Work Text:
Kouyou's office was a beautiful room. Floor to ceiling windows, circle tables holding expensive china tea sets, and a pleasant aroma of freshly baked goods wafting through the air. Her office was perfect for hosting meetings (if those meetings only include two people who gossip about the mafia that is).
“So Hirotsu, what brings you here today.” She picks up her tea cup, admiring the warm, floral taste.
“I’ve brought news about the black lizards, something that you might find interesting.”
“Hmm, the black lizards? What are those idiots up to now?”
“It appears that Akutagawa is um- infatuated with someone… from the Armed Detective Agency.”
Chuuya chokes on his tea and all of a sudden the warm, floral taste is unpleasant.
“Ryuu is in love with someone? No, he’s in love with someone from the ADA?!” Chuuya shouts in shock. He can't believe what he's hearing. Years of knowing the Akuatawa siblings, he never thought that either of them would fall in love. He sees them as his little siblings for fuck's sake.
“It’s probably that fishy bastard's fault- excuse me I need to make a call.” He walks off to the corner of the room, furiously dialing a number.
"Pick up you waste of bandages!!" He yells into the phone which rings three times before someone answers.
"Hey Chuuya~"
"Don't hey Chuuya me! You know what I'm calling about! What the fuck is this? Don't toy with Akutagawa's feelings like this! Who are they really?"
"Hmm? I don't know what you're talking about?"
"Don't play coy you suicidal bastard! Who is Akutagawa in love with, who did you force into this?!"
"Well if you desperately want to know... it's not something that you might like. However, I expect you to know what I want in exchange."
"Uhgg you fucking sicko! Fine, seven thirty, my apartment, Thursday. Now tell me who the fuck did you use?!"
"Atsushi, my subordinate. He doesn't know who yet, they met at a gala and Akutagawa thinks he's some random ADA member, a female one."
"What?! Dazai, you can't just play with their feelings like that, it's not cool-" The line dropped leaving Chuuya very angry, once he got his hands on Dazai he would be sure to teach him a lesson.
"Lad, what's going on?" Kouyou tilted her head to the boy. She was confused by what Dazai had told Chuuya over the phone.
"It's Atsushi. Akutagawa has a crush on Atsushi, except he was disguised as a girl at an event. He has no idea."
"Oh dear."
...
"Dazai- san, who are you talking to?" Atsushi asked as he walked to his desk. He had just arrived to work with Kyouka. He was surprised to even see Dazai here this early, he usually came in around 10:30 but today he was on time for a change, most likely to Kunikida nagging.
"Just a certain little hat rack- Ack what happened to you?!" Dazai stared at the young boy's face. His hair was a mess and his eyes were swollen with a lack of sleep.
"Oh I'm fine I just had trouble sleeping..."
"I told him to stay home but he wouldn't listen to me."
"That's because you had Demon Snow hold a knife to my throat keeping me in bed!"
"Well we shouldn't force you to sleep but, Dazai's right, Atsushi. You look terrible." Yosano inspected his face
"Why couldn't you sleep?" Naomi walked towards the printer.
"It's- it's complicated."
"Oh my goodness!!! It's about him isn't it!!"
"Him? Who's him?" Yosano looked around trying to interpret the secret language the two were speaking.
"Oh him? Wow you are so perverted Atsushi~" Dazai teased.
"That's not it! I just couldn't stop thinking about the mission!" Atsushi buried his flushed face in his hands.
"Mhm, yeah this mission with him~" Naomi giggled. It was funny seeing Atsushi getting flustered like a teenage boy. It suited him and even if he was technically an adult he deserved it.
Meanwhile outside the agency, two people were very confused at the scene.
"Gin, why do we have to hide in a bush?" Tachihara tried to get comfortable but so many sticks were poking him.
"Because I need to make sure that she isn't a spy, but it's weird because this Kaori- san isn't there." Gin adjusted her binoculars. So far she could see the overgrown child detective, Dazai- san, a girl with long black hair, that doctor lady, and the tiger boy, but nobody who looked like the woman.
"It was a gala wasn't it? Most likely Kaori- san was just an alibi. You know because of the truce we could just go in there and ask for information. Who is even in there anyways-" He tried to swipe the binoculars from Gin but her reflexes were too quick and she easily evaded him.
"What are you doing! I brought these, go get your own."
"What are you talking about, those are my binoculars! You stole them!"
"I did not!"
"You did!"
"No I didn't"
"Hey! Gin- chan, why don't you come say hi to the agency and me?" Dazai peeked his head out of the window.
"Look at what you've done, they caught us!" Gin scolded him.
"Me? You were the one shouting!"
"Gin- chan let's not forget that I am the one who taught you everything you know about stealth, I would be able to sense you anyways, ruckus or not."
That shut the two up quickly and they both silently headed inside the agency.
...
"So what brings you two here?" Kunikida asked them.
The two looked at each other but decided on the truth.
"We um, we wanted to ask you questions about the latest mission we worked on, we did, provide you with a member, and a file on your target after all."
Well sort of the truth...
"Ah, the one to infiltrate the gala to gather information on Aaron Harrowing, yes I remember. What would you like to know?" Kunikida moved to a file cabinet and pulled out a manila folder.
"Is it possible to know who was working on it? We wanted to thank them for the success that happened."
There was a loud cough in the room from Atsushi, who apologized before Kunikida continued.
"Well we don't have members so we all worked on it but specifically, Naomi, Atsushi, Dazai, Ranpo, Yosano, and myself of course."
Well that narrowed it down quickly.
"I was on the job as well, who made the disguise, truly impeccable craftsmanship." Gin smiled politely.
"Oh well that was myself of course, thank you I worked for days on the design, I was guided by Naomi, and Yosano of course."
"And who was on the field, in the beautiful dress?"
"Oh that was-" Kunikida stated but was interrupted by a loud cry.
"Gin- chan is so mean, how could you not talk to me once, I've known you ever since you were little but here you are ignoring meeee!" Dazai wailed dramatically.
"I'm sorry Dazai- san but I just needed to know something-"
"No, how could you forget about me? I bet you only came here on a date with him!" Dazai pointed to Tachihara.
"Wait what? Tachihara?" Gin furrowed her brow, confused.
"Yes! I bet you came here because you didn't want your brother to find out!" He accused.
"No, that's simply incorrect, Tachihara came with me because... why did you come here?"
"I- I wasn't going to let you go by yourself! You could get hurt!"
"Tachihara, we work in the port mafia and we are always getting hurt."
"Yes but- I- it's complicated!" Pink crept up his neck, he couldn't talk properly.
"This isn't a date Dazai- san now, if you would let Kunikida- san finish-"
"Kunikida- kunnn, aren't we supposed to keep missions confidential?~" Dazai smirked, then he gave a small thumbs up to a nervous Atsushi who gave him a relieved smile.
But they weren't the only ones who saw this exchange.
...
"Gin, are you sure this is a good idea, we already got some answers from Kunikida- san we can just narrow it down from there-"
"Something was suspicious with the way he was acting, he knew that you and I would never date, he said that as a distraction."
"Ah... right."
Tachihara followed Gin silently through the agency halls, it was almost nighttime. Gin had suspicions about earlier so she had decided that it was up to her to gather information. That subordinate, Atsushi, was suspicious.
She pulled out her flashlight and picked the lock in the first room
"Check the files for this date." She flashed him the date before searching the cabinets.
However after several minutes
"Ughh! No luck, we've searched for hours!!" Tachihara whined.
"We haven't been here that long, let's check the other room." She turned to leave but heard something odd.
Was that...humming?
"Pst, Tachihara, there's someone here, let's go." She whispered but as he followed her she moved closer to the noise.
She turned the knob. It was unlocked! Carefully she peeked through the crack and saw a strange sight.
It was Atsushi, dancing all alone humming to himself. But weirder enough he was waltzing, without a partner.
"Isn't that Dazai's new subordinate? When did he learn how to dance?" They watched carefully as he spun himself, his face looked content as if he was remembering something good
"That's all I needed, we should leave now..." She spoke calmly but when Tachihara got a good look at her, nothing about her seemed calm.
It was as if she could sense the mess that was about to become.