Chapter Text
Dazai had indeed remembered the sound of heavy breathing, when he was smaller he remembered running with a woman who might've been his mother. He also remembered that terrible screeching behind him, the adrenaline was finally kicking in.
He jumped over rubble and scrambled for the woman's hand with fear engulfing him. That's what Dazai remembered the most: absolute fear.
Another dreadful memory, which wasn’t that long ago, took its place in Dazai's mind. It was a good thing, too, because Dazai had no clue what came after that. The memory of himself and a knife dragged along his wrists, he definitely did not want to live in a world that was already set for doom.
He fully expected to see a void of nothingness or maybe fall into a deep, deep sleep.. but no! It was completely the opposite of that.
Dazai had woken up in a medical room, it had him utterly confused. He raised himself up to find his forearms wrapped in bandages.
How?
No place was safe enough to perform medical procedures?? So how was he still alive? How did the creatures not get to him first?
Then, out came the weasel. A man had entered the room wearing a white coat, It hung heavily over his shoulders. It fell until it reached his knees, his hair was combed and fell past his ears.
"Hello, It seems you've finally woken up. My name's Mori Ougai," He smiled and it sent a freezing sensation down Dazai's back. Before Dazai could utter a response back, Mori had taken his right to speak again. "I can see the confusion in you little one, yes, I'm a doctor. Yes, I treated you. Safely."
"How?" Dazai croaked, Mori's eyes slightly widened.
"You sound so young, how old are you?" He avoided the question that was originally asked. The dread in Dazai's stomach only knotted like a pretzel.
"Eight.." he replied, his voice sounded like a rusty car that could not start. "You were prepared to take your life at such an early age? How.. Interesting." Mori's eyes glinted with an emotion that was unfamiliar to Dazai.
"How are we safe?" Dazai tried again, this time he landed with success. "Fine, fine. I'll tell a cute boy like you" Something in Dazai's stomach flipped with disgust.
"Where?" he demanded, he forced his back to rest so slightly. "We are in the Port Mafia's homebase." Now Dazai was completely lost. His face had certainly shown it to the doctor. He laughed and sat at the edge of Dazai's bed.
who frowned and pushed his body away from the stranger.
"Where have you been living, boy?" Mori questioned and Dazai squinted. This was a way to help him remember, "It was in a house, there were number's on the door too. It was small but I liked it. Momma would leave sometimes and come back with food, she would always tell me how I was born in the very bucket we used to go to the restroom."
he said with a bland expression. Recalling the conversation he had with the brown haired woman.
"In a bucket?" Mori raised an eyebrow and that sinister smile returned. Dazai nodded, his mouth twisted into a line of uneasiness.
"I see.. You don't know anything that's been discovered so far? Nothing about the 'houses' that were made?" Dazai shook his head.
"Hm, you are interesting indeed." He stood back up and grabbed a small clipboard with old paper,
"Okay listen John Doe, I'm a very busy man. You're also extremely lucky that our scouts have found you. You might've been eaten and torn limb to limb by a brute."
Mori placed his hands into his pockets and peered down at Dazai with blazing eyes.
"John Doe? What does that mean? That's not my name, my name is Dazai Osamu." He frowned, his forehead wrinkling.
He seemed almost offended to be called a John Doe, maybe it has to do with the fact that he had no idea what that meant. "Oh?" Mori replied, his eyes curving with delight. "Well it's nice to meet you, Dazai."
"hm." Dazai hummed, he pouted his pale cheeks and turned his head away from the doctor. He had no intention in dealing with this annoying man. "Oh how childish you are!" He let out a hearty laugh, which fortunately, was interrupted by the sound of knocking.
Mori's smile dropped and he eyed the wooden door with suspicious colored eyes.
"Come in Hirotsu," He finally said, and not long after the door opened revealing an older man. His hair was barely a faint gray, it remained stiff as it was smoothed back. His monocle was oval shaped and stood by his left eye.
Dazai let himself retract into the depths of his blanket, he narrowed his eyes at the two unfamiliar men.
“Sorry for the trouble, Doctor. Hm, It seems the boy is awake.” Hirotsu acknowledged, and soaked in Dazai’s remaining figure. He squirmed under his gaze and tried his best to keep him and the already-worn hospital gown hidden.
“Yes, he is. So far Dazai has proven to be very interesting. But nonetheless, did you need something?” Mori forced and suddenly Hirotsu had grown tall and stiff.
“Apologies, I came to remind you that the Boss needs his weekly checkup.” Hirotsu let his head bow in respect.
Dazai could almost smell the stench of smoke from Hirotsu as if he were right next to him. Almost like if he were breathing in his ear, with a palm he subconsciously rubbed his right ear.
“Ah yes, I’ll be right there Hirotsu.” He repeated, “I’ll be right there,” With a nod the old man had walked out of the medical room. Mori glanced at Dazai and smiled, “Before I get any further and leave you alone. I say I'll lend you at least a piece of information.” He walked closer to Dazai and the boy cringed away.
“What are you gonna tell me?” Dazai hopefully asked, “I’m going to tell you about the Houses that were established once the Elphotist fell to Earth.”
“What? I’m already confused, Doctor Mori..” Dazai had readjusted himself to sit up straighter in the bed.
“Yokohama had split. Opinions rambled and fear controlled the minds of many people. So, they decided to make six different houses. In a quick flash, modern times returned back to the days long before our time. -
These houses were strong with their own advantage to the apocalypse. It didn’t matter if they were vile, all that mattered was that people survived. We did not want to die from the Elphotist’s so we just became distant .. ‘Kingdoms,’ if you want to roleplay into that.”
“So.. like on a map? We were all one, and then we all split apart to have our own countries and laws?” Dazai commented, which sparked something in Mori.
“Such a smart kid.. Yes, that’s exactly how it is.” Mori had now reached out to grab Dazai’s forearm and examine it. He slowly undid the bandages.
“What are the houses?” Dazai asked, slightly wincing from touch. “Hm, well let’s see.. We have the House of Alliance, the House of Rot , the House of Rule, the House of trust, the House of Hunt, and lastly of course, the House of Haven.
Dazai raised an eyebrow, “Why do so much? Isn’t it important to work together? Especially right now? When we're about to die, isn’t it Doctor Mori?” Dazai persisted.
Mori nodded, “Yes, it is. But even in unfortunate times, mankind is far too stubborn and cruel. It was for the better, if we hadn’t.. Yokohama would be just as bad as the rest of the world. Not everyone has a death wish like you Dazai-kun. If we work together with our own ‘people,’ if we replace our ethnicity with our houses. Then we might actually survive Dazai-kun. I mean, we have been thriving with … no casualties.”
Mori studied the deep self-inflicted wound on Dazai’s wrist. Dazai himself didn’t dare to look.
“Is.. ‘here,’ a house?” Dazai hoped he had gotten it right. Mori lightly chuckled, he rewrapped the bandages with a harsher tug. Causing Dazai to tense with pain, “No, this is the Port Mafia, everyone here belongs to the House of Haven. Though, each place do have different names.” Dazai pouted,
“What else?” He begged, but Mori shook his head. “I have to leave you for a bit, that was all the information I could give you. At least for now,” Mori stood up and walked away from the curious young Dazai. His eyes saddened and his suffocating arms wrapped around his knees. “I’m going to be alone?” He asked, and Mori did not reply.
“I’ll be back, I have to attend to the Boss of the Port mafia.”
“Are you sure you will be back?” Dazai’s eyes glanced around the empty space, he couldn’t stand to be in another small room. Especially alone, not again. He hated boredom, he needed company.
“Relax Dazai-kun, I wouldn’t abandon you. Not ever, not especially since you are so.. Gifted.” Mori’s smile changed into a thinner one. Dazai’s atoms screamed to get away. He didn’t respond but instead answered with a simple nod. Mori picked up a bag full of medical utensils, the door opened and then the door closed. He sighed and slumped back into the bed.
Minutes felt like hours and the fact that there were no windows did not help Dazai. He hated to be confined once again. His head shot from side to side, what if the Aliens came and attacked?
Not in the slightest did he feel safe. Not even the slightest. He closed his eyes, letting the darkness blind him. Maybe if he returned to the dark he’ll remember what exactly happened, where was his mom?
“Woah, I thought Rintarou was joking!” a small light voice randomly appeared in front of him.
His eyes shot up immediately and he let out a startled gasp, a small girl with golden blonde hair in a red ruby dress was displayed in front of him, she wore no shoes, only black and white socks.
Her dress has puffy sleeves with a frilled white outlining at the bottom of her dress. Her eyes were a cobalt blue and they stared directly into Dazai’s coal black eyes.
“Who are you-? He stammered, and she giggled. “I’m Elise, and you're a kid. Just like me!” She shifted on Dazai’s bed. He was almost appalled how the pale girl snuck in so quietly.
“I am a kid, I guess ... I’m Dazai.” He mumbled, almost at ease that he was with a child instead of an adult. She nodded and tilted her head, “Rintarou said, he also said to be nice.”
“Who’s Rintarou?” Dazai asked, and Elise rolled her eyes. “You guys know him as Mori, I call him Rintarou.” She replied, and Dazai’s eyes dropped with confusion.
“Why?”
“Why does it matter? It’s just a nickname. Jeez, do you think about everything all the time?” She complained and Dazai’s eyebrows furrowed. “I’m just asking!” Elise stuck her tongue out and following behind was Dazai pouting.
“But! I am curious, how did you survive?” She asked, and Dazai gave her a look. “I didn’t raise myself- I had my mom.” Elise’s eyes went wide. “She raised you all by herself? Gosh, you’re drowning with luck. Aren’t you?” She adjusted herself to be more comfortable as she crossed her legs, her face was round and full of youth.
“How? I tried to kill myself?”
“Well, we found you didn’t we? And well, children and females don’t do well in this kind of apocalypse. Especially babies, they’re too noisy even in sanctuaries like the Port Mafia. The fact that your mother raised you, and survived. Now that sounds unbelievable.” She gestured with her hands very passionately.
“What’s wrong with mothers?” Dazai tilted his head, Elise raised an eyebrow. “Not mother’s just girls In general. Do you know what we call the Aliens here?” She asked, and Dazai had to remember again. “I think.. Rintarou called them El–photist’s?”
Elise blinked, she did not correct Dazai for using the nickname. She simply smiled way too brightly. “Yup! Do you know what they’re drawn to?” This time Dazai shook his head. “Fear, death, and well, Blood.” She stated like it was obvious. Dazai shrugged, “I don’t get it, isn’t everyone scared?”
“No! Not that you idiot! Women have their menstrual cycle every month” She shook her head in disappointment, she crossed her arms but stopped with surprise when Dazai still had a face full of confusion. “What’s that..?” Elise slumped, “You don’t know what that is???”
Dazai shook his head, “Am i supposed to?” Elise opened her mouth but paused. “I- I don’t know..?” They both stared at each other with confusion.
“Anyways!” She cleared her throat. “It makes them a liability, so it’s important to have a doctor that can fix that problem!” She puffed and Dazai fixed his posture. “How?” he asked, and Elise sighed with annoyance.
“I don’t know? Something about .. uh .. ..removing um.. Who cares anyways!” Elise struggled to remember so, Dazai rolled his own eyes and hid an amused smirk. She pouted which was actually quite similar to Dazai’s.
“How come you're here then?” Elise glared at him. “Why? You got a problem?” She hissed and Dazai shook his head. “No, not really. Just asking,” He replied calmly, he didn’t mind her.
“Oh well, Rintarou said it was because I’m still young so I don’t have to do anything just yet.” She shrugged. “Oh,” Dazai said and let out a small smile. Elise smiled as well, she went to say something until another knock came onto the door.
“Osamu, are you there?” Mori’s voice called, but he still opened the door nonetheless.
“Still here, Rintarou.” Dazai replied, Mori looked at him and Elise.
“Good,”