Chapter Text
Apparently I become more dependency In our rivality than I have realized, I hate you because what you simbolized to me, I hated the fact you had everything and was still sinking into your own misery, I envied you but somehow between all the hatred and aversion, I started to like you, my need for approval directed for you, your believe that i am strong, that i have a permission to live, that i have a purpose, I wanted to prove for you that i was all that you believe that i am.
I started to worship you
All the things that one day I hated In you, started to look pleasant
I have tried my best to improved, and I help you to become less saint, after all, no one can be good all the time, and you really need to give yourself the privilege of being bad. But someone like me can not be purificade.
You were so patetic and weak that i can not understand why you was worthy of being treated with patience and respect, but not me.
I really wanted hate you, but i was just a fool who took all my anger out on you and reflected It onto you.
You were some of the few good things that Dazai brought into my life Atsushi.
My ordeal.
But...
You died
An ability that can make the people die instantly and turn them into Living Dead right after. It's annoying how that kind of ability gets passed on so easy.
But i will reverse this.
Going down in old and worn-out stairs in a equally old building, with a strong smell metallic of blood into air that make my lungs burn unconfortably. A weak breathing, I stop In front a door that stands out of the rest of the building, a door made of wood with sculpted details, and particularly durable.
I unlock the door and come Inside, this part of the building is In better condicion, practically habitable with recently replaced furniture and even with eletricity.
"Jinko, Are you awake?" I ask but all receive is a barely audible grunt.
I walk to the room just to check if everything is fine.
Here is Atsushi wearing a black turtleneck top with wid-leg trouders of the same color, that i gave him because of how destroyed his closets were when i find him, his head is down and your hands are tied up barely looking conscious.
I take out of my bag some treats with the hope that he will eat something, because he doesn't eat nothing In the last three weeks where I was keeping him here. And i am not sure of how this ability affects he's body. I tried make him eat but i couldn't get any reaction out of the other.
"You look deplorable" I bring my hand to your face, looking to the little scars on his cheek, feeling him shudder at the sudden touch. "I will give a look on the other scars on your body"
I support Atsushi's body as he sits against the wall holding him by the waist, and i pull his shirt up seeing dark, open wounds on his skin, one notices that, strangely, the tiger's regeneration seems to be occurring very slowly.
"I know this will be uncomfortable, but I'll have to remove your bandages." I stared at him, awaiting his permission, and received a faint nod.
Unwinding the bandages, I observe a long wound resembling cracked porcelain extending down to the navel; the flesh no longer bleeds, but still exposed.
As I tightened the bandages again, I felt a hand reach for my shoulder, pulling me into a somewhat awkward hug.
"Jinko?" My eyes widened. He had shown hardly any signs of consciousness the entire time I’d had him with me, acting more like a zombie, not speaking, just moaning and sighing. He hadn't even been acting on his own, so this move caught me off guard.
But the surprise was short-lived, as the other guy forcefully pushed me to the ground, pinning me beneath him with the already loose restraints on his wrists. I thought about attacking him with Rashomon, but I didn't want to cause further injury, given his condition. So, I simply defended myself by bracing my arm against him—only to feel sharp teeth, probably from the Tiger, sinking into my arm as a sharp pain coursed through my entire body.
For the first time in a long time, I saw his strange purple and yellow eyes staring into my soul, a touch of sadness crossing his expression.
"You can't control yourself, can you?" I kicked him—strong enough to push him away, but not enough to hurt him. "Fine. I missed our fights, so I don't mind if you act like a wild beast."
... With great effort, I finally heard his voice again.
"My head hurts... Everything hurts..." Atsushi murmured.
"I know, but this won't be a problem for long." I crouched down in front of him, my hand now resting on his. "Because I'm going to reverse this."
My hand moved to his face, tracing the outline of his jaw to his chin. "Fool, you're all covered in blood."
My blood dripped from his mouth, practically forming a puddle on his clothes and splattering on the floor (Akutagawa believes some of this blood is his, which the sudden movement may have caused to reopen his wounds).
"Let's take care of this."