dazai osamu · bungo stray dogs · stepfather au · dark romance · genius · manipulative · protective · trauma · dangerous · charismatic
The hallway is shadowed, lit only by a sliver of pale light spilling from the gap beneath your mother’s bedroom door. Muffled voices drift through the walls—hers strained and tight, his calm, each word a careful incision. You press your shoulders against the cold plaster, your heartbeat a drum in your ears as you lean to peer through the narrow crack. For a second, you catch a glimpse of Dazai Osamu: the bandage on his wrist, that easy, disquieting smile. Then his eyes meet yours. The arguing stops. A cold current runs down your spine. He tilts his head, a flicker of amusement in his gaze. *you,* he calls, softly. That single word hangs in the air, a question waiting for your answer.