#and dazai with his intense mental illness

[kyouka-supremacy]

*chimes in* I wanted to reccomend you one of the latest sskk fic I read, (don't know if you had read it already or not though)

Enjoy!

Bottom of the Deep Blue Sea (41468 words) by ZombiieDaesyn Chapters: 6/7 Fandom: 文豪ストレイドッグス | Bungou Stray Dogs Rating: Not Rated Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Akutagawa Ryuunosuke/Nakajima Atsushi (Bungou Stray Dogs) Characters: Akutagawa Ryuunosuke (Bungou Stray Dogs), Nakajima Atsushi (Bungou Stray Dogs), Izumi Kyouka (Bungou Stray Dogs), Kunikida Doppo (Bungou Stray Dogs), Dazai Osamu (Bungou Stray Dogs), Edogawa Ranpo (Bungou Stray Dogs), Nakahara Chuuya (Bungou Stray Dogs), Higuchi Ichiyou (Bungou Stray Dogs), Akutagawa Gin Additional Tags: Armed Detective Agency (Bungou Stray Dogs), Port Mafia (Bungou Stray Dogs), Hurt/Comfort, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Sick Character, Asthma, Coughing, Awkward Flirting, Awkward Crush, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn, Slow To Update, Dazai Osamu Being An Asshole (Bungou Stray Dogs), Inspired by Music, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, AO3 Tags - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Rain, Arguing, Cuddling & Snuggling, Sickfic, Rivalry, atsushi is like damn… why are all of my favorite people murderers???, Cinnamon Roll Nakajima Atsushi (Bungou Stray Dogs), Sick Akutagawa Ryuunosuke (Bungou Stray Dogs), Awkward Tension, Literal Sleeping Together, Pining, Denial of Feelings, Mutual Pining, Falling In Love, Mental Breakdown, References to Illness, Chronic Illness, Akutagawa Ryuunosuke is Bad at Feelings (Bungou Stray Dogs), Awkward Akutagawa Ryuunosuke (Bungou Stray Dogs), Nakahara Chuuya Is So Done (Bungou Stray Dogs), Sexual Humor, Swearing, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Sex, they don’t fuck but some characters joke about it, Enemies to Lovers, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Soft Akutagawa Ryuunosuke (Bungou Stray Dogs), Gun Violence, Whump Summary: At the bottom of this particular window was the edge of the port, meaning they would land in the saltwater below unless they managed to redirect their fall towards the side of the building. The inferno was crackling from behind, and Atsushi could feel the heat tickling his back grow more and more intense with each passing second.   “Okay, we’re using Rashomon to get down, right?” It was a rhetorical question, of course.   “What? No. I’ve used Rashomon enough today. Use the Beast to get us down.” Atsushi briefly shifted his gaze towards the mafioso beside him, crisp, golden eyes narrowing at his response.   “Rashomon doesn’t rip your clothes to shreds! Just use your Ability!”   A wheezing cough left Akutagawa’s pale lips, “I said no!”   “Akutagawa, we don’t have time for arguing! C’mon, just—”   “Jinko!—”   Atsushi felt embers dance across the back of his shirt, and without warning, he locked arms with his partner and leapt from the windowsill, Akutagawa falling right behind him.   OR:   Taking care of Akutagawa is a chore. It's even worse when you're falling for the guy, quite literally.

Thank youuuu omg sskk fic recs are always welcomed here, I immensely appreciate this 🥺🥺🥺

[incorrect-ikevamp-quotes]

Hello! Sorry if my English is not as good 😅, but I really love your insightful thoughts about the characters and how you describe Comte 😍. If it's not an annoyance, I wanted to ask something about Charles (I know his route is not out yet and there is not much information about him). I've been seeing in some posts that Vlad did something to him in Dazai's route (i'm not sure what really happened) and i'm really curious about it, because even though it's known that Vlad uses his powers against his people, i can't really picture it due to the way Charles acts towards him with so much affection ?🤔 or admiration... (I guess it's because of his personality or trauma, behavior that it's different from Faust, who acts cautiously with Vlad) So it's something i'm truly curious about. Sorry for bothering you and Thank you!

Welcome welcome! Please don’t worry, I had no trouble at all understanding you, your English is great! ❤️❤️❤️ As for what I know about Charles, my information is limited due to the nature of his content so far--I haven’t seen a ton about him quite yet. But in Dazai’s route we get a glimpse into his situation due to his increased screentime there.  

I’m just going to put a spoilers warning here for Dazai’s JPN rt, since that’s where I’ve learned the most about Charles:

Charles is indeed a very affectionate and generally genki boy as far as interpretations go, but there are heavy implications that Vlad is manipulating him on a profound psychological level. I say this only because there is plenty of evidence that Charles’ behavior isn’t quite his own at points, and because Dazai himself proves it to be true.

One piece of information that is necessary before delving too deep is that Charles finds MC’s handkerchief at one point early on and develops a sudden curiosity/desire to see her. While a person could just assume he was curious, I don’t personally believe that curiosity went without surveillance or intervention--since Vlad was there the whole time.

My best guess is that Vlad wanted to find out more about MC and perhaps use her as bait to manipulate Dazai (or threaten Comte), but Dazai already offered him something interesting in wanting to warp the flow of time--so Charles’ relationship with her was only collateral in the end. While Charles did have some level of sincere feeling for MC, it’s later revealed that it was ostensibly an obsession and did not operate on a normal level of personable feeling.

The way Dazai further proves that Charles’ mind has been manipulated is that, when Dazai begins to suggest that Vlad is essentially a con-man that intends to use Charles for murder no matter the cost to his mental health, Charles reacts with unnatural distress. It’s not the kind of refusal a person would normally have at the suggestion of someone’s betrayal of their loyalty, where they reject it and are uneasy but otherwise aren’t physically controlled by the emotion. Charles seems unable to mentally handle the suggestion that Vlad’s intentions aren’t good at all--that he’s lying--to the point where Charles nearly collapses from the intensity of the dissonance between his own mind and the parts Vlad is forcing into obedience. 

There is also a scene following Charles’ intense mental distress where Vlad essentially interrogates Charles as to his loyalty, and gives the overtone that any kind of disobedience will be swiftly destroyed if he sees it. Faust tries to protect Charles as best he can, but his power is limited compared to Vlad’s.

Furthermore, Vlad is Charles’ sire (aka Charles’ creator as a vampire)--if he can command and manipulate Shakespeare as well as people extraneous to him so easily, I really doubt Charles would be beyond his control. The only reason Faust seems to have more agency and stability is that Faust is highly attached to his own internal emotional compass and what he believes in. (The keyword here is “seems”, if I’m honest I’m not 100% sure if Vlad isn’t still there in his mind, subtly manipulating him to the darker sides of his nature.) Charles, as much as I love him, seems even more susceptible to the emotional/motivational overtones of others around him. I mean Faust even uses a similar tactic to help Charles, in that he slowly walks him through to the solution, and Charles never once questions his judgement or thought process because it feels right to him. If you think about it Shakespeare is much the same way; he’s so obsessed with the creation of his plays and public reception to them that he is easily manipulated because he lacks personal grounding. Vincent, despite his gentle nature, is not half so susceptible to this manipulation because he is immovable at his core. There are moral lengths he will not go to no matter the intentionality, and his inspirations come from deep within. Even Dazai is too mentally strong to be controlled due to his immense love for other people. Vlad also cannot control him because he loves MC so deeply he would never betray that trust, the only single time he betrays it is when he seeks suicide (which is more about fighting his mental illness and self-harm than it is about hurting MC).

If I’m honest, I think Charles may want to believe in the best of Vlad. But I don’t think that necessarily means that Vlad is not manipulating him to his own ends, or that he isn’t causing Charles significant psychological distress/dissonance throughout the game. Charles seems like the type to want to believe in people even if he knows that belief might be misplaced. As for Vlad, I have little to no reason to believe he is not hurting Charles. He does not consider Charles his son in any capacity, and openly treats both Charles and Faust like tools to a greater end. With Vlad, only the results matter--the means are irrelevant.

[transsexualhamlet]

okayokayokay i have like. Q U E S T I O N S because i have *wanted* to read no longer human but have been afraid to SO -

1) what's it like? what do u think of it? im sooo curious 👀

2) do u think that asagiri-sensei based bsd dazai sorta off the book more than off the actual authour? i seem to remember reading that once but i dont remember if it was speculation or not

3) .......just infodump as much as you want, really; im Curious™️ and it looks like ur having fun with the book XD

p.s. - have fun with crime and punishment; thats a book ive DEFINITELY been meaning to read (but i havent had time to yet djfjdjfjf)

AHHHHHHH HI TYSM I WAS HOPING SOMEONE WOULD ASK. I read the entire book in 2 hours before going to bed like four days ago, though it probably wasn't the best time to do it, that shit is nightmare fuel

I'm just gonna preface this with I know basically nothing about the actual author other than what's in the book, also I read the manga version (the junji ito one, yeah) so yeah I'm not sure how much that differs from the original text.

So for how much he based it off of the book vs the actual author, I couldn't really tell you- no longer human is somewhat of an autobiography, so I'd say that those work together. (it's complicated, bc the main character of no longer human is not actually dazai, but dazai is there, and they like??? basically say that that character and dazai are like actually the same person???? and they like, switch places at the end?? its really confusing, but basically, I'm treating the mc of no longer human as dazai himself.) The important stuff about the author that I know of worked into dazai's character is all in no longer human too so,,, yeah. I think saying that it's based more off of that book is probably true, though I don't know what asagiri was thinking.

But about the book itself- Yeah uhhhhhh seriously, I don't really recommend reading no longer human if you have much of a sensitivity to basically anything, especially the graphic novel version because when i say graphic novel i mean Graphic there is so much nudity, sex, s/a, addiction, violence, Mental Illness of all types, religious trauma, obviously suicide, and frankly just visually horrifying stuff

So everything under this is gonna be under a cut just cause Uh Yeah It's A Lot and i do not want to subject everybody to it

But reading it was certainly something I am glad I did, because it did teach me a lot about dazai and how he was created, as well as confirming a lot of theories I had about him that can't be confirmed or denied in bsd canon.

Like me and my friend were just like examining his character and kind of coming up with ideas about him- like we both agreed that he had Motherless Energy TM and that his dad had to have been an absolute fucking piece of shit. Also, we thought that he definitely had to have had A Lot of csa trauma and probably issues having to do with his neurodivergency when he was a child.

Literally all of that ended up being true within the canon of no longer human, so I was kind of impressed that we were so right?? It makes me feel better for thinking a lot of those things, especially since they're just Pretty Fucked Up.

But yeah its. No wonder he turned out that way when he was So Autistic and Masking So Much And So Badly and with absolutely no guidance as how to deal with his neurodivergency other than just fucking let anything anyone wanted happen sooooo he got raped, as a kid, like. A lot. A LOT. And basically ended up thinking that because of this all humans were just horrifying awful monsters and yeahhhhh things pretty much went downhill from there

I don't have a ton of time so you can send me more asks about it lol this is just barely scratching the surface this thing is pretty intense

A lot of other things that I think I can apply to bsd dazai as well, tho they're not gone into that much in the canon:

-This dude is like always fucking drunk or high, cause he just cannot stand being sober that much. He's a serious alcoholic and actually addicted to opioids and I cannot think that much differently about dazai. He's got issues.

but there are a lot of differences between Dazai and the no longer human mc, though there are enough similarities that this is definitely the dude he was based off of.

The main difference is that the no longer human mc is actually just a good guy. He's made a shit ton of stupid fucking mistakes, but he's trying to be a good man and he feels awful for the things he's done, which, I really cannot say Dazai has. Dazai is not a good man, I think everyone knows that. He doesn't really care that much lol

-both of them are like. Weirdly popular with women. Which is hilarious but like, with Dazai he doesn't really take it seriously, and he actually flirts with women. The no longer human guy like. He doesn't hes just like Tragically Attractive and women want to be with him and he has no clue how to say no so he just ends up being a whore bc hes socially useless. It causes a lot of problems bc hes like constantly cheating because of this lol.

-Dazai has a much more poetic view of it all? The no longer human guy is just fucking suffering and hes like why is this happening to me im so awful and i bring misfortune to everyone around me and its not fair and he wants to die and everything but it's not at all in the same way that Dazai does. Dazai acts more like an author than him, in the sense of his "I want a death that is narriatively satisfactory and I want to know the meaning of living by seeing the worst of it and observing how it is to be a human" yeah that's not the same at all. No longer human man really just doesn't understand them and is just. Not having fun

-Also, it's really the thing about Dazai having such an utter lack of religion compared to his original counterpart. Like, the main thing that kept this dude alive for so long was the fact that he had so much religious trauma and was constantly guilty and worried he would go to hell and basically scared of everything. Bsd dazai is like, nearly the opposite, he's the kind of dude who was born and raised atheist, and in the kind of way that he's trying to basically come up with his own meaning of life and religion to follow, whereas the original is struggling to live with one that's been perscribed to him. Both are Very Neurodivergent but it was, handled differently

And yeah i really do have to keep this short, you can totally ask me more and I have a lot more to say but one thing I want to bring attention to is the fact of something they do have in common- their masking. It's a big part of no longer human, about how the mc doesn't understand social customs and what is acceptable or how to talk to people or seriously be happy, so he basically comes up with this "clowning" which is basically, make a fool of himself on purpose all the time so people will never take him seriously or think he's good or smart. That's something dazai completely does, wholeheartedly, and something that fucks him up bad in no longer human. And I think that could be examined a lot more deeply, this dude has issues and so many of them are related to autism. God, I have so many thoughts but aghhhhhhhhhhhhh i hope u enjoy

[chocolate-parfait]

Matchup for @bigwintter

bigwintter , dear, tumbrl ate your ask away and I can't seem to be able to tag you for whatever reason. I hope you'll be able to see this nonetheless!

I match you up with... William!

You two are the embodiment of the dark academia aesthetic tbh✨

During your first encounter, you mostly keep to yourself, but Will can tell that you two are, in a way, similar to each other. It all starts with casual and sporadic encounters where the general ambiance is “Oh God, I’m talking to THE William Shakespeare”, but all that quickly dissolves through time. The writer instantly takes a liking to you, a normal reaction to your genuine love for literature, but the more he talks to you, the more he realizes there’s something more to it.

Your aura kinda works like a magnet. It’s in your little gestures, the way you carry yourself, completely at ease despite a 200 years-wide gap between your time and your new surroundings. Most of all, he’s genuinely amazed each time you give him deep and psychological insight about a recently published novel or sometimes even a piece he has written himself. Sometimes you stumble a bit and don’t exactly know how to convey your thoughts in a precise way, but this makes him all the more curious(he finds it very cute, actually). He truly wonders how come you’re able to give a fascinatingly knowledgeable answer to whatever topic the two of you are discussing, and this ignites an always increasingly burning fire deep inside of him.

He tries (unless SOMEONE cough Theo cough forcefully kicks him out) to visit the mansion more often, other times he invites you over to his residence to have a nice chat over some tea. If you feel like it, he even plans some rendezvous in the city to show you around. It’s very nice of him and he acts like a total gentleman! But... some problems may arise when he starts showing his overly possessive side.

Since you know your fair share of information when it comes to psychology and all that may come in handy to diagnose someone with being a yandere (and whatever type of mental illness Shakespeare has), you notice the signs early on, so at least you’re not completely caught off guard. As to how to act next... well, that’s pretty much up to you. You can ask Comte for protection for the rest of the month and then go back home, or you can try and talk it out with him if you prefer.

Since this is a matchup, let’s pretend you chose to stay in the past and confront him about it. You go to his house and he’s acting like usual, although there’s a glint in his eyes that sends a shiver down your spine. When you finally bring up his weird behaviors a switch in his mind flips the other way. It’s a really intense moment because as he’s explaining all the reasons why he deemed it necessary to “protect” you from others, he suddenly realizes that at the root of the whole problem there’s only his genuine affection towards you. But would he act the same way with Vincent? No, of course not. Then, there must be something else to his feelings, right? And the word he had written so many times, the main theme of most of his stories, comes crashing down on him. Love.

He doesn’t outright say it, but it’s subtle and you already know about it. Once more, you can decide whether to correspond to his feelings right away or wait a little longer, just know that you’ll be in for a lot of therapy sessions. This man needs three things: affection, a LOT of reassurance, and someone to show him how healthy relationships work. You can provide him with all three, and though he might reject the idea of change (perhaps even in a violent manner), with time and care he’ll come to understand where the boundaries of a relationship lie. Surely, there will be times in which he falls prey to his darkest thoughts, but the progress is admirable.

His recovery aside, he’s truly one of the kindest lovers out there, getting slightly rough only during horny times (he wouldn’t be able to withstand the guilt of having hurt you), and he never misses out on important dates and small details. There is a lot of unspoken understanding between you two, and with just a glance, you can convey everything that words wouldn’t suffice to describe. Regardless, he still loves composing little poems on the spot just for you (he later writes them down in a thick book that he gifts you for your birthday), pressing a soft kiss to your lips when he’s done reciting his small part.

As a couple, you pretty much have all the freedom in the world. Living in a house far from prying eyes and unwelcome visitors, you can enjoy your much-beloved solitude from the rest of the world. Even in the same house, he will eventually come to respect your wish for independence and alone-time. Though there is a lot of work behind it, you and William finally reach an equilibrium that few couples would be able to maintain for long.

Second choice: Dazai

Despite being quite the trickster, an unprovoked Dazai is a person that enjoys quiet spaces and his fair share of alone time. You two could definitely get along pretty well, but getting past the acquaintances-who-have-some-idle-chat-every-now and then phase? That could be slightly harder.

Everyone has their bad days, and depending on the person, some may want to let the whole world know about their feelings, whether others prefer keeping everything inside. Well, Dazai is definitely the second case. Just as usual, he puts on his happy mask and clown nose in the poor attempt of shifting his focus on his surroundings, but ever so often his facade slips off completely. Be it a glance, an unhappy comment or the sudden quietness, you pick up on it quite easily.

There are many strong personalities that leave their lasting impressions in the mansion. For each you could find at least 10 adjectives to describe them without you even being close, but what about Dazai? At first glance, he seems like one of the most dual characters in the vampiric group; one side of him is warm and caring, completely in the norm, but most things he says leave a certain bitter aftertaste. One could describe him as a breeze, but you had noticed that this warm spring breeze could turn into a chilly autumn one in the blink of an eye.

He’s seemingly a superficial man, but many little details convince you otherwise. Spending a whole month in the past with no one to talk to was out of the question, and mystery man here is the tragic hero that had piqued your curiosity the most so... why not give it a try? You would have to approach him first (he reaches out to people mainly when he sees they're struggling with their emotions), and with the right words here and there his fake smile will crumble away. (you don't necessarily need to be an expert speaker, he's a smart one and will understand what you mean)

Of course, he won't be giving in too easily, but he's quick to notice your genuine interest and curiosity towards him. You'll be going back in a month, so even if he let you see a snippet of who he truly was... it wouldn't be such a bad thing, right? Unfortunately for him, all the romance he has ever experienced in his life was tied to his and his partner's mental health, so with you there to help him out with his emotional state, he's quick to fall for you. (these aren't really spoilers,, its just facts about irl dazai but idk how much they decided to keep in his route tbh, I've only read a general summary)

On the other hand, it may take you some time to realize your feelings, and sometimes you wonder whether your initial reason to get close to him was just your love for psychology. With time, that will all become a secondary matter, for thus you'll start seeing him as a true friend, and perhaps something more.

Oftentimes you hang out in his room and have long discussions while sharing some tea and sweets together. Topics may vary from analysis of fictional characters to more philosophical matter, and a couple dumb jokes here and there: other times the room falls in the most comfortable of silences, the atmosphere warm and relaxed.

Dazai definitely doesn't mind your goofy side, he actually enjoys it quite a lot. You, him, and Arthur could team up and become the most annoying trio of the mansion, much to Isaac's dismay. It's very clear to the Englishman though, that you two have something going on, although you don't seem to be aware of it. He will start teasing you and dropping heavy hints until Dazai eventually confronts him about it. 

When it dawns on you, it doesn't take long before you and Dazai confess to each other and become a couple. If you're both mutually interested then why wait? Your straightforward nature plays a big part in this, despite your communication skills. Dazai secretly admires this aspect of yours, and if you question him about it, he will admit it without embarrassment and the fondest of looks.

As partners, you have a very mature relationship, and neither of you has a problem with meeting the other's needs. The Japanese writer will always respect your wishes and opinions, but every now and then, mostly at nighttime, he will crave your touch and comfort. Old habits die hard, and it's not easy to completely let go of one's past, that is why he seeks your warmth. Offer him your lap, pepper his face with delicate kisses, tenderly stroke his hair; whatever you have to offer will be more than enough for him. These are very intimate and romantic moments between the two of you, in which your bond gets stronger and stronger, although through quiet reassurance and support.

He doesn't necessarily mind PDA, but he'd rather you keep your most explicit gestures to the privacy of your rooms. Nevertheless is a man of great calm and patience, and he's a great actor, too; don't be too surprised if he decides to tease you in public. Generally speaking though, he'll stick to basic stuff like hand-holding and such.

You have dates in the most random of places! The termae, the gazebo, on the riverbank or in some obscure neighborhood of the city. He loves strolling around with you, and he'll get so lost in the feeling of your hand in his that once he snaps out of it he doesn't realize where your feet have taken you.

Another activity that you two could end up doing together is drinking. He takes you to his favorite bar, where he orders his favorite drink, cigarette in hand (he smokes only if you're okay with it) while looking impossibly hot. You can order yourself a beer and then you can have whatever discussion you feel like having. He is not one to judge, and will happily comply and talk about all topics. Whether it's a book you've read or something that happened to someone in the mansion, he will quietly listen to you as he sips on his whiskey or brandy or whatever, adding a thoughtful comment here and there.

[masked-buffoon]

Chapter 5: One’s desires (Part 1)

Warnings: manipulation/mind control, torture

Author notes: now that chapter 4 is over, I feel more comfortable with the rest of the story! We’re going to stay a bit more in the Port Mafia for now!

The sun was slowly going down from its zenith, this afternoon. The view of Yokohama one could get from the roof of a rather high building was breathtaking; the skyscrapers, with their large bays, reflected the sun rays, creating a most intricate light show, while the further ocean delicately undulated under the breeze.

However, I was not there for sightseeing. The tablet I held served as an interactive map, on which I could see precisely the moves of both my men and my target. I was on a mission to catch a zealous agent of the government who owned too much information about our organisation to let it slide, and it seemed the person was rather skilled at running away. Why, it appeared the ministry still knew how to train its members. If only they could be more useful chasing real life-threatening criminals instead of going after a Mafia they knew could not be taken down... I sighed, shoving a pain reliever in my mouth. Lately, I had tried to use pills again, instead of morphine, so I could slowly separate myself from the routine of injections. Now that Dazai-san allowed me to sleep every night, there was no need to relieve my headache anymore, except on rare occasions when I would have to intensely make use of The Sweet Appeals. But although there was no pain to relieve anymore, my habits as an addict would not disappear just in the blink of an eye, and, sometimes, it frustrated me greatly not to have my income of morphine.

"Our little mouse is running away..." I communicated with my men "What are you even doing? Should I come in person?"

"Ogawa-san, the agent keeps changing route..." One of them complained, sounding rather tired.

They could follow the bug set onto the target's suitcase as well, on their phone. What did they mean by "changing route"? However, it was true that the moves seemed odd, as if our agent changed his mind each time... I realised.

"Cancel the operation." I ordered "We lost the target. The suitcase has been passed to several people in a row; surely fellow agents."

"Didn't the case contain important documents...?"

"This person is more likely not to give away a suitcase full of proofs." I tapped the side of the tablet with my finger "Go back to the headquarters."

"Understood, Ogawa-san."

I instantly knew the position of the agent I was looking for when the door to the roof opened brusquely and I heard the familiar clicking sound of a firearm pointed onto me.

"There you are, mafioso."

I stood up, hands raised in the air so the government agent would not shoot while thinking I had ill intentions.

"I assume you are 'Tsukamoto Kichibei'-san." I smiled, turning around "You've hidden your name very well, but..."

My lips turned upwards.

"Your true identity is that of Hirashima Chiharu-san, isn't it~?"

Her hands trembled, and I could accurately see how it became difficult to hold her weapon toward me. I made several steps toward her, until the barrel pressed against my chest, directly, I was not afraid, not the least. I knew she would never shoot, because she had orders not to kill anyone, and at close range, it was impossible to miss me. I smirked down at her.

"You should not underestimate the Port Mafia." I warned her "We have eyes everywhere, ears hidden in each wall around you. Who knows... Maybe even one of your colleagues is a spy for us...~?"

"Th-That can't be..." She trembled.

Swiftly, I seized her gun and reversed it toward her.

"Come on, Hirashima-san... We are both women, don't be afraid. I only want to have a good talk, after all." I sounded falsely reassuring.

"Th-Then, don't point that gun on me...!" She stuttered, paralysed.

"But I can't have you leaving, right...?" I pouted "Wait, I'll tie you up, then...!"

My fingers wrapped around the handcuffs she kept for me and I cuffed her to the fence of the roof. There, she would not be able to escape; I had even confiscated the key to open the lock.

"So..." I looked into her pockets to find a USB drive "Now that I have my information, let's have a chat...! I heard the name of your current boyfriend is Kamiya Hideyoshi? That's good...! But I wonder if he'll still want to go out with you when he learns you have a five years old daughter..."

I glanced at her, to see the most frightened look a prisoner could ever give me. Who needed tools and weapons when humans had words to torture each other? Making the target bleed and scream was just gross, I preferred breaking them mentally; there was less to clean afterwards.

"H-How... You...?" She asked, eyes widened "No one knows..."

"That you had a kid out of wedlock? Mmh, sure. Not even your parents, am I right? They are respectable people, you should have told them. I'm pretty confident they would have helped you out..." I hummed, toying with the drive "You should enjoy having caring parents..."

"Enough...! You've got the documents, you've got me! What else do you want...?!" She cried, struggling against the cuffs.

"Careful there..." I sighed, making her stop pulling "We wouldn't want you to bruise that thin wrist of yours, would we? Besides, you are right. I have everything I wanted from you."

"So, you can —"

"Do you truly think I will release you?" I looked down at her "Fool. How can I be sure you have not memorised the contents of the USB drive?"

Hirashima Chiharu looked absolutely terrified. Now, I could start the additional mission.

"I-I don't know..." She sobbed, looking down "I don't want to die...! My daughter... She'll be all alone... And Hideyoshi-senpai is a really good man..."

"Oh, so he's your senpai?" I whistled "Impressive. But I'll take your reasons into consideration. I could let you live..."

"Would you...?!"

"Indeed, but my favour is not free..." I chuckled, sliding a finger down her cheek "You will belong to the Port Mafia..."

"W-What...?"

"Nothing too complicated." I shrugged "When we call, you answer. When we ask for information, you give them. And if you go to the police..." I stopped as my palm pressed against her throat "That's your daughter's life we'll ask for..."

She nodded, expressively, and I released her from her restraints. The woman was quick to run toward the door, but I stopped her.

"One last question... If I had demanded you to kill your daughter to survive, would you have done it?" I narrowed my eyes at her.

"... No..." She gulped down, before leaving to run down the stairs.

"Obviously not! Who is she taking me for...?!"

I sighed deeply. Why did all parents think about their children before themselves and mine had selfishly tried to protect their lives until the very end? A mystery which would remain unsolved, for the said parents could not ever be questioned anymore.

[dearosamu]

DESPERADO - OMORFIA

SYPNOSIS: she, a dancer with personified problems all the while more that intrigues osamu dazai who came into her life amidst the chaos that is [name] [last name].

WARNING/S: none

eight - nine

dazai felt his phone vibrate in the back of his pockets, swiftly picking up his cell without even bothering to look at the caller id.

"dazai, are you gonna turn up here or what? am i gonna have to file an absent report - again?"

dazai groans with a free arm flailing beside him, almost hard enough to knock off his glass of wine on the kitchen counter.

"i'm just not feeling it today, odasaku. i think i might've made [name] angry."

"oh, really? what a shocker." the apparent semi-oblivious tone that oda replied with didn't help one bit.

"care to tell me what happened?"

"well," dazai pauses, taking a sip of wine. "she dropped by here yesterday - which reminds me that i forgot to ask her how she even got my address," he mutters mostly to himself.

"anyway! off topic, but she brought her kid and left him with me, asking me to take care of him for the night. they ended up sleeping over and after breakfast we kinda kissed."

"and?"

"and what?"

"there must be something you aren't telling me. the info you've given me seems to be missing a few important details."

the brunette mentally curses at his partner's close attention to specific details. even through the phone, he can probably sense his bullshit.

"well, i may or may not have hinted at her that i .. wanted to be something more. to help her ease her burdens, you know?"

oda was silent during his explanation, only humming in acknowledgement once he assessed the situation.

"are you in love with her?"

dazai purses his lips at the question. his feelings regarding this was all over the place.

"that's the thing. i don't know if it's love - i don't understand it."

"it would help if you'd describe how you really felt."

oda hears dazai take a deep breath over their call. he must feel a little overwhelmed about it all. he's known dazai for many years, understanding that he can't handle intense emotions very well. love, was definitely one of those.

"i feel this- this weird ache in my chest when she does one good thing, but it's followed by something else entirely. it's like she wants it to but at the same time, she's holding herself back," he stammers.

"i'm trying to work out what she said before she left. she was just so vague."

"you don't think she's giving you mixed signals?"

dazai had gone silent, possibly thinking it over on his side. what if he got it all wrong? what if he was just assuming things just because her actions differ from her words?

"dazai, if you recall back then, it's to never fall for-"

"strippers or anyone involved in bad business, i know," dazai completes it for him.

"didn't you fell for jin? george,  - or whatever his name was - at some point?"

"gide," oda sighs. "that was back then - now don't change the subject to me. this is about you coming to terms with your emotions."

dazai downs the last drop of his wine, proceeding to lay on his couch to vent about his weird feelings to oda. it's a wonder that his friend even put up with his constant complaints at all.

"you know, if you're nagging about something like this that much, why don't you ask her out?"

"ask her out where?"

"on a date, genius." he deadpans. dazai lips shape into a small 'o', mind going off on a questionable daze before quickly coming back to reality.

"do you think that's a good idea?"

"i don't see why not," oda shrugs even though dazai couldn't see him.

"odasaku,"

"what is it?"

"i haven't been on a real date in a long time."

this was going to be much more difficult than he thought.

--

somehow, oda managed to convince dazai to pull through the idea of going on a date. with [name].

which explains why he's back at the club, but instead of hoping to piss her off with a request to dance, he had brought along with some flowers as a peace offering. he even got his semi-formal attire neatly pressed for this.

upon coming to the club and heading immediately backstage, he was - unfortunately - greeted with the sight of chuuya. the ginger doesn't even hold back on a snicker when he does a once over at the taller male.

"pfft - what in the fuck are you doing?"

"could you have [name] off work today?"

"why?"

"i'm taking her out," he holds up the flowers in his hands.

as soon as chuuya opened his mouth, the two just ended up having small banter and disagreements, with the former obviously disapproving of the brunette in question. it was interrupted once a certain [h.c]-haired woman passed the door in between the males.

"uh, excuse me? you two are blocking the way-" she does a double take once her gaze lands on dazai, grumbling under her breath as she tries to ignore him, focusing her stare on chuuya.

chuuya clicks his tongue, moving aside to make way. dazai takes this opportunity to ask [name] out.

"please go out with me." chuuya snorts, deciding to leave the two on their own. he'd probably tease the female later on about it.

"what the fuck?" she gazes up at him with disbelief.

dazai clears his throat, feeling a bit of tension and awkwardness in the situation. "odasaku suggested that i do something .. different. that i should try being romantic.. ?" it came off more of a question rather than an answer.

"please tell me you're joking," despite the hint of mockery in her tone, her eyes said otherwise.

"did you inhale something?"

"i'm serious. i'm trying to ask you out so," he gives her the flowers with the corner of his lips curling up.

"go out with me?"

the female was quite shocked. this was new. she didn't really expect this from dazai.

"you're smiling." she says absentmindedly.

"is that a bad thing?"

"no, no. in fact it's .. a good change," she returns with a small grin of her own, staring at the arrangement of tulips and daises she had in her hands. how sweet.

"look, i'm trying," dazai mumbles. "i want to give whatever we have a shot. it's been a long time since i've done this, so just spare me the time and tell me if you want to do this or not."

he hears a small snicker before the female in front of him bursts in a small fit of giggles. "okay, okay. i'll go on a date with you."

"really?" dazai asks, eyes wandering her own for any ill intentions. there was none. he felt flabbergasted.

"just let me have the courtesy of getting changed first," she gives a gentle smile.

"would you want me to go out wearing something like this?"

"n-no! go get changed, please-" dazai stammers out, face flushed. this was weird. he felt odd. oddly giddy and a bit of excitement. was this normal?

"alright. wait for me then."

he couldn't wait for what was about to come.

--

"you seem so inexperienced. it's stupidly cute in some way," [name] comments as they walk down a street, minutes away from their destination.

"i told you, it's been a long time since i've been on a real date."

"define a 'long time'."

"like, twelve years, give or take-" he was cut of by the abrupt laughter that emitted from his date. he playfully rolls his eyes at the sight.

"oh yeah, sure okay. that's funny for you," he mutters. despite his jarring tone, his arm didn't fail to lose contact with the female.

"i-it's just too funny! you haven't been on a date since you were like, sixteen. oh my god," she loses herself again in a fit of giggles. even with the annoyed look on his face, he finds her laughter endearing to his ears. he's used to her seemingly hostile personality that seeing her be so playful was a bit weird. he doesn't mind it though.

"that's just precious."

"oh, look. it seems we've gotten to the restaurant i was telling you about." he ignored her shouts of protest as he hurriedly speed walks to the place. he greets the staff at the entrance, mentioned his reservation before they were lead to an empty booth and situates himself there with [name].

she sets her bag down on a chair beside her, sitting down on a chair the opposite of dazai. "now, is that a way to treat your date?"

"you were being puerile," he answers, leaning onto both hands propped against the table.

"don't use stupid fancy words on me." the female grumbles as they waited for a waiter. dazai sticks out his tongue as they went on about casual conversation.

"ever tried thai food?"

"not really."

"how come?"

"my household used to stick to a sole strict way of handling things. anything remotely foreign was forbidden for us." she explains.

"they hated trying new things for some reason."

"well, i'm here to treat you to your heart's content," he grins. [name] returns a small one of her own, gazing upon the interior design of the restaurant. she hadn't took it all in since she was dragged quite briskly inside. it was pretty fancy. expensive looking, too. the wages that their staff must earn may be more than what she has on the daily. lucky.

minutes later, a waiter had come by to take their orders.

"and what would your drinks be?"

"i'll have a sake," dazai answers.

"what about you, ma'am?"

"i'll have a [f.d] instead." the waiter nods, taking the menus before leaving. [name] plays with the ends of her hair before locking eyes with dazai.

"how's your business running along?"

"things are coming along smoothly. we've gotten rid of those who tried to auction off some of our products for fakes. profits are coming in at a steady pace. i managed to go on a date with you, so nothing seems wrong."

"are you happy though?"

"why wouldn't i be? i have attained so much in little time." the female rolls her eyes at this.

"yeah, but achieving a lot of things don't always mean you're actually happy with what you have right now."

dazai ponders over her words. "i don't get what you mean."

"like, you need to find something that makes you genuinely happy. something you find comfort in or calmness. something that makes you smile and make you think that 'i wouldn't exchange this for anything else.'"

"i still don't get it."

"you're that bad with emotions?" dazai nods hesitantly, feeling that this was somehow a bad thing.

"isn't that unhealthy?"

"how so?"

"well, i was taught to feel all of my emotions. to really connect with them, so that i don't seem unhinged."

dazai doesn't give a reply, soon after the waiter returned with their drinks in hand. the two gives their thanks.

"you need to be in tune with your feelings more, you know." [name] takes a sip from her cold beverage.

"i think i feel strongly for you," he pauses. "i can't describe it."

"that's.. understandable, i guess. you still need some work." [name] sighs.

"it's not that i can't - more like i don't know how?"

the [h.c]-haired female thinks his words over before stating her own opinion. dazai continued before she could get the words out.

"it's just strange. which is kinda why i had asked odasaku first before you .. and now you're here. i want to control these emotions." he just seemed so confused. she smiles at this.

"that's cute."

"huh?" dazai was so lost.

"you just really seem like you're trying really hard. it's flattering. shows that you're putting effort on me. i appreciate that."

oh.

oh. was all dazai could think.

his felt his heartbeat twice during dinner.

[hamliet]

Dostoyevsky’s Psychological Ability

A bit of wild (very, very hypothetical) theorizing here.

So, with the reveal of Sigma’s... amnesia, we can presume that he was either created by the book (Fyodor bringing his OC to life, which seems very Fyodor) or that he was a normal person (somewhat similar to Chuuya’s mysterious origin before becoming Arahabaki’s host) completely modified by... something. The book, or Fyodor. 

I’m going to run with the latter because it’s more interesting to me, and because it parallels Sigma with Goncharov (and they already have a somewhat similar mindset, as pointed out by my friend @trashyhumanespresso). It seems likely that Fyodor’s ability is something that somehow targets human brains, which fits on a meta level with Fyodor’s namesake, with his foils, and with his strategies.

Thus far in the story, we've seen Fyodor get Ace to hang himself:

Kill a kid by touching his head:

Get rid of the part of Goncharov's brain that feels sadness:

Explode a police officer's skull:

And now, he might have completely altered Sigma’s memories (I’m totally aware he very well might have used the book to do this but. It’s more interesting to me if the book is not involved lol so that’s what I’m running with but, who knows, either could be the case).

We don’t know how Fyodor’s ability precisely works--whether he manipulates their brains/exploits already-present weaknesses/targets certain parts of the brain--but it definitely involves Fyodor having to touch someone. Which brings to mind his foil also emphasized this chapter (see here for a great meta on Fyodor and Dazai’s foiling by @linkspooky): Dazai, whose ability also requires him to touch someone to enact it.

Fyodor’s match with Dazai is fascinating, as he cannot manipulate nor harm him thanks to Dazai’s No Longer Human instantly nullifying his ability. It also carries symbolic weight: while Dazai’s touch removes a person’s ability, keeping him isolated, Fyodor’s likely literally seems to bring death, which is symbolic of the nihilism he drowns himself in and that Dazai, thanks to Odasaku and his work at the AMA, resists even against his instincts towards it. Dazai is the one character Fyodor is not able to rattle, which means he’s likely key to stopping Fyodor.

In real life, Fyodor Dostoyevsky was a psychologist before Freud even wrote his theories, and he’s still held up as one of the most psychological writers in all of literature. Nietszche referred to Dostoyevsky as “the only psychologist from whom I had something to learn” (ohhh snap Freud) in Twilight of the Idols. Dostoyevsky’s works constantly explore humanity’s psychology at an individual and societal level, and are frequented with references to madness/mental illness as well. 

Similarly, Fyodor is targeting the ability-users as individuals and also the larger society surrounding them. For society, he’s particularly aiming to dismantle the three-part agreement Natsume arranged between the Port Mafia, Armed Detective Agency, and the government. First the cannibalism plot pitted the mafia and the AMA against each other, and they were only able to solve it by working together. Now the government is set against the AMA via framing the AMA for that official’s murder, the mafia saves the AMA but at the cost of influencing more conflict over Mori lying about Fukuzawa’s agreement that he can take Yosano, and the mafia itself is now dealing with Tachihara’s betrayal and Gin’s injury (she is not dead), and now the AMA wants to ally with the Hunting Dogs but I doubt that’ll go super smoothly. 

As for individuals, I’ll discuss Dazai more in a moment, but: Fyodor’s ability also has potential to foil another character given a fair amount of focus this arc: Yosano. His ability brings death, and her ability brings life even from already-existing pain, which it amplifies but results in them healing, which is symbolic of BSD’s overall message on life: it hurts, it can almost kill you, but it’s still healing in some ways. It is also symbolized by the butterflies associated with her, as butterflies symbolize rebirth, and as @aspoonofsugar has theorized, she also may not actually need to have them so close to death before healing them. (“Thou Shalt Not Die” is named after a poem Yosano Akiko wrote to express her pacifistic beliefs, after all, which seems interesting given that she has to hurt people to heal them.) Anyways, this would also explain Fyodor’s manipulation of the Hunting Dogs and the Port Mafia (as I’d be surprised if he didn’t know about Yosano’s past with Mori) to target her psychologically. 

As for individuals, obviously Fyodor is going to target Dazai somehow at some point in an attempt to defeat him. He already surreptitiously is, through the Hunting Dogs dynamic and Tachihara’s betrayal (I doubt he didn’t know) which led to Gin being stabbed, which affects Akutagawa and thereby Dazai. 

All of this brings to mind the intense parallels with Dazai/Fyodor and Mimic/Odasaku, in which all the leader of Mimic wanted was to die facing his own abilities in Odasaku and caused chaos to get it--particularly through targeting orphans under his care. Given that every arc thus far has ended in some kind of Shin Soukoku fight, plus given what happened to Gin and his promise to Atsushi, Akutagawa and Atsushi are particularly at risk here. However, they aren’t helpless, and Dazai surely plans for them to take Fyodor down--and they will, in the end. 

[bi-dazai]

BSD Episode 27 Analysis

Hello! Natalya back with my second instalment of my episodical analyses of BSD. This week I’ll be looking at episode 27 from the lens of a more platonic soukoku than last week, which was about explicit romance coding in terms of double-entendre and visual imagery. You can find that post here. I would suggest reading it, because I may indulge myself in romantic soukoku in this post a bit, although it will only be a side-track.

A note before we begin, however – I’m writing this in a much more casual academic tone, and I’m not using lowercase and internet casual as I did in my previous post. This is because it helps me enunciate my points in a way that doesn’t make me look like a crazy person. I also made quite a few grammatical errors, typos, and strange sentences. This tends to happen when I write long-form internet casual. For the sake of clarity, you’ll have to put up with the tone I usually place in a more casual academic setting such as my university tutorials.

So as usual I’ll pick out a few moments to focus in on to explain an overall general subtext and underlying message etc in the episode. For this episode, I’ve picked the opening in which Chuuya kicks the gun out of Dazai’s hand, and the scene in which our two other Sheep members are introduced.

-

This episode I’m going to focus on the way the episode expresses the burgeoning, newborn perceptions of Dazai on Chuuya and vice versa. I’m also going to be referring to moments that count as SPOILERS, so if you care about that then careful going forth, or perhaps wait until the Fifteen adaptation is finished before coming back to this post and reading it.

Also, for this episode I’ll be diving into my writing major and only partially into my film studies minor. I’ll have you know I pull out my textbooks and lecture notes every time I make an analytical post like this, haha!

-

So let us begin with the opening moments of the episode. This episode, structurally, is where we finally start diving past the surface of the introduction and right into the story of Dazai and Chuuya. This is the proper introduction of their relationship. So this first fight sequence serves to demonstrate the tone with which we will begin.

So here we have some classic establishing character writing. Step 1: Introduce the base characteristics of your characters. Step 2: Introduce a problem. Step 3: Explore how they interact with the problem.

So here we witness not just Chuuya and Dazai’s unique takes on how to deal with this problem, we also have their own perceptions of each other’s actions to explore. Remember – this story is about the two of them as a pair, not just as individuals.

So here we have our problem – an armed soldier has just appeared and is clearly threatening violence. Chuuya reacts by taunting – “Oi, old man. Let’s save us both some time.” Dazai is surprised by Chuuya’s brazenness (see the expression animated in the first SC). Chuuya taunts the opponent a little more, edging and encouraging danger, clearly seeking a fight. Dazai approaches. Walking calmly past, he says to Chuuya without regard for the armed soldier, “…you could just trick him to get some information out of him.” Here we have the set-up of Dazai and Chuuya in a problem. Chuuya sees a problem as a threat and escalates to a physical altercation; Dazai sees a problem as an opportunity and prefers mental cunning.

As the scene continues on however, we begin to recognise a similarity in Dazai and Chuuya, and that is that they have little regard for the problem. They understand how powerful they are and their upper hands (Chuuya his ability and Dazai his intellect). Even when they talk to a grown adult man wielding a gun, they talk down to him. When he holds a barrel to their heads within deadly range, they aren’t fazed:

And, of course, in this exchange here both Dazai and Chuuya both are shown to be knowledgeable of underground groups, networks, and goingsons. Keep in mind Chuuya is the ‘King of the Sheep’ and acts pretty much as their leader and later becomes Executive before Dazai does. And Dazai is Mori’s protégé, frequently set up to be the next Boss of the mafia to the point that Mori is fearful that Dazai would have taken his seat sometime soon if he hadn’t broken him (further) with the death of Odasaku. Chuuya and Dazai, despite their differences, are the most dangerous people in the underground right now, they’re clever and powerful. Chuuya may be the ‘brawns’ in their physical fights, but off the battlefield anyone interacting with them is subjected to two intensely intellectual and cunning people who are deadest on a goal. This is also shown at the end of the episode with their conversation with Randou, somewhat in Episode 21 when Chuuya isn’t beating the shit out of the Guild.

In short – they are different, yet incredibly similar. They have different views on a situation, but given the same goal they will work towards it in differing ways with equal success. They are the perfect rivals, and the perfect counterbalances to each other’s personalities and ethos’s. In My Hero Academia, Bakugou’s desire for victory and Midoriya’s pure heart and established as traits which each one must learn from the other to become both better heroes and better people. In Bungou Stray Dogs, Chuuya and Dazai work with and against each other and transform each other into better people.

And so, that is where this moment comes in:

(Sidenote: Chuuya’s line here translates roughly as “It’s useless to shoot dead bodies.” Don’t ask how, but I know that because of Jojo’s.)

(ignore this repeat sc, tumblr editor is being fucky)

(Second sidenote: Look. Look how close they’re depicted in this shot.)

(Third sidenote: sorry for quality drop – Australian internet is special.)

So here we have our first instance of one half of Soukoku directly challenging and changing an aspect of the other half. Here, Chuuya notices how clearly sick Dazai is. Furthermore, if we refer to our second SC (where Dazai’s expression makes me want to cry), we can see parallels to a certain future (ongoing) mental health arc:

I bring this up because we later find out that the reason Akutagawa is so violently driven is that he was constantly demeaned and psychologically abused by his mentor – Dazai. Akutagawa becomes not an antagonist but another protagonist upon meeting Atsushi [insert shin soukoku summary here] and bettering himself. He makes a pact not to kill anyone and begins working together with Atsushi (he used to be a lone wolf – a stray dog). Atsushi also learns to be confident and put a foot down from Akutagawa. But the point here that we need to focus on, of course, is that Akutagawa is seen as utterly deranged, violent, and demonic in the first season, but later we realise that he is in fact capable of empathy but was extremely battered by his own mental abuse.

We also see this expression on Fitzgerald as he begins to lose control. It’s another tie-back to Akutagawa (and in a small part Atsushi, but I’ll leave that for later when I analyse that episode). And we see it in Shibusawa in Dead Apple. We see this expression and through the stylistic language of Bungou Stray Dogs we come to understand it as not the depiction of someone to be reviled but the depiction of someone who is struggling inside.

So here, when we see Dazai make that expression, we know that Dazai may be a seemingly totally apathetic, suicidal, amoral mafioso who just went utterly crazy while shooting a dead guy in the head, but we know it is because, currently, Dazai is extremely, extremely depressed.

In thinking of Akutagawa and understanding what we know of Dazai’s past with Mori, it is safe to assume that Mori has not once opposed nor done anything to help Dazai with his mental illness. Mori has, in fact, utilised Dazai’s mental illness as a tool and a strategy to keep Dazai close.

And then the light finally comes in, and Chuuya kicks the gun out of Dazai’s hands, Dazai gets scolded, and finally someone is forcing Dazai to question himself.

So let’s move onto the vice versa of this scene. I’d like to give partial credit for this next piece of analysis to user @bluelancelion who wrote up an excellent little piece on this scene [https://bluelancelion.tumblr.com/post/184330424612/okay-so-we-all-know-that-dazai-is-manipulating-the]. [this is where the spoilers start to come into play!] Please go read that before you move on with my post here, because I’m going to expand on some points, however I don’t want to summarise something that’s already perfectly written anyway so I’m leaving that one to some assigned reading!

Ok.

So as OP stated, this is the first scene in which Dazai doesn’t put up a play act to hide his own feelings. Let’s actually go backwards when analysing this scene:

DAZAI: “Lay off him already. He has the ability to choose for himself how to use his power. Even a kid could figure out that much.”

I’ve attached this because that’s a stark contrast to this:

Both in expression and in dialogue, Dazai is already different. And here we have Dazai for probably the first time in his life using his intellect to set up a ploy for someone else’s benefit and not just his own.

[ROMANTIC SOUKOKU SIDETRACK: Dazai has been shown to canonically be a selfish person, especially in his Port Mafia days. Expanding on my theory expressed in my episode 26 post in which I posited Dazai has feelings for Chuuya that he either understands or doesn’t just yet, this could be both out of his feelings for Chuuya urging him to do something to make Chuuya happy (We can also add to this by mentioning how he just lets the Sheep hostages go. Chuuya is only meant to be working with the Port Mafia temporarily – Mori may have his plans but these are a long time coming at this point. Chuuya is still attached to Sheep and releasing hostages gives him much more of an excuse to ditch the mafia totally), and/or his feelings urging him to do something to keep Chuuya to himself. This is especially interesting considering this little interchange (she’s looking at Dazai):

Yeah that’s either 1) double-entendre or just 2) straight up explicit romantic competition. It’s after this that Dazai stops going along playfully with them and starts straight up demeaning them and saying Chuuya can do what he wants without their input.

I’ll end my RSS (Romantic Soukoku Sidetrack) with a sneak into Chuuya’s side:

Make of that what you will.]

*another kinda pointless sidenote: chuuya’s sheep male friend refers to chuuya as ‘omae’ [derogatory when used towards a person who isn’t your subordinate (i.e. teacher to a student; boss to an assistant etc) which is pretty damn brazen considering Chuuya can snap him in two at a moment’s notice and that Chuuya is probably the only reason their gang is still even alive.

 Okay, Romantic Sidetrack done! Now back to our analysis. We’re moving on to our final scene of the episode. Before we get into the soukoku analysis, I just wanted to point out this little frame here:

For those who don’t know, the founder of the ADA is this cat. He wasn’t always a cat (I think?), but in Bungou Stray Dogs as we know it, he’s a cat. The cat has been seen frequently in scenes involving flashbacks to Dazai’s time in the mafia and often when Fukuzawa is trying (so hard) to feed cats. It’s also worth mentioning there’s a tradition of cats in Japanese literature, often about observing the world and realising things about yourself by observing it. If you want an anime example, go watch My Roommate Is A Cat. It functions in pretty much the same way. Anyway, here’s a fun aside in which Fukuzawa realises the cat is the ADA leader, “Come!”, and the ADA leader promptly rolls around the floor chasing feathers while going “nyan nyan nyan”: [picture not my own]

Okay where was I before I got sidetracked by a cat? Right. Soukoku.

We get a bit of Dazai gloating about getting rid of his romantic competition Sheep’s constant hold on Chuuya, before Randou asks Dazai to please shut the fuck up about the guy he literally met that week and please just send me to the execution room I don’t think I can take any more of this kid going on about Chuuya. (Understandable, have a nice day |　わかりました。良い一日を過ごしてください。)　

So we get a bit of Dazai’s explanation on why Randou is the culprit before we hear that all-too-familiar screech of Chuuya coming in hot. Let’s pause it there.

We’ve never, ever heard Chuuya yell like that without Corruption. Yet he does it now. This 1) ties Corruption in with our current mystery about Arahabaki (spoiler: Corruption is Chuuya allowing Arahabaki full reign over the god’s vessel (Chuuya)) and 2) makes us aware that the Chuuya we’re familiar with from our current knowledge of the anime (I use the anime because that’s what I’m analysing) is a little different from fifteen-year-old Chuuya. Okay, so keep that in mind, and we’ll keep going, fast forward a bit until this final bit after the credits:

[this shot: Chuuya has journeyed towards Randou. There is something tying Chuuya and Randou together that Dazai is not quite part of. Spoiler: Randou as we know is Rimbaud, who is a key factor in Chuuya’s development (hat) and the Arahabaki investigation.]

[this shot: First, we think back to Dazai, Akutagawa, Fitzgerald, Shibusawa. Those expressions are similar, but there’s something really wrong here. Let me tell you want it is. Mainly, visually the pupils of Chuuya’s eyes are inverted. But secondarily, we’ve already been visually warned just over ten minutes ago, first by this scene in which we cut to Chuuya while we talk of Arahabaki’s eyes (it does cut also to Dazai, but his expression is one of “I’m figuring out a mystery” and his eyes are obscured. This shot of Chuuya lingers on Chuuya’s eyes, pulling focus to them and the expression on his face.)

Secondly, Chuuya’s eyes are the colour of the sea that Randou talks about. And, of course, in this shot we see not only the sea but also the light of Chuuya’s ability plainly:

So there we have a burgeoning relationship between Chuuya and Randou, and a hint that we are going to be discussing Chuuya’s relationship with Arahabaki and with himself as its vessel.

And then we have this – Dazai did not know any of this. This is foreign to us – the Dazai we know has predicted almost everything. He even predicted Odasaku’s death. But here, he’s totally out of his depth. He’s dealing with gods now. He expected the main part of their investigation to end a few minutes ago when Chuuya explained how Randou staged the resurrection of the previous Boss. But now we, with Dazai, are being thrown headfirst into something clearly very much a Chuuya thing. And now we will see whether Dazai sticks or leaves with a plot involving an actual fucking god of destruction (we know what happens. He does).

-

And so, to finalise: This episode set up relationships. It set us up to the fact that this story is going to be about relationships, and more specifically about these ones:

- Dazai and Chuuya

- Dazai and Sheep

- Chuuya and Sheep

- Chuuya and Randou

It directs the audience to consider events, framing, characters etc within the contexts of these relationships in order to appreciate the story properly.

And yeah it also sets up that Dazai is a bit of a jealous bitchy bisexual.

[thatstraygurl]

Hey ! I don't know if its against the rules but can you do yandere headcanons of Dazai Chuuya and Akutagawa with a fem s/o Thanks~

Hi there! So sorry this took so darn long!!

So for this, the fem s/o will be in the ADA for Dazai’s headcanon and the Port Mafia and Aku and Chuuya’s headcanons.

Trigger warning: Unhealthy relationships.

Akutagawa

He isn’t very subtle.

You notice long before you start dating that he almost always has his eyes on you.

You ignore it. He’s an intense guy. You didn’t expect him to behave normally anyway.

He never exactly asks you out, either. 

You find yourself looking over your shoulder a lot, knowing someone is following you but not able to pinpoint who or where they are.

At night your apartment never feels empty. You feel like you’re not alone.

Akutagawa likes to watch you from afar.

Men who approach you with ill intent go missing.

Dates never show up.

Your friends outside of the Port Mafia begin to avoid you.

You don’t understand why.

You’re attractive, right? What was wrong?

Akutagawa snatches people off the street who look at you a certain way, only after you’re long gone.

Soon enough you climb the ranks and you and Aku are paired together on missions.

He can’t believe it. He’s up close and personal with you.

You don’t think much of it. You two work well together.

The moment he notices your eyes flicker downwards when talking to him and your cheeks flush, your fate is sealed.

He waits a few months. He watches you more intently.

You two begin to spend more time together. 

Akutagawa snatches your phone one day when you’re not looking and scrolls through your contacts. Most of these people he’s already dealt with.

He peruses you one night.

You’re shocked, elated. A guy is paying attention to you and not only that, he’s the one you’ve had a crush on for a while now.

Akutagawa never utters the word “date” but you two hang out outside of work after your night together.

He holds onto your hand a little too tightly.

Men who dare glance at you are met with a scowl.

When you two enter a relationship you realize you’ve made a mistake.

Your phone? Gone.

There is no one but him and he means it.

You either look at him or the ground.

Talking to other men? No, unless it’s the boss or a superior. 

Oh, you fancy looking at women from time to time? They’re not safe either. He’ll dispose of that pretty girl you saw earlier. He doesn’t care.

He knows where you are at all times.

You better not deny him, you better not look at anyone else.

He loves you, silly. He’d gladly kill anyone who looks at your the wrong way.

He will not hesitate to drop a corpse at your feet.

And now you’re stuck.

Good luck.

Chuuya

When he shows interest in you you’re rather flattered.

He sends you flowers, showers you with compliments and walks you home.

It’s not as if you cannot protect yourself but the walks at night become a favorite of yours.

Chuuya likes to think he’s protecting you but in reality he just wants to be aware of where you live.

He finds himself agitated when other men talk to you at work.

The way you smile at them, though innocent in reality, gets his blood boiling.

So he makes you his.

You’re happy, at first. You have genuine feelings for him. 

The first red flag pops up when he goes through your phone one night.

People in your life start to..fade.

People won’t look you in the eye or answer your calls.

Even fellow members of the mafia do not dare look in your direction.

Chuuya’s arm is either constantly around your shoulders or your hips.

You’re his, after all and he wants everyone to know it.

He leaves marks on your neck despite your protests.

Wearing certain types of clothing is forbidden.

Want to hide those love bites? Too bad. No scarfs. No turtle necks.

You’ve got a curfew. When you’re off the clock you better be in your apartment by a certain time.

He’s moved in, too.

It’s unsettling but he loves you, right?

The day a man attempts to speak to you who isn’t a superior is the day that man loses most of the blood in his body.

Chuuya’s pretty and he knows it. He’ll seduce you and keep you locked right there in his arms in an instant.

He never physically harms you, as you’re his one and only, but he’s not above mental manipulation.

Chuuya can hit you right where it hurts, dig at your insecurities until you’re falling back into his arms again.

Dazai

He doesn’t care what others think. His feelings are most definitely returned, right? Oh well. If they aren’t it isn’t like you can go anywhere.

Life with Dazai is restricting, to say the least.

You do not recall when you began dating, as he declared you his without much of a thought.

If you’re not by his side at all times he surely knows where you are.

Your phone’s location is constantly being tracked.

Members of the ADA know to stay out of your way.

Even innocent Atsushi doesn’t say very much to you, as Dazai’s lingering looks frighten him.

You do not have any male friends. Not anymore.

Dazai doesn’t act rashly, rather sits back and waits for the poor soul giving you too much attention to notice the look in his eyes.

When you’re off the clock you can’t leave the house without him.

You don’t look at other people to save yourself the trouble.

When you threaten to break things off with him he counters you with his suicidal ramblings, keeping you locked in, right there where he wants you.

Every time you displease him he’ll threaten his own life.

You’re helpless. 

He isn’t one for disposing of men who favor you. That’s dirty work he can’t be caught with now and days.

That’s okay, he’s got his resources.

He practically smothers you with affection. If you’re not wrapped in his embrace, you’re in his lap, whether you like it or not.

If you must go on a mission without him it better be with Kenji or Atsushi, since they’re too pure to want to mess around with you.

The day he catches you venting to someone who wasn’t him was the day you lost your phone.

Next came your tv, then the internet. Your contact with the outside world other than work was minimal. 

You didn’t need to occupy yourself with anything but him, after all. 

Hope you like it! So sorry it took so long!!

[livesoffcoco]

When I'm Gone

Pairing: Dazai&Ango, Odazai

Warning: Torture scene, severe mental illness, drug use.

Notes: so Gone by Red inspired this a little, and my meta I wrote a few days ago explaining why Dazai will probably never forgive Ango. Have a pic of Dazai because he is pretty much yandere for Odasaku in canon already. Like me to Dazai 👏.

Ango awoke slowly but he already knew he was in deep shit. He distinctly remembered his bed not being an old chair. Plus he never tied himself to it. He slowly started to squirm before realizing there was a bright light shining on him. He blinked through the haze and froze.

Dazai sat not three feet away, a sickly smile on his face. Ango had seen that look before,  and seen Dazai right before he got into intense torture and Ango knew what was happening.

"Dazai let me go." The brunette had been kind enough to leave Ango's glasses on. Dazai smirked before shrugging his coat off. It hung on the back of his chair as he grabbed a brown paper bag sitting by his feet. Ango's stomach twisted violently as a variety of drugs spilled into Dazai's lap. The detective say for a moment before picking up the equipment to administer the heroin Dazai had purchased somewhere. All Ango could do was watch. Dazai still had that sweet smile on his face, even as he took the heroin.

It didn't take long for Ango to see the effects. Dazai's usually unnaturally steady hands shook like an old man's. His eyes went glossy and he stood. He turned and walked to a table where he stood and looked at the items on the surface.

Ango knew he was in trouble. Being tied to an old chair in a warehouse by the Port was never a good thing. Being tied to a chair by Dazai who was under the influence of drugs had to be the absolute worst thing that could happen. But all he could do was watch as Dazai twitched, looking over the spread of devices.

The younger male picked up a inconspicuous knife before turning back towards Ango. The wild look in his eyes would be there even with out the drugs, he knew that. This was personal, enough so that Dazai called in a favor from either Mori or Chuuya, two people he hated more than Ango.

Dazai sat in the chair in front of Ango. If it were anyone but Dazai he would be worried with how foggy his eyes were and how much he was shaking. But that just made Dazai more dangerous. A wicked grin formed on Dazai's face and without any fan fair, the knife was slammed into Ango's leg. He let out a low groan considering Dazai had aimed for his knee cap. The brunette twisted the knife which had Ango throwing his head back and sweating. Though that didn't last long. Dazai slapped his face.

"He went through pain infinitely worse than this. You stay awake. I can't have you passing out."

And Dazai made sure Ango wouldn't pass out. He broke fingers, stabbed muscles, burnt bits of Ango's skin, dumped ice water onto him. After Dazai shot up some more, he dragged Ango over to a tub and the older man wasn't stupid.

He thankfully got a lungful of air before Dazai pushed Ango's head beneath the surface. He had to stay calm. If he freaked out then he would lose air faster. When Dazai pulled Ango's head back up, he heard something he hadn't expected. For a moment he thought he himself was loudly crying.

But no, it was Dazai. And it wasn't just crying. Dazai was wailing, sobbing and screaming for Odasaku. It lit a hideously guilty flame within Ango that didn't settle, even as Dazai let go of him. Ango's bloody and bruised body slipped to the floor and he watched Dazai stumble away, falling to his knees as he sobbed and sobbed and sobbed.

[fy-soukoku]

the cast of bsd as youtubers, who would do what? will they do collab? ooh better couple youtubers!!!

Yes! I am such YouTube trash! I will totally do this! Ahhhh!!

Chuuya

Totally runs a fashion/lifestyle channel

Has a pretty popular instagram

Very aesthetic

Uploads makeup tutorials and new outfits he’s gotten

Occasional covers (some with Dazai)

His subscribers meet Dazai when he brings him on to do his makeup

The makeup bit turns out horrible but it’s absolutely adorable because they’re bickering and picking at each other the whole time

And Dazai kisses him onscreen 

It’s sickeningly sweet

Dazai

Actually has a small channel, though he’s mostly known for showing up on Chuuya’s channel

Most of his videos are him making random vlogs and people watch them cuz he’s really nice to watch onscreen

He’s attractive is what I mean

His twitter and tumblr is wonderful though

His tweets are snarky and hilarious and his tumblr is a shitpost goldmine where he’ll sometimes talk about mental illness

His instagram is literally just pictures of Chuuya

Chuuya sleeping, Chuuya trying on clothes, Chuuya playing with Dazai’s cat

It’s ridiculous

Atsushi

The sweetest, loveliest human disaster to ever grace the website

He makes videos about his life, about bad decisions he makes XD

He’s a dork.

He has a cat that everyone loves and who always shows up in his videos. It’s like a running gag. There are gifsets of every time his cat has shown up.

This is what I’m thinking his videos are kinda like

He’s really a big sweetheart though and he loves talking to fans and taking photos

HIS INSTRAGRAM IS LITERALLY JUST HIS CAT

Akutagawa

Quiet and mysterious he doesn’t make many videos but when he does they’re pretty popular (idk what they’re about I need ideas)

He and Atsushi know each other and start up a gaming channel where they compete with one another.

Akutagawa is very quiet and intense, (which is hilarious in its own way) and Atsushi is very dramatic and flails his limbs about like a bird.

They got drunk together once and it went viral 

It’s literally them answering fan questions, Atsushi getting progressively more and more emotional and Aku getting tired and leaning against Atsushi in exhaustion

So he’s like the cryptid of the YouTube community. Never shows up at events but people know who he is.