I'm Rereading Bungou Stray Dogs, And I Noticed That When Dazai Shoves Atsushi Into Sugimoto, Atsushi

I'm rereading bungou stray dogs, and I noticed that when Dazai shoves Atsushi into Sugimoto, Atsushi accesses the tiger just enough to stabilize himself and pin Sugimoto to the ground. And he does so in a specific stance, one knee braced, one hand pinning Sugimoto's hands behind him.

His resolved pout, firm grip, and poised stance are very much unlike how he confronted Tanizaki during his entrance exam or how he reacted to Higuchi when she emptied a clip into Naomi.

But, I did recall another instance where Atsushi similarly pivoted into seemingly confident resolve— when he tried to shoot Akutagawa shortly after Akutagawa arrived on scene. He seemingly dives Akutagawa, only to grab the gun near Akutagawa's feet to shoot him. This is silly; Atsushi's tiger is most adept in close quarters, and Akutagawa has already shown that Rashoumon is a range weapon.

But, Atsushi hasn't yet learned to tap into his tiger's strengths, nor does he know how to fight— which means he doesn't know how to evaluate how Akutagawa is fighting either. So, he doesn't clock that Akutagawa is maintaining physical distance, that Rashoumon extends out, that Akutagawa is frail and coughing. Instead, he snatches a weapon, launches himself at a distance from Akutagawa because he's scared to stay too close, and shoots him.

And, despite not knowing how to fight, clearly having little clue as to how to approach Akutagawa— Atsushi has a resolved pout, a firm grip, a poised stance.

Atsushi has never shot a gun before, and each time we've seen him encounter a situation in which he's felt uncertain, he's fallen apart. Even when he's brave (like covering the "bomb" with his own body during his entrance exam), he trembles and screws his eyes tight or stares, frozen. What made him even think to go for the gun, having never shot one, and whose expression is on his face, if not his own?

Like, sure, in the moment before he acted he'd remembered Kunikida telling him he was part of the Agency, and to not besmirch their good name, but that explains why he became brave, not why he went for the gun, or looked so sure doing so— oh, wait!

I do recognize that resolved pout, firm grip, and poised stance, actually. From earlier in the same volume.

And, regarding the Sugimoto pin— Dazai knows that Atsushi will be fine, that he's built to grapple, and that he can regenerate if shot. It made sense to throw Atsushi, a tank, at Sugimoto because even though Atsushi doesn't know how to fight and is a bit of a coward, he can take damage as well as he deals it.

But Atsushi doesn't take the damage— not like he does later, when he learns to fight to his strengths. Instead, he accesses his tiger, not to take the hit or use his speed to escape, but to push Sugimoto into a pin that looks too polished for someone who's never pinned anyone before. But he has seen someone be pinned, and he's been pinned too. Quite recently, even.

Each time, one handedly. And so, when he's thrown into Sugimoto—

His expression isn't his own because he's not protecting himself— he's protecting others, and he can't rely on himself to do that yet. He's too weak, too cowardly, and too uncertain of how to be someone in the context of others yet.

That's where his tiger becomes useless. Atsushi's tiger is raw, single-minded force. Its sole preogative, the sole reason it exists, is to keep Atsushi alive. And it's kept Atsushi alive by barreling him forward, negating what would kill Atsushi so that he can tear forward no matter what comes for him. His tiger is starving, enormous, and seemingly indomitable because it's carved from Atsushi's basest desire to live.

But where the tiger keeps him alive, it doesn't make him brave or steadfast or purposeful. And it's certainly not something that knows how to protect other people. Because a desire to live is not the same as the will to live or a reason to live.

And before Atsushi could articulate a reason, before he could recognize that he could exert will over the tiger, he relied on Kunikida's instead.

Kunikida knows better than most that relying on one's desires (such as his desire for a good and ideal world) can be manipulated and countered. Fyodor attempted to do so during the Cannibalism arc, Jouno during the Hunting Dogs arc. But as Ranpo said, Kunikida is the noblest, strongest member of the Agency. It's evident when instead of choking on the perversion of his own intentions, he continues to act, to save the next person if he couldn't save the last. That's not raw or instinctual. It's discipline, motivation, and will.

This is why he's their heart, their wrangler, their compass, their sincerity, and the template for what they should do when they're overwhelmed by who they are or who they could become. Because good is not who you are, it's what you do.

More Posts from Mikayuumouse and Others

mikayuumouse

2 months ago

Akutgawa after hitting Atsushi with his car: You want me to drive you home?

Atsushi just arrived in Yokohama: I’m homeless

Akutgawa: …do you wanna move in with me?

Atsushi, never heard of stranger danger: Okie

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mikayuumouse

2 months ago

@mi1ikan

Silly little ranpoe x tv girl edit I made ☆°•.○

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mikayuumouse

2 months ago

my favorites pics of 'the eras tour' ♡

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mikayuumouse

2 months ago

So who do YOU think did it 🤨⁉️

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mikayuumouse

1 month ago

good and cool and normal thoughts in my brain about sskk. as always

imagining them post-canon is always a time but right now I'm specifically thinking of ways they would show trust to each other. because they would absolutely, absolutely trust each other more than anything.

i have a few interesting thoughts on how they would show trust.

one is clothes as trust-- akutagawa's form of vulnerability. not wearing his coat around atsushi, or letting atsushi borrow it. not feeling the need to wear long sleeves or layers. being around atsushi means he doesn't need to be on guard, ready to tear somebody apart with rashomon in an instant. it doesn't feel like he's exposing himself to be killed if he wears lighter clothes, less clothes, no clothes at all. because being around atsushi is inherently safe to him.

one is food as trust-- atsushi's form of vulnerability. food was something he was rarely given as a child, and it's something that he wouldn't share. it's too precious. but he would get food for akutagawa, share food with him, save some of his own food for akutagawa to eat. and akutagawa would do the same. akutagawa isn't going to let him starve. he'll eat his part of a shared meal and let atsushi have his. if atsushi gives akutagawa some of his food, he trusts that some other day, akutagawa will give atsushi some of his. he doesn't need to live in fear that he won't eat again, because he trusts that akutagawa won't let that happen.

and lastly, rest. sleep. sleeping next to somebody is one of the most vulnerable things you can do, especially for atsushi and akutagawa, who were in danger throughout their childhoods. sleeping means you can be killed. sleeping means you are unaware. sleeping means you can be betrayed. to close their eyes, let alertness of their surroundings slip away, feel sure that the other won't hurt or kill them, maybe even that the other will hold them gently... that's the sort of trust they'd have.

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mikayuumouse

2 months ago

I absolutely looooove your sskk posts, thank you for writing about them and analysing them so well. You’ve helped me understand them so much more❤️

For the ask, what are your favourite fics for them👀

I see so many people analyze Bsd characters and relationships (they're all amazing), glad I can contribute with some sskk analysations :> (I do do other analysations ofc, but they're mostly in rants to my friends about Bsd characters 😔)

I read a lot of fanfiction (it is the backbone of my sanity<3) so I skedaddled over to Ao3 to get a list of my favorite fics/oneshots for this ask :D

I won't go into detail about every oneshot/fic on this (bc then we'd be here all day lmao) so please read the tags of the fics once you look them up<33

The Air we Breathe - by GiftedEcho

I love you more when you never hide your heart - by wowie_me

Weak Inhibitions - by StickyRice_94

i can taste it in your tears - by Sorry_I_Panicked

trapped in grief - by illiterate_hermit_crab

surprise birthday, birthday surprise - by space_ace00

all is finally quiet - by auroraheart

i want to be somebody to someone (somebody to you) - GhouliGhost (this fic is locked so only people with Ao3 accs can read it)

vienna waits for you - by nemui (ribbonelle) (this fic is locked so only people with Ao3 accs can read it)

The Last Time - by Nqnameiiis7

Love me all night long - by Funky_Unravel

In this darkness, light me - by Funky_Unravel

A Christmas Night of Firsts - by GojosFunkyBitchGlasses

(Zoo)Keeper of My Heart - by GojosFunkyBitchGlasses

Hushed secrets (keep the heart at bay) - by Funky_Unravel

Smile for the Camera! - by SadDetectives

If Our Love's Insanity (Why Are You My Clarity) - by BuryYourDoves

the memory of your name - by Sorry_I_Panicked

Broken Record - by illiterate_hermit_crab

I Say, Take Me Out! - by Thunderbirds_and_Lightning

i was lost within the darkness (but then i found you) - by EmeraldEclipse

Sorry the list is kinda short 😭 I've read a lot more good fics and oneshots but these were some of the ones I found in my bookmarks (also I read on Ao3 for quite a long time before I got an account because I didn't really have any reason to get an account until I wanted to start posting [yes I'm an Ao3 author], so there's a lot of lost fics that I read but can't find again 😭🙏 it haunts me to this day)

Also if anyone seeing this post has any sskk fic and/or oneshot recs (even if it's your oneshot fic or oneshot lol), please comment bc I need more sskk content in my life :]

And I'm sorry there's not much angst on this fic and oneshot list, I can never find enough sskk angst 😔

Oh and here's some of my sskk works! (yes I will be shameless and put them here muahahaha);

My Heart Didn't Start Until I Met You - by MikayuuMouse

The Ring Reminds Me of You - by MikayuuMouse

Wrapped Up Like a Present - by MikayuuMouse

Shin Soukoku Oneshots— Open For Requests! - by MikayuuMouse

(I promise I'm gonna update the Requests sskk book soon 🙏🙏)

And thank you, anon, for asking this so I could share of Ao3's lovely sskk works with the Internet :> please support the authors and their wonderful fanfiction! (⁠ ⁠◜⁠‿⁠◝⁠ ⁠)⁠♡