Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Dazai stretched and signed when his back gave a satisfying pop. He’d been still for far too long, listening to Mori-san droning on and on about the mafia’s inner workings. It did little to stave off the boredom, lurking at the back of his mind.

His eyes strayed to the medicine bottles, lining up the closest shelf. Mix and match. He knew there was a combination of liquids that was bound to end his life quickly and painlessly. Maybe the hypertension medication with hypotension medication? That sounded like it could work.

He spared Mori-san a look, but the man had gone back to frowning at his computer screen. It seemed important enough to require his full attention and Dazai could be discreet. He grabbed both bottles without making a sound and lined them up before him. He glanced towards Mori-san, but the man was too busy to notice as Dazai reached for a nearby mixing beaker.

Mori-san being a surgeon did work nicely in his favour.

“This is hopeless. Our weapon smugglers are two weeks behind schedule. Our men are going to be fighting with kitchen knives at this rate. Ne, Dazai-kun?” Mori-san whined and spun around with his hand massaging his temples. Dazai looked up from where he had begun stirring the liquids, pretending that he didn’t have a hopefully deadly liquid in his hands.

The reports hadn’t brought good news then.

Not that Dazai cared, he had other priorities. His eyes flickered to the liquid and the solution looked like it was ready for consumption, but since Mori-san wasn’t reading the reports anymore, Dazai needed to keep his attention off the beaker and onto the problem with the mafia. Otherwise his little potion might be taken away.

“Maybe we aren’t cut out for this.” Mori-san sighed heavily.

“Mori-san,” Dazai began slowly. “Having no money, having no intel and not having the trust of your subordinates...You knew that from the beginning, didn't you?” He asked, reminding the man that it had been by his own initiative that he’d ended up in this situation. Mori-san had voluntarily taken over the mafia and it was his fault that Dazai was stuck here, still breathing. If Mori-san hadn’t needed his witness alive, Dazai could’ve been long gone.

“You’re so mean,” the man whined, but his eyes were sharp and focused on the beaker in Dazai’s hands. Busted. Mori-san had thwarted more than one of his suice attempts and had done an amazing job of keeping Dazai out of the medicine cabinets. A pity, since there were multiple bottles Dazai would love to take a sip from. “By the way, why are you mixing hypotension medication with hypertension medication?”

That was a rhetorical question, but Dazai answered anyway.

“I thought I could have a quick, painless death if I were to take the two together.” Something he knew he won’t get to try out now that Mori-san had his eyes on him. The man had decided that he needs Dazai alive despite his best efforts.

“Dazai-kun, you were there when I inherited the boss’ seat. You are a witness to his will. I can’t have you dying so willy-nilly.”

A regret that Dazai would just have to live with for now. He stared mournfully at the solution. All it would take were a few quick gulps. He could swallow before Mori-san had made it across the room. That he was sure of, but he was also sure that Mori-san wasn’t above sticking his fingers in Dazai’s throat until he threw up everything and that was not something Dazai wanted to go through again.

“You made an error in judgement that night.” Dazai started, not above taking petty revenge and they both knew it. Mori was already aware that while Dazai wouldn’t be openly disrespectful, his words would always get more cutting when he didn’t get his way; and since Mori couldn’t have him dying, they were at an impasse. “It was smart of you to use a suicidal person as your accomplice, yet here I am, still alive one year later.”

“I made no error.” Mori-san disagreed and Dazai shot him a look but the man continued. “You and I were successful in our mission.”

“The mission isn’t complete until those involved in the assassination have been silenced.” Dazai spared him a glance. If only Mori-san would be so kind and let him die for both their sakes. “I was a logical choice since if I die because of suicide for unknown reasons, you’ve already become boss with my testimony. Nobody would suspect a thing.”

Violet eyes burned into him as Mori listened. The corners of the doctor’s mouth curled up into a smile. “You remind me of someone.” He said after a second. The words took Dazai by surprise, coming out as completely random in light of the current conversation. Mori closed his eyes, as if lost in a memory. “Anyway, if I was going to silence you, I would’ve done it a long time ago, but if you really want me to, I can prepare something that will end your life comfortably.”

“Really?” Dazai asked skeptically. He found it hard to believe that after a year of keeping him alive, Mori-san was suddenly ready to let him die in peace; still he couldn’t help how his heart jumped at the very thought. He was fifteen years old and he could barely remember anything. There were flashes of red copper, ice blue and pain, more pain than it should be possible, and after that an aching emptiness that Dazai couldn’t even begin to live with.

“Mhm…” Mori agreed and reached out to open one of the drawers on the desk. “In exchange, I want to ask you to do a quick investigation first. It’s not a big deal, no danger involved.”

Dazai’s eyes narrowed at the choice of words. He didn’t trust a single one of them. “Sounds sketchy.”

“I trust that you know about the Suribachi city in the Yokohama Settlement.” Mori started and Dazai nodded. It was the first time Mori-san had asked something of him, aside from staying alive, which in Dazai’s opinion was a pretty tall order. Yet he found himself intrigued too. What could it be that it required Dazai to go? “There is a rumour that a certain individual has emerged there. I want you to investigate this rumour.”

“What individual?” Dazai asked.

Mori-san’s lips curled into a grin. “Take a guess.” He challenged and Dazai tilted his head, trying to recall any information that he had heard in passing that could be related to this.

“A rumor that is harmful only with its existence.” Dazai mused. The fact that Mori-san was requesting him to go–someone outside of the mafia–meant that the organization wasn’t meant to know. And at that stage, with all of the problems and unrest that Mori-san was still handling, it could only mean one thing. “It’s the previous boss isn’t it?”

“Correct.” Mori nodded. “There are some individuals which aren’t meant to come back to life, don’t you agree?”

It was the only logical explanation, yet how could it be possible? An unknown ability that could revive the dead? And for them to pick the previous boss for this...It could turn quite messy not just for him and Mori-san but for the entire underworld. Not to mention the thought of dying and then coming back to life was terrifying. To have died in peace, only to be brought back to life was a punishment that Dazai wouldn’t wish on anyone.

And well, he certainly wasn’t bored anymore.

Besides, Suribachi city was…

Dazai got up and walked to the man. “You promise to make me that medicine?” He asked in another attempt to gauge if the man really meant it. Rooting out the rumors of the previous boss was valuable enough exchange for Dazai’s freedom from both Mori and—

“You have my word.” Mori-san promised and held out a paper. “This is a Silver Oracle. Show this to any member of the mafia and they will follow your orders.” When Dazai took it without a word, the man’s smile widened. “Welcome to the Port Mafia.”

Right. As if Dazai intended to stay. The moment this little task of his was over and he had made sure the old boss stayed dead, he planned to get that medicine and be done for good. There wasn’t any point in welcoming him.

But there was one thing and Dazai paused at the door. “Oh, right. Who is this person I remind you of?” He asked.

“Myself.” The man hummed and Dazai blinked, digesting the words, because he couldn’t see it. Yes, their minds worked in a similar way, but Mori-san’s character was completely different. The man had determination and drive to live while the only thing that Dazai seeked was death. “Dazai-kun, why do you want to die so much?”

Dazai didn’t even flinch at the question. He’d been expecting it for a year now and he’d debated telling Mori-san about the strings that forced his every move, about the pain he couldn’t remember and even about the all consuming emptiness inside him, but in the end he had decided against it. None of that mattered now. Something had been broken and ripped out of him, and he couldn’t even remember what. Mori-san’s concern wasn’t genuine enough to truly care. But without that piece of him, Dazai…

“Let me ask you then, do you think there is any value in the act of living?” He answered and walked out of the door, because no matter what the doctor would say, it would simply not be enough.

It never was.

---

Dazai’s steps echoed through the empty hospital corridors where the Port Mafia’s boss had set shop. He paid the broken glass and dusty corners little mind, instead focused on Mori-san’s words. They rattled unpleasantly around his head. The man wasn’t entirely wrong. They both possessed the type of callous logic that took one to the top echelons of the underworld. While he could only guess what had made Mori-san the way he was, Dazai knew it was his own upbringing that had broken him. His caretakers had carefully snuffed all emotions out of him, shaping him into a deadly tool.

The emptiness inside him had been there long before he even met Mori-san. Although being in the care of the Mafia’s boss had shown him that there was more to the world than cold walls and sharp needles. Under Mori-san’s wing he had more freedom than he could ever remember and wasn’t that ironic?

Mori-san saw Dazai’s potential and nurtured it through books and riddles. He picked his brain and made him think and while Dazai was perfectly aware this was for Mori-san’s own benefit he had never once felt the familiar pressure of being broken into a mold.

Whatever the man thought of Dazai’s desire to die, he had kept that to himself. All the better for them if this was to work.

Dazai rounded a corner and made his way back to the busier streets that led to the towering skyscrapers housing mafia headquarters. More to the point though, Mori-san was such a liar. Sending him in enemy territory and calling it safe.

Dazai was perfectly familiar with the underworld organisations. Suribachi City was a place that just happened to be the territory of one of them and Dazai had a hunch that he would need some heavy back up for the place, if the information they had was even close to the truth.

That's where the explosion had happened.

Dazai blinked and shook his head, chasing away the stirring in his chest and the random thought.

He stepped inside a payphone booth and his fingers automatically pressed the buttons. He had done it so many times over the past year that he didn’t even need to think about the numbers.

“It’s me.” He spoke without waiting for a reply. “Mori-san has sent me out to investigate a rumour that the previous mafia boss is alive. He seems to have made a few appearances in Suribachi city. I’m heading there to investigate right now. Because of the location it is very likely I will cross paths with the King of Sheep.”

With the summary of his mission and potential ability user on the watch list reported, he closed the call and stepped out of the booth. He breathed in the humid summer air and continued his walk towards the nearest metro station. He needed to rope someone from the Mafia into investigating with him. Someone with a special ability that could hold their own in a fight.

It wouldn’t do to meet the King of Sheep unprepared.

Dazai's heart fluttered at the thought.

---

Dazai flipped through his favourite book–The complete guide to suicide–as he walked around Suribachi city, followed by an elderly gentleman named Hirotsu. He had been feeling the man’s suspicious eyes follow him around all day while they were talking to the residents of Suribachi city. They had asked around, but hadn’t been able to get any concrete leads. The distrust and caution from the residents hadn’t come as a surprise. Yet Dazai still managed to scrape together the broken pieces of information into a full picture; Mori-san’s suspicions had been correct.

It really was the old boss.

But how?

There were too many disjointed witness accounts from all around the slums to discard the possibility that it was true. And Mori-san had been convinced enough to send Dazai out to confirm it, but people did not just raise from the grave. That was just not possible, unless there was an ability out there that either created the illusion of the dead, or could possibly revive them.

What a scary thought.

In any case, it was enough information that he could report to Mori-san, so Dazai patted his pocket, searching for his phone. He was just about to dial Mori-san’s number when the man’s name appeared on the screen and Dazai’s lips twitched. Mori-san must really have faith in his ability, but then again it was probably combined with the urgency and sensitivity of his investigation.

“It’s Mori-san.” Dazai said for Hirotsu’s benefit and brought the phone to his ear. “Hello?”

“Dazai-kun, do you have anything to report?”

“Yeah… I learned a few things.” He said. “Long story short...I found the previous boss.”

“Indeed?”

Dazai lips had twisted into a grin despite the predicament both Mori-san and himself had landed in. Things would get quite messy if a word of the assasination got out, but at the same time, it was becoming interesting and he couldn’t help but want to uncover the whole truth. “He came back. From the pits of hell.”

There was someone walking around with the potential ability to raise the dead and the sightings had mainly happened in enemy territory. Could the ability user want something from the Sheep as well? Were both organisations being lured into a trap? And speaking of the Sheep, if Dazai was correct in his calculations, and he usually was, there should be a greeting any minute now.

“Dazai-kun, gather as much as you can. Time is of the essence.”

“Yeah, I’ll give you a proper report once I come back—”

Dazai’s breath left his lungs as he was sent flying forward. Pain bloomed in his head and rubble fell around him. He exhaled slowly, focusing on breathing. He was almost positive he had cracked a bone or two. Dazai winced at the sudden heavy pressure on his ribs and that pretty much confirmed it.

He blinked a few times, trying to see through the dust. His temples throbbed and his stomach lurched when the world turned and Dazai squeezed his eyes shut. That felt like a concussion and he really hoped he was wrong.

But then maybe he could slip it past Mori-san and quietly die in his sleep.

Still, slamming head first into a wall was definitely not on the list of things he had planned for today.

The pressure on his chest increased and Dazai’s eyes flew open, heart jumping in his throat.

He couldn’t breathe.

Adrenaline pumped in his veins, survival instincts kicking in.

A foot was pressing against his ribs, making it hard to breathe.

The dust finally settled and he looked up to see faded jeans, leather jacket and copper strands that framed a grin that stole Dazai’s breath away.

A dull sense of familiarity needled his memory at the sight, but the grin morphed into a cocky smirk that sent Dazai’s blood rushing, because damn.

“This is perfect. A kid!” Dazai couldn’t tear his eyes away as the teen above him spoke, pink lips moving and Dazai needed to focus. On the actual words that was, not on how pretty the brat was.

That grin really made his stomach twist in the most interesting ways but Dazai tucked away the feeling for further analysis, because now was most definitely not the time. Despite the impossibly difficult-to-ignore distraction currently stepping on him.

Dazai swallowed, throat too dry.

The redhead was still speaking, giving Dazai the opportunity to regroup. He had a hunch about who was currently stepping on him and he needed every advantage.

“The Port mafia must be really desperate for people.”

“I hate pain, you know?” Dazai began, ignoring what the other had said, mainly because he hadn't heard a single word. He blinked innocently when the boy frowned and leaned closer, blue eyes flashing dangerously.

It sent a shiver down Dazai's spine.

It was the gaze of a predator and for once Dazai wasn’t sure he minded being the prey.

“I’ll give you two options. Die now, or die after you give me the information. Either is fine.” The redhead declared, not a trace of emotion in his voice. That must be him. Dazai’s heart skipped a beat. The rest of the Sheep were known to use guns, all except one. According to the Port Mafia intel no one but him had the guts to approach an enemy that outnumbered them alone.

Dazai supposed that being killed by him was by far one of the better ways to die, if not the best. The idea of that gorgeous face imprinted into his eyelids forever was very appealing.

“Kill me now, then. All the better, if you can kill me comfortably.”

“What? Are you just a suicidal brat?”

“You’re a brat too.” He returned.

“I’m not just any brat, unlike you.” Dazai was inclined to agree. He was too pretty to be just any brat. Not to mention the force of his ability. “Why don’t you tell me about this Arahabaki, you’re snooping around for?”

“Arahabaki, huh?” Suspicion confirmed. Dazai loved being right. In front of him was the King of Sheep himself, Nakahara Chuuya. “I see.” He mumbled, unable to keep the grin off his face. This was interesting, a powerful ability user and a minor deity. What was their connection? And then there was the undead old boss. This was getting more and more intriguing and maybe Dazai should thank Mori-san.

“Arahabaki.” He repeated.

“You know about it, do you?” The redhead asked, his voice a low growl between demand and a threat. The kind that reverberated through Dazai’s being and made him feel hot under his collar.

Dazai’s grin widened.

“No, never heard of it.”

The lie hung in the air between them for a long moment.

Dazai watched with rapt attention as the redhead lifted his foot from Dazai’s chest and for a moment he could breathe. He sucked in a sharp breath just before the kick landed. Dazai tasted blood, but that did nothing to temper his amusement.

“Those who step into the Sheep’s territory will be met with fierce retaliation.” He is still grinning despite himself. “I see. So you’re the King of Sheep. Nakahara Chuuya, gravity manipulator.”

Chuuya’s jaw tensed, lips pressing into a tight line. “I’m no king! I just happen to have a card up my sleeve.”

“I see.” Dazai said, talking more to himself than to the other teen. Chuuya didn’t like to be called by that moniker. All the more reason for Dazai to do it again. “You’re a cocky, overconfident child. You’re the type of person I hate the most.”

“And I hate condescending little pricks more than anything in this world.” Chuuya snapped back without missing a beat and Dazai wanted to laugh. Chuuya hadn’t even paused to think; he’d just shot the first thing on his mind and Dazai loved it.

“That’s enough.” Their moment was interrupted by Hirotsu-san and Dazai couldn’t help the bitter pang when Chuuya’s attention was drawn away from him.

“You’re not scaring me old man. Who do you think I am?” Chuuya gloated, having judged the elder man to be the bigger threat.

Despite his previous reservations about being called king, he slid into the role like it was second nature. Blue eyes glinted with challenge; the confidence practically oozing from his frame.

Then Chuuya’s lips curled into a wild grin and Dazai’s breath caught in his throat. It was the way Chuuya held himself, hands in his pockets, shoulders slouched as if the man before him presented no challenge at all. As if he was capable of taking down anyone in his path.

Hirotsu was perfectly aware of who Chuuya was. The Sheep King had sent more than enough of his men back in body bags. Dazai himself had read the reports, but reading about Nakahara Chuuya was nothing in comparison to meeting him in person.

“Are you gifted, too?” Chuuya asked, head tilting to the side and Dazai’s eyes were caught by the way the copper strands shone in the sunlight and he really needed to stop that.

He slowly picked himself off the ground, forcing his mind to focus on getting as much information as possible out of the fight. It was a rare opportunity and their opponent obviously had no reservations about showing off, if the way he rushed to attack Hirotsu was an indication.

And Dazai was eager to learn.

“Hirotsu-san, this kid controls the gravity of anything he touches.” Dazai informed, his stomach fluttering when Chuuya turned back to him with a sharp glare and all Dazai wanted was more. He unconsciously licked his lips when the redhead grinned, a perfect row of teeth flashing gleefully.

Chuuya loved this, loved the fighting, the rush, the adrenaline and the danger.

Hirotsu nodded, activating his ability. “Understood.”

There was a quick exchange of blows and it quickly became painfully clear that Hirotsu wasn’t a match, despite his years of experience. Chuuya’s hands remained firmly in his pockets, relying only on kicks and that must be quite insulting.

Hirotsu attacked and Dazai was quite impressed by his speed, but it wouldn’t be enough. In a fair one to one fight Chuuya would win without even breaking a sweat.

There was a flash of light as red and purple clashed and both of them were thrown back. Dazai had to bite at his lips not to whistle at the graceful way arch the redhead made before landing a nearby rooftop. What an incredible ability. It allowed Chuuya to dance circles around the Black Lizard squad leader with such ease.

“Is that it?” Chuuya taunted and Dazai’s eyes darkened. “I was expecting more from you.”

Chuuya was thrilling and Dazai wanted to play.

Wanted to have the sharp grin facing his way, wanted to have Chuuya look at him with his eyes flashing with promises of death...

In a fair one to one fight Chuuya had the advantage. But what the redhead had forgotten was that the mafia didn’t fight fair.

Dazai approached silently, meeting Hirotsu’s eyes over Chuuya’s shoulder. His ability wasn’t combat oriented, but it was the perfect counter for Chuuya’s gravity.

“Your ability won’t work on me.” Chuuya boasted at Hirotsu.

“I’m not so sure.” Dazai answered, pressing his palm against Chuuya’s exposed neck. “You’ve lost your grip on gravity now.”

“Hah?”

“With my ability of nullifying the powers of others.” Dazai hadn’t even finished his sentence before there was a flash of light that drowned out the other’s gravity manipulation.

“Now boy…” Hirotsu-san spoke, tearing Dazai’s eyes away from the expanse of skin in front of him and he shook his head. He was getting distracted. Again.

A sharp kick to the stomach sent him flying backwards and he had to bite the inside of his cheek not to scream. He landed on his wrist and sucked in quick, shallow breaths to manage the pain.

Definitely broken.

“He got me.” Dazai couldn’t be blamed if his voice came out shaky. He was actually surprised he managed to speak at all. “He kicked me away and broke the hold of my ability over him.”

“I don’t feel like dealing with you right now.” Chuuya’s voice flew over Dazai’s head. “Let's go old man!”

Dazai only felt a whoosh of air as the King of the Sheep flew past him and ran to attack Hirotsu-san again.

It was then that Dazai felt it. An unknown ability.

The air rippled with power.

Dazai’s eyes snapped open and he lifted himself to his elbows. His body screamed in protest but he needed to see.

His eyes widened, mouth parting in a silent gasp.

It was the old boss, he really was there.

Then his vision faded into black as he was swept away by the explosion.

Chapter Text

Dazai lied down on the infirmary bed, waiting for a doctor that was taking his sweet time. Mori-san was expecting his report and for once Dazai was looking forward to it. He knew that a certain someone was going to be there as well. Mori-san wouldn't just let go of an ability user as strong as Nakahara Chuuya. It would be foolish to do so.

Dazai had woken up to a knocked out Hirotsu-san and an unconscious Chuuya and he’d had to call the squads to come and extract them safely from the debris. Suffocating to death was not a fun, painless way to go so he had managed to dig out his phone. Of course, he had made sure to grab Chuuya the moment he was pulled out. It was for everyone’s safety. Brat or not, he was skilled and dangerous. Dazai himself could attest to that.

His mind flashed to Chuuya’s foot pressing him into the ground and he smirked. Yep, Chuuya was certainly dangerous and needed to be watched. Closely. Dazai had only let go of the redhead once they’d gotten to med-bay and Randou-san could take over. Unfortunately, there weren’t many other people who could suppress abilities in the mafia.

Dazai raised himself up on his elbows and winced when the room tilted on its axis. The chibi packed quite a punch and Dazai had come out a bit worse for wear. Yet there was still no sign of the doctor.

Dazai breathed in deeply until his vision returned to normal. Once he was no longer seeing double, he spotted his phone and reached for it. He typed in his pin, a small frown marring his face as his mind went over the incident in Suribachi city.

What was it about Nakahara Chuuya that made him react in any way? Just the mere thought about the redhead made Dazai’s heart skip a beat. And that was not okay. Dazai couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but something about the other was making his blood rush with life that he hasn’t felt for as long as he could remember. Almost as if the vibrancy of the redhead was contagious and Dazai had somehow breathed it in.

Dazai flipped through a few news apps, curious if there would be any reports on the explosion in the slums, but was unsurprised to find nothing. Mori-san and other invested parties had probably made sure none of it made it out to the public.

This was boring.

He considered downloading a new game when he heard his coat vibrate against the wooden chair it was thrown on. Dazai’s heart sank at the sound. He grabbed for it and fumbled around, feeling for the hidden inner pocket that he’d had made specifically to keep his other phone. The one that nobody knew existed. It was the exact same model as the one Mori-san had given him. He fished it out and swallowed heavily at the blocked number.

They never called. Why were they calling now?

He held it out to his ear, a grimace already twisting his face before he even heard the voice on the other end. Speaking to his superior – whether in person or not – always made his insides churn. It was on an instinctive level and not something that Dazai could help, but the feeling was one of the main reasons why he had never trusted the man.

“Dazai-kun,” the cold voice greeted. “We’ve received your report on the Port Mafia movements. Your orders are the following.” The man continued, without pausing for Dazai's input. “You must not, under any circumstances, let the Sheep and the Port Mafia ally together.”

That made sense. The underworld was much easier to control when they were divided. It didn’t come as a surprise that the government would want to keep it fractured into small easy to manipulate organisations.

“Do whatever you must to keep Nakahara Chuuya distrustful of Mori Ougai. Do not let them find any common interests or grounds for alliance. The Special Abilities Department will have its hands full if the Port Mafia took full control of the Yokohama underworld.” Of course. No government wanted to have an organized crime syndicate as a major force in one of their big cities. It would give them too much power. Ideally, the underbelly of Yokohama would remain split into factions so no illegal organisation would have the resources to become an inconvenience.

Dazai’s shoulders straightened. “Affirmative.” His whisper was almost inaudible in the small room, but just speaking with his superior in the middle of the mafia infirmary was putting his mission at risk.

Dazai could imagine the man’s nod as the line went dead.

He released a breath he didn’t know was holding in as he sank into the pillows. He put the phone back into the hidden pocket and paused, a thought causing him to reconsider.

He only hesitated only for a moment, fingers already opening the messenger app. The King of Sheep had been asking about Arahabaki… If Dazai could get his hands on the information, he could easily use it to his advantage and place Nakahara Chuuya in his debt, rather than letting him owe Mori. Dazai’s mission would also be much easier if he could gain the redhead’s trust.

Request typed, he pressed ‘send’ and put the phone back into his coat, satisfied that he had a plan of action.

The door handle clicked as one of the mafia doctors entered the room.

Finally.

---

The doors to Mori’s office slid shut behind them and Dazai stretched, a sigh leaving his lips. “Mori-san is so mean, pushing all the work on me.” His eyes traced over Chuuya’s fuming form. “Not to mention forcing me to babysit a little brat.”

Despite his words, Dazai couldn’t help the small stab of worry. Mori-san revealing the murder of the previous boss so freely left a bad taste in his mouth. Until now, the knowledge had been between Mori and Dazai and Dazai welcomed death. Wanted it more than anything. If only Mori-san wasn’t convinced he needed Dazai and was annoyingly persistent in saving Dazai’s life.

Chuuya on the other hand… Mori-san would either be planning to kill Chuuya or would force him to join the mafia. Something which didn’t agree with Dazai and his new mission.

“Who are you calling a little brat you suicidal prick!” Came the instant response. It made Dazai grin and park his train of thought for later. He had more important things to do, like riling up the fiery redhead.

At least spending time with the King of Sheep wasn’t boring. Dazai was quite looking forward to that actually.

“Forcing me to herd a little sheepling then.” Dazai corrected, tone dancing with glee and immediately had to duck the fist that embedded itself into the steel elevator frame. “You’re paying for that by the way.”

“The hell I am!” Chuuya growled in response.

There was a quiet ‘ding’ and the elevator doors opened. Dazai jumped inside, not wanting to get even more injured should Chuuya’s kicks connect.

"You bastard, stay still so I can show you pain.”

“No thanks. I already said I dislike pain, or is the sheepling too stupid to remember.”

“Bastard!” he snarled as Dazai raised his hands and blinked innocently.

There was a moment of silence as the lift rapidly made its way down.

“Where are we going?”

“Did Chuuya forget already? Mori-san told us to investigate.”

“Fuck you! I don’t want to spend my day with you.”

“Oh!” Dazai exclaimed, tone pitching. “Does this mean that Chuuya will abandon his little sheeplings?” He gasped. “What a cold hearted leader!”

“Shut up!” Chuuya swiped his way again, “I’m no leader!” And it just now occurred to Dazai that poking the irritated redhead in a confined space might not have been the best idea. The metal box creaked around them and Dazai’s hand shot to Chuuya’s outstretched wrist.

Chuuya’s face twisted with surprise. Interesting. Something was different from yesterday.

“You shouldn’t move around too much.” Dazai said, voice even.

“Haah?”

“While being crushed to death in the falling elevator seems appealing, Mori-san is quite adamant about this investigation first. So bothersome, don't you think?”

“Let go.” Chuuya’s voice was suddenly quiet, the low lights casting shadows on his face. A few beats of silence and Dazai let go, fingers slowly unwrapping from Chuuya’s wrist. Their eyes met and Dazai could feel the electricity in the air before those blue eyes looked away.

That confirmed it. It was the hands, wasn’t it?

“And stop using my first name.” Chuuya added as an afterthought when the elevator rang their arrival on the ground floor.

“But Nakahara-san would actually mean I respect you.” Dazai teased, jumping at the chance to break the tense silence and slipping out of the doors before Chuuya could process his words.

“You!”

“Chuuya fits you much better~” Dazai chirped and took off running, the redhead hot on his heels.

“Get back here!”

They ran past the receptionist who waved at them with a fond smile. The woman was probably happy to see Dazai playing with someone his age. The thought made his eyes crinkle because if she only knew. He stopped in front of her desk, a happy grin plastered on his face. Chuuya murmured a curse at him but quieted down as her shining eyes turned to him.

“Haruno-san, can we have a car please?” Dazai asked, grin widening.

“Dazai-sama.” She greeted him, hand already reaching for the phone. “Of course. I will call one of the drivers and have them pick you up in a second.”

“Thank you! We will be waiting in front.”

He didn’t wait for her response as he made his wait out.

“Have fun, Dazai-sama!” She called after him and Dazai spun on his heels to wave back cheerfully.

“We will!”

“Dazai-sama? What bullshit.” Chuuya muttered behind him as soon as they were out of the woman’s hearing range.

“As far as she’s concerned, I'm the son of the owner.” Dazai explained.

“As if anyone would believe that.”

“You’d be surprised, Chibi.”

“CHIBI!”

Ah, Chuuya’s reaction really was priceless. Dazai bit his lip as he rushed outside before the other could hit him for real. At that moment a nondescript black car pulled out in front of him and Dazai didn’t waste any time slipping inside.

“Spoiled brat.” Chuuya growled, but followed inside nonetheless. “Where are we going bandaged bastard?”

“Oh, yeah!” Dazai leaned towards the driver and told him where he needed to drop them off. He deliberately kept his voice low so Chuuya wouldn’t hear. Motomachi Park was near Randou-san’s house and they could walk the rest of the way. Also he didn’t want to tell the man where they were going. With everything that was happening recently a little caution wouldn’t hurt.

He relaxed back into his seat and pretended to ignore Chuuya’s clenched fists and the stare that promised death. Dazai soaked it all in, lips twitching.

“Why do you want to know about Arahabaki so much?” He asked, changing the topic to throw Chuuya off guard. “Your organisation is enemies with the Mafia, yet you’re willing to work with them to get more information.” It was strange. The name Arahabaki sent a small shiver down his spine and Dazai wasn’t sure why. He didn’t believe in any god, sо there was absolutely no reason for it. But there was something going on because Chuuya was willing to ally himself with the enemy if it meant getting information.

He really hoped the Special Ability Department would send him the report. Currently that was the only way to convince Chuuya to stay out of Mori’s manipulations. Especially because the mafia boss had already shared information for which other mafia members would kill.

The distraction worked. Sort of.

“None of your business.” Chuuya growled, eyes narrowed to slits.

“Hee~, but I’m curious. Chuuya agreed to work with Mori-san, despite the fact that he hates the Port Mafia.”

“Curiosity killed the cat, suicidal freak. Haven’t you heard of that?”

“Nyaaa.” Dazai mock-swiped at Chuuya as if to scratch him. “Dying out of curiosity, hmm? That’s one suicide method I’ve never tried.”

“Let me help you with it.” Chuuya leaned forward, eyes gleaming in the small compartment.

“No, thanks.” Dazai intoned, heart beating faster. Chuuya was close enough for him to feel how warm the redhead was and that was completely acceptable. What wasn’t was acceptable was that the driver chose that precise moment to pull the car to a stop. Chuuya was out the door in less than a second.

“Tell me where we’re going,” Chuuya threatened, as soon as Dazai was out of the car. If only looks could kill, Dazai would be a pile of smoking ashes by now. “or I’m going to rip your head off, you suicidal maniac!”

Chuuya’s voice turned into a growl by the end of his sentence and Dazai jumped, instinctively dodging the oncoming kick. So easily railed up.

“We’re going to investigate, as Mori-san ordered.” He said, turning to look at Chuuya. “We’re interviewing the people who were closest to the explosion.”

“What explosion?” Chuuya asked. He wasn’t aware of the other three explosions? That was interesting. So the rumours hadn’t spread on the streets. That was good news for Mori-san since then the high levels of the mafia were still trustworthy. To a degree.

“A week ago, there was an explosion similar to the one we experienced.” Dazai explained. “It happened nearby. The previous boss wasn’t sighted there, but the cause is most likely similar to what we’re investigating now.” Dazai turned to study Chuuya. “We're going to talk to a survivor from that explosion.”

Chuuya’s back straightened, hands firmly staying in his pockets. Dazai was quite impressed with the way he could balance himself even with that handicap. The glow of his ability had been absent when he had jumped to kick Dazai.

“A survivor? Meaning that there were casualties.” Chuuya concluded.

“Yes.” Dazai replied, not looking away. “A handful of the members of the Port Mafia that you so despise.” Blue eyes averted from Dazai’s sharp look, as if Chuuya didn’t like it. But why should he care? He had sent many of Mori-san’s men back in body bags himself. “The survivor is gifted, you’ve already met him. He was the one that had you restrained earlier.”

Dazai was interrupted by an explosion. The western-style mansion was engulfed in flames.

“Oh dear.” He sighed. “The enemy must have gotten to him first.”

“Quit yapping and move.” Chuuya took off into a run.

Dazai groaned quietly to himself. The redhead was so rash. Who ran towards an explosion, instead of away from it? Overconfident brats, that’s who. Dazai jumped off the ledge and followed. Well. That and people who wanted to die.

“I don’t think we’re going to get an interview here.” Chuuya stated the obvious, coming to a stop in a small western style garden. His eyes were glued to the smoke coming from the old mansion on top of the hill. It was more smoke than fire, but it was still troublesome.

The click of a gun came from behind and Dazai looked over his shoulder, a barrel of a USP pointed directly at them.

“Raise your hands and turn around!” The enemy demanded.

It was one man armoured in gear. Since he wasn’t one of Mori’s men, there was only one other possibility. The only other organization that used this type of equipment for their strike teams was the GSS.

“Check this out.” Chuuya grinned, addressing Dazai casually as if he hadn’t tried to strangle him multiple times just minutes before. Dazai found himself quite liking it despite himself. Chuuya’s temper was explosive, but he was ready to work with Dazai if the situation called for it. “Our dinner just came to us,” Chuuya, turning around to face the man. “I wasn’t feeling like an interview anyway.” He grinned. “Besides,” his eyes flashed to Dazai as he directed the question at him, “isn’t it simpler to just beat the guy behind the cover up and make him talk, huh?”

As he spoke Chuuya’s back straightened and his chest puffed up, the confidence oozing out of him. He could take the man on, of that Dazai had little doubt. It was also something that Dazai was excited to see. A bit too excited perhaps and his expression closed off to hide the emotion. It wouldn’t do to let Chuuya know that he found his confidence more than a tiny bit enticing. “Stay back.” Chuuya ordered like Dazai had any intention of interfering. “I’m going to beat the shit out of him.”

The man didn’t blink at the threat, no recognition on his face. Not yet.

“I thought they’d called in backup but you’re just two kids. Is the Port Mafia short staffed?” The man asked, mirroring Chuuya’s question from the other day. It made Dazai’s lips twitch since now the question was directed towards the redhead as well. “Or is that man, Randou, not very popular?”

Chuuya leaned forward, repeating the name.

“It’s the name of the man we were going to talk to. The person that was restraining you, using his special ability.”

“Oh, him.” Recognition flashed in Chuuya’s eyes. “Yo old fart, how about I save us both some time. First you’re going to shoot, then I’m going to retaliate by blowing you to the next town over.” The automated gun touching his forehead didn’t phase him one bit. “And then I’ll beat the shit out of your remaining men.” The self-assured way he spoke sent a spark through Dazai because... This cockiness was just too fitting. Maybe, if they’d done things Dazai’s way, there wouldn’t be an entire team coming their way, but then he would have missed out on a chance to see the famous King of the Sheep in action. And Dazai was quite eager to see Chuuya fight. “And we’ll call it a day.”

“What?” The man asked, dumbfounded. Not that he was entirely to blame because being held at gunpoint would scare any normal kid. He had just forgotten one tiny detail. They were by no means normal.

“Ah, man,” Dazai sighed, ignoring the gun pointed at his head. If only the man would pull the trigger, it would save them both the trouble. “You could at least trick him to get some information out of him.” He voiced a reprimand, walking past the enemy and taking the opportunity to pocket him. At least one of them should think ahead, right? And since it wasn’t going to be Chuuya, it was up to Dazai to cover that part.

“You’re with the GSS tactical team, aren’t you?” Despite the fact that he phrased it as a question, Dazai said it more for Chuuya’s benefit than to confirm something he already knew. Another click as the safety of the gun was released and goosebumps travelled down Dazai’s neck, instincts screaming for leaving his back exposed.

“Gerhardt Security Services.” Chuuya continued where Dazai left off, instinctively picking up on his train of thought. Dazai’s chest warmed up with glee because it felt… right? “Formerly a foreign funded security firm, turned into a fully-fledged illegal organisation after their funding got cut off.” The redhead rattled on the facts.

“That’s right. I won’t go easy on you just because you’re kids.”

“Try me, old fart.”

Chuuya must have activated his ability because there was a grunt as metal hit the ground, followed by a heavy body. Dazai took out the radio and began to fiddle with the frequencies. Let’s see if there was any backup coming.

“You...You’re the Sheep’s, Nakahara Chuuya.” It was said through gritted teeth, as if the man had difficulty breathing and Dazai almost felt bad for him—being crushed by Chuuya’s ability must be excruciating. “So it was true that you fell into the Port Mafia’s hands.”

That was the wrong thing to say. There was another pained groan tore from the man as Chuuya lost his temper. “Don’t get the wrong idea, you annoying prick!”

“Good for you. You’re amazing.” Dazai interjected. Scanning the radio confirmed it─ they didn’t have a lot of time before the rest of the GSS team arrived.

“Were you just standing there watching?” The irritation in Chuuya’s voice made it sound low and raspy and Dazai’s stomach twisted in delight.

“I was busy collecting information from the communicator I swiped off him. He has some back up arriving. Aaah.” Dazai sighed heavily and he hadn’t finished his sentence when the small garden was flooded by armed men. Amber eyes flashed, taking in their gear and the guns pointed at them. “You just make more work when you don’t think about what you’re doing.”

Not that it mattered when he had Chuuya on his side.

“Captain!”

“Want to join him in the ground?” Chuuya taunted, voice low and completely ignoring what Dazai had just said.

“Fire! That shrimp is the gravity manipulator Nakahara Chuuya!”

Gunfire erupted.

Bullets flew at them but Chuuya had moved in front of Dazai, shielding him from their path. Dazai blinked. The bullets bounced off as if they were nothing and it was fascinating to watch. Chuuya’s ability was so versatile, an ultimate defence that he was now using to shield both of them.

Chuuya’s shoulders rolled and Dazai’s eyes traced the motion, transfixed. There was just something about the way Chuuya fought. The way he turned the enemy weapons against them, the way he incorporated his surroundings as weapons, the way he played with gravity and it obeyed his every whim.

A sharp sting in his cheek snapped him out of his thoughts and he wiped it distractedly, eyes going back at the scene in front of him. Bullets hovered frozen, slowly turning around to face their enemies, a warning of what was to come. A taste of their own medicine. The way Chuuya fought was a complete opposite of how Dazai would approach the situation, and it was refreshing. Dazai quite liked it, Chuuya’s creativity and quick thinking.

“Did you just call me a shrimp, asshole?” Chuuya’s voice dropped dangerously, turing Dazai’s thoughts into a different direction. One that had little to do fighting. “I’m only fifteen! I’m still growing!” Chuuya then deftly executed a spin kick, sending all of the bullets back where they came from.

Chuuya rose in the air, a piece of concrete following right after him before it was turned into a canon and kicked at the enemy. Dazai drank in the way Chuuya’s body turned and twisted into the air, hands still safely tucked away in his pockets.

There was a certain grace to it.

Another barrage of bullets clashed with the gravity shield.

Chuuya deftly launched himself taking down one man after the other. It was more than a little breathtaking to watch the redhead dispose of a full team of armed and trained soldiers in less than five minutes.

It was when he felt the bandages on his neck get soaked by blood, that he tore his eyes from the redhead. Oh, right. One of the bullets had grazed him. He traced the bleeding cut with his finger and stared at it — a stark contrast against his pale skin. It looked kind of pretty.

The same crimson as Chuuya’s ability.

He brought his finger to his lips, sucking lightly.

His eyes scanned the ground and noticed the gun lying right in front of him.

It was finally quiet. Chuuya landed in front of Dazai, the last enemy taken care of. Red locks swayed gently at the motion and Dazai forgot how to breathe. Something clicked inside him and he knew that that’s how things were supposed to be. Chuuya was always supposed to be the last one standing, with all enemies in his feet.

Dazai bent down to pick up the discarded UPS, testing the feel of it in his hand. He couldn’t let Chuuya do all the work, right? Unlike the redhead, Dazai didn’t have an ability that lent itself to combat, so he would have to make due with this. It was just a miscalculation on his part that he hadn’t asked Mori-san for one earlier.

No matter.

“It’s over.” He heard Chuuya say. “Tell me the reason for the attack,” the redhead questioned the only survivor. “What do you know about Arahabaki?”

Arahabaki again, huh? The ancient god still meant nothing to Dazai even though something told him that it should. Like it was on the tip of his tongue and it was evading him. He pursed his lips, a small frown creasing his brows.

His temple throbbed but it was gone before he could make anything out of it.

“I guess we’ll have to wait for our team’s investigation report.” Chuuya sighed, now speaking more to Dazai than to the bleeding man.

This caught Dazai’s attention. Chuuya had just assumed—and rightly so—that Dazai had called a team to clean up the scene and collect evidence. More so, it was said with such certainty despite the fact that Dazai hadn’t mentioned it at all. While it was logical for Dazai or Mori, he hadn’t expected the redhead to have enough foresight to be able to see through Dazai so quickly.

Huh. Maybe there was something to Mori-san’s reasoning in pairing them together.

Not that Dazai was complaining, of course. Well, he was, but teasing and poking at Chuuya was fun. The fact that it placed him in a perfect position to work on his mission for the Special Abilities Department was an added bonus.

Chuuya stepped past the dying man, paying him little mind, while Dazai paused and stared at the blood slowly leaving his body. How unlucky. He was probably in terrible pain. His heart kept on going, helping the man bleed out faster. His breaths were short, eyes starting to get clouded, yet it would be a while before he died.

It was not a peaceful way to die.

“How unfortunate,” Dazai kneeled down next to the man. “Does it hurt?” It was a useless question. The pain was probably so sharp that it was overriding his other senses. “It’s too late to save you.” He said gently. “Still, you won’t be dead for another five minutes or so. That’s five minutes of hellish suffering. I wouldn’t be able to bear it.”

He raised his hand holding the gun he had just picked up, so the man could see it clearly. “Do you want me to end your suffering?” He offered. “If you want to, say yes. You should do it while you can still talk.”

“Shoot me, please.” the man croaked weakly, taking the easy way out.

As if death could ever be easy. Dazai knew. He had tried it many times and yet here he was. Still breathing while this man was bleeding out in front of him. So close to death, at the price of excruciating pain, but death was not supposed to be painful. It was supposed to be cheerful and painless.

“All right.” Dazai raised the gun and pointed the barrel, squeezing the trigger without hesitation. He knew how to use a gun, but he had never actually taken a life.

The first bullet ended it, square in the heart. Taking someone else’s life was easy.

Laughably easy.

One bullet in the right place and it was all over. The man was free.

Why couldn’t Dazai be?

He had been forced to stay and live despite his best attempts. His finger couldn’t leave the trigger, and he squeezed it again and again, emptying the clip. He had given the man something that Dazai couldn’t have. Simply for being in their way. “This is more than you deserve.”

The gun flew out of his hands, and Dazai suddenly found himself on the receiving end of an angry blue glare.

“Quit shooting dead bodies.”

Dazai released a sharp breath. His heart thumped loudly in his chest as he struggled to compose himself. He squared his shoulders and straightened his back.

“You’re right. You’re absolutely right.” He started walking towards the half-burned mansion. “What you say is probably correct. That would be the normal way to think.”

He could feel Chuuya’s eyes on the back of his head as he led the way inside the mansion, through the charred entry hall and into a large dining room. The fires had all but died down during their scuffle with the GSS, undoubtedly taken care of by Randou-san’s ability. Despite his behaviour, the man was one of the sub-executives of the Port Mafia. Getting rid of the fire should’ve been a simple task for him.

There was a lone chair on the other end of the dining room, placed in front of a large fireplace. Dazai saw the outline of Randou-san’s head against the flames.

“So cold.” The man shuddered. “The wind is coming through and it’s three times as cold.”

“Must have been rough, Randou-san.” Dazai said. The man had been like that since before Dazai met him – always cold, always piling layers of clothing, even on the hottest days. It had made Dazai wonder more than once, if it had anything to do with Randou-san's ability. They did tend to cause the strangest side-effects.

“It was brutal. Why me?”

“It’s easy to guess why you were attacked. The rumour is spreading.” Dazai spoke. “If a Mori supporter like you were to die in a black explosion, people would take the anger of the old boss more seriously.” Dazai paused to give Chuuya a brief look. “One of the GSS soldiers had these instructions for faking a black explosion.” Dazai held out a piece of paper that he’d snatched from one of the GSS men.

“What is a black explosion?”

“Apparently you can get a black-ish flame using a sodium lamp flame reaction.” The azure gaze never left him as Dazai crumpled the instruction and threw them over his shoulder. “Whatever the case, it’s just a cheap trick.”

Chuuya’s eyes were almost like a physical touch. A thrill at the pit of his stomach that Dazai couldn’t get enough of. It was exhilarating to have Chuuya’s attention focused on him. Randou chuckled, throwing another book into the fire, and disrupting Dazai’s thoughts.

“So let me get this straight…” Chuuya spoke. “The GSS people attacked this guy, pretending to be Arahabaki, in order to get the port mafia to turn on itself. “

“The current GSS president is a cold-hearted man. Rumour has it that he has close ties to The Guild, a North American secret organisation.” Randou explained.

“Tell me about Arahabaki as you saw it in Suribachi City.” Dazai interjected before their topic could derail into details about The Guild. This was not a pressing matter and Mori-san had a comprehensive file on the GSS leader. Randou-san wasn’t sharing anything new. Besides, Chuuya wanted to know about Arahabaki too, right? “That’s the only lead we have on the resurrection of the former boss.”

Fortunately, the man didn’t need further prompting.

“Ah, I remember it clearly. How could I ever forget.” Randou said, voice becoming distant with memory. “I was the only survivor. My subordinates all burned to ash, they were engulfed in that black flame. It was no doubt that god of fire.”

Dazai had his doubts that the old boss and Arahabaki were one and the same and the more he dug into it, the more questions came up. Chuuya’s interest into it was just another one to add to the pile and if Dazai was honest with himself, it was that that made him want to get to the bottom of this.

“It happened close to the centre of Suribachi City. We, the Port Mafia, were on our way to battle the Sheep boys. There, out of the blue, we were all blown away by a black explosion. All I could do was protect myself with my ability. Black flames, crumbling earth. It was hell itself.” Randou continued breathlessly. “And there in the middle, it wasn’t the former boss… no, it wasn’t even human.” He paused, overcome by an almost violent shudder. “A beast.”

Dazai couldn’t stop the fluttering in his chest, just as he couldn’t stop the grin that crawled up on his face. There was just no fighting this fire. The imagery Randou was describing was something akin to a fairy tale and it made Dazai’s blood rush. It was an impossibility, yet there was no sign the man was lying. No. Dazai knew the man was telling the truth.

“A small frame surrounded by black flames.” Even while he soaked up every word, Dazai didn’t fail to notice how Chuuya was suspiciously silent. He stole a quick glance. Chuuya wasn’t paying attention to him. Instead, those pretty blue eyes were averted to the side as he let the man’s words wash over him.

“Everything in sight was simmering in the extreme heat, except the Yokohama sea. Just the sea, in the distance, basking gently in the moonlight. That alone is vivid in my memory. I heard the voice of a beast, devoid of any emotion whatsoever. It terrified me.”

Randou-san got up.

So this was how it was…

Randou-san was…

Dazai fought to keep the glee off his face as the pieces surrounding Randou-san fell into place. The man’s past had been a mystery even to Mori-san and this explained quite a lot. The boss. Arahabaki. Everything.

“I’m sorry. You two wanted to prove that the former boss was not resurrected by Arahabaki, and it was a hoax put together by enemy gifted, didn’t you?”

“No,” Dazai disagreed. “That was interesting indeed.” He couldn’t keep it in anymore. Triumph coloured his face with excitement. “Thanks to you, the mystery is solved.” Chuuya’s surprised gasp came from behind him but Dazai just whistled as he spun on his heels and gestured for the redhead to follow, leaving Randou behind in the ruined house. “There’s still something I want to check.”

“Don’t call me as if I’m your dog damn you.”

“Heeh~, that’s a nice thought. Chuuya would make a good puppy wouldn’t he?”

“You bastard!”

Dazai ducked the kick aimed at his head and spun on his heels.

The way the sun made its way inside through the half-broken roof and the way it glinted off the red strands made it look as if Chuuya was surrounded by a flame and it was mesmerising.

Almost like that time…

Except it was different. It wasn’t the sun. It was—

Pain cut through his forehead and Dazai let out a startled gasp, squeezing his eyes until he saw white. The intensity was completely different than anything he’d ever experienced before. Dazai moaned and dug his fingers into his hair, gripping tightly on the bandages around his eyes. His jaw clenched as he dug his nails into his forehead, trying to alleviate the pain. Anything to make it stop.

His head split in two, images rushing before his eyes.

The moon was shining bright, high in the night sky.

Chuuya’s hair was glistering in its light.

Dark flames danced around him.

Dazai’s breath caught in his throat and he reached out to grab Chuuya’s hand.

They couldn’t get separated. Not now. Not after—

His breath came out in a hiss when the pain subsided, turning in to a slow ebb, leaving his heart thumping in his ears as a painful reminder. It sounded like a drum.

He tensed, suddenly aware of arms around him.

“Oi, Dazai!” He shuddered at the sound of his name and finally dared open his eye and peek through his fingers. Another groan left his lips when his vision blurred and his head throbbed painfully. He sucked in a shuddering breath. He was shaking.

Another inhale. He let go of his hair, hands hanging in front of him and he stared at them mutely.

What the hell had that just happened?

“Are you with me?”

His vision came back into focus and Dazai became aware that he was lying on the charred marble floor in a fetal position. Arms squeezed him lightly and Dazai looked up, meeting Chuuya’s concerned eyes. The expectant air around the redhead increased and Dazai realised he’d been asked a question.

“I’m…” He rasped, throat dry as another shudder went through him. The lingering pain and desperation were almost overwhelming. He wasn’t used to feeling so much of anything and the pain had scattered his thoughts. Dazai didn’t like this at all. He cleared his throat. “I’m fine.” He tried again.

“The hell you are!” Chuuya snapped. “What the fuck was that?” Chuuya emphasized his words by tightening his arms around Dazai.

Dazai blinked and didn’t answer. He levelled Chuuya with a measuring look, wondering if the chibi was really that worried. Had it really looked that bad? He tried to get up and Chuuya immediately moved to help him into a seating position.

“I don’t know,” Dazai admitted. “Maybe I’m getting a brain aneurysm?” He mused out loud. “Actually, dying by that might not be too painful, right?”

“Suicidal maniac!” Chuuya groaned.

“Weeeeeell, Chuuya kicked me so hard the other day, so maybe it’s because of that.”

“...” Chuuya looked away, averting those pretty blue eyes to the side, before he realized that Dazai had been an enemy at the time—still is—and that he shouldn’t feel guilty for hurting him. “You shouldn’t have trespassed on our turf then.” He replied, however it was much more subdued than before.

Dazai grinned. Gotcha.

“But then I wouldn’t have been able to meet Chuuya~.”

He got up slowly, ignoring both the shaking of his limbs and the flush of his skin, because Chuuya was so close. As if he was ready to catch him if Dazai got another… attack? What the hell was he supposed to call it? He did an inventory of the way he’s feeling and made an experimental step.

When his legs didn’t immediately give in, he took another. It wasn’t a panic attack. It was more like a flashback of something Dazai had no recollection of. A forgotten memory?

Was that even possible?

There had always been a large gap in his memories. Due to that he was forced to undergo regular check-ups with the doctors at the Special Abilities Department. They’d always claimed that his memories were impossible to recover. Yet here they were.

And funny that, the first memory was related to a certain redhead.

His first conscious memory was of waking up on a bed when he was around seven or eight with his current superior officer sitting next to him, reading through the newspaper.

If he had known Chuuya before his eight year and they had somehow been separated… Then the department knew of his past with the King of Sheep. Dazai clicked his tongue. That would explain a lot.

Brown eyes shot to the side at the other boy that was still hovering close, worried Dazai might collapse again. If they’d known each other why didn’t Chuuya recognize him? Had it been so long ago that he’d forgotten or was there another reason?

Dazai needed to look into this.

Chapter Text

By the time Dazai started feeling even remotely normal, lingering headache notwithstanding, they’d made their way down the stairs and out of Motomachis park. If Chuuya had said anything, Dazai had been too lost in thought to hear him, although he didn’t think so. The redhead wouldn’t stand to be ignored. If the other had demanded an answer then he’d get it. One way or another.

The entire Arahabaki episode—and the name still made him shudder—reminded him of the request he’d sent to the department. He patted his coat, reaching into the pocket that held the government-issued phone. Hopefully they’d managed to send the file by now. Dazai had been too distracted with the fight and Randou-san’s story to notice any messages but one could hope those bureaucrats would do something quick for once.

He unlocked it and his finger immediately found the only notification waiting for him. Dazai bit his lip as he scanned the email quickly.

It was the Arahabaki file.

He only hesitated for a moment. He really did dislike pain and reading the file might trigger another episode. But there was no choice. Dazai had to check the file out before he even considered sharing it with Chuuya. He had to see if it was useful at all. Sometimes the department would have pages upon pages of information on the most useless things.

He tapped it open, quickly scanning the summary, eyes widening with each word.

Case File: Ability User A5158, Nakahara Chuuya [Arahabaki]

Dazai almost dropped his phone. Chuuya was Arahabaki? And a government experiment to boot. That he could believe. The department had the habit to experiment even on the members of the most elite squad, the Hunting Dogs. He’d heard rumours of multiple enhancements that they’d done on each member. There was also his own missing memories to consider and if he had known Chuuya before, then… Dazai’s fingers clenched around the device.

What he found surprising was that they’d somehow managed to get their hands on a god. Moreover, they’d managed to perform a successful merger with a gifted child, leading to Chuuya hosting the god of calamity. Of course a large portion of the file was blacked out and Dazai had expected that. They wouldn’t want him to share everything with Chuuya. Only enough to keep him satisfied and on their leash.

On Dazai’s leash…

The thought prickled heat under his collar, but he shook his head.

Did Chuuya even know he was Arahabaki? That might explain why he was asking so many questions and why he was willing to work with the mafia to get answers.

His eyes stopped on the mention of a partner for A5159, and didn’t that number just leave a sour taste in his mouth. The only time the file had addressed Chuuya by his name was in the summary, everywhere else, he was referred to by his government issued number and Dazai hated it.

“Oi, Mackerel..”

Dazai looked up from his phone noticing how close Chuuya was. They had reached a busier street, Dazai’s feet automatically carrying him in the direction of the Yokohama downtown. Walking wasn’t a bad idea. After reading all of this, Dazai really didn’t feel like cramming himself in a car.

“What is it, Chibi?”

“Are you fainting on me?”

“Are you worried about me?” Dazai gasped, exaggeratedly in a way that knew would annoy the other and stop him from asking too many questions. He needed to decide on how to handle this.

“As if! I just don’t want your boss to hound me thinking I’ve killed you!” Chuuya returned. He was now walking by Dazai’s side, and he immediately locked his phone when he saw that Chuuya was trying to peek at the screen from the corner of his eye.

“Naughty, naughty.” Dazai tsk-ed. “Didn’t anyone ever teach you it’s bad manners to read other people’s messages?”

“I wouldn’t want to read them even if you forced me.” Chuuya denied immediately.

“Chuuya has no idea what he’s missing.”

“Yeah, right.”

Too bad. This time Dazai was telling the truth. Chuuya would definitely want to read the file.

“Nee, Chuuya?”

“What?”

“What do you make of his story? Do you think Arahabaki and the old boss are one and the same?” Dazai asked. “Randou-san said something very interesting about Arahabaki.”

“What did he say?”

“Oh, but did Chuuya really not get it?”

“Get what?”

“Eeeeh~ Why should I tell you?”

“Bastard! The deal was an exchange of information!”

“Chuuya made that deal with Mori-san, not with me.” Dazai grinned.

“Tell me, shitty Dazai!”

“Noope~” Dazai side-stepped a group of high-schoolers to avoid Chuuya’s hands. His eyes landed on an arcade and an idea popped into his mind. “Tell you what, why don’t we bet on it on a game?”

“What?”

Dazai pointed at the arcade and spoke slowly, making it sound like he was talking to someone who had trouble understanding. He knew it would annoy Chuuya even more. “If I win, you’ll tell me everything you know about Arahabaki. If you win, I'll tell you who is behind all of this?”

“And you’ll tell me what the hell that seizure was.” Chuuya added, immediately heading towards the entrance of the arcade.

Dazai’s eyes narrowed at that as he quickly followed. There was no way he was letting Chuuya win anyway. “Fine.” he huffed. The joke was on Chuuya because the best Dazai had to offer was suspicions.

“Just you wait you suicidal freak, I’m gonna show you.”

“Ooh I can’t wait. Let’s see if the brat is all talk or not.”

“Shut up and wait here!” Chuuya snapped, marching towards the nearest restroom and leaving Dazai by the consoles. “I’ll show you, you spoiled little master.”

Dazai’s eyes followed him until he was out of sight. He looked around to make sure none of the kids were paying attention and took out a water bottle out of the pocket of his coat. It was a hot summer day after all. He sipped at it before gently pouring a little over the attack button of the console next to him. Not enough to completely break it, but just enough to make the button jam.

He grinned. Dazai knew he could beat Chuuya fair and square. He had done little but play games and try to kill himself away from Mori-san’s watchful eyes all year. Still, he had no intention of failing. It was just not an option.

Plus there was no way he was letting the little god go anywhere. Whether Chuuya knew he was one or not. First of all it was his mission and second, that memory had been suspicious. His chest still echoed the desperation with which he had reached out for Chuuya. It was difficult to shake it, even now. There was no way that Dazai would let Chuuya go after this.

Chuuya wanted to know who was behind this. Either to catch whoever was using Arahabaki’s name or to learn the truth behind Arahabaki. Chances were CHuuya didn’t know that he was Arahabaki.

Dazai on the other hand had something entirely different in mind.

His lips stretched into a smirk.

“What are you grinning for, idiot?” Ah, Chuuya was back. “That eager to lose?”

“Oh my, I wasn’t aware that Sheep had enough brains to play even a simple button smash game.” Dazai teased.

“I’ll smash your face in!”

“Well then,” Dazai grinned as he stepped around in front of the other game machine. It had been a while since he’d had an opponent. “Let’s see if Chibi can reach the controls.”

“Argh! You’re barely taller than me, bastard!” Chuuya groaned but sat down on the opposite side. “You’re on!”

Dazai scrolled through the different characters, checking their stats. Based on what he’s gathered, Chuuya would choose a pure attacker. So then the best choice would be…“Nee, Chuuya?”

“Hurry up, suicide freak.”

“The bet we agreed on is a bit one-sided. I give information on two topics so Chuuya should raise the stakes too.” Dazai pressed the button to select the character. “When I win, Chuuya isn’t only going to tell me all he knows about Arahabaki.”

“As if you’d win!”

“When I win,” Dazai continued as if Chuuya hadn’t interrupted him. “You’ll do one thing I want. Any one thing.”

There was a short pause on the other side of the console, the sounds from the other kids playing around filling in the space between them.

“Fine. You’re on!” Chuuya agreed snappishly.

The game start screen appeared, showing a ruined city street. Chuuya’s character was upon him with a flying kick.

“Tell me who’s behind it!” Chuuya exclaimed loudly, intense clicking of buttons coming from his side of the console.

Facing Chuuya’s enthusiasm, Dazai couldn’t help but respond with a heated “No way!” It was contagious. Dazai knew that even if he had no mission to stay close to Chuuya, he’d have still done it anyway. He was like a moth to a flame, completely caught in Chuuya’s gravity.

His fingers never left the console as he used Chuuya’s character cooldown to swipe his legs under him.

“Urgh!” The redhead groaned, as if he felt the pain of hitting the concrete himself. “You don’t get it, do you?”

“No, I get it.” Dazai teased. “Unlike a certain grade school student, I happen to know!”

He could just hear the clank of the buttons from Chuuya’s side.

“Ora ora! You’re never gonna win if you’re constantly on the defensive!”

Dazai smirked when he saw his chance and swooped in for the kill. “Too bad for you!”

“Ahh! Wait a second!” Chuuya’s shout was drowned in the ‘game over’ music, Chuuya’s life slowly draining from Dazai’s KO.

The chuckle escaped his mouth before he could even think to stop it. “Remember our promise? The loser has to obey one order from the winner. Like a dog.”

There was a thump and their console shook. Dazai bit his lip in mirth, was this the sound of Chuuya’s head hitting the screen? Ah, music to his ears. He intended to fully enjoy his victory. “Now then, what shall I have you do?”

Chuuya’s head appeared above the console, arms flailing. “I was so sure I can win!” It just made victory taste sweeter.

“The strength of your ability is your downfall.” Dazai told him sagely. “It’s so strong that you never learn to think cunningly, to think strategically,” he waved his arm dismissively. “Whether it’s in video games or in riddles.”

“Riddles?” Chuuya’s voice shook before he slammed his hands on top of the game machine. “I don’t remember ever doing riddles, let alone losing!”

What a perfect set up~. It was all Chuuya’s fault for walking right into that one. Dazai leaned forward, trying to, but unable to contain the wolf-like grin.

“Then let’s have a contest to see who can catch the perpetrator first~.” He rose from his seat so he could look straight in those azure eyes. “If you win, we can call off the bet we had. But if I win,” Dazai paused, letting the other process his words fully, before he continued, deliberately using the words that would raise Chuuya’s hackles. “You’d be my dog for life.”

Exactly as predicted, Chuuya’s eyes sharpened into a murderous glare as he pointed a finger at Dazai, not caring that he was balancing precariously on his chair. His answer was exactly what Dazai had banked on.

“You’re on! I’ll do it!” the redhead growled. “I’m not cunning, neither tactical, huh? I’ll show you what I have up my sleeve!”

Which brought up a good point. Dazai had been curious since the moment Chuuya fought against Hirotsu-san for the first time. “Does the fact that you always have your fists closed and engage your opponents using only kicks have something to do with what you have up your sleeve?”

The change was instantaneous.

Chuuya’s fire was zapped away, replaced by cold calculation that didn’t look quite right on the redhead, but it settled like a second skin. Of course, Dazai knew that the other was capable of strategic thought and ruthlessness. It’s just that Dazai liked the fiery teen he’d spent the last few hours with much better than that mask.

He was fun to tease.

“How I fight is none of your business.” Chuuya stated, getting down from his perch and facing away.

What a curious reaction.

The hands were really important then.

“I see, then you're just being lazy.” Dazai nodded. “Hey, why are you looking for Arahabaki?” He asked again, despite this time knowing the answer. “What’s got you so interested?”

“Why are you insistent on dying young?” Chuuya returned the question and Dazai’s eyes widened. He opened his mouth, but then Chuuya’s eyes widened, focus somewhere behind Dazai as he pulled on his hood and disappeared behind the screen.

“What’s wrong?” Dazai peeked over the machine, raising an eyebrow at the redhead who had pressed against the console.

“Shut up for a second!” Chuuya hissed, obviously trying to keep his voice low. Dazai was turning around to look at what had spooked the redhead before he could even think about it. His eyes fell on a couple of teens—a girl and a boy their age.

“Oh, them?” Dazai’s eyes scanned them, taking in every detail. “The blue bracelets they are wearing… they are members of the Sheep aren’t they?” He concluded. “Is there a problem?” He asked, even though he had a suspicion why Chuuya wouldn’t want to be seen by them.

“Does this seem like a good time for them to see me?” Was the hissed response.

A smile tugged on Dazai’s lips. “My, did the King of Sheep skip out on his duties for little old me?”

“Shut up!”

“Heeey! Nakahara Chuuya-kun!” Dazai exclaimed loud enough to be heard over the sound of the various games around them. “Let’s get to work!”

“What are you? Mental?!” Chuuya squeaked, “Shut up, damn it!”

It was enough to attract everyone’s attention, including the two figures standing by the door.

“Chuuya!” The silver haired boy exclaimed. “Finally, there you are! We were looking for you.” He told Chuuya, not even looking at Dazai.

“Hey, guys. You’re safe.”

“Akira and Shogo were kidnapped by the mafia. Let’s go to their base and give them some pain!” The teen urged. Dazai got up from his spot so he could observe both the two newcomers and Chuuya better. He couldn’t help it if his eyes focused more on Chuuya than the Sheep, but he was the one that had his interest. The other two were merely providing a new opportunity through which Dazai could get to know Chuuya.

“Don’t worry about that.” Chuuya sighed. “We’re dealing with it right now.” He was remarkably calm, but it was understandable. He probably had an image to maintain as a leader.

“Dealing with it?”

“Yes, dealing with it,” Dazai interjected, deciding that he’d seen enough. The silver head and the girl turned to him, puzzled and Dazai plastered a smile on his face. “Never mind that. Can you tell me what you learned about Arahabaki?” He asked. “Have you discovered anything?”

Dazai groaned internally at the confused expressions he received. And he’d thought Chuuya was slow. Really, was this the level of underlings Chibi had to deal with? It was a small wonder he was still able to keep up with Dazai’s train of thought considering the company he kept. Dazai planned to rectify this.

“Who is he?” The boy looked at Chuuya.

“Is he interested in joining?” The girl asked.

“Something like that,” Chuuya rushed to say, clearly trying to cut the conversation short. Then he did something Dazai hadn’t expected. He asked them to answer Dazai’s question. Chibi was so honest! He had agreed on this information exchange and he was going through with it. Dazai’s smile widened. What a loyal dog he’d gotten himself.

“Based on our investigations, rumors about people seeing the previous boss or the black flame have exploded in the past week.”

Yes, that much they knew already. “What is the oldest confirmable rumor?” Dazai prodded further hoping to get some more insight on when this mess actually began.

“Probably eight years ago.” Eight yeas ago when Chuuya escaped that government testing facility. Since his time with the special abilities department, Dazai had been poked and prodded on occasion, but nothing like being confined to a life of guinea pig. He couldn’t really blame Chuuya for destroying everything. Even if the act had probably caused him to lose his memory. There was no other reason why Chuuya would be looking into the Arahabaki rumour with such intensity now. That or he intended to find out who was using his name in such away.

Either way Dazai had gained because of it.

“The giant explosion that created Suribachi city at the end of the conflict. Arahabaki didn’t cause any damage prior to that.”

“I see.”

“Is this guy really a new recruit for the Sheep?” The girl’s eyes darted between Dazai and Chuuya.

Dazai shot her an even look, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Sometimes it was easier to let people come to their own conclusions, however wrong they were. Something flashed through her eyes briefly and it rubbed Dazai the wrong way. It was the same look that the boy had given Chuuya when he’d demanded they storm the mafia headquarters to free their friends.

Like Chuuya was expected to agree.

Why was Chuuya staying with them again?

“More importantly! Let’s come up with a plan to get our guys back.” the silver haired teen insisted again. “They were abducted from the factory road past the river.”

“Wait a minute!” Chuuya exclaimed, head shooting up, shoulders straightening. “You went past the river?!”

The two tensed up. Apparently they’d let that one slip.

Chuuya got up, coolness all but forgotten as he got in the silver-haired boy's face. “You went to steal booze again? So close to the port mafia base? It’s right in the middle of the conflict!” He scolded harshly. “It’s like asking to be abducted!”

So they expected Chuuya to keep them safe, but refused to follow simple instructions? Chuuya was too soft on them.

“Please don’t shout!” The girl shrank behind the boy and Dazai observed the muscles in Chuuya’s jaw tense as he fought to contain his anger and worry. It was obvious, they’d had this argument more than once, yet the members of the Sheep hadn’t deemed it important enough to follow Chuuya’s advice. Dazai’s face darkened as he observed the scene. The more he learned about them, the more it seemed that the Sheep didn’t really deserve to have Chuuya.

Dazai would be happy to take him off their hands.

“We’re upholding our defence policy, aren’t we?” The silver haired boy asked, changing tactics and going for pleading. Now if that wasn’t emotional manipulation Dazai would eat his coat. These brats. “Besides, this is a good opportunity,” the boy continued. “Lay your hands on the Sheep and we hit back a hundred times harder, right? Isn’t it what you always say?”

Using Chuuya’s own words against him was a nice touch.

Dazai bit the inside of his cheek, stomach twisting at the crude attempt. He swallowed harshly, suddenly hating the fact that someone else thought they had the right to treat Chuuya like that. The girl was still hiding behind the boy, no doubt to make Chuuya feel guilty for telling them off for their mistake.

As if it was their right to demand things from Chuuya and tell him what to do.

Oh no. Not while Dazai was here. Chuuya was his dog now and there was no way that he would let anyone treat the redhead with anything less than the respect he deserved. Dazai was the only one who could poke and tease and twist him into doing his bidding. No one else.

“You always say that anyone who has the means others don’t ought to fulfill that responsibility.” Oh… ohhh the brat didn’t even realise he was digging his own grave and Dazai would happily murder him. They’d just pushed everything onto Chuuya. “Fulfill your responsibility as someone with an ability. Please.”

Chuuya was his and no one else had the right to treat him this way.

“That’s great.” Dazai said, raising his voice. The glare Chuuya aimed his way said that he was perfectly aware of what was happening, and yet he kept silent. That was okay, Dazai had no issues speaking up for him. None whatsoever. “You two sure are interesting.” He smiled at the Sheep, although by the step back they took, it was probably more twisted than he had intended to. Good. “He’s the one with the strongest power, and he acts like a sheep in the eyes of wolves.” Chuuya’s eyes turned into cold steel and Dazai aimed his full attention towards him refusing to look away. “It seems that leading an organisation is a lot harder than you’d imagine.”

“You…” Chuuya’s voice came out low, dangerous.

It sent a shiver down Dazai’s spine.

“Chuuya isn't the leader.” The silver haired brat informed him. “He’s only one of the twelve council members.”

“Hai hai.” The girl nodded before she peeked from behind the boy to look at Chuuya. “You can’t make a decision to recruit him just by yourself.” She berated.

The two seemed to know a lot about what Chuuya could and could not do. As well as which buttons to push to make Chuuya do exactly as they wanted. Dazai narrowed his eyes at the thought. “Heeh, so you can’t even trust one of your council to make a decision by himself?” Not that that hadn’t been obvious right from the beginning. Dazai sighed, got up and took a step closer to the two Sheep. The silver-haired boy’s shoulders tensed and he straightened, trying to appear more intimidating. It didn’t work.

“Don’t put words in my mouth.” The boy bared his teeth.

“Was I doing that?” Dazai blinked, tilting his head to the side. “I’m sorry. I must have misunderstood. I was pretty sure you were trying to manipulate Chuuya into risking his life to fix your screw up. But I must be mistaken, right?” He asked, eyes falling on the way the girl’s nails dug into the boy’s arm. “Friends don’t guilt each other into doing supid, dangerous things like attacking the Port Mafia. But you can’t help it, can you? You are a weak little lamb after all.” Ripe for slaughter, Dazai thought and shrugged. “What do I know though? I’m not even a part of the Sheep.”

The girl glared at him while the boy’s fists clenched. They were so beneath Chuuya they shouldn’t even be wasting his time.

“Shut your mouth. You don’t know anything!” The silver-haired boy snapped, eyes flashing. So Dazai had hit a nerve, hee?

“Hmm.” Dazai hummed and then his lips curled into a smirk. “You’d be surprised.”

“You know nothing about the Sheep.” The boy spat, fingers twitching towards his pocket and eyes darting from Dazai to Chuuya to the arcade around them. “So shut the fuck up!” That was Dazai’s cue to stop, because the brat was apparantly that stupid and it wasn’t hard to predict what he would do next.

“Shirase…” Chuuya said, obviously coming to the same conclusion.

“Let’s go.” Dazai cut in. The whole scene was just pathetic. He didn’t have time for tantrums and they had work to do. “We still have some unfinished business.”

At that the girl finally left her hiding place and ran to cling to Chuuya’s arm. Something about it made Dazai want to squeeze the life out of her with his bare hands.

“Business? Chuuya doesn’t have to follow after a new recruit.” She whined and the tone of her voice made Dazai want to spill blood. “Especially one that hasn't been approved by the full council.”

Those two just didn’t know when to give up, did they?

“Hoo?” Dazai could see right through her. “You really think this is going to work?”

“Hmph.” She sneered at him and looked up at Chuuya with wide eyes. “Let’s go, Chuuya. You don’t need to listen to that guy.”

“Yes, sure.” Dazai nodded. “You should listen to your friends, Chuuya. Just the way they listen to you.” His smile was all teeth and no warmth.

“You, fucking bast-!” Shirase said, but Chuuya cut in.

“That’s enough. He and I still have business. You should go without me.”

“You’re actually going with that guy?!”

“Arahabaki comes first.” Chuuya freed himself from the girl’s grasp and it was all very satisfying to watch.

“Chuuya,” she tried one more time, but when Chuuya shook his head she shot another glare at Dazai. “Do you think that the council will agree to let him in after this? No way!”

“Right now he’s the only one that can help me retrieve Akira and Shougo safely.” Chuuya said, finally managing to free his arm.

“The only one?!” Shirase snapped. “Is he with the Port Mafia?!” A knife flashed in the boy’s hand and was aimed straight at Dazai’s throat.

Dazai sighed deeply. Dumb and dull. “Let’s go. There’s nothing to discuss here.”

He turned his back on the whole scene and went for the door, sure that Chuuya would follow. He wasn’t wrong. It took less than a second for the red head to catch up with him.

“So it’s true?” Shirase yelled after them. “You betrayed us and are working for the Port Mafia?”

Chuuya stopped dead in his tracks at that, and turned around. “The Port Mafia’s got nothing to do with this. This is my own problem.”

Dazai’s lips curled in satisfaction as Chuuya grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the arcade. He was only too happy to follow.

The last thing he heard was Shirase’s frustrated yell and the hard crash of metal. Good. Dumb little lambs needed to know their place.

“How distasteful.” He remarked out loud.

“Haah, you’re one to talk.” Chuuya answered him although there was a slight smile on his face. Dazai’s eyes widened as a thought occurred to him. Had nobody ever… taken Chuuya’s side in these arguments? Dazai had been under the impression that the Sheep were a tight knit group. It was one of the reasons he’d refused their invite when they’d extended it a few years ago. That and he’d been on standby between orders from the department. There was no way he was joining another group of people when he was already sick to the bone from the government. He’d rather spend his free time trying to find a painless way to die.

Since Chuuya was Dazai’s now, he’d take good care of him. Nobody would be able to treat Chuuya like that ever again. Dazai would make sure of it.

He patted his pocket, fishing out his government phone.

“Give me your phone for a second.” Dazai held out his hand, waiting.

“What?” Chuuya eyed him, suspicion back in his eyes. “Why?”

“I want to send you something.”

Chuuya hesitated for a moment before he took out his phone and placed it in Dazai’s waiting hand. He quickly called his number and returned it to Chuuya as the other was getting nervous from the device just being in Dazai’s hand. Heh. Smart dog.

Dazai quickly sent the Arahabaki file to the new number and a ping immediately indicated its arrival. There was a short silence for a moment as Chuuya opened the message. “Is it a virus, you freak?”

“Maaaaybe~.” Dazai grinned as he ran a few steps and whirled around so he could watch Chuuya’s face as he opened the file. “Open at your own risk.” He chirped.

Chuuya looked at him for a few more seconds, before his gaze returned to the screen.

“Oh, what the hell.” He muttered. “I’m gonna have to get a new one now that you have this number anyway.”

Dazai grinned as he saw Chuuya’s finger press the attachment and waited with bated breath. Chuuya froze, eyes widening when he scanned the contents. His head lifted so fast and the look he shot Dazai was priceless. Yep, the reaction had definitely been worth it. “How…?” He croaked, looking at Dazai in a way that made warmth bloom in his chest.

“I have my ways.” Dazai answered with a wink. “Now if Chuuya would excuse me, I need to go and catch the culprit so Chuuya would be my dog for life~.”