house!
The mafioso is almost certain that the redhead would let him sleep at his house if he simply asked, but his pride wouldn't allow that. Odasaku needed to think that he was very drunk and beyond thinking coherently to return to his cold and lonely container – which Dazai had made a point of not telling where it was – alone.
Dazai's smile fell a little, feeling a little pathetic. If Mori knew about this little act of his, he would be screwed. The man would definitely want to make some correction, because Dazai has no right to want care. He should be nothing more than an emotionless tool whose sole purpose is to destroy. Mori doesn't even need to try to convince him of this, because the brunette already knows. And that's exactly why he feels so... wrong... to be doing this, but he can't help it. However, what the eyes don't see, the heart doesn't feel, he assumes.
He scrolled through the photo, trying to find something that would snap him out of his thoughts before he spiraled further down.
There were many photos - mostly of cats and the cloudy sky, some also of Ango and Odasaku. He stopped, suddenly, on a photo of him with a child.
Dazai frowned, recognizing the child as Q. The younger boy was the one taking the photo – having stolen his cell phone –, smiling as if he had won the lottery as he pulled a tired Dazai, albeit with a small smile, close. There was a plate of half-burnt cookies on the floor.
It took the brunette a while to remember the day well, but he soon remembered it. After having Kyūsaku locked up, Dazai complained to Odasaku about a tight feeling in his chest every time he reflected on it and sometimes wondered if he should have thought better. The man informed him that what the brunette felt was guilt, but he didn't believe – and still doesn't believe – in him, after all, how would something like him feel something as human as guilt? Furthermore, he knew that the decision to isolate Kyūsaku was nothing but rational, and he couldn't exactly go against Mori's orders.
Even though he didn't believe it, the horrible feeling in his chest refused to go away, and that was what led Dazai to pay Q a little visit – for purely selfish reasons, of course. With that, he made chocolate chip cookies – if Odasaku's kitchen ended up a little charred, only he and the redhead would know – and appeared at the door of the room containing the child. Kyūsaku was not happy to see him initially, but apparently took the cookies as an apology and eventually started pestering him like he did before.
After that little visit, he planned to never return, no matter how close they were in the past. That would be another reason for Mori to be mad at him – God, there were so many reasons – and he couldn't risk being thrown into the dog kennel for hours again, or maybe even worse.
But even with the implicit threat hanging over his head, Dazai continued, against his better judgment, to visit Q hidden from Mori – he swore to himself it was because he wanted to check if he didn't run away, but even he himself didn't believe it. He didn't even want to think about what would happen if the man found out...
Deciding he didn't want to continue that line of thought, he moved on to another photo and so on. Eventually, one in particular caught his attention once again.
It portrayed Chuuya with an irritated expression looking at the camera, while Dazai was smiling victoriously at it – being the one taking the selfie – with one of his hands raised making a V symbol, and they were both in an arcade a little further away from the center of Yokohama.
The mafioso remembered that day well. He and Chuuya had been banned from their usual arcade – the redhead had finally broken one of the machines during the heat of the fight they got into – and decided they would look for a new one. As always, Dazai won the game and Chuuya yelled at him and they almost got kicked out again. Despite everything, it was one of the few moments of fun that the brunette had in his life, besides his occasional trips to the bar.
There were also a lot of photos of Chuuya, he belatedly noticed. In most of them, he is frowning or showing the middle finger to the camera and, in a few, he has the smallest of smiles on his face.
Another soft smile adorned his face, though he forced it to disappear as soon as he noticed its existence. Dazai wouldn't admit it out loud, much less to the boy himself, but he valued these images as if they were gold. He valued his partner as if he was gold.
He had always heard that the best moments should only be recorded in memory, but the brunette thought otherwise. His brain had a tendency to stifle good moments to highlight the bad, but when he saw the photos, he felt at peace remembering the good days. And in that he filled his phone's memory with photos of times he would like to remember as long as he breathed.
Even though this was so special to Dazai, the brunette couldn't help but purposely push Chuuya away. He's perfectly capable of being nice enough to make coexistence with the redhead peaceful, but he wouldn't do that. He wants, more than desperately, to hate his partner. He wants to feel anything for him other than the insistent and irreparable affection he hid in the depths of his being.
He became attached to Chuuya. But if there's one thing the mafioso loves, it's living in denial. Sometimes he wonders how he got to this point.
But how could he not? The redhead was practically the only person his age he interacted with, one of the only ones who saw him at his lowest moments, one of the only ones who plucked the blades and ropes with neat loops from his hands – not out of obligation, because of the fact of Dazai being Mori's protector, but of actually caring (at least, that's what he claimed every time). The only person who could rival him was Oda – whom he saw as a sort of older brother he never knew he wanted to have – but they met up significantly less frequently than they did with Chuuya.
The brunette lets out a huff, feeling a bitter taste in the back of his throat, although he knew it was mostly psychological. Dazai prides himself on knowing how to read people almost perfectly, like a book, but Chuuya was, at best, erratic when it came to his feelings towards him. He was contradictory: at the same time he would curse him and tell him to go to hell, staring at him with a look full of burning hatred; he would also drop everything he was doing the moment Dazai was threatening to kill himself for real. This makes it difficult to decipher if Chuuya truly cares for him or if he just helps him out of spite.
The brunette is aware that these dilemmas would be easily resolved using good old dialogue. But this was simply a hornet's nest that he wasn't willing to poke into – he and Chuuya had long ago fallen into a routine, a mutual agreement that didn't require words so they could understand each other most of the time.
However, now they were once again far from each other and Dazai selfishly hoped that the redhead felt as miserable as he did.
'When will I be able to see him again...' – Dazai found himself thinking, before he shook his head to get rid of the thought, killing it as quickly as it came.
How embarrassing. The Demon Prodigy don't – should not – have room for attachments and he must correct this before his boss has the opportunity.
But even with these thoughts, his finger hovered over Chuuya's contact, about to click the call button. He hadn't even noticed when he switched apps.
The mafioso bit his lip, forcing himself to relax only when he felt the metallic taste of blood on his tongue. Should he call Chuuya to kill the longing? It was only a few minutes until four in the morning, and if the redhead hadn't been asleep, he would have been on a mission. He wouldn't answer it.
The left, rational side of his brain screamed alarms for him to put down his phone and go do something else, but the right side took over his being and he clicked the button without further ado.
The ringing sound filled his ears and Dazai waited, tense. It was the second time he had called Chuuya since he started his mission and none of those times was to annoy him, surprisingly – all contact other than that was done through messages. His dog must be as surprised as he is if he sees the notification.
The brunette expected the redhead to answer him, just like last time, but he made sure to keep his hopes low so that he wouldn't be disappointed if the opposite happened. He could always send a message insulting him if he didn't get it.
To his delight, however, the ringing noise soon died down and was replaced by a familiar voice.
"Damn Mackerel, what do you want? I'm in the middle of a mission. And it's four in the morning." That's what Chuuya said in an irritated voice, although with a bit of concern.
The sounds of gunshots and screams confirmed what the redhead said, but Dazai couldn't help but feel warm inside. Did the other boy care enough to answer his call even while he was working?
"Hii, slug!" The brunette replied excitedly. "I couldn't sleep and I wanted to hear your voice!" He said, practically singing.
A sigh of annoyance could be heard on the other end of the line, but Dazai could identify a hint of affection. "Of course you would call me just to piss me off."
Dazai responded with a small, happy laugh. "Tell me about your mission!"
A rustle came from the other side and more sounds of fighting could be heard, before everything fell silent. Even so, the brunette wasn't worried – after all, it was Chuuya who was there.
As if on cue, the sound of a sigh was heard, before there was another rustle. "I had to deal with some guys from the north of the city who tried to outwit the Mafia and take all the drug profits. It's all been sorted out, of course." Chuuya explained quickly, his voice showing a bit of pride.
"As expected of my little dog." Dazai replied, ignoring the cry of protest that the redhead let out. "Did you destroy them or resolve everything peacefully?"
A snort could be heard. "Who do you think I am? It's a shame they didn't give me a good fight."
The brunette shook his head, letting an affectionate smile take over his features - no one was watching, after all. "What a rabid puppy. Will I have to put you on a leash again?"
"Fuck you, bastard." Chuuya said, irritation coloring his tone. "And your mission? How are you going?"
Dazai whimpered, turning over so he was face down on the couch. "It's so tiring! Seriously, why did Mori have to send me?" He pouted. "You would do much better than me." He spoke, but soon started thinking about Chuuya's behavior and remembered a certain explosive blond boy, soon suppressing a shudder. "Nevermind, it would be a disaster."
"What, you think I'm not capable of doing whatever you're doing, bastard!?" The redhead shouted on the other end of the line. "I can do much better than you!"
"You don't even know what I'm doing!"
"Screw this!"
If that were possible, Dazai whimpered even more. "Domestic abuse, that’s domestic abuse!" He cried. "I'm being verbally abused by my partner..."
The brunette suppressed a loud laugh when he heard the irritated noise that came from the other end of the line. He could practically see Chuuya's face flushed with anger and it amused him like hell.
"That's it, my daily dose of dealing with Dazai has been beat. Bye, you waste of walking bandages. Go to sleep!" The last two words were practically shouted.
Before Dazai could say anything else, the line died, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
Looking at the time on his phone, the brunette noticed that it was around four thirty in the morning. He still had a good two or three hours until he needed to start getting ready for the day.
Making a decision, he turned off the phone and placed it on the table, before curling up on the couch.
The warmth that lingered in his chest lulled him as he closed his eyes, a soft smile appearing on his face. Without further ado, he entered a peaceful, dreamless sleep.
"Dazai-kun!"
The said boy stopped at the gate and turned to the voice calling him, giving a wide smile. It belonged to Uraraka, who was running towards him with a relieved smile on her face, followed by Midoriya, who was sporting a similar expression.
"You look better." The other boy spoke softly, as if he was afraid that Dazai would suddenly be in a bad mood again.
"I was worried, you seemed a little off last week." The girl spoke with a slight crease between her eyebrows.
Dazai gave the best smile he could. "I was just very tired. I got a lot of rest over the weekend!" He said excitedly. Maybe he was exaggerating a little in the act, but the little sleep he had recovered and the conversation with Chuuya were more refreshing than he imagined it would be.
He still felt like he had been trampled by elephants and was ready to die at any moment, however. But that was a permanent feeling in him, he supposes.
Uraraka gave a sweet smile. "I'm happy to hear this."
Midoriya scratched his right cheek lightly with his finger, giving an understanding smile. "I completely understand, this school can be very oppressive, it took away some nights of sleep too."
Honestly, Dazai couldn't agree with him more, even though he was sure school was the least of his problems.
Seeing that more and more students were arriving and passing through the gates, the brunette signaled to the other two teenagers.
"Come on, we don't want to be late and end up attracting Aizawa-sensei's wrath!" He spoke, and it was enough for the other two to stay alert and quickly follow him inside.
On the way, Midoriya seemed to be holding back from saying something, casting (not at all) furtive glances at Dazai from time to time. He couldn't help but notice that he still looked worried, but he couldn't name why.
After arriving at the classroom door, the brunette poked the other boy's side - a little harder than he intended -, which made him jump to the side with a scream. Uraraka stifled a laugh while the mobster laughed freely.
"Ask whatever you want, Midoriya-kun. I don't bite." Despite saying that, it wasn’t entirely true. He would definitely bite if necessary. But this wasn't something he would let his colleagues know - at least not anytime soon.
The green-haired boy seemed to fumble a little with his words. Despite being impatient, Dazai forced himself to wait.
"I-I just wanted to know about..." Midoriya stuttered, but was interrupted by the classroom door opening.
"Oh, there you are!" Iida exclaimed from the other side. "Uraraka-san sent me a message earlier saying that you had already arrived, but it took a long time for them to show up and I thought you had gotten lost." The taller boy said with a smile.
Dazai smiled back at him, before the shrill noise of the signal filled the hallways, causing the smallest of shudders to run through his body. Loud noises are stupid.
He turned to Midoriya, who looked a little pouty. "Don't worry, greenie, you can ask me later!" He gave a playful smile.
"G-Greenie?" The boy's face turned red, causing Dazai and Uraraka to share a laugh, while Iida stifled a snort.
"We better get out the door before our local homeless teacher shows up." The brunette spoke softly, trying to contain his laughter when he saw the trio's horrified expressions. They are so easy to scare! Aizawa-sensei isn't even that scary.
'I've certainly seen a lot worse.' – He couldn't help but think bitterly, but he got rid of his thoughts before they were written on his face. Instead, the four of them entered the room quickly.
Dazai was about to go to his place, when he was stopped by a light touch on his arm. He turned around, looking questioningly at Uraraka.
The girl took her phone out of her bag, holding it out to him. "Can we exchange numbers? You're the only one in the class who isn't in the class group yet!" She exclaimed.
The brunette shrugged, seeing no immediate problem in communicating with them. Without delaying any longer, he picked up the outstretched phone and nimbly entered his own contact, just in time for the teacher to appear at the door.
The two students were quick to rush to sit in their seats, as were the other students who were still standing.
Aizawa only spared a small glance from the corner of his eye at the students who took a little longer to settle down, heading to the front of the class.
The teacher cleared his throat, attracting the class's attention. "You will have rescue training during heroism schedule." He said, getting straight to the point and sighing tiredly when the class burst into excited whispers.
"Silence, everyone! Aizawa-sensei hasn't finished talking yet!" Iida scolded briefly from his seat, which quickly silenced the students.
"Thank you, Iida." Aizawa said, before looking at the class. "Me, All Might and another hero will supervise them and we will go by bus. Feel free to wear your hero outfits or gym uniforms, I don't care. We will make this first schedule available for you to prepare, but be sure to leave by the start of the second schedule." The man finished, before picking up his yellow sleeping bag and getting inside it, lying down in the corner of the room.
Dazai let out a small yawn, raising his hand to cover his lips.
He had a bad feeling about this.
Izuku considered himself an observant person. It was a trait he considered extremely important all those years ago, when he was still quirkless — as if it was the only thing that could prove his worth.
Despite now possessing an quirk, he couldn't help but maintain this attribute. It was almost programmed into his being at that point.
And it's for this exact reason that he couldn't help but find Dazai Osamu strange.
The first thing he noticed was that he had an almost imperceptible accent, but it was undeniably there. It seemed like no one but himself had noticed and it's as if not even Dazai himself knew about it. On the first day of school, the boy had mentioned something about his hometown, but he didn't realize it would be far enough away for there to be a difference in accent until he thought a little more about it.
The second thing is his smiles. Years of bullying had forced him to know how to distinguish between genuine smiles and forced smiles and Dazai gave some of the latter - which was very occasionally. Or maybe he was a good enough actor to escape their trained eyes.
Then, thirdly, are his bandages. The brunette has them all over his body and they were clearly there for a reason other than being "fashionable" as he said previously. He would have faithfully believed his excuse if it weren't for the glimpse of his torso he caught on the first day of school. Izuku hadn't seen much, but he could see scars - apparently poorly cared for - of all sizes and shapes coloring his skin.
However, the fourth and most glaring thing he noticed about his colleague is his eyes. Or rather, eye. There was no light on it, it was almost as if he was talking to a walking corpse. Sometimes, he felt like he was screaming for help, but without saying a single word or making a single out of place reaction.
And all of this worried him a lot.
Izuku desperately wanted to help him. He had gotten far enough to consider Dazai one of his friends and he hoped the brunette felt the same way - especially after he offered to pay him something, because who the hell does that for no reason?
(He wonders if Dazai would still want to be friends with him if he was still quirkless. Would the brunette still treat him the same, or would he be as important as a pebble in his path?)
What the green-haired boy didn't want to admit, however, was that he was curious, above all else.
Where does he come from? What happened to make his smiles forced, his body full of marks and his eyes dead? Is he safe at home? How can Izuku help?
And with these doubts in mind, he began his research. But for that, he would need direct answers from said boy. And that's what he decided to do.
"D-Dazai..." he called in a hesitant voice, directed at the boy who was staring absently into space beside him. They were already on the bus, on their way to the training site.
The brunette turned with a questioning look directed at Izuku, before he seemed to remember something.
"Oh, you had a question for me, right?" He asked with a big smile. "Go ahead!"
The green-haired boy fumbled for a moment. "I-I just wanted to know where you're from..." Despite lowering his tone, he was still loud enough for others to hear and direct their attention to the conversation.
"What do you mean, Midoriya-kun?" Ashido questioned, a confused frown on his features. "Out of nowhere like that?"
Dazai stared at him for a moment, his expression blank, before he broke into an amused smile. "Yeah, greenie, what makes you think I'm not from this region?" He asked, smiling even more at Izuku's flushed face.
"I-It's just that you have an accent..." The boy stuttered quickly, ignoring the nickname, his voice slowly dying at the end. "I'm sorry if I sounded rude."
Izuku stared at Dazai's face, looking for anything that indicated anger or offense, but found only an expressionless expression – as if he was pondering what he should say.
"Midoriya's right, man." Kaminari joined the conversation, placing a finger on his chin as if he were an intellectual. "Dazai-kun really has an accent."
"You just repeated what the nerd said, you fucking idiot!" Bakugou growled from his spot, anger covering his features. Izuku shivered in sympathy, but couldn't help but feel happy that this fury wasn't directed at him - for what felt like the first time in a long time.
"I didn't even do anything to you to make you yell at me!" Kaminari whined back.
Dazai let out a loud laugh, interrupting them and making everyone look at him in confusion. "You're not wrong, Midori."
"M-Midori!?"
The brunette ignored him, continuing. "Actually, I was from Yokohama." He said simply.
Izuku's eyes widened, and if the deafening silence that followed was any indication, his classmates felt just as shocked as he did. Looking at the front of the bus, even Aizawa-sensei looked surprised.
It was no secret to anyone that Yokohama was closed and abhorred heroes. They abhorred quirks. It was known as the city of the quirkless, as it was said that 90% of the city's population didn't have a power. It was said to be a city controlled by villains, since many heroes who dared to set foot within its borders didn't return.
Izuku always thought twice before believing the news that villainized the city. After all, he himself was quirkless and knew very well that people like him are ostracized from society, and he longed to see more of the city - perhaps even move there if it all became too much.
So, he researched it. Even so, there was almost no reliable information about the city. It didn't let information leak out - not even small things like photos of the streets or people. It was as if the city wanted to be an entire planet on its own - and it was extremely difficult to get permission to enter. There were rumors on the internet that said that everyone who fled the city ended up missing forever, despite all the avid searches by heroes and the police.
And yet, there was Dazai Osamu, completely alive and present, staring at him with a toothy smile as if he knew his mind was racing a mile a minute.
Even with the other boy's appearance, Izuku swallowed hard. Adding the rumors with the observations he had made about it, is it possible that the environment is the cause of everything that worried him about Dazai...?
"H-How did you get out, Dazai-kun?" Yaoyorozu murmured, slightly stuttering the question that everyone present wanted to ask. Shock, worry, and a hint of fear were painted across his features. Still, she was left unanswered.
"Yeah... It's like, super closed..." Sero said, his signature smile was nowhere to be seen.
"So you're a villain, you bastard!?" Bakugou exploded, causing almost all the students to jump in their seats at the unexpected loud noise. Izuku felt his entire body shiver, a response he had become accustomed to after spending so much time with the explosive boy.
The blonde seemed about to get up to attack, but was stopped by a light slap to the head that he received from one of Jirou's headphones. He looked like he was about to yell at her, but was interrupted by a clearing of his throat from the front of the bus.
"Dazai, since you so kindly dropped that bomb, why don't you explain it to your colleagues?" Aizawa spoke with the same monotone tone as always, although the 'and for me too' was as clear as day to Izuku, since his voice seemed a little strained. And for Dazai too, if his smile was any indication – the green-haired boy couldn't help but notice that the brunette looked as if he was loving the attention, as if he thrived on the chaos.
"As you wish, sensei!" The said boy sang in response, before his expression became a little more serious.
"You see, I fled Yokohama a few months ago after catching a glimpse of heroes who invaded the city. I was enchanted by them and wanted to be one..." He paused, seeming to carefully analyze people's reactions. "My... father..." The boy said while making an almost imperceptible grimace, as if it physically hurt him to say that. "He came with me, but he works a lot."
Everything was completely silent for a moment as everyone processed what was just said, expressions of pity plastered on most of their faces. Looking at Aizawa, Izuku noticed that the man looked somewhere between wanting to throw himself out of the bus window and giving Dazai a hug – even though he knew the latter would never happen.
"Who else knows...?" The green-haired boy asked hesitantly, turning to face Dazai again. If his polling statistics were right... Maybe he should be worried about his friend's safety.
The brunette's response only served to sharpen his concern.
Dazai looked away, a tinge of sadness and regret coloring his being, a sheen of unshed tears taking over his only visible eye. "I couldn't say anything. If someone untrustworthy knows..." He bit his lip. "I don't think I'll live to tell the story."
The bus fell into a grim silence. The atmosphere, which had once been light and cheerful, had become heavy and morbid.
"Dazai, go to the staff room as soon as we get back to school." Aizawa sighed deeply, although his voice was much softer than before. "Let's talk a little." The man paused, seeing the defeated look on the said student's face. "Don't worry, you're not in trouble."
His last sentence caused a collective sigh of relief to be heard throughout the bus. Looking around, Izuku noticed that determination began to burn in the eyes of some of his colleagues, clearly determined to help the brunette.
Dazai had turned his eyes to the ground and wasn't saying a single word, which made Izuku's stomach twist in guilt.
"H-Hey..." The green-haired boy called lightly. "I'm sorry for bringing up this topic..." He spoke softly as the other boy looked at him.
The brunette returned a weak smile, but it seemed genuine. "No problem. You guys would find out eventually, anyway. I prefer it to be at the beginning and to be told by me." He said, before looking up. "I hope you don't report me! Being tortured wouldn't be much fun."
Everyone present seemed a little sickened by the banality in which the sentence was uttered, but no one was able to say anything when the bus suddenly stopped.
No one moved for a solid minute before Aizawa stood up.
"We're here."
With these words, all the students began to descend in complete silence.
Looking at Dazai, he felt his resolve solidify when he saw the tired look the other held.
He would help his friend and keep him safe no matter what.
Dazai let his mind wander as Thirteen explained about the USJ, his quirk and many other things he didn't care about.
Fortunately, his classmates had already recovered their spirits after that conversation, although Aizawa-sensei still seemed to be boring holes in his head with just his eyes.
The mafioso had to suppress a laugh as he thought about the situation.
He'd never realized he had an accent – he'd never been outside of Yokohama other than this mission and who the hell in that city would point something like that out to him? – and that little fact made him want to kill himself right there when he heard Midoriya's question.
As he thought of an excuse, it crossed his mind about lying. He knew that Japan had a few different dialects, but never sought to know more specifically about them - he had considered such information irrelevant at the time, which he now bitterly regrets. And that's why if he wasn't one hundred percent accurate, he would be easily unmasked. So lying was out of the question.
With that in mind, he decided he would tell the truth about being from Yokohama.
Nonetheless...
Why not make a show of it and spread a little misinformation?
And that's what he did: he perfectly played his role as a scared child who fled the evil town and now fears for his safety.
The bad side? He'll have his teacher on his back from now on and the principal will probably get involved, which means he'll have to be even more cautious.
The good side? Soon he'll have all this class wrapped around his little finger, and hopefully Aizawa will be included in that.
Dazai was brought out of his thoughts when students and teachers began to enter the dome and he quickly followed them.
He saw Aizawa approaching Thirteen and asking a question. If his lip reading was right, he was asking something about All Might - probably something to do with the fact that the man still wasn't there when he should have been.
The other hero held up three fingers and his teacher sighed and shook his head, before nodding.
The brunette watched the exchange with confusion, before it turned to understanding. He means time. But what are three? Three days? Three hours? Three minutes?
He shook his head to get rid of the thoughts. He would think about it later.
After a while, they were about to separate the groups when they were interrupted by a crackling sound in the air.
Dazai frowned as he saw portals opening in the distance and several people of all types coming out of it.
"Group up!" he teacher shouted at the students, scaring them. "Thirteen, protect them!"
"Has the training started yet?" Kirishima asked hesitantly, trying to get closer, only to be blocked by Aizawa's arm in his path.
The man looked deadly serious. "No. These are real villains."
The brunette was trying to divide his attention between the conversation and the arriving enemies, but everything seemed to be drowned out when he locked eyes with burning red eyes - it was barely possible to see them behind the gray hand that covered his face. He recognized that messy blue hair.
Suddenly, an overwhelming feeling of familiarity washed over him. This couldn't just be the result of bumping into the man before. This was something more.
He knew him from somewhere. Who is this guy?
Dazai looked away at the giant creature that came out of the portal, behind the man. Discomfort swam in his stomach, making it churn restlessly.
He feels like he should remember something. But he doesn't remember.
"I came here to kill All Might... But he's not here..." The man announced almost insanely. "I wonder if some dead children will bring him here." He finished speaking.
Suddenly, his eyes met. His eyes seemed to widen - although the view from where the brunette was was not very good - and Dazai is sure at that moment that he is not the only one with that feeling.
His attention is drawn to his teacher putting on his glasses.
"Sensei! Are you going to fight alone!?" Midoriya shouted, worried. "Your quirk is not made for large groups..."
The said man remained calm. "You can't be a hero if you don't have at least one trick up your sleeve." And with that, he ran into the square, punching enemies left and right.
He wasn't wrong, but Midoriya had made a good point. Aizawa could only hold his own against a large group for a certain amount of time before giving in, after all, much of his technique focused on surprise attacks. Not to mention one of his biggest weaknesses: his hair. Anyone with a brain would realize how long the teacher can keep his eyes open if they simply counted the time his hair stood on end - and had enough time to do so. This could easily be solved with a tight bun, but Dazai isn't the one who will say that.
He notices people around him saying something about retreating and running away, but the brunette thinks otherwise.
"I will help!" He exclaimed, before running to the center of the dome, ignoring the calls from the other students and Thirteen.
He punched a guy in the face, knocking him out immediately. Soon after that, he kicked and punched everyone who came at him and quickly knocked them down.
This made him wonder if these crazy people had received any kind of training. Dazai wasn't that bad at hand-to-hand combat, but he was certainly below average. For him to be taking them down so easily, they are either incredibly bad or have had no education at all.
He supposes it's a little of both.
Aizawa goes to his side for a moment, a little breathless. "I told you to leave!" The man scolded severely, to which Dazai responded with a shrug.
Screams were heard from the gate, which caused the two to turn around in time to see a purple mist surrounding the students and, shortly after, only a few were left in the place.
Thirteen's body was on the floor, in tatters.
A brief fear passed through Aizawa's eyes before he forced his face into an expressionless expression. He seemed to be clutching his scarf even tighter.
"Everything will be fine." Dazai spoke, causing the teacher to stare at him with wide eyes for a brief moment before he was caught up in another fight – although he was talking more to himself than anything.
This strange bird, this psychotic man, and this portal guy unnerved him. The nagging sensation kept dancing in his mind, making him want to dig his nails into the fresh cuts peeking out from beneath his bandages to feel anything else.
He would find out who these guys are and why they are so familiar to him, even if he has to rip the answer straight from their throats.
Notes:
Dazai sleeping peacefully knowing he spread misinformation to some children: u.u
Aizawa: how did I NOT know that?
Anyway, what did you think?
About Yumeno's part, I saw in some bsd manga panel that he and Dazai used to get along kind of well, so I decided to explore that a little!
I have a very important question:
Do you prefer short (1500-2500 words), medium (2500-4000 words) or long (4000+ words) chapters?
Generally, I like to compile the events of a single day into a single chapter, but I've noticed that this can be a little tiring. I want reading to be as pleasant as possible, so I would be very grateful if you could tell me!! :))
That said, the USJ arc will likely be split into three chapters - at least, that's my estimate so far.Annnd this has nothing to do with the fic, but since the Olympics are happening, I have to say: God take away Brazil's investment in football and put it in other sports PLEASE
Anyway, thanks for reading!!! <3
Chapter 7: 7
Summary:
USJ part 2!
Dazai fights Shigaraki and the Nomu and remembers some things that might be important.
Notes:
I am Dazai and Dazai is me. I'm projecting too much onto him.
I decided that I'm going to start using suffixes again, so I went back and edited the other chapters! But it wasn't really anything very important.
[This was poorly edited due to my lack of time, as soon as I can I will come back and correct the errors!]
Tw!
Extreme violence (I tried to make it as less graphic as possible, but it was kind of inevitable)
Abandonment issues (I don't think this qualifies as tw, but I'll tag it anyway!)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
“You…”
Dazai turned towards the voice as soon as he knocked down the last guy that came towards him. He frowned, staring at the blue-haired man.
“I didn't recognize you when we bumped into each other before, but now…” The man smiled broadly, approaching. “It seems to be destiny!”
The brunette took a step forward, smiling. “And where did we meet? I don't remember meeting you.”
The man paused, before looking irritated. “It’s a shame.” He said, before smiling again almost imperceptibly under his gray hand when he saw Aizawa approaching him. “I already know how to remind you.”
Dazai felt himself tense up when his teacher got close enough to the villain. The blue-haired man was just dodging, but the mafioso quickly realized that he was counting down the time until the black-haired man blinked.
“Aizawa-sensei, move away!” He shouted, although it was too late. The villain caught the professor's elbow, causing his clothes and skin to disintegrate, exposing the layer of muscles.
Aizawa didn't think twice before jumping back with a groan of pain, grabbing the injured part almost instinctively as he panted.
The brunette shivered almost imperceptibly, feeling a headache forming. He had a flash of memory of a light blue haired boy who looked much younger than the version he was currently facing - the boy was looking at him with hatred. The memory soon dissipated, though it only left him more confused.
Dazai scoffed under his breath, disappointed in his own ability to deduce. Initially, he thought the villain was from Yokohama and had recognized him as a Mafia executive, but judging by the age difference between the man and the boy in his memories, these memories date back to when the brunette was a child, before he joined the mafia.
As if it couldn't get any weirder.
The blue-haired man spared no time before advancing again with his arm outstretched towards Aizawa, only being stopped by a small knife that flew until it landed on his right shoulder and he retreated with a low groan.
Dazai, who had thrown one of his knives, approached his teacher and tapped him on the shoulder, ignoring the sharp look the man sent him. “Leave this guy to me.” He said, fixing his gaze on his opponent.
Aizawa's eyes seemed to examine him intensely, lingering on his eyes and a brief worried look crossed his features, before he hardened again. “We'll talk about this later. Wait two minutes while I finish dealing with the others that remain and after that, you will leave.” His voice left no room for discussion, but Dazai made a point of ignoring him in favor of moving forward.
The mafioso quickly bent down and tried to kick the other man's feet, failing for just a second as he jumped back. Dazai got up and continued with a punch, which he missed, but soon landed a kick to the villain's side when he raised his arms to defend himself.
The blue-haired man cursed and raised his hands almost automatically, before he seemed to remember something. The moment of hesitation was enough for the brunette to take another knife from one of his pockets and attack, managing to make a clean cut on the other's cheek, which he only avoided by a hair's breadth.
The man let out a sigh of annoyance. “Tsk. My quirk doesn't work on you.” His voice seemed dangerously low, acting like a rabid animal - or a stubborn child. “What do I have to do to bring you to my side?”
Dazai kept his face carefully blank as he answered, even though he was almost certain it was a rhetorical question. “Maybe I can remember better if you tell me your name and who you work for.”
Fishing for information was certainly the best course of action he could take at that moment - especially if it was going to keep that giant bird monster away from him for as long as possible. The villain seemed to have momentarily forgotten the presence - almost overwhelming - of the mutant being, which he could only be grateful for at that moment. Dazai wasn't eager to find out whether or not his ability worked on the creature.
His opponent seemed to consider his words for a few moments, before looking at him again. “I am Shigaraki Tomura and I am Sensei's heir, who commands the League of Villains.” He spoke with a tone that bordered on pride. “Does that turn on a light in your head?”
In a way, the answer was yes. He couldn't help but feel the names were familiar, but his memory was hazy at best. He was kind of grateful for that, since it wouldn't be very interesting for him to have an influx of repressed memories in the middle of a fight.
An image of a white-haired man with a blurry face flashed through his head, but he was quick to whip the memory away.
The trauma could wait to be unpacked later, when he was in the comfort of the four walls of the apartment he lived in, alone.
But he needed more concrete information than a name as stupid as League of Villains - although he was suspicious of saying this, he was under the command of an organization that was literally called the Port Mafia, being a mafia that operated in a port. It seems the creative market for names on the “dark” sides was in crisis.
“Debatable.” The brunette answered the question, ignoring the frown that formed on the other's face. “And this Sensei wouldn't have a name?”
“None that interest you.” Shigaraki responded with hostility, before he brought his hands to his neck and began to scratch aggressively. “I already gave you the information you wanted. Isn't that enough?” The man seemed to get more and more frustrated.
Dazai raised an eyebrow. “Of course not. Do you want my memories to resurface from the oxygen with just a few names that are irrelevant to me?” He replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm and being purposely irritating.
He could almost feel Chuuya's exasperated gaze on his back, but he was sure it was just his teacher's look of blatant disappointment - and he made sure to ignore it. It seemed like his teacher was being kept occupied by the low level thugs - which was no surprise, there must have been just over a hundred and Aizawa was just one man.
But he couldn't help it. Taunt causes reaction, and reaction meant that Dazai could read his opponent like a book. Not to mention it was fun.
Fury seemed to ignite in his opponent's eyes. “Irrelevant…?” He spoke quietly, although loud enough to be heard. A hoarse laugh came out of his throat, which soon turned into crazed laughter that carried hatred.
The mafioso felt a little sweat running down his forehead as he stared at the man in front of him, standing firm.
This guy is clinically insane, he assumes.
But it's not like he himself is much different from that – He thought with a small smile adorning his lips.
But either way, it was as clear as a sunny day that all this hate was directed at him.
Shigaraki coldly looked him directly into his uncovered eye, making a noise of displeasure. “I don't know what Sensei sees as special in you. We don't need you. Although you are indeed an asset, you are easily replaceable.”
Dazai didn't recognize the stab of unwanted pain that attacked his insides, digging into his body like a million sharp thorns and tearing his limbs apart one by one mercilessly.
(He is not replaceable. Not for Mori. Mori will not abandon him. He will not be alone again.)
Instead, he continued teasing in hopes of keeping the other talking and perhaps getting him to spill more information amid the stress. If he pressed the right buttons…
“Your sensei sent you to slaughter, in a dome with many trained heroes, with reinforcements arriving, and some low-level bandits and I'm the replaceable one?” He scoffed, although he knew it was a weak response - that giant creature was still there, just momentarily forgotten. But he didn't want to go overboard just yet. “I think you need to review some concepts.”
A scream of rage left the man and he began scratching his neck even more aggressively. His hands were shaking, as if they were begging to be used to destroy - from what Dazai could see.
The brunette did a quick scan of the surroundings, suddenly noticing his teacher's delay, and soon saw him helping some students to leave the square and head towards a safer location. It seemed like all the bandits had already fallen, but more and more students appeared, pouring out of each surrounding area. Aizawa looked stressed, but he guessed the reason was fair.
Dazai turned his attention to his opponent and noticed that the blue-haired man was just muttering to himself, before he focused an angry glare on the younger boy.
“Shut up, he has everything under control! You don't know anything about Sensei!” He shouted.
“You're right, I don't know. Why don't you tell me?” Dazai responded promptly in a calm tone. He planned to call the guy a faker, but quickly realized that the plan could backfire, only pushing the other man further into his spiral of insanity.
“He takes what belongs to others and makes them better. That includes me and you, do you understand me now?” Shigaraki's words bordered on a growl, eager to defend the man who seemed to have the servant.
Looks like the guy isn't as much of an idiot as he initially thought. Easily manipulated? Certainly. But not stupid. The answer he gave was enigmatic enough that Dazai had to think further about its meaning, so he just stored the information to be decoded later.
“Don't put me in the same box as you. I already have someone who picked me up and improved me.” The brunette replied, suppressing a frown from forming on his face when he said the last part, feeling the bitter taste that appeared on his tongue, despite being aware that it was true, no matter how much he wanted it not to be. “And I'm sure it wasn't your sensei, Handy.”
Shigaraki made a clicking noise with his tongue, seeming to have reached his limit. “Nomu, catch him! And make it hurt.” He ordered, seeming to have remembered his greatest soldier.
Damn.
Before he knew it, a shadow loomed over Dazai and he barely had time to think about anything before he felt a fist collide with his body and he flew to the other side of the dome. He thought he heard his name being shouted, but maybe he was just imagining things.
Maybe it wasn't his greatest moment to have antagonized a guy with such power at his disposal. But he didn't expect that it would have been a fucking nickname that would push the villain to his limit.
(For someone as smart as him, he would admit it was kind of stupid.)
The brunette felt that same crimson liquid that runs through his veins and arteries dripping onto his nose and forehead, soaking his bandages. However, he didn't pay attention to it.
The most important thing is that the creature - Nomu - did not disappear upon touching him - and that added another problem to his growing list of problems at that moment.
But even so, he couldn't help but feel a certain... familiarity with that power - it was almost as if he had come into contact with it before. He, somehow, felt several powers in that single body, but there was a primordial one that sustained them that was hidden beneath layers and layers of energy.
It had a strange feeling, as if he was begging to be nullified - the sensation was burning, as if he was placing his hand on a boiling hot coal, different from the freezing cold he is used to feeling.
But if that was a power that could be cancelled, why wasn't it?
Clearly, it had something to do with that power that seemed to be hidden. It was as if the other powers were trying to move away from him, but were forced to bend around him to protect him. But then, how would he achieve it?
Before he could continue his inner thoughts, the same shadow from before covered him and he prepared to be thrown around like a rag doll - perhaps he would finally die after all - however, a figure stepped in front of him at the moment. exact, taking the blow for him.
Aizawa skidded a few meters before stopping and coughing up some blood, grabbing the side he was hit on. “I told you to leave.” The man forced his voice to remain firm, although he was a little breathless.
Dazai sighed, before the bird was upon him once more. He reached out, ready to try and nullify his quirks once again, but was stopped when he felt a band encircle his waist, before he was pulled away. The place where he was previously was destroyed with a powerful punch.
He swallowed hard. That seemed like a painful way to die.
Even so, he hardened his gaze and moved away from his teacher, who had pulled him, ignoring the look he received from him.
“Truly heroic, Eraserhead!” The man they were fighting scoffed before either of them could say anything, mockery dripping from his voice. “But I wonder… is it enough?”
The Nomu seemed to get faster, this time focusing on Aizawa, who quickly moved away from Dazai and seemed to be holding on by a thread against the monster, until he slipped and had his arm grabbed, which made a sickening crack and a small scream. muffled leaves your lips.
The guy from the portal suddenly appeared next to Shigaraki and said something to him - which seemed to stress him out - but the mafioso didn't pay attention to them. He needed to think fast. If his teacher died due to his incompetence in trying to get information, Mori would be pissed at him and he was sure he wouldn't get away with just a slap on the wrist.
He needs to make the creature stay still for him to touch it long enough to try to reach the power that sustains others - although there was no guarantee that this would work either. He didn't know if his ability had a limit on how many powers he could nullify at once.
He pats his pockets a few times, checking what he has left. There was still a dagger and a roll of bandages.
One look at the Nomu's exposed brain and then at some other students heading towards them gave him an idea.
What he had was more than enough.
“Sensei!” He shouted. “Just hold on a little longer!”
The man looked at him with an incredulous look. “Get out of her…” Before he could finish his sentence, he was punched in the chest, which sent him flying a few more meters.
Dazai trembled internally as he walked away. That blow had certainly broken some ribs.
Without further ado, the brunette approached the students who had just arrived at the square and smiled when he saw some of the strongest present there. Todoroki, Midoriya, Bakugou and Kirishima. Of the four, only the green-haired boy appeared to be injured, sporting two broken fingers. Other than that, he seemed fine.
“Hey, guys!” Dazai sang, ignoring the ugly look that two of those present gave him. “I have an idea to get rid of this animal, but I'm going to need a little help.”
The blonde snorted, before responding with spite coloring his tone. “Of course you have to, since you're useless and can't do anything alone. Leave him to me.” A wild smile adorned his face.
“Kacchan! D-Don't be mean to him!” Midoriya countered in his defense.
Dazai put his hand on his chest and faked a tear of emotion, not giving Bakugou the opportunity to respond. “Thanks for defending me from the big, bad pinscher, Midori!” He sighed dramatically, suppressing a laugh when he saw the other boy's flushed face. “But I'm afraid to say he's right. This one is not capable of doing anything alone, so I am committed to asking for support from your Excellencies!” He finished, smiling when Midoriya and Kirishima laughed openly while Todoroki's lips curved slightly upwards.
Bakugou still looked at him with an air of superiority. But that was okay, he was going to get it out of him at some point - and he had a feeling it wouldn't be on purpose, since he didn't want any more contact with this boy than necessary.
“Say it, Dazai.” Todoroki demanded, now back to his cold self, looking away from his teacher, who was still fighting tirelessly against the creature.
The brunette had momentarily forgotten that time was against them. Oops.
“I need Kirishima-kun and Kacchan to…” An indignant scream was heard and ignored by everyone. “…distract those two over there. They cannot interfere.” He started, pointing at Shigaraki and the guy from the portal.
“And you.” He pointed at Todoroki. “I need you to freeze at least up to the monster's neck when I'm close enough. Can you do this?”
The boy with two-tone hair simply nodded.
Midoriya pointed to himself with a small frown. “And… And me?” He seemed a little shaken.
“You're injured, so you're going to sit out this time.” Dazai replied.
Normally, he has no qualms about assigning more tasks to his subordinates, even if they are injured - but he doesn't make them do things with literal broken bones, especially ones that haven't been treated yet. That would simply be counterproductive, it would only slow them down. But, of course, that was not the justification he gave.
The brunette forced his gaze to soften as he looked at the other boy. “If you try too hard, you could end up hurting yourself more. You don't want to lose those fingers, do you?” He said.
He hoped the words didn't sound threatening, that wasn't really his goal.
Fortunately, the boy seemed to understand, but he still looked dejected. Seeing this, Dazai had an idea.
“Since you're so eager to help, grab Aizawa and take him away from here as soon as Todoroki-kun freezes that thing. He will need immediate medical treatment.” He finished, seeing the boy's determined look forming.
“And what are you going to do?” The redhead asked calmly, although there was no distrust in his tone, as if he believed one hundred percent that his plan would work.
A certain redhead came to his mind with the thought, but he quickly pushed it away.
“I need him to stay still long enough so that I can nullify his quirks, but I have no way of knowing how long that will take and I don't know how long the ice will hold him.” He explained quickly, before discreetly showing his dagger and glancing sideways at the Nomu's brain.
The boys followed his gaze and immediately understood what he was going to do. Good. He wouldn't have to explain the grotesque details of his plan.
Kirishima and Midoriya looked sick at the thought, but made no move to protest. He supposes it's easy to accept things when you're not the one getting your hands dirty - but he's in no position to complain about that, after all, you can't look a gift horse in the teeth.
“And what makes you think I'm going to follow your orders, you freak!?” Bakugou exclaimed.
Dazai returned an impassive look. “The glory you will receive if you manage to take down the main villains. That thing won't move without commands, you know.” He offered softly, without expecting it to work. However, the boy seemed to consider his speech.
…Seriously?
“You would be one step closer to being number one.” He decided to add innocently, ignoring the shocked looks from the other three boys.
The blonde let out a sound that sounded suspiciously like a growl, although he was smiling proudly. “That wouldn't be enough to be number one, but it would certainly be a boost.” He said, half to himself, before frowning again and snorting. “I'm going to defeat those bastards and I don't need Shit Hair's help to do it!”
Midoriya approached Dazai, his gaze bordering on admiration. “I've never seen someone convince Kacchan so easily…” The boy whispered.
The brunette smiled back. “He's smart, but he has an ego as big as the sun.” He replied, shrugging his shoulders. “But I feel like this trick won’t work anymore…”
“Dazai-kun, can we put the plan into practice now?” Kirishima asked, seeing that his teacher was barely holding himself against the Nomu.
“We need almost perfect synchronization. First, Todoroki-kun must freeze as much of the Nomu as possible, while leaving the head free. While the other two are distracted by this, Kirishima-kun and Kacchan attack them, fast enough that neither of them can shout any commands to the monster. Meanwhile, Midori pulls Aizawa-sensei out of the crossfire.” Dazai explained quickly, stopping a little when he saw the determined, although slightly nervous, expressions of the others. He gave an awkward smile. “No pressure.”
He was definitely pressuring them.
A scream of pain could be heard next to them as their teacher was thrown once again.
Without wasting time, Todoroki sent his ice towards the Nomu at the same time that Dazai ran towards it. The ice was broken and rebuilt incessantly, until a layer was formed around the creature's left leg and arm, thick enough that it writhed and the ice only crunched slightly.
Without further ado, he began climbing the Nomu on the right side, being careful not to be hit by any punches or kicks. When he managed to position himself on the monster's shoulders, he sent a look at Todoroki and pointed to the right side. The boy seemed to understand what he meant and soon sent another wave of ice, freezing his right leg.
From what Dazai could see from the distance he was at, the boy with two-colored hair was shaking slightly and he was becoming breathless, classic signs of hypothermia.
Not only would the ice only last a short time, but so would his colleague. He would have to be quick.
“What… Nom…!” Shigaraki began, looking like he was about to shout a command, but was interrupted by a punch to the jaw.
Beside him, the mist guy looked ready to open a portal and drive the brunette away, but was interrupted with an explosion to his face - or, at least, what he assumed was his face.
The noise of fighting was in the background in his mind as Dazai withdrew his dagger and quickly stabbed the exposed brain mass, suppressing a sigh of disgust that threatened to leave his mouth at the sight of the blood and liquids being expelled.
A long time ago, he had a question: whether his ability could be transferred to objects. However, it was never necessary, he was almost always able to physically touch his opponents.
Well. It was time to test his theory.
Ever since he had started touching the Nomu, the sensation of touching a burning ember had returned to his body and it seemed as if his individualities were being nullified, albeit at an extremely slow pace. And he had no way of knowing which of the various powers was being nullified. In other words: he was out of luck.
His dagger began to glow a baby blue and he felt an increase in nullification rate, but it was still painfully slow. It seemed like the individualities surrounding the main one were actually being used as a shield and they were good shields.
But nothing he couldn't overcome with a little time.
A noise that sounded like shrapnel came from where the creature's legs were and the brunette cursed softly under his breath.
Forget what he said about time. There's not enough time. He would have to improvise.
Assuming this godforsaken creature is still applicable to human biology, he needs to target the parts of the brain that aid movement.
Okay. Time to remember Mori's lessons. Who knew that one day his ramblings about the human body would be so useful.
The cerebellum. Fundamental for things like balance and coordination, but it isn't his focus. Plus, it's in the underside of the brain - the unexposed part - and he doesn't think his dagger is strong enough to pierce the mutant bird's thick skin.
Primary motor cortex. Located in the frontal lobe of the brain, completely exposed, and also takes care of movement.
There are some others that help with movement, such as the basal ganglia and the nucleus, but these were more difficult to reach.
His target was the primary motor cortex, then.
Without wasting time, Dazai removed his dagger from where it was and stabbed it into his target a few times - ignoring the screams of pain that left the beak of it every time he missed his aim - before fixing it there, trying to ignore the growing horror he felt he was receiving from those around him as his clothes became stained with blood.
In his defense, he wouldn't want such a dirty and disgusting death either. He's more the type to kill with clean shots - three shots to the chest, the broken jaw part is usually done by Chuuya.
He looked up briefly to scan, seeing the other two villains still being kept busy in a fight, while Aizawa was nowhere to be seen. The brunette suppressed a sigh of relief, knowing that there would be no excuses to make if his teacher was witnessing such violence.
Turning his attention back to the task at hand, the blue glow came to life on his knife again. Fortunately, the Nomu remained completely still - just as he planned.
Slowly, the burning sensation intensified until he felt the barriers around the power that supported all others weaken, giving No Longer Human enough space to act. Said quirk seemed to be fighting tirelessly against his ability, but it was a losing battle - No Longer Human overcame whatever that power was in an instant.
And, as if on cue, the giant bird began to fall apart - or rather, melt.
He jumped away carelessly, ignoring the sickening crack his wrist made as he fell to the ground. Fortunately, it wasn't in the pile of blood and bones.
Todoroki and Midoriya were quick to rush to his side, helping him to his feet. The first had an air of calm, but the scared look in his eyes contradicted his stance. In contrast, the second was absolutely terrified and made a point of letting the whole world know about it.
Dazai would have to do some theater about this. He should act like he's traumatized that he had to get his hands dirty like that.
“I'm sorry you had to watch that, I imagine it was horrible. I didn't expect it to be so…” He began, making a point of keeping his tone light, as if he were off.
“Brutal?” The green-haired boy completed. “Yeah. But… we understand.”
Todoroki looked only slightly worried, but he seemed to be controlling his emotions well. “It must have been even more horrible for you. Talk about it with someone when you can.”
Dazai bit his lower lip. “I…”
“…What the hell did you do.” The blue-haired man interrupted him, cutting off the conversation suddenly. It was phrased as a question, but it sounded more like a demand. And his voice was filled with pure hatred.
Mist Guy seemed to notice this. “Shigaraki-san…”
Suddenly, an almost deafening bang came from the front gates, which opened to reveal All Might in all his glory, interrupting what the other (man? creature?) being was going to say.
“Don't worry, young people! I am here!” The man's scream reverberated through the dome and there was a noticeable lack of his characteristic smile.
Dazai snorted - no matter how much this action hurt, now that the adrenaline spike seemed to be wearing off - and muttered under his breath. “Too fucking late.”
Shigaraki began to scratch his neck violently, which made Kirishima turn away from him with a frightened gasp - he belatedly noticed that there were some injuries on the boy, but nothing too serious.
“It's not fair.” The villain began softly, before his voice gradually increased. “It's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair!” He repeated it like a mantra, as if he were a small child who had been denied a new toy. “Sensei had everything prepared, he said everything would work out. He… lied to me? No. He never lies to me.”
Dazai was kind of frustrated that they were just standing around listening to the villain's crazed speech instead of taking advantage of the moment of weakness and attacking, but he doesn't think he could win in hand-to-hand combat at that moment. If he only had his gun…
Suddenly, however, the man was in front of him, pulling his arm closer until they were face to face.
“It's your fault.” Shigaraki said, venom swimming in his tone. “It's your fault, Shuuji.”
The brunette felt his breathing hitch as his heartbeat accelerated against his will. He tried to pull away, as if he had been physically burned, but to no avail.
A wicked smile stretched across the man's lips, his eyes resembling a toxic red. “Oh. Don't you like that name, Shuuji?”
Stop.
Stop calling him that.
Tsushima Shuuji is dead, buried six feet underground.
"Shuuji."
A large hand rested on his forehead - very small in comparison. A strange sensation waltzed through her insides - it burned, burned.
He quickly shook off the bad feelings, not noticing the barely hidden shock on the hand's owner's face.
"What is your name?" The man gently asked, after a while, that child who was hiding in a bloody alley.
“Tsushima Shuuji. And you?" This child responded, as naive as only one could be. He didn't know what was in the man's hand, but it certainly hadn't really hurt him and he was being gentle. Giving a name wouldn't hurt, right?
“It’s a lovely name. You can call me a… bogeyman.” He replied. “Say it, Shuuji. Would you like to come with me?”
“I want to find my mother…” The boy said, taking a few steps back until he leaned against the alley wall. “Do you know where my mother is?”
A bloodied man lay at their feet, forgotten by both of them.
The child missed the way a mischievous smile stretched across the man's lips.
"Of course! Come with me, I’ll take you to her.”
"Shuuji."
His name is Dazai Osamu.
“Shuuji, behave yourself.”
Tsushima Shuuji.
Shuuji.
Shuuji.
That's not his name.
He can't breathe.
His chest heaves repeatedly for air, but nothing is taken in. It was as if his diaphragm was being physically forced to remain still, as if it were trapping his lungs, even though he vaguely knew that wasn't happening.
His head began to feel heavy, as if a liter of lead had been injected into his brain. Black dots danced across his vision and he soon realized that his brain was lacking oxygen.
The last thing he saw before falling into unconsciousness was Shigaraki's satisfied smile, completely oblivious to the desperate screams that echoed around him.
Notes:
Oh my god, this chapter was kinda heavy
This wasn't supposed to be ready before November, but I got stressed and started writing nonstop instead of studying (for the test that will define my life from now on, by the way) and here we are.
(A little warning: I'm not in the health field or anything, I just had ideas, a Google and a dream!)
This time, I imagine I won't write until at least November 10th. Or maybe I'll stress-write again two days before the test, who knows? But it's not in the plans
An advance about the next chapter: it will probably be very small, perhaps having half or less of the words of this chapter, as it will only be a conclusion/consequences of the USJ arc.
Anyway, I hope you liked it!!
Chapter 8: 8
Summary:
USJ aftermath!
Notes:
This chapter should have come out yesterday, but the signal here went down and Google Docs refused to work :')
Luckily, the chapter's already here!!Remember when I said this would be a short chapter? Yeah... I lied.
Honestly, I need to stop planning with nothing but keywords… I was totally lost on what I wanted to do and had to improvise a little
Tw!
Panic attack (putting my own experiences, but not as detailed)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Consciousness comes in parts, as slowly as it is capable of arriving. However, it wasn't long before he began to feel the sweet, familiar numbness of the morphine coursing through his veins - although it was less intense than he was used to.
The sounds were muffled - he could only hear a few noises that sounded suspiciously like voices, but he couldn't decipher who they were or what was being said – it was as if his ears were filled with cotton, and he didn't dare open his eyes, for fear of burning his retinas if the room is lit.
The smell of antiseptic attacked his nostrils and he felt his heartbeat accelerate against his will as he recognized that he was probably in a hospital.
He was praying to any and all gods that might exist that Mori wasn't there. He would kill himself right then and there if that were the case.
Before he could question what had happened - whether he had just come off a mission or a punishment session - memories of the previous events came rushing back, hitting him like a moving freight train. He jumped out of bed, sitting up and opening his eyes.
He winced as a stab of pain shot through his body – there probably wasn't enough morphine in his system. The brightness of the room made his eyes hurt and he had to close them for a few moments.
He tried to move his arms despite the numbness and soon noticed that one of his wrists was in a splint – it was a sensation too familiar for him not to recognize.
The sounds he could hear slowly became clearer and he soon understood what was being said.
"…zai..!"
"Daz…!"
"Dazai!!"
Dazai slowly opened his eyes, spotting two familiar figures, whom he recognized as Aizawa-sensei and Recovery Girl. They both looked at him with worried frowns, although they looked a little relieved. The first one looked a bit like a mummy, but still looked better than the mafioso thought he would, as he wasn't fully covered in bandages and was still able to walk – although he probably shouldn't be standing yet.
He noted that, fortunately, he was not in a hospital, but in the school infirmary. It was completely empty, except for the three who were there. He was silently thankful for that.
"Kid, are you with us?" His teacher called with a blank expression, although the softness and concern in his tone contradicted his facade.
The brunette sighed deeply, before giving his teacher a shaky smile. "Yeah. I’m fine, you can rest assured."
The elderly woman clicked her tongue in annoyance. "You heroes and students of heroism are all the same! Reckless and very, very stupid." She mumbled, before sighing.
"What happened after I passed out?" Dazai asked quickly, ignoring the doctor.
Aizawa looked like he had aged almost seventy years. "Shigaraki and Kurogiri fled shortly after the other heroes arrived, after Shigaraki was shot by Snipe. You were one of the most injured students after this horror show. And that brings me to my next point…"
Oh, here it comes. Punishment for having disregarded a clear order from his teacher. He didn't think he would be told as soon as he woke up, but maybe he was expecting too much. He can only hope it's not that bad, after all, they are heroes, right? It certainly wouldn't be worse than in the mafia.
"…I would like to apologize."
…
What?
Did his teacher want to… apologize?
His bewilderment must have been written all over his face, as his teacher only sighed, before bowing briefly.
"I would like to apologize for my inability to protect you, so much so that you felt the need to intervene. You are my responsibility while you are at school and I have failed you."
Dazai opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by his teacher's steady gaze, which said – without any words – that he wasn't finished.
"I would also like to thank you, since, thanks to you and the other students, my injuries were not as serious as they could have been in your absence." Aizawa paused, before standing up and frowning at him. "However, although I am grateful, you were still incredibly reckless, much more so than the others."
"Should I just leave you to die then?" The brunette replied, tightening the sheets slightly, although what was on his mind was what Mori would do if Dazai allowed the hero to die in his sight. It was too early to lose a pawn.
But of course, the two adults in the room remained oblivious to his true thoughts, probably thinking he was just someone with no instructions.
His teacher sighed deeply. "I am a hero and your teacher, Dazai. It's my duty to protect you. When I tell you to leave, you must leave."
"Why?" The boy replied, almost petulantly.
"Because you are a child."
Dazai scoffed internally. He is not a child. He never was and never will be. After everything he's seen and done, he supposes it would be almost blasphemous to say that he is one, disrespectful to real children. But, of course, that's not what he says.
Instead, he decides to say: "And what about it? How will I be punished?"
Aizawa pinched the bridge of his nose using the hand that wasn't immobilized. "We will return to this conversation later and you will not be punished. We have other important things to discuss."
Dazai raised an eyebrow, trying not to get his hopes up with the first part. There is always punishment when he does something wrong. Why would it be different here?
Instead, he focused on the second part of the man's speech. "Like what?"
Recovery Girl chimed in with a solemn expression, with an air of someone who has had the same conversation over a million times.
"Dazai. Your…arms. We saw it." She said.
And it was like a bucket of ice was thrown directly at his head. He slowly looked down at his arms and soon noticed: his left arm was almost completely uncovered with an IV attached, while his right arm was covered, but the bandages were new and not the brand he usually used.
His cuts on his left arm were completely exposed. Although they were thoroughly cleaned, barely an inch of skin could be seen. It was as if it were an abstract painting depicting a horror scene.
How had he not noticed this before!? Had the morphine made him that lethargic?
He felt his breathing quickening and his heartbeat losing control, the pleas of the two adults in the room seemed to fall on deaf ears because he couldn't breathe.
Breathe, damn it. – He spoke to himself. – Just breathe. Inhale and exhale.
But no matter how hard he tried, nothing worked. He couldn't breathe. He could already see black dots invading his vision as he tried to force himself to calm down.
"Osamu!" His teacher's sudden shout caught his attention and he soon noticed his hand rising to his shoulder.
The brunette recoiled as if he had been burned, biting his tongue in the process. "No." He panted, trying to move away as much as the bars surrounding the bed would allow him. "Don't call me that. Don't touch me."
All he wanted was to throw himself out the window and run. Aizawa's figure was superimposed on Mori, the worried expression was replaced by a cruel look and a fake, fake smile, as fake as his own smiles. An expression that promised nothing but pain.
The man in front of him backed away, but that still didn't calm him down.
"Dazai, you're safe, yo…" The rest of his sentence was lost by the boy, because he was lying. He is not safe and never will be.
He will only be safe when he dies.
The tightness in his chest seemed to intensify and he reached up with his free hand to grab a handful of tissue just above his heart, trying to stop himself from ripping the IV out of his arm and run. He felt bile rising in his throat, but he didn't allow any of it to come out.
Was he going to die?
Rationally, he knows better. This is just a panic attack, he knows he will be fine at some point. But he can't help but feel like he's going to die – he just doesn't want it to be that desperate and painful.
"Can you hear me?" A woman's voice spoke, as soft as it could be, breaking him out of his stupor.
An unwanted and unknown feeling of nostalgia took over his being and he nodded, before crushing the feeling and burying it deep inside. Whatever this was, it could be thought of when he didn't feel like he was dying.
"Copy my movements." She said, starting to exaggerate the movements of inhaling and exhaling.
A big part of him felt offended by that, he's a Mafia Executive! He should be able to regain control on his own – and he usually is, it just takes a few minutes and, in the worst case, a blackout, but it's nothing he can't handle on his own.
(He shouldn't show weakness like that. What will Mori do when he finds out?)
However, the other part of him followed the instructions almost religiously, forcing himself to breathe more slowly.
He no longer felt like he was going to die, but he still wasn't at one hundred percent – his breathing was still faster than the common – and the two adults quickly realized this.
Aizawa – it wasn't Mori, Mori wasn't there at that moment – approached him.
"Tell me five things you can see."
"That won't be necessary." Dazai replied, although his voice seemed weak even to himself.
The professor returned an exasperated look. "Yes, and you didn't just hyperventilate until you almost passed out. Come on, just to reinforce."
The brunette sighed, before looking around. "I see you, Recovery Girl, the table, a computer and a rug."
"Excellent. Four things you can feel."
"My bandages, the sheets, my clothes and the needle."
"Good job. Thr…"
"You don't need to praise me every time I say it. I'm not a child who needs pampering, you know?" The brunette replied, with a hint of fun in his tone. He didn't miss the way his breathing slowly steadied.
Aizawa, who had also noticed this, just smiled. "Of course, of course. Three sounds you can hear."
"The beeping of the heart monitor, birds chirping outside and cars passing on the street next door."
The man nodded. "Two things you can smell."
"Antiseptic and… perfume?" He replied, a little uncertain about the last one.
"That would be mine, kid." Recovery Girl laughed.
"Okay, now, lastly, something you can taste." Aizawa said.
"Blood." The brunette said. "I bit my tongue." He hurried to explain when he saw the worried expressions of the two adults.
"How do you feel, dear?" The woman asked softly, tapping her bengal lightly against the floor.
Dazai took a deep breath. He felt exposed and, more than anything, vulnerable. There was no way they wouldn't have contacted Mori, so now he would just have to do some damage control. That would be a hell of a job.
"I feel… ok." He responded slowly.
The adults looked at each other for a moment, before looking at the brunette again.
"We called your father and we believe you would benefit from therapy…"
What.
Mori, you have a screw missing from your stupid head!?!?
"However, your father wanted you to see a therapist he already knows instead of one from the school itself. I suggest you talk to him later about this, he seemed very eager to talk to you."
Oh. It's just a smokescreen to throw teachers off their trail. However, the last part almost made him wince, knowing what awaited him, but he thinks he did a great job hiding it.
"Dazai."
Holy shit, there's more. He just wants to curl up and die - but since he doesn't have the power to do that at that moment, he just wants to sleep.
"Recovery Girl needs to give you the list of your injuries, but first I would like to say something." The teacher began. "If you need someone to talk to, to say anything, just call me, okay? I care deeply about my students, even if it doesn't seem like it. You're not a burden."
The brunette stared at the man for a moment, before laughing. It would take much more than pretty words to break his resolve. "You know you gave me the pass to be as annoying as I want with you, right? Can I talk to you for hours about why crabs are superior to all other animals?"
To his credit, Aizawa seemed only mildly irritated, but he responded honestly. "I'm not a therapist, but if it keeps you safe and well, yes."
Dazai stopped laughing almost immediately when he realized the man was serious. What is it with the people at this school? Why is everyone so honest and so – ew – kind? Especially with him.
It doesn't make sense.
However, he just nodded, unwilling to expand on the topic.
"Now, about your injuries. They weren't that serious, but it will still require care." Recovery Girl began, picking up a clipboard. "You were unconscious for about twenty-four hours, but I imagine it was due to exhaustion. Your ribs, fortunately, are not broken, but they were hit quite hard and you will probably have several bruises on your body." She paused. "The most serious injury you have is a mild wrist sprain, but it should get better in about one to three weeks with proper care. You were very lucky to have escaped with so few injuries like that. I'm particularly shocked that you didn't have at least one concussion, by the way you were hit."
Dazai resisted the urge to groan in annoyance. Taking care of injuries is always a pain, but at least it gives him a reason to rot in bed.
He honestly doesn't understand how he wasn't more injured than that either, but it's like they say: don't look at a gift horse in the mouth. The bruises on his body added to the sprained wrist and his burning cuts were enough pain for him.
"I'll prescribe you some ointment for bruises and some painkillers. Apply a hot compress to the bruises for about fifteen minutes and ice to your wrist and you should be fine." The woman finished, heading towards a small cabinet that probably contained the medicines she was going to get.
After a moment, Recovery Girl handed him a bottle of heparin gel and a piece of paper.
The brunette raised an eyebrow at the noticeable lack of medicine, to which the woman responded with a small laugh.
"You're fifteen years old, Dazai-kun. I can't just give you medicine, even if it's something as mild as ibuprofen."
Dazai knew it was a lie, especially because it didn't stop her before. The point was that she didn't trust a boy who cut himself – potentially and definitely suicidal – with a pack of medicine, even if it would take a lot of effort from him to overdose on said medicine. However, he didn't reveal that he knew she was lying and decided to just play along.
"So should I give this paper to Mori so he can buy the medicine?" Dazai asked, to which the woman responded with a nod of agreement.
"Dazai, there are still some things we need to discuss." Aizawa started and raised a hand when the brunette was about to complain. "But I believe that has been enough stressful matters for today."
"If you had said you would continue talking today, I would have beaten you myself, Shouta." Recovery Girl replied with a frown, before turning to Dazai, softening her gaze. "But I suggest you call your father before you rest, young man. He seemed very worried."
The mafioso had to stop himself from laughing sarcastically. Mori's “concern” is that he would lose his best tool. However, that's not what he said.
"Can you give me my phone?" He asked.
Aizawa nodded and fetched a small device from a small table and handed it to him.
"We'll give you some space to talk to your father, but Recovery Girl will be back soon." The man announced, before the two adults walked out the door.
Just as the door was about to close, Dazai couldn't help but blurt out:
"I wish you had left me to die. It would be preferable to having to talk to this idiot."
And then he proceeded to dial Mori's number. He must certainly have thrown a stone at the cross in one of his past lives to deserve such a fate.
Shouta felt like his blood was freezing in his veins as soon as the infirmary door closed.
Recovery Girl looked at him with a serious but melancholy look. "Did you hear it too, Shouta?"
"Yes." The man replied with a worried frown coloring his features.
Dazai Osamu, problem child #1, had caught his attention since the first day of school – or even before. The bandages that seemed to cover every inch of his body seemed to scream at him, a giant neon red flag that could indicate that bad things were happening to his student.
And he considered the possibility and still took no action. He didn't try to talk to the boy about it before, he didn't seem trustworthy enough.
Some of the cuts that adorned the teenager's arm were old, but many were new, brand new, which he would give at most three days of existence. Some of them were organized, but most were disorderly, as if they were being done out of desperation, as if there was no concern about severing an artery.
And that fact caused a piece of Shouta's hardened heart to break a little.
It wasn't the first time – and certainly not the last – that he had dealt with a suicidal teenager who did indeed hurt himself, but it would never hurt less.
However, what worries him most are the other scars.
Recovery Girl had brought this to his attention as soon as she finished cleaning the cuts, as there were many other scars – ranging from clean cuts – clearly made by someone experienced – to gunshot wounds and burns, even needle scars, which weren't made to leave scars!
It didn't take long for them to realize that none of those were self-inflicted – and that added another layer to the boy's already extensive and complex existence.
Logically, his mind immediately flew to the domestic abuse theory, but he also couldn't get ahead of himself, as it looked like the most recent scars were at least a month old, so he wasn't in immediate danger.
Maybe Shouta was thinking too far, after all, as the boy himself informed them, he was from Yokohama, and that didn't seem like a very safe city for a child.
The hero knows he'll have to ask Dazai more about this – this information wasn't in his files, but honestly, what's in his files? –, but he decided to leave it for later, since his student would still be tired from the battle he fought on the trip.
However, despite the information, he still couldn't rule out the possibility that the boy was being hurt at home – he needed to be ready to deal with any situation that might arise.
Shouta also can't get out of his mind the way Dazai flinched at the sound of his own name, or how he recoiled from the touch as if he'd been punched.
Or how he seemed to be seeing something that wasn't there – if the sheer terror in his eyes during his panic was anything to go by.
And when the teacher mentioned calling his father, Mori Ougai, Dazai seemed to wither and hated the mere idea of communicating with him, even saying that he would rather be dead.
This brings him to another point of concern.
When he had called to the brunette's father– before Dazai woke up –, the man answered with a light and sweet voice, seeming worried about his son and eager to help. When asked about the injuries, the man only replied that the boy was adopted and never told him their origin and he also didn't know about the self-harm.
Looking over, the man seemed like a good father, perhaps just a little distant due to work, however, Shouta couldn't help but feel as if something sinister was oozing beneath the man's sweet words, just waiting for the right moment to make themselves known.
Everything had suggested that Dazai had been with Mori for longer, perhaps even before he fled Yokohama, so how had the man never noticed his son's injuries before? Was it possible that he was really that distant?
Maybe it was the paranoia he acquired after years of working in the underground field of heroism, but the story told by Dazai's father seemed too convenient, further supported by the fact that the boy's files were almost completely blank.
However, the lack of properly completed files could be explained by the fact that they came from Yokohama, probably in a hurry and illegally, which would make filling out the papers honestly a bit risky.
Shouta still couldn't shake the feeling of discomfort that coursed through his being when talking to Mori, but he decided he would settle for observing from afar – for now.
And as if that wasn't enough cause for concern, there's the conversation between Dazai and Shigaraki that the teacher vaguely overheard, which indicated that they had already met in the past.
He had allowed himself to distract himself a little from his own struggles to pay attention to the boy's expressions and he remembered seeing pure confusion on his face – and he wasn't sure if that made him more relieved or scared.
Relieved, because it can mean that the boy wasn't with the villains – wasn't a traitor.
Scared, because the villains probably know something about him that no one else did and could use that against him.
These are matters that Dazai – and, consequently, Shouta – would have to discuss with the police to assist in the investigations. The hero is sorry for how much the boy will have to say, but there wasn't much he could do, after all, he was at the epicenter of the fight.
The man only vaguely remembers being in an ambulance – he was only semi-conscious – but he vividly remembered his student's limp, bloody body being carried into another ambulance.
Later, he discovered that most of the blood covering Dazai's body wasn't his own, but the Nomu's, and Shouta shuddered just thinking about what the boy would have had to do to stop a monster as big and brutal as that one.
He remembers going to visit him as soon as he woke up and remembers the overwhelming guilt he felt when he saw him.
Dazai was small for his age, perhaps one of the shortest boys in his class, surpassed only by Mineta. But with skin as pale as snow, the boy looked like he was almost being swallowed by the white sheets, looking even smaller than usual.
The sight made Shouta's heart ache, telling him that he didn't do enough. That he failed to protect his student.
And that's the point of all this, right? – he keeps failing and failing and failing.
Failed to care for his student.
Failed to recognize the signs.
A light tap on his shin brought him out of his thoughts and he looked at Recovery Girl with a raised eyebrow. Looking around, he realized that they had arrived at the staff room.
"Stop thinking so much, you stupid boy." The woman scolded. "I know you well enough to know that you are blaming yourself and I suggest you stop. You're not perfect, but you did your best. It's not logical to cry over spilled milk, right?"
Shouta pressed his mouth into a thin line, his expression revealing nothing of his inner turmoil even though he was dissected by the doctor in front of him. "Yeah, you're right." He paused, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "It's not logical."
And he didn't just say that to appease her. Wallowing in self-pity wouldn't solve anything at that moment, it would only slow him down and hurt everyone he wants – and needs – to help, including himself. Now he must focus on doing better in the future.
"Go get some rest, you've been in that infirmary this whole time. Go see your friends or something." Recovery Girl spoke softly. "You can let me talk to Dazai about the investigation."
"I'm his teacher and I'll also be the one who will be there." Shouta frowned.
The woman sighed deeply. "Worry about that later. Go rest." She spoke the last words more firmly, opening the door.
The teacher sighed. "Well, you leave me no choice."
Despite his words, he wasn't actually complaining. He felt like he urgently needed to close his eyes – and pray that unreal images of his torn students didn't flicker behind his closed eyelids as he tried to rest.
If he could, he would sleep for the next six months. Maybe this could reverse the grays that are appearing in his hair.
Dazai is going to kill himself.
There are no euphemisms that can hide this.
He will start to consider: throwing himself off an overpass or cutting his neck? In the end, they both end in the same thing. Which would hurt less or have fewer consequences if he happened to survive?
Because that was the only way to get out of the situation he got himself into.
When he called Mori – some hours ago –, the first thing the man did was scold him for letting his weaknesses be known – even though he was much calmer than the brunette thought he would be. Had his cell phone been tapped, or was his boss just in a good mood?
Whatever the option, none of them are good for him.
After that, Mori asked for a full situation report.
Normally, Dazai wouldn't complain about this, since he could write a mediocre report in just a few minutes – and he would procrastinate as long as possible to get it done. However, contrary to his expectations, the doctor demanded an in-person report within a week at the latest!
What a jurassic man. Did he not know the existence of the emails?
(He knows. It just seems like he's made it his life goal to make Dazai's existence as miserable as possible.)
Furthermore, Mori briefly instructed him to continue the poor's kid act for coming from Yokohama, but not to go too far – the pity was good up to a point, and that point is until they start snooping more than they should.
However, none of this is the main reason why the brunette wants to kill himself – although Mori's mere existence is reason enough for that.
No, the real reason is that now he will have a fucking nanny.
He! Mori's right hand man!
Dazai let out a huff of irritation, resisting the temptation to throw himself in that the window next to him gave him.
And Mori, in all his pleasantness – the sarcasm is noticeable –, didn't tell him who the person he will have to deal with for the next few months is.
His boss seemed to not even bat an eyelid at Dazai's complaints, which sent up another red flag in his mind, as the man tend to give at least some reprimand about his "childish" behavior. He dismissed him with a simple “you’ll find out later”.
Something was going to happen soon and the brunette wasn't looking forward to it.
Trying to put this aside, the mafioso remembered that there were other concerns at that moment.
Soon a detective would arrive at the school to interrogate him – or interview him, as Recovery Girl warned him – and Dazai was thinking tirelessly about what he would say to him.
Talking about what he remembered about the villains was out of the question – he didn't even have time to properly process what it was yet. He planned to ask Mori first. Although it was a relatively risky action, it was a risk he was willing to take in favor of completing the mission.
Furthermore, they would definitely ask him about how he defeated the Nomu, and the brunette was sure that the other students had already talked about how bloody it was. He will have to be honest, but play the role of a traumatized person – nothing too difficult, actually.
He just hopes the detective is stupid enough to fall for this act.
Speaking of the devil, the door slowly opens, giving space to his teacher and a man in a beige coat, who he assumed was the detective.
"Excuse me…" The man began with a professional tone. "I'm here to interview Dazai Osamu about the events at USJ."
Recovery Girl, who was sitting in front of a table fiddling with some papers, just nodded. "Come in, come in."
The men quickly took up spots in front of Dazai, who only yawned briefly, already tired of everything.
"Hello. My name is Naomasa Tsukauchi and I am the detective in charge of this case. My quirk is Lie Detection, but I suppose that doesn't work on you, so I'm going to need you to be as honest as possible, okay?"
"Okay, captain!" Dazai joked, smiling even more at the exasperated look he got from his teacher and the confused look he got from the detective.
No Longer Human saving lives! – he didn't plan on being one hundred percent honest.
The questions soon began and, at first, they were general questions, asking, for example, for him to recount the events from his point of view. Nothing too difficult.
However, it didn't stay that way for long.
"Aizawa-san mentioned that Shigaraki seems to know you from some time in the past. Can you clarify this for me?" The detective asked with a notepad in hand, ready to write down any important information.
Dazai shrugged, forcing his heartbeat and body language to match that of someone who was calm. "That guy is crazy. He continued to insist that he knew me, but I had never seen him in my life. Maybe he confused me with someone, my appearance isn't that recognizable."
Judging by the nod he got from Naomasa, the brunette did a good job with his little lie.
"Now to cover the parts where Aizawa wasn't there, but other students were and have already given their versions." The man turned the page. "Midoriya-kun mentioned that you were the one who came up with the plan to take down the Nomu, in addition to carrying out the most… horrible parts. Correct?"
Dazai didn't even need to force the grimace that appeared on his face – that was truly disgusting. However, judging by the pitying looks the adults in the room gave him, they interpreted it as some kind of lingering trauma. Excellent.
"Correct. Do you need me to explain the plan I had in more detail?"
"It won't be necessary, your colleagues have already done that. It was smart, but very reckless. You should trust more the heroes who are in charge of your safety." The detective added the last part with a reprimanding tone.
The brunette resisted the urge to scoff out loud. The day he trusts heroes more than himself will be the day he dies.
Instead of responding, he decided to remain silent, which encouraged Naomasa to continue.
"Your colleagues mentioned that Shigaraki went into hysterics after that and attacked you and said some things that they couldn't hear before you passed out. Can you tell me something about this?"
"Actually, I don't remember very well." Dazai lied. He vividly remembered being called by his old name. "My mind was already foggy at that point, I think the adrenaline had run out. I just passed out."
The detective nodded, writing something down, before looking at the boy. "Anything in particular you want to add?"
The brunette pretended to think for a moment, before smiling. "No, sir!"
"So, the interview ends here." Naomasa announced, before heading towards the door. "See you later, Aizawa-san, Chiyo-san, Dazai-kun. Call me if you have any more information related to this case."
As soon as the man left, Dazai let himself fall back onto the bed with a sigh of relief, although he was careful with his pulse.
Aizawa approached him with a barely concealed smile. "You did well, problem child. It's good to see that the pressure hasn't affected you too much."
"Pff, pressure?" Dazai gave a playful smile. "It was like I was on the moon!" He ended with a laugh.
The professor and the doctor gave him a blank look.
"Do you understand? Because the moon's pressure is almost non-existent…"
Recovery Girl went back to what she was doing. "Go rest, kid. I'll let you go in a few moments."
"At least pretend to laugh…"
Notes:
The ENEM passed and high school is over! (Imagine the image of that man celebrating and breaking the chains)
Unfortunately, I think I did a little poorly on the test and I doubt I'll get enough marks to go to the college I want and that made me a little depressed, so I apologize if the chapter seems a little rushed.
Another thing! I wanted to do another bnha crossover, but this time with one piece! It would be something shorter and without much planning. Let me know if anyone is interested in reading something like this!!
Now, about the fic!
I just wanted to say that passing out from a panic attack is one of the worst feelings I've ever felt in my life and I only learned to calm down after it happened a lot. That being said, I thought, “why not make my favorite character go through the same thing as me?” :)
About Dazai's height: I saw an image circulating on Twitter a few months ago that said that he, at 15 years old, was about 155cm tall and I took that to be true, so that's his height in this fic!
Who do you think will be Dazai's nanny? :)
Thank you for reading this chapter!! <3
Chapter 9: 9
Summary:
Dazai searches for information about Shigaraki, ends up talking to a certain person and ends up adopting a cat.
Notes:
It's been a while!!
There are some explanations in the end notes, in case anyone wants to read them! (I'll be talking about the updates too)
A small canon divergence:
Shigaraki started his search for new members early, this time before the sports festival.
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Dazai sighed deeply, sinking into the sheets and banklets of the bed he was lying on in the middle of the dark room. He curled up even more, looking like a cocoon, as he felt intense pain course through his body.
He knows that he should have bought the painkillers – it wasn't like they were black-label medicines or that they retained the prescription, the paper was just for him to remember the name of the medicine and the milligrams he should buy –, however, he gave up of going to buy them every time he got out of bed – and it had been almost four days!
The brunette kind of regretted his decision at that moment. Bruise ointment and compresses could only help to a certain extent.
He should really go buy some painkiller.
However, that wasn't the only thing on his mind.
Dazai had spent the last three nights without sleep, his brain working constantly as he processed everything that happened with Shigaraki. He tried to force himself to remember more details than he had remembered before, but it was all completely hazy.
As if his brain refused to remember.
Who was that man? It was the question that waltzed through his mind tirelessly, but he came up with no satisfactory answer.
Who had died? It was another question that remained unanswered, as he could not remember the face of the person who was trapped in his memories. There was only a vague feeling of familiarity when thinking about them.
Where did my mother go?
The brunette always came back to that question from time to time.
Before, he didn't remember her – in fact, he still doesn't. He didn't remember her existence. For all he knew, he could have been abandoned by her when he was very young, a baby, because that's what Mori told him. And the boy never questioned him, because he doesn't remember much of his childhood, just taking what his boss said as the absolute truth.
But now, with those memories coming back, he can solve the unsolved puzzle that is his past.
And he doesn't know why this scares him.
Dazai needs to find Shigaraki. He needs more information. And he needs to do it while he's alone, because in a few days he'll go to Yokohama and come back with someone to watch him.
With that in mind, he slowly gets up from the nest of blankets he had made on his bed, careful not to worsen the pain he was already feeling, and began to change his clothes, putting on a dark gray sweatshirt and black pants, accompanied by a black mask. Not long after, he decided to remove the bandages from his eye, ignoring the uncomfortable feeling that rose in his chest as he did so – it was better to feel discomfort for a while than to be recognized and end up screwing up the mission.
What better place to get information than bars in questionable areas of the city?
Dazai entered another bar – this time in a more dangerous area – after passing through three other bars and not finding anything useful. The moon was already high in the sky, the mild spring breeze kissing his curls and entering the bar when he opened the door.
This one had been harder to find, it was a small entrance that could be found through a narrow alley and there seemed to be some kind of protection on the door – although he managed to get through it easily, thanks to No Longer Human. However, despite the small entrance, the interior was certainly spacious.
On the wall opposite the door he was standing at, there was a counter and several shelves with drinks, which were being prepared by an elderly-looking barista. There were tables scattered around the space and loud music playing, some fights and shouting going on here and there – all being ignored by the barista. There was no security of any kind – which was strange, bar owners tend to care if a customer breaks one of their chairs.
A heavy feeling settled in his chest as he entered the bar, like a danger signal hammering intensely in his skull. However, he just ignored the sensation and continued.
After finishing analyzing the environment, he looked around, cataloging the appearance of everyone there. There were people of all shapes and styles: a person with lizard skin, a guy with hair made of needles and covered in piercings, teenagers with colorful hair, people with tired appearances and others with colorful skin. The only thing they all had in common, apparently, was that they gave him dirty looks when he entered.
Maybe they are all frequent visitors to that bar who weren't used to seeing new people. It made sense, since, after a moment of research – done before entering, of course –, he discovered that it was a very underground bar frequented mainly by villains and vigilantes and was, technically, a neutral place.
A gunshot rang out next to him as a small scuffle broke out at a nearby table. He continued walking to get away from the epicenter of the fight.
It seemed to be neutral in the literal sense of the word, as the barista still made no move to stop the fight, serving drinks calmly, like someone who sees the same thing happening every day.
Leaving that aside, Dazai finally made it to the counter and sat down on one of the empty stools and picked up the menu, pretending to take a look at it while listening to the surroundings, trying to glean something useful from some conversation while waiting for the barista – who was busy making a drink – come closer.
"Takahashi-san died yesterday! The police…"
It's not his problem.
"Did you know that Naomi-chan killed herself? She was betrayed by her husband and…"
Good for her, but he doesn't want to know more details.
"Daiki-kun joined the yakuza…"
Poor guy. Dazai would send his condolences to the man and his family if he was a little more empathetic.
"You know that guy who was being hired to attack a school?" A man with silver hair started, talking to a guy with a strange black and white mask and kind of fancy clothes, attracting Dazai's attention.
Now, this is promising.
"So, he was looking for more people and I think you…"
"Goodnight. Would you like some drinks?" The barista asked politely, diverting his attention from the conversation. The brunette mentally cursed, but turned part of his attention to the barista.
"Good night, sir!!" The dark-haired man responded with some enthusiasm, ignoring the slightly shocked look that the elderly man gave him back, he was probably not used to this level of animation in that place. "Is there a bleach cocktail here?"
The barista raised an eyebrow, looking slightly worried. "I'm afraid not, young man. We have these options that are listed on the menu."
"You're strangely polite for a place like this." Dazai echoed lightly, before looking at the notebook in his hands. "I'll have a regular whiskey." He decided.
"Hm... I'm sorry, but we're out of whiskey for today." The man gave him an apologetic smile.
Dazai's jaw almost dropped, but he held himself back. What kind of bar doesn't have whiskey!? But seeing how busy the bar was and the time of night, he figures it makes sense that it's over.
That doesn't stop him from feeling irritated about it.
"Well, then what do you recommend?" He asked, keeping his tone light despite his annoyance. He felt uneasy, realizing that the men he was watching seemed to be saying goodbye.
"For you, I would recommend a ‘Sex on the Beach’ with a little less vodka. It's made with vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice and cranberry juice."
Dazai had never heard of this drink before and the idea of trying it seemed a little tempting, but he really needed to follow one of those men. He should probably follow the man with the mask, as it seemed to be the other man's suggestion that he go look for this “hire”.
He was about to deny it and get up to leave, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder, keeping him in place.
"He'll want that one." A somewhat hoarse voice came from behind him, clearly belonging to a man. The man behind the counter nodded, walking away from the two.
The brunette stopped himself from freezing and forced himself to remain calm, looking back. The one who greeted him was a tall, muscular man, his eyes and neck were covered by red bandanas and he had no nose, in addition to being wearing combative clothing and in possession of a myriad of bladed weapons of various sizes.
It was Stain, the hero killer.
The man was not yet very famous, remaining more underground. Dazai himself didn't know about him before looking deeper into darker parts of the internet, which was something. However, the boy knew that the man didn't plan on staying like this for long, even though he had been active for a few years.
Now why the hell did this guy approach him of all people!? He doesn't even have anything special about his appearance, for God's sake!
Well, at least he hopes it's an interesting conversation and adds knowledge. Or a quick death. Maybe he prefers the second option.
Oblivious to his inner turmoil, the hero killer sat next to him on the vacant bench, huffing. "You're not as subtle as you think you are." He started.
Dazai swallowed hard, but maintained his composure. "Oh? And what am I doing that isn't subtle?" He replied. "I don't know what I could have done to get your attention."
"You're new here, and you're very young. That's enough." The man replied calmly. "And I know well how information gathering works and this was the worst possible place you could choose for it. And I know you were going to follow one of those two there. They're dangerous, you know? Everyone here is."
"And how can you prove it?" Dazai asked simply, placing his face in one of his hands.
He knew this bar was problem, but he didn't expect the hole to be this deep. Protection with quirk should have been an indication, but no, he decided to just ignore it.
"I'm not talking to you because I want to prove something." The serial killer spoke, confusing him even more. "I'm talking to you because you look young and I hope you know that you won't achieve anything by joining that son of a bitch." Stain finished, a hint of resentment in his voice.
Dazai stared at him in silence for a while, before letting out a loud laugh, attracting some looks. "I? Join that guy? You got it all wrong!" He continued laughing.
It seems the man had something against Shigaraki. Maybe he can use this to his advantage.
Stain looked like he was about to say something, but suddenly a drink was placed in front of him and the brunette took it, ignoring the stab of pain he felt in his sprained wrist. He glanced at the man as he debated whether he should lower his mask to drink his drink.
"Go ahead. Nobody cares and nobody reports anything either. It's the bar rule."
The brunette let out a sigh, now understanding what the man meant by being the worst place to look for information. If he hadn't overheard any useful conversation while waiting for the barista, he would have gone around asking – or rather, pestering and threatening people until they told him. It's a good thing that didn't happen, maybe he avoided a black eye or two.
Being brutally murdered was not one of the ways of dying he planned to try.
Giving the man one more look, he slowly lowered his mask and placed the straw in his mouth, taking a sip of the drink. The bittersweet sensation in his mouth and the burn that went down his throat cheered him up and he soon took another sip.
‘I missed alcohol.’ – He thought, before pushing the drink away a little.
"I knew you were young, but I wasn't expecting a literal child." The man spoke in a monotonous tone.
Dazai decided to ignore what he said. It was a good thing Stain thought he was a kid, he still has some sort of morals in his head. "Leaving that aside, what you told me makes me think you met the guy I'm looking for. Do you happen to know where Shig…" Before he could continue, a hand covered his mouth.
"Don't say his name here, especially when you're not his ally." Stain spoke in a firm tone and continued to explain when he saw her confused look. "The bar owner is his boss, so to speak."
The boy blinked. "And who would this bar owner be?"
"In the underground, everyone calls him the bogeyman. They have many bars like this, but I suggest avoiding them, as you should have avoided this one."
Boogeyman. It echoed in his brain.
Could this be the same bogeyman from his memories?
Is this how he knew Shigaraki when they were younger?
Interesting.
"And where can I find him?" Dazai asked.
Stain stared at him blankly. "Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell you. Isn't it past your bedtime?"
The brunette frowned, without answering the serial killer. Even if the man didn't want to, he still accidentally passed on information. The boogeyman ran bars, perhaps the blue-haired man's lair was in one, since the “boss” could protect them with an quirk.
But he had that guy who could teleport, so he could be anywhere in Japan.
Well, back to square one.
"I assume you won't give me any more information? I'm already surprised that you told me as much as you did, I thought the rule was not to tell." Dazai replied after the moment of silence, taking more sips of his drink.
"If you want to survive in the underground here, these are things you need to know. I wouldn't count that as snitching." The man spoke simply.
Dazai didn't expect that a killer like this guy would give so much morals to a, as he says, "child". Maybe there's something in the brunette's features that inspires empathy, because it wasn't the first time an adult had spoken to him like that willingly.
However, he kind of expected this treatment from his teachers, and not from a literal serial killer.
The brunette gave a small smile before deciding to test his limits. He might not come back alive that night, but it was worth it to satisfy his curiosity.
Silence reigned for a moment, before the brunette looked at Stain. "I have a question for you if you don't mind, Mr. Hero Killer." He asked, keeping the smile.
The man gave him a sharp look. "Curiosity killed the cat."
Dazai returned the look with a narrow smile. "Satisfaction brought it back."
Stain held his gaze for a while longer, seeming to be trying to read him, before sighing. "Go ahead, brat."
"Could you explain your ideology to me?"
The man turned fully towards him with slightly wide eyes, clearly in shock. The brunette imagines that this was the last question the man expected.
Stain's eyes took on a bitter tone as he turned to look ahead, balling his hands into fists. "I want to get rid of the false heroes. Disgusting human beings who go into heroism just for money and fame, only to be recognized and loved as celebrities despite their selfishness, while the people they are supposed to help are killed and trampled on. They are the root of society's problems and therefore must be uprooted." He finished his speech, his voice full of hatred.
Dazai gave a light hum, finishing his drink, before smiling at the man. "Personally, I find your ideology somewhat flawed."
The temperature of the room seemed to drop significantly as the serial killer turned to face him, while a few people around him gave him incredulous looks.
The brunette knew he was testing his luck by talking to a serial killer like that – but who is he kidding! He's a killer too! A killer who can perform miracles – or massacres – with a glass in his hands.
"Oh... and what do you think is wrong?" The man's voice took on a dangerous tone, but Dazai didn't let himself be intimidated.
"Well, it starts with the fact that heroism, like it or not, is a profession like any other. Heroes need money to somehow survive and, for them to make money, they need to help people and, in general, do their job. As long as the work is getting done, who cares it's about the money? Look how many become doctors just for the financial return!" He paused. "The root of society's problems are not the heroes themselves, but the system in which we are inserted, which forces us to seek profit in any way possible so that we can survive."
He could see the faces becoming more and more perplexed as he spoke, while Stain held the counter with an iron grip – it looked like it would break at any moment under his hand. Despite this, he was frozen, appearing to be thoughtful.
And that's his cue to leave.
"Ah, look at the time! I really should be going home." He exclaimed happily, already pulling his mask up and jumping from his seat, walking quickly. "Bye guys, see you never again, I guess!"
Fortunately, no one stopped him or got in his way, so he was able to quickly get to the door and leave, without letting go of the glass once.
He didn't pay for his drink.
Dazai sighed deeply after throwing the glass in a random trash can since it was already in a busier location despite it being around three in the morning.
He began to walk towards the apartment he resided in slowly, feeling laughter bubbling in his throat, threatening to come out.
The brunette remembers before, when Kouyou still didn't hate him, long before he officially joined the Port Mafia.
Sometimes Mori isolated him in his small room with nothing but a chessboard and medical books too complex for his age to pass the time, so he played chess alone and read the books, often without quite understanding what they meant.
However, Kouyou, from time to time, would appear to keep company – and she would bring several different things.
Sometimes she would bring games, which they would spend hours playing and laughing quietly. Other times, she would bring makeup and let Dazai do her makeup and then correct him, showing him how to do it correctly. According to the woman, it could be useful for him to learn how to apply makeup, as he might need it for some mission.
(And she wasn't wrong. It was very useful for infiltration missions.)
However, Dazai's favorite was books.
Kouyou brought all kinds of books for him to read at that time. Novels – appropriate for his age –, science fiction, academics, suspense books, action books and some others.
It was at that time that the brunette began to question things. It was what sharpened his critical sense and, worst of all, what made him start to challenge Mori.
And that was exactly what Mori didn't want to happen.
When the boss found out, he made sure to separate them and confiscate all his books.
At the time, the boy had been destroyed – it was one of the first times he tried to kill himself while in Mori's care – but time passed and nothing changed.
He took great advantage of contradicting Stain's vision, remembering times that never come back, but the laughter died in his throat when he remembered the way Kouyou looked at him when he became the Demon Prodigy.
Before, he had some kind of hope that someday they would be close again. But this little fact took away all his hopes.
He will never forget the look in her eyes.
His stomach growls, breaking him out of his thoughts, and that's when he remembers that he hasn't eaten anything properly in at least two days – it's not his fault that he's lost himself in thought and forgotten that he needs food to survive.
Dazai looks around, looking for a convenience store that is open twenty-four hours a day and quickly finds one on the corner of the other street. Without wasting time, he starts heading towards it.
It doesn't take long to arrive at the location. Upon entering, he is quick to buy a simple bread covered in powdered milk and sugar – it's not entirely to his liking, but it's one of the cheapest foods it has. At least it will be enough to satisfy his hunger.
He leaves the store quickly and heads back to his house with the bread in hand, taking a few bites.
At some point along his path, a meow draws his attention to a dark, uninhabited – or, well, almost uninhabited – alley.
As soon as he looked in the direction of the noise, he saw a very furry white cat – although its color was barely noticeable due to the dirt on its fur – that was on top of a garbage dumpster, staring deeply at him with two large heterochromatic eyes, one one being blue and the other amber – although both were somewhat opaque. The cat seemed to be analyzing his soul.
"What do you want?" Dazai spoke to the cat, who just tilted his head in response. He looked at his bread and the cat again. "I won't give you my bread!" He exclaimed, which was answered by the cat sticking out his tongue.
Maybe he was a little crazy to be arguing with a cat in the street at three in the morning.
Well, there was no one around to judge him anyway.
Suddenly, the cat jumped from its post and headed towards him, sniffing him before circling its legs and trying to climb up.
"Nuh uh!" Dazai spoke hurriedly, before picking up the cat with one hand – letting out a small groan when disturbing the wrist – and placing it back in the bucket, ignoring the small, angry meows that the creature let out. "You will stay here."
The cat just stared at him.
The brunette stared back.
They locked eyes for a while, before Dazai sighed. "Alright, alright, you win." He said, ignoring the cat's strangely victorious meow, before taking a small piece of bread and throwing it into the container – which fortunately was closed.
However, the cat began to circle the area, seeming not to be finding the piece, as it was right there next to it.
"Dumb cat." Dazai murmured, before approaching him, taking the piece in his hand and stretching it in front of the animal, which devoured the piece happily. He quickly realized that the cat might have vision problems, judging by the opacity of its pupils.
Once the cat finished, Dazai turned around and continued to walk and eat his bread. He should probably be worried about the germs this stray cat might have, but he couldn't care less.
A rustling sound came from behind him and he turned around, seeing that the same cat from before was following him.
The brunette frowned. "I won't give you any more." He stated, but the cat remained looking stupidly at him. With that, he just huffed and went on his way, although he could hear meows coming from behind him the whole time.
He continued walking without looking back, hoping the cat would get tired of him and disappear, but that wasn't what happened.
When he arrived at his building, he had already finished eating the bread and looked back when he heard another meow.
Dazai stared at the determined animal for a while, before sighing. "You really don't give up, do you?" He said in a tired tone, which was answered by a happy meow.
Without further ado, he picked up the animal – which settled happily in his arms, purring – and started to go to his apartment, arriving quickly, entering and locking the door.
The brunette looked at the cat in his arms. “Are you touch-starved or something?” He muttered in annoyance. "I thought you'd be more skittish because you're, you know, a stray cat."
As soon as he said that, the cat moved and he spotted something on its neck. It was a light blue collar, although it was a little dirty and broken, it seemed to have gotten tangled in the fur.
He wonders how he hadn't noticed this before. Maybe the alcohol and sleepless nights are getting to him.
Does that mean he just kidnapped a cat? Well, there's a first time for everything, he supposes. Or…
"Could it be that you were abandoned…?" Dazai pondered, looking at the cat, which meowed.
Was that a yes?
Or maybe he's finally lost his mind.
"Why the hell am I talking to a cat as if he…"
His train of thought is interrupted by a slap to the cheek, coming from the animal in his lap.
The brunette quickly pushes him away with furrowed eyebrows. "Damn cat." He muttered as he placed him on the floor. "Do you understand me or something?"
The cat tilted its head, staring at him stupidly.
"Of course not." He sighed, before facing the animal again. "You need a name…" He began, with a hand on his chin, before smiling. "I know! It will be Duke Bastard IV! Or Bast, for those more intimate. And I need to introduce you to Chuuya!"
The cat looked at him with an unimpressed look, before sitting at his feet.
"Hmm, I'm going to have to withdraw Mori's money to buy things for you, it's not good for him to know about your existence..." Dazai spoke to himself, before looking at the cat.
"Do you eat canned crab?"
Notes:
I didn't really like this chapter, I felt it was a little too “artificial”, I feel like I wasn't able to write my idea well, but that's what I managed to do.
Stain is probably OOC because I don't remember ANYTHING about this guy, I don't remember any scene where he appears and Wiki didn't help me much. That said, I trusted almost 100% in my friend who still really likes bnha to do this chapter (and I'll do the same to do the next ones).
I hope these differences don't bother you too much!! Sorry about that :(
Anyway, here are the explanations I mentioned at the beginning:
A lot of things has happened. I went to the hospital, graduated, fought with my family, I'm getting ready to move to another city in a few months.
And the most serious of them all: I momentarily left the bsd fandom.
Lately, the story of the bsd manga has become a bit boring and repetitive for me, with the constant deathbaits and snail progression – not to mention the lack of Dazai's appearance, which is what brought me and kept me in the fandom. Because of this, I've been consuming less and less content and I'm having less motivation to write this fic.
However, I do not intend to break my promise! Dazai is still a huge hyperfixation of mine and I don't plan on abandoning him anytime soon, and the same goes for this story. I love it with a passion and don't intend to stop writing it, but I can't exactly force the motivation.
That's why I wanted to warn you: I'm not abandoning the fic, but the updates will be very sporadic.
Thank you for reading and see you in the next chapter!! <3
Chapter 10: 10
Summary:
Dazai comes to some conclusions, goes to Yokohama and ends up finding two children.
Notes:
I had no intention of taking so long to make this chapter, but my life became a mess lol
But finally the chapter is here!
I recently found that Dazai's canonical nickname in the mafia is “Black Wraith” and I like this much more than “Demon Prodigy” and so I will change in this fic !!
(I will start to change after posting this chapter, it may still take a while)Tw!
Unhealthy habits (this counts as a tw?)
Mori (he himself is already a warning)
Violence
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
Dazai took a sip of the drink that was in the glass in his hands, the strong and bittersweet taste down his throat while tasting the heart attack inductor liquid and ended another round of research on the darker websites he could have access.
Only two days had passed since he found the infamous Hero Assassin, and since then he has been trying to find more information about the League of Villains and how they connect to his past.
However, there was nothing. Absolutely nothing.
It was as if they had never existed before.
He had tried to follow the recruitment line that the LOV was apparently doing, but only arrived in an empty alley, as the only mention was in a comment of a mercenary website, but it ended up leading nowhere.
Not only that, but also found almost no reliable information about the so-called bogeyman that haunted the underworld of crime. The guy was involved in urban legends and terrifying reports that crossed the decades – contradicting the childhood nickname that people gave him –, rumors of his evil hands and the damage they could do with just one touch, but nothing more than that. Some even claimed that he was a actual demon, coming straight from the depths of hell, released on earth to punish humans.
The only information he was able to connect between the bogeyman and the villain league was that the so-called 'demon' was the head of the organization. This was an easy deduction, considering that Shigaraki had a Sensei and it was necessary to be careful about what was said of him in certain bars that were commanded by the bogeyman, but it was just a hypothesis, despite everything.
He had tried to research more to try to prove his theory, but there was no other relevant information that would complete this intricate puzzle that fell into his hands.
The brunette is sure that at least half of these rumors were just this: rumors. However, he couldn't help but frown by noticing that some reports dated at least a century ago.
Perhaps a bogeyman is just a title that is passed on with every passing generation, just as it works on the mafia with bosses, but this line of reasoning seems simply wrong. All reports that don't seem clearly superstitious and exaggerated assembled almost the same image: a cruel man with hands that promised destruction.
Was it possible for several people from so many generations to carry the same legacy for so long?
He doesn't think this is possible.
Dazai thinks of what it is like on Port Mafia and easily remembers that the former boss was violent and impatient. Overall, relentless - bordering on recklessness - and died like an old senil who was lost in madness. And that was the fame he carried to his last breath, bathed in his own blood.
Unlike him, there was Mori.
A frown was present on the brunette's face when thinking of man.
Although he knew it was a lie, the current boss was a more pacifist image. His rational and manipulative nature causes many to confuse some of his actions as acts of mercy and lower their guard a little, when in fact they are insignificant pawns in the endless chess game that man never tires of playing.
Even so, both bosses had completely different reputations, and they were not even such distant generations. This made him hesitate to believe in his theory of different people taking office over the years.
Would it be possible for the bogeyman to be a single person?
Dazai felt a headache of forming and took another sip of his drink, before making a grimace and sighing, pushing away his glass that was still a little full. In it there was a blend of non-healthy coffee, soda and energetic drink that he had been drinking for some time.
He momentarily moving away from his current dilemma, he took the glass in his hands and went towards the kitchen – ignoring the ball of fur that followed him with incessant meows –, throwing the rest in the drain of the sink without even taking a second look, leaving the glass on the counter. He had made the mixture moved by the need not to sleep and, well, curiosity - maybe he even died if he took enough of it!
But unfortunately, it was practically impossible to drink this drink. The bitter taste of coffee didn't intertwined well with the excessively sweet taste of the energy and soda, making the drink have a disgusting and nauseating taste. Not to mention the fact that the peak of energy was too fast for your taste.
But at least it had done its job, which was keeping him awake as he continued his investigation -although it clearly didn't have a result.
Well, he would still have some time to find out more.
His current concern is that in a few hours he will go to Yokohama to report on his mission to Mori and then go back to Musutafu with someone to watch him, to his misfortune – he really didn't want to go. He briefly wonders who will be the poor guy, because he knows he would not give them peace for a moment.
Who does he want to deceive? He is almost sure he knows who he is! It would surely be…
"Meow!" An insistent sound came from his feet, interrupting his thoughts, while the disturbing creature began to climb his body.
Dazai sighed and took the animal in his arms, ignoring the slight pain in his wrist - it was much better than before, but not yet completely healed.
"What do you want?" The brunette asked in a bored tone, before he sighs deeply as he saw the cat staring at him stupidly with a little of his tongue out. "You already ate today..."
Despite what you can think, Dazai is a responsible owner. He read a few pages in the internet that taught about how to take care of a cat and bought everything he needed: a comfortable bed - although the little shit prefer to sleep along with him -, a sandbox, rations - of the highest quality! - and toys.
The mafioso would admit that he envied the life of this cat a little. He would give everything to have such an easy life – but, unfortunately, sometimes you can't have what you want.
He was sure that Mori would question the amount of money that was balcony of his card, but Dazai planned that he planned to have a part of physical cash in the case for any emergency arise and the card is blocked. It wasn't a very elaborate excuse, but the brunette saw no need to deepen it too much, after all, he was making sure none of the clothes he would take to Yokohama had fur. There would be nothing to Mori suspect.
At least, he hopes it.
Dazai was taken from his thoughts as he felt a furry head rubbing his chin and a purr coming from the cat in his arms. He moved the creature quickly – who screamed into protest – holding it in the air a few centimeters away.
"Stop dirtying my bandages with your fur, stupid cat!" He exclaimed with a frown before sighing and putting the feline on the floor, which promptly climbed the counter beside him, but was ignored.
He really needed to sleep at least a little, otherwise he would shoot his own head as soon as he reached Yokohama. Imagine, having to deal with Mori after spending a few days without sleep? What a nightmare that would be!
Dazai can only expect his boss not to hold him long, he kind of expected him to see Odasaku and Ango and perhaps Chuuya, after so long.
A meow followed by the shrill shattering glass sound came from his side, causing the brunette to jump a little. He turned his head slowly to look at the floor - where a very broken glass was - and then to the cat that stared at him with an innocent expression.
The brunette sighed deeply, containing the will to strangle the animal, before starting to join the pieces of glass with naked hands, ignoring the bite of some small cuts that appeared in his hands.
As if it were a cue, the evil creature that had taken over the apartment began to pat his head and have incessantly meowed, as if telling him to stop.
Dazai directed him an empty look. "That's your fault, you stupid cat." Despite what was said, his tone contained no bite.
He got up, finished gathering all the glass, and quickly threw it in the trash. He was aware that this was not how the correct disposal of broken glass was made, but well, who cares!
He really needed to sleep.
Without further ado, the brunette went towards the bathroom and quickly cleaned his wounds before heading to the room with the cat behind him.
The brunette threw himself into his bed, soon followed by the animal that did not leave his back. He looked at the cat on his feet and sighed.
"There's no way to take you with me." He said simply, and it was answered by a simple leaning of the cat's head. "It's just two days. You'll be fine, right?" As if it were a cue, the cat meowed. Dazai chose to interpret this as a yes.
The boy stretched his hand to caress the cat without realizing it, but quickly retreated as soon as he noticed what he was doing. He was softening and that was something that was not tolerated in the mafia.
He was about to lie down, but was interrupted by the creature by placing his head in one of his hands in search of affection. The brunette froze for a moment before walking away and lying down, ignoring the cat's outraged scream.
There would be a lot to do the next day.
Dazai rigidly walked through the cold and hostile corridors of the mafia, feeling like a lamb going straight to slaughter. With each step closer to Mori's office, more he felt like lead in his legs, making it difficult for him to walk.
He could feel eyes around looking at him, but he didn't pay attention to them at any time. None of them interested him.
The mafioso would not lie, it was kind of weird to be back after spending so much time away, but he knew he fit perfectly into the scenario, after all, it was to that place he belonged.
There's no place for him in the light - he remembers. The thought does not bother him far beyond the fact that it meant he was stuck to his boss.
He sighed, leaving his thoughts when he heard whispers echoing around him, questions about where the hell where he was floating in the air. A whisper questioning if he wasn't dead was heard and Dazai had to contain a laugh as he kept walking like a robot.
It seems that people had faith that he could kill himself successfully. Lovely. Perhaps he should really do this, just to meet the expectations of his mafia colleagues.
PFF- Who does he want to fool? Mori would not let him die anytime soon, to his misfortune. And this is even why he will no longer be alone until the end of this mission.
Damn it.
"Come in!" Speaking of the devil, came the voice of the man across the room as soon as Dazai knocked on the door.
Normally, the brunette wouldn't mind beating, but he really didn't want to piss off Mori that day. He still planned to see Odasaku and Ango and maybe Chuuya.
The mafioso opened the door and slowly entered the room, trying to ignore the fake big smile his boss showed. "I'm here to report everything that has happened so far."
"Oh, will you just arrive like this? Won't you greeted me before, even after all this time? I missed you." Mori said in a sad tone, though there was still a smile on his face.
Dazai felt his teeth ranging slightly due to the pressure his clenched mouth exerted, but he was quick to calm down. "Why would I want to greet you?" Answered with disdain.
"How cruel, Osamu-kun." The boss responded with a falsely light tone, before pointing to the couch beside him. "Come here, sit down." It was more a requirement than a request, so Dazai did what was told, though it was grudgingly.
He hated the way Mori seemed to eat him with his eyes, as if he was finally drinking a bottle of cold water after passing months in a burning and isolated desert. He hates being his focus. He hates being the favorite toy of the man. But above all, he hates himself for feeling something to be away from his boss for a long time.
It was a strange mix of feelings. There was the vile and devastating feeling of longing, because he was far from everything he knew and the outside world was so different and unknown that it confused him. He knew it was a wrong and distorted feeling, but he couldn't help but feel it.
However, what really worried him was another rotten and wrong feeling.
The hope that he never had to go back.
It was a passing and small, tiny enough sensation to be crushed without further ado, but it was still worrying that this feeling existed.
He forced himself to come back to reality when he felt a hand landing on his own, covering it. Dazai looked at Mori's hand over his and then to the man's face before he walked away, almost letting out a sigh of relief as the man allowed.
"You got a little lost there." The boss commented, looking amused before directing his eyes to his hair, running his eyes through his figure. "Your hair grew a little. Don't you want to cut?"
The brunette raised one of his hands to get a strand of his hair unconsciously, seeing that now he passed a little of his shoulders. He hadn't noticed that it had grown - had not paid much attention to it in recent weeks.
Maybe he should cut him, but something in himself pushed him to want to let him grow. He's not sure why he feels that, but would find out someday.
With that in mind, he looked at Mori's face looking for something, but finding only the calm and patient facade he normally displayed. If someone asked an external spectator, they would say that the mafia's boss looked like a loving father who is trying to have a routine conversation with his son.
They couldn't be more wrong - Dazai thinks with a touch of bitter.
"Perhaps." He decides to answer after a moment of silence. Mori stared at him with an eyebrow raised, as if he was waiting for him to elaborate, but the brunette remained stubbornly quiet after that.
The man sighed seeing the boy's resistance and suddenly got serious. "Well, let's go to what matters."
Dazai cleaned his throat, starting to quickly describe what had happened since he started attending school, although he didn't take long in the description of his colleagues and teachers.
The main subject was, of course, the USJ.
"An invasion…?" Mori pondered, keeping a finger on his chin before sending a small smile toward the boy. "What information did you extract from this?"
"The main invader is named Shigaraki Tomura, but he has a mentor. He calls him Sensei, but he is known in the underground as bogeyman and seems to dominate the area." Dazai paused, before focusing on his boss's face after noticing a spark of recognition glow in his expression. The brunette narrowed his eyes. "Do you know him?"
The man released a little laugh. "Let's say he's a... old acquaintance."
The boy bit his lip imperceptibly, wondering if he should ask Mori if he knew something from his past that could interconnect the league. He will do a small test.
"Shigaraki knew my ability." He started. "You don't have nothing to do with it, right?"
As soon as he focused on his boss's face, he expected to see some degree of amusement in his gaze, however, all that greeted him was shock and a hint of curiosity. It seemed that Mori really had no idea why his ability was known to the blue-haired man – which was strange in itself, since he is under Mori's guard since he remembers.
"You may have been careless." Mori said, his countenance acquiring a cooler tone that made the brunette shudder imperceptibly. "If that was the case, I fear we have more training to do."
"It's nothing like that, I'm sure I was careful." Dazai denied, maybe a little too fast. "I'm sure it has something to do with his sensei, but I can't decipher what exactly. But…" He crossed his arms. "They're the ones who wanted to invade Yokohama, right?"
Mori laughed. "It took a little longer than I thought." Despite his words, he applauded lightly, before intertwining his hands and frowning his forehead. "But if they already know your ability, there may be a traitor who is giving them information to them. Or…" He continued, staring at Dazai in his eyes. "Maybe it's something completely different. Is there something you're not telling me, Osamu-kun?" The man spoke with a sweet tone, though it contained a bit of danger.
The air seemed to involve him and grab his throat in an oppressive grip, but Dazai made a point of not showing any external reaction, despite his discomfort. "Of course." He lied easily.
His past was his and only his to unravel and he plans to keep it like this as long as possible.
The boss sustained the look for a few more moments before sighing. "Well, I'll do my own internal investigations into the mafia about it and hope you also investigate the villains when you return to Musutafu." He said, before smiling again. "And to deal with the heroes, I recommend that you keep playing the poor kid role, but I must point out, don't go too far. The pity is only useful to some point."
"Blah, blah, blah, Okay, ok, I get it." The brunette responded bored, resisting the desire to make a grimace by hearing the other man's fun laugh.
"Any more information you want to add?" Mori asked without further ado.
All Might's strangeness and his strange favoritism toward Midoriya briefly went through his mind and he pondered if something should be said about it. However, he knew that once he talked about the relationship between his classmate and the number one hero, the green-haired boy would be on Mori's radar - and, by extension, the mafia's - for the rest of his life.
And for some unknown reason, he caught himself thinking that he didn't want it to happen. It was a strange thought, almost outrageous to someone like him.
However, he had been in silence for a long time as Mori stared at him with expectation, so he just frowned at the man and spoke in a monotonous tone. "I have some theories, but I need to confirm them first."
The man in front of him stared at him stared at a few moments, as if analyzing his facial expressions to confirm what he said, but Dazai kept his face carefully blank - which took a little effort. He has always hated being placed under Mori's scrutiny, but there was nothing he could do about it while waiting for the man to be satisfied with whatever he can find in his body language.
"Very good." The boss looked down. "You are dismissed for now." He ended and it was as if a spell had broken.
The brunette turned and began to walk robotically out, each step weighing with a hidden feeling of relief, because he didn't have to deal with any of Mori's bullshit that day.
However, for his unhappiness, Mori interrupted him. "Come see me at night!" He said in a sweet tone. "Elise won a new dress and did not fit her, but I think it will be magnificent in you!"
Dazai felt his wrist accelerate, but controlled his breath. "Fuck you." He let go, hurrying to go out and ignoring the ugly laugh that followed him.
He walked through the corridors silent before he remembered something.
"Hey, you." The brunette called a random guy who passed him towards the boss's room with a group of people, they would probably report a mission. The man stopped quickly and stared at him with poorly hidden nervousness. "Get me a gun." He demanded, resisting the desire to laugh as the man struggled to bring one pistol.
Interacting with his subordinates always makes him want to kick his feet with joy. It was always endless entertainment!
After a few moments, the man approached a gun in perfect condition. "H-Hey, Dazai-san. It is an extra weapon that hasn't been used, so the chamber is still full." He said, extending the object to Dazai, who took it quickly.
He checked if the chamber was really full before nodding to the man. "It's just that. You can go." He said, following his way right after hiding the gun in his pocket.
A small smile loved his face. He felt much better and safer carrying a revolver, he really missed that. He doesn't think he will use it for something, but paranoia never hurts that much.
But… is it really only paranoia if everyone really wants you dead?
He kept walking and it didn't take long for him to be out of the mafia building, just so that he noted late that he had not asked his "nanny." Well, he may ask later - unfortunately. He already knows who it will be, after all.
At that moment, he will only vague for a while until its the usual time of his meeting with Odasaku and Ango. He expects both to appreciate his surprise presence! He can barely wait to see them.
However, the thought of looking for Chuuya to piss him off still dancing for his mind tirelessly. He hadn't imagined he would – ew – miss the other boy that much. No, missing him is a very strong expression to define what he felt. He missed annoying him to death, yeah!
Dazai shakes his head, getting rid of the thought. He would have time to disturb Chuuya the next day, he's sure.
A familiar convenience store entered his vision and a sudden desire for dark chocolate attacked him and, with that, he decided to enter the store. He had time - it was still a few hours before he had to go to the Bar Lupin.
He had his eyes through the options quickly before choosing one that was relatively more expensive - although it seemed that everything had been at least a little more expensive. However, it was still infinitely cheaper than the items in the city infested with heroes.
It wasn't long before the chocolate was paid and he stuffed him into a bag, planning to go to some quieter place to eat it, preferably, alone. He was planning to go back to his container, although he didn't really like the place.
As he walked out of the store, Dazai got to wondering if it really is a good plan simply to appear in the bar without sending any message. Not for any reaction they may have, but because neither may appear at the bar. He found it unlikely, but there was still a possibility.
Well, if they do not appear, it only means that he will have to pick them up wherever they are and take them to the bar himself.
Decided, he left the store with a small bag in hand and walked for a few moments towards his "home sweet home", however, deep barks coming towards him and made him shudder and freeze in place against his will.
Before he could do anything, he felt a four-legged and furry animal jumping on him, almost sending him into a spiral of panic. The only thing that contained his despair a little was the fact that the dog that was on him was a Golden Retriever and seemed excited.
However, his pulse accelerated again when the animal opened his mouth, his image being replaced by one of the Rottweilers who lived in the mafia dog kennels.
One hand pulled the dog back, taking it out of Dazai's lap.
"I'm reaaally sorry! He escaped from the guide and he's really hyperactive today…" A voice called, looking apologetic. "Is everything..."
The rest of their phrase was lost to the brunette when he turned and walked quickly without a destination in mind, holding the bag with a steel grip. All he wanted was to run and forget it and maybe eat his chocolate, but he doubts he would have a stomach for that at that moment.
Then he did what he knew best: disappear among those streets, despite his blurred vision.
He's not sure how long he was walking and also not sure where he went. When Dazai goes back to himself, feeling clear enough in his mind, he realizes that he is standing at the entrance of a forest.
The brunette sighs deeply, making sure that between as much oxygen as possible in his lungs, finally feeling stable. He looks around once again and lets out another sigh, this time of annoyance.
This city is unnecessarily large, dogs are stupid and Mori is a scoundrel. And now he is far from his container.
Dazai turns around, about to get out of the forest edge and intending to go straight to the Bar Lupin, but the sound of shouts coming from inside the forest catches his eye. He lifts an eyebrow and decides to enter the forest, going straight to the source of the screams.
Perhaps an attempted murder is happening and he's going straight to the eye of the storm - maybe he will become a victim too if he keeps going.
But judging by the screams that don't stop, the brunette doubts that the alleged killer is being very merciful… He will just get close enough to get a glimpse of what is happening and will not make his presence known.
The screams were progressively higher as he approached, a sign that he was getting closer to the center of the confusion. However, all the noises suddenly stopped, leaving the forest wrapped in a deafening silence - and as if the scenario were not dark enough, the sky was already darkening.
Fortunately, he didn't have to walk much and soon found a clearing with some points in it.
Dazai was quick to hide behind a tree to analyze the scene that performed in front of him before widening his eyes.
Two children - not much younger than himself - were standing in the clearing, apparently a boy and a girl. The first one had black hair with white ends with a bangs that covered his eyes and the second had long black hair, although it had no bangs that could cover her scared eyes. Both were in lame clothes - which shouted poverty - and covered in blood. The girl was behind who the brunette assumed to be her older brother while a respectable amount of bodies surrounded them while there were still some adult men standing. Their clothes seemed suspiciously with the suits that the members of the Porto Mafia wore.
However, what shocked him was the boy: he was holding an adult man in the air, who had his stomach crossed by something that looked like a sharp black blade that shine in red, although it appeared to be connected to his clothes.
There was no mistake. This was an ability.
The first thought that arose in his mind was: he would be useful for the mafia.
The second was: I don't want to submit him to it.
The thought caught him off guard and he briefly wondered what was wrong with himself. However, seeing that one of the men had sneaking behind the children and seemed about to shoot the girl's head, Dazai crushed his intrusive thoughts and pulled his gun – leaving the bag on the floor – pointing it straight to the head of man and approached a little before shooting.
The shot was perfect. – He thought with a hint of pride as the man crumbly.
The two children turned to the man who lay behind them with a frightened sigh and approached, before looking toward him.
They were distracted and it seemed that another man – the last one alive, apparently – was about to attack them, but Dazai was quick to finish him with another perfect shot, which ended up scaring the children once again.
The brunette slowly left his hiding place and entered the clearing with his gun still in his hands, making himself completely seen.
"So, what happened here?" Dazai asked calmly, keeping a smile that he expected to be friendly on his face.
The boy threw the body he held aside without any care and pointed the pointed ability to him, making a sound like a growl.
The brunette raised his hands as a sign of peace. "Calm down! Have you been created by wolves?" He tried to joke.
Apparently the joke wasn't welcome, as the boy quickly attacked him, sending the blade toward him. Dazai remained quiet, waiting until the ability reached him and was immediately canceled.
Seeing that his attack failed, the boy paled, seemed alarmed and ready to run, but remained firmly rooted in place. He looked up and made eye contact, as if challenging him.
Dazai was going to make some playful comment, but the words were lost in his mouth as he looked at his eyes on the boy, his smiling falling briefly.
He saw… himself.
This child's gaze was frighteningly similar to his empty, lifeless gaze. And for some reason of reason, it disturbed him.
Was that how people felt when they looked at him?
"Why did you help us?" The boy spoke in a low and a half voice, as if he speaks made his throat hurt. He let out a small cough soon after, being hugged by the girl when he seemed ready to fall.
"It would really be a pity if golden eggs like you were broken." He decided to answer, smiling again. "I would like to..." He paused. "Train you. By anything you want, of course." He said.
Dazai planned to invite them to join the Port Mafia and he's not sure what prevented him from doing just that. However, he felt that it was enough for now.
"What do you earn from it?" The girl asked shyly, although she seemed skeptical.
The brunette pretended to think, before smiling. "Subordinates! So?"
The boy directed his gaze. "Anything really?"
"Yeah." Dazai said, before she subtly pointed to the worn clothes they both wore. "Maybe even you never have to worry about poverty." He indicated subtly.
They still looked a little skeptical with the idea, but judging by the spark of hope that lit in their eyes, his indication seemed to have hooked them.
The brunette kept his gun in his pocket and reached out his hand. "So, what do you think?"
The boy stared at his hand for a moment, before squeezing him with his own. "…Alright." He spoke after a moment of silence. "But if you try anything, I'll kill you."
Dazai returned with a sharp smile. "I expected nothing less." He whispered before he walked away and smiling widely. "Good! I am Dazai Osamu and now I am your new superior! And you?" He asked, starting to leave the clearing and being followed by the other two.
"Akutagawa Ryuunosuke. She's Akutagawa Gin." He replied, to which Dazai hummed in response, without worrying about asking the ages. He would eventually find out.
Suddenly Dazai remembered his plans to see Odasaku and Ango and cursed softly, seeing that the moon was already in the sky.
An idea formed in his mind.
He wanted to leave the both kids he just welcomed away from Mori for as much time as possible, but he knew that the man would soon discover them. Until then, however, he needs to find a place for them to stay - it just didn't fit three people on his container.
The answer to this dilemma came in the form of Odasaku! And he even had the perfect excuse for when Mori eventually found them.
There goes the surprise visit. – He thought as he drew his cell phone and sent a quick message to the group chat he had with Odasaku and Ango. He would need the first help of the first one, but he really wanted to see both before returning to Musutafu.
It wasn't long before his friend would answer him and he soon began to go to a subway station to take him as close as possible to Odasaku's house.
Along the way, Ryuunosuke seemed to swing slightly before finally falling forward as he almost coughed his lungs out, being easily caught by Dazai.
"Kid?"
"I'm sorry, Dazai-san .." Gin started, playing with his fingers. "Ryu's sick and he gets tired very easy..."
The brunette stared at her for a moment, before sighing and picking up the boy on his back. Although Ryuunosuke wasn't too heavy, the extra weight still made him shudder a little. He wasn't used to carrying people like that.
"Let's go, just a little more." He said.
"I'm sorry, Dazai-san." The boy murmured on his shoulder, looking exhausted.
The brunette did not recognize him with nothing more than a grunt, before turning to Gin. "You're fine, right?" He asked.
The girl nodded. "I only have a few scratches" She said.
"Okay then, let's go." He said, starting to walk one more time. However, he stopped once more, remembering something.
"Gin-chan." He called, making the girl stop too.
"Yes?"
"When we get there, I want you to start pretending to be a boy, just until you are eighteen, at least." He spoke.
The girl looked shocked. "Why?"
Dazai squeezed his lips in a thin line, trying to decide what he would say.
The real reason was Mori. Being a boy would not nullify man's interest, but would definitely make it smaller. Dazai assumes that he himself simply was unlucky and he expects that the girl don't have to go through the same as him.
(He doesn't understand why he was protecting them. He got really soft?)
But he couldn't say that to her. Not yet, when she seems to be about ten years old.
"Yeah ... by precaution. You don't have to pretend at home or when you're older if you don't want to." He decided to say, continuing to walk.
The girl stayed behind for a moment, as if she was thinking, before running to reach him. "Okay..." she replied before putting her hand on his, which almost made him freeze.
These children were clearly not educated about the stranger danger, but he supposes that he shouldn't expect it from them. Only he and he himself knows how easy it would be to withdraw his gun and kill both of them without hesitation, but he is aware that he shouldn't do that.
He tries to resist the temptation to pull his hand from the girl's hand and move away from her, but something compels him to do nothing and just continue.
Against his will, he squeezes the girl's hand and walks a little faster, although he could almost feel that the exacerbated contact burned on his skin.
The scene looked terribly sweet, too sweet to him.
Suddenly, he remembered that Mori had asked him to go to his night office and cursed softly, taking his phone with his free hand to check out the time.
19h:44min - The clock showed.
Dazai sighed. Mori hadn't said exactly at what time he wanted him in his office, but he doubts that the man would care a lot if he appeared 10 pm or 1 am, as long as he really appeared.
He would rather die than go, but unfortunately this was not an option. With that in mind, he continued to walk in a relatively accelerated step with the two children around him.
The forgotten chocolate in the forest was the last thing in his mind at that moment.
Notes:
Omfg translating this was literally hell
I usually put the text in a translator and correct everything manually (so I don't need to rewrite everything but in english), but the app I use was updated and now the translation to English is really messy and it took me almost four hours to finish editing this.Honestly, I wrote and corrected this chapter while being really tired, so it may have a lot of mistakes. Please let me know if you find any! (And I still have to correct the others chapters, but I'm not doing it today lol)
-
I feel that I should say this here just to cleanse my conscience:
Do *not* mix soda, coffee and energy drink. I put it on the story because it was something I did (and with the additional alcohol) and thought it fit into Dazai's character, but I'm 100% aware that it could have killed me, so do not do it, preserve your health!Changing the subject: Akutagawa and Gin made an appearance!
As you might have already noticed, I threw Canon in the trash. From this point, it's basically a great canon divergence, both BSD and BNHA (even if I no longer followed the canon to begin with)
In short: everything will happen the way I want it to happen :)
I want the akutagawa siblings to be treated well and so they will be !!
From my perspective, I think it made sense that Dazai acted like this, since he was not only exposed to kindness earlier (he met Odasaku early), but also lived with many people of his age and teachers who show concern for him! Anyway, I can't explain it properly, but I thought it made sense.
Anyway, forgive me for the big final notes and see you next chapter!
Chapter 11: 11
Summary:
Dazai talk to Odasaku and Ango. And finally goes back to Musutafu!
Notes:
I think this is the last filler chapter before continuing with the BNHA timeline!
Note: I researched about the owner of the curry store that takes care of the children Odasaku adopted, but it seems that he has no canonical name, but he is called 'Pops' by Oda and the children. From their point of view, I will call him like this, but maybe I'll make up a name for him if I need it.
This reminds me: do you see the tag 'not canon compliant'? Yeah. Odasaku and Dazai met early, so everything happened/will happen early too!
Tw!!
Rape (really REALLY implied)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
"…Kids?" Came Ango's familiar voice, incredulous. The man cleared his throat as he leaned back in his chair. "I thought that collecting stray dogs was just Odasaku's thing."
The mentioned man gave him an unsurprised look before turning back to the children, who were now settling onto the couch with glasses of water in their hands. "I wasn’t expecting this from you, Dazai."
The brunette threw his arms in the air as he flopped onto the chair next to Ango. "Me neither!" He exclaimed with a happy tone of voice. "Something in me just pushed me to do it. Are you guys gonna help me?" He pleaded, making his best puppy-eyed face.
Ango quickly averted his gaze, while Odasaku seemed thoughtful. "I can check with Pops to see if he’d take in two more kids." He started, grabbing a third glass and filling it with water. "Though they’re older than the others."
"They’ll behave! Right, Ryuunosuke-kun, Gin-chan?" Dazai called the siblings, who looked at him immediately.
"Yes, Dazai-san." The boy answered softly as his sister leaned against him.
Odasaku gave a small smile before frowning slightly. "I have a question, Dazai. Why don’t you take them with you wherever you’ve been these past few weeks?" He asked, walking over to the brunette and handing him the glass.
Dazai sighed, accepting the water and taking a small sip. "I stay away a lot." He said, setting the glass on the table. "I'd be irresponsible to leave two kids alone!"
"You’re a kid, Dazai-kun." Ango cut in, sounding exasperated.
The brunette gave him a fake smile. "Not even you believe that."
"I do." The man with round glasses answered firmly, staring at him. "And you shouldn’t be alone either. Since when are you responsible?"
Dazai made a dramatic noise and clutched his chest as if deeply offended. "I’m emancipated! And very responsible, by the way!"
He decided to leave out the fact that now he would have someone keeping an eye on him. His friends didn’t need to know that just yet.
Ango crossed his arms, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Should I remind you how many times Odasaku and I had to drag you out of a bar because you were too drunk to walk properly?" He said, continuing before the boy could respond. "And beside that, you’re not even legally old enough to be emancipated."
Dazai stuck out his tongue. "Since when do we care about laws? Age is just a number!"
They were interrupted by a quiet giggle from Gin, who quickly hid her face. Beside her, Ryuunosuke had a small smile on his lips, seemingly trying to suppress it.
The brunette pouted. "You’re all against me!" He whined before standing up and throwing himself onto Odasaku. "Only Odasaku cares about me!"
The redhead caught him effortlessly but raised an eyebrow. "Actually, I’m pretty sure everyone here cares about you, Dazai. Not just me."
Dazai stared at him for a moment before pulling away and flopping back into his chair next to Ango. "Boring."
The black-haired man sighed before focusing on the teenager. "So, Mr. Responsible, how have you been? You disappeared, barely sent any messages."
Odasaku sat across from them. "Yeah. It’s been a while."
The brunette let out a tired groan. "Ah, I was on a long-term mission. Just got a short break, but I'll have to go back soon." He said before whining. "Ugh, I really don’t wanna go back! So much work!"
The redhead looked thoughtful before glancing at the teen. "You seem different."
Dazai raised an eyebrow, tilting his head. "What do you mean?" He asked, genuinely confused. "If it’s my hair, yeah, it grew a bit."
"No, not physically." Odasaku continued, resting a hand on his chin. "You seem… better. Softer, if that makes sense. Like this mission did you some good."
The brunette had to hold back a loud laugh. That made no sense at all – the only thing this mission gave him was piles of stress thanks to worried adults, nosy students, and bloodthirsty villains.
Before he could respond, his phone rang loudly, cutting through the room like a shrill scream. He quickly grabbed it, only to immediately deflate.
Mori’s contact flashed on the screen, sending an uncomfortable twist through his stomach. It was nearly eleven at night, and the man was probably still waiting for him.
"I… gotta go." Dazai said, his voice suddenly losing its spark. He had hoped to spend more time with his friends, but the longer he delayed, the worse confronting Mori would be. "Please, take care of them for me, okay?"
The adults exchanged glances before Odasaku spoke softly. "You can stay here, can’t you? Is it really that urgent?"
"It’s the boss." Dazai informed them, making both men look away. "You guys know as well as I do that ignoring him is not an option." He laughed, but even he could hear how hollow and resigned it sounded.
The two men grimaced but nodded. They didn’t know everything about Mori and Dazai’s relationship – almost nothing, actually –, but they knew that there is a hierarchy in the Mafia that must be respected, otherwise, there are consequences.
As Dazai made his way to the door, he paused in front of the siblings, crouching slightly to their level. "Behave, okay? I’ll only be able to visit sometimes."
The girl looked at him, confused. "Weren’t you gonna train us?" She asked, playing with her hands.
"I will, but only when I can. Until then, you can ask Odasaku to train you!"
"I don’t recall agreeing to that."
Dazai ignored him cheerfully, continuing. "Gin-chan, you know what to do, right?"
"Pretend to be a boy…"
"That’s right!" He said, ruffling her hair before freezing and quickly pulling his hand back. He made sure to ignore the burning stares he could feel on his back.
Ryuunosuke looked at him expectantly.
"Ryuunosuke-kun, train your ability a lot. I wanna see your progress when I come back." The brunette finished, patting the boy’s head just so he wouldn’t feel left out. He quickly looked away when he saw the boy’s face practically light up.
Dazai turned and bolted for the door. "Well, time to go. Bye-bye!" He shouted, running out as he heard their farewells.
It suddenly hit him that he never answered Mori’s call.
Dazai sat on one of the benches in front of the subway that would take him back to Musutafu, doing his best to ignore the sharp pain in the lower part of his body. He could almost feel tears welling up in his uncovered eye, but he was quick to suppress them.
Maybe Mori had been a little more pissed off than usual about his tardiness. Or maybe it was because he ignored his messages and calls. Maybe.
But it’s not like he had given a specific time. Bastard. – He thought bitterly before focusing on the present.
At that moment, he was waiting for his supposed “nanny,” whom he would make sure to annoy until the end of the mission. Not that he didn’t already do that, but now that they were going to live together, he’d have even more chances to get on his nerves! And of course, his "nanny" was none other than…
"Dazai-kun." A familiar deep voice caught his attention.
Dazai looked at the man in front of him and blinked slowly. "Hirotsu-san?" He echoed softly. "Where’s Chuuya? Don’t tell me you’re the one staying with me." Despite his words, the brunette knew that Chuuya was the one assigned to him.
Unfortunately for him, it was no secret to Mori that if there was anyone capable of keeping Dazai alive, it was the redhead. Hirotsu, despite being a nice guy – or as nice as someone in the mafia could be – wasn’t enough to stop him from offing himself. Chuuya, on the other hand? He wouldn’t hesitate to drag Dazai back from the afterlife if necessary!
It was kind of ironic. The only person who could keep him here hated him. Like a scene from a comedy – a tragicomedy!
"I was sent to tell you that you can go ahead, Chuuya-kun had one more mission to take care of, though he shouldn’t take long." Hirotsu spoke quickly, pulling him out of his thoughts, keeping the same polite tone as always.
The brunette shook his head and sighed, though he kept an amused smile. "Things really are more chaotic without the other half of Soukoku, huh?" He said absentmindedly.
"Yeah, they really are." The older man replied simply. "Your work in the mafia is actually missed sometimes, Dazai-kun."
Dazai let out a small laugh. "Ah, you’re flattering me, Hirotsu-san!" He said, placing a hand over his chest.
"I’m not lying. You’re indispensable to the Mafia." Hirotsu said before bowing briefly. "My job here is done, if you don’t mind, it’s time for me to take my leave. Have a good day." He spoke before walking away.
"Bye-bye!" Dazai sang, though he didn’t spare a second glance at Hirotsu and promptly walked towards the train.
‘Indispensable, huh?’ – The brunette couldn’t help but think with a tinge of sorrow as he sat in an isolated corner. He decided not to dwell on it too much.
He shut off his senses, allowing himself to get lost in his mind, which, luckily, made the trip seem faster. So, it wasn’t long before he had crossed the border, passed the government guards who recognized him with just one look and let him through without any fuss – he wondered what strings Mori had pulled to make that happen – and arrived in Musutafu.
Dazai walked slowly towards the apartment where he lived, trying his best to ignore the pain running through his limbs. Fortunately, he soon reached the apartment and opened the door, immediately greeted by a cheerful meow at his feet.
"Hey, Bast." He greeted the fluffy cat. "You must be hungry, huh?" He said, receiving another meow in response.
With that, he quickly grabbed some cat food and poured it into the bowl – a little more than usual – and the feline wasted no time digging in. After that, the brunette checked the water bowl. It wasn’t empty, but the water was dirty with cat hair and dust, so he changed it as well and then cleaned the litter box.
With everything done, he let himself drop onto the couch gently.
He probably should wipe the place down too, just to get rid of the dust. It wouldn’t be a good time to be attacked by something as trivial as allergies. However, that was just the thought from the left side of his brain. The right side, on the other hand, let itself succumb to the pain as he sank into the couch, trying to find a comfortable position.
Dazai didn’t know how much time had passed since he got home – and he didn’t care. At some point, he had dozed off, only waking up when he felt a familiar ball of fur settling on his chest.
He wanted to push the cat away. He wanted to slit his wrists. He wanted to curl up into a ball and die right then and there.
However, he did none of those things. Instead, he wrapped his arms around the feline and buried his face in his fur, ignoring the happy meow Bast let out.
Later, he would scold himself for allowing himself to get so comfortable and vulnerable – at that moment, though, he just wanted to enjoy the warm and cozy feeling the animal gave him.
Dazai woke up with a jolt at the sound of loud knocking coming from the front door of the apartment, startling his cat and making it jump and sprawl on the floor before dashing away.
The brunette glanced at the cat for a moment before sighing and getting up. He walked slowly to the door as the knocking grew louder and louder.
"DAZAI! Open the damn door!" An almost worried voice came from outside, and the mafioso immediately recognized it.
Dazai slowly opened the door, a big smile plastered on his face. "Chuuya! Long time no see!" He grinned. "Missed me?"
"The day I miss you will be the day pigs fly." The redhead replied, irritated. "Why the hell did you take so long to open up? I’ve been standing here for a solid ten minutes!"
That made Dazai’s expression falter briefly. Had he really taken that long to hear Chuuya knocking? Was he that exhausted?
‘This is unacceptable.’ — A voice suspiciously similar to Mori’s whispered in his mind, but he was quick to crush it.
"I was distracted." He replied simply, stepping inside his apartment. "Come in. Mi casa es su casa." He added quickly as the other teen took off his shoes.
Chuuya stepped in, slowly looking around. "Not bad. I’m honestly surprised you’re not living under a bridge or something." He said vaguely before raising an eyebrow at the brunette. "What’s wrong with you?"
"You want a list? I can do it alphabetically." Dazai answered, playing dumb.
The redhead clicked his tongue. "That’s not what I meant, idiot. You’re literally limping. What happened?" His gaze darkened. "Who hurt you this time?"
The brunette bit his lip lightly. "It doesn’t matter."
It wasn’t a lie. It doesn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter. It’s not like Chuuya could do anything about it. It’s not like anyone could do anything about it.
The sky is blue, Chuuya is short, and Dazai is completely at Mori’s mercy. That’s just the natural order of things.
No matter how much he hates it.
However, the redhead didn’t seem to get that.
"That’s not what I asked. I—" Chuuya started but was cut off by Dazai – whose legs finally gave out as he collapsed.
Or almost did, since the shorter teen was quick to rush forward and catch him before he hit the ground. Without another word, Chuuya dragged him to the couch and glared at him.
"Are you gonna answer the question?" He spoke, crossing his arms.
Dazai looked away, staying silent as he ignored his partner’s gaze. After a moment of silence, he opened his mouth to throw some excuse, but was cut off by a cat jumping onto him. The feline immediately started growling at the redhead, who backed away slightly.
"Bast! Shush!" The brunette scolded, pulling the cat back, who instantly calmed down. "Behave. He’s gonna live here now."
Meanwhile, Chuuya was staring at him in shock, glancing between Dazai and the animal. "What the hell." He muttered. "Since when do you have a cat?"
Dazai put a finger on his chin, pretending to think. "Hmmm, let me see… since a few days ago!" The brunette beamed, pleased with the change of subject. "I’m surprised you didn’t notice his stuff lying around."
The redhead scoffed. "This cat’s gonna die in a month." He said, reaching a hand out so the feline could sniff it. Bast wasted no time in doing so and quickly jumped onto Chuuya’s lap.
He expected the cat to be a little more wary, but he seemed completely docile. Hopefully, that wouldn’t be a problem in the future.
"What’s his name?" The redhead asked, petting the creature.
"Duke Bastard IV!" Dazai exclaimed cheerfully while Chuuya stared at him in exasperation.
"What a stupid na…" The other teen started, lifting the cat, but suddenly stopped.
"What?"
"Dazai… she’s a FEMALE!" Chuuya said, emphasizing at the end. "You didn’t even check before naming her!?"
The brunette blinked slowly, leaning back into the couch. The cat squirmed in the redhead’s arms until he let her go, and she quickly settled on Dazai’s lap, who held her. "Not really. Guess I’ll have to rename her." He said, pausing. "I have three options."
"What are they?"
"First option is Andras, second is Beleth, and the last one is Furfur." He said.
Chuuya raised an eyebrow. "Where the hell did you get those names from?"
Dazai gave an amused smile. "They’re all from Ars Goetia." He began. "Andras is responsible for spreading discord. Beleth is a half-cat demon who causes unconditional love." He paused. "And I just think Furfur sounds funny."
The redhead stared at him for a solid moment before sighing. "Only you would name your cat after a demon." He murmured. "Beleth sounds the best."
With that, the brunette grinned, lifting the cat like she was Simba. "In that case, I hereby declare you Duchess Beleth IV!" He proclaimed, receiving a meow from the feline before lowering her back down. "Or Bele, for short."
When Dazai turned his head, he caught Chuuya looking at him with a strangely fond smile, but it was wiped away so fast that the brunette wondered if he had imagined it.
"You’re an idiot." The redhead sighed.
It was a strange scene for them. Strangely familiar, strangely peaceful. Nothing like how they usually interacted.
Normally, they’d be at each other’s throats the moment they were in the same room, constantly bickering over the smallest things. However, every once in a while, moments like this happened, and it simply made everything worth it. Not that Dazai would ever admit it.
In fact, he was kind of relieved that the other boy seemed to have forgotten about the previous topic of conversation, although he wouldn't celebrate this too soon, he was sure that the same topic would come up again in the future.
"Where am I gonna sleep?" Chuuya suddenly asked.
The brunette lazily glanced at him before flashing a big smile. "Outside!"
The redhead clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth. "I’m serious, dumbass. I wanna sleep already."
"If you ask nicely, maybe Bele will let you sleep in her bed…" Dazai continued, still wearing that amused grin.
Chuuya’s hands twitched, as if they were itching to strangle him — which was very tempting, to be honest. However, he held himself back. "Fuck you." He simply said, standing up. "If you won’t tell me, I’ll find it myself. Just don’t complain if I take your room."
Dazai scoffed. "No misguided aesthetics are as embarrassing as the vulgarity of bitterness." He said calmly, as if he were a greek philosopher.
The other teen stared at him, confused. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"It means stop being a buzzkill—wait, Slug! Take me with you!" Dazai whined, cutting his own response short as he saw Chuuya start walking away.
The redhead seemed ready to ignore him but stopped, then turned back and picked the brunette up in his arms in bridal style, heading toward the hallway, Bele following behind them.
"You could walk, you bastard." Chuuya grumbled, though there wasn’t much bite in his words. A shame, really — Dazai had been looking forward to annoying him that day.
Guess he’d have to save it for later.
"Which one of these rooms is yours?" Chuuya asked, heading toward the door Dazai pointed at, opening it, and then dropping the brunette onto his bed.
"Your room is the only other one with a bed here." Dazai grinned. "You can decorate it however you want, I guess."
"Good to know." Chuuya said softly before walking out the door without another word.
The brunette leaned back on his bed and closed his eyes, still feeling exhausted. It seemed like all those sleepless nights were finally catching up to him. Hopefully, he’d be well enough the next day to go to school.
Suddenly, the same little ball of fur from before jumped onto his lap and made herself comfortable. It was practically a routine between them now, which made Dazai wonder why the hell this cat was so clingy.
However, he didn’t have much time to dwell on it, as he soon felt his limbs, and more specifically, his eyelids, grow heavy.
Before he knew it, he had fallen into Morpheus’ embrace.
Notes:
And another chapter ready! This time the wait wasn't so long, was it?
I told you the "nanny" was predictable lol I saw an opportunity to make Chuuya more present in the fic and I took it!!!
I know it was short, but this chapter is more like the end of the USJ arc! In the next chapter, the Sports Festival begins, I think.
From here on in, things will progress more quickly! I want to start the road to recovery (which has been tagged) soon, but there's a whole process before that starts. But it will come soon!!!
Lately, editing the chapters and correcting all the mistakes (and trying to adapt the slang) has been taking longer than writing the chapter itself, it demotivates me a little lmao
Atp I'm just relying on the google translate and my poor proofreading ability T - Tedit: I just realized that Chuuya might be OOC here. I apologize if that's the case!!
Anyway, thank you for reading this and see you next chapter!!
Chapter 12: 12
Summary:
Everything that happened until the Sports Festival.
Notes:
I just noticed that this fic has about 23 thousand hits and about a thousand kudos and that makes me very happy!! I didn't expect this fic to receive so much attention, but I thank everyone who took the time out of their day to read this! 🥺❤️
I also wanted to say that I absolutely love all the comments I get on this fic, I always have a stupid smile on my face reading each one :)
Maybe I forget to respond to one or another comment by accident when I'm busy, but know that I read everything!
Thank you so much for all the love <33The chapter summary is kinda vague because a lot happens in this chapter and I don't know how to describe it lol
A small warning:
The last scene of this chapter is a bit of a filler, but I thought it was important for the development of trust between Dazai and Aizawa.Without further ado, here's a new chapter!! Enjoy!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
The room was plunged into complete silence, everyone present looked at each other with serious and worried expressions. The tension hung in the air like a fuzzy blanket – so heavy it was almost tangible. For a long moment, not a soul uttered a single sound.
"Nothing? No information? Seriously…?" A woman with spiky dark purple hair – Nemuri Kayama, also known as Midnight – echoed nervously, breaking the morbid silence installed in the room.
Naomasa Tsukauchi, the detective in charge of the case, clenched his hands in his lap and nodded slowly. "Yes. I couldn't find anything at all about the intruders. It's as if they didn't even exist." He stated with a conflicted look on his face.
Kan raised an eyebrow. "And that creature that was torn apart? Nomu?" He asked, crossing his arms.
"We managed to analyze what was left of their DNA and…. we conclude that there is at least the DNA of three people mixed together." He replied, although he seemed a little uncomfortable saying it.
Shouta sighed deeply, looking infinitely tired. The action caused his injuries to briefly hurt, but he paid no attention to it. "So the only information we got is that the mutant monster is, most likely, the result of an experiment, and that the apparent boss is called Shigaraki Tomura, but…" The man frowned. "He seemed to know Dazai."
Ishiyama's eyes widened. "Dazai Osamu? The student from 1-A? How?"
"When Dazai came to my side, I heard some worrying parts of his conversation with the leader when they started fighting." Shouta began the explanation. "Shigaraki seemed certain that he knew Dazai and that the kid should know him too. He was insistent that he wanted him by his side."
This explanation caused the teachers around him to grimace, probably wondering whether or not Dazai was with the villains. However, Shouta was quick to continue.
"My student didn't recognize him. Quite the contrary, he continued to provoke Shigaraki to give him more information." He said, before letting out a small huff of annoyance. "Which was pretty reckless, by the way."
Hizashi frowned, looking worried. "But then how the hell does the supposed leader of the League of Villains know our fifteen-year-old student?"
"This brings us to another point that I would like to bring up that may have some connection…" Shouta continued, narrowing his eyes at the principal, who until that moment had not uttered a single word. "When did you intend to tell me that Dazai is a fugitive from Yokohama?"
This caused everyone else in the room to let out shocked gasps, with the exception of the Principal, who just calmly sipped his green tea with a smile on his face.
Nezu placed his cup on the table and smiled at the teacher with a toothy smile. "Bold of you to assume that I already knew this before you did."
Shouta rolled his eyes. "Nezu-san, I was your student. I know you. I know that you knew. There's little that happens at this school that you don't know about." The underground hero replied.
The rodent sighed, although he still maintained an amused expression. "Well, in fact, I knew that."
"And you didn't think it was relevant that I, his teacher, knew this?"
"Would that change anything?" The Principal replied calmly, still smiling. "What would you do? Treat him more carefully? Intensify protection, even when it was apparently not necessary? You know as well as I do that teenagers don't usually take this kindly."
Aizawa gritted his teeth. "Still…" He echoed. "That villain knew him somehow. What are the chances of this being something linked to Yokohama?"
Nezu let his smile fall, taking on a more serious expression. "There may be a connection, but there may also not be. More research will be needed to know." He said, before directing a smile at the other teachers, who watched the exchange in silence. "Are you aware that this information should not leave this room in no way, right?"
"Yes, yes, of course." Hizashi replied, frowning. "The last thing I want is to compromise the little listener's safety." He stated, earning a nod of agreement from everyone else in the room.
"Tsukauchi-san, you will continue investigating and inform us of any information that could connect to Dazai-kun, right?" Nezu asked, putting his paws together.
The detective nodded. "Yes, Nezu-san. I will do my best." He stated, before frowning. "However, I have a concern about the boy. According to the witnesses, Dazai-kun showed exacerbated violence towards Nomu. He…" Tsukauchi echoed.
"He did what he had to do to survive." Despite the monotonous tone that Shouta maintained, it was as if his gaze was daring them to disagree. "It was indeed very violent and I wish both he and the other students were away and safe, but they weren't. They are very stubborn. What should he have done?"
The officer raised his hands in surrender. "Calm down, I'm not accusing the kid of anything. From what the students told me, he was clearly desperate." He said. "I just wanted to know if he has undergone or will undergo any psychological evaluation. I'm sure such a thing would leave a mark on anyone's mind."
"His father guaranteed that he would take him to a therapist known to the family, right, Shouta-kun?" The principal replied, looking at Shouta.
The underground hero nodded. He felt his husband and his friend's eyes on him like bullets, as if they were taunting him, but he made a point of ignoring them. What the eyes don't see, the heart doesn't feel.
"I'm glad to hear that. The kid will need all the support he can get." Tsukauchi finished, before raising his wrist and checking his watch. He turned his eyes to the principal. "If you'll excuse me, I must return to the police station. I still have a lot of work waiting for me. See you later." With that, he stood up, bowing slightly and heading towards the door, smiling as the heroes present in the room said goodbye to him.
"See you soon, Tsukauchi-san." The Principal smiled, before looking back at the teaching staff as the door closed once again. -"Excellent. Does anyone have anything to add?" He asked, before looking at Aizawa, knowing that he still had something to say. "Shouta?"
Said man was silent for a moment, before nodding. "I would like to propose a well-being check for Dazai. The fact that a villain recognizes him isn't my only concern about him." He said, keeping a serious face.
"Don't you think that's a bit too hasty...?" Snipe joined the conversation. "After all, it's still the beginning of the year."
Chiyo, who had remained silent until now, cleared her throat, drawing everyone's attention. "I can't say in detail, due to doctor-patient confidentiality, but I can say that Dazai-kun has displayed worrying behaviors, including towards his father."
The room was completely silent for a while, before Nezu spoke.
"I understand your concern, but Snipe is right. It's too early, the best we can do is keep an eye on him." The rodent said, before looking at Shouta. "And you know better than anyone that you can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped, Shouta. Or rather, a person who don't know that needs help." Nezu spoke in a light but resigned tone.
The underground hero frowned slightly and looked like he wanted to argue, but he just sighed, knowing that debating against Nezu would be pointless. "Well, it looks like we'll have to play the long game." He said. "I can only hope that it's not too late in case something happens in the future." He murmured under his breath, although he was heard.
The Principal gave the man an apologetic smile. "I know how far you would go to keep your students safe. We all know. Don't worry, the entire UA team will be ready to help in any situation that arises, whether with Dazai-kun or any other student."
"That's it, Shou!" Hizashi exclaimed softly. "Let's do our best to keep your son safe, okay?"
Shouta smiled discreetly at his husband, nodding, before pausing for a moment. "He is not my son." He quickly corrected it.
Nemuri let out a laugh. "You don't even believe it yourself!" She continued laughing, wisely ignoring the withering look the man directed at her. "Thinking about it, the boy is a little like you, isn't he?"
Sekijiro placed a hand on his chin, pretending to be thoughtful. "Now that you say it, their eyes are really similar… they both carry this tired look".
"Guys…" Shouta sighed, feeling tired, as if he had run a marathon around the world. His pleas fell on deaf ears.
"The hair is similar too!" Thirteen joined the conversation happily. "Although Dazai-kun's hair is a little more dark brown instead of black and is more wavy…" They theorized.
"And the quirks are certainly quite similar too." Majima commented briefly with an amused smile on his face.
"Shouta is already so protective of him! Like a mother bear." Nemuri joked, laughing at the end.
"And he's just as reckless as Shouta was at his age." Chiyo spoke softly, smiling.
"Even you…?"
Hizashi whimpered. "Shoutaaa!! You had a child and didn't tell me?!?!" He cried theatrically. "Oh, the betrayal!"
Shouta closed his eyes, asking whatever higher entity was on duty at that moment to give him patience. He sighed deeply, before opening his eyes and seeing the completely amused faces of his co-workers.
"I hate you all." That was all he said, gathering the most deadly look he could and directing it at his colleagues.
Nezu let out a loud laugh. "I'm glad you guys relaxed!" He exclaimed, ignoring the little one. ‘“you” who?’ c oming from the underground hero. "However, classes are about to start, does anyone have anything to add?"
Seeing that no one said anything, the rodent smiled.
"In that case, we can consider this meeting closed."
Dazai sighed deeply, trying to ignore the buzz in the room. It was quieter than usual given what had happened, but there were still some conversations here and there. He yawned, laying his head in his hands, wishing he could have stayed asleep – even though he knew that even if he wanted to, he wouldn't be able to sleep for long.
"H-Hey, Dazai-kun." A shy voice called him and the brunette immediately recognized it as belonging to Midoriya.
The mafioso showed a friendly smile, looking at the boy. "Yes, Midori?"
"I just wanted to ask if you're okay... given... everything that happened, you know?" The other boy spoke nervously, playing a little with his fingers.
Suddenly, Dazai felt an overwhelming amount of eyes on him, but he made sure to continue staring at Midoriya, despite the discomfort that was beginning to snake beneath his skin.
It seems the news that he killed the Nomu has spread after all. ‘ Lovely. ’ – He thought ironically.
"I'm great!" He continued smiling, a smile that was so fake it hurt. "My old man already sorted everything out…"
Giving him a babysitter. Ugh
Midoriya gave him a painfully soft smile, making Dazai feel wrong . "I'm glad you're okay, Dazai-kun. You can talk to me whenever you need, ok?"
"That's it, bro! You did a lot at USJ and were very manly!" Kirishima joined the conversation with a bright smile. "But it was kind of… heavy, so we all can support each other!" The redhead finished, receiving several nods of agreement, even a subtle nod coming from Todoroki .
"Tsk. I don't need support! I'm stronger than you, extras." Came a grumpy voice, distinctly belonging to Bakugou. The boy had his usual permanent scowl, but he seemed less angry than usual. "And I'm sure Walking Bandages doesn't need it either!"
"Kacchan!" Kaminari called with a playful voice. "Was that you complimenting him?" The boy laughed.
The angry blonde looked like he was about to explode. "What the fuck did you call me!?" He shouted, heading towards the electric blonde, but was stopped by Iida and Kirishima getting in his way.
The room dissolved into chaos, but Dazai was no longer paying attention. He remained in shocked silence for a moment. He was sure he'd be flabbergasted if he didn't were, well, he .
A foreign sensation and warm took hold of his chest against his will. It didn't take him long to recognize it as caring. He felt cared for. When was the last time someone other than Odasaku and maybe Chuuya and Ango cared about him like this?
The answer was right under his nose. Never . Not that he remembers. And even then, care doesn't always come. Care is not unconditional.
These people are kind and genuine and Dazai hate that. He doesn't believe in this. They are certainly expecting something from him in return, but he can't figure out what .
It scares him .
"…Dazai-kun? Are you good?" Uraraka approached him, looking worried.
The brunette had an unreadable look on his face, but he soon blinked and smiled at them, although it seemed a little dull. "Yes, just… I'm a little tired." He spoke stiffly. "Thank you everyone, but I'm fine. Seriously." He forced his smile to look a little more genuine, suppressing a sigh of relief when his classmates smiled back.
Iida, who had approached as well, smiled slightly at him. "I'm glad you're okay, then. If you want to talk, I'm sure anyone here is willing to listen. And that goes for everyone too." He said, before his face took on a serious look and he began to swing his arms rigidly as if he were a robot. "Guys! The bell will ring soon, everyone better get to your seats before the teacher arrives!"
Ashido, who was standing on top of Jirou's desk, snorted at the boy. "There are still about five minutes until the signal!" She exclaimed.
"Besides, wasn't Aizawa-sensei really injured? It's not possible for him to come today. It will probably be a replacement. Maybe they're not that strict with his schedule." Jirou spoke quickly.
The brunette wondered if the underground hero would really get some rest after going through so much stress, but the conversation he had with the man shortly after waking up gave him an answer. He would not stop to rest. His students are always a priority, it seems.
It takes a workaholic to recognize another, apparently.
Iida seemed about to respond to the girl, but Dazai let out a small laugh. "I think you underestimate our professor's workaholism. That said, you probably have approximately eight seconds to sit down before the sensei arrives." He informed them softly, holding back a laugh when he saw the panicked look on some students, who quickly ran to sit down, while others looked suspiciously, but remained in their seats.
He doesn't know when all this confidence in him arose, to the point where most people simply believed his words, but he wouldn't complain. This confidence may prove useful in the near future.
As soon as the last student standing, Kaminari, sat down, the door opened, revealing Aizawa covered in bandages. He looked a little like Dazai himself!
"Sensei! Are you ok!?" Uraraka asked, worried, followed by several other murmurs. "Shouldn't you rest for longer?"
"I've rested long enough." The teacher replied simply, before clearing his throat. "However, it's not over yet."
The students gulped, tensing up.
"Are there more villains…?" Kirishima asked, looking a little scared. It's a very hasty conclusion, after all, Dazai doesn't think their teacher would be so calm if there was a threat of such caliber lurking around the school.
The brunette watched as the underground hero let the students murmur nervously with a slightly amused look that would normally go unnoticed by untrained eyes. How sadistic.
Finally, Aizawa shook his head slightly. "No." He replied, pausing. "The sports festival is coming. This is a great opportunity to get noticed, as the country's biggest professional heroes will be watching. I suggest you seize the opportunity." He spoke monotonously. Not long after, the class erupted into an irritating cacophony, some cheering and some apprehensive chatter.
"Are you sure it's safe, Aizawa-sensei?" Jirou said with furrowed eyebrows, wrapping one of her headphones around her index finger. "Even after the attack…" She finished and the students around her agreed with her.
"I understand your concern, Jirou, but you can rest assured. Nezu will tighten security as much as possible." The teacher replied. "The Sports Festival must continue."
It didn't seem like he was going to add anything, although his answer was terribly vague. Dazai could add out loud that by canceling the Sports Festival, the principal would be placing a large neon red target on the back of the school, as it would be a blatant sign of weakness . In other words, the ideal environment for the invasion of even more enemies of all types.
However, he did not say this for two simple reasons. One, it wasn't his problem to make the students understand the school's motives. Two, he shouldn't know w hat is the Sports Festival.
In fact, people in Yokohama don't usually know about the Sports Festival. Not because they don't have access, but simply because it doesn't interest them – Yokohama had its own sports festivals, similar to the Olympics, and the population was happy with that. Or, well, from what he knew. It's not like he talked to many people in his hometown to find out.
However, Dazai was different. He was curious , especially when he was younger. That's how, at eleven years old, he made a deal with Elise to steal Mori's notebook to look for things from outside – and that's when he discovered the much acclaimed Sports Festival. He hadn't actually watched it, just briefly read a news story about the first place winner.
Needless to say, Mori wasn't happy at all, but he won't open that can of worms right then.
The important thing is, he knew what the UA Sports Festival was. The character he played, however, don't..
With that in mind, he raised a hand shyly. "What is the Sports Festival?" He asked innocently.
Every pair of eyes in the room were drawn to him and the brunette once again fought the urge to flinch.
Aizawa stared at him for a moment with an unreadable gaze, before sighing. "It is an annual tournament hosted by the UA focused on physical abilities, and is shown around the world. It gives students the opportunity to show off to professional heroes who might hire them one day, it's a fight for first place. The festival replaced the Olympics when quirks began to emerge." He explained briefly, looking at him closely to see his reactions.
Dazai's eyes widened, his mouth opening slightly. "Understood!"
Yaoyorozu looked at him with a look of pity – and she wasn't the only one. Made him want to kill them all right there, he does not need pity.
However, he just sighed and continued playing his role. "I wish Yokohama had cool things like this." He sighed sadly.
"There was no substitute for that?" Ashido asked, looking sad for him.
"There was... but it wasn't that cool." The brunette replied sincerely. He never saw the appeal of the games, especially since he didn't support any “team”. "It was quite limited, so it was kinda boring." He finished.
He wasn't allowed to watch, anyway.
The students were about to continue their conversation, but the teacher caught their attention by clearing his throat. "I have more things to say." He stated, continuing when the room became completely silent. "In light of recent incidents, we on the UA team strongly recommend that you consult a professional therapist. For those who need it, you can make appointments with Hound Dog, who is a counselor here at the school."
"For free?" Uraraka whispered, but it was a little louder than she wanted, which made her heard.
Aizawa nodded. "Yes. Completely free." He said, before looking at all the students again, without giving them the opportunity to talk again. "You will have two weeks to train for the Festival. Now, get your books…"
Dazai stopped listening to what the teacher said after that.
He had complicated feelings towards the Sports Festival, mainly because he still doesn't know what Mori wants him to do. Does he need to keep a low profile and go unnoticed? Go bad? Should he stay average? Or get as much attention as possible? Go to the first place?
The brunette hopes he has to be discreet. That he doesn't have to try hard. At most, stay average. However, he knows his boss. Deep down, he knows he will have to attract attention.
Dazai will probably have to be quite, shall we say, fussy. Mori will probably want the brunette to not only have the attention of the heroes, but also the villains .
The man was probably just waiting for Dazai to text him confirming this. Damn, disgusting old man.
"Dazai, where is your book?" It came from Aizawa, attracting his attention.
The brunette gave him an innocent smile. "My dog ate the pages." He said, ignoring the amused and exasperated looks he received from his classmates.
"Your… dog?"
"Mhmm! My dog. He's small, red-haired and annoying. He should be better behaved." He said, enjoying the confusion of the people present in the room. And ignoring his teacher's growing irritation.
"Detention at the end of class." The underground hero finally spoke, turning around.
The mafioso sighed softly, but didn't protest. Instead, he just rested his head on one of his hands and watched monotonously as Aizawa began to explain whatever was in the book.
The morning continued like this until lunch time.
There were four long schedules and Dazai felt like he had run a marathon three times. Who knew that just sitting there and listening to teachers talk nonstop would tire you out so much?
The last teacher before the break, Cementoss, had already left some time ago, while his colleagues began to stand up, chatting animatedly with each other. Uraraka, in particular, seemed especially excited about the event, walking around the room with a spirit that had been unknown to her until then.
Finally, she reached him as the brunette stood up and stretched his limbs.
"Dazai-kun!" She exclaimed, raising a fist in the air. "Let's do our best!"
Dazai looked at her with a strange smile. "Of course, of course." He said, before heading towards the door, where Midoriya and Iida were waiting. "Shall we have lunch?" He asked and the girl soon began to follow him, her spirits decreasing a little as they left the room.
They walked calmly down the halls towards the cafeteria. Dazai wasn't really paying attention to the low conversation that Uraraka and Iida were having, but his attention was drawn to a question asked by the taller boy.
"Why did you choose the heroism course?" Iida asked in a curious tone.
Uraraka places a hand on her cheek as it turns a little more flushed than normal, clearly embarrassed. "For the money." She spoke directly. "It's a selfish reason, I know." She said, head down, seeing Midoriya and Iida's surprised expressions.
"None of that. Being a hero to support yourself is not selfish at all." The boy with glasses stated, receiving a nod of agreement from Midoriya.
"I agree." Dazai joined the conversation. "It's a job like any other." He said.
The girl stared at them with a conflicted look, before hardening in determination. "My parents work in the construction industry, but there isn't much work, so we don't have much money." She pauses. "I will be a hero and earn a lot of money, so I will be able to provide a comfortable life for my parents."
"It's an admirable goal, Uraraka-san." Midoriya stated with a smile and Iida agreed with him.
"And you?" Uraraka asked with a smile, addressing Midoriya first.
The boy was suddenly nervous at the attention being paid to him and he stuttered, playing with his fingers a little. "I-I…" He began. However, before he could elaborate, he was interrupted by a familiar burly blond man.
"Young Midoriya!" All Might called with his characteristic smile. "Would you like to have lunch with me?" The man asked, holding out a bento tied in a fluffy cloth. Dazai thought he heard Uraraka muttering something about the hero looking like an anime girl, but he decided to ignore it.
"Of course, All Might!" The green-haired boy spoke promptly, before turning to them. "We meet later?" He asked, before walking away after receiving a nod of agreement from the other three.
Dazai narrowed his eyes as he watched the hero walk away with the student, keeping a hand on his shoulder. It didn't seem to be hurting, as Midoriya was smiling, although he looked a little nervous. In fact, it was clear that the other boy seemed to worship even the ground the number one hero walked on.
The brunette was eager to follow them and unravel this puzzle that was the relationship between Midoriya and All Might, not even for any reason involving his “profession” – Mori didn't even you knew of that, he hoped – and purely for entertainment.
Plus, wouldn't it be fun to know a possible weakness of said Symbol of Peace?
With that in mind, he planned to make an excuse for the other two teenagers accompanying him so he could follow All Might and Midoriya, however, a red and white blur at the end of the hallway caught his attention.
He wasn't the only one watching, then. Maybe he should risk being seen or maybe ask the boy to join forces?
‘…Too much work .’ – He thought with a lazy smile, following the other two teenagers towards the cafeteria. ‘I’ll have other opportunities, I’m sure.’
"Dazai-kun! And you?" Uraraka called him, looking curious.
Dazai looked up, thinking. What reason could he come up with that would be believable enough? It's not like he can say that he was forced to go to this school, after all, that would be like raising a big red flag.
An idea appeared in his mind and he had to contain an amused smile that threatened to appear on his face.
Instead, he adopted a melancholy look. "I… want to help people like me." He said, pausing. He half expected the other two to leave it at that, but apparently luck wasn't on his side that day.
Uraraka and Iida stopped, both with frowns. Dazai stopped a little further ahead, with his back to them. He suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. "Dazai…" Iida spoke softly.
Fortunately, their hesitation in saying anything else was long enough for the brunette to think of a story that he considered credible enough.
"Very few people like me reach where I have reached." He started. "Fewer people still survive. I want to be able to give hope to these people, especially those who want a better life." He finished, although the words had a bitter taste in his mouth.
He had no feelings of affection, or even contempt, for his hometown. It was simply the town he grew up in, and that was it. Maybe he even felt better and better being away from it, but it was a feeling that it should be a passenger, as he will return as soon as the mission is over. However, it's not like the city was hell on earth, it was just a normal city, although was kind of isolated.
However, if this mistaken view of the city that the heroes had was going to benefit him, who was he to complain?
"Dazai-kun, that is a very noble goal." Uraraka said, approaching him. The brunette resisted the urge to laugh sarcasticly. He was kind of avoiding looking into her eyes, expecting the same pity that everyone seems to like to direct at him, but he was surprised when he looked at the girl's face.
A gentle smile adorned her lips and respect filled her eyes, taking the place of pity. "You are very strong." She said simply.
Iida adjusted his glasses, showing the same amount of confidence in his eyes. "It's a laudable goal, I hope you can achieve it."
Dazai stared at them for a while. He didn't expect his story to work so well just like that, but then again, who was he to complain?
"Let's have lunch, the bell will ring soon." The brunette spoke quickly, in order to make the other two's eyes look away. Fortunately, they soon continued walking. He could hear Iida and Uraraka talking briefly to each other, but he didn't care to process the words.
Little did he know that, in the not-so-distant future, this invented goal would no longer be so false.
The sound of the bell indicating the end of classes crossed the classroom with a shrill hiss, Dazai could almost feel it piercing his eardrums.
A feeling of relief washed over him and he quickly gathered his things – he had a notebook and a pen, even though he had spent class just drawing something suspiciously similar to Chuuya – and put them in his backpack, before quickening his pace to leave the room.
Maybe he would be lucky and could slip out of school unnoticed, thus avoiding a long and boring detention with his teacher.
However, his hopes were soon dashed as, as soon as the door opened, he realized that the passage was completely blocked by a wall of students.
"What are they doing here…?" Kaminari whispered, although it was heard by those inside the room.
"Isn't it obvious? We are the group that survived a villain attack. They are here to evaluate the competition." Bakugou replied in an angry tone, before turning to the crowd. "Get out of my way, extras!" He shouted, causing a chorus of indignation to echo through the hall.
"Bakugou! This is very unbecoming of a student of heroism!" Iida shouted, making robot-like movements with one of his arms.
A boy with gravity-defying purple hair approached, his sharp gaze sweeping over every person in the room, before focusing on the grumpy blonde. "The Sports Festival is the perfect chance for students from the General Department to move on to the Heroism Department. But, of course, the reverse is also possible." The boy said, before showing a toothy smile. "Consider this a declaration of war."
Bakugou barely waited for the other boy to finish speaking. "Hah! Keep dreaming. I will beat you all!" He shouted, which caused the rest of class 1-A to let out resigned sighs.
"He’s already creating so many enemies for us…" Sero muttered with a downcast tone of voice.
A student with silver hair joined the conversation. "I came here to see how the students who defeated the villains were like, but all I see are arrogant brats!" The boy exclaimed with a frown, while the other students around him agreed with him.
"I'm sure we would do much better than them fighting these villains!" A random boy claimed, followed by another chorus of agreement.
Dazai felt a mischievous smile stretch across his lips as he decided it was time to say something.
"Seriously? You would do better against villains..." He allowed his smile to become sharper. "So you would be prepared for any situation? What if one of your classmates had an open fracture? Were you able to stay calm and stop the bleeding?" He continued, not missing the way the students' faces seemed to grow paler and paler. "And if someone had part of their body disintegrated, would you readily faint at the smell and sounds of the flesh being turned to dust, or would you try to help? What if your teacher was crushed in front of you? What if someone died? And if you had to kill somebody? Could you handle this?"
Dazai rejoiced in the morbid silence that reigned in the room for a solid minute. No one dared to utter even a word. He took this as a cue to continue his monologue.
"Of course, none of that happened, but the point is that it could have happened. One small detail different and we could all be dead." He let out a mocking laugh. "It's kinda cute that you guys think this is a competition. It just shows that you don't know anything yet." He finished, mockery dripping from his voice.
‘These brats wouldn’t even last three minutes in the hell I was raised in.’ – He couldn't help but think bitterly. If they were in the mafia, there would be no time for competition, just to do what he was told by some superior until, by some miracle, he rose through the ranks – the other option was death. There was no middle ground.
"That… was kind of harsh, bro." Kirishima spoke hesitantly, approaching the brunette.
The mafioso stood his ground. "Don't you remember what our teacher always tells us? Life forgives no one. Quite the contrary, it is cruel." He emphasized the last word. "If these guys don't understand that, maybe they're not ready to be heroes." He finished with an amused smile, which became even bigger when he saw the irritation growing on the faces of those blocking the path.
It appears that during his speech, at least half of the people who were there had left. Maybe, if he's fast enough, he can still leave the school without Aizawa seeing him.
‘There were only a few people left.’ – He thought. ‘It’s my chance!’ – With that, he started walking towards the door and, just as he was about to squeeze between the students, a familiar deep voice reached his ears.
"He's right." Aizawa-sensei said, showing an intimidating look directed at the other students. "This is not a game, what happened could have become a huge tragedy." He said, his eyes glowing red. "Go home. I will not hesitate to expel each and every one of you if this matter comes up again." As soon as he said these words, the crowd quickly dispersed, probably intimidated by the man.
Dazai tried to blend in with the other students to sneak out, but was stopped by something wrapping around him and pulling him back. He flinched and closed his eyes instinctively, but forced himself to open them again, as if nothing had happened.
Aizawa gave him a penetrating look, but didn't comment. "Where do you think you're going? You have detention." He stated.
"But sensei!" Dazai whimpered, trying to remove the bands that restrained him. "Can't my beautiful monologue serve as a pardon? It means I learned the right way from you!"
The underground hero just stared at him for a few moments, without showing any reaction. Finally, the man turned his back. "No. Let's go." He said simply, starting to walk and dragging Dazai along.
"Nooo!" Dazai lamented, before extending his arms to the other students. "Midori! Uraraka-chan! Iida-kun! Save me!" He begged. However, the only thing he heard was giggling coming from the room that was getting further and further away.
"Traitors!" He shouted, ignoring when the laughter got even louder. And he also ignored the imperceptible amused snort that left Aizawa's lips.
He sighs. He'll have to send a message to Chuuya to let him know that it would take longer to get back, apparently.
The days passed at a snail's pace for him, until he reached the end of the first week of training for the sports festival.
Dazai yawned, placing his arms on the table, placing his head on them and closing his eyes while Aizawa-sensei dismantled what he had written on the board. Something about ethics or something. It wasn't something he was interested in, so he didn't pay attention. His colleagues seemed equally tired, although for very different reasons than him.
The brunette hadn't done any strenuous activity. Quite the opposite – he spent almost all his free time doing nothing at all or doing the paperwork that Mori kept sending to him. However, even so, his head felt heavy, he felt tiredness cling to his bones, as heavy as lead. Feeling without energy was already a constant sensation for him, to the point that he had found some comfort in it.
Unlike him, it was clear that his classmates were tired because they had been training for the Sports Festival beyond their class hours, probably pushing themselves to push their limits.
That's what Dazai should probably do too, after all, after an unwanted message from Mori, it was confirmed that he should aim for the top, using whatever dirty tricks he can use to achieve his goal.
That wasn't what he would do, however. He was perfectly fine as he was.
An uncomfortable feeling seemed to punch him in the stomach, as if his body was defying the statement he had made to himself just moments ago.
‘How insolent, you stupid body.’ – He thought with a hint of annoyance.
He supposes he has no one to blame but himself, however, since he hasn't eaten anything in at least two and a half days.
Ever since he had moved in with him, Chuuya filled the apartment's kitchen pantries with food and annoyingly made him eat something healthy, even if it was just a little, every day. However, three days ago, the redhead had been called by Ane-san because of some emergency. Something about a possible riot, or something. Dazai thinks it wasn't that serious, since he himself hadn't been called back to Yokohama – however, Chuuya hadn't returned yet. When he sent a message to the other boy, he discovered that he would probably only return at night.
Needless to say, without the constant reminder, he didn't even remember that there was food – other than canned crab – in his apartment. More specifically, he didn't remember that he needed to eat. He doesn't know why it was like this, he just didn't feel the hunger until it was threatening to burn a hole in his stomach.
Maybe he really isn't human after all.
‘I think now I’m paying the price.’ – He thought as he felt his hands start to sweat.
He raised his head and opened his eyes quickly, about to raise his hand and ask to go to the bathroom, but stopped when he felt a strong dizziness. His vision seemed to go white and the light became even more intense, hurting his eyes, which made him close them again.
A familiar yet unwanted feeling of panic coursed through his being as he felt as if his senses were suddenly numb.
'Holy crap. Am I dying? Is it because I didn’t eat?’ – He thought, pondering whether he should try to get up and run out of the room and hide somewhere, or whether he should simply lay his head down and accept death. ‘ Impossible. I've gone longer without eating and this never happened.'
However, before he could make his choice, he felt movement beside him. Dazai struggled to open his eyes, seeing the blurred figure of who he assumed was Aizawa-sensei. The man was saying something, but the brunette couldn't understand. I heard the words, but I didn't process them – it was as if I were underwater. He belatedly realized that he was shaking as he reached out to grip the edge of the table to lift himself up and disappear from that place.
The teacher said something else, this time looking at the rest of the students, who began to move hesitantly. The brunette vaguely noticed that they were moving to leave the room, although some seemed to take a little longer. However, with one more hard look from the underground hero, soon the remaining students left the room and closed the door.
Immediately, Aizawa-sensei's attention turned to Dazai and continued saying something, but the boy still felt as if there were cotton balls in his ears.
"I can't hear you." He murmured, before jumping when he felt a soft touch on his wrist. When he looked down, he noticed that one of his hands was scratching his other wrist, right where his most recent cuts were. Fortunately, they didn't start bleeding.
(Chuuya had hidden all the sharp objects before leaving, but, Dazai, foreseeing this, had his own stash hidden, much to his dog's misfortune.)
His hand was slowly removed from her other arm, but the uncomfortable touch on his skin it remained firm, although it wasn't strong enough to hurt.
"…zai… eathe…" The words were confusing, but the brunette managed to understand them and suddenly realized that his breathing was irregular. He forced his breathing to slow down, inhaling deeply and then exhaling.
"Good. Continue." This time Dazai understood the words clearly and didn't think twice before obeying them. He stood there for a while just breathing deeply until he felt in control of himself again. His once blurry vision began to clear and he couldn't stop himself from grimacing in disgust as he felt the sweat on his hands and temples.
Suddenly, an overwhelming feeling of shame took over his being and he instinctively snatched his wrist from the teacher's hand, moving away from the man as far as the chair would allow. Not only did he panic in front of Aizawa for second time, but also demonstrated weakness once again .
‘What the hell is happening to me?!’ – He thought, closing his hand and squeezing it tightly. This school was certainly not having a positive effect on him - he had never felt so weak. ‘Is it because I’m in a completely new environment?’ – He asked himself.
Certainly, he would be expelled at that moment. He knows that Aizawa wouldn't hesitate to expel students who don't have potential - and what potential can a boy who shows such weakness have?
He would be expelled, would have to return to Yokohama, and then have his own personal hell thanks to Mori.
That thought made his head spin, knowing what awaited him if he failed this mission. Because it was a long-term mission and the boss had specifically sent him, It was definitely important. Important enough to have serious consequences if failed. He just knows, Mori would not tolerate such a thing. Even so, Dazai was confident that the man wouldn't kill him. Not in the way he wants - in a painless way - at least. The brunette could still be useful and could prove it in some way.
He was brought out of his thoughts by his teacher's voice. "Dazai? Is everything ok now?" The man asked, not bothering to hide the concern in his eyes.
Dazai nodded and forced a reassuring smile onto his face. "I’m great!" He stated, receiving a suspicious look from Aizawa. Seeing this, he tried to stand up to prove his point, however, a wave of weakness hit him and he was forced to sit down again before he fell on top of the hero. "I might just be a little tired." He decided to admit it.
The man stared at him for a while before sighing. "Recovery Girl is already arriving." He said simply, getting up and sitting on the chair in front of him, but facing him.
The brunette looked at the empty room and then at the closed door. It's good to know that the students didn't completely see the way he was, but the embarrassment continued to burn within his being like a torch that never went out.
"Are you going to expell me?" He asked suddenly, feeling resigned and preparing to pack up his things and never return.
‘Maybe it’s not that bad.’ – He thought to himself. ‘ If I survive Mori, at least everything will go back to normal. It will be less stressful not having to interact with happy teenagers and worried adults every day’
Aizawa, however, looked at him with a frown. "Why would I expell you?"
"Isn't it kind of cruel to force your student to say out loud what he made a mistake?" Dazai mocked.
"I just want to know what you think you did that deserves expulsion."
The brunette looked away from the man. "I showed weakness in front of you several times. There must be some punishment for this." He spoke, and faithfully believed in what he had said, because there was no other option. Not in the world he was raised in, and certainly not in this one.
Aizawa, however, continued to frown. "There is no punishment for weaknesses, Dazai." He started. "Quite the contrary, they are what make us human. It's natural. My duty as a teacher is to guide you to prosper, even with them." He spoke in a resolute tone.
It was as if a dagger was stuck in the brunette's heart, because he was not human. He was a tool, a lethal weapon to be shaped and polished, whose sole purpose was to spread chaos and destruction. He was nothing more than that, he had no permission to be nothing more than that.
He was careful not to show any of his thoughts on his face, as Aizawa seemed to have seen something in his expression and the worry in his eyes became even more evident.
It was funny – the man was stoic and expressionless most of the time, and even in moments like this, he tried to remain expressionless, but his eyes always gave him away. One day, the hero's concern for his students will be his ruin.
"Are you alright?" Aizawa asked, but, fortunately, Dazai was saved from having to answer thanks to the sound of the door opening in a hurry, revealing a very agitated Recovery Girl.
The small woman quickly approached the duo, her eyes already examining the boy's somewhat unkempt appearance.
"So, what happened? The only thing the students told me was that Dazai-kun needed help." She said.
Dazai didn't want to collaborate with the elderly woman, but a single strict look from his teacher made him quickly describe what he felt while Recovery Girl wrote it down in a notebook.
The woman looked thoughtful for a moment, before giving him a firm look. "When was the last time you ate something, kid?" She asked.
Ah, there's the dreaded question. "Look at the time! I think it's time for me to-" He cut himself off when two stern gazes fixed themselves on him. "It could be a day or two." He replied slowly, before pouting when both adults sighed deeply. "But this has never happened before!"
"Does that mean you stay a long time without eating frequently?" It came from Aizawa.
"…Forget I said that."
"It looks like it was hypoglycemia." Recovery Girl interrupted them. "But, of course, I would need to do a blood test to confirm." She said. Dazai was about to protest, but the elderly woman continued. "I don't think you'll let me, so let's not do it. But you need to eat something."
"I don't-"
"Dazai." The teacher called, getting up from his chair. "Can you walk? Let's go to the canteen and get you something to eat. That is not a request."
The brunette pouted, but didn't protest anymore. Instead, he slowly stood up and took a few tentative steps. He felt a little dizzy, but nothing that prevented him from walking, so he simply nodded and the three left the room. He didn't miss the way both adults were positioned a little behind him to catch him if he fell, but he decided to keep quiet about it.
It wasn't long before they were in the canteen and he had a sandwich of ham and cheese in his hand. Under the watchful eyes of the teacher and doctor, he managed to eat halfway of the sandwich before his stomach began to scream in protest.
"Can't you eat just a little more?" Recovery Girl encouraged when she saw that Dazai had stopped eating the sandwich.
The mafioso shook his head. "If I eat any more, I'll vomit."
The woman sighed, but did not insist. "Okay."
"Is there anyone who can pick you up now?" Aizawa joined the conversation.
Dazai frowned. "I can leave alone."
"No way!" The elderly woman exclaimed. "Besides, I want to discuss with whoever is responsible for you to give you more food!"
"I just forget to eat!" Dazai insisted, however, he was once again the victim of the gazes of the other two. "My father had an emergency, so I'm staying with my friend for a few days. But he can't pick me up until later." He finally murmured. It was just over 5:30 pm at that moment and the brunette assumed that the redhead would only arrive around 7:30 pm.
"You can stay in the nursery for a while…" The woman said, making Dazai's hair stand on end.
"No. I'm not staying in the nursery." He said firmly, leaving no room for discussion. The other two looked at him strangely, but Aizawa quickly recovered.
"Stay in the staff room, then. I can take the time to correct some work." The man offered and the brunette found himself readily agreeing, eager to stay as far away as possible from any place that looked like a clinic.
After that, Aizawa and Dazai went to the staff room, separating from Recovery Girl, who was probably heading back to the infirmary.
The pair walked slowly, passing some students who hadn't left yet and were slowly walking towards the exit, chatting with friends.
Despite the slow pace, it didn't take long for them to arrive at another huge door. Aizawa sighed deeply, as if gathering energy, and opened the door, entering. Dazai quickly followed.
"Shouta!" Came a female voice next to them. "You brought your son!" It was Midnight, showing a huge smile.
Said man directed an angry look at the woman. "He is not my son."
Dazai gave a small smile, seeing the opportunity to divert attention from his vulnerability and possible questions, before pretending to cry. "Dad!" He shouted, delighting in the scandalous look that appeared on the underground hero's expression. "Are you going to abandon me already?" He questioned, before wiping away a fake tear. "Don't you love me?"
Midnight-sensei laughed at his act and approached, holding both of the brunette's cheeks and showing them to Aizawa. "Come on, Shouta, are you going to say no to this cutie here?" She asked, pinching his cheeks. The touch displeased him, but they were teaming up to annoy his teacher, so he would let it slide this time.
"Shouta really doesn’t have a heart…" It came from an amused voice belonging to a hero in red clothes, silver hair and fangs. Probably the teacher from class 1-B.
"Shou! If you're going to deny him, I'll adopt him myself!" A blond man with a high haircut – Present Mic – stated. Dazai raised an eyebrow at the nickname. It seemed like the two were close. Well, whatever – but the mafioso would definitely use that nickname in the near future to annoy his teacher.
Aizawa looked like he wanted to bury himself six feet underground at that moment. Instead, he just closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Which deity did I anger to deserve this?" He murmured, before pointing to the sofa. "Dazai, go sit down soon. Let me know when your friend arrives."
"Yes sir!" He said, heading towards the sofa and sending a message to Chuuya to pick him up.
He vaguely heard some teachers asking questions and the brunette felt a little joy when he heard Aizawa subtly saying that it wasn't their problem. That's why he's his favorite!
When Chuuya arrived and they were back at the apartment, Dazai would happily tell him about how much fun it is to piss off his teacher.
He just wished the other boy hadn't made him eat a full meal for dinner.
Notes:
My god, this chapter is 25 pages long and about 9 thousand words long.
Sorry for the gigantic chapter! I didn't want to drag too much time before the sports festival started, so I put all the time between the USJ arc and the start of the festival into a single chapter.
The ending was kind of rushed because I had little time to write and wanted to finish the chapter quickly, so this is what came out.
I hope it was readable ;)I just wanted to say that the chap updates are going to be slower (yes, slower than they already are) because now I have even less free time than before, since I'm doing driving school and I'm back studying to get into college (someone please get me out of my misery T - T)
(Not to mention that I was recently diagnosed with ADHD and now it makes sense how long it takes me to write a single scene lmao)The next chapter maybe will take a long time to come out, as I'm still trying to decide what to do at the sports festival. I have complicated feelings about this arc – I like it a little because of Todoroki, but other than that it was pretty boring for me.
In this case, there are three options that I will let you choose!1- I change two festival minigames, keeping only the 1v1 battle.
2- I change one of the minigames, keeping the battle and another (I don't know which one yet).
3- I don't change anything and keep it as it is in canon.I'll only count the answers until I start writing the next chapter, which will probably take a while.
Changing the subject, I just discovered that Google Docs does direct translations too and this is the best function ever invented. How did I never find out about this before??
(edit: It didn't help much because it translated a lot of things wrong, correcting this chapter took hours T o T
"I'm expanding my vocabulary while I correct it" I mutter to myself as I feel my back crying out for help.
let me know if there are any mistakes!)About the last scene: as I mentioned before, it was just another extra scene, it wasn't even planned, it simply wrote itself lol. I don't know if it was very out of character for Dazai to panic about this, but I've felt this before and I just lost my senses, it's like my brain stopped processing everything. It's quite scary, especially for someone who has never experienced this before, so I think panic is quite common.
Anyway, ty for reading and see ya next chapter!!
Chapter 13: 13
Summary:
Sports Festival Part 1!
Notes:
I made a small change in the first chapter that will be important for a part of the plot in the future!
I dreamed that I had finished this fic and then I woke up and saw that I still only had 12 chapters ready. Damn.
I'm going to write a note of repudiation to myself because I'm STUPID and I forgot to write down a good part of the festival's plot 🥹 I'll improvise
Warning: the gays are very gay in this chapter. That's it.
Tw! (It's been a long time since I put it, right? I'm forgetting)
Needles
Vomiting(And bad grammar ig)
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
'I am really sorry ’
These are the words that echo in his ears.
‘I’m sorry, I love you. ’
It comes from a woman, but he can't make out her features. Despite her tearful voice, he can't see any tears. Maybe because her features are blurred. He recognizes her voice from somewhere, but he can't say where. He can't remember any names. He doesn't even know where he is.
He feels adrift, floating beneath the waters of nonexistence. His vocal cords don't work, his limbs don't obey his brain impulses, his tongue feels like lead in his mouth.
The woman seems to say a few more things, but it all falls on deaf ears. It's not even because he doesn't want to hear her, because he try, but the words are forgotten immediately after he hears them.
She reaches out her hand toward his face and he feels like pulling away, but nothing happens. Instead, her long, slender fingers make contact with his cheek. At first, the touch is warm and welcoming, and he closes his eyes. However, it isn't long before he begins to feel it burning and he tries to pull away, but is held in place by a large, strong hand.
He quickly opens his eyes, seeing that the woman has been replaced by a man with white hair and a sinister smile – but with blurred eyes –, who caressed his cheek with a penetrating gaze, looking at him as if he were a laboratory rat and, at the same time, a trophy.
"You're going to take us to the stars, Shuuji." The unknown man gave a charming, yet crazed smile, removing his hand and walking away.
The boy tried to run, but when he looked down, he found his wrists tied to a table. He tried to fight against the restraints, trying to undo them, but it was no use.
The same man from before came back into his field of vision, holding a syringe – with a needle that was way too thick for his liking – and wearing a big smile. The boy started to struggle even more, completely missing what the white-haired man was saying.
The needle was embedded in his flesh before he knew it. A cold sensation ran through his being.
Someone was screaming.
(He didn't realize it was himself.)
His eyes flew open in an instant, his eyes darting around the room frantically, though his vision was blurry and he couldn't see anything in the dark room. Consciousness didn't come in bits and pieces, quite the opposite, it came all at once, as if it were a train hitting him. His heart was racing and his breathing was irregular.
‘Run, run, run.’ – His mind pleaded in a mantra. ‘You are not safe . Run away, run away-’
His racing thoughts were interrupted by a rough, wet sensation in his nose.
Dazai closed his eyes and took a deep breath in and out, trying to steady himself.
‘It was just a nightmare.' He said to himself, continuing to breathe slowly.
After some time, he considered himself calm enough and slowly opened his eyes, finding himself face to face with a cat staring at him with eyes that seemed too intelligent for an animal, although her tongue hanging out of her mouth might contrast this statement a little.
The cat was trying to get his attention by putting her head under his chin and when that didn't work, she started hitting his head with a paw.
"Okay, okay! I get it, Bele, you want affection." The brunette sighed, before sitting on the bed and picking up the animal, running his fingers through her fur while she purred. He felt calmer than ever doing this.
"I never thought I’d get my own emotional support animal." He muttered with a sheepish smile. "I don’t think I deserve this." He spoke even more quietly, to no one in particular. He probably sounded like a crazy person talking to himself, but his mind wasn’t in the right place to care about that right now.
He reached for his cell phone and turned it on, frowning when he saw that it was still around three in the morning.
‘I won’t sleep on the day of the Sports Festival. Amazing.’ – He thought with a wry smile. ‘I just hope I don't do anything stupid because of lack of sleep.’
The memories of his dream were starting to fade, so he quickly unlocked his phone and opened the notepad app, writing down everything he remembered, feeling his stomach churn more and more with each word that was typed almost frantically on the device.
It soon became clear that this was not just a dream, but a memory.
But why right at that moment?
He didn't know who the woman was at first, though the tight feeling in his chest told him that she was someone important at some point in his life. He decided to bury it and let it go, however, the man who took her place was soon recognized as the "boogeyman" from the memory unlocked in his brain during the USJ attack.
After that, he honestly preferred not to remember. Those memories had been locked away in the confines of his mind for some reason, right?
His mind finally seemed to process what had happened in the nightmare. He shuddered as he remembered the size of the needle. The feeling of it invading his veins, followed by the sensation of a cold liquid being pushed into his bloodstream…
Without a second thought, Dazai quickly stood up, disturbing the cat on his lap, and ran to the bathroom, barely making it in time to fall to his knees in front of the toilet and dump the contents of his stomach.
He reached up to cup the folds of his arm where the veins had been attacked, squeezing the area lightly — as if that could stop what had already happened. The thought of the needle piercing him flashed through his mind, but it was enough to force whatever was left in his stomach out again. A soft meow echoed through the room, and he felt a ball of fur brush against his legs, but he made no move to acknowledge it.
“Dazai?” came a groggy and irritated voice from outside the bathroom. “I hope you’re decent, I’m coming in.” Was the only warning given before Dazai heard footsteps behind him. He felt his hair being moved out of the way almost too gently.
When there was nothing left in his stomach, the brunette stepped away from the toilet and leaned against the wall, taking a deep breath before looking at Chuuya, who had released his hair and leaned against the wall next to him. He hoped the other boy wouldn't see his shaking hands, though he supposed that was an impossible hope.
He was just focusing on keeping his breathing steady, barely noticing when Bele curled up in his lap.
"What happened?" The redhead asked with a frown.
“Nothing.” He said, running his hand through Bele’s fur unconsciously, though he wasn’t proud of the way his voice cracked. To his delight, however, his partner didn’t comment on it. “Just a bad dream.”
Chuuya made a noise of recognition. “You’re not going back to sleep tonight, are you?” he asked, having seen the brunette having nightmares before.
Dazai shook his head. "I don't think I could." he admitted, staring at a point without anything specific, although he could feel Chuuya's gaze on him as if it were glaring at him.
They remained in comfortable silence for a few minutes — although they could hear Bele purring — before the redhead stood up with the cat in his arms. “I won’t be able to sleep either,” he said, seeming to have decided something. “Then go brush your teeth and wash your hair, I’m going to cut it.”
Dazai felt his mind stop and he looked away from the fixed point, staring at the other boy for a moment like a fish out of water.
The redhead blushed. “What? Neither of us can sleep, you have a festival to attend in a few hours and someone needs to tame that hair of yours.” He defended himself quickly. The silence stretched on for a few more moments. “Say something, damn it! Or I’ll withdraw the proposal!” He shouted, his face even redder.
The brunette let out a laugh, suddenly coming out of his dazed state. “Sure, sure.” He said, before giving a mischievous smile. “If my dog wanted to play with my hair, he should have just told me before!” He mocked.
"I'll make you bald." Chuuya threatened with an angry expression, raising a tightly clenched fist.
Dazai let out a thin cry and backed away, raising his hands and pouting. “But I didn’t even cheat on you!” He whined, before placing a hand on his forehead dramatically. “How hard is this life of a bandit’s wife…”
The other boy rolled his eyes, but strangely, didn't snap at him. Instead, he motioned for the brunette to get up. "Get ready quickly, or I'll poke your remaining eye out with a pair of scissors!" He said, quickly leaving the bathroom with the cat in tow and ignoring Dazai's amused laughter.
About thirty minutes later, he found himself sitting on a bench with Chuuya behind him, while Bele played with a stuffed fish not far from them.
“Don’t cut it too much, okay…?” Dazai asked. He was starting to feel a little uncomfortable with the feeling of his wet hair dripping and soaking his clothes, but he didn’t comment on it.
The redhead grabbed a towel and draped it over his shoulders. “Do you want me to just cut your bangs?” He asked with a raised eyebrow. “I suppose if you tie your hair up during the festival, it won’t get in your way too much. I can lend you a scrunchie if you don’t have one.”
"And the locks on the side of the cheeks too. You know, my normal haircut, except I'm going to leave the length long." Dazai replied.
"You’re making too many demands." Chuuya commented. Despite his words, there was a smile on his face and he quickly picked up a comb to begin parting his hair.
"Chuuya is being too nice…" The dark-haired boy said absentmindedly after a while. "Am I dead? Is this the afterlife?"
The redhead snorted. “Of course not, idiot. Just…” He trailed off. Dazai couldn’t see the other boy’s face, but he was absolutely sure he was blushing. “Don’t talk about it, okay!? And don’t get used to it, because it won’t happen again!” He finally said.
"Anything that let you sleep at night." Dazai laughed, although he could feel his heart warming against his will, wisely choosing to remain silent.
Both boys remained in peaceful silence, with only the sound of scissors cutting strands of hair crossing the room.
Unfortunately, Dazai didn’t do well with silence, so he opened his mouth. “Do you think I should study the pattern of the Sports Festival games?” he asked, placing a hand on his chin.
Chuuya stopped and looked at him with a confused look. “…Isn’t there a few hours left until the festival?”
"And?"
"Do you want to exhaust yourself before the event even starts, you fucking idiot!?" Chuuya exclaimed, grabbing a handful of his hair and pulling it lightly, as if he was trying to forcefully make him see reason.
"OW!" Dazai shouted dramatically. "That's a good idea, you damn slug!"
The redhead shook his head, resuming his task. “It would have been a good idea if it had been a few weeks ago, maybe even a few days earlier.”
The brunette pouted. “But how am I supposed to spend these next five and a half hours?” he asked in a falsely sad tone.
"That's not my problem." Was what the other boy replied.
"Brute! Rude!!" Dazai cursed, waving his arms.
Chuuya clicked his tongue and the brunette could almost hear his teeth grinding. “ Damn Mackerel. Be quiet!” He shouted.
They argued with each other for a few more seconds, before silence reigned once more. Despite all the shouting from before, the silence was still peaceful. However, it was broken once more, this time by Chuuya.
"Dazai?"
"Hm?"
"About your… hero costume." The other boy spoke with a touch of sarcasm in his tone, almost as if he was holding back a laugh.
"You have no right to mock me if you were the one who helped make it." Dazai said, mocking.
"But you're the one who uses it." Chuuya let out a snort. "But it's not that. I was thinking about making another one." He said, looking a little embarrassed.
Dazai's jaw dropped slightly and he turned slightly to look Chuuya in the eye, though the redhead was looking away.
“You’re full of surprises today, aren’t you?” Dazai laughed after recovering from the shock. “First you offer to cut my hair, and now you want to design another outfit for me? Careful, it almost seems like you care.”
"And what makes you think I don't care?"
The brunette's mouth closed with an audible click. He… had no answer for that. So he fell silent.
Seeing that he wouldn’t get any response, Chuuya just frowned briefly and continued. “I just think the model we made was too basic. If the school is going to provide it for free, then I want to make the most of it. And you can even reuse it later if we add useful details to it.” he explained.
Dazai, with his eyes closed as Chuuya finished cutting his bangs, hummed, thinking for a while. “Yeah, maybe it’s a good thing. But that’s a problem for the future!”
"I finished cutting your hair and it's almost dry. Go to the mirror and see if you like it."
The brunette happily jumped out of the chair and headed towards the bathroom, looking at himself in the mirror.
He would admit that he didn't hate the sight as much as he used to. Before, his hair had stopped at the nape of his neck, though it had always seemed bigger due to the thick curls. Now it was shoulder-length, with a few strands framing his face. It was… different.
He didn't look exactly healthy, but he didn't look like he was one foot in the grave like he used to. Was that why the people around him always seemed so worried? If he had known that taking care of his hair would make him look less like a corpse, he would have done it sooner!
(He wouldn't, because he knows he wouldn't have the energy to do so. He barely has the energy to get out of bed when he wakes up, so he was aware that the state of his hair would only remain that way as long as Chuuya was constantly by his side.)
He didn't dislike his short hair — in fact, he quite liked it — but his slightly longer hair gave him a strange feeling… like he'd seen something — or someone — like that before, but his brain couldn't put a name to it.
It was a good feeling.
With a smile that seemed too genuine, he ran back into the room and threw himself at Chuuya – who was cleaning up the mess his hair left on the floor –, nearly knocking them both over.
"Dazai, you piece of shit! Get off me-" The redhead started to speak, but he stopped and held his breath when he turned his head and their noses touched.
The brunette blinked and pulled away as if the touch had burned him, but the smile didn't leave his face, although it dimmed a little. "It is very good." He said, feeling his face heat up, quickly turning it down so the other couldn't see his rosy cheeks. "...Thank you." He whispered.
He wasn't sure what he was thankful for. He didn't know if it was for the haircut, for the company, for the fact that Chuuya chose to stay up at night so he wouldn't be alone. Maybe all the reasons are valid - but he will not admit it out loud.
Suddenly, Dazai is startled by a warm hand grabbing his and he looks up again. Chuuya isn't looking at him – he's looking as far away from his face as possible. Even so, he pours sincerity into one simple, yet accurate, word. "Always."
They spent the rest of the night in silence, cleaning the apartment and enjoying each other's company.
It was one of the few days where Dazai didn't feel the need to hurt himself to ground himself after a nightmare.
Dazai yawned deeply, stretching his limbs. The effects of lack of sleep were catching up with him, but he thought he could last until the end of the festival on adrenaline.
"Dazai, are you okay, man?" Kaminari came to his side. "You have dark circles under your eyes bigger than Sensei's!"
"And that’s quite an achievement." Sero joked, with a huge smile.
The brunette forced a good-natured laugh. “I was anxious for today and I couldn’t sleep well.” He said, scratching his cheek with a finger. “But it’s nothing I can’t handle.”
Iida approached him, making stiff movements with his arm. “A good night’s sleep is essential for a hero in training! If you’re having trouble sleeping, I’m sure some meditation can help!” He spoke sternly.
Yaomomo, who was on the other side of him, quickly joined the conversation. “Have you tried any of the teas I recommended?” she asked curiously. “I was going to offer you some earlier, but I forgot.”
"Honestly, I had forgotten about that too." Dazai replied slowly. "If you don't mind, can you repeat what you said before?" He said. He was just trying to be polite, but he didn't have the courage to go back on what he had said when the girl's face lit up.
"The most famous is chamomile tea, but there is also valerian, mulungu, passionflower and lemongrass!" The taller girl began with a smile. "They all have calming properties and help with anxiety, but some are specifically recommended for the treatment of insomnia because they have sedative effects, such as mulungu and valerian tea." She spoke almost uninterruptedly and continued without giving him space to say anything. "I can tell you where I buy my teas, if you want!"
"Yaomomo, you must be one of the only ones in this room who can buy from this store." A girl with headphones hanging from her earlobes spoke affectionately.
"No way! Dazai is rich too!" Uraraka said, seeming to have materialized out of complete nowhere, scaring most of the students around her.
Kaminari raised an eyebrow at the girl. "What do you mean?"
Dazai gave her a goofy smile. “Rich is too much, Uraraka-chan.” He replied shyly.
The brown-haired girl pointed an accusatory finger at him. “You have a black card!" She said, drawing shocked gasps from those around.
The mafioso let out an amused laugh, raising his hands in surrender. “Guilty as charged.” He said, before turning to Yaomomo with a friendly smile. “If you could give me the store where you buy your teas, I’d be grateful. All the money my old man spent is not enough!” He chuckled mischievously to himself.
The taller girl smiled brightly, pulling her phone out of her pocket. “You’re in the class group, right?” she asked. “I can save your number there.”
“I think so.” He replied. He didn’t really know, since he left the messaging app on silent twenty-four hours a day. He took his own phone out of his pocket and checked the notification bar, seeing that he had received a message. It was a greeting followed by a location, coming from an unknown number, which he quickly saved as Yaomomo.
"Dazai-kun! Did you cut your hair?" An excited voice caught his attention. It came from a girl with pink hair and skin – Ashido Mina.
Dazai let out a laugh. “Yeah!” he said, before spinning around and winking. “Did I nail it?”
"You served cunt, king!" Ashido replied with a big smile, giving him a thumbs up and turning to talk to the other girls.
The brunette blinked twice, before shaking his head slightly and letting the conversation fade into the background of his mind.
After a while, he checked the time, noticing that there were only two minutes left until the gates closed and they would be called into the arena, where he would have to give a speech – ugh.
Aizawa had warned him about this part of the event, and it was actually completely optional, but he decided that he would use the opportunity to criticize hero society. After all, he needed to get the attention of the villains. And he was sure that Mori wouldn't want him to waste this opportunity.
Honestly, he didn’t think he needed a speech for this. For some reason, the villains Mori wanted to find out more about already seemed to have something with Dazai, and he wasn’t eager to find out what it was. However, who was he to go against his boss’s orders, right?
"Where’s Midori?" Uraraka asked, looking worried. "The gates are about to close!"
Speaking of the devil, the door to Class 1-A's preparation room opened with a bang and an exhausted Midoriya ran in, stopping next to their group.
“You look like you ran a marathon.” Dazai laughed a little. “Are you okay?” He asked. “We can get you a bottle of water.”
"I'm fine! I brought water." The green-haired boy replied, breathless. "I had to stop by the convenience store today to get a little breakfast. I almost missed the train." He finished, grabbing his bottle of water and taking a generous sip.
The teenagers around him began to quietly chat about something, but Dazai's mind had already drifted away. However, his attention was drawn back to the sound of louder footsteps coming towards the group.
"Midoriya, Dazai." Said a boy with bicolored hair who sported a rigid and monotonous expression, clearly trying to remain emotionless. Although his mask is quite good, Dazai is specialist in masks, and can clearly see the emotions etched in the boy's eyes. Anger. Determination. Defiance.
Interesting.
"Y-Yes, Todoroki-kun?" Midoriya stuttered, while Dazai just made a noise of acknowledgement to indicate that he was listening.
"Objectively, I'm stronger than both of you."
“Oh?” Dazai’s lips stretched into a smile that probably looked feral.
The taller boy stared at him for a while, as if studying him, before continuing. “Midoriya, you have a strange connection with All Might, and because of that, I will defeat you.” He paused. “And you, Dazai. You’re an enigma. You don’t seem to want to be here. And yet, you pulled off that whole… stunt at the USJ.”
Oh, so that's about it? Dazai felt like laughing – although he suspected there was some ulterior motive. “Are you going to use me as a test your strength?” He laughed at the other teenager’s grimace. “Go for it, dear.” He said in a mocking tone, drawing a few chuckles because of the nickname.
"T-Todoroki-kun…" Midoriya began the serious reply, composing himself enough to speak without stuttering. "In fact, you are stronger than me. But everyone, from every department, is giving their all to reach the top, and I am no different. I will give it my all."
The surrounding students cheered, showing support for the green-haired boy's speech, but were interrupted by Present Mic's voice crossing the room and indicating that it was time for them to enter the arena.
The students slowly made their way to the stadium, with a few small conversations here and there, and Dazai felt his ears ringing slightly as he heard the noise of the crowd in the stands. He felt an uneasy feeling that he was being watched closely as soon as he became visible in the arena, but he shook his head. It must have just been paranoia.
His class stood in a designated corner as Present Mic finished calling out the other classes in a booming voice — and with each class called out, it seemed like the glares directed at his classroom tripled.
Midnight, who was on a stage near them, cracked her whip, drawing everyone's attention.
“Now, let’s ask the player representative, Dazai Osamu, to come up on stage and give a speech!” The woman shouted with a big smile.
Dazai sighed deeply, before slowly walking towards the stage, ignoring the murmurs that seemed to follow him.
The mafioso wasn't nervous. A little tense from being under the gaze of so many people? Yes. But not nervous. He had a speech prepared in advance and, despite it being a little long, he felt that it fulfilled its role of being dramatic and critical. It was difficult not to make his words sound sarcastic and perhaps a little villainous – he needed to get the villains' attention, not to warn the heroes – but he feels he has reached a pleasant middle ground.
Dazai stood in front of the microphone, keeping his hands in his pockets and a slight smile on his face and began to speak.
"Ah… the glorious U.A. Sports Festival. The time when teenagers are placed against each other in competitive matches… all in the name of justice. Or would that be entertainment? That's funny." He began, resisting the urge to laugh when the crowd fell silent, while the students and the heroine beside him stared at him in shock. "You know, from here, it all seems so heroic. Cheers, cameras, rankings, promises of fame. But I wonder… how many of us are really here to save people? How many just want the spotlight?" He asked. He could hear some irritated murmurs coming from the students.
"Bold." He heard Midnight mutter beside him.
"Honestly, I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing." He spoke softly. "After all, being a hero is one of the few socially accepted ways to seek recognition without seeming needy. If society dictates that it will be this way, then so be it, until somebody decide to fight against it." He said, looking directly at the cameras filming him.
His smile widened as he saw that the crowd remained stunned. “I seek justice, but maybe I’m not that different either. But it’s funny how these teenagers destroy themselves in live for what? A chance to shine? A not-so-distant future?” His smile became a little more mischievous. “So, yes… we will fight. We will shine. But when the lights go out, who will take care of the broken heroes? Or will there only be room for those who can smile beautifully while bleeding? Anyway… thanks for watching and good luck to all the students.” He concluded.
He could barely hear the hesitant claps — which soon multiplied into a cacophony of noise — over the loud, rapid pounding of his heart in his ears.
"Quite a bold speech coming from the representative of the first years!!" He heard Present Mic shout vaguely.
Dazai stepped down from the stage and quickly returned to his place next to his classmates, who were staring at him.
“I didn’t expect that, Dazai-kun!” Uraraka exclaimed, her eyes wide.
The brunette gave a shy chuckle. “Neither do I, Uraraka-chan. The words just came out of my mouth.” He lied softly.
“But I think it was cool, bro!” Kirishima chimed in, patting him on the back. “It’s always cool to reflect a little.”
Dazai almost let out a sigh of relief. If his colleagues weren't angry, it meant his speech didn't seem too suspicious.
‘I hope you’re satisfied, you damned doctor.’ – He thought to himself.
“Now, let’s draw lots for the first event of this year’s Sports Festival!” Midnight exclaimed excitedly when suddenly a roulette wheel appeared out of nowhere. The woman quickly spun it, and the students stared at the object anxiously.
When the roulette wheel finally stopped, the heroine smiled broadly. “The first event is… the dangerous obstacle course around the stadium!” she shouted. “It’s a four-kilometer track around the stadium. It’s pretty self-explanatory.”
Suddenly, Dazai wishes he could cancel powers from afar like his teacher, just so he could hinder his opponents. Unfortunately, though, wishing isn’t enough…
He follows his classmates and the others and positions himself at the finish line. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't far ahead, but he wasn't far behind either. He thinks he's going to have to kick some people in the back of the knees...
He just hoped he wouldn't fall and get trampled. That would be a terrible way to die.
"Start!" Present Mic shouted.
He also hoped that the disturbing feeling of sharp eyes watching him would also disappear.
Notes:
Should I add the slow burn tag? Is there a slow burn for hugs? Because things will still take a while to start getting better for real.
This chapter should be much longer, but I remembered how much trouble I had translating the last chapter (almost 9 thousand words) and I thought twice. I'm not going to go through that hassle again, so I split the chapter into two. The sports festival will have *at most* three chapters (counting this one)!
I love the girls from 1-A, I'll find a way to include them in the scenes as much as possible hehe (I hope you don't mind me making Mina have a twitter vocabulary and being chronically online lol (and that was quite hard to translate. english don't have enough nicknames 😞)
And I have something to say about how my life is going:
Holy shit 🥀
It's just that.On the bright side, I was excited to finish this arc soon because I'm SO excited to do future arcs - more specifically, Eri's arc. But there's still so much to do and I can't write fast enough (─.─||).
Note: Please let me know of any mistakes! My corrector kept correcting Dazai's name to Daí for some reason ´-﹏-`
About the course of the sports festival: the second option prevailed and therefore only one of the events will be changed (and I chose to change the cavalry battle)!
Honorable mention: enjoy the cute soukoku moments while you can! 😊
That's all for today, thanks for reading and see you in the next chapter =)
Chapter 14: 14
Summary:
Sports Festival pt. 2
Notes:
This took longer than intended…
This is explained by the simple fact that I didn't write down the part that I was going to change in the sports festival :') I was too lazy to think about the same thing as before again so I changed everything lolWarning: This was poorly corrected. Please let me know if you find any mistakes!
(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)
Chapter Text
A chilly air enveloped the tunnel as the students ran. People began to stop, some shouting in outrage.
Dazai, fortunately, wasn't one of them, because as soon as the ice reached his ankles, it immediately vanished with a flash, which consequently also nullified the ice imprisoning the other students. But that didn't last long, as the next second, another frost swept across the area, and the students were paralyzed again, though this time the ice avoided the dark-haired boy.
The mafioso shifted his gaze to Todoroki, who was skating ahead on a large patch of ice, and they made eye contact. Dazai gave him a mischievous smile, which was returned with a hard glare from the other boy.
As soon as he exited the tunnel, he heard Present Mic shouting. "It looks like Todoroki Shouto froze the students in the tunnel! But wait…" He paused dramatically, before crying out in surprise. "It looks like the students of Class 1-A and a few others were expecting this and broke free from the ice!"
The hero started to say something else, but Dazai's attention was diverted by a horde of robots blocking his path. A giant robot was heading his way. It attacked Mineta, who was in front of him, trying to hit Todoroki, and the brunette quickly identified the control panel. Maybe if he could land a well-aimed kick there…
But he would, of course, let Mineta be eliminated first.
As soon as the small purple-haired boy was thrown back by the machine, Dazai prepared to advance, but was stopped when another wave of ice passed and froze all the robots - whose joints could not withstand the cold and began to detach, causing the rest of their bodies to fall.
Considering how heavy some of these robots are, they could kill a student if they fell on top of them - Dazai couldn't help but think morbidly.
Well, opportunity was opportunity.
With that in mind, he rushed forward and grabbed a piece of the attacking robot. In his peripheral vision, he saw Midoriya doing the same. The boy probably wanted to save his quirk for later, especially when it shatters his bones with the slightest movement.
"The Ice Prince of 1-A is charging ahead! Will anyone catch up to him!?" The Voice Hero yells.
"...What nickname is that?" came Aizawa's substantially more tired voice.
As the commentators spoke, Dazai used the rubble he was carrying to clear a path and, thankfully, passed easily — it was the first time he'd ever been thankful for being so short. However, as he ran, another robot came toward him, and he was quick to use the piece of metal he was carrying to decapitate it.
As the machine fell to its side, wires protruding from its neck, the dark-haired boy kept running, and as he passed the robots' area, he threw the rubble aside. He spotted a giant canyon with some tightropes he had to cross.
He could see Midoriya a little ahead of him, still carrying the piece he'd picked up. Well, Dazai supposed not everyone was strong enough to carry a piece of metal all the way around the circuit.
For much of the way, the brunette was able to cross using parkour, thanks to some gaps in the structure where he could hold on and leverage himself if he lost his balance. However, in other cases, the space was too large, and it was at this point that he faced a dilemma. On the one hand, he's sure his balance is nearly perfect and he could pass easily, but it would take longer due to the distance.
The mafioso stops in front of a rope, analyzing the situation. On that same rope, there was a girl from 1-B and… Mineta… stuck to her back — how did this guy regain his position? — and suddenly, an idea formed in his mind.
A mischievous smile stretched across Dazai's lips.
Without waiting any longer, he took the rope off the piece of wood he was tied to and swung it, causing the two hanging on it to fall into the abyss.
"What's this!?" Present Mic exclaimed. "Dazai Osamu from 1-A pulled the rope and knocked out two of his opponents! Not heroic at all, bro!" The hero said. "What the hell is he going to do!?"
The dark-haired boy looked directly at the drone filming him and blew a kiss into the air before gaining momentum and throwing himself into the abyss, using the surrounding rock fragments as leverage to avoid stopping in the middle of the canyon. Once he had his feet firmly on the wall on the other side, he used the hanging rope to climb up. He repeated the process once more to reach the end of the canyon, knocking down a few more people in the process.
"You son of a b…!" shouted a black-haired boy who was falling next to some girls. Dazai, fortunately, didn't recognize them.
"Hasta la vista, baby!" The brunette shouted back with a teasing smile, before turning and running toward the last part of the obstacle course.
"Dazai attacks again! Isn't that against the rules?" He heard in the background.
"Not really," Eraserhead replied. "He doesn't have a specific quirk to help him in a situation like this, so he has to use every resource available to him. In this case, the ends justify the means."
The brunette turned his attention to the track and spotted a minefield in front of him – and it wasn't long before Dazai noticed Todoroki and Bakugou in the distance fighting for the lead, some of his teammates a little behind and Midoriya... digging up some bombs with a piece of metal?
A smile returned to his face as he realized what the green-haired boy was planning.
‘ I think I’ll hitch a ride!’ – He thought happily.
He discreetly approached the other boy, who was focused on his task. As soon as the metal Midoriya was carrying was a few inches from the ground, Dazai jumped on his back, wrapping his arms around the other boy's neck, and they quickly took off.
"Is it a bird? Is it a plane!? No! It's Midoriya Izuku from 1-A, who used the bombs to his advantage! And… Dazai, who stuck to his back?" Present Mic shouted.
The green-haired boy looked shocked, but made no move to knock him down — perhaps because the slightest movement could send them both crashing to the ground.
"Midori!" Dazai shouted, hoping the other boy could hear him despite the wind attacking their ears. "Are you thinking the same thing as me?" He asked. Fortunately, it seemed the other boy had heard, as the brunette's mouth was right next to his ear.
"Delay Todoroki and Bakugou!" Midoriya shouted back, in few words so as not to lose the meaning.
Dazai perked up, nodding. "It's good working with you, comrade!" He shouted back with a big smile.
The green-haired boy seemed to let out a snort, and if the brunette had to guess, the other boy wasn't expecting a partner in this plan. But then again, two heads are better than one!
They were approaching the ground at high speed, and when Dazai saw Midoriya's position to slam the board into the ground again, he grabbed the other boy's neck tightly. Midoriya pulled the board out from under them and placed each foot on Todoroki and Bakugou's backs, then slammed the board into the ground again, sending them flying forward.
(…How strong is this guy, to the point that he managed to hold Dazai clinging to him like a koala while slamming a piece of metal into the ground…?)
The two boys fell, sending up a cloud of dust, and quickly sprinted back down the track toward the stadium. Midoriya was slightly ahead, but Dazai didn't mind giving up first place as long as he finished in the top three.
"Midoriya and Dazai take the lead! But Todoroki and Bakugou are right behind… How close!" The voice hero shouts once more in an excited voice, making Dazai's ears ring a little.
The brunette glanced back and soon realized that Todoroki and Bakugou were almost reaching them, both pushing each other. Without waiting any longer, he bent down, grabbed a handful of dirt with both hands, and threw it in the other two boys' eyes, running without looking back as the other two slowed down.
Midoriya was now well ahead, but Dazai could already see the finish line. However, the other two boys were once again catching up.
Once inside the tunnels, the mafioso quickly realized something, with a smile.
Cameras do not record inside the tunnel.
Todoroki was skating past him on the left, while Bakugou was using explosions as momentum on his right. As they both passed a little past him, Dazai grabbed both of their wrists and pulled them back, canceling their quirks and sending them tumbling to the ground.
The brunette ran off again, but not before looking back and smiling broadly. "Oops!"
He felt a searing heat behind him for a brief moment — less than a second — and, well, it seems he'd angered the Ice Prince enough to make him use his left side, since he couldn't smell the burnt caramel of nitroglycerin.
"In the first place… MIDORIYA IZUKU!" Present Mic shouted at length.
It didn't take long for him to cross the finish line, followed by Todoroki and Bakugou, who passed almost glued together.
"Right after that, in second, DAZAI OSAMU! And, hot on his heels, come Bakugou Katsuki and Todoroki Shouto!" The loud commentator said, making the crowd vibrate in excitement. "I think we'll have to review which of these two came in third and fourth. And then…" The man continued announcing the incoming students, but Dazai no longer paid any attention.
The brunette approached Midoriya, who was panting heavily. "Hey, Midori!" Dazai called, making the boy look at him. "Thanks for the ride! I just don't know how you didn't knock me over when you had the chance." He said, letting out a small, breathless laugh.
He was trying his best to mask the discomfort of the sensation of a pair of sharp eyes boring into the back of his neck. He needed to quickly identify where it was coming from and why it was so familiar, otherwise he would go mad.
Oblivious to his inner conflict, Midoriya let out a tired laugh. "A-Actually, I indeed considered making you let go of me when I was about to slam the metal between Kacchan and Todoroki-kun…" He began, placing a hand on the back of his neck and giving a wry smile. "But I was afraid you'd get hurt."
Dazai gaped at him for a moment before bursting out laughing. "Come on, Midori! Do you think I'm that fragile?"
The other boy's silence was enlightening.
"What a shame…" The brunette whined with a pout.
"I-It's not that! You're very strong! It's just that… We were going at high speed and…"
"Relax, greenie. I'm just kidding." Dazai said with a smile. "Don't worry, a bad vase won't break." He laughed.
Midoriya tilted his head slightly, frowning. "Bad vase…?"
Before the boy could question further, they were interrupted by Uraraka, Iida, and a few other students approaching them. From the looks of it, the vast majority of Class 1-A managed to finish the course.
"Dazai-kun, Deku-kun!" Uraraka called, breathing a little heavily. "You guys were amazing!"
"However!" Iida exclaimed, waving his arms robotically. "I must say, you used some pretty dirty tactics, Dazai-kun! Besides knocking down some students, you also cut off some routes for the students behind you! That's very…"
"Calm down, bro." Sero gently interrupted the boy's speech. "If no one stopped him, it wasn't against the rules, right? Even Aizawa-sensei said it was okay."
"That's right, Iida-kun!" Dazai stated, before giving a mischievous smile. "Every day a smart person and a fool leave home. You just have to choose who you want to be!" He finished, crossing his arms.
The boy seemed about to argue, but realized it was pointless and simply shook his head. He turned abruptly to Midoriya, who flinched slightly. "I have things to say about your methods too. I…"
Fortunately, they were spared another monologue thanks to Midnight's whip cracking, drawing the attention of all the students.
"Okay kids, take a five-minute water break, and then we'll draw lots for the next event!" She exclaimed, causing the students to scatter.
Dazai silently followed the other students of Class 1-A, who were chatting animatedly. He wasn't paying attention, as he was busy looking around. He looked forward again, grimacing. Whoever was watching him hid before he could see them. It was irritating.
Or maybe he was paranoid. Yeah, that could be it.
He was distracted by the sound of his bag as he entered the 1-A waiting room. He distanced himself from the group and quickly opened it, grabbing his phone.
Slug❤️ :
as always you are a fucking nuisance
You :
my dear, I'm not A nuisance, I'm THE nuisance! 😘
Slug❤️ :
freak
good luck, kick those brats ass
You :
so violent !!! bad dog!
I knew you loved me <3
Read, 10:01AM.
Dazai pouted as he saw that he was left hanging.
"Dazai-kun! Shall we go?" Uraraka called, catching his attention.
"I'm going, Uraraka-chan!" He sang, throwing his phone into his bag and zipping it shut, running to follow the students.
However, before he could advance any further, he was interrupted by Iida, handing him a bottle of water. "Dazai-kun, didn't you bring a bottle? I didn't see you taking a sip of water! It's important to stay hydrated!" the boy stated firmly, but with a smile. "Here, have some!"
Knowing that a refusal would open the door to yet another speech from the other boy – who, although well-intentioned, was tiring — the brunette took the bottle, unscrewed the cap, and held it a few inches away from his mouth — so as not to touch the spout —and let the ice-cold water run down his throat. A few seconds later, he closed it and handed it back to the taller boy.
"Thank you, Iida-kun," Dazai said with a polite smile. "But I think we'd better hurry." As soon as the mobster said this, Present Mic's voice echoed through the stadium, calling all the students back to the center.
It wasn't long before all the students were back in the center of the stadium, awaiting instructions.
"Congratulations to everyone who completed the obstacle course!" Midnight announced. "However, only the top forty-two finishers will advance to the next round." She spoke apologetically, seeing that many students who finished below that level had wilted. "Now, on to the next event…"
The roulette wheel took up space once more, and the heroine spun it once more. Most of the students were practically on their toes, brimming with anticipation.
"The Territorial War!" The woman shouted excitedly. "The name is a bit dramatic." She laughed before beginning her explanation. "In this event, you will form teams of two to five people, and each team will be assigned an area of the arena based on the points you earned from the last event, but this will be explained later." She paused. "Cementoss will build walls surrounding each territory, but they are interconnected like a maze. To acquire a territory, there are two options: stay within the enemy's territory for thirty seconds without fighting or being noticed, or capture all the members of that team with the ribbon that will be given to y'all. Those who have their territories captured and have not captured any others will be eliminated!"
"What will the ranking be like?" Came a question from someone in the crowd of students.
"The top five teams with the most territories — or the biggest one if you're in the top and manage to hold your position — advance to the next round!"
"And the score?"
Midnight smiled. "That's the good part. It's based on your placement on the obstacle course. 42nd place gets 42 points, 41st gets 84, 40th gets 126, and so on. However, there's one exception…" Her smile became a little more sadistic. "First place gets 10 million points!" she exclaimed.
Dazai turned his head to Midoriya, who looked like he wanted to sink into the earth at that moment. The poor boy seemed on the verge of a panic attack at the sight of all those predatory gazes directed at him.
The brunette nudged him lightly, causing the boy to look at him with a hopeless look.
"Relax." He whispered.
“That’s easy for you to say!” The other boy whispered-shouted.
Dazai had to stifle a laugh. "Trust me." He spoke simply, ignoring the confusion emanating from the green-haired boy.
"The match will last fifteen minutes, and you'll have fifteen minutes to form your teams and strategies, and another five minutes to go where you're told so Cementoss can build the walls. Starting now!" Midnight concluded.
"Midori! Can I team up with you?" Dazai asked, giving me his best puppy dog eyes.
"S-Sure, Dazai-kun!" Midoriya readily accepted, giving a relieved smile. "I'm kind of glad you want to team up with me, I thought I'd rot alone..." The boy whispered.
The brunette shook his head but said nothing. He knows Midoriya is smart — maybe not as smart as himself or other people he know, but the boy is well above average — but he lacks the confidence to put it into practice.
Maybe he can help him a little with that. It might be useful to him in the future.
Dazai saw Uraraka approaching them and immediately turned to her with a big smile. "Uraraka-chan! Want to join our team?"
The girl gave a shy smile. “If that’s okay with you two…”
"Of course!" Midoriya replied. "I was thinking about calling Iida-kun too…"
Uraraka shook her head. "I met him and asked if he wanted to look for you with me, but he didn't. It's nothing personal; he just said he wants to become strong on his own."
"Ah... I see." Midoriya replied slowly, but didn't let himself get discouraged.
"Midori, I think we should ask Jirou-chan or Shouji-kun to join our team," Dazai suggested, making the green-haired boy look at him.
Midoriya nodded. "I agree. It would be good to have someone with enhanced hearing to know when someone enters our territory, since ours is the largest," he said, before turning to Uraraka. "Uraraka-san, can you look for someone skilled in long-range combat?"
The girl saluted, laughing. "At your service, boss!" She said, before running off.
"B-Boss?" Midoriya stuttered.
Dazai chuckled. "Get used to it now, boss." He said, starting to walk ahead of him when he saw Shouji.
"Not you either!" Midoriya cried, hurrying up behind him.
"Shouji-kun!" The mafioso called, catching the taller boy's attention. "Join our team!" he urged, waving his arms.
Shouji looked between the two. "I'm already forming a team, sorry." he said apologetically, pointing at Asui.
The green-haired boy just smiled. "No problem!" he said, and he and Dazai went in search of Jirou.
When they found her, they saw that she looked a little out of place. The perfect opportunity, in the dark-haired boy's opinion.
"Jirou-san!" Midoriya called. "Want to join our team?"
The girl stared at them for a moment, seeming to ponder the question. "Everyone will be aiming for you. Do you think you can do it?"
"I think so," Dazai begins. "But with you on our team, our chances increase exponentially. Nothing escapes your hearing." He said with a confident smile.
Jirou gave a wry smile. “You're right.” She laughed. “I’m in.”
"Guys!" Came from behind the brunette and he turned, coming face to face with Uraraka, who was coming towards them with a pink-haired girl in tow.
The pink-haired girl was quicker and entered Midoriya's personal space. "Hello, Ten Million!!!! You'll show off my babies if I join your team, right!!?"
"B-Babies?" Midoriya and Jirou stuttered at the same time.
Dazai pointed to the inventions the girl carried. "I think she's referring to her precious inventions. Is that correct?"
"Correct, Bandages!" The girl gave a thumbs up, showing a huge smile.
Midoriya's eyes lit up. "In that case, we'll be happy to show them off, uh…?"
"Hatsume Mei!" The pink-haired girl replied, taking the other boy's hand and shaking it. "A pleasure doing business with you, Ten Million!"
She didn't ask any name.
"Does anyone have a strategy?" Uraraka asked curiously after some time.
Midoriya nodded, smiling. "First, Hatsume-san, what… babies… do you have?"
Hatsume brightened when she heard the boy's description of his inventions. "I have some communicators, with some backups in case they break, floating boots that, well, float, hydraulic clamps that help you avoid attacks, a capture pistol that releases an improved net, a taser that paralyzes your opponent for a few seconds, and... a few more that might not be very useful right now."
Dazai whistled. "It's kind of impressive you got permission to bring all this." He said, smiling.
"Support course, dear!" She laughed. "What are your quirks? Mine's Zoom! I can zoom with my eyes!"
"I can nullify any quirks through physical touch." Dazai began.
Uraraka quickly followed suit. "Zero gravity! But if I use it too much, I'll get nauseous."
"Earphone Jack. My hearing is great, and I can cause internal damage when I plug my headphones into something." Jirou explained quickly.
"Super strength..." Midoriya replied with rosy cheeks. "But I don't have any control over it, so I'm avoiding using it."
“Does anyone have any ideas?” Jirou asked, playing with one of her headphones.
"I have some, but…" Midoriya bit his lip, looking unsure.
The dark-haired boy elbowed him. “Just say it. You’re not alone in this.”
(And if Dazai wanted to gauge where the boy's strategy level was, only he would know.)
The green-haired boy gave him a soft smile — ew — and nodded, turning to the other members of the group. There weren't many people around, but he lowered his voice anyway.
"First, I think we should focus on defense. I think everyone should stay, but Jirou-san and Hatsume-san especially, since I assume Jirou-san can hear even a heartbeat if an opponent is within range of her Quirk, while Hatsume-san can use her equipment to facilitate capture, as she has both long-range and short-range instruments, and her Quirk allows her to see from afar and pinpoint the position of enemies. On the other hand, Dazai-kun can cancel more powerful Quirks when they appear, or Uraraka can sneak up behind them and float them while I distract them. It's very likely that many students will come to serve as a distraction while others, quieter ones, remain hidden and try to take over the territory." He paused. "But that's another dilemma. We need to have a guarantee. If we lose our territory and have no other, we're eliminated…"
"I think I have a solution for that." Dazai said. Midoriya's plan wasn't bad, but it could be improved.
"I'm all ears." The green-haired boy replied, and all the other members turned their eyes to Dazai.
"Here's the thing…" The dark-haired man began, telling them his plan. It was simple, but it could be exactly what they needed.
The other members of the group listened attentively, smiles growing on their faces.
"But what if that's not allowed?" Uraraka asked.
Dazai returned a mischievous smile. "If it wasn't allowed, they would have included it in the rules. So what?"
"The time for strategizing is over!" Midnight said. She began to walk through the groups, handing them a roll of tape and showing them where to stand.
The members looked at each other.
"Let's go." They readily agreed.
Jirou let out a sigh. "I hope this plan doesn't screw us over." She said, but smiled. "Let's go, team."
It wasn't long before they were equipped and ready, waiting patiently as the cement walls rose and created winding paths.
When the walls were finished forming, the countdown shouted by Present Mic began.
"3, 2, 1…"
Dazai looked up and smiled slightly at the blue sky that shone and reflected in his eyes.
"Start!"
Notes:
A part of me died when I had to replace “um beijo na bunda e até segunda” (literally translated it means “a kiss on the ass and see you Monday”) with “hasta la vista baby” in the English version to make sense 😿
I'm seriously thinking about putting real titles on the chapters (I probably won't)
And I can't believe I spent hours on my 10+9th birthday writing fanfic, of all things. I'll really never grow up and that's okay <3
Now about the fic:
Guys, istg I had no idea how the obstacle course scoring worked and I also couldn't find an explanation anywhere in the internet (not even in reddit!!!), so if you ask me where I got it from that it's like that, I'll answer you with: it came to me in a dream...
By the way, I'm going to give the same treatment to this second game, this game doesn't exist, I just took it from the depths of my mind. the voices in my head said it should be like this, I just obeyed.
Anyway, the sports festival will have only one more chapter (I hope)
Thank you for reading!!!
Chapter 15: 15
Summary:
Sports Festival pt. 3
Chapter Text
The first three minutes of the game went smoothly — some students had tried to take over their territory, but it was unsuccessful; they were all either removed or captured. At that point, the defense was impenetrable.
However, Dazai knew this wouldn't last the next twelve minutes. Seeing this, he realized it was time to act. Some territories were already being captured. Mostly by Bakugou and Todoroki's teams.
He looked down at himself. He was equipped with hover boots — which, thankfully, were light and didn't make much noise — and ear pieces to talk to others on his team. He made eye contact with each of his teammates and gave them a thumbs-up, the others responded with a nod of agreement.
Without further ado, he activated the boot — via a button on the inside of the shoe, near the toes — and climbed a maze wall slowly, doing his best not to make too much noise. When he reached the top of the maze, he landed on one of the walls. He looked around, checking out other territories, to see if anyone had noticed him. No student saw him.
First step, complete. Time to move on. – The brunette thought with a smile.
He felt a pair of sharp eyes on his back and tried his best not to react. When he glanced around discreetly, he saw nothing. The person was probably in the crowd of onlookers. It would be a problem for the future.
So, Dazai waltzed on the stone pillars, easily identifying where each territory was. He spotted a medium-sized zone — not too big, not too small. Perfect.
A drone approached him, filming his face. He simply gave the camera a playful smile and a V sign before returning to his task.
He paused for a moment, debating with himself. He could simply float above the area, but he didn't know how long the boot's battery lasted, and floating directly over the area would cast shadows. He still had the advantage that people wouldn't look up, and he needed to preserve that for a while.
…No one ever mentioned that you necessarily need to be completely within the area, right?
With that in mind, he sat on the edge, extending one foot so he was within the area. He could only be thankful the walls were so high.
It would be a shame if he fell.
He silently counted to thirty in his mind. His hypothesis would be confirmed or denied in a few seconds…
"Team Midoriya has captured Team Kendou's territory!" Present Mic announced. Dazai quickly removed his leg and moved away from the edge, standing in a spot out of the line of sight of the students.
"How did this happen!?" The hero continued, surprised. "Does one of their members happen to have a secondary quirk of invisibility!?!?"
“I already know what happened,” Eraserhead interrupted with something that sounded like a snort.
Silence reigned for a moment, and Dazai guessed Present Mic finally noticed him waltzing across the cement walls, as the man let out a shocked gasp. The blond looked ready to shout something, but Dazai made eye contact and put his finger on his lips, making a "shh" sign.
The hero's gaze turned amused and, by some miracle, didn't give him away. "I think I've figured out their strategy. Interesting!" he concluded, before beginning to announce other territories that had been captured.
Dazai moved back and forth, opting to capture smaller and, at most, medium-sized territories — and avoiding those where he knew there were students who might spot his presence — but they soon became scarce. Most students were captured by the teams of Todoroki, Bakugou, Shinsou, and another one. He could go after the big ones or return to his own.
The brunette gently placed his finger on his ear piece, turning on the microphone. “Hey, guys,” he began. “Is everything okay there? Can I go after some territory? Or do you think I should go back?”
The microphone came to life. “ Dazai-kun!” Came Midoriya's voice. An explosion and a crashing sound was heard in the background. “ Todoroki-kun and Kacchan are so close. But… can you take over one of their territories?”
Dazai grinned. "Greedy." he joked, amused by the other boy's stuttering. "Your wish is my command, boss." With that, he began running toward the larger zones.
Stopping in front of one of them, he noticed Kirishima and Sero were there. Probably Bakugou's area. He sat down, repeating the process he'd done many times before, hoping the black-haired boy wouldn't notice him.
Fortunately, Sero didn't notice him, and he was soon announced.
“Team Midoriya has captured Team Bakugou's territory!”
The two boys on the ground began to look around in shock and Dazai let out a small laugh, stepping off the edge.
“Mission successfully accomplished.” He spoke into the ear piece.
A static hiss was heard. “ You really don't mess around, huh? ” Came from Jirou, who seemed a little out of breath.
The brunette's smile widened. "If you’re with me, you’re with god." he said before sighing. "It's a shame the territories they captured stay with them. I'd pay to see Bakugou's expression when he gets disqualified for something so stupid." He laughed, beginning to skip back to his zone.
“ Hurr…” Midoriya began to say, but was interrupted by the sounds of fighting, much closer than before. The other boy's line went silent.
Time to move faster, apparently. – Dazai thought with a tired sigh, starting to run towards his area – which wasn't very difficult, since it was the biggest of them all.
As soon as he reached the edge of the wall, he saw Todoroki and Midoriya fighting, while Uraraka fought against Kaminari, Jirou against Iida and Hatsume against Monoma.
Uraraka was doing well, one step closer to capturing Kaminari with her ribbon, while Jirou seemed to be having a bit of trouble — but as long as she didn't stop fighting or get captured, everything was fine. Hatsume seemed to be having fun dodging Monoma.
Todoroki sent a large block of ice toward Midoriya, who dodged it slightly and, realizing he was about to be hit by one, used his quirk, sending a gust of wind toward the two-toned boy. Without further ado, the green-haired boy charged forward and punched Todoroki in the jaw.
Suddenly, in the same spot, a bonfire-sized flame ignited, and heat rose into the air. Todoroki, once again, seemed oblivious to the fact that he had used his left side for the second time.
Without further ado, Dazai made eye contact with Midoriya and threw himself off the wall. He turned on his boots to slow his fall and then turned them off again. He landed right on top of Todoroki, extinguishing his flames instantly, earning him a look of shock from most of the audience.
“Hey!” Dazai sang –”Y’all having a barbecue and they didn't call me!?” he said, distracting the taller boy long enough for Midoriya to take out his ribbon and wrap it around the other boy's chest.
"Todoroki has been captured by Midoriya!" Present Mic announced with a shout. "And Dazai jumped from that height, that kid's crazy!" The hero paused. "Team Midoriya maintains the lead, with only one minute left in the game!"
The brunette chuckled, rolling off the other boy and seeing Todoroki's incredulous look. His gaze turned lost as he backed away, leaving the area. He looked like a kicked puppy.
However, their joy did not last long, as an announcement soon came.
"Jiro has been captured by Iida! Kaminari has been captured by Uraraka!" the voiced hero shouted. While the second announcement was good, the first was terrible. He would have to rely purely on his instincts from that moment on.
Said and done: he was about to go fight Iida, but he soon straightened up when he felt two distinct sensations:
First, Bakugou was approaching at an alarming speed, considering the screams, the sounds of explosions, and the growing smell of nitroglycerin.
Second, and most worryingly, there was someone hiding among them. He thinks it's Hagakure, as he already figured she'd be one of the best options for going unnoticed. Without Jirou to hear her footsteps and heartbeat, the chances of them finding her are slim. He probably only noticed her because she must have stared at him for too long. Either way, he'd have to rely on luck.
And Iida was coming towards him at full speed.
"Midori!" Dazai shouted, dodging a kick that came his way. "Taunt Bakugou and run around! Make him unleash as many explosions as possible!"
Midoriya barely had time to question, as he came face to face with Bakugou. The green-haired boy stared at Dazai with teary but determined eyes, but he seemed to understand what the brunette wanted.
Had Midoriya sensed that there was someone else near them? Interesting .
"K-Kacchan! A-Are you so b-bad that you lost your territory?" Midoriya stuttered, starting to run, looking a little scared.
If Dazai weren't dodging Iida's countless kicks, he'd be laughing. This kid had no sense of provocation. Where's the confidence and mockery?
Still, it was no surprise that it worked, as the blond boy's face turned red and his palms began to glow.
"WHAT!?" Bakugou let out a bloodthirsty scream. "Get back here, you shitty Deku!" he said, using large explosions to propel himself forward.
Bakugou chased Midoriya around the perimeter, using his explosions to get around and even larger ones to try to hit the other boy — who seemed to have some experience dodging such explosions. Once again, intriguing .
Dazai smiled as soot began to permeate the air. He soon spotted Hakagure, who was trying to shake off the bits of carbon that had embedded itself in her skin.
Just as Iida went to give him another kick — the boy should really diversify his fighting style a bit — the brunette easily dodged it and began running toward Hagakure, who apparently didn't see him coming. Maybe soot got in her eyes, since she was so close to where Bakugou was exploding.
(Poor Midoriya was still being chased and was being helped by Uraraka. The first one was trying to calm the indignantly screaming blond down, but it didn't seem to be working.)
He heard heavy footsteps behind him and immediately realized that Iida was running after him. And if he were to use his Quirk…
Dazai felt a smile grow on his face.
"Recipro… Burst!" The taller boy shouted.
‘Who shouts the names of your attacks? ’ – Dazai thought and promptly stepped out of the way.
Iida tried to brake, but was unable to do so in time and ran all the way until he bumped into Hagakure, sending them both tumbling in a tangle of limbs. Wasting no time, Dazai ran back to them with the ribbon in hand and wrapped it around both of their wrists.
"Iida and Hagakure have been captured by Dazai! With two seconds left until the territory was captured and twenty seconds left until the end of the game! What a save, gentlemen!" Present Mic exclaimed.
Dazai sighed deeply. He couldn't take this game anymore.
He looked around, seeing if anyone else was slipping by unnoticed, but thankfully, there wasn't. He could help others, but… nah, he'd already done enough.
With that thought, he spent the remaining twenty seconds looking around, trying to ignore the fight between Midoriya and Bakugou.
"Annnnd… TIME'S UP!" Present Mic shouted. "In first place, who not only successfully defended their territory but also captured several other territories with ease, is Team Midoriya! Next comes Team Todoroki, who held their territory and captured others! After that, Team Bakugou, who, despite losing their territory, captured many others, enough to put them in third place! In fourth place, Team Monoma, and in fifth, Team Shinsou, both having captured a considerable number of areas!" The hero paused. "Congratulations to those who advanced to the next round!" And the crowd cheered.
It seemed like the voice hero was rubbing salt in the wound, highlighting how the blond boy's territory had been captured. And perhaps he was, judging by Bakugou's expression. He looked ready to attack again.
Dazai walked towards Midoriya, who sat on the ground and looked extremely tired. It looked like he had two trembling fingers.
"Everything okay?" He asked, walking past a frozen Bakugou and extending his hand to the boy on the ground. "You didn't break your fingers this time, I guess."
The green-haired boy smiled at him, taking the brunette's hand and standing up. "I'm fine. Just tired. My fingers are just a little sprained, I think Recovery Girl can fix it." He said with a small, awkward smile. "I thought we were going to lose territory for a moment."
"Even if we lost, Bandages here caught enough to put us in the top five!" Hatsume chimed in with a big smile. She didn't look the least bit tired. "What do you think of my boots? And the communicators???"
"The boots are great, but I think they could add a mechanism that sends a little more thrust, even when in the air, instead of just floating. I think it would help with parkour," Dazai said absently, before pausing for a moment.
…Why did he give genuine feedback?
Midoriya turned to the girl, smiling. "The ear pieces are great! But I think mine couldn't handle the cold air of Todoroki's Quirk; it stopped working." He spoke quickly. "Maybe there's a way to reinforce them with…" And the boy dissolved into unintelligible mumbling.
Hatsume didn't seem affected by the demonstration and nodded a few times, catching the green-haired boy's attention. "I understand. I'll improve both of my babies!"
"You guys did great!" came Uraraka, who was walking with Iida and Hagakure behind her. They began walking toward the exit — the walls had already receded into the ground once more.
"How did you guys notice me?" Hagakure asked, and she was probably pouting.
"Magic." Dazai replied monotonously.
Midoriya just looked away with flushed cheeks, without giving a proper response.
They continued walking toward the cafeteria. The other students were talking quietly, while Dazai just walked calmly with his hands in his pockets.
The brunette was about to separate from the group – intending to go get his phone –, but was interrupted by Todoroki blocking the way with a serious expression.
“Midoriya, Dazai. I need to talk to you.”
They were facing each other – Midoriya and Dazai leaning against one wall and Todoroki against the other.
"W-What's wrong, Todoroki-kun?" Midoriya stammered nervously, as if the two-toned haired boy was going to suddenly step forward and punch him.
And judging by the intensity of the other boy's gaze, perhaps that was a plausible conclusion. If looks could kill, the two shorter boys would be dead a hundred times over.
"You two beat me in both games." the other boy began. "And I broke my promise not to use my dad’s fire not once, but twice." He said, clenching his fists.
The green-haired boy frowned. "Your fire would give you a great advantage. Why don't you use it?" he asked.
Todoroki gave him a hard look. "Your quirk is very similar to All Might's," he said, ignoring the question. Dazai watched with a curious smile as panic grew in Midoriya's eyes. However, the two-toned boy quickly turned his attention to the brunette. "And yours is very similar to Aizawa-sensei's. By any chance... Is Dazai Eraserhead's illegitimate son, and Midoriya All Might's?" He finally finished his question.
Dazai burst out laughing. "What kind of nonsense is that?" He continued laughing. "You're watching too many movies." He finished.
Despite all the jokes that Dazai himself makes with the teacher, the man was not his father. And he won't be. And Aizawa should probably stop acting like one — caring so much about him. Should teachers be so concerned? The most frequent teacher the brunette has ever had was Mori, and the bastard is definitely very different from Aizawa.
Midoriya began waving his hands in front of his face. "N-No! I… I don't have a father, I guess." The boy spoke frantically, trying to dispel Todoroki's suspicions.
The taller boy, however, just narrowed his eyes at them. "But you have some connection to each of them. And that gives me even more reason to defeat them without using my left side." he stated in a tone as cold as ice.
Silence reigned for a few moments, before Todoroki spoke again.
"To answer your question, about why I don't use my father's fire. Are you familiar with Quirk marriages?" He said, letting out a small snort at Midoriya's horrified expression and Dazai's recognition. "My father always wanted to surpass All Might and reach the top spot in the rankings. But he could never achieve that with his own power. His alternative was to buy my mother so she could bear children with strong and desirable powers, in order to create the future number one hero." He paused. "It took three attempts, until I was born with the perfect power, in his eyes." His gaze darkened with hatred. "And since then, I've been his perfect tool. He's trained me since I could walk, no matter how much I begged for rest."
As Todoroki spoke, Dazai could almost feel the blood in his veins turning to ice. His head began to spin, and his stomach did uncomfortable twists.
He already expected that the story of the boy with two-tone hair would be like this, but…
I didn't expect it to be as similar as his .
Unwanted memories permeated his mind, making him want to rip his brain out with his bare hands for the simple fact that they reminded him of the time he wasn't good enough, and each time he needed to train harder and harder , to the point that he couldn't feel his limbs.
The brunette tried to regulate his emotions, trying to keep his expression relaxed and his heart rate under control, but he began to sweat even more as the boy's story progressed.
Todoroki placed his hand over the scar on his eye. "My left side is identical to his. I got this scar when my mother saw my left side, got scared, and poured boiling water on my eye. She collapsed. And since then, she's been locked up in a mental hospital."
A flash of memory of a woman with brown hair and teary eyes passed through his mind – and that was the last straw for him.
He forced two emotions to bury themselves in his chest, and suddenly he felt nothing. Only an immeasurable emptiness that could consume him if he stayed there any longer.
Dazai turned his back to the boys, starting down the hallway. "It's all a shame, but honestly, it's none of my business." He stopped and turned his head just a fraction. "Defeat me if you can. And I expect you to come at me with everything you've got." He spoke in a monotone tone, before walking down the hallway again.
When he reached the end, he looked to the side and saw Bakugou, listening to the conversation with a conflicted expression. The blond shot him a look.
Dazai walked past him with a fake smile, placing a hand on the other boy's shoulder as he passed.
He had two options now.
Go to the cafeteria and get something to eat – even though he would most likely vomit right afterward – or lock himself somewhere with his razor and kill himself.
While the second option is more appealing, his razor was in his bag in the 1-A waiting room. And someone was sure to see it.
He sighed deeply.
If God exists, the rest of the day will pass without many problems.
Shouto wasn't crazy.
He might be many things, but he wasn't crazy. In fact, he liked to think that, where he wasn't good at conversation and socializing, he was good at observation and analysis.
And so, he was sure he saw a myriad of emotions flash in Dazai's eyes before the other boy put on a facade as strong as steel.
Very similar to himself .
And that was enough for the two-toned-haired boy to conclude that Dazai was just like him. Or at least, very similar.
It was a theory that had been lingering in his mind for some time, as the vacant look that sometimes occupied the dark-haired boy's face intrigued him. And he soon realized that the boy's cheerful and carefree demeanor was nothing more than a facade.
Shouto almost believed him, since the boy was a good actor. However, there were a few slip-ups — which he normally wouldn't have noticed because they were relatively minor, but the two-toned-haired boy paid more attention to Dazai after accidentally spotting the scars on his chest on the first day of school.
He's pretty sure he wasn't the only one who saw it; after all, it's a small changing area, and anything resembling an injury, be it bandages or scars, stands out like a sore thumb — he'd know that better than anyone. He kind of wished there were separate locker rooms, and he's sure other classmates would appreciate it too, since some of them probably had scars of their own.
Despite his curiosity, Shouto refrained from asking — if Dazai was trying to hide it, it was because he didn't want to be asked. So, even though the boy wanted to know if there was anyone else like him in his class, he kept quiet.
At first, he thought Dazai was weak. Despite his powerful Quirk, the dark-haired man was inhumanly thin, had noodle-like arms, and was very short. In a hand-to-hand fight, the boy could easily be thrown into the air, he thought.
However, he was soon proven wrong when he saw the boy in action at USJ. Because Dazai moved with agility and murderous precision. He moved like someone trained. Very trained.
This caused red flags to go up in his mind.
As soon as he organized his thoughts, Shouto finished telling his story, right after Dazai left the corridor without looking back. He stared at Midoriya, who swallowed hard and looked a little lost.
Midoriya was another one that looked like Shouto — but he didn't wear a mask. Quite the contrary, he seemed to wear his heart on his sleeve.
The green-haired boy had also intrigued him since the first day of class. Unlike Shouto, he seemed to have no training whatsoever, despite possessing such a powerful Quirk. It was as if he were a four-year-old who had just awakened his power.
However, watching the exercises, it soon became clear that Midoriya was very good at dodging and stealth - and were determined. Sometimes his footsteps were like those of a ghost, making no sound at all. He wasn't the only one with this ability — Dazai, Hagakure, Koda, and even he himself did the same, sometimes without even realizing it. But the fact that a boy with such a powerful quirk knew this also set off alarm bells in his mind.
Midoriya was sincere. He cried a lot, flinched at sudden movements and loud noises, and also seemed incredibly weak, though it was becoming clear that he wasn't. And for some reason, Shouto found himself drawn to him.
He can't help but think that, technically, they might be two sides of the same coin.
"Both you and Dazai… you have your own 'Endeavors', don't you?" The taller boy spoke softly, before hardening again. "I will surpass my father and All Might with just my ice powers. Again, I will defeat you both without using my father's fire." He finished, before turning to the outside and walking away.
Midoriya caught his eye. “T-Todoroki-kun,” he began, pausing slightly as if gathering his courage. “I sympathize with you. I… I can’t say I understand you completely. But I can tell you one thing. The fire isn’t your father’s. It’s yours.” He paused. "But it's also easy to say. I'll show you. I'll do my best to defeat you, and I expect you to do the same." He finished, his tone growing more confident with each word.
He glanced back briefly, giving a small nod of acknowledgment, before walking back outside.
If his heart was beating a little faster than usual — perhaps from fear, from adrenaline, from having told this dark part of himself to someone for the first time in his life — only he would know.
Once the small break ended, everyone was gathered in the arena as Midnight announced the one-on-one battles and showed the fight diagram.
Dazai, however, was focused on something else.
As he stared into the red eyes and predatory smile in the crowd, he felt his heart race and his body freeze — and he could say:
God does not exist.
Notes:
I didn't really like this chapter, I found it a bit bland... And there's still going to be another chapter of the sports festival omg im suffering 😭😭 (I hate this arc
As soon as I said that the first part of this chapter was going to be short, my fingers said "oh, but it really won't be!" and they put in 2 thousand words. I'm not the one who makes the rules.
About that part: they were supposed to lose the territory but, once again, that part wrote itself XDThere will be a few hints of tododeku here and there because they were my first otp!! I keep them in my heart to this day hehe
Now something a little more serious (which I felt the need to say because of some comments I received and I don't want to leave any doubts):
I've gotten some comments about how some characters are OOC and mischaracterized in general, and well, I'll say it again: I'm projecting almost all of my traumas here, at this point this fic has become a way for me to deal with my emotions by putting them on paper on my favorite character. So, yes, some characters probably won't be very similar to canon - and I think the tags make that pretty clear.
Don't read it if you don't like it, you're not obliged to read it!
I hope I didn't sound rude saying that!!On a happier note, we now have a beta reader!!! Tysm eli for helping me in this! 🥹🫶
They're still reviewing the first few chapters and it might take a while, so this one hasn't been corrected yet!Anyway, thanks for reading and see you in the next chapter!!!
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catavento on Chapter 3 Thu 31 Jul 2025 02:07PM UTC
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