Bungo stray dogs One Shots

Soukoku - The darkness within

Sometimes the world is a dark place. A place with no light. There is no dawn to be seen. Nothing but the night that has silenced all good. It's as if everything has stopped breathing. No laughter.

Even in this big city, the darkness spread silence and unhappiness. The streets were filled with people. They were full despite it being dark. Artificial lights spread their lights. Trying to reach the hearts of those still awake. To no avail.

The streets were busy yet at the same time, they were empty. There was no laughter. Everything just appeared cold and calculated. A void seemed to appear in the people's hearts at night. It was truly a sight to behold.

On the right, there was a man. He was middle-aged and wore a suit. His hair was slicked back and deep purple could be seen under his eyes. He went into a shop with neon light. A light that made him appear completely different, unusual from before. The man had entered a brothel.

Not only that but his heart too was missing. His heart should be present as it was when it was morning. When he talked with his wife who wore the same ring as he did. When he laughed with his children that would wrinkle his suit slightly.

His head turned to the left. There was a delinquent. A gangster with piercing and bleached hair. He was beating up someone. Why? Probably didn't meet the loan quota to pay back. The tip of the delinquent's feet dug deep into the other ones' stomach.

A black void could also be found inside his chest. The darkness had stolen his heart as well. Only at sunrise will it be returned. Returned when he goes home to take care of his small brother for whom he tries his best.

Dazai sighed as he watched more wretched people on top of the rooftop. He was sitting there just watching them like ants. They were nothing more but insignificant existences. No purpose in life other than to destroy. They didn't even realize what mistakes the darkness made them do.

Humans were nothing more but a nuisance. They tried their best to be important but in reality, all of them were disposable. All of them had their hearts swallowed. The world was a dark place with nowhere to escape.

Dazai looked down onto his chest. A deep void could be seen where his heart once was. The night has taken its claim on him as well. It didn't even feel weird. No it just felt... ususal. There was nothing but the cold.

He was just an observer. Dazai could warn the husband that he would regret his actions later. He could stop the gangster to go down such a dangerous job and arrange a more decent job for him. Yet he was just an observer. The darkness swallowing him whole,

When the sun rose and light-filled the city again he would come to his senses. Hopefully. He knew what good and bad were. He was smart, he could figure it out. After all the black-haired male was a member of the detective agency. He would follow Kunikida's nagging and help. He would try to close the void that seemed to not close when the night faded, unlike the others.

Still at times like these Dazai felt tired. Tired of good and evil. Of taking action. So he just observed. Observed as the darkness seemed to swallow him. There was no light in this world...

"OI! Waste of bandages what are you doing over there?!", a familiar voice appeared.

"Watching ants", Dazai said monotone. He just looked at the small mistakes everyone beneath him committed.

For that comment, he received a small smack on his head. "You mean humans you idiot!", Chuuya scoffed and sat down next to Dazai.

The small man looked so carefree it was such a weird sight. He had no dark hole in his chest. There was excitement or more anticipation in his eyes as he watched the ones under the two of them. He seemed so carefree and unaffected by the dark of the night it was... weird.

"What are you staring at man?", Chuuya turned around after a few minutes. His soft orange locks are slowly being touched by the wind. His blue eyes seemed clear and everything about him showed confidence.

Dazai blinked a few times. Despite his usual behavior he just buried his face onto the other one's shoulder. He was too tired right now to joke around. To put on a facade to hide how much of his heart has been swallowed up until now..." How can you stay so optimistic beside the night filling the streets?", he whispered.

Chuuya was caught by surprise. It wasn't a usual occurrence where Dazai would show his true feelings. Where he could see the truth behind the so cheery and happy man. Where Dazai wouldn't act tough.

"I was born in the night. Or at least in the night, you are implying. I don#t know anything else. I don#t know usual stuff as I have grown up differently from you guys", Chuuya sighed and looked into the sky, "but despite the many neon lights blinding you, there are still the stars. Stars giving glimmers of hope as they lead the way inside the night..."

Dazai chuckled slightly. Stars leading the way in a hopeless emotion-eating time. Stars that didn't have any light to give like the good sun. Stars were the embodiment of death as they only gave their light as they died.

"I know that sounds idiotic you mackerel!", Chuuya scoffed again as he was slightly embarrassed by his words. "Anyway, I'm bored and got nothing to do so listen: Today..."

Dazai only closed his eyes as he listened to the small man's voice. His face was still buried inside the other one's neck. It was an unexpectedly calming situation.

It was just as Chuuya had said before. The darkness, the night did their deed on those who would spend their time at that time. it would eat their hearts, leaving a void that would not return until sunset. Yet for some people, it would never return.

Still, some stars would slowly start and fill the night inside their chests. The darkness of their thoughts and feelings would probably never disappear. But others would shine their light inside it with every passing minute. With every Situation that had long been gone. Still, the one star that would never pass on, the Polaris in Dazai's void seemed to be no one else but the small chibi...

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Ayooooooo I procrastinated again! Anyway, peoplezzzz hope you enjoyed this! Despite it being a bit different to other chapters... WELP!