// chaos incarnate // osamu dazai //

Chapter Four

"Unlike you, I don't share the same glee in playing with lives. That was unnecessary, and you know it."

"Yeah, but wasn't it fun?" Dazai smiled, and there was a sadistic glee in his eyes which sent shivers down the spine of everyone who saw it. Akutagawa let down his ability, revealing Atsushi, who let out a nervous laugh. "Atsushi! How was your little vacation?"

"About as good as it can get when it is shared with him." He pointed at Akutagawa, who only rolled his eyes. Although, there was a curious glint in their eyes whenever they looked at each other. So, his plan did work. They did get a little closer. Good. One step closer to the new double black. It was slow progress, but that was to be expected. Although, despite having always had been on separate sides, they achieved this reliance and trust on one another relatively quickly for sworn enemies. It almost made all of this planning and sacrifices worth it. It was just tiring, is all. He had put so much work into it all, but that's what happens when you surround yourself with idiots. He expected no less.

"You had planned out from the beginning, you bastard." Chuuya grunted, barely able to stay conscious. His eyes surveyed the brunet, who didn't look like he had an ounce of regret in him as he gave a small laugh, his brown eyes glinting with some unknown emotion as they glued onto the woman he claimed to be his mother.

"Of course I did. I always have it planned out. Although, it has been in the making for about a week or two now. I'm surprised it took me so long to be able to pull this off." Dazai commented, propping Chuuya up on his arm. Chuuya refused to look up - or rather, he couldn't. His head was heavy with exhaustion. The more he used his ability, the more fatigued he felt after. Soon, it would kill him upon activation, and that thought scared him more than anything. But that was something to worry about another time. For now, he had to focus on Dazai. For now, he had to make sure the stupid fucking genius didn't kill everyone in sight just for kicks and giggles.

"You've been planning this for two weeks now? The fuck is wrong with you? You must be getting rusty in your old age." Chuuya nudged him, and Dazai let out a small laugh, his hair covering his eyes from those surrounding him, which they all found odd for someone who is usually so prideful. Shame, maybe? Or maybe he felt like he had failed - that his plan hadn't gone the way he had wanted to?

"Like your much younger, you old dog." They met each other's gaze, blue orbs looking up brown ones before both laughing. Just like good old times. "Get some rest, partner. You've strained yourself enough."

Within seconds, Chuuya was out cold and Dazai smiled, watching Golden Demon go in for the attack out of the corner of his eye. She disappeared upon her sword's impact with Dazai's neck, and Dazai looked at Kouyou, who had a relatively calm look on her face. But you could see it in her eyes. They were brimming with fury. She had always been protective of the gravity manipulator. "You make him use Corruption again when it isn't necessary, and I will kill you."

"Here's a little word of advice for you all, if you want to seem threatening then don't go straight for death. It's basic and plain and anyone with a sound mind could do it. Describe how you'll torture me. The way you'll destroy all I stand for. It's way more intimidating that way. I'll actually fear for my life then." Dazai's face held a sense of savagery that couldn't be reciprocated by anyone else, and it reminded all that surrounded him that he was this inhuman, arguably even immortal, being, and he could never be rivalled in either mind or body. They were all suddenly reminded of that in the most brutal way possible.

"Well, aren't you a sadistic freak of nature?" His mother finally coughed up, and all eyes were suddenly on her. They had all forgotten she was there. But there was one thing that stood out to them all. One thing that they knew all too well. Her eyes. They were so tired, and they held the same look as her child used to have - as they all used to have. The eyes of a person who had given up on life - someone who wanted revenge on this awful reality that they were being forced to live in. There was no value of life in her eyes, and none of them could blame her. They'd all felt the same before, and they know it hardly got any better for them.

"You think so? Well, thank you~! I learnt from the best. How does it feel knowing that this was the fruit of your labour? Aren't you thrilled at what I've become?" Dazai continued, dragging everyone out of their thoughts. His smile was sinister as he used one arm to pick Chuuya up, his eyes brimming with emotion, and yet no one seemed to be able to read him, nor did they know what he was scheming. He was an enigma to those around him - he always had been. It was a curse as much as it was a blessing.

"You're not my child. I killed him years ago." Her eyes surveyed him, and for a moment he thought he saw contempt in her eyes. It would make sense. He had always been a worthless runt to her. Something that had ruined her family's legacy.

"I suppose you did." He was once again back to his usual self. Everyone's eyes were on him, cautious and untrusting. They weren't sure what the next step was. What that little brain of his was scheming. "Atsushi, go back to the agency. Report on what happened to the best of your abilities. The rest of us are going to the Mafia. I need to have a talk with Mori."

There was a small smile on his face and Kouyou sighed at the commands given. She almost felt bad for the man. It must be hard being as isolated as he was. He had always been worlds apart from those around him. She wondered what kept him going - why he never took his suicide attempts seriously. She wouldn't blame him for ending it all. This world was a cruel place, and he had never had the ability to trust anyone. For someone like himself in whom the ability to trust others is so cracked and broken that he is wretchedly timid and is forever trying to read the expression on people's faces, it almost hurts you because you know he never wanted it to come down to this. No one ever does. "You really are a suicidal maniac, aren't you, Dazai?"

"You think so? I'm pretty sure this is the sanest I've been all day."

"It's ten in the morning."

"Your point being?"