The Land is Inhospitable and so are We (Chuuya x Reader)

when memories snow

Tanazaki had, after some thought, decided to trust the pair of ex Mafiosos and everything had pretty much gone back to normal at the office since the big reveal. He was currently filing paperwork for his sister who was out sick and Y/n had offered to help. He stopped what he was doing and watched her, humming softly as she worked.

"What is wrong Tanazaki?" she said, without even looking up. 

"Oh, uh..." he stumbled over his words, suddenly flustered. 

"Ah, you have another question."

She could read other people so easily sometimes, it scared him. Tanazaki assumed it was just some after effect of having grown up in the Mafia.

"Yes." he admitted in defeat and Y/n looked up at him.

There was a kind smile on her face as she put the paper she had been finding a home for back on top of the pile and grabbed the cup of tea she had nearby, taking a seat on the floor.

"And away!" she exclaimed with a flourish of her free hand after she got comfortable.

Tanazaki sat across from her, meeting her eyes but quickly looking away. He didn't know why he was so nervous to ask this question. It wasn't like he hadn't asked Y/n a question about herself before, he'd never been scared before, so why now?

He took a deep breath.

"I was just wondering what your ability was? I know you have one, you must."

Y/n laughed lightly and he felt relief flood through him.

"I do have an ability." she conceded, taking a sip of her tea, "It's called Bacchic Frenzy."

"Why don't you ever use it?"

This question seemed to be tougher for Y/n to answer as her eyes searched Tanazaki's face for motivation. Apparently deciding he was harmless, she sighed.

"It is not an ability that someone on the good side has." she said at last, having finally decided on an answer she deemed to be appropriate. 

"Why not?"

"Curious today, aren't we."

"I'm sorry, you don't have to answer."

"No, no I will. I just haven't spoken to anyone about it in a while." she laughed ruefully, looking down into her cup before meeting Tanazaki's gaze again, "Do you know of the Bacchae? The famous play by Euripides?"

"No." Tanazaki admitted.

"Well, it's a play about the god Dionysus and his power over his devoted maenads, the women he makes wild and drives into a bacchic frenzy. The play culminates when he convinces the maenads that a man named Pentheus is actually a mountain lion and the women tear him apart limb from limb as a result. His power is so all consuming that Pentheus' mother, Agave, is among the maenads and even she takes part in the carnage, going so far as to return home with her son's head on a stick to show her father the alleged lion she and the other women had killed. It is not until her father asks her what she has done, that Agave can see clearly and banishes herself from the kingdom as a result."

"That horrible." Tanazaki exclaimed, a hand to his mouth, "What does it have to do with your ability?"

"I can put someone into that state if I wish. My power is even driven and controlled by my own rage just like the rage Dionysus had at Pentheus slandering him that leads to the whole climax of the play. I don't even have to touch them, all I have to do is to direct my anger and make a wish."

"That's so brutal."

"Yes." Y/n nodded, "It is indeed. Not a power for the side that saves people, wouldn't you agree? Besides, I have other talents. I don't need my ability to be a productive member of the Agency."