Work Text:
Sometimes Mr Oda brings this weird bandaged kid with him when he visits. He's really funny and SUPER smart but he can be kinda scary when he's by himself and says some Creepy stuff about life and death.
But Mr Oda says we should be nice to him cause he’s one of us,
We think he's just lonely.
“Yeeeeaaaahhh I’m not exactly great with kids”
Dazai grimaced, his silver braces flashing in the light of the overcast sky.
Oda only stared at him his usual blank unreadable eyes reflecting the boys face back at him.
“I think you should still come”
Oda replied bluntly before turning back to the newspaper he was so engrossed in, something about a scandal a politician wanted covered up.
“Oooooodaaaaaasakuuuuuuuu whyyyyyyyyy”
The boy whined draping himself lazily over the counter top, Dazai didn’t like being around children; it built up a pit in his stomach that he didn’t like whatsoever; they made him feel empty and dulled.
Not to mention they never got any of his jokes which he had built up as the forefront of his personality.
“Because it will be good for you”
Oda replied not looking up, Dazai only huffed in reply making sure to be dramatic as possible as he rolled around on the countertop to emphasise how much he didn’t want to go.
“Stop worrying”
Oda replied looking up from the paper catching Dazais a singular maroon eye before watching as he gave in. Dazai continued to roll around for a little while longer before sitting up, his hair distressed and wild as he did so.
He liked rolling, it meant his body could feel grounded instead of empty and floating; it meant he could focus. In a way it had become a subconscious coping mechanism when confronted with the unknown, he supposed he had picked it up from his childhood he spent most of his time on the swings before the staff had it removed after he tried to hang himself from it.
“Right we should get going”
Oda decided to ignore the boys unwillingness to come along, however he believed strongly in his heart that Dazai was a child and he needed to be treated as one sometimes
With that Oda sat up abruptly tidying up the area he had been working turning to leave, Dazai quickly running after him he was still sulking but he’d never disobey a request from Oda it didn’t feel right to him, for some reason the man had come to be the only person Dazai had remotely any respect for, he was probably his favourite person in and out the Port Mafia.
The afternoon had come sooner than expected on both sides, however the weather was mild ish enough for Dazai not to complain the entire time only trailing after Oda who seemed to be a people magnet ; they’d have to stop every five or so steps as someone engaged in lengthy conversation with Oda who kept his face blank only nodding out of politeness, the boy huffing loudly next to him to hint at them to wrap it up.
Oda also stopped at various stores picking up things like toothpaste and household essentials, he was very aware of Dazai's keen observation as the boy acted disinterested by the whole afair. He found that mildly amusing, after all Dazai was a child - a very scary powerful child - but still a child who sulked, whined and laughed.
It just took a little more to get it out of him.
“So how many even are there ?”
Dazai enquired peering up at Oda who was humouring the babbling of the old woman behind the green grocers counter about the tomatoes being in season.
Oda only looked down at him, tilting his head ; being vague with Oda was a slippery slope, directness was key.
“Orphans ?”
Dazai sighed shoving both his hands in his pockets showing how he was not going to help carry the various bags - effort really wasn’t his thing after all.
“Five : Kōsuke, Katsumi, Yū, Shinji and Sakura”
Oda listed opening the door back onto the street as the bell chimed softly, holding it for Dazai to pass through before walking out himself.
Dazai didn’t acknowledge only walking beside Oda as they continued to walk to the Port.
Before opening the door Oda shot the boy a look earning a scowl.
“Yes I know I’ll be on my best behavior”
Dazai huffed sarcastically before Oda walked in, he deemed that a satisfactory level of instruction as he guided the boy inside ; in theory he should have probably given him more of a warning but a Port Mafia executive could sought himself out.
“ATTACK”
Honestly Dazai had to give them kudos for how well orchestrated the plan was, two from the front two from the back and one from the ceiling - nothing he couldn’t predict but still the planning was remarkable and would have worked if Oda had been the one to walk in first however Dazai being Dazai simply hopped out of the way laughing as all five children crashed into the each other crumpling to the floor.
“Who the hell is this guy”
One of them groaned, glaring at Dazai, he was wearing a long sleeved white shirt and orange puffer jacket topped with a pair of sunglasses. Dazai figured they were a fashion statement of some kind.
“Kids this is Dazai, be nice to him”
Oda announced before leaving to put the groceries away leaving Dazai completely stranded with five confused children who had started to circle him.
“I suppose this is going to be a long day”
The boy sighed shaking his head.
Oda smiled to himself hearing the loud clatter from upstairs as he began to stock the shelves.
He had told the orphans that children couldn’t join the Port Mafia, Dazai was a direct contradiction of that and he was certain they’d be pestering and interrogating him for answers by now.
“Pick up another orphan ?”
The restaurant owner laughed, resting over the counter to get a better look at Oda who was still packing things away in what could only be described as the least efficient way possible before taking them all out and starting again for the fifth time.
“Picked up yes, orphan also yes, Dazai is my colleague”
Oda replied bluntly, still trying to figure out how the can wouldn’t fit into the drawer. The man only laughed heartily at the reply, shaking his head as he left the pot of stew to simmer.
“Sakunosuke you certainly are a strange man”
Oda didn’t look up, only rummaging through the deepest depths of the cupboard, finding various pieces of crap in his venture.
“WOAH SO YOU’RE IN THE PORT MAFIA WITH MR ODA”
The children swarmed Dazai yelling out various questions that all crashed and clattered into each other so Dazai actually had no idea what they were saying whatsoever.
“HAVE YOU KILLED ANYONE”
One of them asked excitedly jumping onto Dazais back knocking him forward causing him to stumble in a rather dramatic fashion, these children were nothing but an exhausting surprise.
“Yes”
Dazai replied whincing as the child pulled his hair trying to straighten up, only regaining his focus when he felt a small tug at his trouser leg, looking down to see a little girl smiling at him.
“Mr Oda says you’re like us, are you an orphan ?”
She asked sweetly, Dazai had to fight down a grimace.
He didn’t like children.
And now they were asking personal questions.
“HEY I KNOW HOW ABOUT A GAME”
Dazai changed the subject clapping his hands together feigning excitement, all five children stopping to snap their heads around excitedly.
They all crowded him again jumping up and down asking what kind of game they’d be playing and various over shouted out questions.
“Hide and seek, and I’ll tell you what if you manage to stay hidden and silent for a whole hour then I’ll answer all your questions”
Dazai grinned once again flashing his braces once more as the children all ran off excitedly ; finding the best hiding spots so Dazai would answer their hundreds of curious askings.
Dazai let out a sigh of relief when they had all left the room, dropping the grin to adopt a more mellow expression.
He couldn’t help but feel a tinge of jealousy for the Orphans, they were lucky is all.
Found at an age where they won’t remember where they got those scars, raised at an age where they could still recover.
Taken in with no ulterior motif, just to give them a supporting and loving life.
Dazai wondered what life would be like if Oda had picked him up when he was that fourteen year old little boy instead of Dr Mori, would he still be the same boy he was now.
He knew the answer was no but he still found it interesting to ponder, alternate universes had always interested him.
A took a little while to wander around the upstairs of the building, intentionally ignoring the obviously hidden orphans to inspect the place, it was certainly homely. All the orphans had their heights marked on doorframes labelled with each new measurement with their names. Dazai ran his fingers over them pensively before tilting his head.
Well that was unexpected.
“You’re not actually looking for us are ya”
The kid with sunglasses emerged from behind a curtain, arms crossed and an accusatory scowl wrinkling his face.
“Nope you got me”
Dazai laughed grinning raising both his hands up in surrender as the kid marched closer.
“Me Oda said kids can’t join the Port Mafia just who the hell are you ?!”
The boy scoffed, something about Dazais presence was off putting, it was like holding Pandora’s box in your hands a great evil was seeping out from the cracks.
“I’m Osamu Dazai”
Dazai replied dryly, tilting his head a wide grin still stretched across his face, it sent a shiver down the boy's spine ; it was the first moment in his short lived life that he wanted to retreat.
Dazai's presence was unsettling.
“I’m Kōsuke”
The boy finally replied lathering on a layer of false confidence as he held out a hand in front of him, Dazai had to repress a smug laugh at the boys apparent fear of him, this was all too amusing.
“What’s your street name”
Kōsuke asked a small shake behind his voice as Dazai's maroon eye flared fixed on him.
“The Port Mafia Prince”
Dazai replied, shaking the orphans hand lazily, taking immense amusement in the boys realisation.
That meant he’d heard of him, he was building himself a name.
How exciting.
“Yeah I heard of you before, one day I’m gonna have the coolest street name”
Kōsuke laughed proudly putting his fists on hips as he cocked his head to the ceiling a wide grin on his face.
Dazai suddenly felt a tinge of guilt twitch within him, the realisation dawning upon him about how he should behave.
He didn’t mean to but his sadism had slipped out once more, he didn’t wish to be this way.
Especially not with children, he didn’t like how he found it funny to draw fear out of people, he hated how it inflated his own sense of his being.
He pictured Odas disappointed stare and he suddenly felt a sense of shame and horror at himself wash over his entire being.
“HEY KID YOU KNOW WHAT”
Dazai clapped his hands together again smiling wildly showing every brace to the Orphan boy in front of him.
“What ?!”
Kōsuke asked nervously but also a hint of excitement ghosting his voice.
“How bout we have a race and see who can find the others faster”
Dazai proposed putting his hands in his pockets still smiling as brightly as ever, watching with intrigue to how the boy would react.
Dazai took particular interest in the personalities of children, they were incredibly difficult to read and predict and for that reason he found them insufferable yet also fascinating.
The exact manifestation of humanities free will.
“YOURE ON”
With that Kōsuke ran out of the room not giving Dazai time to process the agreement, the carpet bunching slightly as he skidded out of the door frame, Dazai smiling warmly to himself before rolling his eyes.
Adopting a different persona.
“ILL LET YOU KNOW NOW IVE NEVER LOST JUST ASK CHŪYA”
Dazai laughed speeding off after the orphan to find the others.
Oda smiled as he looked up at the ceiling watching as small amounts of dust fell in time with the fast footsteps and loud laughs from upstairs through the restaurant.
The lupin bar sign always flickered, Dazai had figured out a long while ago that in fact it flickered at the same time as the ones inside.
It was an issue with electrics.
But that was irrelevant, just something he used to preoccupy his thoughts in the absence of the conversations he wished he could be having.
It brought him a great deal of pain to remember these things, these small moments. Tid bits even, anything in his past.
Sometimes he swore he could still hear the creak of the rusty swingset, remembering that one time the orphans dared him to jump off the rotted plastic slide in the garden and it collapsed beneath him, dislocating his wrist. It was funny really. He remembered laughing more than the pain of the wound, just laughing hysterically with the other children, Oda was quick to put it back into place of course but it was still a fond memory.
He flopped across the bar poking the ice under the whiskey, feeling the resistant of the liquid as it quickly bobbed back up to the surface.
He smiled to himself.
He had won that race with Kōsuke.
But he had lost in the long run.