Continuation for bandagedheart.

[thesettingsun]

[Very few people get this dressed up for a bar crawl. It looks like it'd be hell to wash, and the only reason you'd wear it out to the bar is an obsession with fashion.

So that's one clue about who this patron sitting at a table is, since he forgot to tell other-Dazai how to identify himself. As for him, when he sees Dazai come in with bandages visible on his arms, he makes an (incorrect) assumption that this is the injury that caused that text and thus this is Dazai.

Well, he's half right, at least.]

Dazai!

Comments

[thesalamander]

[Even if Akutagawa knew whose ire he had gained, he couldn’t possibly avoid Dazai. But the amount of torture Akutagawa will be receiving takes planning. And planning takes some time.

About an hour later, Dazai gets a call.

It’s from Ibuse.]

[bandagedheart]

[Dazai is not in his right mind when he answers the phone.]

You know what happened, don’t you?

[thesalamander]

[Ibuse exhales heavily.]

Not any of the details. Honestly, I was hoping you'd tell me Shuji's fine.

[bandagedheart]

He’s dead. One of my former subordinates is responsible. I should’ve been with him.

[thesalamander]

[As much as Ibuse would've liked to hear that everything was fine, that's just not the case.

At least it's not the first time he's outlived his pupil.]

...I see. He wouldn't want you to blame yourself.

[bandagedheart]

...did you have anything you wanted to say? I’m assuming you called for a reason.

[thesalamander]

I wasn't sure he was gone. That's one reason. And...

I'm sorry for your loss.

[It's his loss too, but at least Ibuse's been through this before with Shuji.]

[bandagedheart]

My loss will be paid for in blood, I assure you. His death won’t be forgotten.

[thesalamander]

[Torture is not a healthy grieving technique, Dazai.]

...The other thing is that you might not want to come by the library right now. I'll gladly come out to you if you want someone to sit with you.

[bandagedheart]

I do have a few things I’d like to discuss. When and where can you meet me?

[thesalamander]

Now and wherever else you would like.

[bandagedheart]

The park, then. It’s well after dark. It’ll work.

[Dazai cuts off the conversation there, and without so much as changing out of his ink stained clothes he makes his way to the park to wait for Ibuse on one of the benches.]

[thesalamander]

[Ibuse shows up soon after. He doesn't flinch when he gets close enough to see the ink stains on Dazai's clothes, but the pain in his expression is obvious - he knows exactly what that ink is from.

Silently, he sits down next to Dazai on the bench.]

[bandagedheart]

[Nothing needs to be said. Dazai looks as empty and hollow as he had back in his Mafia days, not a spark of life left in his eyes.

Once he’s done with Akutagawa, he’ll be ending his life, one way or another.]

How long did you know him?

[thesalamander]

Eighteen years. He was in his early twenties when we first met.

[His life was a short one. It didn't surprise anyone who knew him.]

[bandagedheart]

I see.

[Dazai hadn’t known him long at all...]

And I suppose you’ll just summon up a replacement for him at the library.

[thesalamander]

...That's the only reason I knew he was gone. Normally if we summon someone who's already in this world, they just dissipate, but...

[That's why Dazai shouldn't come to the library. They already have a replacement.]

[bandagedheart]

You replaced him.

[Dazai goes from listless to infuriated in record time.]

He’s barely been gone a day and you. Replaced. Him.

[thesalamander]

It wasn't intentional! We didn't even know he was gone, we could have summoned anyone!

[yeah this is going south very quickly

and north is 'someone they love is dead' so]

[bandagedheart]

It doesn’t matter.

[Dazai stands up from the bench, his mind made up.]

Take me to see him.

[thesalamander]

Are you sure? He won't remember you.

[Isn't that just going to be painful...?]

[bandagedheart]

I just want to see him one more time. Even if he doesn’t remember me.

1/2

[thesalamander]

...As you wish. Forgive this old man for worrying.

[The walk back to the library is quiet, and relatively short. The lobby has a few people milling about, but most of them are normal visitors or library staff, except...]

[thesettingsun]

Ibuse-sensei!

[Shuji, wearing the same outfit he'd been wearing the first time he met Dazai.

He's all smiles for Ibuse, but when he looks to Dazai behind him, there isn't even a hint of recognition in his eyes. Dazai's only a person with ink stains on his clothes who's following behind his teacher, nothing more.]

Oh, are you a friend of sensei's?

[bandagedheart]

[Ah. He looks perfect...]

I am. I’ve heard a lot about you from him.

[Dazai smiles, but he’s breaking inside.

Who knew there was anything left to break?]

It’s nice to meet a famous author.