#And we know for sure Akutagawa wasn't holding back in that moment

[kyouka-supremacy]

Akutagawa can make his clothing become has hard as a blade, right? Then he doesn't really need space manipulation to reject bullets, he could just shield himself with extensions of Rashomon, or make the clothing where he's being pierced thick and impenetrable. That would explain why he didn't die when he was shot countless times at the start of Beast (actually it's probably more about the authors making him excessively op but eh), but would also imply he was never in real danger when Dazai tried to shot him in Dark Era, although everything else, including Dazai's words and Akutagawa's reaction, seem to suggest otherwise. Why would he have been in danger, when it was that easy to use Rashomon to shield yourself even without space manipulation? I'm assuming Rashomon is harder than bullets, but maybe that's the point where I'm mistaken? However it *has* to be harder than common cloth to at least an extent, otherwise it wouldn't be able to pierce limbs and bodies to the bones. Or maybe Akutagawa is just overpowered when he's got homicidal instincts lol.

[chososchalupa]

wish that it was me

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

The last person you wanted to see at this meeting was your older brother. The same brother who left you in the hands of Chuuya Nakahara and the Port Mafia years ago, but all you can see now are the pleading eyes of Osamu Dazai begging for forgiveness.

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

Chapter six - He's gone

wc - 809

cw - sad Akutagawa moment, not proofread

chapter seven

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

“Did Dazai actually explain anything?” Akutagawa asked as soon as you got into his car. 

You nodded, “He did”

The three of you sat silently as Akutagawa drove away before he spoke up again, “Care to share?”

“He said he wasn't able to take care of me and was scared of hurting me, I guess. I was eavesdropping on his and Chuuyas' conversation. He didn't say anything to me about it”

Gin laughed from the passenger seat, “As if he didn’t hurt you and everyone else by leaving”

You let out a soft laugh, “exactly”

The rest of the car ride was silent besides Gin humming along to the radio. Akutagawa would glance at you in the mirror every once in a while to make sure you were doing okay but he hadn’t spoken a word since you gave him Dazais’ reasoning. Once you arrived back at their home, he was quick to go to his bedroom. You gave Gin a look of confusion as you both sat on the couch,

“Is he okay?”

“He always gets like that when Dazai is brought up”

You nodded, Akutagawa was the only person who understood the level of pain you felt. Chuuya tried, and he understood for the most part but he also didn’t care as much as the two of you did. Akutagawa looked up to Dazai for everything, even when Dazai didn’t deserve the praise he was given. You remembered years ago, when Akutagawa came to you out of desperation, asking what he could do to receive the slightest praise from your brother.

“I have done everything he asks but it is never good enough” He spoke, clearly trying to hold back tears. You weren't sure if the tears threatening to spill were from anger or sadness but it made you upset regardless, knowing Dazai was capable of hurting someone who tried so hard for him. 

You reassured Akutagawa with a small smile, “I’ll talk to him” 

That night, you sat in your living room waiting for Dazai to come home. It wasn’t until 2am that he walked through the front door, a look of confusion on his face when he saw you still awake. 

“What are you doing up?” He asked, hanging his coat on the hanger beside the door. 

“I needed to talk to you about Akutagawa”

Dazai groaned, throwing his head back, “I’ve dealt with him enough today. Can it wait?”

You rolled your eyes, “You should be nicer to him”

Dazai lifted his head up and looked into your eyes, trying to see if you were joking with him or not, “You’re serious?” 

“Mhm”

“No. He’ll never learn if I'm soft on him. And he definitely shouldn’t be going to my little sister to complain. I’ll talk to him tomorrow”

Your eyes widened, “No, Osamu. He was just upset”

Dazai waved his hand at you as he walked away, “I don’t care about his feelings. I’m training him to be in the Mafia, not to join the Boy Scouts”

You weren't sure what happened after that, Akutagawa didn’t speak to you about Dazai until he had vanished and Dazai never spoke a word about Akutagawa to you. 

What you did know was Dazai never gave Aku the praise he so desperately wanted and now that Dazai was back, all of the memories were flooding Akutagawa's mind again.

“We should probably get rest too, you can sleep in my room with me if you don’t mind. My bed is comfier than the couch” Gin spoke

“You’re right. This couch isn't the best” You laughed, getting up to follow Gin to her room.

You awoke the next morning to hear muffled voices coming from the living room. You quietly got out of bed and made your way down the hall.

“I told the bastard it was a stupid idea, he never fuckin’ listens” You heard one of the voices say.

Definitely Chuuya.

“I don’t think it’s wise to bring her back to your house if he is still there” 

“He went home”

You finally walked out into the living room to see Chuuya and Akutagawa standing beside the couch that Gin was laying on. 

“Ready to come back?” Chuuya asked, eyes locking on yours.

“He’s not there?” You asked, you knew he wasn’t but you needed to be sure before saying yes.

Chuuya huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. “Like I just told Akutagawa, Dazai went home”

You nodded, “I just need to grab my stuff”

Once you had your belongings in hand, you went back to Chuuyas' now Dazai free home.

“Oh and Boss called earlier this morning” Chuuya spoke as you sat at the kitchen table 

“What’d he want?” You asked

Chuuya sighed, his eyes looking apologetically at yours, “Got a meeting tomorrow, me and you gotta go to the ADA building for 8”

taglist

@lacunaanonymoused @decaf-nosebleed @till-we-become-monsters

AO3

masterlist

[starlightshadowsworld]

The Fallen King Part 4: The After Show

Part 3

(Tw Cannabalism, Beast Atsushi's self esteem, injury.

Also no romantic Shin Soukoku in this, it's purely platonic. Beast Akutagawa is getting a little brother along with a little sister.)

It was just supposed to be simple job.

All Narita had to do was rob some warehouses and than sell the supplies for profit.

Easy peasy, but something or someone was determined to ruin that. For starters, the last two shipments had absolutely bombed there was nothing he needed to grab within them.

And if that wasn't bad enough, no one was responding to his calls. Everyone had gone radio silent and the buyers had up and vanished.

And maybe it sounded insane but Narita was sure something was haunting him.

Every shadow was just a bit too close. It felt like any second now one could reach out and touch him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end for no apparent reason.

And he saw he saw flickers of white in the darkness. Even the stray cats on the street seemed to glare down at him. For once in his life Narita wished it was the cops after him.

Detective Minoura might be a hard ass but at least he wasn't a ghost. 

'Get it together man, it's one last shipment.' thought the Narita shaking his head and putting on his mask. As luck would have it one of the buyers had finally got back to him. He finally had a job to do and he couldn't blow it.

Narita silently entered the warehouse and located the crate that fit the description he'd been given. He paused momentarily 'best check it's the right one' he thought. He'd bought a crowbar to do it, but there was no need. The crate was opened, Narita frowned and looked inside.

Inside the crate was a boy.

Narita jumped back in suprise, a scream on his lips and he dropped the crowbar. A yawn was heard as the boy, Atsushi looked up at him. "You sure took your time" Said Atsushi, climbing out and landing on his feet with a thud.

"What?! What are you... Why were you in there?!" Spluttered Narita in suprise, absolutely befuddled by what he was witnessing.

Atsushi didn't really get it, he figured it was pretty simple but oh well. "Oh that? I wanted to see who's been stealing from me." He said, dusting off his coat. He looked way to calm for someone who spent however long he had been inside a crate. 

Narita laughed somewhat nervously "nice try man, but the Port Mafia Boss is dead. None of this shit belongs to you." He grinned, figuring he could bribe the kid to kero the cops off his back.

"Hey if you wanted a cut you just had to ask I'm sure we can negotiate something-" He was cut off by Atsushi punching him in the gut. It completely knocked the air out of his lungs and he fell down in pain."

You think the Boss let himself go out without a contingency plan? That he'd leave the Port Mafia so scum like you could take it apart?" Asked Atsushi glaring down at him.

Well that was exactly what happened but this guy didn't need to know that. The henchman winced, only now noticing the red scarf around Atsushi's neck.

There weren't many reports on the old Port Mafia Boss. He was an elusive figure, but everyone knew he wore that same scarf. Narita's blood ran cold with the chilling realisation "... You're the Boss."

It wasn't a question but a statement. He was just a small time crook and yet it turned out he'd been stealing from the Boss himself.

No wonder the pay had been so good.

'And I just offered to split the profit with him.' He thought going pale with horror while Atsushi watched, mildly amused.

Narita cowered on his knees not caring how embarrassing this looked. "Please! Spare me, I'll give you anything." Atsushi hummed to himself, putting a finger to his chin like he was seriously considering it.

It was definitely a move he'd learned from Dazai.

"Alright" he said after a moment. The henchman let out a breathe he didn't realise he had been holding. Maybe finally things were going his way. "Alright" he repeated, relaxing for the first time that day. "I want all the supplies you've been stealing" Said Atsushi and the Narita . "You can do that, right?" He asked, and the henchman didn't even need to say it.

The answer was written all over his face.

"Pity, I suppose you'll have to pay me back another way." Said Atsushi, cryptically and Narita nodded.

He just wanted to escape the Port Mafia Boss's clutches however possible. The air got noticeably colder and he shivered. "With what? Money? I'll give you everything I've got."

Atsushi tilted his head and the lights above his head began to flicker. He smirked, condescending and cold as the light above him went out.

"You'll pay me with your life."

Unfortunately thes next part could not be completed in his form. Atsushi dreaded this part like he always did.

But he had a part to play and he be dammed if he didn't play it perfectly. In the darkness the only light in the warehouse was Atsushi's glowing body

He dropped him to the ground as if gravity itself was crushing him. All to soon he was plucked into the air. His body was suspended in place like a puppet. Atsushi writhed in silent agony for what felt like hours.

But was in reality a few seconds as the tiger burst from within his skin.

His teeth lengthened into fangs as his fingernails into claws. His bones set and reset to alter the rest of his form. All the while covering his body in thick white fur.

There was once a time Atsushi would fight this transformation like his life depended on it. Now, much like with Chuuya at the meeting Atsushi did not fight back at all.

It was pointless anyway.

"The tiger is strong but you are weak" is what Dazai had said to him one day during training.

While Chuuya taught Atsushi to throw a punch it was Dazai who had taught him about his ability.

At the time Atsushi had felt insulted and insecure about his own skills. But now he accepted it as fact. The tiger was not him it was a power that Atsushi had been lucky enough to have.

And one he was nothing without.

It was akin to a coat handed down from the orphanage. It didn't belong to him as he was never allowed to own anything. It was uncomfortable and didn't fit him whatsoever.

But he took it anyway because he was freezing, weak and it was all he had to survive the winter. And for Atsushi survival was always the end goal.

It didn't matter how much fear or pain he was in. He would endure, he would survive no matter what.

Eventually he was lowered onto the ground. On all fours instead of two, the beast stood where the boy once was. Narita could only stare in horror and disgust at the transformation.

Whatever this thing was it most definitely wasn't human. Especially now, now when it was a giant white tiger. The henchman shakily got to his feet and ran. He ran and ran with the sound of a roar on his heels.

His blood pumping in fright and adrenaline as he ran until he reached a dead end. He turned around and was met face to face with the beast.

He didn't see it move.

Nor when it's jaw opened.

When the lights flickered back to life, the tiger was gone. The henchmen too. Atsushi stumbled and slide down the wall. He didn't need to look at his neck to know it was a bloody mess.

It was the same sight everytime he dared to use his ability.

Especially at times like this was when he'd overdone it. Atsushi sighed, waiting for the spikes to dislodge themselves from his neck. Once that happened, he took out a roll of bandages and proceeded to lazily and dress his neck.

Kyouka did it better than he did. She was a lot more careful and kind to his injuries than he ever was.

It was only recently he even started bothering to dress them. It wouldn't do any good for the Port Mafia Boss to pass out from blood loss mid meeting. If he hadn't worried Kyouka already that would do definitely do it.

Once Atsushi was sure he wasn't going to start bleeding again, he got up. He almost fell back down as a wave of dizziness hit him. Atsushi grabbed the wall for support and took deep breaths as he srewdued himself.

His body felt like it was made of lead but as always a moment later he was walking properly in a way no one would question if he was hurt.

Any other wound wouldn't have an effect on him for long, thanks to his ability negating it.

But that simply didn't apply to his neck. In the back of his mind he wondered if he should ask one of the Port Mafia's doctors to look at it.

But than Dazai's disapproving face appeared before him and he decided against it.

'It would just waste everyone's time. I've never gone before, why start now?' Thought Atsushi. He dismissed the thought entirely and heading to to the main area of the warehouse.

Where he heard the familiar chatter of the Black Lizard's which never failed to make him feel lighter. They were gathered to secure the crates and other stolen supplies. Turns out that henchman hadn't grabbed the right crate when he found Atsushi.

Of course he hadn't, the buyer had been Hirotsu himself.

The Black Lizard's were also here to ensure that henchmen from earlier didn't escape in the event Atsushi lost him.

It wasn't necessary considering everyone knew no one survived the White Reaper unless he allowed them to.

"Hey Atsushi" waved Higuchi once she noticed him approach. Beside her, Tachihara froze. He almost dropped the gun he was examining and stared at her wide eyed.

"Higuchi?!"

Higuchi frowned for a moment before it dawned on her what her mistake was. "Sorry, hello Raid Captain" she corrected, pleased with herself. While Tachihara face palmed so hard Atsushi was worried he'd given himself a concussion.

Tachihara looked at Atsushi apologetically. While also silently conveying 'please excuse her, for the rest of her life' all in one expression. It was quite impressive and definitely a look Tachihara got a lot of usage out of.

Atsushi chuckled despite the jolt of pain that the action caused. He held back a wince and the duo were none the wiser. "It's nice to see you both."

Tachihara grinned in relief "you too, Boss" he said bowing his head. Before looking over at a still oblivious Higuchi who was watching them both happily. He began silently counting down on his fingers from 5.

As if by magic at the exact moment his last finger went down, Higuchi gasped. She bowed her head and began apologising profusely.

"I'm so sorry Boss!"

Atsushi smiled kindly "it's alright Higuchi accidents happen." His smile became a lot more mischievous as he added. "Don't tell anyone but I'm still getting used to it myself."

It was true and frankly Atsushi wasn't sure if he wanted to get used to be calling it. It was just a constant reminder that Dazai was gone and Atsushi was disobeying him. Higuchi chuckled, relaxing at his words. "I bet, it's a bit change. But you're doing a great job."

Atsushi hoped she was right. He definitely didn't feel like it, especially with these stolen shipment cases coming up. He didn't voice that though instead he nodded thankfully.

"Thanks, wheres Hirotsu? I was going to leave the rest of this to you guys if that's alright." Higuchi smiled "of course, we can take it from here right guys?" It was than Hirotsu approached, having heard everyone of course.

He nodded respectfully seeing Atsushi and Atsushi nodded back. The gesture earning him a smile from the older man. "You can trust this was us Boss, we'll have your shipments recovered before you know it."

Tachihara and Higuchi voiced their agreement, definitely planning to go cause havoc and Atsushi bid them farewell.

Usually he would go back to headquarters, prior to the Boss's death it would be to report to him. His next job would be lined up and he'd go from there.

Now Atsushi was the one checking over jobs and such. It was werid to be on that side of the desk. Even if Atsushi had yet to sit down on Dazai's chair, it felt wrong even if Atsushi being the Boss was arguably worse.

Today, today he had time he'd set aside for himself. Kyouka thought he was going to go out for a walk. Atsushi was sure she couldn't guess where he was walking too.

He couldn't believe it himself and it had been his idea.

______________________

The bells of the cafe chimed behind him as Atsushi walked in. On the way he had wiped the blood off his mouth and hands. Luckily none of it had gotten on his clothes and his scarf was hidden by his coat.

Unless you knew of him you'd think he was any other customer. Akutagawa looked up as he walked in, already nursing a cup of tea.

"You're late" said Akutugawa with a frown. It had been exactly a week since he'd seen Atsushi. It felt longer because the Port Mafia member looked like he'd been to war in the mean time.

'He looks awful' thought Akutugawa, making a mental note of the others paler skin and the bags under his eyes. He recalled Dr Yosano's lessons from the other day on the effects of blood loss. 'Some of them are easier to detect than others like paleness and tiredness' said Yosano.

Her rationale had been that it was important to learn should they or a civilian got injured on a case.

Akutagawa has deemed the information useful and thus did his best to remember as much as he could.

He couldn't help but see the similarities between that lesson and the boy infront of him. 'But that can't be the case, he would be resting' thought Akutugawa. He was also sure that Oda told him not to 'deduce people' outside of cases.

Apparently it was considered rude though Ranpo did it all the time.

But if he didn't say it than it was fine, right?

Atsushi, unaware to the detectives thoughts was ordering himself a coffee. The cafe guy looked panicked for a second but at Akutugawa shaking his head he relaxed. If slightly before going to make coffee.

The two sat in relatively comfortably silence as it was made. Atsushi was amused to find Akutugawa was drinking the same tea as last time. "4 sugars?" He asked curiously and chuckled when Akutugawa nodded.

"And that'll be 3 for you" said Akutugawa when Atsushi recieved his coffee.

Atsushi paused.

He hadn't put any sugar in his coffee since the last time he'd been here. It had been absolutely nasty and Kyouka looked confused when she'd seen it.

But Atsushi hadn't felt he could drink sugar in his coffee. Why would he? Dazai's death was on his hands, something like that couldn't be rewarded.

Atsushi hadn't deserved to put sugar in his coffee. And yet, sitting beside Akutugawa Atsushi put 3 sugars in his coffee.

It felt wrong to have it any different than as sugary as he liked.

Besides than the detective would question why he didn't. And Atsushi didn't want him to think he was a liar.

He almost laughed at that.

'All I am is a liar' thought Atsushi taking a sip. It tasted great and he said as much to cafe guy. He cupped his hands around it, warming them because they were freezing.

'Cold hands' noted Akutugawa, another sign of blood loss. And the way Atsushi gripped the coffee showed he was having difficulty.

'Feeling weak... Which he's definitely not usually. Maybe I should say something?' Thought Akutugawa, remembering the fight between them. Just as Atsushi turned to face him with a slight grimace.

But not like he was mad at Akutugawa, more like the movement had caused him pain. He shouldn't be feeling considered for his maybe not enemy but here he was.

"Oh, right I talked to Gin." Said Atsushi, he knew they were here to dicuss what Dazai told them before he....But Atsushi had said that he would talk to Gin. He might as well mention it before they talked further.

The effect was immediate.

Instantly Atsushi had all of Akutugawa's attention. It was as if the mention of his little sister had sent all other thoughts flying out of Akutugawa's head.

It was admittedly quite sweet and Atsushi hoped he took the news well. If her safety sad threathed, which he doubted it would be Atsushi would protect her. She was Port Mafia, she was family.

"She's... She's still trying to figure things out" Said Atsushi, he paused not really knowing where to begin. He felt slightly dizzy which definitely did not help his ability to think. He ignored it and tried to get his thoughts back in order.

When he recalled he recorded their conversation. And got permission to share said recordings with Akutugawa.

"Actually here, it's probably best to hear it yourself." Akutugawa blinked in suprise as Atsushi handed him over the device and a pair of headphones.

Akutugawa held them like they were made of gold.

Atsushi sat drinking his coffee as Akutagawa plugged in the headphones and listened in. And yet he kept some of his attention on Atsushi. He told himself it was because the other could be dangerous.

He had attacked Akutugawa in this very same cafe a week ago. But Atsushi wouldn't have done this for him if he were to attack. So inside Akutugawa admitted he was worried about him.

He knew what greif felt like and yet Atsushi seemed like it hadn't touched him at all. Akutugawa couldn't remember what Oda had said on the subject but it hadn't been good.

There was something wrong with Atsushi so as Akutagawa pressed play he kept an eye out.

____________________

"That's everything I know" finished Atsushi, taking a deep breath. He wasn't used to speaking this much or for this long.

'How does... how did Dazai do this all the time.' He thought with a wince. Atsushi had only shared the meager information he could and yet his throat felt like it was on fire.

Gin was silent.

She'd been silent for the whole conversation. Which both comforted and worried Atsushi, like himself Gin wasn't a person of many words.

But her lack of reaction was concerning. When suddenly, like a computer being turned on a million different expressions flickered over her face.

Gin than stood up abruptly, picked up the pillow beside her.

And screamed into it.

Atsushi had seen it coming and yet it still caught off guard for a second. 'Well... That's about what I expected' thought Atsushi. To be quite honest he hadn't been distracted by...Everything.

And putting his emotions in a box never to be opened again, he probably would have joined her.

After several seconds (and wow the lungs on this girl were impressive) Gin put the pillow down and faced him with a contemplating look.

"So the Boss kidnapped me from my brother and kept me here for 4 and a half years. All to put my brother on some quest for revenge. Using it to make him stronger, so you and him could team up against some unspecified future threat?" She summarised, sounding way to calm for someone in this situation but Atsushi nodded regardles.

"Alright."

"Alright? Wait you believe me?" Asked Atsushi confused. He wasn't sure what happened in the altercation between Gin and her brother.

But he did know that it hadn't exactly gone well. For her to believe him days after that, was suprising to say the least.

At that Gin looked down ashamed. "I... I didn't believe Ryuu. I didn't want to. I was afraid that it would be seen as disobeying the Boss.... I couldn't lose this life!" Her eyes were as fiery as ever but now they were filled with tears.

Atsushi himself knew little of what life in the slums was like. But Gin always sounded haunted in the rare times she mentioned it. 'It was like hell on earth' she said 'like you're very own pit of despair.'

It was something she and Chuuya had bonded over, Suribachi City was definitely it's own version of hell on earth if there ever was one.

The only difference was that Chuuya had his ability to protect him while Gin and her brother and his ability to protect her.

"And you won't" Said Atsushi, he understood. Of course he did, he would've believed anything if it meant keeping him from the orphanage.

He couldn't image the fear Gin must've had, what Akutugawa must've felt for the last 4 and a half years. Atsushi couldn't imagine losing Kyouka and thinking she hated him.

He would've gone on a massacre, he was sure of it. He would've stopped at nothing to bring her back home.

That one time Kyouka had left Atsushi had thought he was drowning until she returned. Gin looked at him in suprise "If that's what you want" added Atsushi with a small smile.

"I could always use a secretary, and I have it on good authority you're a great one." She blinked and than smiled back, small and fragile like his. It was so unlike them and yet it was all that they could manage.

But it was enough.

"I would like that" Said Gin and Atsushi nodded, he'd have preparations made as soon as he could. Just another thing to add to his list of things that needed to be done by the Boss.

Along with his own missions of course because Chuuya was largely out of commission and Dazai was dead. The Port Mafia couldn't fall, not when it rested on his shoulders.

He broke himself out of his own catastrophising by asking "can I ask, why do you believe me?" Gin looked out the window, hugging the pillow close to her like it was a person.

"I...I don't know what to think. I believe you because when Ryuu came for me I saw an angry child. I saw the boy who would wrap his coat around me during the winter. Who sat by side when I was sick and gave me the bigger portion of his food." She looked back at Atsushi and that determination was there again.

A determination that Atsushi realised he'd recognised in Akutugawa that day.

"The Boss said he was gone, a monster lost to his anger. But four and half years later he came back for me. My brother was here."

Atsushi found himself agreeing. From the moment Akutugawa knew Gin's identity he'd only thought about rescuing her. She didn't want to be, but how would he have known that?

He understood Dazai's motives, his methods and his reasoning. But for one of the few moments in his life, Atsushi didn't agree with them.

He tried not to think to much on that. The man was gone but it still felt like he could punish him. Atsushi pretended like he couldn't see his bleeding visage from the corner of the room.

"The Boss kidnapped me but he still gave me this life, I am thankful to him for that." Said Gin, putting the pillow down. "I don't think I'm ready to see him anytime soon. It's.. It's a lot, all of this." That Atsushi could agree with, it was a lot for anyone especially for Gin.

To think he hadn't known she had a brother until that day. 'She had to carry this pain alone for years' he thought sadly. He hadn't been able to do anything, not that he could have even if he'd known.

He watched as Gin picked up the recording device and handed if to him. "But I... I miss him, I miss him so much. You said you'll see him again? Please show him this."

She looked down at it like she was addressing Akutugawa herself. "Let me tell him that I know he's there. And one day I want to be his sister again."

__________________

Akutagawa took the headphones off with shaking hands. He got up and without hesitation hugged Atsushi close. He hadn't cried in years and yet they came to him like old friends. "She called me her brother..."

His sister, his sister who had wanted nothing to do with him the last time they'd me. She had called him his sister, and sure she said to wait for her but Akutugawa had waited 4 and a half years.

He could wait a bit longer.

Atsushi was suprised. No one but Kyouka, Chuuya and maybe Higuchi had ever hugged him. It wasn't an unfamiliar feeling but this hug felt like coming home, as werid as it sounded.

He found himself hugging Akutugawa back. "Thank you, thank you" said Akutugawa over and over again.

Atsushi really hadn't done anything but regardless he held him close. For a moment he forgot about Dazai's death.

He forgot about the pain in his neck and his fears. Before the fight Atsushi had wondered if he and Akutugawa could've been friends in another life.

Maybe... Maybe that life could be this one?

"Your welcome but I didn't do anything, she said it herself." Said Atsushi, smiling when Akutugawa started laughing. The detective was just so happy that Atsushi felt happy too.

It was almost like the feeling was infectious but neither were complaining. Gin would have a safe place as his secretary and Akutugawa knew his sister was safe.

After everything it was the least Atsushi could do.

[sickficideas]

hold || BEAST akutagawa sickfic/whump

ao3! 4.7k please refer to the tags in the link for content + warnings!

sicktember 2023, day 6: illness and injury + BEAST AU

Kunikida is speechless, for a second. Akutagawa is lying on the cafe floor in a growing pool of his own dark red blood, with the cafe owner's wife pressing her apron against a wound that couldn't possibly benefit much from something like this.

He thinks for a moment that he's already dead. Ranpo was the one who heard someone scream from downstairs, and he said Akutagawa was the only one missing from the office. There was an urgency in his tone that Kunikida didn't like, but he wasn't expecting this.

Yosano isn't here. He's at a loss of what to do. He's completely still, frozen in the doorway at the end of the staircase, only ripped out of his trance when Oda rushes past him.

What is he doing just standing here? He needs to help him.

"He seemed really confused when he walked in," the cafe owner's wife tells Oda, seemingly in response to a question as he lays him on his back, tearing Akutagawa's shirt open to reveal a deep, clean gash over his abdomen that's still actively bleeding. Kunikida kneels on the opposite side, eyes wide and begging Oda for something he can do to help. "He wasn't making any sense. I only noticed he was bleeding because he was holding a hand over that wound…"

The poor woman is shaking uncontrollably, her hands at her chest, tears in her eyes. Kunikida knows this isn't something she's used to seeing at all.

"We need to get him upstairs. We'll stop the bleeding and stitch this up until Yosano gets back," Oda tells Kunikida, his gaze stern and determined, a rare expression to dawn his face. Kunikida nods.

"I'll - I'll clear the way. Can you carry him?" Kunikida says as he stands up, a little unsteady on his feet, horrified to find the pool of blood has already reached his shoes. Akutagawa's face twitches, his eyes unfocused, color quickly draining from his face.

"He's light," Oda assures him, carefully scooping on arm under his neck and the other under his knees. He hears a sharp groan of pain from him once he's lifted, and Oda apologizes, but Kunikida doesn't think Akutagawa is aware enough to hear him.

The blood is still dripping from his limp form, only adding to the growing puddle on the floor.

Don't let him die. Please don't let him die. He's just a kid. He doesn't deserve to die.

Kunikida runs off after a second too long of hesitation, running up the stairs and making sure all the doors are open to clear the way for Oda.

The infirmary is empty today, luckily. Kunikida searches for the kit that Yosano has set aside for these situations. She's not always here, and their agency suffers injuries rather frequently, so she's made a kit with everything they would need for a situation just like this one.

He lays a few towels over one of the cots, expecting them to become soaked with blood anyway, just in time for Oda to come through the door with him, leaving a trail behind them. He lays him down on that cot, and somehow, Akutagawa looks even worse than before.

"Oda, he -"

"I know. We have to be fast. I won't let him bleed out," Oda says with great urgency in his voice.

So, they get to work.

Kunikida sits beside Akutagawa’s small frame and holds pressure against the wound with a spare towel, worried it isn't doing much at all with how the blood starts to spread on the towels underneath him, but it's slowed significantly compared to before.

Oda had already ripped open the surgical kit and laid it out on the table beside the cot. Neither of them are surgeons, neither of them have any medical training aside from things that Yosano has shown them for emergencies, but that's what this is - an emergency. They need to stop the bleeding and close the wound and keep him safe until Yosano can get here and fix him.

Kunikida's eyes drift to Akutagawa’s face as Oda starts to put on the latex gloves. His face is as white as a sheet, but his cheeks are a blotchy pink. He's covered in a thin sheet of sweat, too, and Kunikida remembers he was looking pale this morning before he left. Is he sick?

He reaches for Akutagawa's forehead, but Oda's gloved hand grabs his wrist before he can get close enough. The wild look in his eyes tells him he's seen something. Don't touch him. Kunikida comes to the conclusion that he’s seen something with his ability - a scary thought, considering it only works in life-or-death situations.

He's done that before. Akutagawa is very particular about certain things, especially with how he’s handled. Kunikida is afraid to know why.

"I think he has a fever," Kunikida says, lowering his hand back against the towel as Oda changes out the glove.

"I was thinking the same," Oda says with a sigh. "He told me it was the heat this morning."

That sounds about right. Kunikida has been struggling to get Akutagawa to admit when he isn't feeling well. He's worried that this is somehow related to how he suffered this injury, but he doesn't have time to feel guilty about it now.

Oda is ready to clean and close the wound.

Kunikida lifts the towel, slowly, fearing bits of it might stick to the wound, but it seems he's gotten lucky.

"This will sting," Oda says, as if Akutagawa has shown even a single sign that he can hear him. Kunikida keeps a hand against his shoulder, just in case, and it seems he's made the right call. As soon as the gauze pads he's using to clean the wound come into contact with his open skin, he screams.

His entire back arches up and away from Oda, and Kunikida is lucky he had a hand on him, or else he would've fallen off the bed. Kunikida lays him back on his back and takes his hand and squeezes it hard.

"You're okay. Stay still," Kunikida says, keeping a firm grip on his hand as Akutagawa’s face twists up from the pain he's in. It feels cold, which makes no sense when he's got a fever. Oda keeps saying he'll be fine. Kunikida wants to believe him, but what will he do if Akutagawa dies here?

"Normally he has a high pain tolerance," Oda says quietly, briefly looking over his face before he turns back to what he was doing.

"I know this is painful. But you have to endure it until Yosano gets here," Kunikida tells him. "I know you've endured worse, Akutagawa. You'll be fine."

It's more a reassurance to himself, but somehow, for some reason, some of the tension starts to leave his body.

"Keep talking to him," Oda says quietly.

Kunikida freezes, for a moment. He doesn’t let go of his grip on Akutagawa’s hand, convinced it’s comforting him somehow, but he doesn’t know what to say. His hand is hot and clammy, and Kunikida would really like to get this coat off of him, but they have more pressing matters at the moment.

“About what?” Kunikida asks.

“Anything,” Oda answers.

Kunikida wracks his brain for something. Anything.

“That woman you helped the other day came by to thank you this morning. But you left already,” Kunikida remembers, the image of the woman bowing in the doorway coming to mind. She wanted to thank Akutagawa personally, and Kunikida had to be the one to tell her he had already left. “The one whose dog was missing. You spent all day looking for it last week.”

Oda looks up for a moment, like this is a new story to him. Kunikida thinks he was out working on something else when this happened. Kunikida looks over as Oda starts to stitch the wound closed, and his stomach twists at the sight. Normally, this sort of thing doesn’t bother him, but the fact that it’s Akutagawa hurts him.

“Junichiro told me you’re afraid of dogs,” Kunikida says quietly. “That you were attacked by one when you lived in the slums. And one of your friends was killed by a dog.”

Kunikida had heard it before, vaguely, when he first met Akutagawa. He’d expressed his distaste for dogs and explained his reasoning. A few months following that, a client with a service dog appeared, and Junichiro spent most of the time assuring Akutagawa that there was zero chance the dog would try to hurt him, but even so, he spent that entire time hiding in Yosano’s office.

Kunikida never blamed him for it. He has a perfectly valid reason not to want to associate with dogs, but Junichiro was adamant on trying to show Akutagawa that most dogs were in fact very friendly. He managed to do it not long ago. One of their regular clients in Chinatown has a wonderful dog, and while on a job with Akutagawa there, he somehow managed to coax him into petting the dog. Junichiro said he only did it once, with a shaky hand, but he relaxed after realizing it wasn’t out to get him.

It licked his hand, too. Akutagawa was frozen stiff at that, apparently. But Junichiro made it very clear that he was proud of him, and he seemed to take that in stride.

“I’m proud of you. You had every reason to pawn off that request to one of us. But your ability is quite useful for search and rescue, and you used it to help someone with something you’re not very fond of. That’s not easy,” Kunikida tells him.

He sees Oda nod. Just once, but it’s enough for Kunikida to learn he feels the same way. Kunikida’s eyes shift down to the wound to find it’s still at least halfway open, and he turns his attention back to Akutagawa.

He uses his free hand to lean back and scramble through the other drawer for a thermometer, and manages to find one.

“Do you think he’ll let me take his temperature?” Kunikida asks quietly.

“Just tell him,” Oda says.

“Can he hear me?”

“I’m not sure, but it’s good if he can at least feel a familiar voice. He’ll react if he’s afraid,” Oda says. Kunikida knows he has lots of experience with things like that. Kunikida has to admit he’s afraid himself. Akutagawa’s ability isn’t something he can defend himself against. One wrong move, and his head will roll over the pristine tile floor.

“Okay,” Kunikida says with a quiet sigh. “Akutagawa, I need to take your temperature. This one has to go under your tongue to get a good reading.”

Akutagawa is still unresponsive of course, but his lips part by a centimeter. Kunikida takes the chance to carefully slide it past and under his tongue, and Akutagawa doesn’t fight back.

He holds his breath as the thermometer gets a reading, and the numbers start to climb slowly. At first, it stops at one hundred and one point two, and he thinks he can live with that, but it keeps going. A hundred and two. A hundred and three. And then, finally, the numbers stop changing when it hits a hundred and three point seven.

“Shit,” Kunikida breathes out as he takes the thermometer back, “Almost a hundred and four.”

“We’ll work on trying to cool him down when I’m done here,” Oda says calmly as Kunikida sets the thermometer down. He sees Akutagawa’s eyebrows twitch as the needle pierces his skin, and once the suture starts to pull through, his whole body goes tense and he whimpers, nearly doing the same as before in some effort to get away. Oda stills, and Kunikida realizes he should keep talking to him,

"You have to tell me next time you're not feeling well," he says with a quiet huff, sneezing Akutagawa’s hand tight again. "I should have come with you today. Maybe you wouldn't have ended up like this."

Oda has told him before that Akutagawa will likely always be that way. He’s spent most of his life looking after younger defenseless children. Admitting illness or injury was not an option for him, and even if it were, he’s learned to push through until he physically can’t anymore.

It’s heartbreaking, really. No child should have to grow up that way.

Kunikida wishes they had found him sooner.

Akutagawa murmurs something, a short sentence that’s so slurred together it hardly sounds like anything at all, and Kunikida can’t make out what he’s saying. He looks to Oda, hoping for an answer.

"That's his sister's name," Oda says quietly. "He's hallucinating."

"Shit," Kunikida breathes.

…

"Don't move so much, Ryuunosuke," Gin says quietly.

Ryuunosuke goes still at the sound of her voice, he hasn’t been able to hear anything up until now. Any sound that hits his ears is so muffled that he can’t understand it, but Gin’s voice is as clear as a bell.

He’s not entirely sure what’s happening right now. His arm feels numb. He fell asleep while he was supposed to be keeping watch during a cold night, and he woke up to a wild dog trying to tear his arm off.

He doesn’t remember much after that. He has been suffering from a fever the past few days, somehow managing to hide it from Gin and the others, but it’s weighed him down so much that his whole body feels like lead. Everything is so hot, even when he knows it’s just about freezing outside their very poorly insulated shelter.

“He looks really bad, Gin,” he hears another voice say. Ryuunosuke wants more than anything to sit up and prove he’s okay, but he can’t even bring himself to open his mouth to speak. He thinks it’s Yuji. His vision is so blurred and unfocused.

“I know,” Gin answers back. Her voice is shaking.

She’s doing something to his arm. He’s lying on the ground, he thinks. He turns his head to the side to see what she’s doing, and there’s a bottle of alcohol they stole a few months ago and and old, fairly clean towel that she’s dabbing against his arm. His arm is littered with bite marks, a row of particularly bad ones on his upper arm where the skin is torn so much that it makes him nauseous to look at.

The dog. Right, the dog did that.

Where did it go? Is it still around? He has to get rid of it before it comes back to hurt Gin, he can’t let -

“Relax, Ryuu, please,” Gin says a little sternly. “The dog is dead. It’s okay. We’re safe.”

He does as she’s said, but it’s truly relieving to hear that. As long as they’re safe.

“The dog killed Hana, Akutagawa,” he hears the other voice say.

His stomach twists.

He hears Gin gasp. “Yuji, don’t - ”

“He needs to know,” Yuji snaps back. “It killed her before it got to you. We think you killed it after it woke you up, but you were so out of it by the time we got back…”

Hana was just six years old. She had absolutely no way of defending herself against a rabid dog. She was Sayaka’s little sister. How is he going to face her? It’s his fault that she’s dead. He’s been so sick that he couldn’t keep himself awake long enough to protect her like he was supposed to, while the others were out looking for food.

“It’s not your fault. It could’ve happened to any of us,” Gin says quietly, her voice breaking towards the end. Ryuunosuke doesn’t even want to think about the state they found Hana in. Gin can say what she wants, but it is his fault. He wasn’t strong enough to power through his illness and stay awake after a sleepless night.

If he could cry, he would.

He’s in and out of consciousness for a while. Gin and Yuji’s voices start to blend into one another, and eventually, they just become muddled noise. He thinks he might have thrown up at some point, but he’s not sure. He didn’t have anything in his stomach either way. He’s terrified to eat when he’s sick. He can’t waste the group’s food by throwing up.

He’s not sure how much time has passed when he sees Gin lie down next to him. When he’s aware enough of his surroundings after a while, he realizes he’s lying on the old mattress. He’s only slept on it once, a while back when he was badly injured. He would much rather the others use such a precious resource. He doesn’t deserve to.

“I think your fever went down a little,” Gin says quietly. Her voice is clear again. Ryuunosuke can finally see her face. Her eyes are so red. She looks exhausted. Ryuunosuke tries to get up. He needs to keep watch so she can rest, but her hand is all she needs to push him back down. “You’re still very sick, Ryuu. Please don’t get up.”

His body hurts. It’s not numb anymore. His arm is in so much pain that he would much rather rip it off, he’s sure that would hurt less.

“Yuji took a few of the others to see if they could get some medicine from the Sheep in exchange for something,” she says.

Ryuunosuke strongly objects to this. They only go to the Sheep for help in very, very serious and dire situations. He’s not important enough for something like that, and even if he were, he should have gone to do it himself.

“I hope they can get some,” Gin says quietly. “I heard there’s a kind of medicine that can help with your fever and your pain at the same time…I hope that’s what they can get from them.”

“S…Sayaka,” Ryuunosuke barely manages to croak out. It takes everything in him, and he knows he won’t be able to follow up with more.

“She’s going to be fine, Ryuunosuke,” Gin tells him gently. “She wants you to get better, so you need to do that for her. Okay?”

Ryuunosuke is consumed by guilt. Sayaka has lost her little sister. Ryuunosuke can’t imagine that kind of grief. He’s haunted by the fear of something happening to Gin. He has to protect her. He can’t live without her. It isn’t fair.

His eyes feel like they’re burning. He hates that feeling. His whole body is shaking and he feels nauseous.

"Shh, hey. It's okay," she tells him gently. He thinks he might be crying, but he’s not sure. It's a rare moment where she needs to comfort him. Sometimes he's so far out of his own mind that he can't keep his emotions to himself, like he’s trained himself to do. He hates that Gin has to be the one to deal with it. He doesn’t deserve her.

He never deserved her.

…

A hundred and three point nine. Kunikida curses to himself as he shows Oda the thermometer.

“I’m going to place an IV for him,” Oda says without a moment of hesitation, already on his way to Yosano’s supply cabinet to get what’s necessary to start it up. It might not be a bad idea in general, Akutagawa has thrown up twice already even while only half-conscious, and he’s sure that hasn’t been the first time today. It’s without a doubt that he’s dehydrated. Maybe being on IV fluids will help with his fever. At least a little more than the washcloths, he hopes.

The door to the infirmary opens, and Kunikida turns his head to find Ranpo standing there. He’s surprised to see him. Junhiciro and Kenji were here for a while, both begging for direction on what to do to help, so he was expecting one of them.

"Yosano will be here in an hour," Ranpo tells the two of them, taking a few steps closer. He’s been trying to reach her for the past few hours. "How's he holding up?"

"Not good," Oda says quietly, already at Akutagawa’s side, cleaning a spot on his arm to prepare to place the needle. "His fever's worse. The wound is infected, I think."

“Yosano will fix him,” Ranpo assures him sternly.

“I know. I just hate that he’s suffering right now,” Oda says quietly. “He doesn’t deserve to.”

“You’re doing what you can to help,” Ranpo tells him. Kunikida is a little stunned to hear him so serious, but he must know this is a very serious situation, regardless of Yosano’s involvement. Akutagawa is suffering greatly. “I’m assuming a hospital isn’t an option in the meantime.”

“No. He won’t let strangers touch him while he’s like this,” Oda says.

“Trafficking,” Ranpo deduces.

“Yes.”

A chill runs up Kunikida’s spine. Another thing he'd forgotten about. He hadn’t forgotten it, really, more pushed it to the back of his mind, but it makes perfect sense why he wouldn’t want anyone unfamiliar near him while he’s like this. God, Kunikida feels sick to his stomach.

“He feels safe with Kunikida. I’m not worried about anything here,” Oda tells Ranpo.

Kunikida pauses. “Does he?”

Oda nods. “Well, he hasn’t tried to attack you yet. Since that first time.”

He’s glad to hear that. It makes sense. Ever since Oda has told him to talk to him, he’s relaxed the smallest bit.

“Any idea what happened?” Oda asks as Ranpo approaches the cot. Kunikida briefly eyes him. He watches his brow furrow upon looking over Akutagawa’s form.

“Clean cut from a katana. He was tasked with hunting down a samurai who had escaped police custody today. We got word that he’s been detained, but evidently, he was cut in the struggle to capture him. It looks like it was torn open more from moving. Explains why he was bleeding so much when he got to the cafe,” Ranpo says as effortlessly as usual, “He probably opened it. And only made the mistake of getting cut because of his fever, I’m sure.”

Kunikida clicks his tongue. Dammit. He should have gone with him.

“Thank you, Ranpo,” Oda says.

“Anytime. Let me know if you need anything, I’ll be in the office,” Ranpo says, and before long at all, the infirmary door shuts behind him on his way out.

Kunikida keeps a tight grip on Akutagawa’s hand, even after Oda successfully places the IV. He’s doing well. “Yosano will be here soon.”

He’s telling Akutagawa, but it’s a reassurance to himself, too.

And only about half an hour later, Yosano arrives in a hurry, and uses her ability to heal Akutagawa’s wound. Kunikida shudders as he watches it melt away like it was never there. She thanks both of them for doing everything they could to keep it under control before she arrived.

It’s only half the battle, of course. Yosano can heal fatal injuries, but Akutagawa was suffering from a fever even before he received that, and there’s nothing she can do about his fever with her ability. She says his body will need time to recover from being healed regardless, so she would like him to stay in the infirmary.

Kunikida doesn’t leave his side, and he catches his eyes start to flutter open with a strained, weak groan as Akutagawa’s heavy eyelids force themselves up.

He looks confused about where he is. He makes the mistake in assuming he will quickly figure it out, because very quickly his eyes blow wide open, and he looks like he wants to get up and start running, but Kunikida forces a hand on his chest to keep him down. Oda’s head whips around, fear in his eyes, and Kunikida remembers he needs to speak to him.

"You're at the Agency," Kunikida tells him gently. “You’re safe.”

There's tears in his eyes. Kunikida can’t be sure why. Fear? Pain? Relief? He still tries to move to prop up his elbows, but Kunikida pushes him down one more time, and Akutagawa gives up trying.

"Don't move too much. That took a lot out of you, you need to rest your body," Kunikida tells him gently. "You did a good job, kid. I’m proud of you."

Akutagwa relaxes.

…

Four days later, Yosano declares Akutagwa fever-free and clears him to return to work. She’s glad for it. The last day, it was just a low-grade one, and he repeatedly insisted he was fine to return to work and did not need to be handcuffed to the cot, but she didn’t let him go. Kunikida isn’t sure that the two of them are a good combo, but he’s thankful that she helped him recover.

Yosano says he seems to be a bit more sickly than normal. It shouldn’t have taken him four days to recover from a fever, but she tells Kunikida it’s something she’ll address at a later time.

Akutagawa takes a seat at his desk across from Kunikida. He’s silent. He’s been told by Fukuzawa that he isn’t allowed to go off without a partner anymore, to prevent this from happening again. Kunikida knows he isn’t happy about that, but something seems off.

"How are you feeling?" Kunikida asks him, closing his laptop.

Akutagawa just nods. He opens one of the reports on his desk, and just stares at a page that doesn’t have much on it, pretending to be busy.

"You look much better," Kunikida says. He does. The color in his face his back, finally, but the circles under his eyes are still dark. "Junichiro will be going with you on jobs for a while. I don't like you working by yourself, Akutagawa."

He just nods again. Just once. He doesn’t want Kunikida to keep talking to him, clearly.

"What's going on with you?" Kunikida asks. Unfortunately for him, he won’t back down until he knows what's going on, this time. He needs to look out for him. Akutagawa has spent far to long doing that all for himself.

A shake of his head.

"Talk to me, Akutagawa,” Kunikida says after a little sigh.

"I didn't sleep well," he admits, suddenly. He doesn’t lift his head. His eyes look unfocused. He’s somewhere else.

Kunikida frowns. "Are you still not feeling well?"

"I keep having nightmares about her," he says very quietly.

Kunikida feels his stomach drop. "Your sister?"

Akutagawa nods. "I miss her."

Kunikida hates to see him like that. Akutagawa is very, very hard to read. Kunikida often wonders how Oda managed to find a kid just as expressionless as he is, but in moments like these, Kunikida catches just a glimpse of his pain. He wishes he could take it away.

“We’ll find her, Akutagawa. I know we will,” Kunikida tells him. He has no way of assuring him that, but he wants to have hope, too. He knows how important she is to him. Kunikida was there when he was crying for her in the middle of the night, just a few days ago, while he was tasked with watching him through the worst of his fever. He was heartbroken by it.

Another slight nod from him.

“Let’s go down to the cafe,” Kunikida says. “I forgot to get coffee this morning.”

“The cafe?” Akutagawa parrots, tiling his head. Kunikida did, in fact, get his coffee this morning, but he has time in his schedule this morning to go down there with Akutagawa.

“Yes. You like their tea, right?” Kunikida asks.

“I do,” Akutagawa confirms. Kunikida stands up, and Akutagaa gingerly follows suit.

“Okay, then we’ll go,” he says.

Akutagawa is a little confused. He’s still worn out, Kunikida thinks. He stands up and agrees to come with him, but he doesn’t understand the point. His eyes start to unfocus again.

“Akutagawa,” Kunikida starts before they head anywhere. Akutagawa’s eyes turn up. “Is it okay if I hug you?”

He’s learned not to cross boundaries with him without asking, and he sort of expects Akutagawa to say no, but he nods, just once. Kunikida moves forward to hold him, tight. His hands shake a little. He's so thankful he’s okay. The entire ordeal was a lot on him too, even after his injury was healed. He learned quite a bit about Akutagawa through that, despite him being unresponsive for most of the time.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Kunikida tells him. Akutagawa stiffens.

But to his surprise, his arms come up from his sides, and he hugs Kunikida back.

[bluesmut]

SSKK fanfic

This is part 3! Hope readers enjoy! :3

Kunikida looks at Atsushi "did you mess with him?" Atsushi looks back at Kunikida and shook his head rapidly "n-no..why would i??!" Kunikida crossed his arms "did you not see how he glared at you?" he pushes up his glasses as he spoke "i mean yeah..i did but that doesn't mean i've said or done anything bad to him.." Kunikida raised one of he eyebrow "are you sure.." he leans his face closer to atsushi with a strict expression plastered on his face, Atsushi nods and took two steps back with his hands raised "i swear..." faint heels cackling on the floor could be heard walking towards the group. Dazai had his hands behind his head and couldn't help but smirk when Ms Yosano was dragging a ginger to her office "now, what are you guys doing in the hallway? aren't you guys supposed to be in class?" Yosano said with authority in her tone "don't worry Ms Yosano, we were just about to head to our classrooms" Dazai smiles then his gaze averted to Ms Yosano to Chuuya. The ginger boy frowns as he glares at Dazai, The two were having an intense staredown for a moment before Dazai walked away with Kunikida to their classroom while Atsushi and Kyouka did the same thing aswell. Ms Yosano sighs "you know, Verlaine will be disappointed if he realized your in the discipline room again." Chuuya glares at Yosano "i told you i wasn't the one who drew on the stalls with permanent markers!" Yosano puts her hand on her hip "but you're a suspect" Chuuya groans at her reply.

Rimbaud, the art teacher brought a vase with a sunflower and put the vase on the chair then pushes the chair in front of the class carefully. Every single students each received a paper and some watercolour tools. "great , now students today you'll be painting a sunflower" Rimbaud explained the obvious as he sat down on his chair, students like Akutagawa started to sketch out the sunflower, he chicken sketched out a circle in the middle then sketched out the petals carefully and slowly with lots of patience, After he was done he picked up a brush then dipped the tip in the paint. Atsushi notices Akutagawa's mistake "hey Akutagawa, you should dip the tip in the water first before dipping it in the paint" Atsushi explained with a smile, Atsushi was right he thought but then again.."is he mocking me.." Akutagawa thought then glared at Weretiger "I knew that" Akutagawa said as he dipped the tip in a cup of sink water.

Akutagawa placed paints besides him, he dragged the paint brush along with the yellow paint on the tip. Atsushi looked at the sunflower that was placed in the front of the class then sketched out the sunflower in an awkward position, he would then accidentally knock out the paints which were sat besides Akutagawa.

Rimbaud's footsteps could be heard clacking on the floor, the room was full of exchanged whispers. A cup fell on the floor grabbing Rimbaud's and the other student's attention to the direction of the sound. Akutagawa was standing up with the hold of Atsushi's collar on one hand the other was ready to punch him in the face. Atsushi activated his flight or fight mode,he was ready to defend himself against the others attack.Rimbaud rushes to the scene and separates the two from each other, he glances at his surroundings, two ruined papers, Atsushi who was prepared to fight back and Akutagawa who was in rage."there's no need to start a fight because of two pieces of ruined artwork." Rimbaud said with a firm tone. Akutagawa clenched his fist, he felt his nails piercing his palms, his breathing was heavy from overwhelming emotions. Akutagawa covered his mouth as he started coughing, Atsushi's breathing was heavy due to the sudden outburst from Akutagawa he felt bad knowing it was his fault for making the other mad in the first place but there was no reason to start a fight out of nowhere. "I'm sorry Mr. Rimbaud..I accidentally knocked over some paint and they landed on Akutagawa's paper..I'll take the blame for this.." Atsushi said with a guilty tone but despite that "paper!? Tsk, only a fool will see the effort put into this artwork as paper!" Akutagawa was getting ticked off with every word Atsushi said.

[devastatedloyallute]

BSD episode 11 my thoughts

AHH THIS WAS ACTUALLY GREAT

I hope this ends up being canon to the manga it was so great.

I knew this wonderful bastard wasn't dead and it was all an act

🥹

^ genuinely my face when he showed up added with a "that bastard"

I KNEW IT CALLED IT HOLY SHIT

His acting was 8/10, what gave away he wasn't dead was his doofy little tongue sticking out 😂 I can hear Chuuya laughing at him for doing that telling him it was stupid and unrealistic

HOWEVER I DIDN'T EXPECT THIS.

totally thought it was gonna be through the power of their bond and their trust that Chuuya would have semi broke through the possession enough to use his ability to stop the bullet, but tbh this is better. Just them being themselves 🥰

I wonder how long they rehearsed this for, you know they did. not to mention Dazai's speech while Chuuya was drowning. Wonder if that was an on the spot thing or also practiced?

god give these two an Oscar for their performance jfc

He was wearing freaking contacts 🤣 no wonder that vampire scream sounded so fake

this is actually just adorable

why'd he decide to sit on the floor to take them out?? but can just take contacts out without a mirror? okay chuuya

he looks like a little dog!! (kinda giving inuyasha vibes ngl)

what do you mean you did this all the time?! You just let him shoot you for fun?? guess he needed the gun practice after all🤣

"That dumbass was supposed to go easy" give him a break he doesn't use guns often

I'm glad they're both okay though

but where and how did they get/find a split for Dazai's leg?? Did they like take a detour to the first aid station in the prison before heading to the exit? that would explain why Dazai's all cleaned up. got him a new pair of clothes too (maybe had a quick makeout session?)

AND THEY DIDN'T CHECK ON SIGMA?!

I kinda feel bad for Nikolai...he's so torn just holding Fyodor's arm. kinda gross but like yeah let him have some closure (we are absolutely sure he's dead right? no surprise come back?)

nice that Dazai let him have his moment without being snarky like Chuuya expected.

No not my sad old gay men 😭

but in all seriousness this shit hurt. He was doing what he thought was right and the only way to achieve world peace...but like Fukuzawa said there is no way to do that...

Also all the things I didn't add in here like Aya and Bram, Atsushi and Akutagawa, Ranpo and the others, they're all in my heart too but the soukoku brainrot is real "I can't stop thinking about those tragic little gay men, they consume my every waking thought"

Anyway this episode was amazing. No where near as tragic and traumatic as we were expecting, and for that I'm thankful. We get a win!

IT'S NOT SOUKOKOVER!!

[leonawriter]

Stray Dogs and Tiger Cubs (pt.13)

Read it on AO3 from the start

Fandom: Bungo Stray Dogs

Characters: Chuuya, Dazai, Mori.

Summary: Ah, yes, one of those other chapters/scenes I’ve been looking forward to getting out there! And just in time for Father’s Day, too.

...

It'd been unnerving enough, seeing Dazai turn all of that anger that he'd not even been sure Dazai had even been capable of, let alone the hatred in his eyes that'd been there for just a few seconds too long, long enough he wasn't about to forget any time soon, and if that was bad, then somehow, seeing his ex-partner just collapsed like that as if after all the emotion had been used up it'd just drained out of him, was even worse.

Dazai was- they were on opposite sides now, didn't he get he wasn't supposed to do that anymore?

Then again, it was Dazai he was talking about here.

A Dazai who'd somehow... picked up a kid he cared about enough to get as pissed off as Chuuya had seen him get just a few moments ago.

The same kid the mafia was after right now, which meant there'd probably be hell to pay if anything happened to him, and given who was in charge of that particular mission-

With half an eye still on Dazai, who still hasn't moved, Chuuya's hand darts into his jacket for his phone. It's a risky move - more because of Dazai's position than anything - but given the situation, it's not one he can put off.

He could have attempted to call Higuchi, or Akutagawa himself, but they'd fluff about and stutter their way through their explanations, and he really doesn't have the patience for that right now.

In the space of a few rings, he wonders if it's a bad time, if he's going to have to wait, and how the hell he's going to explain the mess in the first place, not to mention whether it's already too late.

He'd seen that look in Dazai's eyes. Whatever he was up to now, he hadn't changed that much from the Dazai Chuuya had known four years back - push him far enough, and he'd still bring down entire organisations just because they'd made an enemy of him. And right now, if the slippery bastard didn't die first - not that Chuuya wasn't tempted - that'd be the mafia. All of it.

"Ah, Chuuya-kun. I trust all is well?"

"Boss." Dazai's eyes snapped open. Chuuya held up a hand. "There's an issue," he said, talking to the point and as if he didn't have Dazai glaring daggers at him.

"Oh? I'll take the liberty of assuming it's not something you're capable of dealing with by yourself...?"

"Someone," he said, "is trying to make a mockery of the organisation."

"Explain."

The boss' tone slipped from it being a social call from a trusted associate, to pure business - at the same time as Dazai's glaring eyes widening again, as he caught on to the idea of what Chuuya was aiming at.

Good. The last thing he needed was Dazai making things more complicated than they had to be, right now.

"The weretiger we've got that bounty on. I just got new intel from a reliable source - when they gave us the info to get him, they only put down that he was a 'dangerous ability user', right? Young, but dangerous."

"Chuuya-kun."

"The kid's eight, boss."

There's a moment in which he almost can't hear anything, though the faint sound of Elise calling for the Boss' attention was enough to say the line hadn't gone dead.

"...and just how reliable is this source of yours? Any ulterior motives,  perhaps?"

Dazai's expression had shifted into a steady frown, but it didn't take much to remember brown eyes boring into him as his knife had still been a close threat.

Just don't hurt the kids, you said, Chuuya remembered. I did it mostly for Atsushi-kun, Dazai had said.

There was no getting around it, there was something new in Dazai's eyes that hadn't been there the last time Chuuya had seen him. Who even knew if it'd ever been there before, but-

"I think the kid is the motive."

"An interesting proposal. Very well, in which case... since you have already made yourself involved in the matter, you can see to it that the information is verified personally. Oh, and - do take your informant with you? The last thing we need is someone with that sort of grudge loose in the building. If he's telling the truth, then we can take things from there. And if this is a ploy, then - you know what to do, don't  you?"

"Right. Understood, sir."

The call terminated, the tone beeping in his ear.

There was something unsettling about the idea of the Boss having already figured out who he was talking about, though at least him realising Dazai was free was probably more to do with not everyone being so quick to forget that this was Dazai they were dealing with. Slippery bastard had picked locks for years, and that wasn't the sort of skill you just forgot because you were working for the other side.

Chuuya sighed. Things had started out so well, and now?

Ugh, this sucked.

"Oi. Shitty Dazai." The piece of shit himself straightened up, leaning away from the wall he'd been holding up. "Looks like you're coming with me."

"Oh? Aren't I supposed to be waiting for my execution, then?"

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" The weirdly blank look Dazai got frankly unnerved him. "But no. Boss wants confirmation. You'd better not be lying, or you won't be able to pick your way out so easily next time."

"Chuuya! So you do care!"

"That's a warning that if you're taking advantage, I'll be the one to kill you myself, idiot!"

From his place looking back from the top of the stairs, he could see Dazai with his hands behind his head, pouting.

"Mean, mean... offering me such a thing. It's a shame. But if you do it now, you'd just make poor Atsushi-chan cry."

Chuuya blinked, trying to make sense of any of that, and failing.

"Make... him cry?" he asked, unsure if he even wanted the answer to the only part of it he even felt like getting an answer to.

"Well, of course!" As if butter wouldn't melt in his mouth. As if this wasn't possibly some weird-ass plot of his- "Atsushi's gotten pretty attached to me, after all! Just the other day, he started calling me 'Da-san'!"

Chuuya wheezed, trying not to choke on his laughter too much at the idea of some poor kid looking at Dazai like that - and then again at the fact that Dazai wasn't following that up with some just kidding comment.

On any other person that'd make the situation make more sense, not less, but here it just-

"What the fuck, Dazai? You're the last person I'd trust with a kid!"

"....you're hardly the first to say that either, you know."

"That doesn't make it any better."

Neither did the fact that even if they were headed out, it was both of them, and he'd be taking Dazai with him, not just leaving him behind to rot. He really could have done with having a chance to clear his head, without the source of his headache following behind him like this.

...

AN: 

Two points from the chapter that could be abridged/omake'd:

Chuuya: Ok so boss, it looks like the kid's not eighteen, he's eight, and-<br /> Mori: Excuse me the fuck, I think I just misheard. What???

and,

Chuuya: ...I've just got that specific feeling you get when your dad knows you're talking with your ex again, and I'm feeling vaguely mortified, and if it weren't for my duty I'd like to either pummel said ex some more, or let the earth swallow me up.