just bleeding out in the mouth of the devil

[indensity]

[cw: torture.]


[Chuuya keeps glancing over at Dazai. He can see him through a glass window, some distance away, looking down at him. It's difficult to make out his expression from here. It's difficult to focus on him, but he has to make sure Dazai is still there, that they're not trying to trick him somehow. He can't even tell what's going on with him. If he's okay.

And his attention is drawn away again a split second later. A white hot rod is shoved against his side, burning his skin, making him scream and scream. He'd tried not to, at first. Not because he didn't want to give them the satisfaction - he's been tortured before, he knew it was inevitable - but because Dazai is there, and he doesn't want him to see, doesn't want him to know. But he's far beyond that point now. He has a broken arm, several broken ribs, they've punched him enough, he's bleeding badly in several places, and now they're getting creative. They're having fun. And Chuuya is just taking it, holding himself still for them as they come up with something new. When they pull the rod away again, when he's able to breathe and think, at least for a second, he wonders if they might be stopping his bleeding with this new method. They can cause him pain and keep him alive longer, all with one technique.

He's trying to keep his mind going as a distraction against the pain. It's really not working.

He's on his back on the floor, naked, breathing hard as they allow him a few seconds' break. They probably don't want him passing out, and he's relieved, because he needs to be ready. There are tears of pain in his eyes as he looks up at Dazai again, making sure he's there, and looking for a sign, any sign. He can't act until Dazai lets him know it's time. Dazai will figure something out, he always does, but --

Chuuya really hopes it's soon.

But even if it's not, he'll stay right where he is and take it. Because he can't risk them following through on their threat to kill Dazai if he doesn't cooperate. And there's no way Chuuya would reach him in time to save him from here.]

Comments

[dressing]

[Chuuya thanks Yosano, and something about that annoys Dazai, but he doesn't say anything. He ought to thank Yosano, too, but he won't--not directly. Perhaps he'll have some wine delivered to her door. Unspoken thanks are the ones Dazai does best.

They do need to retrieve Chuuya's hat, at least, but Dazai figures once things calm down, they'll be able to. He's not going to ask anyone else to do it, so if he has to go in himself, so be it. Or rather, he ought to tell Chuuya to find it himself, because-

Because he's done here! Right?]

Wonderful. Since my people are here-- [they'll protest about being called that] I can leave. Good luck finding a way home.

[Whatever just happened is something Dazai needs to get away from. He's still got blood all over him, he's torn off part of his bandages, and quite honestly, he looks more of a mess than Chuuya does right now, having had whatever injuries he'd sustained healed completely. He's just... naked. Which isn't Dazai's concern.

None of this is Dazai's concern!]

[indensity]

[Chuuya turns to look at Dazai again, for just a few moments, but he knows better than to say anything here.]

Yeah. Get the hell out of here, Dazai. There's nothing worse than having to see your face.

[He'll turn and walk away. Dazai can go with his agency, get himself cleaned up, and Chuuya will clean up here. He'll find his hat, find a phone to steal, and call for someone to come get him.

And if there's anyone left to kill, he'll take care of that, too.]

[dressing]

[That's the way it should be, but Dazai doesn't feel relieved. If anything, he feels out of control, and he hates that so much. That Chuuya can still make him feel like this, after years of being 'enemies', after Dazai left him behind. He doesn't need to see someone else die, someone he...

No. He's definitely not going there, not until he's very drunk at home. There, he can be as pissed off at himself as he wants to be--pissed off at Chuuya. Right now, he's got to pretend he doesn't give a shit, which he absolutely does not, regardless of the fact that Chuuya really did almost die.

He never dies. Dazai knew he wouldn't; he was never concerned. That's what he'll tell himself. If he shoves his hands in his pockets, it's because he needs something to do with them, not because they're shaky after the adrenaline has worn off.]

[indensity]

[Chuuya can hear some objections from the other ADA members as he walks away - is this okay, what happened, should we let him leave - and he thinks he recognizes the weretiger's voice, but Chuuya ignores it all until he's so far away he can no longer hear anything from them at all. Then he stops, abruptly.

He's fine, because he has to be fine. What happened doesn't matter. He's been hurt before. Not like that, not for that long, not in a way that made him feel so completely weak, but it's not important. Chuuya won't allow himself to dwell on it at all, and he definitely won't let it get to him, in any way, ever.

(This is a lie.)

What's not a lie is that he doesn't regret it at all. He'd do it again for Dazai. Even if it means dying for his traitor of an ex-partner.

He can't get the sound of Dazai's voice saying his name like that out of his head. It's the only thing he'll be thinking about as he finally pushes forward, launching himself back into that building in order to bring it all to the ground. There won't be anyone left when he's done.]