‘ you call me yours & i have no idea what that even means to you. ’
GRAVE STARTERS. ▓ ▓▓▓▓▓ @mazelost
𝐙𝐔𝐆𝐙𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐆. ( german – ‘ compulsion to move. ‘ ) a chess move in which a player is at a severe disadvantage. FORCED to make an unfavorable move that will only worsen the outcome of the game. a move that’s better unmade– yet impossible to avoid. a move leading to DEFEAT. when dazai first learns about this particular aspect of chess, he swears that he will NEVER allow himself to be in a such a position. not only in games of chess. but the greatest game of all— L I F E. to call life a ‘game’ isn’t to trivialize it. rather it recontextualizes life to be a systematic framework dazai can dissect, deconstruct, manipulate, CONTROL.
but anyone painting themselves in H U B R I S will inevitably be struck down. to the very fibre of his being— dazai truly believed he could WIN EVERY GAME. that his strategies were bulletproof. no margin for error. PERFECT.
then comes the harshest WAKE UP CALL. the revelation of an ACHILLES’ HEEL. ( dazai osamu has a heart ?? ) the loss of his bestfriend. HIS BROTHER. the first time it’s not dazai who declares C H E C K M A T E.
this isn’t a dream. this is a memory.❝ —ODASAKU !! ❞ his voice carries over the echoes of fatal gunfire. dazai rushes over to the fallen body. he’s experienced this countless times. ( it’s why he favors not sleeping at all. why he’s forcefully conditioned himself to be plagued by insomnia. ) but this time— when dazai turns the body, his bandaged hands feel a slighter, smaller frame. his wavering wide gaze falls upon brighter red hair. a brilliant hue that flares like a halo when THE DYING SUN catches upon it. tonight in his arms, he holds chuuya. it’s chuuya’s blood that won’t stop bleeding. it’s chuuya that’s dying in his arms. it’s chuuya – it’s chuuya – it’s chuuya –
that precious name’s tears out of him with a sharp inhale. caught in the jaws of REALITY vs NIGHTMARE, dazai seeks out chuuya. the young man lies right beside him, wearing only dazai’s shirt. the soft fabric parts as dazai’s shaking hands roam over the bare chest. no bullet wounds. he’s alive. he’s safe. he’s here. && YET— the memories of odasaku’s murder && the nightmare of chuuya’s death flicker like a terribly spliced together film reel. dazai barely pulls on his pants as he leaves the bed, snatching up his gun. he checks every room, hall, cabinet, drawer, corner, inch of the apartment, double / triple / quadruple checks the locks && security— then returns to the bedroom. sets the gun aside ( but not too far away ). slips back into bed. wraps his arms around chuuya from behind. his hand rests upon chuuya’s heart. his face buries into his neck and shoulder. SILENCE settles into the place once more save for dazai’s still slightly staggered breathing && the soft rainfall outside. the man mutters incomprehensibly. only one clear word escapes: ❝ —-mine. ❞
it doesn’t sink in for dazai that he had another episode until he hears chuuya’s voice. dazai tightens his embrace. ❝ it means you’re mine to protect. to take care of. to love. ❞ his voice is barely above a whisper, but it still sounds so—- wrecked. when it’s only chuuya && himself, there are no bandages. dazai’s body is healing. but the rest of him isn’t. this isn’t the first time dazai’s done a full, extensive sweep of the place at some god forsaken hour in the night. but it’s the first time it’s happened while they spend the night together. GUILT strangles his limbs like barbed wire. ( this is NOT trauma. he refuses that. he’s fucking stronger than that. ) ❝ i’m sorry for waking you. ❞ to his own burning shame, dazai’s heart beats a little too wildly. perhaps chuuya can feel the erratic rhythm against his spine. dazai tries to be silent as possible even while feeling the heat of unshed tears. he curls himself around chuuya some more.
❝ —-je t’aime, mon cher. ❞