Hogwarts Library and Great Hall, Year 1 {fluff + veryyyy slight angst}
Blaise was about to pass out from exhaustion.
Dazai had somehow managed to convince Blaise to stay up with him for what he called a quick research session. They’re supposed to dig into some obscure information Dazai had been obsessing over for the past week, (he kept mumbling about some non-magical organisation that had magic…? Blaise was so confused). Dazai insisted it would only take a couple of hours, mentioning he needed a second pair of eyes to help read through a few simple passages.
Blaise, however, isn’t fully convinced. Dazai’s casual tone was far too easygoing for someone who’s been obsessing over this mysterious research topic for days. And while Dazai brushed it off as something, “not that serious,” Blaise knew better. The Dazai he knows, doesn’t lose sleep over things that aren’t important. Still, curiosity got the better of him. What on Merlin’s beard has Dazai been digging into with such unwavering focus?
With a sigh and a slight shrug, Blaise agreed to join him. He thought they’d be done well before midnight. That was Blaise’s first mistake. He knew Dazai’s idea of quick was extremely questionable, and already, he felt regret creeping in. But for then, Dazai’s excitement was catching, and Blaise held onto the hope that he wouldn't regret it by the time dawn came.
Time slipped away as Dazai dived into his research with relentless focus, flipped through book after book, muttering half-formed theories to himself, and making notes with the speed of someone who’s lost to the thrill of discovery. Blaise, who had started fully engaged and ready to help, now finds himself faltering as the hours drag on. Each time he glanced up from the book he was reading, he was met with the sight of Dazai still completely absorbed, eyes bright with fascination as he stumbled upon some new thread of information to chase.
While Blaise battled against the weight of his eyelids, Dazai was a whirlwind, pages flying under his fingertips as he jotted down connections with feverish enthusiasm. Now and then, he chuckled softly to himself over some obscure fact or finding, as if he’d just stumbled across a private joke in the text. His enthusiasm filled the dim room, his constant muttering blending with the scratching of his quill in a flow of thoughts that Blaise could barely keep up with.
By the time it was well past midnight, Blaise’s head started to droop. He gave a tired, desperate look at Dazai, who didn't seem to be slowing down at all. Dazai’s eyes were bright with energy as if he was getting more awake the later it got. Blaise watched in a mix of admiration and concern as Dazai kept working, gaining momentum the longer they stayed awake. Blaise wondered if they were in for the whole night after all.
Eventually, dawn crept closer, casting a faint glow through the library windows, and Blaise could barely keep his eyes open. His eyelids felt impossibly heavy, his head bobbing forward and snapping back up as he struggled to stay awake. Regret pooled in his chest as he mentally reviewed every decision that led him to stay up this late with Dazai, each one feeling more foolish than the last. His gaze drifted to Dazai, who showed no signs of slowing down. Blaise watched in a mix of amazement and slight horror as Dazai, entirely unaffected by the time, dived into yet another book, flipping the pages and jotted notes with the same intensity he’d shown hours ago.
Finally, as the first hints of sunlight peeked through the tall windows, Dazai stopped. With a satisfied grin, he stretched his arms over his head, looking far too energized for someone who hadn’t slept at all. He turned to Blaise, who, by now, was blinking at him through bleary eyes, barely managing to sit upright. “That was great, wasn’t it?” Dazai asked, grinning as if they hadn’t just spent the entire night awake and buried in books.
Blaise let out a soft groan, unable to summon the energy to respond. Without waiting for his answer, Dazai motioned for them to head back to the Slytherin dorms. Blaise dragged himself to his feet, the weight of exhaustion set over him like a thick blanket. Together, they stumbled through the dim, empty corridors, Dazai walked with an alarming amount of pep while Blaise practically leaned against the walls for support.
When they finally reached the Slytherin dorms, Blaise barely made it to his bed before collapsing, grateful for the cool comfort of his pillow. Dazai, however, remained unfazed, his eyes still bright as if he was ready to launch into yet another round of research. Blaise managed to mutter a groggy goodnight (if it even counted as night anymore) and pulled his blankets over his head, hoping for at least a few hours of rest before morning classes began.
He drifted into sleep almost immediately, his last thought a mix of wonder and exasperation, realizing that if he was going to keep up with Dazai’s bizarre, boundless energy, he might have to change his entire concept of what "staying up late" even meant.
When morning rolled around, the sound of the Great Hall’s bustling chatter felt like a distant hum to Blaise. His entire body ached from the lack of sleep, and each step as he made his way to the Slytherin table felt like dragging himself through thick mud. His eyes felt like they were barely open, and the small light in the room only seemed to make the pounding in his head worse. He slumped into a seat beside Dazai, and instinctively reached for a piece of toast, his hand trembling slightly from exhaustion. Blaise can’t even muster the energy to care about the food, he’s more focused on keeping his eyelids from closing completely.
On the opposite side of the table, Dazai was an entirely different story. It’s as if the night never happened for him. His posture was perfect, and his eyes were wide with enthusiasm, gleaming with a mischievous sort of light that never seemed to fade. It’s unnerving how energetic he was, especially after spending the entire night reading obscure texts. There was no sign of fatigue in his expression, no droop in his posture, and when he glanced at Blaise with a bright grin, it was almost as if he had the most restful sleep of his life.
Dazai beamed at Blaise, his eyes sparkled as he practically bounced in his seat, clearly satisfied with the results of their late-night adventure. “This is the best sleep I’ve had in ages, all because Blaise was with meeee…..!” he announces with such enthusiasm that Blaise nearly choked on his toast.
Blaise blinked at him, completely baffled by the absurdity of it all. He’s so tired, he doesn’t even have the energy to argue. Instead, he mumbled, “You call that sleep?” He rubbed his temples, hoping the action might help him feel even remotely human. (an: NO LONGER HUMAN REFERENCE??) “If you slept, you’d know that staying up all night is the opposite of ‘good sleep.’”
But Dazai was undeterred, his grin stretched wider. “Oh, come onnn, Blaise. You’ve got to admit it was fun. The books, the excitement, the thrill of discovering…”
“...The thrill of suffering through a sleepless night,” Blaise muttered under his breath, barely managing to keep his eyes open as he took another bite of toast, the flavour did little to wake him.
Dazai continued to talk, completely oblivious to Blaise’s exhaustion. He recounted the details of their research with exaggerated gestures, his voice full of energy, and his expression shifted from concentration to complete glee every time he brought up something he learned. Blaise, on the other hand, was simply trying to survive the conversation. He nodded occasionally, but his gaze kept wandering to the other students in the hall, their eyes flicked curiously at his state. He could practically hear their thoughts: What’s wrong with Blaise? Why is he so tired, and how is Dazai so... awake?
The contrast was starting to draw attention. A first-year student who sat nearby laughed under her breath as Dazai continued his animated speech. Blaise caught the look and shot her a tired, half-hearted glare, which caused her to quickly look away, though the smile she was holding back only grew. He sighed, leaning back against his seat and rubbing his eyes in a futile attempt to stave off the exhaustion that crept over him.
Despite all of this, Dazai seemed even more lively, as if he had just completed a victorious mission. “Maybe we should do this every night,” Dazai said with a wink, his voice was full of playful suggestions, clearly enjoying Blaise’s discomfort. “You know, research sessions, late nights... We make quite the team.”
Blaise, who was now wishing he could just crawl under the table and sleep until next year, groaned. Maybe Dazai’s idea of fun is just torturing people with his energy, he thought, wishing that for once, he could keep up with him. Instead, he picked up his toast again, the flavour still did nothing to clear the fog in his brain.
“I’ll pass,” Blaise said dryly, his voice was thick with sleepiness. “Next time, you’re doing all-nighters on your own. I’m never doing this again.”
Dazai simply laughed, his smile still wide, and Blaise couldn’t help but feel a little betrayed by the fact that Dazai didn’t even seem tired.
He could already tell that this wouldn’t be the last time Dazai dragged him into a late-night scheme, and the thought made him want to curl up and sleep for a week. But, for now, he settled for barely managing to finish his breakfast while Dazai kept happily chattering about their latest findings, his energy was unyielding.
Blaise stared at Dazai in complete horror as the words hung in the air. "Best sleep I’ve had in ages," Dazai had said, his smile wide and completely sincere as if he hadn’t just spent the last several hours hunched over books and scribbling furiously in his notebook. The casual way Dazai said it, the way he was beaming like he’d just had a refreshing rest, sends a chill down Blaise’s spine.
This is normal for him. The thought settled heavily in Blaise’s mind, and it was like a cold bucket of water had been dumped over him. He had thought Dazai’s late-night research marathons were just an occasional thing, a weird habit, maybe something triggered by his obsession with whatever mystery he was chasing. But this? This lack of sleep was his reality. And suddenly, it all made sense. The constant energy, the manic bursts of focus, the occasional emotional shutdowns, and the reckless disregard for his well-being. Dazai’s sleep schedule wasn’t just messed up; it was nonexistent.
Blaise’s stomach churned as the realization hit him in full force. Dazai wasn’t just pushing his limits for a night or two, hoping to crack a case or solve a mystery. No, this was his norm. He had been doing this by himself for weeks, maybe even longer. The thought made Blaise’s chest tighten, and a knot of concern formed that he couldn’t shake.
As Dazai continued to speak, happily recounting their sleepless night as if it was a great victory, Blaise couldn’t even focus on the words. All he could think about was the toll it must be taking on Dazai’s mind and body. The way he never seemed to stop moving, the way he was constantly running on nothing, it was starting to make more sense now. Dazai’s energy wasn’t coming from some magical wellspring of power—it was coming from his sheer refusal to rest, to let his body slow down. And Blaise was left wondering, how long can he keep going like this?
Blaise shifted uncomfortably in his seat, suddenly aware of how tired he was in comparison. The weight of his exhaustion felt almost unbearable now that he realised how much Dazai pushed himself. His eyelids were heavy, and every part of him wanted to crawl back into bed and sleep for hours, but Dazai seemed oblivious to the exhaustion around him. He looks so... alive, as if he were fully rested when Blaise knew for a fact that he had been awake for far longer than he should have been.