I Don't Smoke (bsdxmha)

Your dangerous concern

It is about 10 pm when his phone rings, a loud screeching that contrasts heavily with the calm atmosphere of his apartment. He picks it up when he sees the contact name, hoping that Dazai is alright, preparing to convince him to turn himself in, but the person on the line isn't Dazai.

No, it isn't. The boy - he can't be anything other than a teenager - bombards his ears with rushed questions.

"Who is this?" Shouta questions, standing up rapidly. He's already gathering his capture weapon, bundling it into his hands.

"It doesn't matter," the mysterious caller says, quick and harsh. "You know Dazai, right?"

"Yes."

The voice hitches minutely. Shouta almost begins to talk again, but frantic sentences descend upon him.

"He's about to die. You need to help him, I - I don't know anyone that can help and he can't go to a hospital. Please. I'm going to watch that idiot die."

He stills. His capture weapon almost falls out of his hands.

Shouta knows he shouldn't be doing this.

"Send me your location. I'm bringing a doctor who is affiliated with UA."

He does it anyway, because he's a Hero.

"I'll kill you if you take him back," the boy whispers.

Shouta wonders why the Port Mafia isn't stepping up to help one of their best members, but that ominous phrase leaves a swirling feeling in his gut. Taking him back to the heroes?

"Stay with him. I need to know how he's injured."

"Two lacerations on each arm on the radial artery, wrist to elbow. Other small lacerations in the same area but not life-threatening. Heavy alcohol consumption, possible alcohol poisoning," he lists Dazai's injuries like he's reporting to someone. It switches back fast when he says aggressively, "Can't you hurry the fuck up?"

Shouta's eye twitches. "I'm leaving now. Try to stem the bleeding."

"You don't need to tell me that," he scoffs.

The caller hangs up straight after.

Fireworks boom distantly, lighting up his dark apartment with bursts of colour. The caller also had fireworks in the background of his call, judging by the sound levels, the address was correct and not just some trap. Shouta doesn't waste another second before dialling a familiar number.

Shuzenji picks up the phone immediately.

"You better have a good reason to call me, Aizawa. Don't tell me one of your students did something - "

"Dazai is severely injured, Shuzenji," he breathes, quiet like it's a forbidden secret.

"You found him?" she asks. Her voice is grave and hardened in a way that he recognises as a Hero's experience. He tugs on his shoes.

"Someone called me from his phone. I'll pick you up from your apartment, it's on the way to his location."

He turns on the engine of his car and throws a bag into the back, not even waiting for it to land before slamming a foot on the pedal. His phone lies on the dashboard on speaker. It's really just got a change of clothes just in case Dazai needs it and the keys to his house.

"Send me the details of his condition right now. I'm going to prepare what I can," she says, then sighs. "It's always your class that gets into trouble."

He doesn't want to remind her that Dazai's not in his class anymore. He doesn't want to be reminded himself, but he knows he'll see it when his students look back at the empty seat.