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It was after midnight. The silver half-moon shone through the shattered framework of the factory's ruined roof. Its light cast an eerie glow on the floor, illuminating the scattered debris—crumpled cardboard boxes, broken furniture, and dismantled engines strewn across the ground.
Dazai was sitting on one of the huge carton boxes. His feet were dangling off as he cocked his head at the limp body splayed on the ground in front of him. Weak.
“Akutagawa~ Stand up.” Dazai leaned forward, resting his chin on his fist as his mocking smile grew. He watched the boy in front of him sway as he tried pushing himself onto his feet, head drooping as he struggled. Hes so young. I was young too.
“Now.”
The boy clearly flinched at the suddenly harsher tone, scrambling to his feet and trying to hold himself up, but in vain. The hours and hours of rigorous training took a toll on his body, and the blood staining his hair and the factory floor was his and his alone. Dazai sighs as the boys legs collapse under him again.
He jumps down from his perching place and stalked towards his apprentice. Hearing his footsteps Akutagawa finally raised his head and looked at him. Dazai lifted an eyebrow as his eyes met Akutagawas black ones. If possible, the boy shrunk even more under his gaze before remembering himself and quickly averting his eyes. But it was too late. Dazai had clearly seem what the boy has been trying to hide. Clear, all-encompassing terror.
Something he isnt allowed to show. He isnt allowed to show fear. Be weak. And he knows it. Dazai stopped walking when he towered right above his apprentice. Akutagawa was on his knees, eyes glued on his mentors shoes as he tried to calmen his wheezing breaths. One broken rib, probably more.
“Ill say it one more time. Stand up,” Akutagawa nodded frantically as he heaved his legs under him again. On his second try, he somehow managed to straighten up, head bowed low and legs unsteady. He didnt attempt to summon Rashomon to steady him. Good. At least he had learned something.
Dazai could see a tear landing next to his own polished, black shoes. “When I say something, you obey.” Dazai crossed his arms, the small movement making the boy brace himself as if he was awaiting a hit. “Yes, sir.” “Summon Rashomon.” Akutagawa’s breath hitched, but he showed no other reaction to the order. Dazai was not oblivious, he knew that the training had gone on for particularly long, longer than even he usually made them. But he had to learn. “Yes, sir.” It took a moment for the shadow to appear, but it did.
Good. Dazai took a step back again, spreading his arms wide as his tone became light and joking again. “See, Akutagawa, that wasn’t so hard now, was it?” “No, sir.” The boy was standing in military position, legs spread a shoulder-width and hands behind his back. Rashomon surged behind him, weaked and fainter than few hours ago. Have to work on that too. “Good dog~” Dazai purred, and he couldnt contain a smile at how his apprentice’s shoulders dropped in relief at the mocking, but at least applauding words. It was the most praise he had gotten the whole night.
“Strike me. Again. And actually do, this time, would you? Ryuunosuke, you really are getting lazier and lazier~ I mean, at least a few hours ago, you got near me.” Dazai got interrupted by a dark tendril rushing towards him, which he sidestepped and then struck his palm out to obliterate it. “Not even close~”
Another tendril struck, Dazai spinning around to avert it again. Even in the darkness, he noticed his apprentice’s eyes widen at the sound of a gun cocking. The realization came too late, as Dazai, swift as lightning, brandished his weapon and fired two shots.
The boy instantly raised his arms in front of his head and called Rashomon. He was no stranger to this; it wasn’t the first time Dazai had pulled this stunt—not by a long shot. So when the second bullet lodged into his leg, causing him to let out a blood-curdling scream, Dazai’s only response was a disappointed shake of his head.
Akutagawa collapsed on the ground, sobs shaking through his thin frame as he curled up on his side with his arms wrapped around his knees.
Dazai screaming and crying on the ground, cradling his broken arm. Mori standing above him, mocking.
“Have i not fucking told you. Thousands of times. To protect your entire body.” At every world that Dazai snarled, he stalked nearer to Akutagawa. “How can you not learn.” He looked down at the boy, contempt in his gaze as they locked eyes again. Akutagawa black ones were filled with tears to the brim, threatening to spill. At the disdain he clearly recognised in his mentors expression, he flinched again and squeezed his eyes shut, the tears beginning to roll down his face as he braced himself. Dazai could nearly smell his fear and pain in the air. Pathetic.
“Pathetic.” He prodded the boy with his foot, eliciting another soft whine. “I don’t even know why I’m still bothering with you.” He turned around and strode away from his apprentice to the big double-doors of the factory.
“Please.” A raspy, wheezing voice from behind him made him stop in his tracks. Surprised, he turned around. Normally, Akutagawa knew better than to beg.
The boy had somehow managed to get onto his knees, and was now crawling towards his mentor, head bowed low and blood trailing behind him. He looked up and flinched when he saw Dazai stare back at him, but he somehow didn’t loose his sudden surge of bravery. “Please, Dazai-san. Im sorry, I’m so sorry.”
Dazai's eyes widened slightly as Akutagawa, in a desperate act, managed to pull himself up enough to grasp one of Dazai's arms—the one still holding the gun. Despite the weapon that had shot him minutes earlier, Akutagawa showed no sign of noticing it. His fingers dug into his mentor’s wrist as he leaned forward, resting his head against Dazai’s stomach.
“I’ll do better, I’ll do so much better. I’ll do anything, just please, please-” His voice broke as he gasped for air.
Dazai looked down at him, and cocked the gun once more. “Give me one reason I shouldn’t kill you right now.”
“I can be useful. Please. I’ll get stronger, I’ll do anything, just please don’t give up on me, Dazai-san, please, I’m sorry-” He broke down sobbing, clenching his nails around Dazai’s arm as if he would do anything rather then let go.
Just as Dazai opened his mouth to answer, the doors opened. “Aye, Bastard. What the fuck are you doing.” Dazai turned around and snorted, his apprentice forgotten as his eyes lit up at the sight of the newcomer. Akutagawa’s hands slipped from his and landed onto the ground with a thump.
“What does Chibi want? Did my dog miss me?~” He smiled as he sauntered towards his partner, who immediately blushed angry but didn’t comment. “Just hurry the fuck up, we have somewhere to be. It’s already the morning, we have a mission in a few hours and we still have to-“
They both walked out of the door, Dazai coat trailing behind them, fluttering at each step. Dazai grabbed Chuuya’s arm as he walked. Chuuya snarled, yanking it away while Dazai laughed.
Akutagawa remained kneeling on the ground for a long time, the pool of blood beneath him steadily growing larger.