Archive of Our Own

What a truly sorrowful existence. The existence of a man never knowing true peace, or belonging, or friends…or family.

He never had anyone. As a matter of fact, he was never even born. This was one of the seemingly infinite sources of anxiety which motivated him on in life. He had such a hollowed existence. He hardly even recognized himself. He simply appeared one day, to which he had a form and an unfamiliar face. Pulled from the aether to serve an equally meaningless purpose, and that was to aid people of which had no care for him.

He awoke from another empty sleep, always awakening at the same time which he would find odd, however his whole life was that of fiction. He slipped out of his bed and glanced around the empty, however poignantly cleanly room. He liked the emptiness, it kept peace.

He slipped out of his bed, heading towards the bathroom. He turned the sink on, hardly hesitating as he splashed cold water onto his face. As he washed his face in the sink, he couldn’t help but avoid looking in the mirror, it was almost a habit. That face, his face, it felt as though its complacent empty eyes glared at him tauntingly. The eyes of someone he did not know. He stepped into the shower and thought disdainfully of his existence. He did not have anyone to speak to about such overwhelming perceptions. Even if such a person was available however, he would never tell them. For he could never say to a soul of what went through his mind.

He had a job, a pressingly important one at that. He could not falter simply to such imperfections of his own mind. He was the manager of an entire casino. All of the commerce and people and money that he had to handle, it was a job of which concealed many more key tasks than meets the eye. He quickly dressed and got ready, he did not have time this morning to eat, though this was a lie he’d told himself to avoid confrontation of the fact that he simply did not feel like eating as of late.

As he trudged out the door silently and walked out into the glamorous carpeted hallway, he grabbed a stack of papers from a table which he had previously left by his door. He flipped through the files absentmindedly, he had gotten into the habit of deliberately piling up work for himself, as if he was not working at all moments, he feared the creeping thoughts slithering into his mind. He hated how fragile his mind was, how fragile he was.

As he walked down the halls, he noted how the carpeted floors seamlessly changed to a shiny, marble flooring . His heels clicked rhythmically on the floor as he strode l and he quite enjoyed the sound, he felt it gave him presence in a way. He knew too well that if not for his position, many would consider him a feeble man. For all that he knew, they may already think such of him. The most tragic thing to him was being seen as perpetually weak. That was almost as bad as failing…no, perhaps worse.

He was quite dedicated to his work, and to the patrons whom funded his very way of life. The last thing he would desire was to lose business, or the entire casino - god forbid. It gave him a use, perhaps even a distraction from his futile, pathetic being.

He sorted through the files, which he promptly set down as he stepped out onto the familiar and brightly colored carpeted floors of the casino. He enjoyed his work truly, despite all his complaints of other repetitive aspects in his life. The people here tend to calm down just by his presence; they seem to think that if the manager himself cared enough about their (often irrelevant) predicaments, then they got enough attention to not have to threaten violence on staff for losing a game.

He walked around, glancing occasionally at the cards being shuffled skillfully by workers and players - who were likely cheating with some mystical technique. As the man strolled about, he had to break up the occasional disagreement between upset patrons, and even explained basic rules to newer customers. He felt quite content while helping others, no - while helping others he knew depended on him. He much preferred it to helping people he depended on to a humiliating degree.

As he toured throughout the casino, checking on the clients, verifying information with employees, and doing all the viable paperwork he could get his hands on, the man decided to do a final sweep of the main floor before he would return to his office to get started on some paperwork. As he passed through the slot machines and moved onto the card tables, he caught a glance of someone which made his breath catch in his throat as he desperately forced an exhale, reminding himself how to breathe manually. He could have sworn he nearly passed out at the sight of it… at the sight of him.

A lean brunette man casually standing back behind the crowd gathered a poker table, whilst silently surveying an elderly man playing poker (who was likely using some bizarre method to cheat), he glanced up directly to where Sigma stood, gaping. Before he could even react, much less get out of the line of sight, Dazai had spotted him. The tall man’s eyes pierced through Sigma’s soul in the short moment that he glanced up, which was obscure as his eyes were a deep, dark color of brown, which seemed to hardly reflect light; much less appear as threatening as they did at this moment. Sigma stared bewildered at the man, he hoped for his composure to not have been entirely lost, or that his jaw was not dropped so low that it appeared dislocated. He instinctively straightened out his jacket, fidgeting with his hands as he walked to the table where the man was standing. He seamlessly strode up, as to not cause any potential concerns with the patrons playing in a card game.

He cleared his throat politely - though only directed at Dazai, who looked up with a phony surprised demeanor. “Oh, Sigma!” He exclaimed as he stepped back from the table to excuse himself. He smiled - though with no real emotion- it was that of a perfectly practiced facade. “I didn’t see you there!” he exclaimed as Sigma glared over at the man. A lie. He saw that glance Dazai had slipped him the first time. “Y- uhm…yes.. well, I came here to…inquire if you may have some time to speak with me..?” Sigma attempted to maintain a professional demeanor, however this very man had in fact saved him numerous times whilst escaping from Mersault..then he promptly disappeared.

Dazai grinned - a plastic, fake smile…again. Which Sigma did not necessarily mind, it just got irritating when he remembers the very man who saved him truly did not care for Sigma’s well-being after all. He slyly slid past the people who were now deeply invested in the game at the table. As he approached the manager, Sigma now felt more uneasy then when he originally called the man over. That truly just was the air that this man had, he has the potential to make others uncomfortable simply from the way he stood. Sigma was reciting what exactly he was to say to the man, when he snapped back and realized he had been staring off for a moment or two.

Dazai stared at Sigma with a perplexed look - likely rehearsed, though nevertheless seemed genuine. The eye contact was uncomfortable.. Sigma stood a bit taller, and spoke. “Ah, yes.. uhm please come with me.” He motioned a hand towards the exit of the main floor. As Sigma passed employees, he muttered sparse tasks and orders for them to complete whilst he spoke with the man.

Dazai glanced at Sigma as he hurriedly walked and spoke to numerous employees and customers - simply walking down a short hallway. Here, he acted much different than in the prison - even his brightly colored hair swishing down by his waist as he walked seemed to reflect differently. Dazai observed the man as he walked with more of an air than he had witnessed the previous time they interacted. It truly was a spectacle to behold.

Sigma walked and nonchalantly tried to glance back at Dazai to see if he was keeping up with the vigorous pace.. also the brunette man walked eerily silent, so it was quite hard to tell from just listening. Though, if he looked back too far, he would make eye contact and it would be quite humiliating. He was not big on eye contact, despite being forced to as an owner of a casino, where one needs to command order and respect…or something.

Sigma slowed his pace as he approached his office door - he would not trust such a sly man in any other private place - he would probably steal documents if he hadn’t already stolen something of equal value.

“Oh!” The man piped up from behind him, “I wasn’t here to cause more problems for you, Sigma..” Sigma halted suddenly and looked over his shoulder in bewilderment. It was as if the man had read his mind. “Well, not again, anyway.” He spoke in an unfaltering tone as he inspected random items in the halls. This would seem genuine, but Sigma knew Dazai far too well to judge based off of how he sounded.

“W…” Sigma started, significantly more concerned than before. “Well then what are you here for..?” He inquired uncertainly.

“I’m here for you.” Dazai stated, plainly as a fact.

By now, Sigma had continued walking, though his pace had slowed considerably. However, when Dazai uttered that quizzical phrase, Sigma froze. So suddenly in-fact, that Dazai (who was apparently not paying attention) collided into him, nearly knocking them down,

Dazai - who was much quicker on his feet - caught himself, and In the blink of an eye, had grabbed Sigma’s hand to keep him from tumbling as well. Sigma regained his composure and quickly pulled his hand back. He looked up at Dazai with a face of what could almost be considered as contempt. He tried to reel in his tone, however when he spoke, it sounded quite snappish.

Sigma couldnt help it, he got particularly mean when he felt nervous, and this case was certainly no different. “What do you mean for me?!” He has tried to keep his tone down, but he felt now all the emotions surge back from all of the previous times they interacted. And he now remembered how this man truly knew how to get under his skin. His face was flushing a crimson color from the blatant embarrassment, and the shock - especially lining his recent mood.

“Well because I find you quite intriguing..” Dazai had an almost shocked expression, which Sigma knew well by now not to trust. The man knew exactly what he was doing. “And”, the man continued, “we never quite got to have a full and genuine conversation, which I would enjoy.” He grinned as he extended his palm face up to Sigma. Sigma stared down at his hand before turning on his heel and walking again down the ever extensive halls.

Dazai, who still had a slight advantage vertically, could swiftly catch up. However it was the principle of the matter, not the logistics. “Where are we going..?” Dazai inquired, though Sigma knew Dazai was likely only asking questions to give more control to Sigma. Dazai likely knew his ways through the halls nonetheless. “Well,” began Sigma, “you said you wanted to talk.”

Sigma stilled in front of a room to which he hastily pushed the doors open. He walked down yet another walkway In the open room full of windows to a desk in the center of the room. He sat down on the chair behind the desk and pulled out a few papers which he scrawled something on, he then folding his hands on the desk and staring directly up at the man.

“What was it that intrigued you so..?” Sigma muttered, carefully observing his tone. “Well,” began Dazai, “this very moment is a key example! I find you and your adaptation in brand new situations particularly amusing..you are quite smart and if I may, particularly pleasant to look at..” Dazai grinned mischievously as he leaned over the desk slightly so that he was level with the other man. Sigma huffed at the comment, he knew better than to think much of Dazai’s cheap flattery. “But most importantly, I am very interested in your existence in itself.. I find you quite the fascinating man.”

“You mistake your place here, Dazai. I have not so much as laid eyes on you since Mersault, and your sudden disappearance was quite jarring.” The man paused before continuing, “All of…that; that entire experience, as a poor excuse to use me for my ability and then leave.” Dazai’s eyes flashed something which Sigma was not quite familiar enough to decode yet, but it nearly flooded the room with the weight of the change in his eyes.

“Mm..” Dazai paused before standing up straight for a moment and tapping his chin with his finger. “Well, there surely can’t be a way for me to explain myself in a way which is comprehensible, so I will be better just begging on my knees for forgiveness.” Dazai nearly exclaimed in an overly cheery tone. He seemed to be having much too much fun with this, Sigma on the other hand, looked utterly appalled. “No.. I-I just wanted an explanation..!?” He now realized that he was loosing his orderly manner as his face flushed into a light pink. He had attempted to cool the air, however he felt he had made it worse. He sighed, exasperated, into his palms. Dazai leaned over slightly again before muttering “well then, how do you deem I should make it up to you..?” He put on a face of fake, nearly mocking dismay as he said such.

Sigma looked down, he noted how he first felt quite confident entering this conversation, after all he was in his element; but now, he looked down nervously before letting out a soft sigh. “I apologize for wasting your time today..” he looked back up to Dazai staring directly at him..from about half a foot away from his face. He yelped and jumped back with a start. Dazai spoke, “I really am sorrowful for how it all happened in Mersault, my only happiness was knowing you were alive. Which I did make certain of before my departure..” he murmured, quite timidly in comparison to his previous tone. Maybe he really did have a reason for everything. He usually did.

Sigma collected himself before standing yet again and walking around his desk to stand next to the man. “Well I knew you for a short while, I do find your reasoning for certain things quite admirable. You are quite strategic in how you act.. I must assume you really do know what you are doing. But that strikes an even larger question, what do you want to do..?”

Dazai closed his eyes for a second before responding, still in a contrastingly cheerful tone to the situation. “Well, because I now want to undergo the very painful experience of life!”

This was quite sincerely odd for a man like Dazai, who found nearly everything in life to be plain and unamusing, he had taken to living his own life as a bystander, never caring much for what he did. Truly the largest spectacle was how he was able to keep up his observation and strategic skills whilst not truly caring for much, if anything. The way in which he lived, he considered pathetic. Everything got boring and so, he concluded that life itself was boring. Until he saw that man in Mersault. He felt something from the moment he saw him, and after they spoke for a while, he did find Sigma’s reactions quite entertaining. It was true that he knew from the start Sigma could be the one to cure his empty hearts searching. As they encountered death so many times in one small period of time, Dazai himself found it nearly exhilarating, however he noticed how fearful his counterpart was of every risky move, all the way up to nearly blacking out.

He did feel quite remorseful that he was not more careful with the very man to cure his souls intoxicating ailment. When he discovered Sigma in the floor in the lower room and noticed Dostoyevsky’s absence, he pieced together what had happened. And his word was true - he did make completely sure that Sigma was healthy before leaving to finish his mission.

Sigma peered up at Dazai in the deafening silence for what felt like an eternity before exhaling and leaning against his desk for support. “I..” Sigma muttered, almost in disbelief. This man, whom he had known for such a short time in his already short life, had wanted to experience living, really living with him. For what..? Why him..? Because he was interesting..? Because he was smart? This made no sense to the man, it was true the entire time he was staring, he was simply processing the situation and the conversation which ravaged through his overwhelming mind. The man raised his hand to his face as he steadied himself, his mind swimming through the same repetitive thoughts.

Dazai stared curiously at the man who leaned against the desk slightly, holding his face in his hands, silent.
“You are quite crazy sometimes, do you ever notice..?” Sigma abruptly looked up, so fast that his hands were still held out as he glared, “Me?…I’m crazy??” As he glared his face turned into one of utmost disgust and surprise. He thought for a moment, his eyes flickering across the barren room before responding, “well…I do suppose you’re right..on occasion.” He dropped his hands down by his side and steadily walked out of the room, signaling for Dazai to follow after. As they walked Dazai began chatting again. “I do notice you are quite different here- compared to when we first got acquainted , I mean.” Sigma, who was glancing back every couple of minutes, glanced back up at Dazai as he tilted his head with a peculiar look. “Well, this is my job after all, it’s my duty to act sophisticated, even when my mind may not reflect that same demeanor. That is why I am considered a professional - and I am quite level headed when I’m not on the brink of death.” Dazai found himself snickering at the remark, he had not taken Sigma for the type of man to have such retorts.

Sigma grinned to himself, for he also found his own response particularly entertaining, though he would not let others know he took pleasure in such childish activity. When they had been walking for a few minutes, Dazai finally asked the correct question for such a scenario. “Where are we going..?” Sigma quickly halted to a stop, though Dazai had managed to not run the man over this time. Sigma spun around on his heel, so speedily that his abysmally layered hair whipped around in a mesmerizing fashion. Dazai noted that Sigma truly did remind him of a jellyfish, or a creature of equally natural and elegant manner. The way he worked -or just lived his life and routine- so much reminded the brunette of an unreal, celestial creature. The way he gracefully moved throughout his existence resembled the peaceful way a jellyfish drifts throughout the dark and cold ocean. He could sincerely discern that Sigma’s life was proportionally as desolate as that of a jellyfish as well. The likeness this man had to a serene creature of the sea often caused for Dazai to gape in awe, nearly covetous of Sigma’s rhythmic life.

“Well,” Sigma began in a much calmer tone than previously, “I can allow you to stay, but merely for my own interest
…and perhaps pity.” Dazai gazed down, suppressing a chortle to the witty comments the man was making, but he had to keep up his facade. “Also we are not sharing a room.”

Dazai raised a hand to his mouth to keep from losing his composure as he closed his eyes a moment before reopening them and staring back down. He opened his mouth to begin making an argument in his defense, however he knew that the trust he so craved, he would have to earn. He tapped his finger to his chin and nodded in agreement. “Alright!” He exclaimed in an overly cheery voice. Dazai certainly found it impressive the control that Sigma had over his demeanor, though he understood that it was likely due to him being in an environment he had control over.

Sigma folded his arms as he stared with a carefully crafted expression of perfect stillness. “Well,” he began, “you can stay in this room. It is the only room here so there will be no wandering drunks (assuming you are not of such a disposition) ..nor any traffic outside the room.” Sigma spoke as he gestured towards the door which stood, slightly taller than the other rooms on different floors. Sigma reached for a key in his pocket of which Dazai was previously not entirely aware of its presence. He unlocked the door and opened it with one hand, gesturing for Dazai to enter with the other. “Ladies first,” Dazai stated with a sly grin. Sigma rolled his eyes an and sighed before entering the room. Sigma began to walk around the room, particularly spacious and undeniably opulent. It was tidy and there were windows on the far side of the room they entered into. The wall was quite high up for that of a hotel room, and the drapes swept down to the floor in dark shades of blue with white trim. The bed was made a professionally arranged duvet cover in the top of the equally as professionally arranged blankets. There was a couch against the wall to their right, which had a few blankets throw pillows and a table in front of it with a vase of flowers. There was a slightly smaller door which led to a bathroom of equal splendor with everything porcelain and marble, the white lights above were nearly blinding in contrast to the main room. there were some basic commodities and hygiene products in the room, neatly arranged. In the next room over, which connected with a door, was the kitchen with a dining room table and chairs a few feet from the kitchen.

As Dazai walked through, he noted the luxury of the entire ordeal, he had not resided in such splendid condition for quite some time now. “So I’m staying here..” the man remarked as he passed through, following Sigma around. “Mhm..” was Sigma’s only response before grabbing the man’s hand and promptly dropping the key into it. He walked away steadily towards the exit. “Wait..” Sigma paused and turned around, “Yes?” he spoke. Dazai muttered, “Isn’t this your key..?”

Dazai had noticed the man took the key out of his pocket , but he had not put a key in his pocket the entire time they had interacted. This means that Sigma had preplanned the entire ordeal..or..more likely, this was Sigma’s personal key.

“Oh..” Sigma glanced around, “I have spares, it’s alright.” Dazai stared, perplexed, as the man walked away gracefully.

Sigma walked out into the hall before looking back towards the door and yelped in surprise when he saw the brunette directly behind him. “Jesus! I didn’t hear you..” Dazai grinned before walking in front of the man. “I am quite stealthy.”

They paced up and down the halls, Dazai was essentially just surveying Sigma’s routine, which he quickly discovered to be exceedingly busy. He noticed small things at first; such as Sigma taking extra work onto himself or changing a schedule so he had tasks to do instead of a break, or even smaller things like paperwork lying around in Sigmas office or personal spaces. While the manager was busy working, Dazai walked around and collected random stacks of paperwork, glancing over it. He would busy himself sorting them into a few larger piles. It was quite noticeable that Sigma did have tidy spaces, however he also had such extensive amounts of work on nearly every surface. “Hey, Sigma…” Dazai spoke as he stood behind his chair, leaning on it. Sigma nearly jumped out of his seat when he heard the man speak so suddenly and so near him. He was typing on his computer, and was never used to interruptions whilst working. Sigma exhaled and steadied himself before responding, “what is it..”

“Was your break not twenty minutes ago…?”Dazai muttered, as he rested his head against his arms which lay in the back of the chair and fidgeted with his bandages. Sigma whipped his head around and started in confusion. “How did you know that??” Dazai hummed and looked down innocently, “So that’s a yes?” Sigma stared for a few moments, at a loss. He really truly should not be surprised by Dazai’s antics anymore. There was always a method through which he would know random information, this really shouldn’t be as surprising as it was. “Well, yes.” Sigma muttered before turning back around and typing once more. “I really think you should take your break, you haven’t been doing so recently, have you?” Sigma sighed and rested his head in his hands. He tilted his head up to look at Dazai who was still peering down. “How do you somehow know…everything?” Sigma sighed in exasperation. “Well if I explained it, my mystery would be gone, and your reactions would not be quite as entertaining.” Dazai showed a mischievous smile and glanced down at Sigmas screen to see what it was he was working on. The basis for the paperwork did not seem quite too difficult, especially with Dazai’s experience. He wished to help as the excessive work was impeding on their time to speak. “What is there to do on break?” Dazai murmured as he blew the bangs out of his eyes. “Uhm….well, I personally like to survey the people downstairs playing, simply because they do not even know I’m there, but sometimes I just look out the window when I’m out of work - which is rarely nowadays.” Sigma rambled on for a bit, likely to clear the air, but it was quite prevalent of the exhaustion in his voice as he continued typing.

The manager suddenly looked back with a start, he spotted Dazai now fidgeting with a particularly long section of Sigma’s hair instead of his own. He watched as the man twirled his hair between his fingers, seemingly unfazed by Sigma’s reaction, he was intently focused on the diverse colors and layers of the fascinating locks. Sigma slowly and cautiously returned back to his previous state of mind; in secret he did not mind the little gestures much anyways. In fact, he sometimes preferred the fixed presence of another while he worked. Sigma suddenly felt the man’s nimble fingers underneath of his thick hair, lifting it up into a ponytail like style. “You have quite a bit of hair…it’s impressive.” Dazai remarked blankly as he raked his fingers through his hair. Sigma jolted up, feeling himself flush slightly as he turned his head again. “Well..I..uhm- thank you..?” Sigma had not spoken to nearly anyone on subjects other than work, and while others did often comment on his exotic appearance, it never felt quite so genuine - so close. “It is somewhat heavy though, how do you carry it around all day..?” Dazai spoke in a relaxed tone, though the irony of his words made his voice lighthearted. Sigma glanced around, slightly perplexed by the sudden array of words, before Sigma could respond, the man spoke up again “I’m just joking..aha. Though you can go ahead and finish up your work.” He smiled at Sigma - one which he was truly hoping to be genuine.

The pair sat in unperturbed silence for what could have very well been an eternity had they escaped the finite bounds of time. However, it was in fact only about an hour, and the sun was just beginning to descend the sky in a mesmerizing burst of ornate colors. “It’s about 5:30, whenever do you get off?” Dazai spoke as he tilted his head innocently. “Oh!” Sigma peered at his watch for a moment before responding. “Well, I don’t wish to drag you along with me all the time, so I can stop for now.” Dazai strode back to the front of Sigma’s desk and stretched his arms. “Wonderful! Where shall we go next?” he exclaimed as Sigma stood up and walked around his desk as well, standing next to him. He peered at the brunette curiously and spoke, “well, uhm..” Sigma fidgeted with a plain banded ring resting on his left middle finger. “I am not quite sure where it is that you would like to go.” Dazai planted his hands on his hips and looked around, “Hmmm, I think I’ll just follow you to see where it is you go.” He grinned and looked back at Sigma, who looked a little amazed. “Oh..yes- I usually do sweeps of the lower floors at this time..I don’t suppose you would like to accompany me?” “I would love nothing more” came his reply.

The two paced down the intricate stairway to look throughout the lower floors. They had unanimously agreed to make it quick in order to get to rest earlier. The security would technically secure the floors when the manager took his leave for the night, however it was his job to check it before the security needed to. The checks went quite well, and they were done approximately an hour later, Dazai had noticed Sigma looking quite fatigued, and had offered to help him up the stairs; however Sigma insisted on making his way up himself. They eventually arrived before Sigma’s room, where he had agreed to converse a bit more with Dazai before they parted.

Sigma had stumbled into his room and wearily sat at the edge of his bed. Dazai seized the opportunity to go and make them some tea, which Sigma had sworn he could, but the man was insistent. Sigma laid back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Before he noticed, he was closing his eyes. He had awoken with a start to Dazai who say down beside him, leaving some space between them. “Here! I made chamomile.” Sigma sat up in a flurry, “Sorry, I think I dozed off for a moment..” he raised his hand to his forehead a moment before reaching for the cup Dazai had held out to him.

Dazai gazed at Sigma, who was staring off into the distance, he looked so very tired -especially from the working, that the man felt bad waking him as he did. He noticed the way the light from the setting sun from the window framed and accentuated the refined features which Sigma possessed. Each time the brunette even so much as glanced at him, he wondered if Sigma saw in himself all of which Dazai saw in him. He wondered if anyone appreciated Sigma as much as he could.

Sigma raised the cup to his lips and carefully took a sip. He appreciated that it was not scalding nor cooled. He felt he appreciated small things on occasion. His head hung slightly as he closed and opened his eyes slowly. He was so very tired, but Dazai had wanted to speak with him. “I apologize again, what was it you wanted to speak about?” Sigma muttered, attempting to regain his composure. “Hm. I believe I would enjoy just to sit now.” Sigma nodded, maybe only as compliant as he was simply from fatigue. They sat and sipped their tea in silence before Dazai leaned over and retrieved Sigma’s glass from his hands gently. “Would you like more, or should I put this away?” Sigma suddenly looked over and smiled slightly. “I would surely appreciate if you could put that away..though help yourself to more if you so please.” Dazai nodded and picked up the glasses as he walked into the other room. Sigma found himself laying back down involuntarily, his eyes again drooped as his breathing slowed.

Dazai tidied the kitchen before walking back out, where he saw Sigma fast asleep. He so admired the man’s elegance, even when he was exhausted and evidently overworked, he managed to make it look so easy. The man made sure to stride out of the room silently.

Sigma awoke in a flurry of confusion from the previous events. Though when he awoke he noticed his heeled boots (which he had forgotten to remove when he arrived home) paired neatly by his bed, and he was covered with a blanket which had been resting on a nearby shelf. He exhaled softly and laid back down, drifting again into a peaceful slumber.

When Sigma awoke entirely, he discovered his hair in disarray -quite embarrassing.. he slipped out of the blanket which he promptly folded and put away. Swiftly, he began getting dressed for work. He likely went to bed at around 8:30…much earlier than usual. And he just woke up at approximately 7:15 in the morning… much later than usual. He was quite grateful for such a fact though, he was beginning to get worried he may pass out in the middle of the day, and that would compromise his appearance as a manager. He brushed his teeth and combed through his hair, he considered brushing it into a ponytail as Dazai had done the previous day, but decided against it.

He gathered some papers he had found on a side table, he realized they were sorted..though he did not remember doing so. He hummed to himself as he stepped outside his room, hurrying down the halls as his hair rhythmically swayed behind him. He wondered where Dazai had headed off too, however would not particularly enjoy invading the man’s business so early in the morning. He was also not fond of the idea of constantly caring for another’s whereabouts, after all, Dazai was a grown man, (a quite menacing one at that)..he could surely care for himself. Sigma walked the halls of the casino’s upper floors before briefly returning some paperwork to his office. Again, he noticed a good portion of the work previously scattered across every surface was sorted quite neatly in piles. He questioningly glanced at the papers before hurriedly setting down the stack he was holding and leaving yet again. Today was quite busy, there were some extremely important patrons attending that morning, staying an unconfirmed length of time, simply for fun.

While the patrons may be having a joyous time, Sigma was not. He had to extensively monitor each floor numerous times every day, he in fact spent most of the day on his feet simply patrolling and helping customers occasionally. After all he managed the casino, which meant he would care for it most of all, and he could not afford any negative comments from people with influence. He would certainly not stand for such a predicament, which is why he was trying his very greatest to finish all the small tasks, before tending to the customers. He had a seemingly never ending pile of paperwork to file, a list of complaints so long that it could combat a Shakespearean work, and customers still every moment in need of assistance. Not that Sigma necessarily minded the work, it gave him purpose he felt. He knew how empty he would feel lest he stop working.

He suddenly heard someone screaming farther down the hall he was walking, the shrieks filled the air with perilous warnings, and some patrons were coming out of their rooms to survey the situation. As he sped his pace, he started running, trying to assure the worried people as he passed them that everything was under control. As he approached the sound, the first thing he processed was the sharp contrast of the intricately patterned carpet with the blood. Oh, the blood. There was ever so much of it there. His brain had seemingly short circuited for a moment, before analyzing the whole situation. A patron was on the floor, shot..bleeding out.

He recalled the files of this particular citizen from whom he had been studying a few days prior. He didn’t find anything which stuck out much from the others, no special conditions, history, anything. But why, oh why did such a thing have to happen today. Sigma spoke with a tone of confidence, “everyone, I know this is jarring, but please remain calm. Our staff can handle this!” He quickly knelt down beside the man whom had been shot. This was certainly odd. There was no firearms allowed inside the casino anymore after a previous incident resulting in a near fatal shot. The manager worked quickly, rushing into one of the rooms to retrieve a first aid kit which were kept under the bathroom sink. He knelt down beside the man, putting pressure on his upper abdomen where he had been shot. Due to the area, it likely missed any vital organs which came as a relief to the man. As he worked, he ushered people away from the man, who was still conscious, but in much pain. He bandaged the man up and called for security, as well as a doctor.

The security came as did some nurses who helped carry the man out and to an infirmary. Sigma walked along with them for a while, before returning to check on the rest of the patrons staying. He issued an announcement about the incident, letting everyone know that the man was alright, and everything was controlled. He asked that the people lookout for any potential firearms which were not brought to his attention. After he got a moment to collect himself, he remembered Dazai, he had not seen him since yesterday..where was he off too?

Sigma scanned through the general lobbies and casino floors, before resorting to knocking on his door directly. The man approached the door, finding himself quite nervous in comparison to his demeanor the rest of the day. He did not have time to question as to why before he knocked on the door. He held his breath, but heard no reply. Sigma knocked and waited for a few long minutes before pulling a key from his pocket and cautiously opening the door. He knocked again as he opened the door before calling out, “Uhm…hello..? Dazai..?” He strode throughout the absent room quietly before speaking once more, just in case. “I uhm.. I apologize for the intrusion..” he droned off as he slowly realized that the man was not there. His bed was made exactly as it was, and nothing seemed to be used in the room. He turned around to the door and yelped when he saw the brunette man standing in the doorway. “Well good morning to you as well..!” Dazai spoke cheerfully as he approached the startled man. “How do you keep DOING that??” Sigma exhaled sharply as he nervously glanced around.

“Magic.” Dazai grinned before continuing, “So what are you doing here..don’t you have work to be doing?” Sigma sighed and paused a moment before speaking. “Well, yes, I just had a lot to do this morning, but I had wondered where you went off to..” Dazai’s face lit up as he replied, “So you missed me!!” He exclaimed in a teasing voice. Sigma looked taken aback as he stuttered, “What..? No- I was wondering- wait. Where were you this morning..?” Sigma inquired, tilting his head with a rather confused look. Dazai, who had previously been taking a keen interest in his nails, suddenly looked directly at Sigma, Sigma felt his entire body freeze as Dazai stared with such deep brown eyes. His eyes always seemed to reflect his mood quite well, and they did appear so very lovely on the man, but one could tell how much Dazai knew of them from a simple glance into his eyes; and what he knew was everything. “I heard there was a mishap with a firearm, so I took care of it.” Dazai spoke plainly, as if having a leisurely conversation. Sigma’s jaw fell to the floor as he crinkled his brows, looking no longer confused but now shocked. “How did you know about that??” Sigma exclaimed, trying to contain his sheer horror. “Oh!” Dazai declared, “Did I finally do something to truly surprise you? Well then, I shan’t tell you how.” He flashed a sly grin at the man as he reached out and twirled a white piece of Sigma’s hair with his pointer finger.

Sigma, who had collected himself, pushed the man’s hand away. “How…?” He stared with such genuine surprise that Dazai nearly felt remorseful, but instead he giggled and turned away. “Don’t worry your head about such insignificant things, tend to the patrons who will be here a little later today. Aren’t they more important?” Dazai spoke proudly as he glanced back at Sigma, who audibly gasped. “I as the only one who knew about that except for the head of security!” Sigma nearly sprinted over to the man, whom had already began walking down the halls. “How did you know that…how do you know everything..?” Sigma was truly starting to find himself distraught, but he tried his best to keep his composure. Sigma felt himself grow ever so lightheaded as he desperately attempted to match the pace of the other man. Dazai stopped in his tracks before turning around and politely taking the mans hand in his own. Sigma fought the reaction to immediately pull away as Dazai spoke. “I truly wish for you to not stress about so much, just go and finish your work, then get some rest. I can tell you need it, by the way.” Sigma stared in the silence of the hallway for almost an entire minute, he felt encapsulated in the man’s eyes, in the atmosphere he carried with him. Sigma felt entranced, and he hated it. After that long pause, he brought himself to pull away as he sighed deeply. “You know…alright. But we should speak later, when I’m done.” He backed away slightly, hesitant to leave just then. “Wonderful.” Dazai remarked with a kind smile, before stepping away again.

Sigma worked tirelessly throughout the entire day without many more hitches, he was desperately trying to prevent negative media about the earlier incident from getting out. He did not have time to eat that day, and when he came to think of it, he didn’t eat nearly anything the previous day either. He slapped his palm to his forehead. That was why he was so tired. He really did not have the time to eat as of late, nor did he feel like consuming anything much when given the option. He went through his day, though he felt his brain becoming foggy as he tried to focus. When he checked his watch next, it was nearly six at night. He had let time pass far too quickly. He hoped Dazai would not be dissatisfied with his unreliable schedule. He took a moment to get up, if he stood too fast he would likely collapse and take a moment to regain balance. He walked slowly out of the room, and down the halls. He placed his hand on the wall for some extra support, tracing the intricate, rather elegant wallpaper as he walked through. He eventually made his way to his room…much later than usual, but he was not in control of that. He sighed as he pulled out his key and unlocked the door.

As he walked in, he was instantly startled by the brunette man, sitting on the cough with some papers sprawled around him. Sigma jumped a little, but made his way to sit on the bed adjacent from where Dazai was posted. “Oh you look a mess..are you okay..” Dazai half remarked, half genuinely inquired as he watched Sigma slowly sit down. “Mhm..” Sigma murmured under his breath. “Oh! Give me a moment, I’ll go get you something.” Sigma looked up for a moment in awe, as he heard the man’s light receding footsteps. He came back with a bowl of soup in one hand, and a glass of water in the other. “Here,” the man handed Sigma the bowl and the cup, before sitting back on the couch to finish organizing the pages. “What..?” Sigma felt his brain virtually shut down as he sat, stunned for a moment. He eventually took a sip of water before speaking, “You didn’t poison this did you..” he muttered, mostly joking. “No…” the man began, still looking at the numerous papers In his hands, he glanced up at Sigma through the dark brown bangs which framed his face, “unless you would like..?” Sigma nearly spit out his water, Dazai had such a genuine look in his eyes while saying such wondrous things, that sometimes it startled him.

He felt his face redden exponentially as he stuttered, “No…I’m quite alright..” Dazai chuckled to himself before he continued sorting, “well then, suit yourself.” Sigma cautiously took a sip of the broth from the soup before Dazai piped up again. “Sorry it is quite thin, I do fear that if I had made it any richer, you would likely have thrown it up.” Sigma whipped his head up, evidently concerned, “And why’s that..?” Dazai looked up as well, with an innocent and equally as confused look, “Oh, well you haven’t eaten in a few days now, it’s awful to eat too much after it’s been a while.”
Sigma continued to stare at the man, so utterly awe struck. He couldn’t even manifest the brains to be surprised, now he just appreciated someone knowing him, even if he didn’t tell them… which yes, is technically a bit odd. “Thank you.” Sigma spoke up finally as he took another sip of water. “No need, you just seemed quite exhausted, I was really just being a Good Samaritan.” Dazai uttered this as he finally combined some of the stacks into three larger piles. “Ah yes, I’ll put these away, one moment.” The man smiled as he walked out of the room, returning momentarily. “Do you…” Sigma piped up, “Do you not need me to show you where those go..?” Dazai tapped his finger to his chin, “Mmm, no! I’ll manage.” Sigma simply gazed at the man in response, he did not bother with a verbal response, there was nothing to be said. He simply watched the harmony in such the other man worked, seamlessly.

When Dazai had put away the last large pile, he kneeled down on the floor and began delicately undoing Sigma’s boots. Sigma nearly jumped from the sudden contact, which he never quite got used to. “Oh no, no, there really is no need-“ Sigma stuttered before Dazai interrupted, “I insist. It’s alright.” He flashed a quick smile at Sigma before swiftly removing the man’s shoes and placing them, nearly paired by his bed, just how they had been the previous night. Dazai hummed lightly as he worked, eventually offering to take Sigma’s dishes back to the kitchen. “No..I will take them, you really have done far too much..” he spoke in a soft voice now, not as commanding as he usually resorted to. He stood up and made his way to the kitchen with the dishes, he quickly washed the dishes before exiting the kitchen. He quietly sat back down on the edge of the bed, offering to let Dazai sit there as well if he pleased. The man declined, he sat on the floor, simply gazing up at Sigma as he spoke.

They traded light conversation back and forth, twisting and turning between topics as one often does. Dazai even made a particularly entertaining comment, to which Sigma laughed at for a good 10 seconds. Dazai’s eyes lit up at the man’s unexpected reaction. He had not heard the man laugh in the time they’d known INE another. Eventually, the conversing turned more serious, and Sigma, who was quite sleep deprived, asked, “Why do you care for me so..? It seems unnatural for someone to care for me of all people, I feel.” Dazai stared for a a moment with a blank look before speaking up, in a comparably softer tone, “Well, from the very moment we first made acquaintances, I had nearly thanked any god up above for a chance to even meet such a person. From then, I dare say everything I’ve learned of or experienced with you has been the best in my life, I would die happy now, just having known you..having been in your presence has reiterated something for me which I did not previously know possible. For that very matter, I think I should be thanking you.” Sigma, who had already been quite flushed, now radiated such a deep red, that even as he held his face in his hands, he heard Dazai’s suppressed chuckles. “Ohh …how you truly do have a way with words..” he murmured through his hands. “Not often, you just seem especially charming.” Dazai mused, still gazing up at the man. “Here now,” Dazai began, “your hair is a little tangled. If you would allow, I could assist you with that..?” “Oh!” Sigma exclaimed, reaching a hand up to his hair, embarrassed by the sudden news. “Don’t worry, you still look quite breathtaking .” Dazai spoke softly as he rose, sitting down next to the man and eventually reaching to brush his hands through the pastel purple and white locks. “

Dazai stood to get a brush from the bathroom to seriously get somewhere with the styling, he returned a few moments later and sat beside Sigma again. He brushed gently through the thick hair, occasionally mentioning something about the exotic colors and such. After a couple of peaceful minutes had passed, Sigma reached up and rested his hand on Dazai’s wrist. Dazai instantly froze, “oh? Is something wrong?” Sigma shook his head before turning to look at the man. “You are much different than I made you out to be at first, I feel quite awful for that..” Dazai smiled pitifully before speaking, “never feel bad for a man such as me.” His voice was quite balanced, but Sigma felt the desolate tone behind it, clawing at the words the man spoke as if they betrayed what his mind wished to actually say.

Sigma knit his brows at the somewhat cryptic response, as the man continued gently combing through his hair. He eventually began to tie it up before quickly glancing over at Sigma, who was drifting to sleep every couple of minutes. “Would you like your hair up?” He nearly whispered to the man, careful to not startle him up. “Hmm.. do whatever you please, I trust you.” Sigma whispered, almost half asleep.

Dazai froze up for a moment. He honestly did not know how to react, he simply sat there in the silence, in the darkened room, with the warmth of a person who showed him a way out through just his existence and presence. And now, Sigma, a real true person, who trusted him. He made sure not to sit too close to Sigma, he didn’t want to make him uncomfortable nor unsafe..which he found weird, he had not cared quite as much for the wellbeing of any person for a while. So as he sat next to the man, whose presence made his thoughts calm, and whose warmth made him feel accepted, he felt a little more human.

Dazai decided to twist his hair into one large braid, he knew the colors would look splendid as they complemented one another quite well. He slowly separated the hair and turned the strands delicately around in a mesmerizing pattern of pastel purples and white. Dazai gently swept the last few strands of hair off of Sigmas neck, embellishing his hair with the intricate design. Soon enough, Sigmas head slumped leaned against the man, his breath steady now as he rested. Dazai froze as he felt the man’s weight against his own. He felt quite uncomfortable, but was hesitant to move lest the other man wake up. He ever so slowly inched out from under the man’s head which lied on his shoulder, he then gently scooped the man up into his arms before situating him down squarely in the middle of the bed. He gathered a blanket from a shelf nearby before setting it on the man. Dazai sat on the floor directly near the bed, gazing at the man as he slept, he watched as some strands of hair fell loose and covered a bit of his face. He noticed the bags which had begun to set around Sigma’s eyes, and he noticed the way his breath slowed as his chest rose and fell rhythmically. He eventually rested his head on top of his bandaged arms which were positioned on the edge of the bed as he sat on the carpet. After countless small moments had passed, he eventually laid his head down and closed his eyes, counting the seconds between every breath the other man took.

When Sigma awoke, it was barely morning. Slight orange color peeked through the curtains in beams of light which appeared magical to him. The first thing he noticed, was the brunette man who had sat on the floor near the edge of the bed and rested his head on his arms. His eyes were still shut as he slept serenely, Sigma slowly edged his way off the bed, and to the bathroom. He got ready as quickly as he could, glancing up in the mirror at the intricate braid which his hair had been put up in. He stared at his reflection from all the angles which he could see, he eventually realized he had been gaping at his hair for some time now, but he was stuck on how much he adored the style. He finished getting ready for the day and stepped out.

He instinctively looked towards the bed, where the man was still sat on the floor beside it, sleeping. He hummed to himself and strode to the kitchen as silently as his steps would allow. He began making tea as he set water on the stove to boil in a small silver kettle. Searching through the cupboards, he reached to grab the tea above the stove, wondering which kind he should prepare. Eventually, he took the kettle off of the stove and poured the water into two cups before allowing the tea to steep. He walked out of the kitchen to check the room again, before he noticed the man was not lying where he previously was. He looked around the room, able to discern that he had not left because his shoes were there, but he was no where to be seen.

He knocked on the bathroom door and waited for a response. Eventually, and to Sigma’s great relief, the man spoke up. “..Yes?” Sigma noticed something off about his voice, he could not exactly place what it was, he simply sounded less enthusiastic or feigning than usual. “Are you okay?” Sigma found himself asking, which even surprised him, he did not usually care much for the personal well-being of many, but the circumstances made it quite hard to ignore. “…uhm..yes, I am quite sorry to ask, but do you have any bandages..?” Sigma immediately realized why, before it had been just another detail of this already eccentric man’s persona, but now he thought , he never really knew why the man wore bandages. “Oh! Yes I’m sure I have some around here..perhaps a first aid kit or something of the sort..do you mind if I come in?” He heard shuffling for a moment before Dazai responded, “Yes, okay.” Sigma opened the door to find nothing too out of the ordinary, he immediately spotted some bandages crumpled in the trashcan beside the sink.

His gaze wondered up to the man standing awkwardly off to the side, Sigma glanced at Dazai’s demeanor, namely, how he was clutching the sleeve of his coat with his right hand, he was seeing to it that the sleeve did not slide up as it usually did. Sigma crouched down near the sink and looked through the cabinet underneath it, occasionally pulling items out from under the sink and setting them on the floor as he searched. At the very back, he found a first aid kit with bandages. He quickly put everything back under the cabinet before passing the bandages to the other man. Dazai took the bandages, with his right hand, the one still bandaged. He nodded at Sigma and thanked him. Sigma suddenly asked, “Do you need help?” Dazai stared blankly for a moment , “What?” Sigma asked again, “well, do you need any assistance with the bandages?” Dazai laughed -almost nervously, Sigma noted- before responding, “No thank you, while I do appreciate the kind gesture I am quite skilled at such a task already.” He grinned at Sigma, who went on, “Are you sure..? I know it is difficult, you only have one hand to wrap up your other arm..” He noticed that Dazai faltered for a moment before responding again, “You are correct, but you must know by now, there are things not entirely right with me, and certainly things which I tell no one.” Sigma stared him in the eyes for a moment, his expression remaining plain as he spoke softly, “You somehow know nearly everything about me - as a matter if fact, I could not act surprised if you told me you knew everything about me. And so though I am aware you have secrets, I must reiterate there is not a thing you could tell me to which I would consequentially care.” Sigma extended his hand out to the man, who slowly placed the roll of bandages in his hand.

Sigma reached his other hand out to Dazai’s wrist and lifted it, he felt the man’s hesitance, but made sure to work carefully. By now, Dazai’s coat still concealed his left arm, the only one without bandages. “Would you mind if I moved your sleeve..? Sigma spoke as he began unraveling the bandages. Dazai sighed as he lifted his own sleeve up his arm. Sigma only realized then, he had rarely seen any part of Dazai, save his face and hands, which was not wrapped up with white cloth. His arm (expectedly) had scars going all the way up, some looked self inflicted while others did not, Sigma did not care, some were healed and barely shown, some looked totally unhealed..Sigma still did not care. He had seen much -and much worse- in his brief time working, or even living, and this was not the thing to deter him. He found each mark beautiful, they reflected a piece of the man which had never been verbalized, theh wove together into his flesh in beautiful harmony, like a symphony of shapes and colors..serving a permanent reminder for the live he had lived and was to live. Sigma held onto Dazai’s wrist as he delicately wrapped his arm, thoroughly and evenly bandaging his entire forearm, lifting his sleeve up to wrap just past it. He caressed his fingers over the scars, deliberately avoiding any which appeared newer. He held the extra fabric at the end between his fingers before biting off the end with his canines. He put some bandage tape at the ends to secure it and flipped his arm to be sure he didn’t miss any skin.

As Sigma had been tending to his arm, Dazai was staring down at Sigma in fascination and awe as he worked efficiently, almost effortlessly wrapping the bandages. He had never especially wanted for physical touch, he often initiated it, more in a teasing manner, however as Sigma held his arm and delicately pressed on his skin, he felt as though somebody would finally see him in all entirety. When Sigma let go and stood back, analyzing his work, Dazai found himself reveling in the physical contact. Dazai inspected his own arm too, he found the work quite impressive, Sigma was rather skilled by standards in first aid. Dazai stared still, as the other man ushered him out of the bathroom and into the kitchen. Sigma had started preparing breakfast as Dazai was sat down, the brunette stared, almost entranced by Sigma as he cooked, and then as he served, and as he sat down, even now busying himself with work or small tasks. Dazai admired the man and the way his pale skin contrasted his style, or the way his eyelashes fluttered as his eyes skimmed a page, or really anything he saw. He even found it rather endearing the way the man would chew on his lip when he was concentrated on something.

When they finished eating, not a word had been spoken - they sat in a mutually comfortable silence. Sigma began clearing the table, to which Dazai began tidying as well. Sigma was washing the dishes as Dazai walked up behind him and began taking down his hair. Sigma would normally not be able to stand such an idea, however he, for some reason, did not mind much right now. Sigma finished getting ready and stepped out the door as Dazai headed to his own apartment to get prepared for the day separately. Sigma walked through the halls as he normally did, surveying the floors and checking on each patron and their game. He would shoot a fleeting glance over his shoulder at a card game to be sure there was no cheating. After he had finished walking around, he decided to finish some legal documents which had not been fully filled out, he did not want to start slacking off now of all times. He checked with the security office about the issue of the firearm yesterday and how that had come to happen, and while they were trying their best to pinpoint how such an incident had occurred, there was no definitive answer. The manager decided to look through the tapes himself as the other employees had, however they were completely bewildered. The only silver lining was that such an incident had not occurred since, and it was by no means a common occurrence at his casino. He poured over the tapes and records, possible breaches of safety, records and files of patrons attending, everything.. and he found nothing.

After a good handful of hours, he decided he must move on for now, he decided to pay a visit to the man, who had been brought to the ground for better treatment. That man was the one who could recite an accurate account. He called into the hospital where the man was staying and asked to speak with him over the phone, purposefully so; it was incase the man decided to change his story, they would have the verbal records from the phone company. The man once on the phone, was quite eager to talk and explain what happened, that is…what he knew. All that Sigma could gather from the hour and a half long phone call, was that the man was 57, he had almost no remaining family, he led a quiet and reserved life, and most notably, he not only suffered severe hallucinations and delusions, but was also shot from behind.

Sigma sat in silence, holding his face in his hands for a solid ten minutes afterwards. He did not know what to do, and it was increasingly difficult to rest whilst such a case was ongoing and threatening the patrons, staff, and reputation of the casino which he worked so hard to preserve. He sighed as he raised his head and decided to work on some of the documents he was behind on. Each day he worked, it felt as though it hardly made a dent in what was to be done. Every day he worked was simply a small preparation for the next day, where the work would seemingly triple. It seemed quite a daunting job to one who knows the inner workings of such a venture, but for Sigma, that was his entire life. His brain was made to compute and hold such copious amounts of information, to be able to process it all and never burn out, to be able to handle this much.

So why did he feel so tired now? He felt his body getting heavier each day he awoke to the same repetitive issues, he sensed his brain growing duller with every predicament it took him longer and longer to solve. He felt himself becoming useless. If he could only sort through this one crisis, which was an entire security issue which threatened his very being, then he could perhaps rest at some point, without feeling such paralyzing guilt. The man sat, scribbling furiously and typing quickly, working through each clue he thought he’d discovered. After working for a jarringly long time in one position, he sat up for a moment and stretched. He decided to take a walk around the casino floors again, after all, he did quite enjoy checking up with customers.

After circling through a handful of times, he did end up having to rally a good couple of games, reshuffling cards, checking through pieces so that there was no suspected cheating, all normal tasks. He found himself wandering back up the tall staircase to finish some work in his office, by now it was well past after he got off, but he had much to do. As he walked into his office, he nearly jumped out of his skin to see the (only mildly irritating) brunette man standing there. “Hey,” Dazai spoke immediately as Sigma walked in, paying no mind to his startled reaction. “Didn’t you get off..two hours ago..?” Dazai stared, with no particular emotion making an appearance on his face nor in his voice, which never failed to make Sigma ever so slightly nervous. “I wasn’t paying attention, and anyways, I must figure out the security risks we have as of present.” Sigma spoke in the matter of fact voice which he used when he wished to express a sincere point. “Oh, you’re still worried about that..?” Dazai twirled his dark hair as he spoke with an absentminded expression. “I told you, I’ve dealt with that already..” before Sigma (who was gobsmacked) could reply, the other man added, “but..since you’ll evidently be up quite late, I’ll go make tea! After all, I don’t believe I’ve seen you drink anything today..” He exclaimed as he strode away confidently. Before Sigma realized he had in fact not seen Dazai since eight in the morning, the man was already out the door. Sigma wiped a bewildered expression away before sighing in exasperation and continuing his ever so trivial work.