Work Text:
“Atsushi-kun! Why don’t you guess where I was before joining the Agency?” Atsushi had been listening to this conversation for a while as he was washing the dishes. Apparently almost no one in the Agency knew where Dazai came from. Kunikida was a teacher, the Tanizaki siblings were students... None of it was really surprising.
Atsushi could answer this relatively easily, considering what the ginger from the bar had implied. Dazai used to be in the Port Mafia, it was as simple as that. Why else would he manipulate people into joining it? That just wouldn’t make sense. Atsushi had wondered how high his ranking was, but he figured he could guess based on the context clues. If the scarlet haired woman, at the very least, was familiar with Dazai, then he must’ve been…
“You were a Port Mafia Executive?”
Silence. Until Dazai started laughing. Kunikida’s eyes looked like they might as well have been bugging out of his head as he turned to his coworker.
“There’s no way- Dazai?! Why are you laughing? You used to work with our enemy?!” Kunikida seemed absolutely violated by this information.
“Calm down, Kunikida-kun. Don’t get so stressed about it,” Dazai calmly waved him off. “Didn’t you know that stress kills?” Kunikida went silent after that, but looked like he was having his mid-life crisis at the ripe age of 22.
“Anyways, Atsushi-kun,” Dazai turned away from his distressed coworker, leaning forward to get closer to Atsushi. Atsushi slightly backed away, startled by the sudden change. “How’d you know?”
“Ah, well, you see,” Atsushi was sweating bullets at this point. “I work at a bar as my other job. What my manager failed to inform me was that apparently other Port Mafia Executives like to drink there, and I overheard some things in their conversation, so..”
Atsushi coughed. “I heard your name come up several times so I put 2 and 2 together.”
Suddenly all of the attention was on Atsushi, who was feeling very uncomfortable and looking at the door, as though he wanted to leave. Which he did. He did want to leave, very much so. “Are you guys okay?”
“Atsushi, you are aware that you are a wanted tiger, right?” Kunikida asked. “And that the Port Mafia is after you?”
“Well, yes, I can’t forget that very easily.”
“And you work at a bar where the executives of said Port Mafia frequent?” Kunikida looked like he was going to burst a vein.
“Yes, I don’t quite understand where you’re going with this?” Really. Atsushi didn’t see too big of an issue. “I mean, do they know that I’m the tiger that they’re looking for? Besides, I need the money, that was the only job I could find.”
Kunikida looked absolutely done while Dazai laughed at his exasperation. Atsushi felt bad for the man. He seemed to be the type of person who liked having everything scheduled, and Atsushi was sure that having Dazai as a coworker would really mess his schedules up.
At some point, Kunikida dragged Dazai away by the collar, probably to get back to work. Atsushi gave them a wave, shouting “Come again soon!” as they exited, and he was left to his own devices.
For some time, Atsushi was left with washing and drying the dishes, so they could be ready for other customers. The cafe manager came up to him and gave him a list of errands to run, as well as the money necessary to do so. They had been running low on certain items, and something had happened with the shipment they placed. The manager informed him that he could easily find all of these at a store nearby.
Atsushi accepted the task easily, pleased with the change of pace. The store wasn’t too far away, so he would hopefully be done well before the end of his shift.
..It wasn’t until he had already gotten through the store door that Atsushi realized he had never gone shopping before. He knew the premise, and got the gist of it, but it was a first-time thing. So, logically, he probably should have turned around and let someone else take care of it.
But he didn’t want to embarrass himself by doing that, so he figured he could learn along the way. Atsushi grabbed a cart, and prayed to whatever deities existed that it wouldn’t be too confusing.
It actually wasn’t. The list given to him was super specific on what was needed, including brands and quantity. While this specification may have been annoying to some, it was godsend for Atsushi. He didn’t know what he would do if it was vague. With the help of some tired-looking retail workers, Atsushi was able to find half the things on the list within just 40 minutes, which was a time that he was proud of.
As he was about to go look for the next item, there was a flash of blinding light, followed by a loud boom, followed by several crashes and a wave of heat. It left spots in his sight and his ears ringing. Once the ringing subsided, he registered the screaming and the distinct smell of smoke.
Oh, a bomb, was his first (and very logical) thought.
He ran out of the aisle, noting the mob of people running toward the exit. He heard crying coming from the direction of where the bomb seemed to have gone off, and Atsushi cursed his guilty conscience and the fact that leaving someone there would never leave his thoughts, illogically running towards the site of the explosion.
Without a second thought, he ran into the flames. He was immediately hit by the intense heat, covering his nose and mouth with his shirt as he continued, holding it up with his hand. He used his (rather sensitive) hearing to locate the source of the crying, which seemed to come from under a fallen shelf that had most likely toppled over in the initial explosion.
Shifting his shirt so that it wouldn’t fall off without the presence of his hand, he used his shoulder and hands to push the shelf upright, uncovering two little girls who were hugging each other and crying. The sight broke his heart, knowing they had been here alone. They were most likely injured, and probably had lung damage due to smoke inhalation.
Ignoring the burn of his skin and the singing of his clothes, he opened his arms to them and yelled over the roaring of the flames that surrounded them.
“I’m going to get you two out of here, do you trust me?!” Atsushi yelled. The two could do nothing but stare at him, grasping each other and shaking with fear.
”Do you trust me?
The older one of the two nodded her head shakily, tears falling down her face. Atsushi wasted no time, approaching them and scooping them into his arms, grunting at the strain on his blistering arms. He stood up straight, turning in the direction of the exit.
“Please hold on tight, this will get bumpy,” He felt the children clutch onto his burnt shirt as he began to sprint towards the doors. Most of the store, at this point, was engulfed in flames, not a person in sight. He could only hope that there were no casualties. Atsushi was forced to jump over rubble standing in his path, but was able to get out with only a few injuries on his legs.
He burst out of the collapsed doors, allowing his shirt to fall from his nose as he took a deep breath of fresh air. He kneeled down, freeing the children from his grasp. He put a hand on both of their heads.
“You both were very brave. Thank you for trusting me.”
The two immediately burst into tears, hugging him around his middle. Atsushi was stunned by the sudden show of affection from the kids, but also felt very warm inside, feeling glad that he was able to help them out.
“My kids! Where are my daughters?” Atsushi heard a woman yell frantically. He looked at the two girls, noting that they were looking in the direction of the yelling.
“Is that your mom?” They looked at him and nodded. A woman burst from the crowd, looking around frantically. She was bombarded by the two girls running up to her and hugging her. They started talking and pointing at him, and Atsushi started to sweat as the woman began to approach.
She bowed deeply to him, tears falling down her face. “Thank you so much for saving my little girls. I can’t ever repay you for what you’ve done.”
Atsushi flushed, waving his hands around frantically. “Really, it was no problem..! I couldn’t just stand by. Please make sure you get your kids’ lungs checked out, I’m not sure if they were damaged by the smoke…”
Atsushi watched with a small smile as the woman walked away, walking towards the EMTs while holding her daughters’ hands. Then he cursed.
“Shit, I couldn’t get my errands done!” He would have to apologize to the manager. His first task outside of the cafe, and he blew it! Atsushi groaned, his good mood falling, and made his way back to the cafe.
The bell on the door jingled, signaling his arrival.
“Ah, Atsushi-kun! Welcome back!” The waitress at the counter greeted him, then took in his disheveled appearance. “Did.. Something happen to you?”
Atsushi groaned and sat down on the stool. “There was a bomb in the store. I’m so sorry I couldn’t get my errands done.” The counter was looking very appealing to smash his face into.
“Atsushi-kun, you’re covered in soot. Are you injured? You should go home and get yourself cleaned up, why didn’t you get yourself checked on by any medical personnel?”
Atsushi could only shrug. “I forgot?” It wasn’t a lie, necessarily, but he mostly just assumed his ability could take care of it as it always seemed to, even if he didn’t know it in the past.
His coworker ushered him back out the door, letting him know that she’d inform the manager of what had transpired. Atsushi sighed in defeat and made his way back to his dorm, knowing he’d have extra time since he was sent home before his shift actually ended.
He took a shower, but found he couldn’t scrub the scent of smoke from his skin. The blisters on his skin and the scratches on his legs had mostly healed, but left scars. He didn’t mind them too much, figuring that they would fade with time. Thankfully, when he was wearing his work outfit for the bar, they weren’t too visible unless you actively tried to look for them.
Which reminded him that he would need to ask for a new work outfit for the cafe. He figured he could get that done in the morning, but for now he needed to rest and then get ready for the bar.
He decided he needed to sleep for a short while, now realizing he hadn’t been able to lay down since the morning, noting the ache in his muscles from the rush at the store. He laid in his futon, set an alarm on his phone, and closed his eyes.
He later awoke to his alarm going off on his phone, and groggily sat up, stretching his arms out. Atsushi turned his alarm off, and got up to get ready for the bar. He pulled his clothes on, and set out.
Thankfully, on the short trek to the bar, there were no more bombs or fires or anything of the sort. A few cars passed Atsushi, as well as a few pedestrians, but there was nothing more to it.
Atsushi entered the bar, and engaged in a few conversations as he served some of the customers. Once again, like a few days ago, he found some of the Port Mafia Executives coming down the steps into the bar. Atsushi absently noted that the blond wasn’t there with them. He hummed, thinking that was probably for the best.
Atsushi dismissed himself from his current conversation, walking over to where the scarlet haired woman and the ginger sat.
“What can I get for you?” Atsushi asked politely.
“Oh, we have work after this, so we’ll just take some water.” The woman said. Atsushi was confused as to why they would go to a bar to just get water, but decided it was best not to question it.
They engaged in some small talk after Atsushi got them their water, and he discovered that their names were Kouyou and Chuuya, and that the ashen haired man was Ace, but got no other information. Atsushi figured that was also for the best. Kouyou insisted that since they would probably be seeing a lot from each other, he should call her Ane-san. Atsushi, embarrassed, didn’t want to refuse, so he relented. Chuuya grumbled something about giving their names out to strangers, but Kouyou didn’t seem too worried about it.
“Anyways, Atsushi-kun, you smell like smoke. You’re not a smoker, are you?” Kouyou said, changing the subject.
Atsushi’s mind went back to what happened earlier in the day. “Ah, that… I’m sorry I couldn’t wash the smell out. I tried my best.” At the confused looks, he continued. “Well, I was shopping for my other job earlier today, but turns out there was a bomber… I heard kids screaming and, you know, I couldn’t just leave them there.
“So I obviously went to help them, but that meant I had to run into the flames while also trying not to inhale too much smoke. Turns out they were stuck under a shelf that had collapsed in the initial explosion, so I carried them out of the building. I really hope they’re okay. I got them to their mother safely, and she thanked me, so I guess it ended well.”
Chuuya looked almost stunned. “So you, someone who’s apparently trying to live a peaceful life, risk your life for some kids.. Why aren’t you at home recovering?”
Atsushi had no good answer for that, so he just told the truth. “I need money.”
“So you just risked your life, probably had a traumatizing experience, but still come to work because you need money?” Chuuya sighed. “Okay then.”
“Story of my life,” Atsushi nervously laughed. “I say I want a peaceful life, but really, I just can’t catch a break.”
“So, has the suicidal bastard still been annoying?” Atsushi raised an eyebrow at the sudden topic change to Dazai, but didn’t really feel like questioning it.
“Annoying as ever. I found him trying to commit suicide outside of my dorm in a barrel. I’ve barely known him for a short while and this is probably the second time he’s done this?” Atsushi shook his head. “I should probably get used to this behavior by now. For someone who’s trying to kill himself, he seems very good at avoiding death.”
“Tell me about it.” Chuuya rolled his eyes. “I’ve tried killing him several times, but he simply won’t die. He tells me he wants to be killed on his own terms, not mine. He dies either way, so I don’t know why he’s complaining.”
Most of the Agency seems to share the sentiment of not caring if Dazai dies, Atsushi sweatdropped. I don’t care too much, but I still don’t want him to die.
“That man has been looking for death for as long as I’ve known him,” Kouyou sighed, raising her sleeve to cover her mouth. “I hope he finds it someday.”
And that was something all three of them could agree on, probably all for different reasons. After some more talking, Chuuya rose with a grumble about “small organizations” and “Akutagawa,” where had Atsushi heard that name again? Kouyou followed him shortly after, with a small goodbye to Atsushi, who waved, telling them to come again soon.
Atsushi was then told to go home by the manager of the bar, who overheard the conversation and was worried about his health. Atsushi tried to protest, but the manager took no excuses, even going as far as to say that he would pay him for all the hours he was supposed to work.
Well, if he was going to be that kind, then Atsushi had no right to refuse.
He went home with a warmth in his heart, glad that there were people caring for him. This was until he walked in front of his dorm and heard a voice coming from the inside. His warm feeling almost immediately dissipated once he recognized the voice.
He opened the door begrudgingly.
“-and here’s Atsushi!” Dazai exclaimed, doing jazz hands in his general direction.
“Dazai-san,” Atsushi smiled, trying not to sound as annoyed as he was. “What can I help you with?”
“Well, Atsushi-kun!” Dazai smiled, looking as though he was about to start manipulating him, which he most definitely was. “We found this 14 year old girl, she’s killed 35 people and used to work for the Port Mafia. She’s trying to defect.” He then sighed dramatically, as if he was about to deliver the news of someone’s death. “However, we have no room for her in the dorms. Our only hope is you, Atsushi-kun!”
“Dazai-san, really, I don’t think I can keep another person-”
“We’ll cut your rent in half for every month she lives here.”
Atsushi gained a more serious face. “Deal.” He didn’t know where his sudden obsession with having more money came from, but he blamed Dazai wholeheartedly. He knew Dazai just played him, but at the moment couldn’t care too much. Besides, he had the feeling he would need the money in order to take care of another person.
Atsushi sighed in defeat, ushering Dazai out the door, loathing to deal with him a moment longer.
“What’s your name?” Atsushi asked, smiling softly at the girl. She had long, dark blue hair tied into two pigtails that settled over her shoulders, and she was wearing a traditional red kimono. Atsushi absently thought about how much she reminded him of Kouyou.
“Kyouka.” Okay, nothing else. Not much of a talker, though he can’t blame her.
“Okay, Kyouka-chan!” Atsushi clapped his hands together. “You can go ahead and sleep in the futon. I hope you don’t mind the smell of smoke, I ran into a fire earlier today and it hasn’t washed out. I’ll try to work on it.”
She bowed to him politely, settling into the futon without much complaint. His phone buzzed, and he pulled it out of his pocket, feeling as though he knew who the text was from.
From: Dazai-san
she might be stand-offish, but don’t mind it. she was practically traumatized by the work she did at the port mafia. also, the manager at the cafe asked me to drop off some work clothes since urs were ruined, so those r in the kitchen
Hm, Atsushi could relate to trauma. He had his fair share of it from the orphanage. He absentmindedly rubbed the Lichtenberg figures that traced up and down his back and arms. Atsushi had no recollection of where they came from, he just remembered waking up with them there.
He also remembered that that was around the time when the Headmaster became especially cruel. But there was no sense in thinking about the past right now. Not that he wanted to think about it, anyway. Atsushi was aware that his childhood was far from a proper one, and the scars that littered his back and stomach spoke enough about it. He ached just thinking about it.
He made himself a small meal of chazuke to settle his stomach before he went to sleep. Now that he had money, he could also eat 3 full meals a day. Which shouldn’t have made him as giddy as it did, but it really did. Back at the orphanage, and even for a while after he left the orphanage, he had no control over how often he ate, what times, or how much.
The feeling of having control over his life made him feel good, even if there was a suicidal manipulator looking at life over his shoulder every now and then. He could fall asleep knowing that the following day would be a good one. And even if there were bombs and fires and bounties, he could say that it was still better than the orphanage. He could really do without them, though.
Atsushi heard Kyouka whimpering from the other room, so he traveled over there wearily, not sure what to do. He sat by her and hoped his presence could be enough to help her. He ended up falling asleep upright, against the wall.
–
He woke up with a pain in his back, and the futon cover laid over him carefully. He turned to his left, only to find Kyouka waiting there with a full meal. It took him a moment to register, but Atsushi startled once he fully noticed her presence.
“Kyouka-chan? You startled me!” Atsushi laughed nervously, wanting to fill in the silence. “You made breakfast?”
Kyouka just nodded, looking him in the eyes. It made him mildly uncomfortable, but he joined her at the table nonetheless.
“Thank you for the food,” they both said, before digging in.
“So, Kyouka.. What are some things you like?” Atsushi asked, trying to break the ice and going for some awkward small talk.
“Tofu and bunnies.” She answered simply. Atsushi sweat at the terse statement, deciding she probably still wasn’t ready to talk too much, especially with someone she just met. Atsushi decided to eat the rest of his meal in silence, trying to respect boundaries, before he stood up.
“I have to go to work, but I’ll leave my number on the table in case you need anything. You’ll probably see me if you’re going to go to the Agency, I work in the cafe situated below it.” He quickly wrote his number down on a piece of paper, setting it on the table where he was sitting previously. He pulled on his new work clothes before heading to the door.
“I’ll be back!” he yelled into the silent apartment, feeling Kyouka’s gaze trail after him. Atsushi absentmindedly sniffed his hair, pulling it down a little so it could reach, hoping he didn’t still smell like smoke.
He settled into the routine of the past few days easily, opening the door of the cafe which signaled his arrival. He was greeted by his coworkers and the manager, and he exchanged pleasantries easily. Atsushi began to wash the dishes that had already been used that day, setting them in a stack near the sink. Some of the usual customers began to come, including a few of the Agency members who settled in their normal booths.
Dazai entered the cafe with Kyouka in tow, introducing her to some of the members she hadn’t already seen. If Atsushi thought about it, he could guess that Dazai was planning on having Kyouka join the Agency. Possibly for protection, amongst other things.
He hoped it was for protection, anyway, and no ulterior motives. Despite her quiet and stand-offish demeanor, she really seemed nice to be around if he could get around that. Atsushi saw Dazai pointing around to things in the cafe, explaining them casually. Until he pointed at Atsushi, and dropped down to a whisper.
“That’s Atsushi, of course, and he doesn’t like putting up with me. I tried to get him to join the Agency but he said no,” he whispered. “He kicked me out of a barrel. That’s how mean he is.”
“Dazai-san.. What can I get for you today?” Atsushi asked, smiling in a way that barely hid his annoyance, just like the smile of last night.
“Ah.. Atsushi-kun! Well, we were just about to leave, so I’ll leave you to it!!” Dazai exclaimed. He ushered Kyouka towards the elevator, but then yelled, “Good job in the fire yesterday!” Atsushi could kill this man. He really could.
“Fire yesterday?” Kunikida asked. “Wait, you don’t mean the bombing yesterday, do you?”
Kunikida turned to look at Atsushi. Atsushi could do nothing but stand there awkwardly under his sharp gaze. “You can..- It’s in the newspaper.. You can read about it there..” Atsushi said, covering his face. Embarrassingly, the mother of the two kids had told a news reporter who arrived at the scene about him, and someone else had gotten a picture of him coming out of the building.
There was a news article in the paper that showed the exact photo taken, and unfortunately Atsushi would have thought it looked really cool if it wasn’t him in the photo. It was high quality, though obviously in black and white.
You know, Atsushi would like it to be known that he really had been having a good few days for once. Even yesterday felt good. In the newspaper, it had been reported that there were 0 casualties, only destruction of property. While Atsushi did feel bad that whoever owned the store lost it, at least no one lost their lives in the explosion. Atsushi was able to save the 2 would-be casualties, and that made him feel extremely warm inside.
He had a lot on his plate, but really, everything was going well, wasn’t it?