#asagao imagines

[sqvishii]

Hi, there! :D

Finally Silver's content and it is my obligation to brainstorm some ideas or scenarios with him

Ok taking into account that he can travel between dreams, imagine a scenario where he travels to the reader's dreams and in that dream the reader longs for another person from his original world (maybe a crush?)

Silver discovers this a little hurt so he will try to be better than that person by demonstrating his virtues trying to impress the reader. I think that a sadder scenario is that the soft dreams he had with the reader are not reciprocated and soon turn into ugly nightmares of the reader returning to his world, finally being with his beloved person.

In a Yandere route I think this can get twisted in the sense that he tries to brainwash the reader by trying to make each dream just between him and the reader. Even if he had to take matters into his owns hands, that person is just a bothersome thought that his loved one doesn't need to remember. 💔

HELLO AKAKKAKGAGIKRF HI AS I PUT MY HANDS ON YOUR SHOULDERS AND SCREAM AT YOU AFFECTIONATELY <33

this scenario reminds me of a fanfic of mine, lets do it :33

silver is obviously hurt once he sees the fact that you're holding hands with another person in your dream, only to find out that it was your crush.

he was obviously devestated. what do you mean you loved another person that isn't him!? he's practically sulking the entire day, avoiding you for the past few days until he finally snapped out of it.

so what if you had a crush? he'll prove to you that he can be better than them, by means of strength and intelligence, he'll have this unspoken rivalry with [character] until you fall in love with him.

and yet, when his eyes close and he finds himself sleeping, he wakes up with cold sweat dripping down his forehead and shaky hands, he hated this. he hated the fact that the usual lovey-dovey dreams he had of both you and him have become a nightmare.

a nightmare where his love wasn't reciprocated.

a nightmare where you were with another.

a nightmare where you didn't love him.

after a few months, it slowly drives him mad- this.. crush of yours with [character] is so stupid! why bother for falling in love with someone else when he's over there, hopelessly chasing after you and giving you all his love!?

but, realizing you hadn't had the chance to confess to your said crush, he quickly began thinking of multiple solutions until he got it.

make your dreams filled with him and only him.

of course, it starts small at first. silver making small appearances in your dreams such as being in the background, after some time, he obviously starts talking to you or some physical contact.. but it was weird how you felt him, you were pretty sure this is a dream.

right? right, so you shook it off. his appearances build up dream after dream after dream after dream after dream after dream after dream after dream after dream after dream after dream after dream after dream after dream after dream after dream after dream-

where was [character]?

what are you talking about?

you find yourself in a garden, seeing silver with that handsome smile and a bouquet of flowers (morning glory/asagao) in his gloved hands as he stood underneath the cherry blossom tree, a cliche type of confession, but it does the trick.

as you approach, he gives you that look where his eyes look at yours, love and devotion was the only thing present as he utters those words.

"i love you."

you know he does, he really does.

otherwise, he would get sick of saying the same thing countless times in this damned samsara loop.

[ashleyh713fanfics]

Dazai X Odasaku!Sister Ch10

Chapter 10: "Maybe With You, This Could Be Home"

Summary: A power struggle between the fifteen year old boy and the demon that lays within him. Which is the truth, and which is a fabrication?

Warning: pm! fifteen year old dazai, dazai self destructing, Odasaku death mentions, dazai torturing himself and everyone around him, manipulative behavior from both sides, mori mentions and grooming themes, underage drinking, talks of suicide. I gave Oda's sister a name but you can imagine it as y/n.

(This is chapter ten of my fanfic "Timeless" which is now on A03. It carries on from the three part intro I posted a couple days ago. I'll link it below to fully understand the story. Oda's death has been moved up to when Dazai is fifteen for plot purposes. Asagao's ability is to stop time for up to six seconds.)

Three Part Intro Here: (just cause the first chapter is so long)

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

A03 Version Here:

Word count: 8k total

One Year Ago

Sitting across their usual spots at Bar Lupin, Ango and Oda waited patiently for their other friend to join them only for the glasses-wearing informant to break the silence first. “I still don’t know what to make of that boy..” 

Odasaku only raised an eye though, his fingers reaching around the golden colored alcohol in front of him without a care in the world.  “Who, Dazai?” 

Nodding once, Ango frowned. “Yeah, that kid is like an enigma. I can’t ever understand what he’s thinking. What about you, Odasaku? Do you understand him?”

The red haired man paused then, his head lifting up the ceiling in order to think about his question. He had known Dazai for a couple years now, ever since he had shown up in front of his doorstep covered in blood. 

He could still picture it like it was yesterday, the events that brought him here. “Well, I don’t think anyone could ever truly understand him, but I have a couple ideas..”

Leaning forward in interest, Ango coaxed. “Please share..”

And for a moment, Odasaku’s mind traveled back to a certain red haired girl that he had known maybe just as well as the boy. Perhaps that is how he could come to these conclusions, because he was drawing experience from somewhere else. 

Pushing his head down to stare back at his liquor, Oda spoke honestly. “He's sharp witted with a mind like a steel trap..”

Stopping himself then, the man pushed his lips in silent thought. Yes, that was common knowledge, something even he was sure Dazai knew already. He was a port mafia executive after all, the youngest in the history of the organization. 

But there was something else, something that not even the boy probably realized. Something that he tried to hide, and yet would always be buried deep underneath. 

 “And he's just a child━a sobbing child abandoned in the darkness of a world far emptier than the one we're seeing.”

------

Present

Hours. 

Dazai spent hours with his victims, his fingers sticky with blood as he finally threw the descared knife on the ground of the unmoving and unrecognizable man. He had done what Mori had requested, what he was designed to do with his own horrible monstrous hands. 

He had slashed his knife through every single pathetic whining baby that Mori had brought in front of him and made them talk one by one until there was no more.

All the information was received, and now there was nothing left but to stare blankly at the dead body in order for the heart crushing disappointment and guilt to quietly suffocate him with each breath. 

He didn’t feel like a man or boy. He didn’t feel any sense of humanity anymore, that fleeting feeling back in Mori’s office now completely and utterly dissipated. Now there was only the demon, the monster that laid beneath it all. 

Numb, empty, a hollow shell that’s all he was. 

He vaguely heard the sound of footsteps only to feel his boss’ hands grace his shoulders from behind, eyeing the work with satisfaction. “I knew you could do it. Good job, Dazai.” 

The boy didn’t respond though, his body unmoving at Mori’s fingers clawed deepered into his jacket with ease. “Oda was a fool to treat you like a child. In fact, it was wrong to assume you could ever be one. You have been and will always be so much more than that.” 

His tone was cruel and mocking, like he was proving some kind of sick point and Dazai knew that’s why he did this. The boss was proving to the executive that he was right all along, that he didn’t deserve the term “child” not when it held the connotation of innocence and naivety. 

That he could pretend, he could wish for himself to be a fifteen year old boy but in reality that would never be the case. Odasaku’s gentle manner towards him was a lie, that's what Mori wanted to get across. 

And he had, he really did, because looking down at the mutilated body and bloodied clothes stuck to his skin, Dazai didn’t feel like anything else but a monster, a demon prodigy and an inhuman machine. 

He had desecrated his best friend's final wish, he had mocked Odasaku’s sister’s kind words, he had disappointed and betrayed both of them in the worst way possible. What was wrong with him? Why was he like this? Why couldn’t he change? 

Death was the only thing that he deserved now. He deserved to be wiped from this earth completely without a single trace. But even a sweet release seemed unworthy from his grasp now. 

Feeling the hands fall from his shoulders, Mori then took a step back before allowing his puppet to be swallowed by the darkness completely. “Now, have a wonderful night. Dazai. You’ve earned it.” 

The next few minutes were a blur, the brown haired mafioso robotically moving to the nearby sink in order to run the scalding hot water on his skin to rid of the blood before slowly undoing his bandages around his arms in order to clutch the metal sides with silent despair. 

He couldn't even bring himself to look into the mirror, already knowing what he was going to find. A disappointment, a traitor and a lifeless corpse staring back at him. No, he didn’t want to see, he didn’t want to come to terms with such a sight. 

Silently re-wrapping the hideous sight with a new batch of gauze, Dazai then stepped back with a sigh. And though the blood was physically gone, he could still feel it. Coating his skin, corrupting his mind like some sort of punishment. 

He couldn’t just simply erase what he had done here today. 

The world wasn’t ever that kind. 

Muscle memory then seemed to bring him back to the familiar apartment buildings he seemed to always slump back to, the demon’s steps slow and silent as he passed by hoards of faces he couldn’t care enough to recognize or acknowledge. 

And as the elevator sounded, Dazai knew what he’d find when he stepped into his sad, pathetic and suffocating apartment. 

It was the same as always. He knew that he would probably drink himself to sleep, or some sort of equivalent of that while sitting inside his dark isolated space without a single sound. 

Always wallowing, always drowning. Nothing more and nothing less. 

Pushing open the door to the entryway, Dazai’s blank and clouded body then reached for the black jacket on his body in order to throw the object onto the floor without a single care and fully step inside the place. 

And then he was alone, standing in solitude like he always was. 

Yet that’s when his foot couldn’t help but tap against something on the floor in front of him, the mafioso stopping for the first time since arriving only to register a small sleeping body curled up into herself. 

The move caused her to stir though, groaning before her drunken and sleepy coated expression lazily gazed up at the boy in order for her to yawn through her words. “Oh, you’re back. Sorry, I don’t know how I got here. Guess I got a little sleepy while waiting for you. But look, I’m here as promised!” 

Dazai then watched as the red haired girl then scrambled to her knees in order for her lips to curve upwards in adoration for his very presence. “Welcome home, Osamu.” 

At the sound of her voice, the boy felt the numb constraint on his body dissipate.

Oh. 

That’s right. He wasn’t alone. Oda’s sister was here. He had left her here and she had promised to welcome him back. What a foolish and stupid little thing, and yet she had honored it even so. She had even gone as far as to sleep in front of his door like this so she wouldn’t miss him. What an idiot. 

He then watched as she pushed herself back to her feet, stumbling a bit in the process in shaky unreliably before beaming happily. “Oh! Now that you’re here, I gotta show you my surprise! Come on, take a look!” 

Reaching forward in order to grab onto his hand, Asa then felt herself freeze before she made contact in order to reel back with an apologetic smile, almost like she had forgotten about his fear of touch in her excitement. 

 She recovered quickly though, simply skipping away from him in order for the boy to look down at his hand and close it in response. She was always so considerate of him, even while drunk. 

Yet, the second Dazai stepped closer into his apartment, the boy couldn’t help but freeze at the sight before him. Gone were the blank and empty walls, replaced by the warm glow of string lights, the sight almost like tiny little fireflies as he couldn’t help but move even closer. 

The tables in front of him were filled with various candies and unhealthy junk food, covering the entire surface along with a giant blanket fort in the center of the room, the sheets revealing dozens of pillows and cute stuffed animals inside. 

Pushing herself back in front of his vision, Asa then clapped her hands together. “Ta da! It’s a sleepover! I’ve heard about these things from people at my school and I’ve always wanted to try it! Look, there are snacks and pillows and we can even watch movies or tell scary stories!” 

Dazai couldn’t help but scoff in disbelief at what she was suggesting though. “You’re inviting a port mafia executive to a sleepover?” 

She only laughed at his negative response though, already hurrying over to the small opening just a couple feet away. “Yeah! I mean, why not? We are still kids, you know. Gotta enjoy this stuff before we become boring old grown ups. Now, come on! There is plenty of room in here!”

Kids.

 There was that word again. It was like the universe was mocking him with it, taunting him with a term he could never attach himself to. Tonight had proved that. 

How dare she, didn’t she know what he did? Didn’t she know about the phantom blood that was coating his hands even now? What a ridiculous statement she had just uttered. 

And looking at this display, the warm and welcoming aura was literally the exact opposite of the cold and dark port mafia basement that he had drowned in for the last mind-numbing hours. He didn’t know how to take it, this sudden whiplash and change. 

So much so, Dazai felt his unstable mind start to falter, his fingers twitching in response before falling back into the old habits that were familiar and safe. He needed to, he needed to show Asagao that he couldn’t have what she was suggesting. 

He didn’t need it. He was far too tainted for it. 

Reaching his hands forward, Dazai’s fingers then roughly wrapped against Asa’s wrist before purposely swiping her drunken feet underneath her, the girl falling back onto the waiting pillows only for the boy to appear above her just like with any other whore that wandered into his place. 

Asagao’s eyes couldn’t help but widen at the gesture, now finding the bandaged captive holding her down by her wrists, the distance barely breathable between the two. 

The executive then smirked deviously in order to twist the tips of his fingers around the longest strand of hair he could find. Anything to corrupt this seemingly innocent construct she had built.  “Oh sweetheart, I’d much rather continue where we left off in that elevator.” 

Leaning forward, Dazai’s cruel gaze then locked with her confused little eyes before forcing his knee into the space between her legs, pulling them just slightly apart in a tease as he pressed himself deeper into her. 

And though he had no plans to actually go through with anything, he needed to get it through her thick head how wrong she was for saying that stupid little phrase. “I mean, you didn’t seriously think that this is what I meant by you spending the night? Oh how innocent you are, darling. So defenseless against a man like me. I guess I have to show you what I mean firsthand. Hmm?” 

Then to prove his point, Dazai shifted his head to the left in order to teasingly blow a breath of hot air into her ear before his tongue just barely grazed the side as he felt her chest constrict in surprise at the motion. “Calling the demon prodigy a kid, how wrong you are. Well, tell me. Does this feel like something a kid would do?” 

That was it, now she would see that he couldn’t fit in that innocent box she had foolishly built. Just a little more to get his point across, then she would learn her mistake. 

As if on cue, he then heard the girl in question whisper, the sound just barely audible, like she was desperate for something. “Osu..” 

And because of their position, Dazai assumed it was because of his touch, the boy’s head pulling away cockily in order to look back at her with a small tease. “What is it, love?” 

Yet that’s when the two locked eyes as Asagao’s anxious hands moved against his handmade chains, almost like she wanted to touch him. “Did something happen?” 

Then all at once, Dazai felt his carefully crafted exterior start to crack ever so slightly. She sensed his distress? No, it couldn’t be. He had hid it so well in his womanizing ways. There was no way she knew about the disgusting thoughts of self hatred inside his head. 

Forcing himself to remain calm, the boy then gave her a signature smirk before purposely pushing his hands even tighter around her wrists in order to slam her back into the floor. “Whatever do you mean? I’m just excited to play with my favorite girl.” 

And yet, Asagao didn't take the bait, her lips twisting together in conflict before sadly replying.  “It’s just...it seems like you're forcing something..” 

Forcing something? No, of course not. What could he be forcing? This is who he was. He was just trying to prove to her that he wasn’t a child. He was trying to show her how much of an adult he actually was by seducing her. That’s what he did for everyone else. 

For a kid, growing up in the mafia meant no restrictions. It meant killing and drinking and sex and following the lead of everyone else in the organization.

It didn’t matter if he wasn’t old enough for any of it. That didn’t matter. Nothing mattered except forcing himself into the adult box that everyone else around him conformed to easily. 

And Dazai did it all. He brought woman back and fucked them just because it was what he thought he had to do. He learned how to seduce and flirt in order to get information for the mafia. He did everything like it was a textbook list in order to seem more grown up and mature and fit into the mold. 

It wasn’t about what or desire. 

It was a necessity, a skill to use in order to pretend to be a man. 

No, he was a man .

He had to be. Since he couldn’t be a child that was the only option. 

Feeding her another one of his rehearsed lines, Dazai tried to brush off the accusation. “Well, I can be quite forceful…”

Asa only frowned though, her voice just as sharp as before. “You know that’s not what I mean. How am I wrong? I thought we were both the same age..”

Laughing back at her ridiculously naive statement, he shook his head. Just because they were both fifteen didn’t mean they had the same luxuries and freedoms. “We may be the same age but we are worlds apart, love.” 

Asa raised an eye in reply. “How so?” 

And at that, Dazai felt his eyes close in that same suffocating shame that he had felt back in the port mafia’s basement. She was so stupid, if only she knew the things he did tonight, if only she saw the way he utterly disregarded Odasaku’s plea for change. 

Then she would know why he had to force this right now, why he had to hold onto the routine that he had always fallen back on. Because if he broke out of that now, the boy knew he would break down completely. 

Because of that, Dazai decided to be cruel, to unveil his entire evil heart to her in hopes that it would finally get her to understand why he needed to keep that mask on. “Would a kid skin something alive tonight? Would they watch the life leave their eyes, break all their bones and dismember each of their limbs until they were hardly recognizable? I don’t think so.” 

He could still feel it, the blood on his fingers, the screaming shouts of his victims to stop and the sound of them choking on their own death over and over again. Whatever imagine she had conjured up in her mind about him was not reality. 

And for a moment, he watched that happen, Asa’s eyes widening in shock at his gruesome and horrifying explanation before Dazai forcibly let up on her wrists so that she could run away or slap him for the betrayal. 

But even so, it seemed the girl was frozen to the spot, her body and arms unmoving as Dazai cruelly finished above her. “Perhaps you should think twice before you call the demon prodigy something so innocent like a child..” 

It was just as Mori had said. Anyone would be foolish to correlate those words together about him. He didn’t deserve that kind of title. He never did. 

Yet, that's when Asagao spoke, her voice small and curious. “Why can’t it be both?” 

And for the first time at night, Dazai was clueless by her words, his head turning in pure intrigue. That’s not at all what he thought she’d say. “Huh?” 

Pausing for a moment, Asagao then thought about her words before blinking her eyes in pure unruly innocence for the situation before her. “You say it like it can only be one or the other, but why can’t you be both the demon prodigy and a kid?” 

At that, Dazai felt himself scoff in absurdity 

Both? What an idiotic way of thinking. Someone couldn't be a devil and yet an angel, they couldn’t be black and then white. That was impossible. Didn’t she know that those two terms were polar opposites, like fire and water? 

Shaking his head, Dazai then leaned back into her body, his fingers latching onto her cheeks in order to pull her closer with a glare. “Don’t be stupid. There is no way those two things can exist in the same universe. They contradict themselves, they are..”

Asagao only smiled though, her words far too honest for him to handle. “You. Both of them. I’ve seen it firsthand. Your goofy/teasing smirks, your carefully thought out scripts, the way your face lights up when you see a letter from my brother, the way you manipulate and take control of every single situation. They are a contradiction yet they are all you, Osamu, and I’ve never seen anything wrong with that.” 

And that was something Asa believed wholeheartedly. She had read about this boy for years after all, she knew everything about him and now that she had actually spent time with him, Asagao knew that Dazai wasn’t a simple man. 

Yes, he was cruel and controlling with little to no boundaries but there were moments, brief cracks in his exterior that showed another side to him, a softer one. And whether he realized it or not those tiny fractures had shown her glimpses of who he really was. 

It was hard to pinpoint exactly with all the masks he wore but pretty quickly Asagao had realized that her claim about Dazai when they first met was no longer valid. She had read him wrong this entire time. 

She called him open and real but that wasn’t true at all. No, from the three weeks they had spent together she had learned that the boy was fabrication, a professional shapeshifter in the most impressive form. 

He could be so many things at the flip of a hat, going into so many roles that fit his desire. He could be a brutal port mafia executive, a cruel controlling conman and yet a gentle and sensual lover. 

But none of those were actually the real Dazai Osamu, not really.

They were just fragments, pieces of him sure, but he had never allowed himself to paint an entire picture.

Perhaps he didn’t know how to, perhaps he had acted and pretended so much that he didn’t know his true self anymore. 

But as selfish as it was, Asagao wanted to find him. She wanted to uncover the mystery that was Dazai Osamu and admire him for who he actually was. 

Even if it turned out to be a sad, scared little boy that had built up walls to keep himself safe. 

It didn’t matter, she would cherish him even so. She wanted to, simply because her big brother had done the same. Brother, did you know the real him? Did you figure out who he was underneath it all? I’ll never know, but if you did..I want the same..

Feeling his hold loosen on her jaw, Asa then continued her explanation, her gaze catching on the self made blanket roof above the two of them before softening. “Just because you grew up in the mafia doesn’t mean you still can’t be a kid. You can still allow that part of yourself to come out, you know. I mean, I get not wanting to show it at work cause you gotta put up a front but don’t think it’s all bad..”

She then turned back at him with admiration, recalling the goofy and child-ish reactions he had given her throughout these past few weeks. 

And although she knew that wasn't completely genuine, she wanted him to know how much happiness the fragment had brought her. “Because when I get to see it, I love it every time...” 

Dazai couldn’t believe what he was hearing though.

Love? She loved his pathetic weak side? She loved that he was a contradiction of fire and water? What was she saying, of course being a kid was bad. He couldn’t allow such a thing. 

Seriously, why couldn’t she just be normal, why couldn’t she just hate him and be stupid like everyone else. Why did she have to read him to his very soul every single time? He hated it, he hated how he could never hide with her. 

Of course there was something wrong with it. He was an amalgamation of broken parts, forced to be shoved together with the flimsiest glue in the universe.

But the way she was speaking, the way she looked at him with so much admiration and passion, he couldn’t help but feel his stomach twist and turn with mixed emotions. 

Whatever he did, it really didn’t bother her, did it? He could really just murder, torture and explain the darkest parts of himself and still she wouldn’t ever bat a single eye. He knew she wouldn’t. 

Now did that make her insane or just way to accepting? That was still up for debate. 

But either way, Dazai felt his lips twist upwards into a disbelieving chuckle, his arms growing numb in order to turn and collapse next to the stupid girl with a sigh.

He gave up. Her thinking had stumped him again. “Idiot...you’re a real idiot, Asagao.” 

She didn’t seem to mind though, the sound causing her to smile as well, in order for the tense atmosphere to disappear. “Believe it or not I’ve been told that before.”

Dazai only nodded though, not surprised at all. “Oh, I believe it.” 

The air was quiet then, coating the two with silence only for Asa to speak first, happy to change the subject.“So, what else did you do tonight? You know, besides the torture.”

She said it so comfortably, like she was talking about the weather and Dazai wondered if she had seen and/or done the same kind of thing when she was a hellhound. That would explain her unbothered air to everything.  

Pushing his bandaged arm up in the air, Dazai sighed. “Not much, had a boring talk with Mori and then played around with my dog a bit..” 

At his sentence, Asagao felt herself perk up, her eyes practically giddy at the memory of the ginger haired boy that she had encountered just hours ago. “I met him tonight, your dog.” 

Then all at once, Dazai felt his entire body turn on his side in disbelief. Hold on, did she just hear that right? She had met Chuuya? 

Well, that was unexpected. “What, really?” 

Nodding, he then saw as the girl beamed back, pointing an excited finger towards her nose with a goofy smile that filled up her entire face. “Yeah, it was great! He hit me in the face!” 

Although that’s when she watched Dazai’s eyes lower into a more dangerous expression, as he felt his throat tick with anger. What did she mean he hit her in the face ? 

Just what was that stupid dog doing? Hurting his precious little darling, that guy had a death wish for sure, and not the fun kind. 

Reaching his hands up, the boy then placed them on either side of her cheeks before inspecting every inch of her skin. “He hit you..?” 

Although that’s when Asa quickly perked up and finished the sentence. Ah, that sounded bad, didn’t it? Sorry, Chuuya. “Oh I mean, accidentally of course! And then he helped me stop my nosebleed.” 

The explanation was better, but not by much, the boy softening just slightly when he realized that there were no marks on her face. Chuuya was lucky there wasn’t any too, or else he knew he’d have to have a word with him about it. A very violent word.

Allowing her skin freedom, Dazai’s hand then reeled back before shaking his head with a scoff, still not okay with how things played out. “That idiot, he never looks where he’s going..” 

Asagao couldn’t disagree with that though, knowing that Chuuya was distracted when his hand accidentally connected with her face. It was both their faults really, but she was sure Dazai didn’t want to hear that. 

So instead, the girl allowed another quiet to overtake them in order for her to recall the kind ginger haired boy that had taken care of her. He was so sweet, cleaning up that blood for her. She kinda wanted to meet him again, to talk to him some more like Dazai did all the time. 

Taking in an anxious breath, Asa then began to play with the ends of her skirt in order to turn towards the bandaged boy with a hopeful whisper. “Hey Osu, do you think he’d wanna be friends with me?”

Dazai only twisted his lips in disgust for the idea though, his opinion very known. “Why would you ever want to be friends with that slug?” 

Asa only shrugged her shoulders though, recalling the conversation the two had shared in the bathroom's waiting area. “I don’t know, I just figured that if he could handle you then maybe he could handle me.”

It was something that crossed her mind ever since Chuuya had mentioned Dazai’s name. And it was no secret that her and Osu’s mindsets were rather similar in style. Perhaps in some way, she hoped that she had finally found someone that wouldn’t run away for once. 

Wishful thinking, she knew, but it was worth a shot to ask. 

The mafioso only scoffed though, his feelings not mutual on the subject. “You don’t need to befriend that idiot. His stupid will rub off on you, and you already have enough of that as it is.” 

And yes, a part of his answer was because Chuuya was in the mafia which meant another dangerous tie to Mori but that wasn’t completely the reason why Dazai had shut the idea down. 

It was insecurity, it was anxiety that the ginger was a much better man than him, and if Asa knew that then she would abandon him for Chuuya without a second thought. Anyone with a brain would do that. He was normal, and Dazai was not. 

Sighing heavily, Asa then frowned at the disapproval. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. I just know I’m a lot to handle and most people can’t really understand it. I just thought that maybe since he already knows what you’re like then there was a chance that..” 

The rest of her sentence disappeared due to nerves, and yet her mind finished it even so. Maybe there was a chance I could finally have a friend, that someone could tolerate me enough to finally stick around. 

Dazai’s lips couldn’t help but pout at that though, his fears of being abandoned and left behind showing in a jealous and bitter whine. “And what am I, Asa-chan? I understand your twisted little mind better than anyone, especially better than that stupid yapping dog. Trust me, you don’t need him.” 

At that, Asagao felt herself smile under her breath. Did he really think she would forget about him? Osamu was and would always be the most important person to her. Even more than a friend, he was her lifeline. 

Not wanting him to feel left out, Asa then turned on her side to meet him, her soft gentle gaze meeting his anxious one. “That’s true, you’re plenty enough for me.” 

And with that, Dazai’s shoulders began to relax ever so slowly, his breathing retreating back to normal before looking up at the blanketed sky above them. This looked like a lot of work, it seemed to take hours at least. 

He could even picture her drunken little stumbles as she carefully crafted each aspected of her little surprise. What a silly little thing she was, doing all of this. He didn’t deserve it. 

Feeling his voice come out far more uncertain than he had planned, the bandaged boy whispered apprehensively. “Did you really put all of this together..?”

The rest of the phrase was lost in the air but it was obvious even so. 

..for me?

Did she seriously put all of this planning and hard work together just for a pathetic little boy like him? He had never had that before, he had never been surprised with good intentions. He had never had anyone think about him or care about him in this kind of way. 

Asa only nodded her head though, like the answer was obvious. “Of course, I wanted to make you happy, like you do for me. So, did it work? Are you happy? Did I make your home a little more fun?” 

Happy? 

What did that feel like, to be happy? And was that what he was feeling now? He wasn’t sure, but Dazai did feel a strange tumble inside his chest, the feeling so warm that it was almost too nauseating to process. 

It was a foreign sensation, one that the boy couldn’t understand in the slightest. How was one supposed to react to that question? He didn’t know. 

But what he did know was how utterly wrong she was with that little sentence of hers. She kept calling this place a home, and he knew that wasn’t accurate at all. 

Forcing the warmth from his chest, Dazai then narrowed his eyes in order to focus on correcting her absurd sentence. “This place has never been my home. It’s just a building with rooms, that’s all.”

Asagao wasn’t surprised by that though. She had gotten that much from her very first inspection. A home wasn’t supposed to be that sad and lonely after all. That’s why she did all of this in the first place, so he would feel better about coming back here. 

And because he had shown her a bit of vulnerability, she wanted to do the same, even if it was hard to talk about. “I get that. Oda’s place doesn’t really feel like home either. So I can understand how you feel, coming back to somewhere that doesn’t feel right, like you're a stranger in your own house..”

Someone else’s place, someone else’s bed, it never did feel right for her to be there, especially since she never knew the previous owner. Maybe if she knew Oda then the walls wouldn’t be as mocking but that wasn’t a luxury she was given. 

Dazai remained silent at that, almost like he had wordlessly agreed with her as Asagao closed her eyes in simple thought. Tomorrow their little “freebie” would be done and they would go back to the strangers they were before. 

And although it was far past what they had decided, Asagao didn’t want that. 

She didn’t want them to go back to being strangers, not after she had gotten a taste of who he was. That lonely, sad and suffocating feeling, she never wanted to go back to that again now that she had found someone that had understood her.

Just a little bit more, that’s all she needed. That’s all she wanted from him. Perhaps it was impossible, but she would never know unless she tried. 

And using her drunk confidence, the girl did just that. “Osamu..I..uhh..”

Stopping her failing tongue, Asagao then took a heavy breath before pouring out her feelings. “I know the specifics of our deal are already made and everything but these last two days have been really nice. I’ve never had this before, and I wanted to thank you for it. For giving me Bar Lupin, for showing me that photo, for bringing my brother back to life, and for allowing me to be myself without judgment. It means a lot to me..really..”

It was something she would never forget, the kindness he had shown her tonight. She somehow felt closer than she had ever been before to her big brother and it was all because of him. 

Pausing for a moment, Asa then squeezed her eyes shut with anxiety before shoving the words out before she could change her mind. “And I just...I want you to know that if there is a day that you don’t want to come back here, then you can come to me..” 

Oh god, she said it. She really said it. Hold on, that sounded creepy, didn’t it? She didn’t want him to think she was creepy. Quickly Asagao, explain yourself before he laughs at you. 

Pushing her hands up, Asa then stuttered through her embarrassed pink cheeks, the room suddenly feeling way too warm “I-I don’t mean that in a weird way or anything. I know you’re still gonna come over for the letters but that doesn’t have to be the only reason we have to see each other if you want to. You could always just stay the night and leave right after or hang around the place, or even sit in complete silence if you just need to be near someone. I don’t mind, really.” 

Finally taking a much needed breath, she then forced her mouth closed before a small smile crossed her lips. She did it, she had taken a step forward and pushed herself out of her comfort zone. 

Speaking mostly to herself, the girl then finished wistfully imagining a perfect world where her dreams could be. “In fact, I’d actually really like it if you did that. Because then, maybe with you, that place could be home.”

And maybe it could, maybe with Osamu there, Oda’s apartment could feel like home, like she could belong there. She had seen small glimpses of it when he came over for her brother’s letters. Perhaps the house could be that lively all the time. She hoped it could. 

A heavy silence then appeared between the two, causing Asagao’s head to turn towards Osu only for her eyes to widen at the sight before her. 

Because for some reason, the scary port mafia executive, the demon prodigy, looked like the embodiment of a ghost, his skin sickly pale and unmoving as his eyes stared into what seemed like absolutely nothing at all. It was almost like the boy had ceased to function completely, his mind unable to process the offer that Asa had given him. 

All at once, Asagao leaned forward in concern, her voice laced with anxiety and fear in order to try and snap him back out of whatever state she had put him in. 

Oh no, what had she done? Did she offend him? “...Osamu?”

Yet, before she could process it, Dazai’s fingers had quickly found the edges of the blanket she was laying on and lifted them up in order for her entire body to flop around like fish as the boy beamed happily. “Alright, time for bed!” 

Gasping out a squeak in surprise, she then felt her entire body start to get constricted by the blankets in order for Osu to comically roll her up until just her head and wiggling feet were showing. “Whaaa, wait Samu, what are you doing?!” 

He only laughed though, picking up the poor wrapped girl before throwing her over his shoulder in order to move over to his bedroom with an over the top air. “I’m making an Asa-chan burrito so that way you can’t escape!” 

Asagao then felt her entire body plop onto his bed in order for her to whine in disappointment. “But what about our sleepover? I worked so hard.”

Dazai only placed a finger to her nose though, stopping her self pity party with a teasing smirk. “But isn’t sleeping also a part of a sleepover?” 

Nodding apprehensively, Asa frowned. “I guess..” 

Reeling back in finality, the boy then clapped his hands goofily before already walking away, almost like he needed to leave this conversation sooner rather than later. “That settles it! Now come on, my drunk princess needs her beauty sleep or else she’s gonna regret it in the morning.” 

But as she watched him go, Asa couldn’t help but call back in concern. “What about you, where are you going to sleep?” 

She had taken up the entire bed after all, and Asagao didn’t want Dazai to have to sleep on the sofa or something uncomfortable like that. Hell, if she wasn’t tied up like the giant sushi then she would’ve offered to move. 

Although that’s when Dazai paused, his overconfidence dropping for a millisecond in order to glance back at the girl with a more genuine, less happy smile. “Aww, don’t you worry, darling. I’m naturally beautiful. It would be impossible to lose my good looks.” 

Then before she could argue, he was gone, leaving Asagao to slump against the pillows with a heavy sigh of defeat. He didn't answer her question, now and back under the fort. But what did that mean? 

And why did he look so sad when he turned back to her?

------

Carefully closing the door to his bedroom, Dazai waited until he heard the soft click of confirmation before his happy go lucky and cheery exterior dropped away into nothing, leaving only a placid and sunken expression. 

He had run away. 

One push from Asagao and he had retreated into himself so quickly, it was almost like second nature. Her request to get closer to him, to have him rely on her past their original agreement, just what was she thinking? 

Of course, he wanted that. 

He wanted to have somewhere he could call a home, he so desperately wanted something to stop the crippling loneliness that he felt whenever he returned back to these sad and hollow walls and floors. He wanted it so badly that it physically hurt him to even think about it.

To have a family, to have a friend, to have something to hold onto when life abused him and kicked him down over and over again. He so desperately wanted someone to hear his cries and reach out their hand so that he could collapse safely and never leave again. 

But, Dazai knew that he couldn’t, because he had already done so before. 

And it had ruined him. 

He had let his walls down around Odasaku, and for a split second, the boy thought that he could have those things too, but then they were taken from him. Just like that, in a blink of an eye, they were gone, leaving him in the dark once more. 

What was the point of it all, why did he even do that? Why did he try? It’s not like it mattered in the end, if anything it made everything worse. Because now that he had gotten a taste of companionship, it was like a drug, never leaving him alone.  

And Asagao was the worst kind of drug of all. 

One that he couldn’t allow himself to indulge in, to addict himself so heavily like before. No, he had learned his lesson, he wouldn’t get his hopes up and destroy himself a second time. 

Because it never changed anything, and Dazai knew in his sick little twisted brain that the moment he crumbled and closed their distance, she would be taken away from him as well. 

No, he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t lose someone like that again. 

That’s why it was better to never know what that warmth was, what that path felt like. Yes, it was better to never know then to find out and have it ripped away in the end. 

Moving over to the large window by his living room, Dazai then leaned against the cool glass, allowing it to chill his entire soul.

 It would be easier to just let her go completely, to cut ties with Oda’s sister before he was tempted with more. 

But just the very thought caused his entire body to tense in response for even thinking about such a thing. No, he couldn’t. He couldn’t let her go, not when she was close to his dear friend, not when she had brought him so many wonderful things. 

Even Dazai knew he wasn't that kind. He was far too selfish to give her that kind of mercy, to completely lose her in his life.

 And though it was dangerous, though he realized he was walking an extremely thin line over a cavern-like pit, he couldn’t help still balance on it. 

Standing still from the distance they had but never taking a step forward, that was the fate the boy that resisted himself to, and he was determined to keep it. 

It didn’t matter if that result left him alone, it didn’t matter if twisted his heart and shoved his invisible needs down, it didn’t matter if that result left him screaming in the dark like he had always been, this was the only path for him now. 

And he would walk it, simply because he had to. 

Taking out his phone from his pocket, Dazai then pushed a very familiar button before he heard the singular ring inside his ear.

 And then, after two little sounds, Ango’s voice picked up, just as panicked and anxious as he expected it to be. “Dazai? What is it?” 

The mafioso only hummed though, his fingers trailing the glass in front of him. “Oh nothing, I just thought you’d be interested to know that I found our little lost princess.” 

Almost immediately, the voice jumped up, the tone growing louder. “Wait, you did? Where is she? Tell me the address and I’ll come over right now..” 

Although that’s when Dazai cut him off completely, a suppressed laugh inside his throat. “Oh, that won’t be necessary. You see, Ango. I’ve taken quite a liking to her. I think I’m gonna keep her.”

And from the other side of the phone, Ango felt his face drop. No, this was the worst result he couldn’t ever have imagined. “K-Keep? Dazai, you know you can’t do that. It’s too dangerous. What if Mori..” 

Yet that’s when Dazai responded, his voice serious. “He won’t.” 

Catching the agent completely off guard, Ango couldn’t help but twist his eyes in confusion. Where was that cruel teasing air he had been using? It had disappeared completely. “What?” 

The bandaged boy only narrowed his eyes though, clutching the phone between his fingers before allowing his voice to ring with soft honesty. “Mori won’t find out about her. Odasaku wouldn’t have wanted that, so he won’t.” 

And for a moment, Ango felt himself freeze. Was he saying that he was going to protect Asagao, that he was going to keep her safe from Mori and the port mafia? No, it couldn’t be. Dazai wasn’t that kind of man, well at least that’s what he thought. 

It was surprising to say the least, suggesting such an out of character thing for him. Was it because of Odasaku, was that why he was going out of his comfort zone? Ango wasn’t completely sure but from his tone of voice it didn't seem like he was lying. 

But with Dazai, he could never really tell. 

Because of that, the man was still apprehensive. This was such a precious thing they were talking about, this was their friend's dear little sister. He couldn’t let up on such a thing. “I don’t know, I just don’t think that she should..” 

Yet that’s when the boy cut him off again, a sharp threatening edge to his voice. “Ango, if you continue then you’ll be my enemy. You know what that means, right?” 

And for the first time since their conversation, Ango felt his eyes widen. 

Because he knew exactly what that meant, he knew the death sentence that was implied by being labeled the misfortune of the enemy of port mafia executive Dazai Osamu. 

But could it really be true? Dazai was threatening war with the government just to keep her? He wanted to risk that much? Perhaps he was wrong, perhaps Asa did mean more to the boy than just a simple plaything. 

Could it really be, had the brutal mafia executive finally grown a heart? 

He couldn’t really tell for sure but the lethal threat was enough to make Ango close his eyes in unsaid defeat. If Dazai was really that serious about defending her then he knew he couldn’t argue. 

But that didn’t mean he was going to let up if that changed. “You better keep  your word, Dazai. If anything happens to her, just know Odasaku would never forgive you, and neither will I…” 

And just like that, the line went dead, causing Dazai to drop the phone to his side in silent confirmation. 

Ango didn’t need to worry about that. He would protect her, from Mori, from the world, but mostly from the most dangerous threat of all. 

Himself. 

---

(It's been a month since I've started this fic! Thank you so much for all your support and love on my first bsd story!)

I call this chapter "let Dazai be a kid" because in most fanfics I've read a lot of authors focus on either the "fifteen year old boy" aspect of Dazai or a "brutal executive" side of him and although none of them are wrong, in my mind I think he's really a mix of both. The line that Odasaku uses to describe him in the novels really inspired this chapter in order to show both sides of the complex boy. We see this in the expectations and the box that he tries to put himself into to seem more adult (the drinking, the pressure of seduction) but in reality it comes across from of a child playing dress up than the truth.

[miminmimikyu]

I know it isn't the point of this arc and it would have messed with the pacing but I would have loved to have seen more of the Rakugo Zoo. What kind of performance did Karashi and Asagao give? Akane was the star of the show, yes, but did how did the other two fare? I can imagine Asagao's energy would be a hit with the younger crowd but I'm so curious about Karashi's Traditional Classical 100% Enso Sanmeitei Rakugo... in an animal kigurumi.

I hope they get an omake strip when the volume comes out!!

[ancoships]

Cringe is dead I shot it outside Denny’s, Urahara and Asagao have known each other for a decade at this point and she’s been consistently training with the workers of the shop since then this woman is at least strong as they are… Imagine she’s at Urahara’s when the Espada ping Ururu and Renji. They ping her too and show up to a child, a redhead and a woman short enough she can’t ride the adult rollercoasters. Like what a combo those three are to see when you only sensed their spiritual power from a distance

[starlightspecters-vs-alleycatz]

SS vs AC: Art of war

[Lana] This is your last chance princess~ Run while you still can

[Emiko]

That’s Queen to you! Looks like the jokers need to be taught a lesson. ~ ♡

[All]

This! Means! War!

Throw your bonds aside for the night. Theres no good or bad, no wrong or right Can you handle the struggle? Are you ready for an attack? Theres no apologies here! Words can’t be taken back! No mercy here on the battlefield! Cmon and raise some hell Only the victors walk away with a story to tell!

Can we get an encore? Are you ready for more?

[Starlight specters]

Kyoto’s gonna steal the show!

[All]

Can we get an encore?! Are you ready for more?!

[Alley Catz]

Harajuku’s gonna bring the house down!

[All] Raise your mics, let the bodies hit the floor! All is fair in the art of war

[Kanade] Looks like I’m up first, very well let’s go

Do you think you can handle the ghosts of Kyoto?

Looks can be deceiving, I’m not just cute and sweet~♥

Im the deadliest ghost of all and I refuse to be beat!

Im growing bored of this so let’s get to the point

This fairytale has no happy end! Sorry to disappoint

You have no place here, don’t go begging for mercy!

Lets be clear here, you’ll get none from me!

Think you can beat me? Oh what a grand delusion!

Now it’s time for a bitter conclusion ~

[Seiichi]

I ain’t afraid of no ghosts or ghouls!

‘Specially the wailing of sick twisted fools!

While you’re stuck playing princess in your God forsaken tower!

I’ve been running these streets, like the true super power!

The day of departure brings somber to the world,

Yet your cries bring vexation as time fast unfurls!

The cat’s eye sees your frailty and reigns down scorching flames!

Wards off the reaper, who’s finished with your games!

Have fun stuck in limbo, Little Miss Lyrical Liar

I’m paintin’ over this canvas, in your pitiful satire!

[Itsuki]

Well well well, look what I’ve got in my sights

A pathetic little prince just begging for a fright

Mirror mirror, what secrets do you have to tell

I may not be the fairest of them all, but I’m ready to raise hell

The happy end you wanted, I’m ready to rip it to shreds

And once I’m done there, it’s off with your head!

Or maybe I can keep you alive till the end

Maybe I could let you listen to the screams of your little friends

So tell me dear Hiroshi, are you ready for this to end?

Time is running out now! Choose wisely my friend

[Hiroshi]

So this is the end? Then let a new chapter unfold! ~

What you long desire boy if far beyond your control. ~

For a heart white as snow and a soul dark as night,

Such dark clouded eyes see that gaze behind that poisonous bite.

A whisper and a prayer, aren’t they one in the same?

Dreamless slumber awaits the heartbroken and shamed ~

Apologies my friend, time to settle the score,

Turns out Prince Charming here is rotten to the core ~

[All]

This! means! War!

Throw your bonds aside for the night. Theres no good or bad, no wrong or right Can you handle the struggle? Are you ready for an attack? Theres no apologies here! Words can’t be taken back! No mercy here on the battlefield! Cmon and raise some hell! Only the victors walk away with a story to tell!

Can we get an encore?! Are you ready for more?!

[Starlight Specters] Kyoto’s gonna steal the show

[All]

Can we get an encore?! Are you ready for more?!

[Alley Catz]

Harajuku’s gonna bring the house down!

[All] Raise your mics! Let the bodies hit the floor! All is fair in the art of war

[Lana]

(Let the living beware~♥ Your in for a scare)

Im up against a child, it almost doesn’t seem fair

Brace yourself dear Valentine, cause your in for a scare! (Boo!)

Its too late! Theres no happy ending in store for you

Im sorry to say, but you and your little friends are through!

How dreadful, the queens been cast from her throne

Only to find out she’s truly abandoned and alone

Let’s twist up the fantasy, I’ll show you the true meaning of fear!

There’s nowhere to run or hide, just give in dear

The clock ticks down, can you feel the dread?

The guillotine whirls down, now it off with your head

[Emiko]

(Oh a boss fight? ~ ♡ I’m so scared! ~ ♡ Not!)

You think I’m afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?

Sorry little doggy, you’re in for a surprise!

Huffin’ and puffin’s gonna make tears of those red eyes!

Hey look everybody! The Wolf’s a puppy in disguise!

Pull the wool off our eyes, and what do I see?

A sissy little crybaby with big dreams just like me! ~ ♡

I ain’t a scaredy-cat!

In the face of the hunter, I’ll never flee!

Those fangs are useless in the land of the deceased!

The tables have turned, I’m not Beauty! Now I’m the Beast! (Rawr!)

[All]

This! Means! War!

Throw your bonds aside for the night. Theres no good or bad, no wrong or right! Can you handle the struggle? Are you ready for an attack? Theres no apologies here! Words can’t be taken back! No mercy here on the battlefield! Cmon and raise some hell! Only the victors walk away with a story to tell!

Can we get an encore? Are you ready for more?

[Starlight specters]

Kyoto’s gonna steal the show!

[All]

Can we get an encore?! Are you ready for more?!

[Alley Catz]

Harajuku’s gonna bring the house down!

[All]

Raise your mics, let the bodies hit the floor! All is fair in the art of war

[harajukudivision]

Alley Catz Interview 📸

Anniversary Date: December 7th

Inbox: Open

“Heyo! Everyone! Nice to see you again! ~ ☆”

“Hello everyone.”

“Yo.”

“C’mon Seiichi! Try to be a little more excited, y’know? You gotta smile! ~ ☆”

“No. Plus, it’s not like this whole is anything special.”

“Well aren’t you a rude one. We are here to provide our audience with a very special announcement, it would be awful if you were to ruin this experience from the get-go.”

“Can it Womanizer!! I can talk if I wanna talk!! I ain’t trying to be rude!!”

“Well you’re certainly doing a modest job at that.”

“Shhhhhh!! Stop it you two they’ll hear you!! A-Anyways, guys! Since we’ve known you all for so long we all decided to have a special surprise for you! Yaaaay!!” 😆

“Aaaaaaaand the special surprise iiiiiiiis, drumroll please!”

“No.”

“Awwwwww, Seiichiiiiiiiii! You ruined the moment! Please?”

“No.”

“Please!

“No.”

“Pretty please with a cherry on top!”

“I told you I don’t want to, no!”

“Seiichi! Everyone’s watching—”

“We’re holding an interview. You are free to answer any question you like to either of my patrons, in a limited amount of time.”

“Awwwww Hiroshi-sama! You stole my thunder.”

“Apologies m’lady, but you seemed a bit occupied.”

“Tch, whatever he already said it let’s just role with it.”

“Big ol’ bully, nyeeeeeeeeh!! 😝”

“But anyways, yea we’re holding an interview starting today! ~ ☆ You guys can ask us any questions you want, whatever you like! You can get to know a bit more about us and everything!”

“But it only lasts until December 12th!”

“Just don’t ask anything weird please. I hang out with enough weirdos already.”

“Hey!”

“Fufufufu, oh my.”

“Although I have to agree with Seiichi, so please be polite. Or else we’ll have to escort you out, and we wouldn’t want that, now would we?”

“Stop smiling like that you stupid Ladykiller. It’s creepy!”

“Hahaha! I’m only teasing! Perhaps….”

“Hahaha, O-Okay you two thank you! But anywho, thank you so much everyone for supporting Harajuku and we hope to see you soon! ~ ☆”

“Bye bye! ~ ♡”

[alley-catz-vs-daybreakers]

AC vs DB: FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT

Don’t look down on me, I’ll show you what I’m made of!

You don’t have to worry about that. I’ll be going all out.

The sky is the limit!  Our time to shine, let’s hit it!  Take it away, take it away, no one dare to make a mistake.  If you do you’ll be sent to your graves.  We won’t back down, we got too much at stake!  Yeah, we’re not just some radicals! Your cries sound maniacal! We’re going on for what is right.  We’ll be keeping on this FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

Now what have we here? A lost nightingale?  You hide behind that glowering mask. So weak and so frail.  Don’t worry birdie, I’ll put you to rest, soon you’ll be swallowed by the jaws of a fraudulent fest.  A night out in Wonderland, I’m afraid you can’t handle, because the jester you’re dealing with is Royal Scandal.  By the orders of our princess, I’ll take you out tonight.  Begin my symphony and marvel at the glorious golden light.

Make no mistake, you can never escape the NightOwl’s fearsome gaze.  Go ahead and struggle ‘cuz I’m not even phased.  Birds fly around with their mating dance, but it’s the stags who actually fight for a chance.  You’re the flamboyant old prick, who’ll never get a mate.  You're at the bottom of the food chain, the end of your reign.  Your pitiful display has given your position.  I’ll send a trail of fear as you try to flee in fright.  It’s no use in the end, against the king of the night!

Yo! Listen up, Killjoy in the house.  Disinfect! Well I’ll never back down.  I’ll watch till you rot, drop dead on the ground.  Sinking in the grotesque of my sound.  I’ll watch as you writhe through white darkness and drown.  You think you know me, you ain’t got a clue!  I’ll paint this town till you’re all black and blue!

Soaring in, EarlyBird, movin’ right on beat.  Listen up kid, try to fix your little diss track.  Pick up the tempo, keep up the pace.  I’ll bring you down, leaving no trace.  Leave you behind, fall straight on your face.  You’ll be runnin’, and trippin’, never back on your feet.  Make your attempts, they’re ever so weak.  Just try again and take this defeat.

The sky is the limit! Our time to shine, let’s hit it! Take it away, take it away, no one dare to make a mistake. If you do you’ll be sent to your graves. We won’t back down, we got too much at stake! Yeah, we’re not just some radicals! Your cries sound maniacal! We’re going on for what is right. We’ll be keeping on this FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

Hey look who it is, everyone’s Valentine! You’re not a prince are you?  But I guess you’re all mine!  Think you intimidate me? With those squeaky meek rhymes?  So sorry sweetheart, but you’re outta time!  Flying out of this battle! Battered, bruised and maimed!  Your timid little riddles put the Dormouse to shame!  Oh, did I go too far~?  Did I break your heart~?  Pink and blood red leak, you’ll be my own work of art!  The claws are out now, better take my advice!  Run along little mousy I’m not here to play nice!

What do you mean to do with that weak little verse? I’m precise with my strikes, I focus on detail.  The only way you’ll knock me down is with a giant metal pail.  Go ahead, try to hit, this is my renaissance.  I don’t feel a single thing from your measly little taunts.  This is Lumière, standing here, shining a light.  You’ve destroyed a work of art, nothing’s left for the fight.  You’re may have once been wondrous.  But now your word vomit is completely superfluous

We’re in this together, go down hand in hand! Dragging you with us, our mischievous band!

Let their souls shrivel, break down piece by piece.  Until they all revel in death’s sweet release.

I’m sick of these mocking birds and their endless chatter!  I’ll serve you right here with your heads on a platter!

We are Alley Catz prowling through moonlit streets! Living up the party with our psychedelic beat!  Our madness will spread through this land like the plague!  No need for your cowardly, washed out parade!

Don’t hesitate now, bring on the fight!  Got no reason for fear, we give all our might!

Beat the scummy little bimbos ’til they kneel at our feet.  None of our business if you struggle in defeat.

Utterly relentless, we’ll never break down!  Continue with these hits, we’ll only break out!

We’re the DayBreakers flying to new heights!  No need for the sun, we make our own light.  No matter what happens, we’ll always stay true!  You’ll be looking up at us forever when we’re through!

The sky is the limit! Our time to shine, let’s hit it! Take it away, take it away, no one dare to make a mistake. If you do you’ll be sent to your graves. We won’t back down, we got too much at stake! Yeah, we’re not just some radicals! Your cries sound maniacal! We’re going on for what is right. We’ll be keeping on this FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!

——————————

@hypster-weebster @kyoto-division @shinagawa-division @saitama-division @nugsters @chiyoda-divison @ginza-division @uenodivision

Here’s a form to vote for the winning division! Please share this with anyone you think would be interested!

https://forms.gle/bvDj33LGm27hHbhr5

[asagay-academeme]

[ladytsunadehime]

♦️

A Headcanon For Our Muses // @asagao-onna

When they go on trips together for either pleasure or business Anko is the one who carries the keys to their hotel room. This is because Tsunade always forgets them or loses them. Sometimes on purpose, sometimes on accident. Plus, she figures Anko usually has some time of pocket to carry them in compared to her.

[stellar-sushi-blog]

Just Trying to Help! [Hana x Reader]

In under the course of a week, Hana Mizuno had stolen your heart.

She was small, adorable, and whenever she stuttered out an answer in class you could feel your heart melt. Sadly, a couple of other students had noticed her cuteness as well: PBG and Luke. PBG would constantly stare at her with so much admiration you thought you were gonna be sick. You also considered throwing an eraser at his head once when you watched him rush across the classroom in order to be Hana’s partner for a project. Thankfully, Luke was not as committed to flirting with the pink-haired girl. In fact, you weren’t exactly sure if he had crush on her or he was just trying to mess with PBG. Either way, it still left a sour taste in your mouth.

Eventually, you decided that you had to protect her from the meddlesome Normal Boots club.

You’d told yourself to become less attached to Hana, but that plan was ruined when you saw her crying. Her blouse was stained, her face was puffy, and when you noticed Paul on the ground, your heart wrenched. PBG reached out to her when she stood, but you stepped in.

“Are you alright, Hana?” you asked quietly, stepping a bit closer to her. “Do you want someone to walk you back to your dorm?” To your dismay, she shook her head.

“I’m going home.” she choked out. Mai made an attempt to call out to her, but was inevitably ignored. “It’s fine,” the girl sniffled as she began to walk off, “I just want to be alone for now.” You stepped aside to let her pass, a frown on your face. When she was out of earshot, your eyes narrowed and your gaze fell on Paul. You were so quick to anger, not even Mai managed to get a word in before you started scolding him.

“Watch where you’re going next time!” you barked. “I’m surprised someone as stupid as you managed to become the student council president!” Paul’s face fell and he opened his mouth to say something, but he was too afraid to. Taking his silence as an apology, you stomped off to get dinner.

Another time, you went with Mai and nearly blew out Shane’s eardrum. Mai, who was unaware of your obsession, found it weird that you decided to come with her but figured that you were just being a good person. Hana eventually came up to you to thank you and your heart began to beat so fast you thought you were going to pass out.

“Of course, Hana!” you beamed. “You seem like such a nice person so I didn’t think that you deserved his harsh words.”

The last time was the time you messed up. You were wondering the halls of Asagao in an attempt to find the water fountain when a booming voice made you jump. As you creeped closer to the hall where it came from, you recognized it to be PBG’s.

“Stop acting like you know what’s best for me!” the boy nearly shrieked. Hana flinched at his shouting, but quickly recuperated.

“Then stop hurting yourself!” she told him, her voice straining. You peeked around the corner and she shook her head at you while PBG rubbed his temples. Stupidly, you ignored what she had told you and continued tip-toeing towards him. He was going to get it, you told yourself. He was finally going to be put in his place. Confidently, you straightened out and put your hand on his shoulder. Taking a deep breath, you opened your mouth to say something but soon found yourself staring up at the ceiling. A panicked PBG was kneeling next to you, sputtering out more apologies that you could fathom.

“I-i’ll get the nurse!” the teen exclaimed, running down the hall. Still confused, you reached up to rub away the fuzz still obstructing your vision.

“Ow!” you cried out, retracting your hand. Did… did he punch you? Nervously, you sat up and held your head in your hands. Hana walked up to you and knelt down besides you. You expectantly turned to face her, ready to be praised for helping. Instead, your heart was stepped on.

“Please stop.” she began. Your eyes widened and you gulped.

“Wh-what?” you responded, beginning to breath harder. She shook her head and her face contorted with anger.

“I said stop!” the girl demanded. “I know you think I’m weak, but I can take care of myself!”  She paused momentarily. “And, just so you know, you aren’t helping anyone! You’re just being mean.” And with that, she got up and walked away, leaving you alone as you sat on the floor.

“Hana!” you called out after her, your voice quivering as you spoke. You felt your shoulders begin to shake and your lip started to twitch. “Hana…” you muttered again before your gaze dropped to the floor and tears blurred your vision. “I just wanted to help.” you blubbered. “That’s all I wanted to do.” Eventually, you heard footsteps approaching you went to wipe your tears away but cried out in pain when you grazed your new black-eye. A frantic PBG came running to your side with Creeps following shortly behind..

“Are you okay?!” he nearly shouted. “I’m sorry it hurts that much!” You chuckled weakly. It’s not the black-eye, you wanted to say, I’d take a black-eye over this anyday. Gently, PBG helped you to your feet and guided you to the nurse’s office as Mr. McPasta questioned you.

“Did you go unconscious?” he inquired. You solemnly shook your head. “Did you hit your head?” Again, you shook your head no. Finally, he asked, “Where does it hurt?” And you placed your hand over your heart. He raised the eyebrow that wasn’t hidden by his mask. “Your sternum?” he asked, confusion obvious in his voice. You weakly nodded.

“Yeah,” you murmured, “The ‘sternum’.”

[the-kipsabian]

yeah!!! so near the end of the musical the opera group is putting on a show that the phantom himself makes the group do (he's lowkey obsessed w christine so he trains her to be better at opera singing + threatens the head of the group to give her the lead roles) and it's revealed that the lead tenor has been replaced with the phantom so there's that whole thing? things go wrong in the musical but with natemare he makes things go wrong a different way? like in the musical the phantom (1/?)

replaces the lead tenor, christine finds out and the phantom kidnaps her and takes her to his lair under the opera house where the final scene takes place. so with natemare he reveals that he's in control of nate now instead of it being like "oh it's actually the phantom" and some of the people in the audience don't really. know about natemare? so they're just like "oh it's a different interpretation maybe" but the people who Do know are all like "oh shit" including avery and Then there'sthe whole "well the show must go on" mentality so avery's trying to keep things moving and thankfully natemare does know? he doesn't wanna destroy the set or anything he just wants to spice things up (i'm not exactly sure how he would do that but yeah) (and now i'm out of ideas rip) (3/3) (also sorry if this comes through twice my wifi is being weird)

welcome to the weird wifi land cause mine doesnt really work either (using a phone connection atm that barely works but the wifi is down like entirely hahhaaaa rip)

oooof i love the sound of this so much tho ah. he would totally turn the show on its head instead of trying to wreck it and people are more or less forced to go along with it cause who knows what natemare will actually do if someone tries to stop to production or correct him and mmmm (which is good that avery is acting opposite to him cause then they can keep him someone in the check as they know whats up and see the warning signs if natemare is about to go overboard)

most people would see it as an interesting take on how the play usually goes, and afterwards they get a whole lot of praise for how they did things - the following day nate has NO idea what the hell actually happened and hes mildly panicking that he missed the play or messed it all up when someone mentions it to him that he was actually there and.. well yeah. he takes a while of calming down from all of that and convincing that he actually did pretty well and now nate is just more nervous cause he cant replicate that in upcoming shows and he just wants to live up to the hype of the premier lol

[suginami-division]

Shuu’s Thoughts on Harajuku Division

Emiko Akaibara

“Emiko-chan! Isn’t she just the cutest? Ramu-chan introduced me to her one day and I’ve been cheering for her in the D.R.B. since then! But now that I’m in the competition too, I guess I can’t really show all my support for her anymore. I’m sorry Emiko-chan, I can’t be on your side anymore. This… This sucks~!”

Hiroshi Sakura

“Ah, prince charming Hiroshi-chan… I really hate his teasing, but he’s the best guy in Shibuya to ask about dirt on people. Apparently he knows Jyu-chan too! I only found out when I compared them together… I wonder what sort of relationship they have? It’s kind of hard to imagine Jyu-chan being buddies with Hiroshi-chan… Hmmm.”

Seiichi Asagao

“Wittle Seiichi-chan isn’t my favorite team member, but I’d be lying if I said he wasn’t adorable! He always tenses up whenever I spot him. If I was a stuckup meanie, I probably would have tattled on him for his hobbies, but graffiti is not my job! So… Go crazy Seiichi-chan! Go nuts! Paint the streets with your pretty art!”

Alley Catz

“Before I joined the D.R.B., I would cheer for so many teams, just like the Alley Catz! But now, I have to be mean and say hurtful things to them… Sure, I can do it for someone like Seiichi-chan since he’s fun to poke at or even Hiroshi-chan since he’s a shameful flirt! But Emiko-chan… I can’t bear the thought of letting her get hurt because of me! Ryuko probably won’t go easy on her either… Ahh, who do I cheer for!?”

[ashleyh713fanfics]

Dazai X Odasaku!Sister Ch6 and Ch7

Double Post:

Chapter 6: "Why Don't We Go On A Date?"

Chapter 7: "As Long As I Have You In My Life"

Summary: After Dazai's horrifying discovery that he is Odasaku's sister's "lifeline" and "only tie to her brother" the boy tries to give her something more permanent than a sad suicidal mistake like him.

Warning: pm! fifteen year old dazai, Dazai self destructing Odasaku death mentions, mention of torture/cruel training, manipulative behavior from both sides, underage drinking, talks of suicide. I gave Oda's sister a name but you can imagine it as y/n.

(This is chapter six and seven of my fanfic "Timeless" which is now on A03. It carries on from the three part intro I posted a couple days ago. I'll link it below to fully understand the story. Asagao's ability is to stop time for up to six seconds.)

Three Part Intro Here: (just cause the first chapter is so long)

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

A03 Version Here:

Word count: 10k total

Chapter 6:

Osamu..I think you’re a good man. 

Six little words, six little words brought his entire world to a stand still. 

The foolishness of them danced across Dazai’s brain over and over again trying to decipher anything and everything about them only to come up empty. He couldn’t comprehend them, he couldn’t form them into reality no matter how hard he tried. 

So much so, that time passed by in a millisecond, Dazai staring at absolutely nothing, not present in the world at all. 

The bustling laughter of children as they made their way to school, the soft music from the speakers of the nearby shops, the feeling of a soft breeze across his features, none of them registered inside his brain. 

The only thing that did was the weight on his back, both emotional and physical as Asagao’s form slept motionless, unaware of the malfunction she had ushered by saying those six stupid, foolish and dangerous words. 

Just then, his phone started to sound inside his pocket only for the executive to finally look down and pull the object out, the move causing Asagao’s lips to let out a disgruntled groan in the process in order to shift the back of her head further across his shoulder. 

Answering the call, Dazai then heard a very familiar voice, pissed off per usual. “Hey Dazai! Where the hell are you!? I’ve been waiting for you to start this raid for three hours! You better get your sorry ass over here right now before I kick ya into next week, you hear me?!” 

At that, the boy’s eyes couldn’t help but flash with realization. Oh yeah, that’s right. Chuuya and him were supposed to raid a rival organization's hideout today. 

You see, the thing was, that whole little plan had slipped his mind because it was so utterly unimportant to him in every possible way. 

So much so, the bandaged menace lifted an eye in amusement. “Oh yeah, I decided I’m not coming! I got more important things to do. So do your best in my place, kay?” 

Lifting the phone away from his ear, he then waited as Chuuya’s voice shouted straight through the speaker, peaking the audio from how close he was to the device. “Ha?! You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me! You can’t just ditch!! What the hell do you gotta do instead?!” 

Dazai then put a finger up to his lips before humming back teasingly. “So nosey Chuuuya, are you jealous?” 

Almost immediately, the hot headed boy replied, disgusted by the notion. “Why the fuck would I be..! 

Yet that’s when the mafioso smirked before reaching forward in order to wrap his fingers around one of Asa’s crimson strains of hair hanging by her back in order to speak suggestively. “If you must know, I’m spending my day with a beautiful woman. So now you see why I can’t be there for your little raid. I’m already gonna have my hands full with something else.” 

The way he spoke those words, it was like he was implying something. Like he had just found another whore to sleep with and break for his own pleasure. And although that wasn't the case this time, Dazai knew that Chuuya would make the incorrect connection for him. 

And a moment later, the idiot man did just that. “You sick bastard! I swear to god I’m gonna..” 

Dazai only cut him off though, satisfied with the rage he had incurred before cheerfully replying back in a devious tone. “Oops! Seems like there's a bad connection. Gotta go, Chuuya! Now go be the good dog you are and capture that organization for me! Kay, byeee!” 

Then before he could interject, the brown haired mafioso quickly hung up the phone before throwing it into the grass with a large sadistic smile.

Ah, that was better. Nothing like Chuuya’s idiot thinking to snap him back to reality. 

Glancing back towards the sleeping Asagao, Dazai then lifted his hands up in order to physically push her head off of his shoulder only for the girl to groan in irritation, still not awake yet. 

Dazai then turned his body only for Asa’s head to fall onto his lap instead, the sudden warmth causing her to snuggle deeper only for the boy to tense at the sudden contact. Did this girl have no shame? She was just cuddling up with a murderer like nothing. 

Forcing himself to relax at the contact, the man then looked at her in exasperation. Damn, this girl slept like a rock. He supposed he’d have to try something else. 

Lifting his hands up, he then slipped his fingers around the large circular frames of her glasses in order to pull them off slowly with hum. “Time to wake up, sleeping beauty. Being so defenseless around a man like me, it’s not a wise decision.” 

She didn’t respond though, causing the boy to then narrow his expression before pressing his forefinger straight in the middle of her forehead roughly and poke the surface only for her to finally flop her eyes open with a whine. “Samu..” 

What was going on? She was so warm, so comfortable. 

Hold on, why was Osamu in her dreams? 

Just then, Asa then seemed to register the situation before she blinked in realization in order to propel her head off of his lap and gasp. “Osu?!” 

Laughing at her confused state, Dazai  then turned his head towards the fumbling girl. “Good afternoon, sweetheart. Glad you could join us today.” 

Asagao was still groggy though, the events of last night not fully registering as she placed a hand to her head. “W-What? What happened? Why was I…” 

Yet Dazai was happy to cut her off, his voice coming out pained and over dramatic as he held his back with a fake little pout. “You fell asleep on me and now my back really hurts. You’re so mean, Asa-channn making me stay here like this. Owwie..It was so uncomfortable!” 

It wasn’t really, but the boy wasn’t about to tell her the real reason why he had stayed complacent the whole time.  He didn’t want her to know that he had malfunctioned beyond basic human understanding. 

That just the mere belief in him had caused the boy to unravel. 

Asa only turned her head though, not really buying his “poor me” act in the slightest. “But you stayed here this whole time? Why didn’t you wake me up?” 

Almost immediately, the girl was confused. She knew Dazai wasn’t a touchy kind of guy, so the fact that he had willingly let her sleep on his shoulder for hours wasn’t in his character. So why had he done it? Why had he allowed such a thing?

And that was the question wasn't it? Why didn’t Dazai wake up, why did such a simple yet foolish statement cause him to lose sight of reality. It was stupid, he was stupid for it. Those words didn’t even mean anything. So why was he so enamored by them all the same?

But of course, he said none of those things, his mind an impenetrable fortress as he only smiled goofily in order to cover up his own conflict. “How could I when you looked so cute?” 

Asa didn’t even blink though, seeing through his facade in an instant. “I’m being serious Osu, you didn’t have to stay here for hours. You should’ve just thrown me off. I’m sure you had something important to do today.” 

That’s what he should’ve done, both of them knew it. Dazai wasn’t the kind of man to just selflessly allow such a thing to happen. Usually he’d just leave them in the grass and abandon them all together.

But this time, for some reason that Asa couldn’t figure out, he stayed. 

Not wanting to talk about such things anymore, Dazai then glanced towards the phone a couple inches away from him before recalling Chuuya’s pissed off reaction. 

And yes, he did have something to do today but letting his partner struggle was way more fun. So maybe this wasn't so bad after all. 

Because of that, the boy simply shrugged before fixing his crumbled black jacket carelessly. “Nothing interesting, but I must thank you, love. You gave me something far more entertaining in return.” 

Not understanding Dazai then watched Asa bat her innocent little eyes and turn her head in return. “And what’s that?” 

Already feeling his lips curve into a smug sadistic smirk, he finished cheerfully. “Why, an opportunity to mess with my favorite dog!” 

In fact, Dazai could already picture the stupid dumbfounded look on Chuuya’s face when he told him that he was ditching. It was music to his ears. Now he couldn’t join the raid, not when he had already gotten such a satisfying reaction from his favorite toy.

And though Asa didn’t fully understand what he was saying, his twisted response didn’t bother her in the slightest. In fact, it was the opposite, the girl thinking he would’ve been pissed after hours of having to be her pillow. 

Brushing the dirt and grass off her skirt, Asagao then pushed her feet to stand before looking out towards the bustling sounds around her. “Well, I’m glad you’re not mad but I guess I should be heading back. I already took up way too much of your time.” 

After this annoying night, the only thing she wanted now was to crawl back in her bed before she died of embarrassment from drooling on her brother’s best friend's shoulder without knowing. In fact, she could already feel the heat emerging to her cheeks at the memory. 

Yet that’s when Dazai paused before glancing towards the girl. “That might not be the best idea, love.” 

Asagao then paused only for the mafioso to grab his phone in order to show her the message he had received just a couple minutes prior. “I had my men stake out the place and it seems like Ango is still there. If you go back now he’ll probably try to drag you back again..” 

Then all at once, she felt her face fall. Oh yeah, Ango. She had forgotten about that stuck up, straight laced, government agent. Damn it, looks like she couldn’t relax like she wanted to now that he was chasing after her again. 

Grumbling to herself, Asa then ran a hand across her face with frustration before shaking her head in exasperation. Just when would he give it a rest? “...Great...looks like I can’t go home after all..” 

She then closed her eyes, trying her best not to show her annoyance before Asa sighed in order to turn back to the bandaged boy with a wave of her hand. “Either way, thanks again, Osu. I’ll let you get back to your illegal activities now.”

Dazai then watched her start to leave, already knowing that she was going to bumble around the city in order to kill time until Ango left. The question was, would she even make it back home with her blurry offset eyesight? Now that was to be determined. 

Just then, last night's events began to play in his mind like some kind of punishment. There was her voice again, mocking him into still silence. 

Osamu..I think you’re a good man.

Just great. First Odasaku was haunting him and now his sister was doing the same. Why couldn’t he get her foolish little statement out of his head? 

It’s not like he was happy about it, it was just a delusion on her part after all. Although now that he thought about it, Asagao seemed to delude herself about everything. 

She deluded herself by hoping that life had meaning, she deluded herself into never looking at the negatives and she deluded herself into thinking her big brother resented her even though it was not true.

But the biggest mistake she seemed to make was picking Dazai to be her constant, her unmovable tangible source of Odasaku’s life. Sure, letters were one thing, they were physical, unchanging, but him? He knew that he wasn’t reliable in that sense. 

Yes, Dazai knew himself better than anyone else. He was fragile and flighty, a flicker in this pathetic life that could burn out with just a slightest blow of air. He was wavering and artificial, and the fact that she had so openly stated that he was her lifeline was something that the boy found incredibly foolish. 

Because he couldn’t give her what she desired, what she needed more than anything. 

She couldn’t ground herself with him, even if she wanted to.

Because Dazai didn’t want to live, he didn’t want to wake up tomorrow and carry on with this joke of a life. And one day he was sure he would succeed in his wish to finally disappear from this world entirely. It was inevitable, and yet Asagao still clung to his physical body simply because she had nothing else to prove Odasaku’s writings. 

And Dazai knew she would be ruined like that, that putting such desperation into an already dead man would result in a cataclysmic detonation beyond human prescription. 

Because of that, the boy felt himself move, reaching forward in order to grasp onto Asagao’s hand and pull her against his chest. “You know, since we are now both suddenly free. Why don’t we go on a date?” 

Asagao only paused though, feeling the warmth from the proximity before turning to look at him in confusion. Did she just hear that right? No, it couldn’t be. “You’re asking me on a date?

Lifting his hands up with excitement, Dazai then spoke back. “Why not! My darling girlfriend has planned two of them already. I think it’s time I do the honors this time.” 

And he thought Asa would jump for joy at that, although it seemed she only stared at him with disbelief, like she couldn’t comprehend what he was saying. “I didn’t think you’d care about that kinda thing..” 

Pouting his lips, Dazai then jumped back from the girl in question before dramatically whining back. “How mean, Asa-chan. How could you say such hurtful things to your boyfriend like that? Did you ever think I just wanna spend some extra time with my cute girl?” 

Once again though, Asa deadpanned, not buying his boy-ish act. “Not really no..”

Gasping at her blunt reply, Dazai then shoved his hand over his heart in order to hunch over like he had been shot. “Ouch. You wound me, love! I don’t know how I’ll ever recover now!”

Although that’s when Asagao simply shut her eyes before giving a heavy sigh in order to turn back to the boy with a light smile. “Osamu, I appreciate the gesture but you know you don’t have to push yourself like that for me. I’ve already bothered you enough by going past our agreement and fell asleep on your shoulder without asking. I couldn't expect more.”

At that, Dazai couldn’t help but pause. Ah, she knew he was going out of his character and pushing himself past what he would normally do. What a clever girl, picking him apart like that. He couldn’t help but admire it.  

And though she was right in a sense, it wasn’t about want or not. It was more of a need. The need to give Oda’s sister something more reliable and tangible then just a sad suicidal boy like him, something that wouldn’t fade from her fingertips without warning. 

Because of that, Dazai simply reached forward in order to hold onto both her hands, a new sparkle in his eyes. “Aww Asa-chan, you’re so sweet for worrying about me. My heart has been restored! And don’t worry about the agreement, just think of this little outing as a freebie!” 

Asagao still didn’t seem overly convinced though, the girl trying to decipher his hidden intentions silently as Dazai smugly smiled. Oh, she was working overtime to get into his head, wasn’t she? Too bad he wasn’t going to reveal this little secret. 

And just as the boy predicted. Asa was stumped. She knew he wasn’t being genuine about asking for a date, that he had some kind of plan underneath it all. Hell, the boy didn’t even care about her, that much was already established. So why all of a sudden had Dazai asked for this strange request? 

She was curious, sure, but Oda’s sister still tried to stay strong, knowing she had already burdened him way too much today. Who cares if he was trying to manipulate her right now into something, their agreement was only about the letters. Nothing else. 

And she had already broken that rule tonight. No, she couldn’t break it any further. 

Yet that’s when Dazai lowered his eyes slowly before adding nonchalantly. “Oh, and did I forget to mention we are going somewhere that has to do with Odasaku?” 

Then all at once, Asagao felt her head immediately snap back to his. Wait, he was going to take her somewhere that her brother visited? Damn it, he knew she couldn’t resist that, not when she had been searching for traces of him all throughout Yokohama. 

Dazai on the other hand was smiling like a fiend, knowing that he had her right where he wanted her. From just the look on her face he knew she was squirming with conflict right now. Just the way he liked it. 

A moment later, Asagao replied, her voice slightly desperate. “Where?”

The mafioso then darkened before pushing a mocking finger up to her lips in order to cut off her curiosity. “Ah ah ah, you gotta say the magic words first. Now, let’s try this again..” 

Pushing his fingers away, Dazai then dipped his head down in a dramatic bow in order to lift his hand out to the girl in question, already knowing she was trapped against a metaphorical wall. “What do you say, love? Will you go on a date with me?” 

And for a moment, Asagao paused, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. But the more the silence clung onto the air, the more her fingers began to fidget and twitch with the idea of finding out more about her brother. 

Then all at once, her resolve faltered before muttering under her breath with embarrassment. “As long as you don’t mind..” 

Yet Dazai only shook his head at the weak attempt, wiggling his fingers in front of her before humming back in dissatisfaction. “I need a yes, love.” 

And then he waited, he waited for the submission that was a guarantee. Yes, Asagao was clever, she read him a million different ways but it seemed he still knew how to get what he wanted. And this time, he would win their little game. 

Taking a heavy breath, Asagao then closed her eyes before lifting her hand out to the devious man in question, already knowing she had lost this round. “Yes, Osamu. I’ll go on a date with you...” 

Although before her fingers could make contact with her hand, Dazai immediately closed the distance before grasping onto her hand with an excited cheer. “Yay! Now that wasn’t so hard, was it? Come on, let’s go!” 

He then shifted his fingers down to her wrist before turning around in order to drag the poor girl down an uncertain path as Dazai beamed happily, pulling his tamed little puppy along the way. 

And with that, he marked another tally in victory. 

Dazai Osamu: 2  Oda Asagao: 1

----

Chapter 7:

Throughout her blurry uncertain vision, Asagao felt her body pulled towards the unknown as she focused on the solid black mass that had consumed her whole world. And whether he realized it or not, the girl slowly felt the outside murmurs and voice disappear into her own mind. 

Because nothing else but him mattered to her.

Osamu seemed to have that effect on her every time she saw them, Asa always desperate to soak in everything about the oblivious boy regardless of the barriers in front of her eyes. His words, his actions, the way he held himself, the cadence in which he spoke, she categorized it all. 

Which was why his decision to take her on this date was so odd. 

Because as far as she knew, Osu wasn’t that kind of man. He was a cruel, manipulative, mafia executive that only did things out of pure entertainment or for some kind of tactical advantage. 

Yes, her brother was different but Asagao knew that the blood in her veins didn’t fully protect her from Dazai’s real character. 

Which was fine. She didn’t care that he was incapable of emotion and kindness. That’s not why she was here in the first place. She wasn’t that simple minded, and the last thing she wanted him to do was force himself out of that box and make him uncomfortable. 

But it seemed that today he wouldn’t take no for an answer which meant that he either had some other intention with their date or he was pushing himself to do something strange for the sake of Oda. 

Sighing to herself, Asagao then paused as her body collided with the mafia executive, not realizing the man had stopped completely. Oh, were they here already? She didn’t recognize this part of town. 

Yet that's when she felt his fingers reach forward in order to snatch the large circular frames from her face, eradicating her safety net as Asa’s eyes widened in fear. What was he doing? She didn’t want to see the world right now. “O-Osam..”

Although before she could protest, Dazai replaced the object with his hands, pushing her back against his chest in order to darken her surroundings before she could have time to process them. 

Then she heard his voice, sharp against her ear. “You’ll want to fully see this, love.” 

Fully see it? No, that was impossible. She didn’t want to see anything, she didn’t want to decipher anything fully. Then she would see the darkness, she would see the cracks in the perfect facade that life displayed. 

Dazai seemed to sense her distress though, his tone teasing as his fingers pressed deeper across her eyes to show her that they weren’t going anywhere. “What’s wrong, don’t trust your boyfriend? Afraid I’m going to hurt you while you’re defenseless like this?”

He was trying to scare her, to intimate her per usual. But if he thought that she was going to crumble between his fingers then he was sorely mistaken. “You know that’s not why..it’s just..my eyes..” 

Asa then heard him laugh in pure amusement before his bandaged arm brushed against hers in order to lift the surface and place it on an unknown doorknob in front of them. “Don’t worry, darling. I got you.” 

Did that mean he was going to keep her eyes covered for her until they got to where he wanted her to see? But what if he slipped up, what if he let go accidentally or for some kind of joke? What he was asking for required a lot of trust, trust from a boy that thrived on sadistic games. 

But even so, Asa complied, her fingers turning open the door as Dazai urged her forward in order for her breath to lodge inside her throat with each step. She had nothing to guide her, nothing but his body to rely on. 

Just then, his fingers found her wrist before lifting them up in order for her to register a railing as the mafioso hummed back into her ear. “Count the steps, love. There are twenty of them.” 

And so she did, the girl gripping around the railing for dear life as she counted each invisible step in her mind, careful not to trip as her back brushed against Dazai’s body in order to ground herself. 

Finally reaching the bottom, Asagao then sighed in relief only to hear him speak once again, the sound causing shivers to run down her spine. “Good girl, here’s your reward.” 

Yet that’s when she felt the safety of his fingers start to disappear from her eyes, causing Asa to gap in horror. Wait, what was he doing? He hadn’t given her glasses back. Was he serious about her seeing this place with her eyes? No, that was too scary. 

Blinding lights then filled her vision, causing the girl to squint before she couldn’t help but freeze at the very sight before her. And in a millisecond, she seemed to forget her own rule about viewing things from a blurry lens. 

Because staring back at her was a small cozy little bar, the atmosphere warm and secluded with rows of stools and the smell of liquor wafting through the air. 

Wait, she had seen this place before. 

Aggressively shoving her hands into her pockets, Asagao then pulled out the picture that Dazai had shown her last night before her eyes couldn’t help but widen with realization in order to lift the photo in front of the place slightly. 

Her assumption was right, it was a perfect match. 

Feeling any response fall silent in her throat, Oda’s sister whispered. “Is this…” 

Dazai finished for her, his hands in his pockets as he looked at the place in nostalgic sadness. “Bar Lupin, where the picture was taken.”

And almost immediately, Asagao felt her throat fill with emotion in order for her vision to blur with tears only for her to immediately blink them away. 

No, she didn’t want to only see the blurry picture of this place. She needed it to be real, to soak in every nook and cranny into it was permanently etched in her mind. 

Now she knew what Dazai had meant by saying she would have wanted to fully see this place without the barriers of her glasses. He was right, he was so incredibly right. This feeling, these physical floorboards under her feet. They felt so real. 

Her big brother had stood in this same exact spot, he had breathed in the same air and had seen the same view. 

Sure, she had been living in his old apartment for some time but Asagao had no proof that he had ever inhabited the place. 

But with the photograph between her fingers, Asagao knew that her mind wasn’t playing tricks on her. Oda was here, and now so was she. The idea was so simplistic and yet it brought her so much joy, her hands unable to stop the shake and smile towards the empty bar. 

Then she turned to the supposedly heartless mafioso before speaking through her tears. “Osamu, this is..thank you..I’m so happy..” 

So this is what he was trying to show her? He must have gotten the idea after hearing her outburst to Ango about not having anything but Osamu to cling to. How sweet, he knew she needed this more than anything. 

He always tried to act so scary but he really was like this, huh?

Dazai on the other hand stared at the empty place in silence as a mix of grief and familiar comfort coursed through him all at once. He had promised himself that he wouldn’t come back after Odasaku's death, and yet here he was all the same. 

The memories, the feelings were all so suffocating, he wished he never felt them in the first place. But this was the only place that Dazai knew Odasaku in, this was the only place that he could give Asagao. Because of that, he had gone against his own wishes. 

At least this place wouldn’t fade like himself, and that was enough for Dazai. 

That’s right, now when Dazai finally succeeded to die, when he left this world he knew that she could wallow her sorrows here, she could find her big brother in these walls. 

Now the boy wasn’t the only physical tie to Odasaku she had. 

Yeah, now he could die with peace again without the guilt of destroying the last piece of his best friend that resided in this shitty little life. Did that make him a good person? He wasn’t sure but this was something he felt like he had to do. 

For Odasaku, and for his precious little sister that the man had left in his fingers. 

Closing his eyes, Dazai then tried to wash away the feeling before settling into his usual seat by the bar in order to wave over the girl in question. “Let’s have a drink, love.” 

He then watched as she complied immediately, slipping into the stool beside him only for an unpleasant deja vu to fill his throat. Without her glasses she looked even more like Odasaku, especially from this angle. 

The bartender turned to him immediately, his tone plain. “What will it be, Dazai?” 

Tapping his fingers onto the top of the table, the mafioso already knew the answer. “Whiskey.” 

Then the boy turned his gaze towards Oda’s sister only to rest his head on the palm of his hand with a slight tease. “Well, what about you, darling? Don’t worry, they have apple juice.” 

He didn’t expect her to actually drink alcohol of course. She was just a fifteen year old girl, hardly old enough for liquor.

And hey, so was he but being in the mafia gave him a free pass. Besides, considering his other crimes, underage drinking was pretty low on the list of immoral behavior. 

Yet that’s when Asa pushed her lips together cutely before pushing her hand up in order to shield her hollow eyes and reply to the bartender. “Make that a double, please..” 

At that, Dazai couldn’t help but raise an eye, not expecting her response.“Ooooh, I’m impressed. But your brother would’ve had a heart attack hearing that.”

And he really would have. In fact, Dazai knew Odasaku would’ve definitely shut down Asagao's request for alcohol. Unlucky for her though, the boy wasn’t that considerate about laws and such. 

What could he say? Ango was right, he was a bad influence. 

Two amber colored drinks then slid into view as Asagao lightly traced her finger around the rim with a hum. “Would he? Then he better not find out that I started years ago.” 

Years ago, huh? Perhaps Asagao wasn’t as good of a girl as he once thought. “How scandalous, Asa-chan. Should I tell Ango about that?” 

At that, he watched her scrunch her nose up in disgust. “And what about you, Osu? You’re the same age as me.” 

Dazai only hummed though, knowing it wasn’t the same. “I’m also a criminal, love.” 

Asagao was silent, like she was processing the words before she threw the entire drink into the back of her throat before whispering bitterly. “Yeah well, so was I.” 

The words were so small and yet Dazai heard every symbol before curiosity and intrigue couldn’t help but take up his entire throat. Now why did she have to say something like that? Now he wanted to pry into her mind and pull out an answer. 

And there were many ways to do it, but none of them were savory in any way. You see, Dazai was skilled in manipulation and exploitation. He could seduce and coax even the strongest willed people. 

So trying to make Asagao talk about her life was as simple as blinking for him. 

It didn't matter if she seemed bothered when Ango brought it up last night. He’d get her to talk about it one way or another. 

Lifting his hand up excitedly, Dazai than beamed towards the bartender before waving. “Two more!” 

And as two more sets of liquor appeared in his vision, the boy simply slid them over to Asa with a fake innocence and a smile. “Go ahead, Asa-chan. And don’t worry about the price, it’s on me.”

He then watched Asagao look down at the new glass before picking up the object between her fingers.

And for a moment, Dazai thought he had succeeded in his bribe.

Although that’s when the girl simply closed her eyes before speaking into the glass plainly. “You know, Osamu. You don’t have to get me drunk. I’ll answer any question you want.” 

At that, Dazai felt himself pause before his smile dropped all at once in order for him to change into his true cruel nature. 

Ah, he should’ve figured it wasn’t gonna be that easy to coax her into his plans. He still wasn’t used to that, having someone that could read him almost instantly like a book. 

Although that’s when he truly processed her words. Wait, did she just say that he could’ve just asked her about her life? Interesting, Dazai had never had that before. Usually they shut him down and he had to resort to dirty tactics. 

How refreshing and yet utterly stupid on her part to open up to a man like him 

Parting his lips to reply, he then watched as Asagao quickly downed the two drinks he had given her anyways, causing his eyes to flash with confusion. 

Hold on, she had already figured out his plans to get her drunk and yet she was still going along with that anyways? What a strange girl. He thought she’d just push the glasses away. 

And with no answer to his intrigues, Dazai couldn’t help but speak back. “Then why are you still accepting it?” 

Pushing the glasses down from her lips, he then watched as Asagao paused before answering with a small smile. “Cause if you think I should be drunk for this conversion then I figured I should take you up on that offer.” 

She still wasn’t looking at him though, and Dazai concluded it was because she still felt uncomfortable because he hadn’t given her glasses back yet. It’s not like he minded though. She was really cute when she hid her face like that, all shy and meek. 

So instead, the boy didn’t speak about it, watching her call for another round of drinks before Dazai started his interrogation now that there was a rosy pink color to her cheeks. “Ango called you a hellhound. ” 

Almost immediately, Asa laughed under her breath before swirling the drink between her fingers. “Ah, so that’s what it is. You were right to order those drinks.” 

Dazai then watched as the girl threw back another shot before speaking distantly, like she was wrapping herself in some sort of memory. “The Hellhounds are an elite level of assassins, brought up from birth to be the perfect tools to those that hold their leash. Oda and I were orphans that were brought up into the same faction but because of my different way I saw the world,I was chosen as a candidate to be a hellhound.” 

Smiling bitterly, Asa then lifted a finger up to her throat before ghosting across the skin. “By age five I knew how to run a knife across someone's throat and put a bullet in their brain without them knowing. My ability allowed quick, precise and clean kills. You could say I was a bit of a prodigy, just like you are.” 

She then pushed, her face falling with unpleasant memories. “But the training..was intense...”

And as Dazai listened to her explanation things started to make sense. He didn’t know much about Odasaku before he joined the port mafia. He knew he was a freelance assassin but that’s about it. It made sense that he got those skills from somewhere. 

But try as he may, he couldn’t see sweet little Asagao as a bloodthirsty prodigy like he was. Sure, she had fought him before but the girl never seemed to intend to kill. 

Unless she was holding back on him this entire time.

 Ah, what a sneaky little princess. So hypocritical to tease him about playing around with her when she was clearly doing the same thing. She threw that gun away on purpose and limited her ability use during their fight to make it seem like he had the advantage. 

Now he wanted to fight her for real to see just how scary she could really be. 

Turning his head in curiosity, Dazai then pointed his finger towards her distant expression. “Is that how those pretty little eyes of yours became so hollow and empty?” 

He then watched as she clutched the empty glass between her fingers before the mafioso silently slid the rest of his drink over to her only for Asa to accept it gratefully. 

Damn, the answer to that question must’ve really been traumatic given that she needed more alcohol in response. 

And though most men would’ve changed the subject, Dazai only let her compose herself, silently watching as she closed her eyes before replying. “They made me see the darkest part of the world, they waterboarded me, disoriented me and then forced me to analyze every single depravity that the human mind could conjure up. It wasn’t for the weak of heart and… it broke something in me permanently...” 

Then before she could process it, memories and past feelings couldn’t help but creep up her spine. They were blurry and out of order but Asa got enough to know that her time as a hellhound wasn’t the most pleasant. 

Even now, she could feel the sharp cold chill of the icy tub as her ears drowned out any semblance of noise only to be assaulted with fingers on her face in order to scream at her to analyze the situation before her. She felt the blinding feeling of pepper spray in her eyes and blows to her head as she tried to answer the prompts that her captives had given her. 

She even felt the lingering sensation of cloth around her eyes as they plunged her into pitch black darkness for months on end only to blind her with bright lights and disorient her further. 

Her spine then began to shiver before forcing her eyes back open in order to blankly stare at the amber colored liquid in front of her. “I can’t turn it off anymore, I can’t help but see every fucked up corner of people’s intentions. My eyes catch every spec of darkness, every disappointment. So much so that it hurt to see, still does. I hate it, this thing they made me into..”

And that was the thing she hated more than anything. It wasn’t that those people had molded her into a robotic mold of their perception. It wasn’t that they essentially tortured her into their own design. 

It was the fact that she was now permanently damaged, doomed to live the rest of her life in a sacred manner. She couldn’t look at the world anymore without seeing the bad. She couldn’t escape the sharp headaches and nauseous feelings in her chest just by wishing she was any semblance of normal. 

Some days she even thought about ripping her own eyes out of her sockets, to perfectly gouge them out and blind herself so that she didn’t have to perceive anything ever again. 

Forcing herself to carry on, Asagao finished robotically. “But one day my body couldn’t keep up. They left me to die because I was no longer sufficient and Oda found me. Then he faked my death, hid me away, gave me my glasses so I didn’t have to see anymore and became an assassin in my place.” 

At that, Dazai felt his fingers slip into his pockets before feeling the metal of her glasses in order to pull out the object and place them on the table. 

He had taken them for her benefit but now that the boy knew the full story of such insignificant objects, it didn’t seem right to withhold them anymore from her. 

Sure, Asa had vaguely told him about the reasons for her glasses but now that the details were all laid out, Dazai couldn’t help but look at her with a new light. 

These lenses weren’t just a preference, they were a necessity to her. 

She needed them just like Dazai needed his bandages, and that was something the fifteen year old boy could understand quite well.

 It seemed like they had more in common than he originally thought. 

The girl accepted the glasses immediately, her fingers wrapping around the objects before placing the safe guard around her eyes before smiling softly in return. “And now, I’m free, my big brother gave me freedom.”

Freedom? The term was incomprehensible for the young boy. What did that feel like, to be free? To not be tied down by the darkness of the past? He didn’t know. 

Just then, Dazai’s mind filled with that same twisted mindset he had come to know. What a stupid girl, she was talking about freedom when she was sitting next to one of the most dangerous men in Yokohama. 

She had just dangled her skills and past resume in front of his face so carelessly.

Swirling his finger around the rim of his drink, the mafioso threatened back. “Shouldn’t you be a little more cautious about telling me all of this so easily? I am the demon prodigy after all. I could force you back into that life..”

And he could. If he really wanted to, Dazai knew he could pull her into the port mafia and use her talents for his own selfish desires. She had to have known that. 

But then why was she just spilling such dangerous secrets so easily? 

Asagao only hummed though, his threat leaving her unshaken. “Hypothetically yes, and I’m sure you’ve thought about it at least once or twice. I’m a tempting offer after all. Any executive would jump at the chance to use me..”

Then he watched as Asa narrowed her eyes for a moment before adding lightly. “But unlike what Ango believes, I know you won’t actually do it.”

Wouldn’t actually do it? Now that was a bold statement. He wondered what proof she had for that. “And why is that, love?” 

Although that’s when Oda’s sister turned her body towards him for the first time since their conversation in order to speak with a victorious tease. “Cause it’s not what Oda would’ve wanted.” 

At that, Dazai felt his lips curve into a bitter smile. Ah, she was right. She knew that Odasaku’s blood in her veins was keeping her safe. It was almost like she was rubbing that little detail in his face. Low blow.

For as dark and twisted as his mind was, Dazai knew that Odasaku had spent years trying to keep his little sister safe. Sure, having her in the port mafia would be a great benefit, but it would also ruin everything his best friend had ever worked for. 

And that was something Dazai couldn’t do, no matter how evil he claimed to be. 

Feeling himself laugh under his breath at her correct assumption, the boy then turned his head, playing devil's advocate just for the hell of it. “And let’s just say I didn’t care about that. What would you do then?”

Asagao then paused, thinking about his question before answering back with confidence. “Then I would let you drag me into the port mafia. But the only orders that I'd ever answer and respect would be yours.”

Dazai was certainly taken back by that. Was she serious? He knew her dedication to him was rather irrational but would she seriously put herself back in the darkness for his sake? Would she really disobey her big brother's last request that easily? 

Trying out to laugh off her foolish joke, the boy pushed his hand under his chin before teasing sensually. “I’m flattered, love. So you would be my loyal subordinate then?” 

But there was no hesitation or humor in her response. Only straight laced honesty. “Yeah, cause I need you by my side in order to see my big brother. Subordinate, girlfriend, they are just titles. An excuse, a way to keep each other around. In the end it doesn't matter what I’m called as long as I have you in my life.” 

And try as he may, Dazai couldn’t help the bitter, unpleasant taste that built up in his throat. No, she wasn’t serious. There was no way. Her admiration, her desperation to find her brother, would she really have gone that far just for Oda’s sake? 

He hated it, he hated the very little self respect she displayed, knowing that Odasaku would’ve also been horrified by what she was saying. She didn’t need Dazai in her life. Hell, her life would’ve been so much better without even knowing him. 

And he knew that their titles of boyfriend and girlfriend were a sham but he never thought it would go this deep, that she would so desperately grab onto whatever excuse she could find in order to connect the two of them together. 

Because of that, Dazai felt his mind run wild with possibilities.

In another reality, if that actually happened, if he had dragged Asagao back then did that also mean that Oda’s sister would’ve killed for him? Would she have snapped back to her old ways just in order to please him, to give him a reason to keep her around? 

Didn’t she know how dangerous that was? 

How could she possibly give a demon like him that much power to abuse?

Stretching her arms up in the air, Asagao then gave a goofy smile before beaming towards the boy all at once. “Like I said, it doesn’t matter what we call ourselves. In any universe or reality it would still be the same. You’re not getting rid of me anytime soon, Osu!” 

She said that so proudly, so confidently that Dazai couldn’t help but allow his eyes to fall back on his drink. How could she be so passionate about him? He was a mess in every possible way. No one wanted to hang around him, and for good reason. 

Their lives were so similar, both filled with horrors and brutal truths, and yet Asagao always wore a smile while he drowned in the pointlessness of it all. How could she do it? How could she feel so free when he was still chained by his own mind even today. 

Because of that, Dazai felt his own tipsy lips move without permission, whispering into his glass with a sadness he rarely let free. “After seeing all that evil, how can you not want to die like me?” 

And then he waited for her response, his shoulders tense and anxious from the sudden spilled murmur before Asagao lifted her head up in silent thought. “Mmm I don’t know. By all aspects that should be the case, right? But I’ve never felt that way, not once..” 

Then her lips formed a lighthearted smile in return. “I guess it’s because I’m waiting for life to pleasantly surprise me. Just like you do, Samu.” 

At that, Dazai lifted his head up in confusion. “How have I surprised you?”

Pushing her hands across the bar in explanation, Asa then replied lightly. “Well, you showed me this place to make me feel better, right? Even though I’m sure it brought back unpleasant memories, you still took me here for my sake..”

And Asagao knew that Dazai could act all he wanted but he had shown his true colors tonight. Sure, he may have used an underhanded tactic to bring her here but he had knowingly done the one thing she needed more than anything else. 

Dazai though, didn’t feel the same way, knowing this date wasn’t as pure as she was making it out to be. The only reason he brought her here was to shift her devotion and admiration to something else, something more permanent than a dead man walking.

Pushing his hand up to his lips, the boy frowned under the skin. “Did it ever cross your mind that my reasons were selfish?”

And for a moment he thought she’d be disappointed, that she’d yell at him or cry once she realized the fabrication he had set up to make himself feel better. 

Although that's when he watched the girl turn to him, her hand to her heart in absolute passion. “So what? Selfish and selfless, those are just small details. The results are the same. Doesn’t change the fact that you gave me such a precious gift..”

Lifting her hand to rest against her head, Asagao then gave the stunned boy a toothy smile of glee before adding wistfully. “But then again, nothing could ever be as precious as you, Dazai Osamu.” 

And with those words, Dazai’s eyes widened in order to find himself slipping back into the very same malfunction that had plagued him just a couple hours ago. 

Precious? 

Him? There was no way. He was just a pathetically depressed kid. He wasn’t anyone, especially anyone precious. She was the precious one, she was Odasaku’s beloved sister and he was..well..he was nothing of value..

So much so, the boy tried to wipe the compliment away, not knowing how to take it. “You’re drunk, love.” 

He then watched as Asagao’s lips turned into an adorable little pout in order to whine back to him through her rosy pink cheeks. “Whaaa, am not! I was being serious! I really do think you’re precious to me, even if you don’t feel the same. And anyways, It takes a lot more than..one..two..three..a bit of booze to knock me down!” 

Dazai then watched as the red haired girl looked down at her fingers before failing to count the number of drinks she had ingested only for the boy to snicker under his breath. 

Oh yeah, she was definitely drunk. 

So much so, the boy lifted his hand up before patting the top of her head like a little puppy in order to break her concentration. “Careful, sweetheart. You’re gonna burst a blood vessel if you think that hard.” 

Seemingly jumping back to life, Asa then lifted her finger in the air. “The point is..!” 

Her eyes then began to daze in order to slowly drop her head with confusion. “What was the point again..” 

Yet before Dazai could answer, Asagao was back at it, her expression changing back to one of passion in order to lean closer on her stool. “Oh yeah! The point is, why would I wanna die when there are still so many opportunities for the world to be beautiful? I don’t wanna miss one by giving up so soon..” 

Leaning even closer, the girl then gasped as she slid out of the stool completely only for Dazai’s strong bandaged arms to catch her before she hit the ground. 

Asagao didn’t seem to care though, her eyes showing through her glasses in order to lift her finger up and boop his nose with a slight giggle. “And neither should you, love”

Then the girl seemed to gasp in excitement before completely slipping out of his arms in order to turn to the small radio next to the counter. “Ah! I love this song! Turn it up Mr. Bartender!”

Skipping over to the open area, Asagao then began to bounce and dance to the song in child-ish glee only for Dazai’s eyes to travel down to the hands that once held her before balling his fists with a bitter chuckle. 

What was she saying? He shouldn’t give up on life? Foolish girl, he gave up a long time ago. It was too late for those kinds of words. She should’ve known that. 

How dare she put such pointless and toxic thoughts inside his head like that. 

Lifting his head to look up at the carefree girl, the mafioso then watched in stunned silence as she twirled and giggled across the bar without a care in the world. 

She looked so free like this, so unchained and open. He wondered how it felt, to radiate such genuine happiness and to be unequivocally herself. Because Dazai had never felt happy, not in that kind of way. 

He used happiness as a tool, as a mask to further his manipulation. He knew the concept, sure, but actually conceptualizing such a thing? He had realized from a young age that it was impossible for someone as broken like him. 

But Oda’s sister, she seemed to radiate the emotion with her entire soul, she knew the wonder and mystery of it. And Dazai couldn’t help but be jealous of such a fact, knowing he would never experience such a human emotion to the level that she was. 

That’s when his eyes couldn’t help but flash with painstaking realization. 

Oh, he had it wrong this entire time, didn’t he? Dazai had connected the similarities between their backstories, their intelligence, their manipulation and their necessity for his bandages and her glasses. 

But looking at her now, the boy knew they weren’t anything alike. 

In many ways Asagao was like a sun, her light always exuding positivity and hope with every response. She was unreachable, a fragile yet strong flower that was just barely out of reach in every possible way. 

And Dazai, well he was a black hole, unable to find anything of value but the darkness that always consumed every part of his twisted fucked up soul. And while she was unreachable, he was a ghost, flickering in and out of this life, unable to touch anything or anyone. 

They shared so many similarities and yet Asagao still saw the good, she saw the very best the world could offer while Dazai couldn’t even find one beneficial thing around him. 

He almost wished that they didn’t weren’t so alike, simply because then the boy could excuse their lives as plain nativity on her part. 

That’s what he thought all that positive bullshit came from in the first place, thinking that she was just a spoiled and sheltered girl that Odasaku had protected. 

But she wasn’t, she had seen just as much evil and pain as Dazai had. And yet, her responses were so vastly different. She had managed to keep her humanity while the boy had descended into a full blown monster. 

And Dazai would be lying to say he wasn’t both incredibly jealous and yet so genuinely intrigued by her in every way. 

No, that wasn’t the right word. 

He was enamored, he admired her resolve more than anything else. What a beautiful, enthralling sight. It was intoxicating, and enchanting in every way, seeing how she defied the corruption of the universe. 

Although that’s when the bartender interrupted his thoughts, his eyes also gazed towards Asagao in question. “Dazai, who is that woman?” 

Shifting his body to rest his back against the bar, Dazai then smiled to himself before answering honestly. “She’s Odasaku’s sister.” 

The bartender then felt himself freeze before looking at the girl in a whole new light. “I can see it.” 

Lowering his eyes in admiration, Dazai then felt his lips curve a bit wider. Ah, she’d be so happy to hear that. “Me too.” 

And he really did, he saw Odasaku in her so clearly, especially now. It was in her carefree attitude, it was in the sense of unbothered calm she always had when she was around him. If only Asa realized just how much she brought her big brother to life by just merely existing.

Lifting his head to the sky, the boy then closed his eyes in order to speak to his old friend. Oh Odasaku, why did you give me to your sister like this? Don’t you see I’m no good for her? Did you really trust me not to corrupt her?

Yet that’s when he heard another voice enter his mind only to watch a drunken man try to make his way up to Asa only for Dazai to darken his eyes in order to quickly jump off his stool and lift an arm out to the girl in question. 

Asa then felt his bandaged arms wrapped around her waist a second later, pulling her into his chest only for the girl to look up in her drunken daze. “S-Samu?” 

She was then met with his endless brown gaze, staring at her in order to slip his hand into hers with a light chuckle. “Can’t leave my girl hanging, now can I?” 

Feeling his head tilt towards the unwelcome presence, Dazai then pushed her body closer to him before glaring wordless in silent threat for the depravity that lay behind the drunken man's eyes. 

The stranger then stumbled away in order for the mafioso to hum in acceptance before his hands traveled to his “girlfriend’s” hips as she hummed to the music. “Didn’t think the great executive liked to dance.” 

Smiling under his breath, Dazai lowered his head, meeting her eyes. “What can I say, you’ve inspired me.” 

Yet that's when Asagao’s lips turned into a frown before turning away from his gaze with a mutter. “What am I gonna do, Osu? I can’t go home..Ango is gonna say annoying things again..” 

At the mention of Ango, Dazai felt his throat tick with unpleasant memories. Ah, that’s right. Ango was still staking out her place, hoping she’d come back. Well, it wasn’t like she could show up drunk either, then he’d really have a conniption. 

But it also wasn’t as if he could let the clumsy glasses-wearing girl out free in Yokohama. She couldn’t even find where she was going sober, which meant she definitely wasn’t going to be okay like this. 

Which only left one option left. 

Asagao then felt his lips brush against her ear before she heard Dazai’s next words, the meaning causing her entire body to shiver and her eyes to widen all at once. 

“If you really have nowhere to go then how about you come to my place, sweetheart?” 

[tsukikoayanosuke]

Captain Talks About Some Writing Things -  TWST Otome Game vs the Visual Novel Gameplay

Currently, in the fandom, I’ve seen some discussion about TWST otome game. It’s more of an imagining of what if Twisted-Wonderland is an otome game or dating sims instead of our current battle/rhythm game. While I have my opinion, there are already great posts of conversations with anons and other users from @pianostarinwonderland​ and @raven-at-the-writing-desk​​ about the matter, mostly surrounding the story and characters. 

So what am I doing here? As I said, I have my opinion, but not about the story and characters (but I’ll probably be touching about it in between). In this post, we’ll be looking through the lens of gameplay, as in the technical parts. Once upon a time, I want to go to the gaming department so the coding and system are always interesting. I made short games before, mostly for college assignments, so I might have little knowledge because most of what I learned is self-taught. Thus, I apologize for any misconception.

In addition, I’ll be comparing TWST to two visual novels, one of them can be count as an otome game. The first one is Asagao Academy: Normal Boots Club, an otome game based on Normal Boots. The reason why I chose this game is that I already had and played it at least for one route, so there’s a familiarity. The second one is Rewrite, a visual novel where there’s a war between humans and the nature-supernatural. Why I chose this because this is also a fantasy/supernatural genre similar to TWST. There won’t be many spoilers for the two games just in case any of you want to play them. However, I do apologize if I ended up making this more about visual novel than otome game because I’m more familiar with the former.

Despite everything I said, I’m not here to bash or offend anyone who wants TWST to be an otome game. You can imagine anything you want, even make your own TWST otome game. I mean, seeing these handsome boys, how can we not fall for them? (I mean, I don’t, but that’s another story) I’m here to open a new discussion on the table. Or you can use this as a future reference for your dating sims fangame.

So, without further ado, let’s discuss.

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What is an “Otome Game”? What is a “Visual Novel”?

Before we can go far, we need to know about the definitions of otome game and visual novel. According to Wikipedia, A visual novel, often abbreviated as VN, is a form of digital semi-interactive fiction. They combine a textual narrative with static or animated illustrations and a varying degree of interactivity. You can say that a visual novel is a fancy choose-your-own-adventure-type game because it’ll lead you to various routes depending on your choices. It’s like reading a book, but you can be picky about the pages you want to read. Examples of visual novels are the various works of Key (Clannad, Kanon, Air, Little Busters!, etc), the Ace Attorney series, the Danganronpa series, Steins;Gate and Chaos;Head, and the Fate series.

There are also differences between visual novels: kinetic novel and sound novel. The first one is kinetic novel. Kinetic novel is a visual novel without those branching plotlines. Some examples are Hatoful Boyfriend and Planetarian: The Reverie of a Little Planet. Meanwhile sound novel is a visual novel that has a heavy emphasis on its sound and music. An example is the Higurashi series. A bonus, in my opinion, if we follow these definitions, then Twisted-Wonderland can be counted as a kinetic novel.

Otome game is a sub-genre of a visual novel. An otome game is a story-based video game that is targeted toward women. Generally one of the goals, besides the main idea/goal, is to develop a romantic relationship between the female player/main character and one of the second-lead male characters. Examples of these are Alice in the Country of Hearts, Diabolik Lovers, Amnesia, Uta no Prince-sama, and Mystic Messenger. The opposite of it, the bishōjo game, is a type of video game centered on interactions with attractive girls. Many visual novels are actually categorized under this, especially with the romantic elements. Both otome and bishōjo games can be categorized under the dating sims banner, which is a video game subgenre of simulation games with romantic elements.

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The Common Gameplay Elements of Visual Novel and Otome Game

Now, when we’re talking about otome games, or visual novels in general, what is your first thought? Usually, it would be the romantic interests, our wonderful bachelorettes and bachelors. Or maybe we’re thinking about the story, of fairy tale romance, psychological horror, or just simple high school drama. While, yes, both of them are important, very important if I may say, but that’s not what makes a visual novel and otome game... well, a visual novel and otome game. It’s a certain breed of itself.

The Minimal Gameplay and Storybook-like Visual

One thing that separates visual novel and otome games from their peers from the get-go is how it visually looks and the gameplay. Unlike RPG, visual novel and otome game has very minimal gameplay, focusing more on reading the narrative. You can say this is an interactive storybook. This might be the biggest turn-off for many players, because, you know, who likes reading?

But with its minimal gameplay, comes the advantages. The stories of a visual novel and otome game are usually character-driven. While some have a straight plot, they usually are one moment where you get to spend bonding with one of the characters or love interests. Another advantage is that the developers can give more unique minigames or unusual point systems in the game. Some examples are the class trial in Danganronpa series or the baseball minigame in Little Busters!. However, the focus is always on the reading aspect. If there’s a special scene, usually they will be given a CG/picture, or maybe even an animation/cutscene.

Both Asagao Academy and Rewrite have this classic storybook-like format, just like many others. The layout might be different with a little extra spice here and there, but it’s essentially the same thing. In addition, Rewrite has a short goggle-map-like minigame while Asagao Academy doesn't have any.

Common Route & Character Route

Now, starting from here, this is the main discussion for me. Relating to the character-driven story aspect, visual novel and otome game, in terms of story part, can be separated into two: common route and character route. Now, I’ll be honest, I don’t know what the official names are, but for now, I’ll be calling them like that.

Common route is the introduction part of the game. In this part of the game, you’re introduced to the world, your MC, and your cute girls/boys who you will be spending the rest of the game with. The story is usually more simple than the character route because it’s natural for the player to settle down in this new environment. Throughout this part, you will be served with various options that will determine the progress of the story and future route. There might be some hints of drama that you’ll dive into more in the next part. The common route ends at a certain point when it’ll take you to the character you’ve chosen. Some games let you choose the girl/boy, some games just straight up take you after tallying all the points you’ve earned through the choices you picked. 

In Asagao Academy, throughout your common route, you’ll meet various Normal Boots boys and you learn about the game tournament. The MC, Hana, has a skill in puzzle games, so after many interactions, the boys agree to accept her as a permanent member of the club if they win the tournament. While that’s the end game, the common route ends with the flower festival, where Hana can choose one of the Normal Boots boys to go with. This also serves as your gateway to your character route. There will be different scenes and interactions depending on which boy you choose.

In Rewrite, it’s more complex. The MC, Kotarou, has been experiencing supernatural stuff, so he goes to the ‘School Witch’, who is actually his senior. Because he wants to find new friends, he joins the Occult Club that is lead by said senior and starts writing articles about the supernatural. The common route ends when a girl from the newspaper club goes missing in the forest where the Occult Club went a few days ago. When they go to investigate on their own on the 13th of November, they get attacked by creatures and find out that there’s a war between two organizations for the fate of the earth. This is the gateway to Kotori Kanbe, Akane Senri, and Chihaya Ohtori character route. However, you can skip everything and get an entirely different common route. The common route reaching Lucia Konohana route focuses on the arguments between Chihaya and Lucia over a misunderstanding of why Lucia wears gloves and is such a neat freak. This common route ends on the 27th of October. There’s even a way to get extra scenes while still following the main common route. The common route reaching to Sizuru Nakatsu route has some extra scenes surrounding Sizuru and everything surrounding her, including a scene of Kotarou and Sizuru visiting her parents who don’t remember her. After that, you follow the main common route again and get extra scenes on the 13th of November rather than fainting like the other routes (except Lucia).

Character route is the next part. In this part of the game, you spend most of your time with your chosen girl/boy. There will be drama, there might be character growth and development. You learn more about the characters, their struggles, and their feelings toward you. Each character has their own story and struggles, and you’ll be there to support your beloved. There might be choices appearing through the arc if there are multiple endings (as in good end, neutral end, and bad end) but there are some that only have one end. Usually, the game ends with either of the characters confessing their love for each other or they already confessed their love in the middle of the route. Unfortunately, I can’t explain all the routes one by one for I haven’t read and played both games fully.

Post-Main Game Prize

While it’s nice to end the game with your first pick route, usually the player wants to see other routes. And what happened after everything is done? This is where the post-game content appears. This is your price after completing everything, whether you open a brand new ending or a new route, it’ll depend on the developer.

Asagao Academy actually has several surprises. It has two extra routes outside the main Normal Boots boys. This can be accessed even before you finish the game. And after you completed both and everything else (with all worst, bad, good, and best endings), you’ll get an extra ending which is a continuation of Jirad route.

Rewrite goes the extra mile and gives you two new routes (technically three). Moon route can be accessed after completing all of the five girls' routes. It focuses on a new girl, Kagari, the same girl that has been haunting Kotarou on the common route, and more nature-supernatural conflict. After completing that, you’ll unlock Terra route, where you see Kotarou’s past, which makes it a prequel for the first part and a sequel to the second part. And after completing everything, including all minigame quests, you’ll unlock a gag route called Oppai route through the common route.

Minor Things (Save, Calendar, CG)

While I call this a minor thing, this is more of a technical thing that is essential to a visual novel and otome game. Because of the nature of having usually multiple choices, the save system is important. If you’re on the road to a bad ending, do you really want to start from the beginning? Usually, the save system is always available, so when an option pop up, you can save first before choosing. And if you want to choose another option, you can just load your last save file. The calendar system is mostly a trivia to mark your progress throughout the route, especially the common route when there are many options. It also acts as a marker whether you’re in the common route or character route because usually, the calendar will disappear when you enter a character route. The CGs are served for important or emotional scenes, something that words aren’t enough to describe it. There are many more quirks, but these three are what I think are the most crucial.

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“TWST Otome Game” from a Visual Novel Gameplay Perspective

After everything, here comes the million-dollar question: Is it possible for Twisted-Wonderland to become an otome game from a gameplay perspective?

Short answer: With the current state of story structure, possibly no. Long answer: It’s complicated but I’ll try my best to explain my reasoning.

Well, let’s go down with every point that I made about the elements of a visual novel/otome game: the storybook aspect, the routes, the completion bonus, and the minor things. Even though I mentioned that TWST, by definition, is a kinetic novel, we’ll be taking a more traditional visual novel/otome game style with branching plotlines. And, once again, I apologize if I’m leaning more toward visual novel rather than otome game.

The first aspect is actually already been fulfilled. Twisted-Wonderland has wonderful art thanks to Yana Toboso and her team. They’ve provided us with handsome boys, well-design background, amazing music, and the visual-novel presentation in the main story and card story. If we take out all the lessons, the room decorating, and the test, the main core of TWST is definitely the story-ready aspect with the rhythm and battle more serving as a minigame. There’s not much you can do in TWST other than tap your screen and pick some options. 

However, this is where it sort of crumbles. While it’s true that TWST provides us with options, what effect does it brings? Sure the dialogues that follow can be different but remember what I said before. Visual novel and otome game depends on these options to move forward and enter your ideal character route. Not to mention, that most of the options presented is either polite or snarky answers with the same meaning in the end.

But this is easy to fix by adding more dialogues and making them meaningful which would affect the routes onward. But this serves another problem. When do the common route and the character routes start and end? This is my main argument. Remember, the common route and character routes are essential to a visual novel/otome game. Both Piano and Raven had made great points about how the story and characters won’t work, you guys can check them out. What becomes puzzling for me is how would the common and character route works. At the Post-Main Game Prize, I mentioned for both Asagao Academy and Rewrite have bonus endings only if you can complete all the routes. This would mean that you have to replay the game over and over again to get all the endings. How would that work in TWST? One of TWST's weaknesses is the game doesn’t really introduce a new character until we reach the dorm featured in the episode and they seldom call back old characters for an important role.

Many anon implied that the main story is the common route, which begs the question of when the character route ends. Let’s take an example (featuring some bullet points): 

Let’s just say that the whole main story is the common route. And let’s say that I want to romance Ruggie. Would this mean Ruggie route is unlocked since the beginning or only unlocked since his first appearance? If we follow this logic, would that mean I have to wait until Pomefiore to even unlock Idia and Ortho? Does the player have enough patience to do that?

 Now, how do we get to Ruggie’s route? We barely even meet him in the main story/common route because he’s working together with Leona for Malleus’ murder attempt.

 You can say, “oh, Ruggie character route can happen after Savanaclaw ends.” While I can take this because of the aforementioned Lucia Konohana route from Rewrite, then comes another question: what it’ll be about? Again, we barely know the guy, we don’t know his full problem.

 “Well, that’s what the character route is for, right?” Remember what I said about the common route being our introduction to the love interests? If you never give us hints of what their problem or interest is, how am I supposed to make the early connection. And don’t say their looks, because that’s a weak reasoning. The common route teases us with the bachelorettes and bachelors, and the character route gives us the full-blown experiences.

 To add a point to that, what will happen to the main story after that? Do we just abandon them for one story? If we go through Ruggie route in Savanaclaw, does this mean we won’t get involved with the Octavinelle scam, the Scarabia training camp, or VDC? In Asagao Academy, at the end of every route, you’ll face the tournament which will lead you to one of your four endings. In Rewrite, while you will either join two different organization or stay neutral, there’s one thing that still connects them: the end of the world. For TWST, after we pick a character route, do we just abandon everything for one boy or keep continuing on? If we still continue down the common route, what will happen to Ruggie in Octavinelle, Scarabia, and the story onward? Sure he’s involved in Octavinelle, but he only appear once in Scarabia.

 Still sticking with this mess, how will the player and Ruggie’s relationship go after that? Would Ruggie join in with you along the way or does he stay behind? Does your relationship even matters after that? Does it affect the story onward? There’s a reason why the character routes happen after the common route ends in both Asagao Academy, Rewrite, and many other games. The character routes served as a new storyline, a continuation. Both games don’t go back and forth between the character route and the common route.

 This might not be what Piano and Raven mean when they say that the current TWST story would be hard to turn into otome games, but even if we look gameplay-wise, it would be a nightmare to code. Jumping between the common route and the character route would be a mess. This is why most visual novels/otome games stick to the classic format of ending the common route first before entering the character route. 

As I put an example of both Lucia Konohana and Sizuru Nakatsu, it’s possible to end the common route differently, but they have their own character route that is separated from the common route and they don’t go back to it. You can argue that from the way I explained about Sizuru Nakatsu part that it seems that she has a character route and then go back to the common route. I assure you, all the extra scene for Sizuru in the common route is part of said route. This is actually a clever way to tease us to learn more about Sizuru by the end of the common route and entering her route. As I mentioned, the common route teases us with the bachelorettes and bachelors, and the character route gives us the full-blown experiences.

I won’t argue much about the post-main game prize, but this makes me think. Now, I do admit that I don’t know much about otome games, but the two games I used as an example here are full games with no DLC context. With TWST being a mobile game that would always update, how will the progression go? If every boy is a love interest, how many updates does it take to get the full otome game experience? Again, this is because of the lack of knowledge, so I apologize for not giving a strong argument.

I do, however, think of something that might become another sour topic, but I think I might as well address it: The Main Character Problem.

In the past, I, like many others, praised how TWST’s MC being gender-neutral is a breath of fresh air. This way, everyone can play it without feeling awkward playing as the default gender and we can easily put ourselves into Yuu/Player. Unlike Rewrite which has a male mc named Kotarou Tennouji and Asagao Academy which has a female mc named Hana Mizuno, TWST has a gender-neutral mc named Yuu (but can be changed depending on the player). Now, as usual, I’m talking about game Yuu, not OC Yuu. Got it memorized?

Now, unfortunately, when it comes to the role of the main character, I would say Kotarou and Hana are better than Yuu by default. Why? Because Kotarou and Hana are their own characters, unlike Yuu who is a player-insert.

As I mentioned previously, playing a visual novel or an otome game is like reading a book. Maybe, I need to make this clearer: it's like reading a book from the first-person point of view. When we're reading a story or novel with a first-person pov, we put ourselves in the head of the main character. You know their thoughts and feeling through the words written on the page. You can be frustrated at them and you can separate yourself from them. You can imagine putting yourself like them, but at the end of the day, they are their own character and you're just, fortunately, or unfortunately, sharing room in their brain.

This is the same as playing/reading a visual novel/otome game. You can put yourself in Kotarou or Hana's shoes but there might be a time when your personality will clash with theirs. Kotarou is easygoing, often getting himself in trouble, and a little bit perverted, but is also a kind person and would do anything for a friend (before this, however, he was described as cold and a loner). Hana is a sweet girl but can be timid because of her past. She can be quick to judge and has a tiny trust issue, but eventually comes around and opens up. They are their own person with their own personality, past, and struggles.

I, unfortunately, cannot say the same for Yuu. This is TWST's strength and weakness. Yuu has very little personality, doesn't have a past, and the only struggle they have (wanting to get home) is mostly forgotten. However, this might be intentional because they're supposed to be player-insert. The player can insert themselves into you and fill the blank about their past and personality from the options provided.

Now, why this is important? Short answer: monologues.

As I mentioned previously, playing a visual novel or an otome game is like reading a book through a first-person pov. Thus, you know the main character's thoughts, feelings, and even personalities from what they're saying in their head/what's written on the page/their monologues and self-reflection. Kotarou's monologues flow very easily, sometimes a little bit dramatic. From reading it, the first impression is that he's a chill dude and maybe a little bit of a prankster. Hana's monologues sometimes go long, a little bit deep, and often filled with self-reassurance. You can tell from those that she's a nervous girl who wants to try her best. Unfortunately, unlike these games, we never get Yuu monologues in TWST.

Once again, this is TWST's strength and weakness. With Yuu being a player insert, we have the will to form our own monologues. However, when making a visual novel or otome game, we need the main character to anchor us. With Yuu having so little personality (like even less than Grim), what would their canon monologues be? We don't know. We never know. We never had a moment for Yuu to gather their thought about the situation after a deadly overblot battle. We don't know what they were thinking when they lost Ramshackle Dorm to Azul's deal. The closest thing we had was them worrying about Grim and the injured Ace and Deuce in Ignihyde.

When playing Asagao Academy or watching Rewrite, I can easily separate myself from Hana and Kotarou even if we control their action. But when playing TWST, that line may blur sometimes. We know what we're thinking or feeling, but we don't know what Yuu is thinking or feeling. And because of this, canon monologues seem very hard to write. Because once you put a monologue, you cemented a personality through the words. And that would contradict Yuu's player-insert nature.

This might be fixable if the main character is Yuuken Emma or Yuuya Kuroki who both have clear personalities which makes it easy to create monologues for them, but I have little doubt that they are preferred over the player-insert Yuu.

And one last thing, not related to anything here (though maybe slightly toward main character-ish), but why ‘otome games’? Like, why not ‘visual novel’ or just ‘dating sims’? Remember that by definition otome games are targeted toward female audiences with female mc and male love interests. I'm not saying that males can't play otome games, but the implication that the mc might be a female? Or maybe that's not the intention. I can be wrong.

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In Conclusion

There are more things than just a story and characters (and many had said about the matters) to make an otome game or a visual novel. On a technical gameplay level, it takes a lot of work to even make this. With the lack of weight to the options, the unclear line of common routes and character routes, the updates for a mobile game, and the weak main character who can't be separated from the player, it'll take more effort than just pulling the current Twisted-Wonderland and putting in romantic sprinkles.

.

And that's the furthest I can say for now. As I said, most of my knowledge came from self-taught, so I might get things wrong. Sorry about that. But this is just something that I want to say, at least as a fangame creator myself.

But, once again, this is not me saying you guys should stop making or wanting a TWST otome game. I'm happy that our fandom is going to have fangame contributions and I'll be cheering for you guys.

Well, I hope this little ramble can open a new view or discussion about this matter. Even if it's not, I hope it's at least an enjoyable read. I spent, like, almost a day writing this on a whim, so sorry if it looks messy.

Thank you for reading~!

[shockersalvage]

Danganronpa Togami Cast Designs Interpretations - Female Togami Siblings Edition

Yeesh,been a while since I’ve updated this blog. Between school, work and other projects haven’t really had much time to really do much with this! Still, I can at least change that for a time!

I’m a fan on the DR side novels, with DRT being no exception, but it always stirred me crazy on how most of the cast didn’t have art made to go with the volumes. Thus, leading to how most of them look being up to interpretation based on what bits of description was given in the novel...or rather wasn’t given XD

Thanks to Novel AI’s image generation, I was able to bring my interpretations on how I think they would look to life! Over the next span of days, I’ll be sharing them here! Hope you enjoy them!

DISCLAIMER: This is just what I think the cast of DRT looks like. Having any other interpretation is super fine! Go nuts! It’s valid!

Eyumi Togami

“Here we have everyone’s favorite edgy woman, Eyumi!~ Or, at least, my personal favorite of the women here. Now, since her description is just ‘ponytail’ and ‘pale’ I was given leeway in her design here. I always imagined her hair would be brown (and also since I feel making her hair black would be kind of a boring move) and her ponytail on the shorter side. As for her main attire, I chose a fancy, mostly grey, dress since I felt grey really fit better for her depressive, pessimistic personality than just a purely black look.”

--

Asagao Togami

“Now Asagao....had nothing! Nada! Zilch! So my interpretation is based on how well I think this design would go for her. Unlike the other members of the family, Asagao was kind of a ‘unconventional rebel’ given how she didn’t care about the Championship and just wanted her siblings to get along with each other. As such, I gave Asagao a more casual (yet still classy) look compared to the other girls. As for her hair, I always thought she’d be a redhead and, honestly, it just fits her nice, yet firm, personality for me. The cross necklace is a reference to her religious beliefs.”

--

Asa, Yoru and Hiru Togami -

“Now with these triplets, given how DRT actually bothered to gave them a proper description, one would think it’d be easy getting something like this....ahahaha. I quickly learned one of the downsides of this AI was that it....wasn’t the brightest. Especially when it came to clothes that had more than just one color. But, heeey! We got these designs for them. Matched each sister with their specific day. Hiru gets special notice for her smirk, since she doesn’t even bother feigning sophisticated meanness.”

[starlightspecters-vs-alleycatz]

Drama Track: Sake & Soda Pop pt. 1

As a chance to get to know one another, the Harajuku Division joins Kyoto’s team for a chance at friendship.

[Lana’s apartment in Kyoto]

Itsuki: “What time are they supposed to be over here again?”

Lana: “Uhhhh any minute now I think.”

-Itsuki sighed-

Itsuki: “I don’t think it’s a good idea to have another fucking division come over for drinks...aren’t two out of three of them still underage?”

Lana: “Oh relax will ya! We have plenty of things other than booze in this god damn apartment!”

Itsuki: “Yeah yeah I know I know, besides I highly doubt you’d be able to drink a whole bunch of this stuff on your own. It’s not like Kanade can exactly drink with you since she’s still underage.”

Lana: “I don’t think Kanade can stand the smell sometimes.”

Itsuki: “Oh?”

Lana: “Long story...speaking of Kanade, where did she run off to?”

-the girl in question was waiting by the door excited that there were people coming over-

Itsuki: “By the door, hey I’m gonna go out to the balcony and have a smoke”

-Itsuki searches through his pockets only to find out...he forgot his lighter, he still had his cigarettes though-

Itsuki: “Fuck I forgot my lighter!”

Lana:“You can borrow mine”

Itsuki:“Thanks!”

-Lana tosses him the lighter and Itsuki goes out to the balcony to smoke, Lana heads over to Kanade and ruffles her hair gently-

Kanade:“Gah! onee-san your gonna mess up my hair!”

-literally hours earlier Kanade had gotten out of another performance at a more small time theater, she opted to ditch her makeup and keep her hair up in some fancy braid they made her wear-

Lana:“Heh sorry Kana.”

Kanade:“It’s ok.”

-Eventually Lana goes back to making sure everything is ready for the visitors when they arrive-

[rhythmic knocking]

???: Lana-neeee! You in there!

???: Uh I don’t think you should be yelling here Emiko. 😓 This place looks kinda sketchy.

???: Come now she’s just excited, I don’t see any harm in it.

???: It’s been awhile since I’ve seen Lana, it’ll be fun! Oh, but remember no fighting you guys.

-a thunk could be heard as Kanade ran into the wall somehow while trying to get the door open-

Kanade:“Owwww.”

-Lana ended up back at the front door opening it up while Kanade got up off the ground-

Lana:“Why hello there everyone so great to see you! Come in come in!”

Kanade:“Hello!”

Emiko: Suprise!! ~ ☆

Hiroshi: [bows] Thank you so much for having us.

Seiichi: . . Yea. . thanks. . .

Hiroshi: *sighs* Do try to be polite Seiichi.

[they walk in]

Emiko: Lana Lana! [glomps her] We brought you guys stuff!

Emiko: I’m not old enough to drink just yet but I lookie! Look! I brought orange juice!! ~ ☆

[holds bottle like a trophy over her head]

-Lana chuckles trying to catch Emiko when she tackle hugs her, turning her attention to the other two she smiles-

Lana:“Thanks for showing up! Glad y’all brought stuff. We also have drinks and stuff here I think.”

Kanade:“Oh I think we have snack cakes! Let me go get them!”

-Kanade scurries off to the kitchen, around that time Itsuki finally steps back inside tucking his cigarettes back in his pocket and handing the lighter back to Lana-

Itsuki:“Oh hello it’s nice to meet you all, I’m Itsuki.”

Emiko: Aaaaah~ there’s cake! 🤩 I want soooome. ~ 🤤

[she tries to rush to the kitchen but Hiroshi gently grabs her]

Hiroshi: Are you paying attention m’lady?

Emiko: Eh? Oh! I-I’m sorry! It’s nice to meet you! I’m Emiko Akaibara, at your service everyone! ~ ♡ *giggles*

Hiroshi: Hiroshi Sakura, it’s a pleasure. 😉 I wasn’t sure of everyone’s preference but since two of you are adults I bought some sake.

Seiichi: . . .

Emiko: C’mon Seiichi, your turn to say hello.

Seiichi: . . . .

Emiko: Seiichiiiii, please! 🥺🙏

Seiichi: . . . Yo. . . . . I brought soda. . . [pulls his hood over his head]

Emiko: Eh he he 😅 Ok, I’ll take it. Don’t worry, we’ll all have fun together, promise! ~ ☆

Lana:“ooo sake~ I like your style Hiroshi!”

-Itsuki chuckles watching Lana interact with everyone. Turning his attention to Seiichi he flashed him a smile-

Itsuki:“Seiichi is it? No need to be nervous”

Seiichi: U-Um. . . yea I. . . . yea, sure. .

-a thud could be heard from the kitchen followed by a low groan-

Emiko: Lana Lana! [raises her hand] Can I go help Kanade now?

Lana:“Ah sure you can Emiko...uh it seems like she can really use it.”

Emiko: ‘Kay! ~ ☆ I’m coming to save you Kanade!

-Kanade was currently on the floor in the kitchen having been knocked down by a bag of flour-

Emiko: Kanadeee, you need some help—Ah! Oh my gosh! Are you ok! [puts the juice on the counter] Here let me help y—EEP!

[Emiko slips on some flour and falls too]

Emiko: OWIE!! That. . .really hurt. [her eyes start to water]

Kanade:“Oh no Emiko are you ok!?”

-Kanade tries to stand up but falls over once more-

Emiko: *sniff* N-No I’m o-ok, pfffffft! [wipes her tears as she giggles] I-I’m sorry, but you have flour all over you! Here! *sniff* I’ll help you for sure this time!

Kanade:“Owwww...I’m ok”

-Kanade rubs her head-

Lana:“Oh lord what happened!?”

-Lana had found the two of them in the kitchen with flour EVERYWHERE, she could hardly contain her laughter...the scene was honestly quite funny to her-

Kanade:“O-Onee-San! I was trying to get the box of cakes up in one of the cabinets...I climbed on top of the counter to reach them...and the bag fell over and then Emiko fell over and...”

-Lana sighed gently shaking her head, a large grin plastered on her face-

Lana: “You should have had me do it, I’m pretty sure I’m the tallest one here! Cmon let’s get this cleaned up”

Seiichi: Hey, Emiko? You two ok in h—Oh my gosh! What happened in here!

Emiko: He he, hi you guys. 😅

Hiroshi: We heard a crash, are y—Oh! Are you ladies alright? [pulls both of them up] Here let me see.

Emiko: Yea, I’m ok Hiroshi. 😅 My face hurts though, he he he.

[Kanade’s face flushes but Emiko doesn’t notice as she hands over a kitchen rag]

Emiko: You ok Kanade? You’re all red? Oh is it because your makeup got ruined! I can fix it for you if you want. ~ ♡

Kanade:“Y-Yeah sounds good.”

Lana:“Go get cleaned up you two I’ll take care of the mess”

-Lana goes to find a broom while Kanade goes to her room to go fix her makeup, Itsuki turns to Hiroshi and Seiichi-

Itsuki:“This is normal I swear”

Hiroshi: Is it now? 😅 Well I suppose it not that different from our usual antics.

Seiichi: At least you can’t blame me for anything this time. Here. [hands him a broom]

Hiroshi: Tch. Ingrate.

Lana:“Apparently I’M the trouble maker of this group” -Lana says helping sweep up the mess-

Itsuki:“You and my sister are a match made in heaven Lana I swear to god.”

-Lana chuckles-

[in the other room, Emiko’s pouring cups while waiting for the others]

Emiko: You like to use dark colors right Kanade? I feel like you fit that aesthetic really well. Or Lana-nee said your in a band right? That’s so cool! ~ ☆

Kanade:“Yeah I usually do use darker colors.”

-she said digging around in her makeup bag-

Kanade: “I do a lot of things involving stage performances...singing, acting you name it.” -she shrugs- “Hell I was a part time shrine maiden at one point!”

Emiko: Whoa! Really!! That’s so cool! ~ ♡ So you’ve pretty much done all kinds of things huh? I’ve always wanted to try stuff like that, [digging through her purse] but I just stuck with makeup!

Emiko: Don’t get me wrong it makes me happy! But, it was kind of hard. . . trying to get around back then. . . O-Oh! Y’know! 😅

-Kanade let out a small chuckle-

Kanade:“I guess it’s just...something that makes me happy...granted it is stressful at times but usually it’s all worth it in the end, to see people in awe of the show your able to put on...to make people happy..it’s one of the only reasons why I even keep fighting.”

Kanade:“Makeup is something that does sound interesting to me...I’m no professional with it though.”

Emiko: [smiles warmly] Well, that’s ok. Besides I think you’re super pretty!

Emiko: Now just watch the master at work! ✨ [poses cutely with her brushes] A true makeup artist is always prepared! Everyone’s gonna be starstruck once I’m done with you! ✨

Kanade: -giggling- “Alright...I trust you”

[meanwhile in the now clean kitchen] Lana:“Alright we should be good”

Hiroshi: That seems about it. Now, would you two mind if I poured some sake? I’d hate for it to go to waste.

Seiichi: No thanks old man. [cracks open a soda can] I’m good—UGH!

Seiichi: *coughs* Jeez! What the hell did I buy?! Eh? Matcha soda?!

Hiroshi: That’s what you get. Besides, I wasn’t asking you. 😑 You’re far too young.

Lana:“Sake sounds great right now!”

Itsuki:“I’ll take some to if you don’t mind, I’m gonna step outside on the balcony for a moment can I borrow your lighter again Lana?”

Lana:“Sure!” -she tosses him her lighter-

Itsuki:“Thanks!” -catching the lighter he steps outside onto the balcony-

Hiroshi: Hmm, I’ll have to join him later. [grabs cups & opens the bottle]

-Lana puts the broom away before turning her attention back to Seiichi and Hiroshi with a smile-

Lana:“Oh you don’t like the soda you got Seiichi? I’m pretty sure I have some Ramune in the fridge if you want that instead”

Seiichi: O-oh, are you sure? I did buy it after all, I just got the wrong ones. 😑

Lana:“Of course I’m sure! What kinda host would I be if I didn’t offer drinks to my guests?”

-Lanas phone rings and she goes pale-

Lana:“Ah uh excuse me...I’ll be right back”

Hiroshi: Of course, take your time dear.

-As Lana steps out onto the balcony itsuki steps back inside, seeing Lanas expression he goes stiff for a moment before shaking his head-

Itsuki:“I’m back, sorry about that I had to go take a smoke break.”

Seiichi: No don’t worry, it is your place after all. Also, would you mind opening this please? [hands Itsuki a ramune]

Hiroshi: If you don’t mind me asking Itsuki, I’d like to join you on another smoke break. I carry my own lighter so you needn’t ask.

-Itsuki nods taking the ramune and opening it before handing it back to Seiichi, he then turns his attention back to Hiroshi-

Itsuki:“Oh sure, I didn’t know you smoked Hiroshi, I would have offered you a cigarette earlier if I’d known...Lana has a no smoking in the apartment rule since the smell of cigarette smoke is hard to get out of things, same thing with my older sister Yumi.”

-a quick glance out the sliding glass door of the balcony and one could see that Lana herself was smoking a cigarette while rocking back and forth looking stressed out of her mind, she was still on the phone with someone-

Itsuki:“As you can see here most of the adults do smoke...I’m more inclined to think that everyone’s favorite onee-san is a stress smoker.”

Hiroshi: Oh, I see.

Hiroshi: Lana Alarie, a former member of the Darling Divas. I’ve heard word of them only once before, but I never thought I’d be meeting her in the flesh. . . Surely Emiko has realized this by now, but I doubt she’ll pay any mind.

Hiroshi: After all. . .we’re criminals too.

—To Be Continued—