Chapter Text
Atsushi glared at Dazai, “What does that mean though?”
The black haired teen winced as he felt a (not so) gentle hit to his shoulder. Akutagawa, of course.
“Well, have you two tried combining your powers at all?”
“Of course we have! The Ivan guy?” Atsushi said, confused.
Chuuya interjected, “He means while your bodies have been swapped.”
Atsushi exchanged a confused glance with Akutagawa, “No?”
“Why would we?” the other finished.
“Well you’re already out of place in the wrong bodies, which means this timeline is already unstable. Add the space cutting abilities of Beast Beneath the Moonlight—Rashōmon: Black Tiger’s Supreme Claw and we may be able to cut back to our own timeline.”
Atsushi frowned, “But Dazai-san, what about your ability?”
Well, Chuuya-sans ability, at the moment actually, his mind corrected him.
Dazai waved it off, “Enough layers and it should work. My ability does work through clothes so we will have to be careful.”
“You two can pull this off while in swapped bodies?” the newly-bandaged Chuuya fussed.
“Of course, Chuuya-san, I can although I don’t know about the Jinko,” the mafioso sent Atsushi a piercing glare that didn’t really work as he was in Atsushi’s body.
Atsushi merely rolled his eyes in response.
***
What felt like hours later, but was merely minutes, the group of four stood still in the wrong bodies in the centre of the room.
Atsushi in Akutagawa’s body shrugged off the heavy black coat the other treasured and handed the black material to him. The gesture was received by a sharp nod.
Akutagawa slipped into the coat, activating Beast Beneath the Moonlight, an ability that he was still not in much control of. (He was still better than Atsushi and it was Atsushi’s ability, the mafioso sniffed).
“Hurry up already,” Chuuya complained from where he was standing—-a fair while away in case No Longer Human nullified what may be their only chance home.
With a low growl, Akutagawa used all his energy in cutting through space, a shimmering blue rip appearing.
The purple and yellow eyed teen began to feel faint at the effort of keeping it open. A pair of hands slipped around his waist as he vaguely recognised the others yelling to hurry.
***
As soon as Dazai entered the rip in space, time stopped. It was reminiscent of the first time he had died, the same space.
However, this time, around him were puddles. Every one showed an image of a different world. Some were being created and others bleak and dim.
The four wandered the blue space, bypassing puddles. They had no need for words— they understood the others perfectly.
Presently as they were wandering, they came across a puddle. In every way, it was like the rest, however just looking at it all of them felt a warmth in their chest.
Without words, they stepped into the puddle and a bright light engulfed them.
***
Atsushi awoke to a blazing white light. He was lying on a medical bed.
Blearily looking around, he noted the unconscious forms of the other four.
And there was someone else.
“Gave us all a good scare there, Atsushi,” a familiar voice teased.
“…Yosano-sensei?”
They had done it, they were back.
Atsushi slipped back into sleep.
***
Dazai watched the rivers flow contemplatingly.
It had been three days since they had come back. Three days.
Death was permanent as it should be. The only question was how the time loop had happened.
They would probably never know.
None of their coworkers had believed their claims— who could blame them.
The brunet supposed it was for the better.
A gruff voice calling for him had the man turning.
The familiar ginger hair blazed in the setting sun where Chuuya was waiting for Dazai.
The bandaged man slowly got to his feet and meandered over, taking the shorter’s arm.
Maybe one good thing had come out of the loop.
This moment.