Bungou stray dogs: Dazai overdose

Chapter 21

Ranpo pov
I froze and shot up. visibly. As Both Atsushi and Kunikida stared at me in confusion.

I looked at Dazais face.

his hand, wich I was holding. It was no longer lying limp between my fingers, no I could feel him.

He was clenching my hand. I was sure of it. Finally.

''What's the matter?'' Asushi asked worriedly.
''I- thi-nk he'-s resp-ond-ing to my ha-nd'' I studdered, hesitantly, still unsure, wether it was real or an Imagination.

Both Atsushi and Kunikida jumped up. But I held my hand up as a sign to stop them. I didn't think Dazai would be comfortable with too many people too close, as the first thing he saw. Luckily they got the hint and just stood there now.

I still felt his hand clench around mine. ''Get Dr. Jackson, quick!'' I ordered to no one in perticular, I didn't care who was gonna go and get him, but someone had to. Kunikida then precived to say ''On it'' And ran out the room to the Doctors rooms.

I saw Dazais still closed eyes sturr and move around. He was about to wake up. He then precieved to let out a slight groan.

''Dazai?....'' I asked carefully. Atsushis looks went from him to me and back.
''Dazai, can you hear me?'' I continued. He wasn't gonna respond, I knew that myself, but it might help him, to open his eyes.

He let out another groan. And I felt his hand, wich I was still holding, move slightly. ''You're doing good Dazai'' I said, in an attempt to- I didn't really know it just felt right at the moment.

Kunikida came back into the room, with a very alerted looking Dr. Jackson.
''What's going on?'' He asked
''I think he's waking up.'' I aswered.
''Let me see'' He said and walked up to the bed. Atsushi moved to the side, so he would have enough space.

''You might be right'' He mumbled under his breath.
Atsushi and kunikida stepped next to Dr. jackson, to stand closer to the bed.

Dazai sturred a little. ''Dazai? Dazai, can you hear me? If you can hear me, try to give me some kind of sign'' I said, desperatly hoping for some kind of response.

And there it was. One finger of his inside my hand moved up and down, departed from the rest.
Dr. Jackson looked at me. I nodded.

Dazai pov
The first thing I felt was pain. It was everywhere, my head, my chest, my limbs, a tube in my mouth and nose. Then somebody holding my hand. So I was still alive huh? No point in not waking up now.

I argued about my options and came to the realization, that I couldn't exactly move, so I ended with the only ooption I had. To return the gesture and take the hand. I did my best and though it hurt pretty bad, it worked.

In a faint tone, I could hear a voice. I couldn't make out who it was, until the words started to become clear. ''....If you can hear me, give me some kind of sign.'' It was Ranpo. I ended up swinging a finger around in the hand, that from my best guess was his.

Atsushi pov
''Very good, now please do me the favor to try to open your eyes, not for long and not wide open, just a little.'' Dr. jackson said. I couldn't believe it. Finally Dazai was waking up.

It hadn't been that long, but the past four weeks had felt like eternity to me.

Kunikida and I stood next to Dr. jackson, who was talking to Dazai. Ranpo was standing at the opposite side of the bed holding his hand, while talking to him as well. They were trying to get him to open his eyes, so that Dr. Jackson could confirm, that he had woken up.

''Please Dazai, we're really worried about you. Please try to open your eyes, we're all waiting for you.'' Ranpo told him.

Dazais eyes sturred and he moaned.

Then his eyelids slid open. Just a tiny bit, but it was enough to see and confirm he was awake. His eyes were unfocused and it didn't seem, like he acctually saw much, but they were open

''Very good.'' Dr. Jackson said and stepped back from the bed slightly, to allow us to get closer.

''hey...'' Ranpo said in a quiet calming voice. ''How you feeling?'' He asked, not really expecting an answer, since he couldn't talk anyway, thanks to the tube in his mouth. Despite, that he looked way to exhausted to do so.

He looked around, with his eyes half closed and let out another groan, contording his face.
''It's ok'' Kunikida said calming. Dazais unfocused eyes wandered onto Kunikida.
I wanted to say something, since his eyes seemed, to be about to fall shut again. however I couldn't think of anything to say.

Ranpo had taken his other hand and begun to stroke Dazais hair carefully.

Dr. Jackson stepped back up to us. ''He seemd to be very exhausted, however we should try to keep him awake for a couple of minutes longer, to make sure he falls asleep and not back into a coma. Just two to three minutes and then we can let him sleep.''

We nodded. ''Dazai, did you hear what he said?'' Kunikida asked. ''Please try to stay awake for a little while''

Dazai visibly didn't give an answer, however Ranpo seemed to be pleased. As he nodded to Kunikida. Ranpo and Kunikida seemed to have decided to tell him something, nothing that really mattered right now, but my best guess was it was to help him stay awake. I wasn't exactly listening, but it seemed to be working, it made fighting sleep easier.

Ranpo pov
I was endlessly relieved, when he finally opened his eyes. They were unfocused, sleepy and exhausted, but they were open and he more or less responded through the hand I was holding.

I stroke his head to keep him calm, not that he seemed to be paniking, but I knew from Yosano, that sometimes people that wake up from a coma or just from being unconsciouss, panik, when they realize, that they have tubes inside their body. So I wanted to prevent that.

We were constantly talking to him in a quiet, calm but clearly hearable voice. He had to stay awake for a while. Well it wasn't that loong, but for him it must have felt like it.

I could see he was fighting sleep with all he had. So after a while I looked at Dr. Jackson to ask if we could stop and allow him to sleep. Finally after the third time, he confirmed.

''Dazai.... You can sleep now. It's ok, it's gonna be fine.'' I told him.

It didn't take long and his eyes were closed, this time however he was asleep. His chest fell up and down with every breath. <he had finally begun to breath on his own again.

Dr. Jackson still decided to keep the machine on, since it wasn't strong and even enough yet. Then he left us alone.

I decided, the agency had to be informed. Now.

''We should call the ageny'' I said and pulle out my phone. After not long the call was ansered, once again by Naomi.
''Hi Ranpo what's up?''
''Can you put me on speaker, I have something to anounce''
''Sure, hold on.........ok now you can''
''Dazai just woke up''
From the back there were whispers coming. No one said anything loud though, so I just continued.
''I felt him take my hand. And then we persuaded him to open his eyes. He seemed exhausted from just doing that task. Dr. Jackson said, to keep him awake for awhile, so he won't fall back into a coma. So we talked to him. He didn't really see or hear much, that was obvious, but from what he heard and saw, he responded with his hand. I was holding it and we only wanted sign of wether he could hear us or not. So it was enough. Then he was allowed to fall asleep. I don't know how long he'll sleep though''
''Probably at least twelve hours.'' Yosano's voice called from the back.
''I'm so happy, he woke up'' Kenji stated.
''Yeah it was about time'' Jinnichiro said in relieve.
''Finally'' Naomi mumbled under her breath.
''We'll get the news to the president and Kyouka, they're currently out'' Naomi informed them.
''Good, tell Fukuzawa to drop by as soon as possible'' I added before we hung up.