"-azi... DAZAI!" His eyes shoot open, nearly falling out of his chair as he shot up with a gasp. Eye blurring slightly as he immediately looks around the room, eyes falling on the clock across the room that he could barely read more than seemingly showing only five or so minutes left of class.

"Awake! I was never sleeping!" Voice slightly slurred as his eyes darted across the room, his eyes falling on the boy who sat next to him. It was the strict boy, wasn't his name Kuniki? Kida? Kunnnaaaaa- Kunikida! That was it.

Kunikida wore a glare looking at him, "Oi. She assigned a reading with the people next to you." His voice clearly irritated, shoving a large book between the two of them.

Dazai just stared at him for a second. This boy didn't actually expect him to popcorn read this book back and forth... right?? Yet before he could make a joke or something- Kunikida actually started to along with a few other students.

You're kidding .

The moment Kunikida stopped reading the first paragraph, he looked up at Dazai expectantly.

No- you kidding, right?

After not receiving anything in response, Kunikida glares, rasing his arm to- is he going to fucking tattle on him??

You have got to be kidding!

Dazai sputters a bit, grabbing the book and starting to read. Getting in shit over something so petty? Oda would be so disappointed!

It seemed to work, Kunikida lowering his hand in order to listen to him. Dazai couldn't help but be a bit baffled by the boy. Talk about goody-two-shoes, holy. The words he was reading he honestly wasn't processing much, just in and out. It was something about the solar system, he really didn't care. Most of what he read he already had a vague idea of so it was nothing new.

Finishing the paragraph, Kunikida immediately picked up after him. Leaving him to slouch back in his chair annoyed. See, he knew he should have skipped. But there was something that drew him to show today. What? Dazai found his eyes trailing over to meet with their teacher. A woman, on the shorter end but taller than him. Long black hair, a white gown under her cloak. There was just something about her. He knows he has had the thought before but it has to be her face. Her eyes more specifically. They reminded him of his own in a way. Dark, something hidden beneath each smile she wore. It made his skin crawl to see the mannerisms he would see in his mirror.

The worst part is Dazai wasn't a good person. He had that expression because he was constantly hiding from everyone, hiding the fact he was a threat in every sense of the word. So why did she look the same as him. What was she hiding?

Next thing he knew their eyes met, yet he didn't even flinch. Entering this staring contest as she didn't look away either. Dazai watched as the mask she seemed to wear slipped for a moment. This glazed over and tired look coming across her expression. It made his eyebrows furrow, that bit of unease he rarely felt settling deep in his gut. It was an expression he has seen many times himself but never others. Part of him wanted to know why she was showing him this. Maybe for his reaction?

His mind drifted to the case he was working on. Maybe she had something to do with it..?

He shook his head, breaking eye contact even though he could still feel her eyes on him. He can't let himself jump to conclusions. Who knows, maybe she is just fucking depressed or something like that.

He looked back to Kunikida who seemed to finish up his sentence, Dazai's turn to pick up after him. Trailing over the words lazily despite his mind trailing off once again. He skipped his morning class due to the fact he slept through it. Don't blame him! It felt like it's been ages since he slept more than two hours. Besides, he was too distracted mentally preparing for meeting up with Chuuya at lunch to get any sleep. Not that he was scared or anything, god no!

...

He wasn't, ok?

He was just a bit hesitant. Should he even meet up or should he ditch again? He was overall still very weary around Chuuya for so many reasons! Even last night he couldn't believe he proposed such a bet- not like he wasn't confident he would win but more of he accidentally completely tangled himself into Chuuya even more. Not to mention the reward he was thinking about if he were to win.

No. No! He has this under control! He would win this bet and he would shove his win in Chuuya's face. Showing this is just that much better and there was nothing Chuuya would do about it!

Kunikida shoved his shoulder, snapping him out of his little moment he was having. "You're reading my part." He deadpans, unimpressed. Dazai looks down to the paragraph he had been reading to realise he was in fact halfway done with the paragraph Kunikida was meant to read.

He shrugs, "You wanted me to read."

Kunikida's face took on a red shade, eyes narrowing. "Yeah. Properly!" Worked up rather easily and it couldn't help but amuse Dazai a little. Kind of like Chuuya in terms of getting pissy quickly. Not that he was thinking about Chuuya.

He held his hands up in defence. "All or nothing here, smartass."

The boy's eyes widened again, face redding further as it looked like he wanted to strangle Dazai.

Saved by the bell?

The bell that signified the period was over rang out before Kunikida could lunge at him, Dazai standing with a shit eating grin plastered on his face. He shut his text book, leaving it on the table as he turned to leave. Ignoring the frustrated shout from behind him.

Pushing past other students who shuffled towards the great hall, Dazai making his way in the opposite direction, towards the library. Yeah sure, he wasn't confident in meeting Chuuya like he would be with most of his other plans but what else is he to do? He already tangled himself in with the boy and there wasn't much else he could do.

Dazai was about to turn a sharp corner when suddenly he heard a shout down the same hall he was about to go down. Making him pause by the corner. To his knowledge, most kids should already be at the great hall unless they had been skipping it like him.

"What the hell do you mean you can't eat with us? You keep ditching us! First it was Tachihara, now what?"

Dazai recognized that voice. It was enough for his eyebrows to furrow and lips curl in disgust. Shirase. "I already promised to meet with someone. It's important, I'm sorry guys." He also recognized that voice as Chuuya's. Though it was quiet- almost as if he was submitting to the brat who was yelling at him.

"Who then?" A girl, Yuan Dazai assumes, squeals back with a voice that reminded Dazai of nails on a chalkboard.

Now that Dazai thought about it, he did kind of notice it. How the sheep took all the credit in the fight. The way they scrambled for Chuuya when they started losing. Or how they just seemed to order him around even though out of them all? Chuuya was probably the most powerful.

It made Dazai's face turn painfully blank, hearing Chuuya scrambling for the right words.

Dazai would never admit such a thing, but he was probably a little dramatic in turning the corner. His cloak fwipped behind him as he calmly approached them. Watching the two tense and Chuuya's eyes widen in.. worry? Now. That was interesting.

"Me~! He is meeting up with me." Dazai smiles, a false smile that he found himself practising more in order to try and fool those smart enough to not search within his gaze. His gaze now? Deathly.

Next, the two's eyes widen, Yuan scrambling over to grab onto Chuuya arm as she looks at him with a desperate look. One Dazai couldn't see because his eyes were glued on the hands that were on Chuuya as if he wanted to chop them off himself. "He is lying, right Chuuya? There is no way you would go along with this- freak!"

Dazai just stares blankly at her, his face downturned with that of a dangerous look before his eyes trail over to Chuuya's face.

Chuuya's eyes were on him, if Dazai didn't know better it almost looked like he wanted him dead~ "He is bad news." Shirase pops up, making Dazai's mood dwindle even further. Staring him down without moving his head. "Like Yuan said- he is a fucking freak! He almost killed me! Who knows what he would do to you here! Besides, it's us that befriended you when you were an outcast! Don't forget that!"

The confession made Dazai raise an eyebrow in interest. But beside that mystery, Dazai finally figured it out. What he has been noticing. "You know, for being the main leader of your little group-" He takes a step closer to Chuuya, one that made Yuan let go of his arm and flinch back. "-You act more as a little sheepdog for them all~" His voice falling into something mocking, making Chuuya's lip curl. "Chasing your little tail around just in order to appease all their prying and pathetic eyes. But be careful, you know the saying. Coddle them enough and they will forget how to hunt~"

"Hah?" It was drawn out and low, a warning.

One that Dazai ignores fully, bending over at the waist a little in order to have to look up at him. The looks they held at each other could probably make milk curdle. "If we are to work together I expect you to not be so ashamed of me Ch~uuy~a~'' Drawing out his name in a playful yet threatening way. His voice low and his lips twitched up into a sly smirk.

"It's Nakahara to you."

"Its this or dog again~"

The two remain silent for a beat too long, staring into one another's eyes. It was a twisted kind of staring contest, the one to look away first was the one to admit silent defeat. Oh and Dazai was willing to be there all day.

Seems as though out of the two of them, Chuuya is weaker in terms of standing his ground. Really Dazai was just impressed he had lasted as long as he had. Chuuya turns to the two, looking a little guilty if nothing else. "Look. This is a personal problem for me- just. It will be over soon. Dealing with this dumbass for a little is just the price I have to pay."

Shirase sputters a bit but Dazai interrupts him. "You heard him. He is coming with me." All playful intent gone. Replaced with something bitter and snappy. "And before you start sputtering and telling him he can't, I remind you, you're not in control of what he decides to do with his free time. Even a five year old could understand that much. C'mon Chuuya." Before turning and starting to calmly walk off.

He didn't need to see him to know the conflicted look that was bound to be on his face. Only the sound of his 'tsk' being the signal he decided to follow Dazai- a sound that made a sickly smile curl on his lips. "You can't just- remember it was us! Us who took you in-" Shirase cut himself off in order to seemingly kick something and scream just in time for the two to slip past a doorway and turn the corner.

It was silent as they walked, Chuuya glaring violently at the floor they walked on as if he wanted it dead; whereas Dazai held his head high. In a way, he saw this as a punishment. He was indirectly punishing Chuuya for wanting to get involved with him. After all, he had wanted to spend this year peacefully alone. That high of fear, cruising along just fine. Chuuya just had to get involved and ruin it all- ruin his plans! If it wasn't for him then half the shit that has happened so far, wouldn't have happened.

"You better at least have shit to tell me." Chuuya finally breaks the silence with a snarl, looking up from the ground to in turn glare directly at him.

Dazai doesn't meet his eyes, staring straight ahead as he mapped out his way to the library even if they technically already met up. "Depends on what you want to hear~" He hums, ignoring the way Chuuya's hostility only seemed to grow. In a way, he was amused by this all.

However his amusement was cut short when Chuuya walks out in front of him, grabbing the front of his shirt making him stop dead in his walk. "Look, asshole. You dragged me into this like a two or something weeks before winter break-"

However, Dazai was quick to cut him off. "You don't actually think this little mystery is going to be solved before the winter break, right?" Not moving his head, only using his eyes to look down at Chuuya. "I don't know if you've forgotten, but so far there is only one victim who almost shits himself whenever anyone tries to get information from him. There is no definitive proof of anyone, aka, no solid leads. Actually- there isn't even enough proof to see whether this isn't just something stupid that I am blowing out of perportion." Leaning down till he could feel Chuuya's harsh breath on his face. " Dont get ahead of yourself here ~"

Chuuya held him there once again for longer than what could possibly be deemed comfortable. Staring at him with a harsh glare, one Dazai didn't reciprocate, only held a knowing smirk as his eyes narrowed.

Suddenly, Chuuya shoved him back with a scoff, breaking the eyecontact once more much to Dazai's enjoyment. "Fuck you. I was just saying dammit."

"Oh of course~" Dazai teases, pushing past him to the library doors, "We wouldn't want the chihuahua to start barking afterall~" Easily dodging the kick he expected to be aimed for his head, looking back amused.

Chuuya just glared heavily, "Say anything more and I'll carve out your damn tongue."

It makes Dazai chuckle quietly, moving over to the bookshelves in order to scan them over even if he knew what he needed would probably be at the very back of the forbidden section, forgotten. "What are you looking for?" Chuuya speaks up.

"Sorry, I was forbidden from talking." Dazai remarks, not looking back to face him, instead moving further into the library.

He hears a distant scoff, "look, tell me what you want and I could probably find it.."

That made Dazai glance back, "Yeah? What makes you so sure?'

Watching as a faint blush appear on Chuuya's face even as it held a scowl, "I have good memory, shut up- make a remark and I will hang you."

Oh please do-

Dazai shook his head to shove the thought away, tilting it right after. "Alright, let's test it then. You remember yesterday- oh wait, of course you do apparently-"

"OI-"

"There should be a certain book that shows how to reverse spells, potions, jinx's and well- curses. We need that book, it should have the silencing curse if there is a reverse to it." Dazai explained simply, ignoring how he had been interrupted.

Chuuya looks down, seemingly thinking it over before snapping his fingers, "I saw a cover with that name before! I think I might know..." Trialling off as he turns around, making his way into the shelves. Thankfully, they didn't end up in the prohibited area, Chuuya crouching down and shuffling threw some books before pulling on out with a wide and victorious smile.

If Dazai was impressed, he didn't let it show. Instead crouching down and snatching the book from him and crouching down himself. Ignoring the background sounds of Chuuya shouting at him for taking the book. Flipping through the pages and stopping near the end of it, there it was- 'the silencing curse' in tiny font. "So there is one.." He finds himself whispering breathlessly. Pulling out his notebook and a pen in order to write it down.

"Morel Mushrooms?" Chuuya's shouting stops as he reads over his shoulder.

Dazai nods, "I've heard of them before." Scribbling down the name, before closing his notebook, "They are a pretty rare kind of fungi. Definitely not easy to get and when they are grown artificially then they don't turn out the same as naturally in their 'habitat'. Really, it is extremely annoying." putting the book back before looking up to Chuuya. "But if anyone is bound to have it, it's Hogwarts."

"Don't tell me-"

"Chuuya, you wouldn't mind skipping the next few classes right~?"

Chuuya sighs loudly, shaking his head as he stands up alongside Dazai. "If this is nothing but a waste of time, I'll kill you."

"All you do is threaten me, c'mon! Lighten up~" Bumping his shoulder with a wide smile. One Dazai would later convince himself was fake.

Chuuya rolls his eyes and sighs, "I'll follow you then."

Dazai nods brightly, turning and confidently walking off and out of the library, slipping past the librarian with ease as the bell signing class was starting. Leaving the hallways empty.

"There should be a closet filled with this kind of stuff coming up." Dazai explains, Chuuya trailing quietly behind him.

Dazai was about to turn a corner when he was suddenly pulled back by his hood, making him stumble a little. "Shut up, Ango is about to walk past us." Chuuya mumbles close to his ear, making Dazai hold his breath and press against the wall behind them.

Just as Chuuya said, Ango entered their hallway, turning and moving the opposite way of them. With his back turned, the two quickly move to go down the hall he just came from, not wanting to risk Ango turning around to check. "How did you know Ango was on his way?"

Chuuya sighs quietly, "Since Kouyou is my sister- not biological- I was able to grab the teacher's schedule and memorise it. You're not the only one who skips, ass."

Dazai hums quietly, "You need to give me the schedule, I have been trying to memorise it just by watching them-"

"Well thats fucking stupid."

'You're fucking stupid."

"Oh fuck you."

"You know, keep swearing so much and I'll start to believe thats all you have in your vocabulary."

Dodging a swing to the head again, Dazai makes his way to the closest he was speaking about, Chuuya pushing past him and attempting to open the door. It was locked. "Dammit, waste of time." He mumbles bitterly.

Yet, Dazai pushes past him, digging in his pocket before drawing out a bobby-pin. "You're kidding..." Chuuya gapes, before snapping to look in the hall. "Ok, hurry up, we have like two minutes before Ango walks back."

"Would you shut up for a second?" Dazai utters, pulling the pin apart before starting to work on the door. Ignoring the complaining of the doorknob itself that was making this all so much harder.

"Dazai.." Chuuya speaks, a weary tone as he bounced on his heels.

"Almost got it." He mumbles back.

"Dazai!" Chuuya whispers aggressively just in time for Dazai to unlock and push it open, dragging Chuuya with him before quickly shutting the door behind him. Listening for a moment. Within seconds, footsteps walking past the door could be heard, making him sigh in relief.

He brushes off his knees, "Look for a jar labelled Morel Mushrooms." He instructs, flipping on the light to look over the.. Large-ish room that was filled with all types of bottles and boxes.

Sighing, Chuuya breaks the moment of silent grief. "I'll start right, you start left." Earning a slight nod of agreement from Dazai.

Half an hour. It took- half an hour .

Dazai was getting mildly annoyed, sure he will admit it! It has been far to long and it felt like he has barely made a dent searching through each jars name and label. He has even gotten baited a few times, thinking he has found it only to be disappointed since it was like a letter off- or it was a mushroom.

For being so rare, there sure as hell were a lot named similarly.

He was growing a little tired and as stated, frustrated. Pushing boxes out of the way in order to look at the shit that was hidden? It was absurd how cluttered this place was! A complete wreck, god only knows how anyone is supposed to get what they need when they are in some kind of rush!

Resting his head account the shelf, he took a deep and long breath to calm himself down as to not end up throwing something against the damn wall.

"Uh.. Dazai.." Chuuya spoke, seemingly distracted.

"No- I haven't found anything." Chuuya would every once and a while check in on his progress- which there was none but whatever. Sighing in annoyance, his hands were starting to cramp from the sheer amount of things he has had to open and move.

He was met with silence though, making him turn around confused. There stood Chuuya on the ladder, near the top of the room with a jar in his hand, an empty jar. Chuuya looks down at Dazai, tossing it down which Dazai catches with ease. "Unless I am reading that wrong..."

Dazai looks at the jar, it was labelled Morel Mushrooms alright- and it was in fact empty except a little bit of crumbs that must have broken off; the only signal that there was any of it in there to begin with.

"Chuuya.. I think we just found the evidence we needed to show that there is a method behind the mean."

With that confirmation, Chuuya slid down the latter, "so you think there will be more victims?"

"No. I know ."

Placing the jar down and pulling out his notebook in order to jot the information down. "Whoever is responsible for this knew to think far in advance, enough that they took the cure away so the kids can't talk unless they do anything."

Dazai's eyes suddenly widened a little "that's what they were using to threaten the kid... Oh, now that is clever-"

Chuuya looks at him, eyebrows furrowed. "Threaten?"

"Kid's are dumb, fourteen year olds are the worst. Rarely do you find ones that think ahead. Because even with the silencing curse, you can't stop them from writing things down or forms of non-verbal communication. Whoever cursed that kid we saw must have known that- so in order to avoid the kid spilling who it was. They must have threatened him with his own voice. Saying something like if he says anything they will never let him speak again-! Oh it makes so much sense!"

"But wouldn't they know that if they caught the person who did this to them, they could make them give their voice back?"

Dazai sighs, "They must have said something more, something that would put them off even knowing that."

Quietly, Chuuya seemingly considers it before nodding, "Yeah. That makes sense."

"Perfect~ Chuuya, the bet has now commenced." Reaching for the door and pulling it open before stepping out.

The two freeze just in time for the bell that signals the next class is to start, goes off. There, right in front of the door laid a student. He looked to be in their grade, blood hair and ravenclaw.

Before either of them could react, a teacher turns the corner- Dazai thinks his name is Ace, and dramatically gasps.

No. you're fucking kidding-

He leans back and calls for someone, in time for students to start walking down the hall and stopping to stare at them. Looks of surprise and no matter how he looks at it- accusatory.

This has to be a joke!

Glancing over, Chuuya wore the same baffled look. Watching as more teachers round the corner, he was barely skimming over the facing until his eyes fell on Oda's... And he looked- disappointed. Really disappointed.

And so, soon enough it felt like half the fucking school crowed around the scene they hadn't even created! It almost seemed premeditated- like whoever did this knew they were in the closet and planned so accordingly...

"I am going to kill myself."

"Mind if I join you?"

"Oh- it would be the dream."