Please, release me ✩ Dazai X Reader

Chapter 7 (Christmas Special)

It's that time of the year and naturally, I took the opportunity to treat this chapter as a Festive special. While Christmas is still a few days ago, I thought it best to treat my dear readers to an early special ;)

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For the last week, you've been staying in Dazai's apartment. Tanaka had been told you wished to live here temporarily as Dazai was the only person who knew you before you lost your memory like everyone thinks you did, not that there was any truth to it. Dazai was the one who told Tanaka, and you nodded in agreement like an obedient puppy. So once again, here you are, sharing a place together. Unlike being trapped within a shipping container, you were now in a small apartment, and while you did go outside, the shackles were still there. You had no control over what you did, and your ability to speak was still nonexistent; a different situation but still the same as before.

And today was Christmas Eve; not that you had much of an opinion about the holiday anymore, but there was a time that it was your favourite time of the year. "Y/N," Dazai whines as he slumps over and rests his head on the small table he used to eat like an impatient child. "I don't wanna work today," he continues to whine while you cook breakfast, remaining silent the entire time. It wasn't long until you put down various small dishes on the table, and his expression brightened, "Come sit, let's eat!" he eagerly exclaimed, quickly grabbing a pair of chopsticks. As he allows you to eat with him, you finally sit on the opposite end of the table, sitting in the traditional seiza position. It didn't look the most comfortable sitting on your legs and resting most of your weight on the soles of your feet; however, it's what you were used to. Clapping his hands together while still holding the chopsticks, "thanks for the food," he proclaims while it was perfectly normal to say that after receiving a meal in Japan, you knew it was just empty words from him. After all, why would he, of all people, be grateful. After only eating 1 bowl, you place your chopsticks down and sit there in silence, waiting for another demand or order as if you were some obedient puppy. Dazai glances at you for a second, then slides a few more bowls in front of you, "come on eat up!" he tells you as he goes back to eating with a smile on his face, looking like he was enjoying the food. Doing exactly that, you pick up the chopsticks once more and keep eating.

It wasn't long until all the food was gone, and the both of you got dressed to leave for the agency; he was in his usual work attire while he had picked something a little more Christmasy for you to wear. It wasn't over the top or anything, just a simple Christmas outfit.

Before you knew it, both of you were at the agency, and everyone was rushing around with Kunikida shouting different orders to different members. "Dazai! You're late again!" he yells as he storms towards him infuriated. "Get a move on we're behind schedule with the tree and decorations!" he yells, dragging Dazai away by his collar. It appeared that Dazai was the only agency member not wearing anything Christmas-related. Due to your daily appearances in the agency, its members paid no mind to you being there anymore, not that it mattered to you. "Y/N!" you hear a voice call out and look in the direction it's coming from; it's Yosano, now walking towards you with a grin. "Just the girl I was looking for; Kunikida needs us to go out to get some shopping," she explains as she grabs your hand and leads you out of the agency. However, she meant Kunikida had asked her to do some errands, and she used it as an excuse to drag you shopping with her.

The street of Yokohama was filled with people, many of whom were clearly couples, a usual sight to see on Christmas Eve. You followed Yosano from store to store, and the boxes of items started to pile; you almost felt like an assistant of some kind, not that you cared. "Y/N, do you drink?" she asks as she stops outside the liquor store: not that your answer mattered; you knew from her expression that she would buy some regardless of your answer. You nod, and the both of you enter the store.

Somehow, you managed to return with all the items in one piece, as Yosano ended up buying various liquors, with the excuse that it's Christmas Eve and there should be plenty of drinks. Yosano opens the door, and you both walk inside the agency, and the chaos begins as usual. "Why the hell does the Christmas tree have bandages all over it, you waste of bandages, where the hell are you!?" Kunikida yells, stomping in a fury, clearly intent on beating Dazai again, a sight you had become used to. Looking at the so-called tree, did you notice a pair of familiar-looking legs; it seems Dazai was up to his antics once more in an attempt to annoy Kunikida. However, the poor man hadn't yet realised that the tree was just Dazai in a very convincing tree costume. "U-um Kunikida-san..." Atsushi timidly calls out as he taps his shoulder and points to the legs of the 'tree'. "Dazai!" Kunikida yells, grabbing the bandages, resulting in Dazai falling backwards and crashing onto the floor with a loud thud. "What the hell did you do with the tree!?" Kunikida yells as he grabs the costume, bringing Dazai's face closer to his. "But I am the tree-" Dazai tries to respond, but his face is met with Kunikida's fist interrupting him. "Ack, Kunikida-" he tries to add, but Kunikida continues to beat him up for his antics as usual. However, it was soon interrupted by the sound of Yosano's voice. "Drinks are here!" she exclaims, lifting a bottle up into the air as if trying to show it off as if it were some trophy.

You couldn't help but softly smile, and for a few moments, the pain of the past wasn't there; despite Dazai being there, it was almost as if he were an entirely different person. However, it took some time for you to see everyone but Dazai staring at you in surprise, and you did nothing but look at everyone, somewhat startled by the stares. "You should smile more," a voice calls out as everyone turns to look at whoever spoke. "Ah, there you are Ranpo," Yosano responds, walking over to him with bags of sweets and snacks in her arms.

Ranpo was another name you recognised, the famous genius detective. Ranpo is a young man with a fair complexion and short, messy black hair. His eyes, which are closed most of the time, are green. His attire consists of a brown Inverness cape that he wears over his shoulders and whose colour matches both his hat and his pants. Under that, he wears a dark grey blazer and a white button-up with a light and dark blue striped tie. His pants are three-quarter length, and underneath them, he wears long white socks that cover the visible part of his legs, and simple black shoes. "Kunikida-san I found the tree," another male calls out; however, you don't recognise this one. "Ah, thank you, Tanizaki," he replies as he pushes up his glasses, "let me get rid of the trash then," he adds as he grabs Dazai and exits the agency before soon returning alone. Tanizaki has a slim, average build with orange hair, hazel eyes and pale skin. His hair is parted in the middle with the spikes sweeping downwards, and a light grey bobby pin clipped on his left. He wears earrings with the corresponding colour of his pin. His attire consists of an oversized, off-white V-necked jumper with a black stripe on the collar, light blue pants, and brown shoes. A red sweater is wrapped around his waist. Tanizaki also dons a black tank top underneath his jumper. "Let's begin the festivities then," Kunikida declares as everyone cheers. With Dazai gone, you couldn't help but relax somewhat; your guard was still up; however, you felt like you could enjoy something for the first time in years. "Merry Christmas everyone!" they all cheer, raising their glasses.

The celebration is finally in full swing, and Atsushi introduces you to the agency members. There was Kenji, a young boy from the countryside; Kyoka, their newest member of the agency; and the Tanizaki siblings, Junichiro and Naomi, who had a strangely close sibling bond. Soon after being introduced to the last member, Kunikida passed out from drinking too much, and it was Yosano who had gotten him to drink too much in the first place. "Y/N, what do you drink?" Yosano yells as she grabs a bottle to drink to herself since she has long gone from using glasses to just drinking from the bottle. "Here," a familiar voice comes from behind you, causing you to turn around to see Dazai.

He's holding onto 2 small sake cups, offering you 1 with a gentle smile, not that it felt gentle for you. You accept the cup he's offering you; however, you stare at it as if waiting for permission to drink it, as the temporary relief you felt is all but gone. "Drink up, you'll like it," he invites as he clicks his cup against yours.

"To the stray dogs," he adds as you and Dazai finish your drinks in one fell swoop.

Yet, for some strange reason, those words stuck out to you. It was unusual enough that Dazai didn't say Merry Christmas like the other agency members, but why those words in particular?

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As always I hope you enjoy yet another chapter, I do write to make my lovely readers happy after all ;)