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It wasn't there before. Or was he simply not paying attention? No. Atsushi was sure it wasn't there until today.
Tied around his mentor's wrist was a single black hair tie. The weretiger raised a brow. Is the length of his hair bothering him? If that's the case, shouldn't he just go and get a haircut? That'd be more convenient. Or was it, like his bandages, merely something he claimed as fashion? Or maybe it's just a one time thing?
Atsushi decided not to think too much about it. After all, trying to understand Dazai is like trying to decipher ancient hieroglyphs - he'd probably go insane before he could figure it out. So, Atsushi decided that it's best to let it escape his mind.
Then a week passed and the rubber was still present on his wrist.
Being the curious one he always is, the boy finally shot his shoot. "Uhm.. Dazai-san?"
The brunet turned to him, his usual smile playing on his lips. "Yes, Atsushi-kun?"
"That thing on your wrist.. is there a particular reason why you're carrying it around?"
Dazai examined the item briefly before he beamed at the younger male. "I was wondering when you'd ask!" He cheerfully exclaimed. "You see, I searched it up and apparently this can kill you!" He then showed his wrist to Atsushi.
"It can stop the blood from flowing and it might cause infection when the bacteria from the band makes its way to the pores and hair follicles. Once it gets to the bloodstream, you can go into a coma state, the body shuts down and it can even cause death!"
Atsushi blinked, several times, processing the information. Before.. "You're lying." He blurted out.
Dazai opened his eyes he'd previously shutted as he imagined the gentle embrace of death. He looked at his protégé with a surprise that morphed into a soft smile. "Oh? What makes you think so, Atsushi-kun?"
"I mean.. you always say you prefer a peaceful way of dying and the whole thing you just described sounded way too complicated and painful. You hate pain."
Dazai let out a chuckle. His little protege is a lot better in reading him now.
" Fufu, how observant of you." He said. "Ah, I miss those times when Atsushi-kun would invariably believe everything I said without a single doubt! I can get him to do this and that without him getting suspicious. My, Atsushi-kun, truly you've grown up!"
Atsushi shook his head at his mentor's antique, swallowing the : 'anyone would grow up quickly if they're constantly being manipulated into doing more work! ' Besides, Atsushi had long learnt that the brunet was trying to change the topic. "So Dazai-san, the hair tie?"
Dazai blinked at him before then he leaned against the back of his chair. "I kept this for my forgetful dog." He said, touching the hair tie.
"Eh? Dazai-san, you have a dog?"
Clearly, the ex port mafia executive wasn't expecting such reactions. He looked at the innocent boy, mirth flashed on his eyes as he smiled. "I do!" He ignored Ranpo's snicker.
"How come I've never seen it? Is he cute?"
Dazai's eyes crinkled, forming little crescent moons. "Very. A bit on the ferocious side, though."
"I see. Is he small or big? What colour?"
"Of course he's small, he barks a lot too." Ranpo seemed very much enjoying the two's exchange, judging from the way he's munching on his popcorn. "Also, it's black with some fiery orange."
"He sounds cute." Atsushi sighed almost dreamily, eyes sparkling as he looked at his mentor. "Can I meet him?"
Dazai laughed. "Of course! I'll tell him to come here."
"You can do that?"
He received a hum as answer while Dazai fiddled with his phone. "He'll be here in 20 minutes."
"I can't wait to see him!"
Dazai snickered quietly. The hair tie completely forgotten, he couldn't wait to see Atsushi's reaction.
The white haired boy jumped on his seat as soon as the door opened exactly 20 minutes later, his eyes wide and bright as he expected the supposedly black little ball of fur. What he didn't expect was to find a certain mafia executive.
Wait, but Chuuya-san is in relationship with Dazai-san, maybe he's the one taking care of the dog? That makes sense!
"You better have a good reason to call me here, you shitty Dazai." He growled, stomping his way towards the male. When he finally stood beside him, Dazai threw an arm around his waist; pressing his face against his chest. "Atsushi-kun. Let me introduce you : my dog."
A loud : HUH!? came from both Atsushi and Chuuya.
"W-Wha-!?"
"Doesn't he fit my description from earlier?" Dazai smiles, holding Chuuya tighter to himself.
Atsushi scanned the mafia from the top of his head down to his toe. Small, check. Black and orange, check.
"What are you looking at!?" Ferocious, check. "And you! What the fuck! I came because you said you need me for something and- blah blah blah." Barks a lot… check.
Atsushi slumped on his seat.
"Aww Chuuya, look, you're making the kid sad. He was really looking forward to meeting my dog. Why don't you bark for him?"
A loud smack resounded and Atsushi watched in horror as blood trickled down Dazai's face yet the assaulter didn't look fazed in the slightest. "I'm not your goddamn dog- wait, don't wipe it on me! God, Dazai!"
"And here I thought you really own a dog."
Chuuya scoffed at that. "Are you crazy? He could barely take care of himself; owning a pet? That pet might actually commit a suicide being under his care!"
"W-Well.." That actually makes perfect sense.
"Atsushi-kun." Dazai leaned forward to him. "Just now, you were thinking about something very insulting, weren't you!?" He then said with a pout.
"I wasn't!"
"You don't have to lie, kid." The mafia rolled his eyes. "So there's no actual reason for me to be here, right? I'm leaving."
"Now, Chuuya, what's with the rush?" Dazai's hold on him tightened, keeping the male from leaving. "You went out of your way to come here. Why not stay for awhile?"
Chuuya's eyes narrowed as the other pulled him until he settled on his lap. "Let me go."
"Nope. Now be a good dog and help me with these." And by these , of course he was referring to the untouched mountain of paperworks.
Before Chuuya could answer, though, Yosano intercepted. "So this is what you guys are into, huh?" She smirked. "Do you call him 'puppy', Dazai?"
The detective chuckled, turning to his lover and leaning to whisper in his ear. "Do I?"
Red faced, Chuuya shoved Dazai's face away roughly. "I hate you."
"Do you, puppy?"
He received an elbow digging into his guts as Chuuya took one of the many files Dazai's supposed to work on, to cover his face.
"You wanted to help me, after all." He all but sang. "See, Atsushi-kun. Isn't he a good doggo?"
"Die, stupid Mackerel."
Dazai hummed, taking his hand in his. "Will you kill me with these pretty hands?"
"Gladly, you fucker. Where'd you keep my glasses?"
"Bottom drawer."
Chuuya rolled his eyes, taking back his hand and grumbled : "You can at least make use of those limbs and grab it for me, you waste of space." He then bent down to reach said drawer, retrieving an expensive looking glasses case that totally didn't look like it belong to Dazai; completely unaware of the view he was providing his lover.
"Chuuya-san, you wear glasses?"
"Just for reading." He answered, putting on the specs. He sat back and crossed his legs, totally making Dazai out as a mere chair for him to sit on.
However, the sight was not unfamiliar for Atsushi's eyes. Ever since the truce and the brunet coming out with their relationship, such a scene has become rather.. normal, if he must say.
Sometimes, just some times, Atsushi found himself envying the two adults- he would love to have what they have. And most of the times when he had those thoughts, Atsushi's mind drifted into a certain black haired male and always, without a fail, he quickly dismissed the ridiculous idea with a shake of his head.
Atsushi couldn't help but to stare at them, observing the supposedly most dangerous duo in Yokohama's unique relationship.
Chuuya was now hunched against the desk, writing something on the paper, with Dazai pressed against his back as he also leaned forward. Atsushi watched as Dazai pulled away just slightly, gathering Chuuya's longer locks into his hand a short while after the mafia tucked it behind his ear because it was getting in the way of his vision. He also continued to stare as Dazai pulled the hair tie off his wrist to tie Chuuya's hair in a little bun with practiced ease. And Atsushi finally looked away when Chuuya lifted his head up, a small grateful smile on his lips as they shared a short kiss.
Atsushi found himself smiling at what he just witnessed.
So that's what it's for. Even Dazai-san can be that sweet.
Satisfied by his discovery, Atsushi finally put his focus back onto his own work; oblivious to the grin plastered on his mentor's lips.
Dazai ended up keeping Chuuya in the agency until the time they got off and it was not until they're in the privacy of the older one's car that Dazai called him.
"Chuu?"
"What?"
"You know, earlier, Atsushi-kun was wondering why I have a hair tie around my wrist."
The ginger blushed at that. "What.. did you tell him?"
"That I kept this for my forgetful dog!" He said with a wide smile.
"So that's where the dog talk comes from." Chuuya groaned.
The brunet let out a soft chuckle, slipping his hand underneath Chuuya's that's resting on the shift knob and entwining their fingers together. Chuuya glanced over at the male whose eyes were fixed on the changing scenery outside, a smirk playing on his lips as he said :
"After all, there's no way I'd tell him that I keep this for when Chuuya's eager to get on his knees for me."