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]

[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.

[thesettingsun]

[Dazai's mask is much too good for a total stranger to pierce through. Shuji's visibly pleased, but it's the same kind of pleased that he'd get from anyone praising his works.]

Famous author Dazai Osamu, at your service. Thank you for taking care of my sensei while I wasn't here.

[Of course he wouldn't default to his real name. Why would he? He's the only 'Dazai Osamu'.]

[bandagedheart]

Of course. It was my pleasure.

[Ibuse probably wants nothing to do with him now, but it doesn’t matter. He’ll be gone soon enough.]

I’m so grateful for the opportunity to meet you.

[He bows before turning to take his leave.]

Take care.

[That will be the last time that anyone sees Dazai Osamu of the Armed Detective Agency, and Akutagawa Ryuunosuke of the Port Mafia, alive.]